TITLE: "Old Flame"
AUTHOR: Ardeth Saunders [a.k.a., Cruecial or Cruecial411]
RATING: R [Language, violence, and sexual situations]
SYNOPSIS: An old girlfriend of the Donovan brothers reappears in desperate need of help. She turns to Farron first, but has her sights on Frank.
GENRE: Drama, Suspense, and YES Romance.
DISCLAIMER: UC: Undercover and its cast of characters belong to the writers, creators, NBC, and a dozen others. NO infringement intended. All other original characters belong solely to the sick, twisted, and vivid imagination of the author.
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ENNUI PRINCIPIOIt was just Ennui's luck to be stuck working in the emergency room over the weekend. Friday and Saturday nights were the worst time to be stuck in this merciless room of blood, horror, and loss. The decision on who would be working this particular weekend had fallen upon her floor supervisor. It was basically a toss up between her and another RN. Her co-worker had a few more years under her belt, and was a few rungs higher up the ladder. Not only that, but she was also a prime ass-kisser. Ennui had, of course, lost the draw. It was unfair, but there was little she could do about it. Later, she would thank her floor supervisor for forcing her to work. She was a strong believer in fate, and she would come to believe that fate, not her floor supervisor, had been more responsible for her working that weekend. For now, though, she would sulk. Actually, she didn't have to sulk long. After a tremendously busy three hours, activity had slowed down quite a bit, and Ennui was able to take a breather. She stood behind the nurses' station near the entrance to the ER and thumbed casually through a magazine. She normally tried to find some type of activity that would keep her mind off the stress of the job. She had barely gotten through half the issue before she heard the ER doc scream out for all personnel. There had been some type of shooting, and everyone had to be on the ready. Ennui hated shootings most of all. She stood on alert to await the victims.
Ennui breathed a sigh of relief when there was only one victim, and he didn't seem to be hurt that badly, however he would need surgery to remove a bullet. She followed closely behind the gurney carrying the handsome young man and agreed to help the surgeon with prep and in OR. The victim was complaining gruffly, insisting that he wasn't hurt, that he could get up and walk right out. Obviously in pain and losing blood, he kept moaning and groaning, declaring that he had a job to finish. Let me do my job, he said repeatedly. One of the other attending physicians said an EMT had forced a painkilling injection on him because he refused to get into the ambulance. His combative behavior had calmed considerably since then, but he still had enough adrenaline to argue with those trying to help him. Once the EMT's left the prep room, Ennui and another RN began to cut away at the thick woolen slacks the man wore to get to his wound. Thank you God, she thought as she noticed that the bleeding didn't indicate an arterial wound. She was no doctor, but to her well-trained eyes, it was simple and clean. He would recover quickly, probably in a week or so. The man continued to fight, but the painkiller was doing its job nicely, and his fretting grew weaker. Now maybe I can do my job, she thought.
* * *
"Come on, you don't want to do this," he said. "Let her go and maybe we can work something out."
Instead of complying, the sick fuck whipped out a semi-automatic handgun and aimed it straight at his head. As the gun went off wildly, sporadically, Donovan went into a flying dive and landed badly on his hip. He felt the excruciating, but unmistakable pain of a bullet hitting him. Before he even thought about his own condition, he grabbed his weapon and fired blindly, praying that no bullets would hit the hostage. Tonight, luck was with him for once. The bullets speeding out of his gun hit exactly what they were intended to hit, but he didn't see that. He didn't have time. He wasn't sure if the hostage made it out alive. Strangely enough, he grayed out for a few seconds, and the next thing he knew, he was struggling against the EMTs who were desperately trying to wrangle him into an ambulance. He thought of the hostage. The best possible scenario, of course, would be that she had walked away unscathed. However, when he looked up, he noticed a crowd of his fellow agents surrounding the hostage. A break in the sea of bodies gave him the answer he sought. He saw the young woman lying in a pool of her own blood. Although the EMTs were struggling with him, he managed to break away. Despite his leg wound, he forced his body forward. He had to see. He had to know. He groaned inwardly and had the greatest urge to dig his fingers into his leg wound to maim himself further. The hostage was dead and her abductor missing. Donovan peered down at her and noticed that she had been hit at least twice, but only one bullet proved fatal. There was a small hole in the center of her forehead, no bigger than a dime. He couldn't see the back of her head, but he was more than certain it probably didn't exist anymore anyway. The blood seeped unmercifully out of her head. Her dead eyes seemed to stare straight through him, the look in them almost accusatory. Who the hell killed her? Him? Me? Both he and the abductor had fired shots. His vision began to gray once again. No. Oh no.
