A Mother for Emily
Prologue
Title: A Loaded Smile
Rating: this chapter, PG tops; overall, hmm, PG-13?
Warning: nekkidness (interesting how that's been happening a lot lately in my fics, lol)
Characters/Pairings: Beth/Antonio, mentions of Sheridan/Luis
Word Count: 672
Summary: Antonio stares at the wand as if willing it to disappear, the damning plus sign mocking him. He swears it literally burns in his hands, and it's crazy, but he can almost physically feel his world changing direction, traveling along a different axis.
Beth can't help it; she flinches away from Antonio's touch when he trails his knuckles up and down the length of her naked spine. Her hands tucked tight around her knees, she ducks her chin down, sighing without thought when she feels the soft pressure of his lips against her neck. Her voice a hollow whisper, she stares outside the window, where the snow is drifting down, transforming Harmony into a winter wonderland, and asks a simple enough question. "Aren't you tired?"
"Hmm?" Antonio snakes his arms around her waist, pulling her back against him, though she doesn't relax, curling further into herself, a tiny defensive ball. "Of what?" he finally asks, propping his chin upon her narrow shoulder, his breath whispering against her ear.
Beth shifts slightly in his arms, and her eyes are glittering in the yellow lamplight that bathes the room in muted pastel tones. "Being second best," she explains.
Antonio tenses, pulling back instinctually. "We won't always be second best," he tries his best to be convincing. "Sheridan and Luis…they're never going to make it. They're too different. They have too much standing in their way. When they give up, when they decide the fight's not worth it, we'll be there. Waiting. Sheridan will be mine, and Luis will open his eyes and realize it's you he wanted all along."
Shaking her head softly, Beth withdraws from his loose embrace, bending down to grab her robe from where it had fallen earlier, carelessly into the floor. "You're wrong."
"I'm wrong? Beth, what has gotten into you?" Antonio pushes himself up from the bed, the hardwood floor cold beneath his bare feet.
Tracing figures in the frosty window pane with her fingertips, Beth doesn't answer him right away. When she does, she still doesn't meet his eyes. "I used to think that. I used to think that when everything was said and done, Luis would come back to me, love me instead of her." Dropping her hand to her side, she absently plays with the sash of her robe. "You didn't see them, Antonio. You weren't here the first time. I was stupid not to realize it then, but the first time Luis thought he had lost Sheridan…he's never been that way about me. Nobody has."
"Beth, I…" Antonio fumbles awkwardly for the words to make her hurt go away.
"It's okay," Beth lets him off the hook. "I knew the score when we started this. You love her too. At least you think you do, enough to want to take your brother's rightful place in her life, enough to want to play father to a baby that isn't yours."
"You love Luis," Antonio reminds her. "You always have."
"The Luis I love doesn't exist anymore," Beth tells him. "It's taken a long time, but I think I've finally figured that out."
"Where is this coming from?" Antonio frowns, pulling his clothes on as she stares at him for several long minutes, sadness mixed with a new emotion shining in her damp eyes. "Just yesterday…" He watches as she reaches into the pocket of her robe and pulls out a slim white wand. Somewhere in the back of his mind, alarm bells go off, and he feels his throat grow dry, making further speech impossible. "Beth," he somehow manages to force her name from his lips.
Beth places the wand carefully in his hands and stands on tiptoe to kiss his cheek then pulls slowly away.
Antonio stares at the wand as if willing it to disappear, the damning plus sign mocking him. He swears it literally burns in his hands, and it's crazy, but he can almost physically feel his world changing direction, traveling along a different axis. Beth's quiet voice finally cuts through the foggy haze.
"Yesterday, I wasn't someone's mother."
He finally looks back up at her, and it's like he's seeing her for the first time. She shrugs at him, wearing a solemn smile.
"Today I am."
This fic is a departure of sorts for me.
Pairings included in this fic-Antonio/Beth, onesided Beth/Luis, onesided Antonio/Sheridan, Sheridan/Luis, mentions of Theresa/Ethan, Beth/Hank with eventual Gwen/Hank. If any of those are not to your liking, this isn't the fic for you. Ratings will also range from G-R, with an overall average rating of PG-13.
Let me know what you think, whether you're interested in reading more.
Feedback is loved and adored.
Thanks so much for reading!