God love ya for hangin' wit me! Sookie hush! Dawne gets her Warrior Princess on. Marcos ain't done. Johnathan smells a rat. And Edgar goes there. Please Read & Review my lovelies. Momma needs your support! =:=)

The Couple on the Bench

'Good Lord!' She groaned and pressed a finger to his startled mouth.

'Come on. We gotta go!' She whispered, rose and hurried him away from the couple at the rail.

'Not again! I know the drill, but damn woman! I swear half of Seattle are clients of yours! Crampin' my style big time Bug.' He chuckled as he draped a still strong arm around her shoulder. 'Bug' was his pet name for her. He was a classic car aficionado, his pride and joy were his lovingly restored '57 Cobra, '51 Kaiser, and '42 Lincoln Coupe. But she was his most beloved classic. . .his 'Love Bug'.

Desiree hugged Armand close as she bum rushed him away from her Thursday 6 p.m. client who was obviously having a major melt-down. The woman with him was older than Dawne, the woman he had been talking about since Christmas. Maybe Sioux? Or Lita? She didn't know. Just knew as a therapist, it was her ethical responsibility to avoid encounters with her clients outside of the 'therapeutic frame' of their appointments. She wondered what was going on with Edgar, yet knew she would find out at their next session, and prayed he would hold it together until then. She kept her head in the here-and-now as she gazed up at Armand's towering 6'4, and marveled at the existential mystery that had, when she had long given up all hope, manifest this man and love in her life.

With his other hand, Armand fingered the ring in his pocket. It was the engagement ring of a bridal set of diamonds of over twenty carats. The largest, in the engagement ring, was a four carat square cut brilliant rock. He knew she loved classic estate jewelry and had scouredthe world-wide web to find just the perfect set. He had planned to 'pop the question' at their favorite sushi joint that evening. He wasn't particularly traditional. Was a wild child of the 60's matured to a renowned restaurateur, fallen in love with a psychotherapist. Thirty years sober, he prayed to his Higher Power when he got down on one creakin' knee and begged for her hand, she would be his.

Desiree didn't know it yet, but her therapist was going to get an ear-full at their next session!

Dawne and Marcos

Marcos was scatting the classic instrumental from 'Zorba the Greek' and snapping his fingers as Dawne drove to the wharf in steely silence. When he finally got on her last nerve, she barked.

'Will you stop with the Greek O.G. (Old Gangsta) fight song for the love of God! Jeez!'

Marcos shot her a sly sneer as he continued to snap his fingers. 'Just pumping you up 'cause you need to get ready to take on some icy Norwegians.'

'My Edgar is NOT icy!' Dawne hotly protested.

'I'm talking about that woman.' Marcos replied dryly.

Marcos had been raised to revere and respect women and had never raised his hand to one, but June Hansen had wounded his beloved niece and he sorely wanted to. . . He stopped that thought and focused on HIS upcoming battle. The fight to win his prize. His Sam. While he had been out fishing in Massachusetts, freezing his ass off, he'd had plenty of time to think about Sam. Or Sioux, as she called herself these days. She'd claimed Hillstrand was her soul mate, her divine destiny. Whatever. He was just a simple fisherman whose path crossed hers one magical summer long ago. He knew she was way out of his league then, as she was today. However, as a fisherman, he was an eternal optimist.

Sioux and Edgar

When the older couple vacated the bench behind them, Sioux cooed and coaxed Edgar over and sat him down. As he slumped over, head in his hands and muttering nonsense, Sioux rubbed his tense shoulders and wove protection and comfort over, in and around, his aura.

'Let it go.' She urged audibly and metaphysically urged. 'Let it go and Let your Higher Power Edgar.'

As much as he wanted to, in the moment, he was too panicked and distressed to let go and let His Higher Power take over.

'It's done! She's gone and I'm fucked!' Edgar rocked and groaned, wanting to use so bad he gathered himself to bust out of Sioux's embrace and run blindly to the comfort of oblivion.

Sioux fought hard against the vicious demons that battled to take his spirit back to what could be his final annihilation. Just when Sioux she feared she would be overcome and the dark spirits would claim him again, her Spirit Eye spied over Edgar's shoulder what could only be an Angel. Towering to the heavens, white-hot brilliant, a huge flaming sword in its right hand. The specter floated behind the figure of a determined, pissed-off slim girl stomping their way.

