Saturday Morning

Jane groaned, the sexual tension that the dream was causing him, almost unbearable. His eyes snapped open at the final moment, and realized that his dream was an Eliza induced reality. Her strength and stamina were amazing, not that he was in a calculating mood, at the moment.

She lay across him, half on, half off, still joined, panting, her breathing patterns almost mirroring his. She rolled onto her back and spread her arms. "Is it hot in her or is it just me," she gasped.

Patrick groaned. "Oh is it definitely you." They lay, panting for a few moments. "Do you start every morning with the men you find in bed with you like that?"

Eliza giggled.

"That's not really an answer, you know." He paused. "Why here, why now, and most of all, why me?"

Eliza yawned and stretched, arching her back in a manner that made Jane wish he was younger or had quicker recovery times. She turned towards him and propped herself up on an elbow. "Here, because it's far from there. Why now, because now is when the shit is breaking. Last but not least, why you," she grinned. "Because I trust you and I like you. You're a good guy."

Patrick stared at her, taking in as much information as his senses would allow. Every one of her answers had implied far more than it had said, and they'd said almost nothing. "Eliza, almost anyone can say nothing with a lot, but you are a master of saying less than nothing with a little! That is a real talent, are you in trouble?"

"Me? Well, some would think so, but I'm not worried. It's my friend I'm worried about." She stared into his eyes. "Oh, OK.... I had a run in with the Deacon and I hurt him and his business real bad. Duk helped, but it was mostly me. Sad to say, the Deacon survived and he's been hunting me every since. Duk, the big stupid lug that he is, took some real risks trying to 'save' me and nearly got himself killed. I'm hoping that with me out of the picture, things will settle back down. Duk and the Deacon are fairly well matched, and fighting is bad for business for both of them. Common sense may prevail."

Jane nodded, implying understanding, but he realized that there was more. While he didn't doubt anything she'd said, he suspected there were things that she'd not said and he wondered how they played into her unexpected visit. He took a deep breath. "I do have friends and contacts on both sides of the fence. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

She smiled. "You are helping. You are keeping me from crawling inside of my own head and not coming out. I nearly did that, once, and it took years for me to reestablish my life. I should probably apologize for just showing up so unannounced, but I really wasn't sure what else to do."

Whatever was eating on Eliza was deeper than she was admitting, even to herself, Jane realized. For the first time, he realized that she was just as vulnerable as she looked, even though she could handle a 500 pound chopper and take out a man with a gun without breaking a sweat. He gathered her tiny frame to him and held her tightly.

Sleep claimed them both.

oOOOo