Standard disclaimer still applies.
Thanks to the usual review crew -- you know who you are. If you just got here, welcome, turn off your cell phones and pagers, pour yourself some sweet tea and settle in as we get closer and closer to The Truth.
==============================
The March evening was cold, but there was a fire blazing in Rainey's fireplace, and Nadine seemed disinclined to leave for the night. Shooter watched her tapping away at something on her laptop, hair shining in the flickering light. He'd been trying to get free for hours; it was more and more difficult to gain control of Rainey. She glanced up from the screen to find him watching her, and raised an eyebrow.
"I just want to remember you this way forever, Miss Nadine," Shooter said regretfully.
Setting the laptop on the end of the coffee table, she joined him on the couch. "What's wrong, Shoot?"
"I don't think I'm gonna be around much longer," he said simply. He'd always had the sensation of watching over Rainey's shoulder as Mort went about his business -- but now what had been shadows were an ever-lengthening twilight.
Nadine pulled him into a hug. "No fooling around!" Shooter said urgently. "He's too close. I just want to spend time with you while I still can."
"Come here," she said, easing his head down to rest on her bosom.
They sat that way for a little while. "How did it end?" Shooter asked suddenly.
"How did what end?"
" 'Gemini Descending' -- how did it end?"
"You reviewed it, Halvoran Press sent me a copy of it."
"No, Missy, that review's all Rainey. I tried to read it, but I just kept...getting lost."
"Lost?"
"In the grey place, in his head. That scares me more than anything, that any time now, I'm gonna go there and never come back out. Never see you again, never work in my garden...." His voice choked off.
Nadine's hands gently rubbed the back of his neck. "Aww, Shoot...I don't think it's gonna be like that."
"But you don't know?"
"All I know is what I read while I was researching...I know the closer y'all get, the more Mort's gonna start remembering your memories."
"That's starting already," Shooter admitted, "though he doesn't always realize it."
"Just because he's getting stronger, doesn't mean he doesn't need your strength, too. You've gotten him through some bad times."
"Gave him a few, too."
She kissed his cheek. "I can't imagine what it's like being where you're at right now. Must be pretty scary for you. But, Shoot, nobody knows tomorrow for sure. You could get hit by lightning, or snakebit or fall down the stairs and break your neck --- there's no guarantees in life. Things are gonna change, we both know that, but I believe that whatever happens with you and Rainey, some part of you is still gonna be here."
Looking into her earnest grey eyes, sinking, Shooter prayed that she was right.
"If you remember anything, remember this, John Shooter: I am never going to forget you. Not ever. I love you, Shoot."
He buried his face against her, holding on as hard as he could, exhausted. "Nadine...Miss Nadine...."
"I love you," she repeated. "I will always love you. I love all of you. Both of you, Shoot -- the man in my arms right now and the one I don't know yet. I love you."
The darkness closed over him then, and he took her parting words with him.
==============================
Five chapters left....
Thanks to the usual review crew -- you know who you are. If you just got here, welcome, turn off your cell phones and pagers, pour yourself some sweet tea and settle in as we get closer and closer to The Truth.
==============================
The March evening was cold, but there was a fire blazing in Rainey's fireplace, and Nadine seemed disinclined to leave for the night. Shooter watched her tapping away at something on her laptop, hair shining in the flickering light. He'd been trying to get free for hours; it was more and more difficult to gain control of Rainey. She glanced up from the screen to find him watching her, and raised an eyebrow.
"I just want to remember you this way forever, Miss Nadine," Shooter said regretfully.
Setting the laptop on the end of the coffee table, she joined him on the couch. "What's wrong, Shoot?"
"I don't think I'm gonna be around much longer," he said simply. He'd always had the sensation of watching over Rainey's shoulder as Mort went about his business -- but now what had been shadows were an ever-lengthening twilight.
Nadine pulled him into a hug. "No fooling around!" Shooter said urgently. "He's too close. I just want to spend time with you while I still can."
"Come here," she said, easing his head down to rest on her bosom.
They sat that way for a little while. "How did it end?" Shooter asked suddenly.
"How did what end?"
" 'Gemini Descending' -- how did it end?"
"You reviewed it, Halvoran Press sent me a copy of it."
"No, Missy, that review's all Rainey. I tried to read it, but I just kept...getting lost."
"Lost?"
"In the grey place, in his head. That scares me more than anything, that any time now, I'm gonna go there and never come back out. Never see you again, never work in my garden...." His voice choked off.
Nadine's hands gently rubbed the back of his neck. "Aww, Shoot...I don't think it's gonna be like that."
"But you don't know?"
"All I know is what I read while I was researching...I know the closer y'all get, the more Mort's gonna start remembering your memories."
"That's starting already," Shooter admitted, "though he doesn't always realize it."
"Just because he's getting stronger, doesn't mean he doesn't need your strength, too. You've gotten him through some bad times."
"Gave him a few, too."
She kissed his cheek. "I can't imagine what it's like being where you're at right now. Must be pretty scary for you. But, Shoot, nobody knows tomorrow for sure. You could get hit by lightning, or snakebit or fall down the stairs and break your neck --- there's no guarantees in life. Things are gonna change, we both know that, but I believe that whatever happens with you and Rainey, some part of you is still gonna be here."
Looking into her earnest grey eyes, sinking, Shooter prayed that she was right.
"If you remember anything, remember this, John Shooter: I am never going to forget you. Not ever. I love you, Shoot."
He buried his face against her, holding on as hard as he could, exhausted. "Nadine...Miss Nadine...."
"I love you," she repeated. "I will always love you. I love all of you. Both of you, Shoot -- the man in my arms right now and the one I don't know yet. I love you."
The darkness closed over him then, and he took her parting words with him.
==============================
Five chapters left....