Nathan looked at Audrey in astonishment. His eyes slid to Audrey with a question of déjà vu. Didn't this just happen with his Audrey? Audrey kept her eyes trained on the "other" Agent Parker, but she could feel Nathan looking at her. She could almost feel the question in his look, if that was possible.
Nathan finally spoke, "OK, everyone put your guns away. We are all professionals here, and no one is shooting. Agent Parker, who sent you here to Haven, and why? We haven't requested federal help for anything?"
The dark haired agent looked at his Parker and said, "I am here because I received an alert that someone was using my social security number. Lady, I am putting you under arrest for impersonating a federal agent" as she brought out her cuffs, Audrey looked on in horror. Her quick wit and intelligence just left her. She was dumbstruck. Nathan stepped in, "Hold on here. There is no need for that. She has been an integral part of our police department and the FBI. How do I know that you aren't an imposter? When she was vetted, her picture showed up, people talked to me about her, a blond hair, blue eyed woman, not a dark haired, brown eyed woman"
Audrey finally found her voice, "Agent Howard was my boss. He was just here two weeks ago. Let's call him and find out what is going on. That makes sense, right?" Both Nathan and Agent Parker looked at her like was a spotted elephant. Both agreed, and Audrey walked with Nathan and Agent Parker to the Bronco.
"I'll follow you back to police headquarters. I will be following closely. No iffy stuff. If you do, I will come after you." "Don't worry Agent Parker; I am the Chief of Police. I am not going to do anything like that. We will get to the bottom of this." As they got to the Bronco, Nathan put his hand on Audrey's back to help her up, and whispered in her ear, "I've got your back, I promise."
As they drove through town, with the agent closely following, Nathan and Audrey tried to quickly make sense of what was going on. "Nathan, when I finally admitted that I was Lucy, was when my doppelganger showed up. Do you think me finally figuring out who I am started this? That because I am Lucy, someone had to take the place of me?" the questions just kept flowing from Audrey's mouth. She was nervous and without a plan, which was very unusual for her. Nathan was just silent, letting her talk and glancing over at her while he drove.
He wanted to do just what he told Agent Parker he wouldn't do; drive off with Audrey and start a new life with just her. No more Haven, no more troubles. Just Audrey and Nathan making a home, being able to be normal, or as normal as they could be. He knew that wasn't going to happen. He looked at Audrey's hand, he craved its touch, but right now the sensation would make him lose his mind and he needed his mind right now to keep Audrey out of jail, and figure out what the hell was going on.
Audrey, Nathan and Agent Parker walked solemnly into the station and straight into the Chief's office. The officers just looked quizzical and then heard the distinct click of the lock.
"Audrey, call Agent Howard on the phone. Let's get this straightened out." Audrey placed the call, but was asked to leave the room. She opened the door to go to her office and wait, and Duke was there. Great, just who I want to see. "Audrey, what is this that I hear there is another Agent Audrey Parker? It's all over town." Duke said with true concern in his voice. She just looked at him and motioned him to her office. Audrey wasn't ready to talk, so they just sat in silence. Quiet, uncomfortable silence.
In what seemed like forever, Nathan came quietly in the office and just looked at Duke. "I'll take that as my cue to leave. Audrey, I hope I at least kept you some company while you waited. And Nathan," lowering his voice, "I hope you resolved this issue, and our Audrey gets to stay." With that, Duke walked out saying, "Later Audrey, Tin Man." and waved as he walked out.
Nathan silently closed the door, and locked it with a loud click. Audrey stared up at him with a lost look in her eyes. Nathan hated that look. It was a look he had never seen in her eyes, and he hated it and vowed never to see that look in her eyes again. Audrey looked at Nathan's strong blue eyes that always were comforting and strong. They had that steely strength as he stared at her. She wanted to get lost in his eyes and feel his warm embrace. For what seemed like eternity, Nathan came and sat down on her desk, "Well, as much as we didn't like Agent Howard, he came to your rescue. Don't ask me what he said, because I don't think I could repeat everything he said or what he said to Agent Parker, but you are now in the free and clear. There are now two Audrey Parkers, one that is part of the Haven PD, and one that is with the FBI and is now relocated to the west coast." The half-grin he gave her seemed to light up the room and her soul. She started to cry. Out of pure relief, she started to cry. She didn't realize how stressed she had been for the last week, with everything that had happened, and the relief she felt just poured out.
