Title: Five Senses

Chapter 1: Scent

Author: Kora

Rating: PG-13

Genre: Romance

Summary: Uncle Chet comes for a visit, and a young Mary dreams…

Disclaimer: I do not own Chet or Mary, they belong to other peoples…like Leslie Bohem and schtuff…though I'm sure Jill'd love to have them all to herself…heck, I'm just sort of burrowing, ya know?

Author's Note: Well this is it - my first 'Taken' fan fiction…and it's a series too!! Least it'll be a series if Jill wants to read the rest of it as I wrote this for her.

I'd love to say the 'Five Senses' idea was my own but that'd be a lie and credit goes where it's due. This idea came to me through Anne ) who wrote a series with the same title/basic idea for a 'Farscape' fiction - it is FANTASTIC! Hers are mostly hot, HOT PWP in each chapter where mine are more directed towards scenes and whatnot, but still, - wouldn't have had this idea without her…

Also this is the ONLY chapter in the series that I made up entirely and was not my take/version of a scene either in the 'Taken' novelization nor off the 'Taken' DVD, my apologies if it is not enjoyable because of this…

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"Hellllloooo, Thrill Seekers!"

Mary sat up from her Chemistry homework. Thus far the only noises she had heard were that of her mother cleaning the dinner plates in the kitchen sink. This distinctive voice and catchphrase sent a thrill of blood through her veins. She dropped her pencil and pushed back from the kitchen table, her chair squelching along the tiles. She rose to her feet and turned to see her Uncle Chet there.

She beamed, and fought off the urge to run up and throw herself into his arms. After all, she wasn't a little girl anymore - she was in her teens now and at this age it was more typical to not show your overwhelming excitement when an adult that was not a famous rockstar or actor entered the room.

But he opened his arms and said, "If it isn't the future Nobel Prize winner, Mary Crawford!"

She could resist no longer.

Dashing up she gave him a swift, tight hug, "Uncle Chet! It's good to see you!"

"And it's always good to see you, Mary, you keep getting more beautiful everyday. Boys beating down your door yet?"

"Some." She lied.

"Figures. But hey, you keep your eye on the prize-"

"All straight A's and a scientific paper that has all ready won me a hefty college scholarship-"

"Good girl," he still hadn't released her from his hug and now a hand had risen up to run through her hair, down her back, she shivered…

"Chet," Eric Crawford's voice broke the moment and Wakeman pulled away. He looked absolutely cool and serene, as if he had not even laid an overly affectionate hand on Mary. Her mother, who was still focused on the dishes and had been for the past hour, hadn't noticed, hadn't even looked up once.

Mary fought off a blush as she catalogued the memory of Chet's wandering hand on her, her back and hair still thrumming with the feel of it. She could vaguely hear her father's voice drone on over the beat of her heart.

"….why don't you take your coat off, we can meet in my office."

"Whatever you say, " Chet remarked blithely and quickly stripped off his trench coat, placing it over top the back of the chair Mary had just been sitting in. He followed her father out but not before casually looking over his shoulder one more time at Mary, the look on his face thoughtful…

He'd been doing that for some time now. Ever since she'd turned thirteen and just like every other time he did, a tingle went down her spine and a warmth flooded her belly. She knew she was openly blushing and honestly didn't care, directing her blueberry eyes to the floor.

Her mother remarked wearily that she was going to bed and soon Mary was alone in the kitchen, with only Chet's jacket to keep her company. She looked at it silently for a moment or two, absently biting at one of her nails.

It was a bad habit and thus far she'd been a complete success at breaking it...she was a success at almost everything she tried, she never failed…never…

She looked around and saw her mother was truly, fully gone. Sometimes she thought her mother suspected her. She used to ask her candidly if she had ever had a crush, and if so who on…

Mary never breathed a word.

Crushes were for children, adolescents…and while sometimes she played the part, she certainly never considered herself to be…

She continued to stare at the coat dumbly then let out a breath and shook her head. Why was she being so ridiculous. It was coat. Not a bomb. But the thing was…it was his coat. Uncle Chet's coat.

Hello Thrill Seekers…

She walked confidently over to the chair and took a seat, her shoulder cushioned by the coat draped over the back of it. She waited for a few minutes, listening to hear if anyone was coming before she took hold to the material and drew it close to her.

It was just a normal, average coat. But it was his.

She felt foolish and girly as she drew the material closer and laid her cheek against it. This was how it had felt when he'd hugged her moments ago. She drew back the collar and brought it close to her nose, breathing in. The warmth that had been in her belly pooled between her legs hotly and the blush on her face grew worse…

God, she was a child, an adolescent…to get so moved by a smell…

But it was the scent of him on his coat. She couldn't even tack down what the scent was. It was a rich, good aroma, not too strong, but just right, tickling her nose and making the heat grow worse. It was unidentifiably him.

And then she thought over that thoughtful look in his eyes. The way he looked at her sometimes…

She took in another breath of his scent. He almost always wore this coat when she saw him. She loved the hell out of it…it looked so good on him…

He was so smart, so bright, so funny…and he paid attention to her, cared, and looked at her sometimes in just that certain way…

She tried to avoid letting out a dreamy sigh and failed. Well so what? She was young, she as allowed to have one frivolous 'moment'.

Mary's sharp ears picked up the sound of her father and Chet's voices from far away and she quickly released the coat, smoothing it down over the back of the chair. She rose to her feet and looked about, wondering what to do.

She went to the table and began to gather up her homework when they entered.

"…dying of thirst, I'll tell ya. Hey, what're you still doing here, Mary?" Chet asked, eyes on her, the look still there in the far corners.

God when he said her name sometimes…

"Just getting my homework. I think I'll do the rest of it in my room."

"Ah, let me see what you got there." Chet said and she eagerly handed him the book.

"Hmm…chemistry."

"Yeah, it's pretty fascinating."

Chet grinned and handed the book back to her, "You keep at it."

Mary smiled and clutched the book close. As she walked away she swore she could still smell him and she hope that the scent stayed with her.