The man who stole the Wasp
Lisbeth knew that she could never let Mikael be just friends, she had always known there was something different about him, and initially she didn't know that Mikael felt the same as her, he knew that normally he would not be attracted by Lisbeth, she was too young, too skinny and too unfeminine, but for some reason he was.
He never quite understood his desire or need for Lisbeth and strangely he always knew that whatever it was that pulled him to Lisbeth was stronger than what pulled him for all those years to seek out Erika – he was frustrated and fascinated by Lisbeth, he needed her company, her companionship and dare he say it, her approval.
Such was his need when Lisbeth shut him and everyone else out after her trial he was lost, driven to somehow someway get her to let him back to her life in even as a friend. He'd given her space and had not heard from her for months then when he heard Niedermann was dead he had to visit her. After everything he didn't think she would answer her door, and then just after his third ring of the bell he was rewarded, the sight of Lisbeth wrapped in a towel told him all he needed, she was well, and he was still attracted to her. It took him all his power to resist leaning in and kissing her, initially she made to shut the door he turned to leave happy that he had seen her. At the stairs he paused and looked back to find Lisbeth had reopened the door, she nodded for him to come in then turned and walked back to her bath, pausing at the bathroom door way just long enough to give him a nod that she expected him to join her, smiling he recalled he knew he had come home.
It was only after she let him back into her life did he learn why she had shut him out, it hurt him to know he had hurt her, his sister, Annika, had been telling him for years about the impact he had on his lady friends and the hurt he caused them, but it took Lisbeth to make him understand.
Over the last ten years he had changed, he knew her feelings for him were her weakness and that she hated having any weaknesses. He did not want to be shut out of her life again so slowly he had overtime become more discrete about his sexual liaisons with Erika and in the last few years or so he found he rarely sought Erika's company let alone that of other women.
Mikael glanced at the weekend paper, the heading read "Ten years on and the Taming of Lisbeth", he smiled if they only knew, since Lisbeth's story broke ten years ago the media had retained a cursory interest in her life, and on the rare occasions that she went out photos would appear in the papers, more often than not it was a photo of Lisbeth with Mikael walking or hoping in a car, nothing too exciting although there were a few that had caused raised looks from Annika – he smiled recalling the first time the paper had printed a photo of them kissing – they had been out on her bike and had stopped to rest, he had laid down on the grass for an innocent snooze Lisbeth had other ideas and had straddled him kissing him and he had willingly responded amazed that she could do that to him, smiling he recalled the sensation and his reaction– thankfully they did no more in public. Lisbeth told him later that she knew they were being followed and had gotten fed up with the person so decided to give them something to go away – Erika and his sister were not impressed with the photo or the headlines that went with it telling him he was way too old for Lisbeth and those antics.
He smiled the photos did appear to show the taming of Lisbeth the wasp tattoo on the neck had gone as had the studs and her hair was longer…he frowned at the next headline "Blomkist and Salander Forever Lovers", somewhere they had gotten a photo of him and Lisbeth kissing while lying on a beach, he tried to remember where it was…
"New Zealand" was all she said, he nodded remembering that trip which was what, he smiled, 8 years ago, and then he paused confused about Lisbeth's reaction he looked to her seeking answers "What…" "You knew about this photo" "Yep" he paused he remembered on their return from their South Pacific jaunt his daughter, Pernilla, showing him the headlines and photos, they had been surprized that they had been recognised on an empty beach half way around the world. He nodded then said "You know I think we should do something to celebrate, do you want to shock or continue being tamed" she glared at him, he smiled and raised his arms conceding, then her eyes twinkled "…shock, how 'bout you".
Mikael was alert now Lisbeth and him had very different ideas on shock "Leathers, chains I think we should show them it is you that has been tamed" with that she spun the laptop showing a photo-shopped picture of the two of them in bondage get up, Lisbeth was of course in charge… he spluttered his coffee, then saw her sly smile and he relaxed again. Lisbeth said "we could take Pernilla, Tommy and Micke to the zoo" he looked, waiting knowing there was a catch, his daughter and Lisbeth had bonded and with the birth of his grandson two years ago, Lisbeth had changed, she loved little Mikael or Micke as Lisbeth called him…she smiled "well it would shock them, especially when they find out you have finally leased out your apartment…"
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He wept silently as he recalled the outing had been planned for later today, instead they were sitting at the hospital waiting. Mikael and Lisbeth had been roused from their sleep by the police knocking at their door, his daughter, son-in-law and grandson where involved in a car crash, as they were rushed to the hospital the police told them that Tommy had died at the scene, Pernilla was unlikely to survive and little Mikael was unconscious with a broken arm but expected to make a full recovery.
