Chapter 21: It's a small world after all

Tavington had peacefully slept next to Asha all night and when he awoke, she was still on his arm, but not wanting to wake her, he remained in his position, but his arm was asleep and becoming incredibly uncomfortable. He managed to turn on his side, giving a quick glance outside noticing the sun was coming out for a brand new day and he couldn't be happier. The sheet was covering most of Asha's body up to her neck and out of curiosity, he gently pulled the sheet off of her, revealing her scar in the sunlight. He noticed how worse it looked when the light was good, it was deeper than he thought and went down further than he remembered, but then again wasn't paying too much attention to her scars. It was on the left side of her that went behind the ear and over the top, down her neck to the middle of her back, but he also caught another glimpse that went down the front of her neck and to the side. He gently brushed his finger down her scar as if he was trying to willingly erase her pain.

Without warning, Asha gasped and quickly grabbed a knife from underneath her pillow and placed it to Tavington's throat.

"Asha! It's me! It's me." He looked at her eyes and noticed a mix of fear, anger, and pain. Her pupils were dilated and at first acted like she didn't know who he was, but something in her snapped and she brought the knife away from him.

"Asha?"

She leaned up, hugging the sheet to her body in one hand and still had a hold of the knife in the other, "Why did you do that?" she whispered looking away from him.

"Do what?"

"Touch that scar. I could have killed you."

Tavington shook his head in confusion as he touched her everywhere last night, but she didn't mind it then, "Asha, I don't...I don't understand why-"

"I'm...very sensitive to that scar. It's not just you, William. I was the same with my husband. He touched it one time and...well, he tried really hard to never do it again."

Tavington leaned up, letting the sheet fall from his torso "Do you want to talk about it?"

Asha looked at Tavington's chest and smiled to herself remembering their night last night. She looked at him, biting her lip. She tossed the knife on the night stand, wrapped her arms around Tavington's neck as she began to kiss him. He didn't object although he still wanted to know more about her. She eased herself on him and sighed as he filled her, "I want all of you, William," she moaned.

He guided her thrusts against him, he wanted her to enjoy it. To really enjoy it. She threw her head back as she grinded harder against him as he massaged his hand up and down on her chest. He brought himself up to her as she rode him, burying his face into her chest, biting, bringing her down harder against him. He brought his face up to hers and kissed her passionately as he could feel himself near to climax," Come with me, Asha," he said in a groaning husky voice. "Come with me."

Asha gripped his back and bit his shoulder as they both came together and to silence her cries. Shockwaves went through her whole body as her toes curled with her legs wrapped around him. A drip of sweat fell from her forehead as she leaned against him panting. "Will it be like this every morning?" she chuckled lightly.

"Morning, noon, and night, if you wish it," he smiled. He brought his face back from hers and shook his head as he looked her over.

"What?" she questioned.

"How can you ever think you're ugly?" he questioned as he placed his hand on her face, "I don't think you know how truly beautiful you are."

"You're just saying that because you just got shagged," she laughed.

"No," Tavington said,"seriously, that's not it at all. You said you've had this scars since you were with your husband, right? Then he accepted you for all your scars, what makes you think that no one else could?"

"Hearing...things...the things that you say, scare me, William. Telling me I'm beautiful when I look like I do, makes me think that I won't live up to the expectations of how I should be."

"You are beautiful, Asha. I truly did not mean to scare you when I touched your scar, it just looks...like someone hurt you really bad and I want to know who it is, so I can hurt them just as bad."

"It won't do you any good, William. The person that hurt me...he's already dead. Can't kill a Ghost."

Tavington sighed then kissed Asha's forehead as she leaned against him. She licked her lips and brought them to his. "You're going to kill me, Asha," said Tavington as he kissed her passionately. He grabbed her around the waist then flipped her over onto her back making her laugh. He brought her legs around him as he eased himself back inside of her, making love to her again.

/

"And what's your progress, Sean?" asked the boss as he walked into the room. "Judging how things look around here, I'd say you are continuing to disappoint me."

"On the contrary, sir, things are going as planned. Asha will soon be at our mercy. Very soon."

"Good," the man smiled.

/

"Asha," Tavington panted as he lay on his back looking at the ceiling, "I know what you did there, by distracting me with sex. Eased away from the question I asked you, but you're damn near on the brink of killing me."

Asha chuckled as she lay on his chest "I can't help it," she said as she twirled her finger in his chest hair, "I just can't get enough of you."

