Forgive the brief detour from Epilogue- needed to kick start the creative juices…..this leads up to THAT scene in Season 1 / Episode 5...the one that made the words "Come here" a little dirty and alot sexy. Reviews are appreciated and welcomed!

Season One – Episode 5

"Hey - wait, wait, wait, wait, wait…"Hasil whispered, touching Sally Ann's Arm "Who lives here?"

"Lady from the church. Its okay, she's dead now." She reassured him, turning to open the window

"Okay….." Hasil said haltingly, he followed Sally Ann through the window and turned to closed it.

Sally Ann started lighting candles as she explained "She passed a couple of months ago. I come here to read some time. I like how quiet it is. Simple."

Hasil looked around; walking toward the candles Sally Ann lit "This's simple? You call this simple?"

Sally Ann smiled "I do."

"Don't the electric work?" Hasil asked

She nodded "It does, but I try not to use it to much. I don't want folks to know I'm in here."

"This is the nicest place I ever been in" Hasil remarked as they walked deeper into the house

"I'm starving" Sally Ann announced "Wanna help me fix something to eat?"

"Sure" Hasil said, following Sally Ann as she headed toward the kitchen

"The kitchens in the back and trees block the view from the neighbors, so we can turn the lights on in here" Sally Ann explained as she entered the kitchen

When Hasil walked in behind her, the first thing he noticed was the books. Stacks of them on the countertop and several on the table. "You read all them books?"

Sally Ann smiled "Not all of them. But I will…..I'm usually working on 2 or 3 at a time. I've been binging on poetry the last couple weeks." She turned and caught Hasil's puzzled gaze and explained "Binging is doing one thing too much."

"What's poetry?" he asked

Sally Ann tried to cover her shock at the question by turning to the refrigerator and opening the door "Well…..the best way I can describe it is word art. Like your tattoos are body art, poetry is an artful expression of…..anything, whatever the poet is feeling."

Hasil nodded, watching Sally Ann as she searched the refrigerator. "Can I help?"

"I don't have a lot of food here, cause I never know how often I'll get to come. Looks like were stuck with hot dogs and fries". Sally Ann said apologetically

"I ain't picky" Hasil said "Say, Sally Ann?"

"Hmmmm?" She answered, as she turned on the oven to start the fries

"Is this a date?" Hasil asked, smiling

Sally Ann laughed and turned her head to hide her blush "I guess it is... our first date"

Hasil stepped closer to Sally Ann "I think I like this better than going to a restaurant"

"Me too" She replied, locking eyes with Hasil.

He leaned forward and kissed her softly. As they broke the kiss, they lingered for a moment – foreheads touching. At that moment, they were the only two people in the world.

Sally Ann's growling stomach brought them back down to earth, as they both laughed at the sound.

She handed Hasil a pot "Fill this a little more than halfway please….." She asked as she turned to finish prepping the fries. Once the water was on the stove and the fries were in the oven, Sally Ann fixed them both a glass of ice tea.

As they sat at the table together, Hasil nodded toward her Poetry book "You got a favorite?"

Sally Ann nodded "It's hard to pick a one, but there's a couple I'm really feeling right now"

"Will you read one to me?" Hasil asked, smiling shyly

"First answer a question for me" Sally Ann said "Why me?

"How do you mean?" Hasil asked, confused

"You've been walking hours just to spend minutes with me the last couple weeks." She said, suddenly feeling shy herself "Why? You obviously know how to talk to girls, and I'm sure you don't have to come down here for company. So why me?"

Hasil took a deep breath; he wasn't sure how to put words to what he felt. "I could just tell you were as pretty on the inside as you are on the outside. Folks down here don't look too kindly on us; they just see whatever they think of us and not who we are. You saw me. Then you smiled and my chest got tight….something grabbed ahold of my heart…something warm that felt right. Still feel that way, stays with me even when I ain't around you"

Hasil moved to sit in the chair next to Sally Ann, resting his arm on the back of her chair. "Why didn't you tell me to leave you be?"