He glanced up as the nurse entered the room she whispered "no news yet, sorry" and moved to check on Micke… Lisbeth had curled herself around Micke as soon as they arrived, Mikael had thought she was asleep then she said "when will he wake?" the nurse nodded she was well aware who Lisbeth was and was surprized at the concern in Lisbeth's voice and her manner caring for the boy "soon…very soon I think… look" Micke moved almost like he was going to stretch, then his face showed pain causing Lisbeth to look to the nurse "soon… we need him to wake then we will sort the pain" she nodded.
The doctor came to the door and without saying anything Lisbeth knew, she extracted herself from Micke and moved to be beside Mikael pulling him into a hug before the doctor got the words "I'm sorry her injuries were too severe" out. Mikael felt as if a knife had plunged into his heart, he struggled pulling Lisbeth into a tighter hug as he tried to breath and tried to take it in… no, no, not his girl this can't be happening… he groaned then slumped against Lisbeth knowing that it was no dream. The doctor and nurse suddenly moved causing Lisbeth and Mikael to panic, turning quickly they relaxed as Micke's eyes fluttered open… Micke was awake.
Three days later the media got their photos and story as Mikael, Lisbeth and Micke buried Pernilla and Tommy besides Pernilla's mother who had died of cancer 5 years earlier. Mikael was surprized at the level of attention that the media had had in his family tragedy.
The media had sensationalised the fact that Mikael and Lisbeth would raise Micke, headlines where emotive and cruel describing Lisbeth as too damaged by her upbringing to be allowed to care for a child. What they didn't know was that it was Tommy's family who had decided on Micke's future – Tommy's family had emigrated to Canada when Tommy was a teenager, and they felt it was better for Micke to stay with family who knew him rather than have to face a new country and new language at the same time as facing the loss of his parents – they had met Lisbeth at the wedding and had no problems with her involvement with Micke.
Micke since waking at the hospital had attached himself to Lisbeth, Mikael found that Lisbeth's behaviour towards his grandson over the last few days had pulled the strings around his heart tighter, he knew without a doubt that he loved her completely. The media had annoyed him but strangely not Lisbeth, she was so focused on Micke and his needs she blocked them out –the photos they had took revealed that his Lisbeth was very different to the angry and abused woman that he had first met.
After the funeral Erika came to give him a hug, she whispered where she was staying, clearly expecting he would seek her out for comfort, she was surprized and cried when he said "no Lisbeth and Micke need me" she nodded and gave him a hug saying "goodbye" not needing to be told that what they had had was now over, she could see it, he would do nothing to hurt Lisbeth and Micke and driven by remorse would deliberately be more involved and dedicated to his grandson than he had been as a dad to Pernilla.
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Today he would bury the woman who raised him and loved him like a son. When his granddad had died ten years ago Lisbeth had withdrawn into herself her grief causing her to revert almost to the antisocial behaviour of her youth her only contact with people was through him, his children and grandchildren.
His wife grabbed his hand, as he closed the papers, his children and grandchildren had been horrified at the media stories of their grandmother's childhood and amazed that both grandparents had survived challenging Lisbeth's father.
As the car stopped he looked out the window to a scene that had been a familiar part of his life, press photographers, camera men and reporters, he sighed wondering if today would end their fascination with his family.
As he walked to the front of the church he noted who was there so far no surprises, then he paused mouth dropping open as an elderly lady in the pew beside him looked exactly like his Grandmother, he paused thinking she's still alive after all this time with no contact why now… the priest interrupted reconfirming the order of the ceremony… in this respect Lisbeth had been clear, the priest could say the prayers and dedication but no more, and only Micke, his wife, children and grandchildren would be afforded the opportunity to speak… the priest was clearly struggling with this request… Micke shrugged he would comply with her wish.
He sat and waited the song Angel by Broken Door started along with a photo show that had been compiled by his son and daughter, the mourners took their seats every now and again excited comments could be heard here and there as previously private photos showed Lisbeth life, the changes after her meeting his father was obvious for all to see – the later photos a testament to their love. Micke watched the elderly women sure that she was Lisbeth's twin sister Carmilla, he could see tears streaming down her face, she appeared to have come alone, he made a mental note to try and catch her after the service. The final photo was one of Lisbeth and his dad it had been taken the day of his university graduation, it was his favourite as he felt that you could see how much they were in love.