He looked her and smiled then propped himself up on his elbow, "Tell me a secret."

"A secret? Well, if I told you a secret then it wouldn't be a secret anymore." She looked at him and noted his serious look," Alright...I um...I absolutely...hate...vegetables. There, I said it. The secret is out."

Tavington laughed as he tickled her "No, something no one else knows. And not that you're an assassin. I already know that."

Asha sighed leaning up "You mean, you want to know about my scar which I told you I don't talk about."

"Why are you so afraid to talk about it?"

"I'm not afraid. It hurts too much to talk about it. Brings up too many memories."

Tavington nodded in somewhat disappointment "Very well. In any case, I have a meeting with Lord Cornwallis and the other Generals in about an hour. I have to talk with Bordon, Ban and Wilkins before we go in there."

"I'm sorry, William."

"For what?" he questioned before scooting off the bed.

"I know you're upset that I won't tell you about my scar, but I don't get why you're so interested in it."

"Because it's something that harbours you great pain and it's a pain that I don't want you to suffer any longer." He sighed, "Have you ever told anyone about what that scar is from?"

Asha shook her head "No. Not even my husband."

"So, you've had this since before what? Before you became an assassin?"

She looked over to the clock as she shut herself down again, not wanting to reveal information. Tavington sighed, gently cupped Asha's face in his fingers and gave her a tender kiss, "Please, don't give up on happiness for yourself. I'll see you in a bit." He slipped on the rest of his clothes then walked out the door.

Asha groaned in frustration, got dressed then went to Krieger's room where everyone else was. Karissa, Krieger, Terra, Denise, and Luca were standing around a map, while other's were scattered in different points of the room. She walked up to them as they stared at the map "Am I the world's biggest bitch or what?"

Krieger looked to the others then to Asha "Nah, too easy." Asha punched his arm. "Ow!" Asha looked down at the map then to Krieger "That didn't hurt, you big baby."

"It did too." He looked to Asha, "So aside from you beating your old boss up, what's going on with you?"

"William and I just had the most amazing sex I have had since my husband."

Krieger blinked then looked at Karissa "Alright, is there some hidden woman talk in that statement that I missed?"

Asha shook her head "He asked me about my scar and I couldn't tell him. He just wants to know and help me through it, but I can't tell him."

"Yes, you can, you just choose not to, just like you've chosen not to tell any of us," said Denise pulling up a chair. "Asha, Karissa and I both were around when you were with your husband and you loved him dearly and we know that he asked about that scar of yours, but you turned him away too. You've turned us away, your son, and now the Colonel. Asha, I won't pretend to know who hurt you or why, but you can't keep this shit in anymore, it's killing you and you know it. You don't have to fight through the darkness alone."

Scoffing, Asha nodded, "That's the same thing Dr. Teal said. I just don't know how. I've been in the darkness by myself for so long, how do I pull anyone else into my mess?"

"We've been with you this far. We're going the rest of the way," said Karissa. "Talk to Tavington. Do that one thing that you fear more than anything, Ash." Her friend looked at her "And what's that Karissa?" Karissa walked over to Asha "Trust. Trust him." Asha looked at the clock and sighed "I have to get back to my room. Doctor Teal said he'd be in sometime this morning to do a check up on me. I'll talk to you lot later?"

"We'll be here...or at least somewhere around here."

Asha gave a nod then left the room. As she walked down the hallway, she sensed something, but couldn't quite place it. She shook it off as she entered her room then shut the door behind her. Snapping out of her thoughts, as she felt someone grab her shoulder, she twirled herself under them, then flipped them over her, making them land on their back, she looked down in shock "William?!"

Tavington let out a cough of pain then grabbed Asha and pulled her forward, making her flip over him and landing on her back, he pinned her down for a minute as he stared at her "You know, if you wanted to be on top again, all you had to do was ask," she chuckled.

Smiling, he leaned out and began to kiss her lips, then her neck as he raised her hands above her head. "William," she breathed, "not that I don't think this is nice, but I thought you wanted to take a break because I was nearly killing you."

"I changed my mind because I received good news and I wanted to share that, by making love to you again."

"Ahem," a voice was heard from the doorway.

Asha and Tavington both looked at each other wide eyed. Neither one of them had locked the door. He looked up and noticed who was in the doorway "You."

"Who is it?" Asha looked behind her from on the ground. It was Dr. Teal.