Donovan jarred himself awake. For a terrifying moment, he didn't know where he was or what had happened to him. He tried to move, but a terrific pain seized his leg and put a stop to that idea. The pain swiftly brought his memory back. He was in the hospital, in a tiny private room. He had been trying to convince a man to release the hostage he had held captive for more than two weeks. He had been shot, but so had the hostage. She was dead. Goddamn it, he thought as he brought his hands up to cover his eyes briefly. He didn't know what day it was. He wanted to leave, but he couldn't seem to get out of bed. This is crazy. This is fucking crazy. Defeated [for the moment, anyway], he settled back down on the bed. What could he do? Nothing. What did he feel? Nothing. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep. Perhaps someone would come and tell him that the last thing he saw before coming to the hospital was a dream.
He might have gotten five minutes of rest before he heard the soft swish of the door as it opened. A low groan escaped him. He was certain it was another nurse or an aid sent to pick and prod on him some more. He was quite tempted to start yelling and screaming. Perhaps that would send him/her away. Of course, it might also have him sent to the psych ward. Either way, he would be left alone.
As an RN, it wasn't necessary for Ennui to check on the patients so frequently, but something about this fellow had sparked her interest. He was dark and beautiful. His short black hair was neatly cut and sloped down his hairline in an irresistible widow's peak. His eyes were dark brown and piercing; his lips were full but mismatched; and his handsome face held high, prominent cheekbones. However, the one thing she noticed [and liked] above all else was his hands. They were large, but didn't seem as if they would be blocky or clumsy. She loved men with large hands, but often, they were fumbling with them. He didn't seem to be that type of man at all. His fingers were long and tapered, tempting her to suck on them. She shook her head a little. What's next? Are you going to look under his hospital gown to measure his penis? When he came in last night, she had checked out his identification to notify his family. She had discovered that he was an FBI agent named Frank Donovan. Funny. He didn't look Irish. Would you stop?
Donovan had yet to attempt to open his eyes. He knew the nurse with him was female, because he could smell the light, flowery scent of her perfume. It was a welcoming fragrance in the medicinal atmosphere of his room. However, he wasn't intrigued enough to bother opening his eyes. "Could you do this later," he croaked through a parched throat.
Ennui jumped at the sudden intrusion of his voice. She had been staring at him again, wanting to touch those long, long fingers. "I'm not here to do anything specifically," she said. Except maybe molest your fingers, she thought wickedly. Stop it. Stop it now. Ugh. "I came by to check on you. I was with you last night during surgery."
His eyes came open suddenly. He had been tempted to spit out an indignant response to what she said, but the moment he laid eyes on her, the words died in his throat. Good God, this nurse was gorgeous. Her thick, wavy shoulder length hair was a warm shade of chestnut brown and framed her pert heart-shaped face perfectly. Her skin was creamy and smooth, almost flawless. He noticed a tiny pockmark just below her left eye, and when he settled his eyes on hers, he stared at her, completely transfixed. Her eyes were very, very light brown with golden flecks mixed in for good measure. Tawny? Is that what the color is called? She had an identification tag clipped to her collar, and he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him.
"Ennui Principio? What's that?"
She smiled a little at the confused look on his face, but was impressed at how easily he pronounced both names. "It's my name; French and Spanish heritage. How are you feeling today, Mr. Donovan?"
"Confused," he spat as he tore his eyes off hers. "I had surgery? My leg?"
She nodded. "Yes. Don't worry, there isn't any extensive damage, and you'll be back on the job in less than two weeks. Get some rest, okay? I'll check on you again tonight." She exited his room before he had the chance to say another word. In fact, she didn't want to linger very long. She would probably lose her job for sucking on his fingers, especially if he continued to gaze at her with his stormy eyes.