The priest said a prayer and nodded to him, Micke nodded to his grandchildren Charlotte and Norbert and they moved to the front of the church, Micke was so proud of his family they had decided that they would tell the real story of Lisbeth and Mikael. Ten year old Norbert started with a story about how cool his great great grandmother was when she taught him how to build a computer when he was 8. Later his daughter Jasmine had through tears gotten out her story of how her great grandmother had taught her how to ride a motorbike and her advice on being able to keep herself safe when in her late teens, Micke laughed recalling he had been so annoyed with Lisbeth, he had deliberately been avoiding teaching his daughter to ride because he didn't think a motorbike was suitable for her – Lisbeth had laughed at him and when he tried to get his grandfather Mikael to support, his grandfather just shrugged and said to be thankful Lisbeth was teaching her to ride an 850cc bike and not the Harley that she had ridden years ago he smiled that he remembered this because Lisbeth gave his father such a hard case look and his grandfather just gave her a kiss and walked away with a smile on his face.
When all the family but Micke had spoken the priest read the 23rd psalm – the lord is my shepherd, as the priest read Micke's mind drifted back to his conversation with Lisbeth that they had had when planning his father's funeral – she had been clear then about what she wanted and had never changed.
He paused then nodded and a photo of Lisbeth holding him when he was two emerged, it was taken shortly after his parents had been killed as his arm was still in a cast. He coughed then started "Lisbeth Blomkist or Salander as the media know her raised me as her own since the night my parents were killed, she was my grandmother and over the years I have read the media stories about her and about her and my grandfather's relationship and I hope to correct some of the public assumptions…
…Lisbeth was a twin born as you know to a Russian spy who abused his family and was sponsored in this abuse by our state. As we all know Lisbeth was amazing, many in her situation and facing what she faced would have become mad or unstable, Lisbeth instead showed an unmatched resolution to protect her and others from injustices. Lisbeth first met my father through her work as a private investigator; a client had requested a background check on him which she completed, several months later he found out that this had been done and approached her seeking her skills with a case that he was working on. My grandfather always told me that it was Lisbeth that seduced him first, my grandmother would smile or touch the faded scar on his neck, I found out years later that their lives had been threatened and they bonded as they tried to complete the case.
Initially my grandparents relationship was well… unconventional, they both continued having relationships with others, they only moved in together shortly before my parents death sixty years ago, and over the next few years they gave up their other relationships becoming a very normal loving couple. They married in secret when I was fifth teen both explaining that it was a decision personal to them and nothing the public needed to know. My grandmother was not autistic or Asperger's as the media portrayed her, she was merely a product of her upbringing, she was cautious and that she trusted very few people and relied on even fewer the decision not to trust others is what kept her alive and sane as a teenager, this is how she got through it and this is why she survived…
… Lisbeth Blomkist was the woman who raised me and loved me and my family was not some media freak show, when I was a teenager I used to get so mad about the media portrayal of my grandparents she would tell me not to get upset as "people only see what they want to see and that as the media had seen her as different and some sort of a freak and nothing would change them from it"…
…it took me years to understand that my grandparents were right and to understand why they didn't care what the media printed and, in fact much to my Aunt Annika's horror they played up doing things they didn't normally do just to get rid of media. (As Micke said that several media photos played for the audience the antics of his grandparents obvious to all who had seen the earlier photos).
As I close my final words are for Lisbeth, you are now free and in peace, go find your Mikael and I will find you both when it is my own time, I love you and thank you for loving me and my family".
As the mourners started to file out Micke chased and caught up with the elderly woman "Excuse me, but am I right you are Lisbeth's sister" she nodded, Micke couldn't help his next comment "why did you never catch up with her when she was alive" he was totally unprepared for her response "because I was too weak and let her down, I always knew she was not mad and once it finally came out in the media I could not face her" with that said she turned and left him standing alone.
That night and the next day the media showed snippets from the funeral, the media had missed Lisbeth's twin, although as Micke and his family expected most media had refused to accept that Lisbeth was anything but a freak and that his grandfather had been some weird person for loving her.
He glanced down at the paper in his hand, her will, she had established a trust for abused girls and woman and had left a large portion of her estate to ensure that it would be well funded for years to come, her only wish with the trust was that Micke take her place at the trust board… smiling he thought about the fact that she always fought being the victim in the events in her life and she would be remembered in the end through her trust not as a victim but as a saviour of the abused.