She giggled and turned to look at him "I did!"

Hasil smiled and nodded "Alright, then why didn't you mean it?"

Sally Ann turned away from him and shook her head "You're so sincere and genuine, after that first day you walked me home and seeing how you looked at me…I literally feel a pull, something is drawing me to you. It scared me at first, but not anymore. I like it – I like you and I really like how I feel when I'm with you."

"Look at me" Hasil asked quietly. As she turned and there eyes met, he said "I care for you, in a way I ain't never cared for anybody before. You're important to me and I mean to do right by you."

Sally Ann didn't know what to say, and even if she did – she wasn't sure she could speak. She nodded and leaned forward to meet his lips for a slow kiss that quickly deepened, stopping only when they needed air.

They sat quietly for a few moments, Sally Ann resting her head on his shoulder and his arm wrapped around hers. The silence was broken by the water boiling, signaling the hot dogs were ready. She got up and moved them off the burner.

Sitting back down, she said "Fries should be done in a few minutes, and then we can eat. Do you wanna hear my new favorite poem?"

Hasil grinned "Course I do!"

Sally Ann pulled a piece of paper out of one of the books on the table "Maya Angelou is my favorite writer. I just discovered this poem, it wasn't in any of her books I have. It's called "Touched by an Angel"

We, unaccustomed to courage
exiles from delight
live coiled in shells of loneliness
until love leaves its high holy temple
and comes into our sight
to liberate us into life.

Love arrives
and in its train come ecstasies
old memories of pleasure
ancient histories of pain.
Yet if we are bold,
love strikes away the chains of fear
from our souls.

We are weaned from our timidity
In the flush of love's light
we dare be brave
And suddenly we see
that love costs all we are
and will ever be.
Yet it is only love
which sets us free.

"I like that. She's saying love makes you stronger and helps you be brave enough to do things that scare you" Hasil said, stealing a quick kiss "Like asking a low lander girl on a date"

"Yes!" Sally Ann said, with a smile "like taking a Shay Mountain Farrell to your secret place"

They were interrupted by the oven timer. Sally Ann stood and moved toward the stove "Finally, I'm starving!" She took the fries out and set them on the stove.

Grabbing an old iPod she kept here, she turned back to Hasil "If we're gonna have a real date, we need some music". She turned on the small Bluetooth speaker in the corner and started some music. As Maxwell's Pretty Wings played, Sally Ann moved to grab some plates.

Hasil filled up the ice tea glasses and moved close to Sally Ann "What you need me to do?"

"Hot dogs are easy, so not much." She said, handing him two plates of food. "Can you set these on the table?"

Sally Ann grabbed some ketchup and napkins and joined Hasil at the table.

"What kind of meat is this?" Hasil asked, eyeing the hot dogs

"Turkey. They kinda grind up different parts for hot dogs." Grabbing the ketchup, she put some of both her hot dogs "I like mine with ketchup and mustard."

Sally Ann handed the ketchup to Hasil and he followed her lead and put it on his hot dogs, then accepted the mustard and did the same.

"Have you ever had a hot dog before?" She asked, lifting hers to take a bite

"Never, we don't have nothing like this on the mountain." He replied, again following her lead and lifting it to take a bite

"Taste okay?" She asked

Hasil nodded "Don't taste like no turkey I ever ate – but its good."

They chatted easily as they ate, enjoying the music and each other's company. Sally Ann took Hasil's plate along with hers and put them in the sink. As she turned back to Hasil, Maria Maria by Carlos Santana began playing. "This is my song!" She exclaimed, turning up the volume and moving to the music.

"Can you dance?" She asked Hasil, with a smile as she continued to move with the rhythm

"To this?!" He shook his head, smiling "Can you teach me?"

Sally Ann held out her hand and Hasil stood to join her. "Its salsa, watch my feet. You kinda step out and bounce back, either side to side or front to back."

Hasil stood next to Sally Ann and copied her movements, she was surprised at how graceful he was. "Like this?"