* * *
A few days later, Donovan was more than ready to get out of the hospital. The only thing he would miss would be Ennui's daily visits. He was beginning to think that she came in to see him even when off duty. Of course, he didn't mind. She had the ability to make him feel better just by the sound of her soft laugh. He had beaten his ego repeatedly over the last few days because of his failure to save the hostage. He hadn't really said anything to Ennui [whom he had begun to call Enni], but she seemed to comfort him without knowing a thing. He found that he was growing quite fond of the pretty nurse. She had a way of making everything right and normal. Although he hadn't asked, she had told him her entire life history, mentioning that she wanted to go to med school when she 'grew up.' She said she was born and raised in California and couldn't speak French or Spanish outside the simplest words. The little anecdotes she told him on a daily basis intrigued him, entertained him, and yes, comforted him. He found himself not wanting to leave, ever.
Ennui came to Donovan's room the day he was to be discharged. She wanted to say goodbye before he disappeared from her life altogether. She had been tempted to give him her phone number, but she wasn't sure if he were married or single. He had never said. She pecked on the door with her knuckle before entering the room. She watched, in amusement, as he gathered up his dozen or so get well gifts from colleagues and friends. He walked with a slight limp, but refused to use crutches. He had grudgingly consented to using a cane, but she was certain he would toss that out eventually. This fellow was quite stubborn and bullheaded. He turned toward her and looked amazingly handsome in his navy slacks and matching pullover sweater. He focused his eyes on her beautiful face and wondered if this would be the last time he would see her. With her gorgeous eyes and 'out there' name, he was sure he wouldn't forget her any time soon.
"So, you're finally out of here," she said with a smile. "Good luck, Frank, and avoid those stray bullets."
She approached him and presented her hand for him to shake. She at least wanted to touch those long fingers before he left her forever. When he took her hand into his, the moment was intense and quite thrilling. His hand could have been a lightning rod for the electricity it sent coursing through her body. Oh dear Jesus, she thought. This has never happened to me before.
"Thank you," he said without releasing her hand. "You kept me sane at an insane time. You're a wonderful head shrinker," he said with a grin.
She was blushing all the way to her toes. His eyes were fixed steadily on her, and there was nowhere to run. "I think you're exaggerating my role just a tad, but I was only doing my job." Of course, that was not what she meant at all.
"Were you," he asked as if he didn't exactly believe it. "I was hoping it was a bit more than that."
"You were," she asked, astonished.
He nodded. "I was. I would really like to see you again, outside the hospital, of course."
She smiled as she noticed that the handshake had suddenly become more like a couple holding hands. "I can arrange that."
As it turned out, it was arranged and arranged again.
* * *
A wonderful six months passed, and Donovan had literally fallen head over heels in love with Ennui. After the first few dates, their relationship seemed to heat up all at once. They began spending as much time together as was humanly possible, and after two months or so, Ennui moved in with him. He was so deeply in love that he was actually considering popping the question, and he had a nice plan all set up for that. It would rely on Ennui's schedule and if she could get away. He had presented his plan to her one night in bed, and she seemed thrilled with the idea of traveling with Donovan to meet his family. When she mentioned the trip to one of her friends, she had told Ennui that was a sure sign that a man was about to propose. She shrugged it off on the outside, but inside, the idea thrilled her to the bone. And as a different Frank Donovan would do years later with a woman he had yet to meet, he spoke endlessly about his sisters, but didn't talk about his brother much at all. In fact, he had only told Ennui his name, but didn't delve into his relationship with him.
* * *
Donovan's younger sisters made it a point to come by Mom's so they could meet the woman their older brother kept bragging about. Ennui immediately felt embraced by the Donovan clan, and could easily see herself as part of this family. On the first night they arrived, Ennui was sitting outside under the stars, enjoying the warm, spring night. She looked up as Donovan joined her. Although the air didn't have a chill to it, he approached her and sat directly behind her, enveloping her with his arms and settling his hands on top of hers.
"Vigoureux," she whispered.
He smiled a little as she used her pet name for him. She had given it to him the first time he made love to her. "Enni, will you marry me," he whispered in her ear.
She smiled a little. His question was so expected, yet so unexpected at the same time. "Yes, Vigoureux, I will."
Donovan smiled against her ear and then pressed his lips against it. He drew away for a few moments to dig out the engagement ring he had bought several weeks ago. He slipped it onto her finger and enveloped her body again. He wanted to sit there with her forever.
