This is a result of scouring the internet everyday for news of the Christmas Special. I won't get it finsihed in time to post before the special airs and I doubt the special will be anything like this. But this is what I think...

His lips were warm and soft but demanding as they claimed hers. His hands moved over her insistently, claiming possession where no one had possessed her ever before. Her mind was a flurry of sensations and emotions, desire and delight as she felt him over her. She wanted this, had dreamed of it for so long. Finally moving past the shock and surprise that this was happening, that he was finally here with her, she dared to let her hands claim him. But something tickled at the back of her brain; something was wrong.

She didn't care that they weren't married; she'd determined months ago that if she ever had the opportunity with him she would lay aside all thoughts of that. They were unique, after all having a special bond that most only ever dreamed of. He knew her, knew her as no one else did and that gave him special license. But something was amiss…

Then the tickle in the back of her mind began to come into focus and she knew…terribly wrong. Opening her eyes only a little, she expected to see his striking blue orbs, his strong chin and jaw, his blonde waves that curled at the back of his head. The jaw and chin was the same, well almost the same but the hair was all wrong…too dark and not nearly as wavy. And his eyes…oh no…..

With a small squeal, she tried to straighten up, sit up in fact but he held her down. There was a glimmer in his eyes, something sinister and unappealing altogether. Again she struggled to sit up and again he pushed her down. "No my dear, we're here now. Why not enjoy the moment?"

"But…"

He dove for her lips again and she turned her face to avoid him. "You little tease," he chuckled darkly into her neck. "You like to play coy, do you?" he snickered. "I like games…they make the chase so much more interesting. But I will win," he assured her.

Edith squirmed and tried to push him off and when that had no effect, she did the only other thing she thought might help; she screamed. But it seemed no one was around to hear her.

Michael Gregson had shown up unexpectedly near her cousin's estate in Scotland. He'd had some flimsy excuse about being on holiday and being here for the fishing and entwined himself into the good graces of her family. While Edith enjoyed the attention he brought, she had also been anxious about his presence. He seemed determined to pursue her yet he was not free.

He'd told her about his mother's cousin's estate nearby and explained that was where he was staying. His cousin had holdings all over the Empire but spent most of his time in England, although he'd been travelling most of the last months. But when last in London, the cousin had offered Michael the use of the Scottish estate whenever he could break away for a holiday.

"That was rather nice of your cousin," Edith had commented.

"Yes, it was. He's a rather odd character actually. Little family left so I suppose he was trying to reach out to me. Apparently he and my mother were very close as children. He's a widower and no children and no hope of any, I suppose."

"How sad. Surely he could find someone?"

"I don't think he is looking. He seemed quite sad when last I saw him… heartbreaking actually. I think he just wants to hide away and die. It' is sad because he used to be such an interesting chap, intelligent and entertaining in his own odd fashion. And very curious… he helped me get started…and he showed me your letter in the paper, so I suppose you could say he brought us together."

"He showed you my letter? Oh I think I like him…" Edith had commented.

They had dined with the family and then Michael had asked her to ride with him to the little village nearby. There they'd stopped in the pub and she now realized she'd had entirely too much to drink. And this was the result. He had taken her to the cousin's place and had her pinned to a bed, planning the worst, she could only surmise. Oh why had she ever trusted him?

He hovered over her, smiling wickedly as he waited for her screams to stop. And then he descended again, this time more forcefully. His lips were torture, his hands unwelcome, and her ability to avoid either non existent. But she struggled anyway.

Reaching for her blouse, he ripped it from her, exposing her undergarments along with more of her skin. Again she screamed. But he only laughed. The skirt came next. And by the time he had finished with her clothes, she no longer had a voice with which she could scream. It was then that the full horror of his intentions became undeniable. Using her blouse, he tied her arms above her head and to the headboard. Only then did he back away but only enough to divest himself of his garments. And then he descended again.

He tried to kiss her but she bit him. He slapped her. Then he grabbed her hair and held her head as he attempted another kiss. She bit him again and when he flinched, she managed another scream. He slapped her again. And then he reached for her, his hand forcing itself into her privates, clasping and squeezing at her. Again she tried to squirm away but the pain of his grasp intensified with her movement. "So you want it rough," he snickered. "I can do rough."

Moving over her, his eyes on her face he began another descent. Edith felt his manhood at her core and screamed again. She tried to raise her knees, still screaming and thrashing. Her knee made a fortunate landing on his anatomy and he yelped as he retreated. Breathing heavily for a moment, he studied her as any predator studies its prey. Punching her in the stomach, he snarled, "do that again and it'll be worse for you." Edith lay with her legs curled up, still hurting from the pain of his brutality. Just as he descended again, the bedroom door flew open.

"Michael!" An angry voice cried out. "What the devil are…."

She felt him being pulled away, felt the force of the other man's action. Michael swerved and lunged, pushing the other man away but the man managed to duck and avoided Michael's fist as he swung wildly. The other man dove low and threw Michel into the wall, grabbed his hair and shoved him out the door. Everything was happening so fast, Edith could hardly take it in and as she was struggling to free herself, she paid little attention to the battle across the room. Managing to free her hands she pulled at the covers on the bed to mask her undressed state.

A gasp drew her attention away from the bedcovers however, and she looked up into the bluest eyes she'd ever seen; the eyes of Anthony Strallan. And then she fainted.

I will try to post again in a few days but it may be a whole week with all the holiday craziness. But thank you for reading!