"You got it!" She turned to face him and took both of his hands and they did a few steps together. "Relax a little and let your hips and arms move with the music." She stepped closer until there hips were touching and guided his movements with hers.

Hasil's world narrowed to the feel, smell, and sound of Sally Ann. Nothing else existed. Nobody else mattered. She stepped back, still dancing and spun around. Her eyes were closed and she was moving with the music, a blissful smile on her face. As she came back to him, he put his arm around her waist and took her hand - doing his best to move with her. Opening her eyes she smiled as she put her arm around his neck and accepted his hand.

Sally Ann wasn't sure what she was feeling. But she knew what she wasn't feeling – sadness, fear, worry. Or that trapped feeling that gripped her like a vice every time she opened the door to what was supposed to be her home. Happy, for the first time since the last time she saw her mama. She felt free…..to be herself, to laugh, to see the joy in life and embrace it. Seeing herself through Hasil's eyes, she felt beautiful and hopeful.

Lifetime by Maxwell was the next song on the playlist, and they seamlessly moved from a slow salsa to a lazy sway. Sally Ann put both her arms around Hasil's neck and laid her head on his shoulder.

Hasil pulled her close, relaxing into her warmth. He was sure should could feel his excitement, there was no hiding it. He was a little mortified, but not enough to let go of her unless she asked him too.

Sally Ann started to sing along in her head….

Ooh and I, I can let my life pass me by
Or I can get down and try
Work it all out this lifetime
Work it on out this time

I can let it all pass me by
Or I can just try and try
I can move to the light
Oh if I take it one day at a time (oh I)
Oh spread my love out and fly
Oh I (I can move to the light)
Ooh I can just make you understand
That love is not a fairytale in a melody
If you want it you can have it girl
Maybe you will see, maybe you will see
Lifetime, lifetime

"I want him" she said to herself "I want this. Stop worrying and take it one day at a time."

As the song came to a close Sally Ann pulled back and looked at Hasil. They stared at each other for a moment, and she moved forward to kiss him lightly. Hasil deepened the kiss as he tightened his hold on her, his hands moving under her blouse to her bare back. As the electricity of his touch pulsed through her, Sally Ann moved forward forcing him backward into the wall. Hasil quickly reversed there positions, pinning her to the wall as his lips moved to her neck. Sally Ann threw her head back to allow him full access. Moaning, she gripped his hair and managed to find her voice. "Couch….."

Hasil immediately lifted her up, his lips barely breaking contact with her neck. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked them into to sitting room. He turned and sat down with Sally Ann straddling his lap. As there kisses and touches became more urgent, Hasil shifted to lay Sally Ann down on the couch.

"Wait!" Sally Ann said breathlessly.

Hasil stopped immediately and looked at Sally Ann. Raising his hand to her face, he said "We don't have to…"

Sally Ann stopped him "It's not that, I want to…..I really want to…." She said, kissing him. "I just want it to be perfect"

Hasil smiled "I don't know how it could get more perfect…."

"I know its silly, but….." she started

Hasil stopped her with a kiss "Tell me what you want" he said when they came up for air

"There's a mattress in one of the rooms, maybe we could bring it in here? Light some candles and bring in the music?" She asked, suddenly feeling shy

"That sounds like a fine idea" He agreed "C'mon, show me where the mattress is and I'll get it moved."

Once they had the room set up, Sally Ann excused herself to go the bathroom. Looking at her face in the mirror, she saw a light in her eyes that she didn't recognize. She realized she deserved to be happy.

Walking back to the sitting room, she saw Hasil in the corner undressing.

Smiling she asked "What are you doing?"

Looking up, he asked "What's it look like I'm doin?"

"It looks like you've…..got your clothes off" She said, leaning against the door frame to watch

"Nooo" Hasil replied, taking off his long underwear "Now there off"

Sally Ann didn't allow her expression to change, but she thought to herself "Damn….."

Hasil gestured to her "Come here"