Sioux allowed herself a brief prayer of thanks, then grabbed him by the neck of his tee and hissed in his startled face, her steely green eyes boring into his.

'Edgar! You listen to me. And listen to me good! You hang on! It ain't over! Not by a long shot! Don't under estimate her. You hear me! You hang on!'

I pity June, Bitch don't know who she done fucked with, she thought as she kissed his cheek, and rose walking slowly towards Dawne who gave her a flinty look and nod as they passed. As Sioux continued past Dawne she groaned. Leaning over the rail, way behind Dawne was Marcos. What could he want? She worried. Yet, because she was who she was, and a deal is a deal, head held high, dark green eyes narrowed and on guard, she walked bravely to the man from her past who had had summoned her.

Johnathan

Retreated to his garage man-cave, he ran a polishing cloth over his beloved Harley Fat Boy. Like his Chevy truck, the Fat Boy was white and pristine. His candy apple red Corvette, was just as pristine. He loved his man-toys and spent many hours lovingly tending to them. But since Sioux, caring for them no longer soothed as it once had. Fuck! Where was she? Jimmy Sue was right to tell him to chill his ass out, but he just felt something was wrong. He knew it was irrational, as he swung a leg over the Fat Boy and fired her up, but he just knew he had to find her.

When she heard his Harley scream, Jimmy Sue raced through the garage and caught up with him before he took off.

'Where you going?' She hollered over the roar. He looked back at her with a wink as he peeled off down the driveway.

'Ah shit!' She groaned. 'Sookie Hush! Here we go again!'

She dug out her phone, hit her speed dial and swore. 'Heifa! You bet pick up!'

Dawne and Edgar

'So.' Dawne huffed as she sat down and folded her arms. 'Whadda you know?'

He couldn't believe she was sitting next to him. That she hadn't run as far away as she could. Hadn't disappeared. With a trembling hand he brushed her crossed leg shaking with agitation.

'K-k-know w-w-w-hat?' He stuttered.

Dawne threw her head back and took a deep breath. She so wanted to scream and shake his ass 'til his teeth rattled. But one look at his pale face and empty eyes stopped her. He had been blindsided as well by June's bombshell and he was still reeling. She had stopped reeling and was just pissed off. Real pissed off. It took everything she had, all her love for him, to guide him through this epic shit-storm.

'You talked to Louise?

'What?' He cautiously sought her eyes.

'You heard me.'

She wasn't playing and was not about to allow him to give up on himself or their love. Edgar finally recognized the steely strength in her voice and eyes, dropped his eyes to his hand in hers and admitted.

'No I haven't. Scares the hell out of me to even think about going there.'

Still avoiding her eyes, he raised her hand and kissed it reverently. 'I love you Dawne. Without you I'm a dead man.'

She so wanted to gather him in her arms, rock him and tell him it would all be alright. But she knew right here, right now he had to man up, fight for his life. Fight for us Edgar! She held her breath and prayed.

'Do you wanna live forever?' Dawne quoted one of her favorite lines from one of their favorite movies, the original 'Conan the Barbarian'.

After a beat, he met her eyes and his sweet mouth smirked. It was the smirk of the baby brother who lived to mess with anyone and everyone who tried to tell him what to do. How to live. What to do. And before her amazed eyes, the 'all growed-up' Edgar emerged and manifest.

With a strong arm he hugged her close and kissed her soundly. When her eyes again met his, he winked and grinned.

'Live forever? With you? Hell yeah!'

And proceeded to work his phone with the steely vengeance of a man not just on a mission, but for the fight of his life!

'Louise!?'

Total Eclipse of the Heart - Bonnie Tyler

Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round
Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears
Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit nervous
That the best of all the years have gone by
Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, every now and then I fall apartTurnaround, every now and then I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild
Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit helpless and I'm lying like a child in your arms
Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit angry and I know I've got to get out and cry
Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit terrified
But then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, every now and then I fall apartAnd I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
'Cause we'll never be wrong together
We can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonightOnce upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heartTurnaround bright eyes
Turnaround, every now and then I know you'll never be the boy you always wanted to be
Turnaround, every now then I know you'll always be the only boy who wanted me the way that I am
Turnaround, every now and then I know there's no one in the universe as magical and wondrous as you
Turnaround, every now and then I know there's nothing any better
And there's nothing that I just wouldn't do
Turnaround bright eyes, every now and then I fall apartAnd I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
'Cause we'll never be wrong together
We can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
Nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart