The Colonel Vs. The Deep Waters Chapter 4 "And In the Sea"
Colonel Casey, with Morgan Grimes, find themselves in a Pacific Northwest rural church, not only looking for Pastor Annie, Casey's friend, but to find some peace and healing.
The baptistry was now full of deliciously, warm water, and the tall Marine was again helping his woman down into the tank. Annie had changed into a simple sweat suit outfit, and as she stood chest deep in the water, she grinned up at the tall N.S.A. Agent.
"It's perfect, John. Thank you." Casey nodded and watched as she took a few tentative steps in the cement pond, her feet solid on the cinder blocks Morgan and John had laid to lift her up. Annie turned a gentle circle, her arms floating on the top of the water, her head lifted upward, her eyes shut tightly, and her face beaming in absolute peace. Suddenly, as John looked at Annie, his gut took a distinctive twist; one he had not felt since Katherine and Ilsa. All he saw was the woman he loved; a woman who touched his very soul. John jerked upward suddenly, stunned at what he was actually feeling. Unfortunately, as he did, the migraine that was still lurking under the shadows of his brain pushed forward, and John gasped in pain. He staggered slightly, but tried to hide the pain from Annie. Morgan called out from the front of the sanctuary, "Hey, Colonel, blinded by the light?" He strolled up to his tall friend, and grabbed his arm, forgetting Casey's no touch policy. He whispered, "need some meds, big guy?"
Annie had stopped twirling in the baptistry and she slowly walked through the waters and up the stairs.
She watched John's face, and then quickly helped Morgan seat the Colonel down on the platform stairs.
Casey nodded only once, but it was enough to send Morgan off to his duffel bag for the migraine medication. As Morgan left, Casey took Annie's wet hand, and lifted it to his lips, softly kissing it.
"John?" Annie stroked John cheek with her other hand, "Do you need some food with those meds?"
John looked up sharply at her, and then he smirked. "I really can't hide anything from you, Parson."
"Nope, so don't even try, Colonel. I know Someone who knows everything about you, and still loves you, like I do." Annie gasped slightly, and then giggled. "Well, there goes my mouth again. Said too much too soon. Let me get some yogurt, ok, from my office refrigerator?" Before John could respond to her comment, she was already tripping off leaving her wet footprints on the carpet.
As she passed Morgan coming in with the meds, she touched his arm. "He is not good, is he?"
Morgan dropped his eyes, and spoke honestly. "Annie, he is more wounded then I even thought. Before we flew up from LaGuardia, he vomited his guts out and he slept most of the helicopter ride. But it's more than that. It is as if he is off kilter inside. Not on his game. He doesn't want to shoot anything,"
Annie smiled at that remark, "and he never even commented to Alex when she told him she was coming to visit me. Usually, he would pin me against the wall, and make me offer my firstborn child to him in sacrifice." Morgan glanced up at Casey, who had his head in his hands, groaning slightly. "He needs something here, in this church, in this town, and with you. Maybe, you can help heal, Pastor. I can't believe I am saying this, but I miss the grouchy, scary Colonel!"
Annie nodded, and they continued on their respective missions. By the time Annie had returned with the yogurt, John had dry swallowed three pain meds, and was lying on his back, his right hand shading his eyes.
Annie slipped up beside him trying hard not to drip on him. Unfortunately, a few drips landed on his face, and he jerked at the impact.
"Parson, I've already been sprinkled." Casey growled. Annie laughed softly and then passed the yogurt and a spoon his way. He rose up off the floor, taking the food gratefully, and winked at her concerned face. "I'll be fine, once the medication takes over. I... thank you, dear woman."
Annie moved behind him and slowly she reached out and began to work the muscles of his neck, kneading the tension. Morgan watched silently, and then he became amazed as the pinched strain of the migraine on Casey's face began to soften and then disappear.
"Hey, Casey, can I be next for a massage? I really am tense." Morgan rose up to move toward them, but Casey's growl sent him right back down.