Nathan grabbed her and held on to her. There wasn't as much skin to skin as he would like, but he could still feel her pressure against him. He couldn't help but smile knowing the relief she felt. He also couldn't believe how much she affected him. He didn't let people affect him, but the two that really did were the Chief and Audrey. Without thinking he lifted her chin with his finger and an electric shock went from her skin to his finger and up his arm. The tears slowly flowed from her blue eyes and made them look like shimmering pools. The tears making wetting her cheeks. Nathan leaned down wanting to kiss those tears away. The electricity, warmth and wetness that touched his lips sent his head spinning. His body was overloaded with sensation and his knees actually buckled.
Audrey felt his knees buckle and caught him. She couldn't help but be the one smiling. She never thought she could make someone weak in the knees, but here he was. When she looked up at him, there were no curtains hiding his feelings. His eyes were open windows and she could see all of his feelings. She could see shock and awe from the experience he was having, and even something more than friendship in his eyes. Was it love? How could he love me, someone who doesn't know what love is or experienced it and doesn't even know who she is? Looking into those blue eyes, she realized she didn't need those answers and leaned up to kiss him on the lips. She could taste the salty sea air on his lips, and when he mouth opened she sighed into it. All she could think of was that this was love.
Nathan felt his body start to react more and more to Audrey, and even though he didn't want it to stop, he knew this wasn't the time or place. Slowly, painfully he pulled away from her, the electricity starting to slowly die. He smiled down at this beautiful woman who had pulled him out from behind his walls. Her lips were still moist and swollen from kissing. And Nathan never thought he had seen anything more beautiful. Audrey looked up at Nathan staring at her with that half-smile she loved to see on his face. The smile that made her feel that everything was going to work out.
"Okay, ok…we need to get this figured out," as Nathan took a seat at his old desk. He wasn't ready to sit in the Chief's office. It just didn't feel right. Audrey looked at Nathan perplexed. Everything was still reeling in her head. "Come on Nathan, in Haven, anything is possible, and let's face it, me being Lucy would fit right in." Audrey didn't like believing it, but there was too much evidence right now not to.
"You know what; I think there was more than just my dad that knows about you and your past. Let's go see Vince and Dave. They have been friends for years, and I bet they know all the secrets that he did." With that Nathan grabbed Audrey's hand and unlocked the door and walked out, hand in hand through the station. They walked all the way to the newspaper in silence, both thinking of questions they needed the answers too, and how to get it out of the two brothers.
Dave and Vince were sitting at their desks looking at the door when Audrey and Nathan walked in. It was as if they were expecting them. The brothers say Audrey and Nathan holding hands and they smiled in a happily knowing manner. "Dave…"Audrey started, but he put his hand up to silence her. "Audrey, Nathan, we have some answers to your questions, and I think now is the time. Vince and I have been talking and yes, we have been keeping things from you, partially due to Lucy asking us too many years ago, and mostly so that we could stay alive. Now that things are falling into place, so to speak, sorry Nathan, we feel that it is time to let you two know what is going on, and who Audrey is." "Both of you have a seat," Vince said, moving the bench closer to their desks so both could sit down. Vince noticed that Nathan and Audrey's hand hold never broke as they moved. He got them both coffee, because he knew this was going to be a long story.
Dave started out, "Audrey, we are so glad that you came to Haven, but it wasn't fate that brought you here. It was destined for you to come here during the troubles." "You see Audrey," Vince continued, "this has been planned for a long time. By who, we don't know, but we do know that you were meant to be here." Audrey interrupted, "But how does this make me Lucy?" "Hang on young lady," Vince told her," we are newsmen and storytellers, let us set things up for you. You see, Haven was named for a place were troubled people would come and be free of outside scrutiny. Whether they were supernatural or not. The last time the troubles showed up, Lucy showed up too. Lucy was not "troubled," but she was in a way supernatural. She was searching for her other half. The partner she was destined to be with. What brought her here was a calling that only she could feel, and so while she searched for her partner, she helped out "troubled" residents. We became friends of Lucy, her confidants. She told us that she was a person that had been reincarnated until she finds her other half. The person that would complete her and help her bring peace to troubled places. When we asked her what she meant…"
Dave picked up, "she said that she traveled around, and she aged. When it was time for her to die, essentially her soul would become a baby and would be placed with a family and that her old shell would die. She wouldn't have her memories until much later of who she was, and what she was meant to do."