"You know, if you two are going to carry on with this, you might want to lock the door from now on. Just a thought as if I was Lord Cornwallis, you would probably be dead right now."

"Carry on with what? I was just-"

"Let me guess, Colonel, you were just educating her on how to play dead. Well, I suggest you don't moan then dear."

Asha cleared her throat as Tavington stood up off her then helped her up. He looked to Dr. Teal, "Look, I don't-I,"

"Don't," Teal put up his hand, "I knew there was something going on between you two for weeks. Or months really."

"How did you know?" asked Asha raising her eyebrow.

"I'm a doctor love, I practically see all...at least around here. Now, have a seen so I can look you over." He looked to Tavington and raised his eyebrows. Tavington nodded then started to walk away.

"Wait," said Asha then looked to Teal, "can he stay, please?"

Tavington looked to Doctor Teal who shrugged "Sure, but you better lock the door." He looked back to Asha "Can you remove your shirt for me?" She looked at Tavington as she did. She was glad he let him stay as he stood and partially watched and didn't. He felt like he was gawking at her as the doctor checked her. "All your wounds are healing up nicely. The arrow wounds are taking longer, but they're healing." He shook his head "This scar though," he said referring to the deepest one," I don't think I've seen anything like this in a long time. Must have been painful for you."

Asha waited a few minutes as he started to pack his tools back in his bag then let out a shaky sigh "I was ten years old when I got it."

Tavington and Doctor Teal both looked at her then looked at each other, then back to her wondering if she would continue, which she did.

"It was after I had run away from home and it was before I met Jared and the other boys I would soon call brothers. I had just...just stolen a loaf of bread from a window, I remember it had burned my tongue because it was so hot, but I was so hungry, I didn't care. I was walking through an alley and it was a nice night that night too. The stars were out, shining brightly, the moon was beautiful and air was crisp and cool with the smell of rain still lingering in the air."

She swallowed hard "As I was admiring the sky, wondering if my Mother was looking down on me, I was grabbed. I started to kick and scream, anything I could to try and get away from the person who had me, but I wasn't strong enough. I was hit in the head and was knocked out. When I woke up, my arms were bound above me to a beam or a bit of metal, I can't remember, but the smell was an old musk smell. It was an old building of some kind. I tried to scream, but a gag had been put in my mouth, it was dark, I was scared, and then I heard the door open."

Asha closed her eyes as her memory flashed back "It was my Step Father. I don't know how, but he had found me and caught me. He taunted me about...about everything. About my Mother being weak, about me, about my Father, everything. First he used, a riding crop on my back. I can't remember how many, maybe twenty or so. Then he threw salt on my wounds and I screamed so loud, I thought my head would burst. After I passed out from the pain, I woke up some time later, only for him to hurt me more. He took...he took a cat o nine tails to my back, but he had stitched the pieces together, so it would be three pieces formed into a big one. The first time he hit me with it, it hurt so bad it didn't register at first. When he hit me a second time, I thought my arm had severed off my body from the shoulder, the third time, I begged to die." She looked to Tavington who sat across from her as Doctor Teal was sitting next to her, neither one saying a word.

"He managed to hit me in the same spot nearly every time, that's why that scar is so bad and why it's sensitive. Not just because of the bad memories, but because of the pain. At one point when he had left me hanging up there, I had looked up and there was blood pouring down my arms and hands, but this wound up being a blessing in disguise. The blood had made my arms slick enough to wiggle my way out of the ropes. I had hid since he locked the door, but when he came back, I managed to run to the door before it shut, got out, and locked him in." She had tears flowing out her eyes,"Then afterwards, I go to this house and I see this young man outside and he helps me. This young man, about fourteen years old, who sees this scared girl who's bleeding just lets me go in his house. His father wounded up being a doctor," she smirked to herself. "He patched me up and he had asked me what was wrong of course. I naturally lied. I didn't want my step father finding him and grilling him for information if he knew nothing about me, so I left a month later, with a note stating that I was sorry I had to leave, but I was greatful that they helped me the way they did."

"What did you tell the family that helped you?"

"I said that-,"

"I'm sorry that I have to leave, but my troubles will follow me here and good people like you don't deserve to get hurt," said Teal nodding.

"How did you know that?"

Doctor Teal looked at Asha, "Because I was that boy, Asha and I thought you had been lost for good."

Asha looked at Doctor Teal in such shock. This was something she would never have happen to her. She smiled to him and said "Like Father, like son, huh?" She chuckled as she gently wrapped her arms around his neck.