Annie's hands now were sliding around the middle portion of John's back, and as her thumbs dug in, John actually purred. Morgan clapped his hand over his mouth, trying not to laugh out loud at seeing the dangerous government assassin becoming putty in the hands of a rural parson. Annie grinned at Morgan, putting one finger up to her lips to shush him. Casey's eyes were closed and as she continued to get the kinks out of his shoulder, back and neck, he rolled his neck slowly around side to side. The sound of several pops filled the sanctuary, and Annie laughed. "Colonel, you are one loose man!"
Casey snapped his eyes open and stared at her, and then Annie realized what she said. "Wooooh, I really need to shut it, John. I'm sorry, I didn't mean that..." Annie was rapidly backpedaling on herself, and Morgan by this time was laughing raucously.
The Colonel tried to keep his lips set and firm, but a tiny smile was threatening the gruff exterior. He stood, leaned over close to Annie's ear, and growled softly, "Woman, you have no idea." Annie slapped her hand up to her lips, and giggled. John helped her up and then once more tried out his next flexibility. He waited a few moments, and then grinned triumphantly, "it's gone! The migraine is gone."
"Yes, The Colonel is back in town!" Morgan pumped his hand, and then sat back down again, Again, he was amazed when the hardened killer grabbed the woman quickly and hugged her deeply wrapping his body around hers.
"It's gone, Annie." John looked relieved, and then he slowly pulled away from her, but they both noticed the electric spark the hug had created.
"Now, what else can we do to get you ready for tomorrow?" John looked down at his clothing and tried to pull the wet fabric away from his body.
"Well, I really do have an unusual request from the two of you." Annie began to step back down into the baptistry, holding once again to John's hand to get in safely.
Morgan came up and peered over the rim of the tank. "Anything, Pastor. You brought the Casey back!"
John growled at Morgan, but didn't say anything to contradict him. They both looked expectantly at Annie, and she seemed a little hesitant to speak.
"Hmmm, I really never have baptized anyone. Can I practice on you two?" Morgan had his shoes and socks pulled off instantly and before Casey could intervene, he had slipped down the steps and stood beside the pastor. "Here I am, ready for duty, Pastor." Morgan saluted, and John growled again up top from the platform.
Annie laughed heartily and positioned Morgan properly. As his right hand grabbed his left fist, she told him to use his left hand to close his nostrils. As soon as he was ready, she put one hand under his back, one hand on his hands, and then tilted him backward. He stumbled slightly and then promptly fell into the water, splashing waves up onto John's pants.
"Watch it, moron." John stepped back, and tried to brush the water off. Morgan laughed, and then told Annie to try it again. This time, the two of them succeeded in getting Morgan fully immersed in the water, and he came up clapping his hands, and hugged her
"You're next, big guy!" Morgan slopped his way up to the top and tried to high five the Colonel, who ignored him pointedly. As Grimes was wiping himself down with one of the beach towels Annie had put off in the corner, Casey toed off his boots, and then slip his ankle gun and holster off. He lifted his shirt up slightly and pulled his waist band gun out, and then finally he rolled up his sleeve and took off his arm gun and holster. By this time, both Annie and Morgan were open mouthed at the amount of artillery their friend had on his body without them knowing it.
"Any more, Colonel?" Annie asked, and laughed again when Casey pulled his pant leg up, and pulled off the knife holster and knife. Finally, he pulled his socks off and stepped carefully down into the water, took Annie's hand as he descended into the water. He looked at Morgan, and then said in his deep baritone, "If you ever tell General Beckman I am being used as Parson Annie's personally water toy, I will kill you in 6 different ways."
Annie batted his arm, and shushed him. "Colonel, are you ready? This is really important for me since one of the candidates is only a few inches shorted than you." Casey nodded his head, and prepared his hands like Morgan so she could hold on to him. Unfortunately, she had Casey facing the wrong way and as she lowered him into the water, they all heard a loud crack as his head made contact with the baptistry steps and he passed out.
Please any critiques, encouragement, or general observations are always appreciated. I have so thrilled with the response to the Colonel and the Parson series. I know I am still learning, but do appreciate the reviews! P.S. I did not mean to offend anyone's sensibilities about baptism. I have to admit I did bean someone on the stairs as he was over 6 foot 2 and faced the wrong way. Hmm, you would think Pastor Annie could learn after the first try!