"Anyway, she was drawn to Haven and she helped. Audrey, you have met many of the people she helped. One day, Lucy was looking at the school yard and the children playing. She saw a very young Nathan and Duke playing. Nathan, this was before you lost your feeling, and she came rushing to us saying she had found her other half, but that he was just a small boy. She was excited and sad all at the same time. Then the Colorado Kid was murdered."
"How did Duke come to be with Lucy and get her necklace on that day?" Audrey asked. "Well, that is a funny thing Audrey. Lucy happened to be walking in the morning and found the Colorado Kid. Duke and his babysitter also happened to be out and came upon the scene. I watched Duke just walk up and hold her hand, like it was the most natural thing in the world." This caught Nathan's attention, maybe he wasn't the person that Audrey was destined to be with. This sent a streak of fear through Nathan. "Now I don't know how Duke got the necklace Audrey, but after the Colorado Kid, Lucy came to us and told us what was going to be happening."
Dave continued "You see Audrey and Nathan, Lucy had found her destined partner, even though he was a young boy. The Colorado Kid was here looking for Lucy. He was looking for help, but there is a clan of tattooed people that are here to do who knows what... This clan is born with the tattoos. The tattoos are invisible, and only start to show up when they are supposed to be "activated." No one knows what they are "activated" to do, but obviously killing the Colorado Kid. The tattoos got to the Colorado Kid before Lucy did, and the photo you see is of when she found him. "
"Okay fellas, that explains why Lucy was here and such, but it doesn't explain how Lucy is Audrey." Nathan said.
"Weren't you listening, Nathan?" Dave asked. "Audrey, where were you born?" "I believe it was Ohio. At least that is what my records say." Lucy said.
Vince asked, "Was there a birth certificate?" "No, I was found on the doorstep of an orphanage with a note explaining that my mother could not care for me. She said my name was Audrey Parker and to take good care of me."
"OK, so if Audrey is Lucy, how did Lucy turn into a baby?" Nathan asked. Vince noted that he had not let Audrey's hand go the entire time. "Audrey," Vince continued, "if you look at the death records, you should find a Jane Doe or Lucy Ripley listed in a town nearby from the orphanage. From what Lucy told us, the old one can only last a little time after reincarnating themselves. Even though the new one won't have all the memories, they will carry any deep scars or marks on them. For you Audrey, it was when Lucy got her foot cut by glass. I bet you have that scar, don't you."
"Yes I do," Audrey whispered.
Nathan cut in, "So let me get this straight, Lucy found her partner and it is either Duke or I, but since we were young kids, she went to Ohio and turned herself into a baby, who is Audrey. And because of the somewhere in her mind, Audrey came here to be with her destined partner and save Haven?" "Pretty much it in a nutshell, what do you think Dave?" said Vince looking at his smaller brother.
"Thanks guys, but I think I need to leave. This is a LOT to take in, and I need to process it. Thanks for the information. I think some questions have been answered." Audrey said as she leaned down and kissed each man on the forehead.
As they left the news office, Audrey looked at Nathan and knew who her destined partner was. There was never any real question in her mind, from the moment she arrived here and almost got herself killed. "Audrey," Nathan said, breaking her train of thought, "where do you want to go? I will take you there and leave you by yourself or stay with you if you like?" "Let's grab some food and go up the bluff, where this all started, and of course I want you there Nathan. You're my partner. I do my best stuff with you."
Nathan and Audrey grabbed some sandwiches and drove up to the bluff. It was quiet among the pine trees. The damage from months earlier was now grown over and almost invisible. Nathan grabbed a blanket out from behind his seat and set it down. Audrey laid out the food and drinks, and patted the ground next to her for Nathan join her. "So I am Lucy, sort of," Audrey said after finishing her sandwich. "So she is and she isn't my mom." "Like you said, anything is possible in Haven," Nathan said softly to her. "And who is your destined partner Audrey? Is it Duke or me? I know what I hope, but I don't know what is in your heart, because you have a draw to both of us."
"Nathan," she said, drawing his face to hers, looking into his hooded blue eyes, and "I've known from the start who it was, but just never truly acknowledged it. It was the man that pulled me out of a teetering red Taurus and then I thanked him by slamming his hand in the door of his truck. Somehow Nathan, we were meant to be as partners, on the force and in life. I think I've been denying it for a long time, but you are the one I call first. You are the one that I will do anything for. You are the one person who has always been brutally honest with me, even if it is in monosyllables." Audrey said looking into his eyes and then kissing him softly on the lips. "I think it was confirmed though when you told me that you could feel only me," she said against his lips.
Nathan didn't know what to do. Actually he did know what he wanted to do, stay up here on this isolated bluff with Audrey and hide from all the problems with Haven. He just wanted to touch her and make love to her for the rest of his life, never leaving her side. He knew too, almost immediately, that she was destined to be his, but of course he couldn't believe it. He wasn't a "real boy" as Duke always like to say. With her though, he was, and more real than he ever thought he could be.
Pulling himself away from Audrey, he looked at her, "Now we know who you are, sort of, and why you are here, but how are you and I supposed to save Haven? And how do we deal with this tattooed clan?"
"I don't know Nathan, but right now, I just don't want to think about it. Too much has happened in the last 48 hours in both of our lives for us to ponder anything further. I know that doesn't sound like me, but I'm so on overload. There is so much swirling around in my brain right now, I just want to stop thinking for a little bit. Let it settle into place and then I can think. Right now, I just want to feel." Nathan looked at Audrey. He was lying right beside her, propped up on his elbows. The word partner had a new meaning to him now. It wasn't just the person you worked with and relied on, but now the person he loved. "Do you want to feel?" Nathan asked in a low voice that sent shivers down Audrey's spine. "I want to feel too, shall we do it together?" Nathan said with a half-grin on his face and his eyes sparkling, something Audrey had never seen before. Before she could answer, Nathan had his lips on hers, electricity running through both of them. She barely opened her mouth before his tongue darted in and Nathan could feel the wet warmth of her mouth and the taste of the sea air on her lips. Audrey grabbed his hair and lay down, pulling him partially on top of him. When she lightly scrapped his scalp, she heard a moan escape his mouth. When they pulled their mouths away, his eyes were hooded, filled with lust.
Nathan needed more skin. He needed to feel everything. He wanted to both hurry and go slow all at once. He put his fingers on buttons of Audrey's shirt, looking for permission. Her smile said it all. Fumbling, like it was his first time, hell it was his first time since he lost his ability to feel, he undid her buttons, touching the exposed skin as he went. Each touch sending sparks to both his brain and his groin. When he was done, he threw her shirt aside exposing her lacy bra to the sun. He bent around her and undid her bra, exposing her breasts to the light and his touch. He gasped when his knuckle brushed her nipples. "I want to see you too," Audrey moaned and started pulling off his button down and t-shirt. When she threw those aside, she gasped. She had never seen so many scares or such sinuous muscles on a man before. All of a sudden Nathan felt very shy. He didn't let people see his scars. Her fingers started tracing the scares, looking quizzically at him, her blue eyes asking the questions. On his shoulder, "Bullet wound, his side "fishing mishap" his back, "thrown into a mirror" and on his stomach a scar that started and then disappeared into his jeans.
Audrey gently kissed each one, moving around, letting her breasts brush up against him, sending a visible shiver through him each time. She had to smile because she always felt she would be the last woman to make a man shiver. When Nathan couldn't take it anymore he pushed her to the ground and let his mouth and hands move all over her. While his mouth was fastened to her breasts, his hands were grabbing and combing her hair with his fingers, loving the softness of her hair and the rough hardness of her nipples. He kept at it until he felt her shiver and groan in lust.
Audrey couldn't think straight, Nathan was making her lose all of her thoughts, which was exactly what she wanted. While he may not have had lots of experience due to his affliction, she made up with it in quality. Gosh, what that man could do with his tongue, made it a lethal weapon. She felt a sizzling heat come from his jeans, and when looked down she saw a bulge that was putting massive stress on his fly. The heat he radiated made her hot and wet. Audrey looked at Nathan wickedly and brought his face up to hers and kissed him deeply, brushing her hands along the front of his jeans. She felt him shiver and moan into her open mouth. She pulled back to see Nathan in a sweat, his eyes big and dark, looking at her hungrily.
Nathan didn't think he could take much more of this. He needed to feel all of Audrey. Even though it wasn't skin on skin, when she brushed his jeans, her heat wanted to make him explode. "You know what; right now you should be arrested for public indecency." "Well, Chief Wornous, you either arrest me now, or come join me on this misdemeanor," Audrey said with an intent stare. She started working on Nathan's belt and jeans. Nathan wanted to join her to help release him, but he was afraid seeming to eager would scare her. So to keep his hands occupied, he ran them through her soft hair. As he did that, the citrus smell of her shampoo wafted up to him. The smell was so Audrey. Strong, clean, sharp and refreshing. He got so lost in her hair and smell; a shock ran through him when he felt her small hands on his erection. He couldn't remember the last time he actually felt himself, but as soon as her hands touched him, he erupted all over her hands.
Audrey looked up at Nathan and saw the deep embarrassment and shame as he quickly turned away from her. She could feel his embarrassment it was so palpable. As he started to pull his jeans up, she instinctively grabbed his arm causing him to look at her. "Don't" was all she could say. He turned not knowing what to say. Audrey looked at him with longing, her fingers pulling his jeans all the way down. "Just because this happened once, doesn't mean it can't happen a second or third time, and besides, you can't be the only one naked." She smiled a wickedly sexy smile at him, and Nathan returned the same to her.
"No I guess I can't be the only one," Nathan said as he started kissing her breasts again, while his hands moved about her skin, with electricity running through his body. When his hands came to the top of her jeans, he nipped at her breasts while he quickly pulled them off. He pulled back and saw a beautiful woman laying there for him to touch and kiss and feel all he wanted. His eyes fell on her silk panties, and they were dark from becoming wet with desire. He was curious, so he dipped his head and licked her panties. Even though he couldn't feel her, the heat she was giving off was intoxicating. He pulled her panties off and touched her soft mound. The sensation was like drug and he needed more of her. He pulled her lips carefully apart and licked her, tasting her and feeling the moistness of her on his lips. He found her clit, kissed and sucked on it intermittently. He heard her groan as she grabbed his hair, scraping his scalp. Her hips bucked against him and he smiled. Keeping his tongue working, he pushed his finger into her, feeling, yes feeling her hot, wet walls come around him. He withdrew and missing the feeling, added two fingers. She kept bucking and moaning. When Nathan couldn't take it anymore, he rose up and looked into her blue eyes. He was a wildness in them that he had never seen before. Without saying anything, she grabbed him and pulled him into a devastating kiss, letting her tongue push into his mouth the way she wanted him in her. She rolled them over and straddles Nathan's hips.
Nathan looked up at Audrey in a little bit of surprise, but not really. He knew she liked taking charge, and this time he was all to willing to let her. There were so many sensations going through him with their skin touching, he thought he would explode. Then she teased him by hovering over his tip with her moist mound positioned to cover him. He watched as she slowly lowered herself on him a little bit at a time, letting him take some time to truly feel the sensations. Finally she couldn't take it any longer and she came all the way down, taking all of him in. That was all it took, and Nathan started moving her up and down on him, mimicking the rhythm she had shown him with her tongue. Nathan grabbed her breasts and lightly squeezed the nipples while Audrey arched her back and moan. Nathan could feel her body getting ready to explode, and he had been holding himself back, so when he could feel her body on the edge, and flipped them over and both came with thundering speed.
Literally as they were in the throws of their passion, the sky darkened and thunder shook the area, almost in concert with their lovemaking. As Nathan laid on top of Audrey, kissing her in exhaustion, warm rain came down on them, And as quickly as it started, it ended with the sun coming out and a rainbow forming. Nathan didn't want to come out of Audrey but just looked at his love and smiled. No matter what he had found his partner and she had saved him. Now it was time to save his town.