The only thing that drew his attention away from her was a sudden cry that issued from the direction of the living room. "Mother," he called, "is something wrong?"
"Of course not," a familiar voice said. It's just me."
Farron.
Donovan helped Ennui up to her feet. "It's my brother," he said. "You have yet to meet him."
Of course, Ennui didn't expect Farron to be Donovan's identical twin. She was shocked to see a man so similar to her fiancé, yet so different. Everything about him was the same save for a scar just above his left eyebrow. Farron fixed his eyes on the beautiful woman standing beside his brother. She was more gorgeous than any woman he had brought home yet. Without taking his identical dark brown eyes off her face, he approached her and held out his hand. Not sure what she should do, she reached out and took his hand into hers, feeling Donovan tense slightly beside her. Farron brought her hand up to his lips and kissed it gently, never taking his eyes off hers. His gaze was unsettling, disturbing, but…thrilling. What am I thinking?
Reluctantly, Farron released her hand. "Frank, who is this exquisite creature?"
Almost instinctively, Donovan tightened his hold on Ennui's waist. He didn't like the way Farron was looking at her. "Farron," he said stiffly, "this is my fiancé, Enni Principio."
Farron nodded and bit his bottom lip. "Fiancé? I suppose congratulations are in order. Welcome to the family." If his brother hadn't been holding her so tightly, he would have embraced her.
"T-Thank you," she said. She had a hard time forming the words, but eventually, she spat them out. "It's nice to meet you."
He smiled curtly and nodded again. "Likewise. Excuse me, but I would like to catch up with my sisters."
Ennui caught herself watching him make his exit. Dear God. Help me.
That night, long after Donovan was asleep, Ennui lay in bed staring up at the ceiling. Every now and then, she would gaze down at the lovely ring Donovan had slipped on her finger earlier tonight. She loved Donovan, there was no mistaking that, but she found herself a bit hot and bothered. That evening, she and Donovan had sat with Farron and the rest of the family catching up and getting acquainted. Farron seemed to have everything that Donovan was missing. He was gentler, more romantic, and very blatantly sexy. In fact, he literally exuded sex. Although they were physically identical, Farron seemed to be the exact emotional opposite of her fiancée. Suddenly, she wanted to leave this place, wanted to go home. God help her, but she didn't trust herself. Her fiancée's brother had literally stripped her naked with his eyes.
* * *
Two days later, Donovan awakened in an empty house. He went in search of his mother, sisters, and fiancé, but didn't find them anywhere. He glanced up at the refrigerator and saw that his mother had left him a note about having gone shopping with 'the girls.' He assumed Ennui was one of the girls, so he set about making himself a quick breakfast sandwich. The day had dawned clear and cool. He thought it might be nice to go outside and finish his breakfast on the back porch. Perhaps it would also be a good day to take Ennui back to Chicago. He simply did not trust his brother around her. Donovan sat down on the back steps of the porch and finished off his sandwich. He suddenly focused his eyes on the clubhouse sitting out in the backyard. He didn't know why it drew his interest. His parents had built it for him and his siblings when they were children. It was fairly good sized, and when they were children, he and Farron used to camp out in it at night. He stood to go back into the house when a noise interrupted him. It sounded like a hollow bumping noise and seemed to be coming from the clubhouse. What the hell? Ever cautious 24/7, Donovan slowly approached the clubhouse. It was probably nothing more than a squirrel trapped inside. As he drew nearer, he heard a sound that nearly stopped his heart. It was a soft moan, followed by a deeper groan. He had been with Ennui long enough to recognize every sound she emitted when she was made love to. No, he thought, it can't be. Needing to prove it to himself and to his heart, he grasped the handle and swung the door open. His brother, his fucking bastard twin, had his fiancé backed up against the wall, furiously grinding his body into hers. He watched in horror as Ennui's arm slid around Farron's back. At that moment, the sunlight hit the diamond in the engagement ring. The blinding refraction of light cut into his eyes, shining on him, as his hopes and dreams for the future were tossed carelessly away as if they were trash. Ennui saw him first, and she tried to speak, tried to stop Farron, but it was too late. Donovan left immediately, never to return to her, never to look back again.