Trrmo77: Twist granted.

America Liberty: I'm glad you liked it. That was 100% my line.

Chapter twenty-four

Nachelle scratched her neck and her uncle gave her a nudge with his elbow. Naturally, scratching at the dinner table was not polite. But oh, she had the most ghastly itch. Dana leaned close as if to say something, but he blew where she was itching, quelling the itch for the time being.

"Thank you." she whispered.

He nodded and turned back to his meal. The last few days had been somewhat strange. Dana seemed to be drawing further away from her and she from him. They merely spoke occasionally when it was necessary. He was still extremely thoughtful towards her but something was lacking; things were growing uncomfortable.

Not to mention the newspapers had distorted all information about Nemo. They'd painted him to be a cold, cruel, heartless, bloodthirsty man. But all that made it much more difficult for she couldn't speak the truth.

"Tell me Mrs. carver." the president's wife, said. "What was it like for you on the nautilus?"

Her uncle glanced at her making sure she gave the proper answers. But lately, she was tired of lying. Tonight she didn't feel like it.

"The first few days I was a little frightened," her uncle cleared his throat, but she ignored him. "But the days that followed were some of the happiest I'd had."

"She befriended the captain to a degree." Her uncle said quickly. Ned, who was sitting opposite her uncle snorted. Her uncle shot him a warning glare.

"Really?" the president said, leaning forward. "Tell me, what was he really like? One reads all these things from press, but still, I know, it never really measures up to the man."

She nodded, "all right Mr. president, I'll lay it on the line." She leaned forward and rested her chin on her hands. Her elbows were propped up on the table but she didn't care. The table had also quieted down somewhat so she didn't have to speak as loud. "Captain Nemo was a very complex man and he is still very difficult to describe, but I shall do so to the best of my abilities. We had some talks and from those talks I do know he was not the insane, vicious, blood thirsty man described by the press." She inhaled. "He could be very chivalrous and cordial towards me. He did have a temper and he could be most insulting at times. He was highly learned man and before he chose the life under the sea he was an extremely wealthy man and from a very wealthy family."

"What family might I ask?"

"I swore to him I'd never reveal it."

"He's dead now." Her uncle pointed out.

"I give my word and I keep It." she said turning back to the president. "He didn't trust the world once his submarine was a success. He would have gladly shared his secrets and he would have. Except he was captured by the nation of Rura Pantha and forced to do hard manual labor by day and torture by night."

The president shook his head, "Rura Pantha, a dreadful nation to be sure."

"They tried to learn the secrets of his boat but he refused to break. The nation made their mistake when they tortured his wife and son to death. They presented the bodies of his family to them, tortured almost beyond recognition." At this all talk ceased and everyone leaned forward. Ned had a strange look in his eyes, almost sympathetic. "That broke Nemo. He loved his wife and son very much. He managed to find a crew and they escaped." She cleared her throat. "If we'd taken note of each ship that was destroyed, we'd note it always came from Rura Pantha and the cargo was always highly explosive."

"Are you condoning his actions?" the president asked.

"Mr. president." She asked. "If a nation had done something as horrible as that, to you and your family. If you'd seen the corpses of your wife and child, bleeding, defiled and being spit upon by horrible men. You would have raged war against that nation to, wouldn't you?"

Everyone watched the president for his reaction. She saw the truth in his eyes. He nodded his head, as did every man at the table.

"I'm not condoning his actions. But all I ask is compassion and a little bit of understanding for him. I know for a fact Mr. president, that the day he died, he was going to reveal all information to my uncle and send him ashore to share his genius with the world. But as you know, his enemies found his lair and he destroyed it before he died. Believe me Mr. president, if he had been as cruel as he'd been described, he would have not let us free, he would have had let us die along with his secret. But he didn't."

"You seem to have known him very well." The president's wife said.

She nodded. "I did. We had a mutual respect for each other," this lie slashed a deep gash in her, but she took it. "But it was nothing more than that."

Nachelle fanned herself; the heat in the ballroom was oppressive. Every man, including the president, and excluding her husband had danced with her. But they mainly all had questions about Nemo; she answered them all honestly without saying a word about their marriage and everyone had naturally assumed that it was Dana's child she was carrying.

She walked towards the balcony, inhaling the cool air. She heard the sounds of a couple embracing and turned to leave. Except, that's when she saw a dark haired woman with her arms around Dana's neck.

The woman saw her and pulled back. Dana turned and a panicked look appeared on his face.

"Now Nachelle,"

"Go right on ahead." She said. "It's none of my business."

"Nachelle. Wait."

"So this is the woman you married?"

The woman's tone made her stop and turn around. She was a beautiful, raven-haired woman.

"I didn't kiss Melanie, she kissed me." Dana said.

She shrugged, "Dana, it doesn't matter to me."

He frowned, "not in the least?"

"She doesn't care?" Melanie said. "Why don't you?"

"That's my business." She said.

"Do you even love him?" Melanie asked. "Because I did!"

"You showed it by kissing Ralph!"

"He forced himself on me! How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Melanie, listen," Dana said. "Believe me, I was going to break off the engagement."

"Why'd you pick her?" she asked. "Why?"

"Melanie, that is my concern. Now leave us alone."

"I think you should tell her Dana."

"She'll spill everything."

Hurt flashed in Melanie's eyes and she quickly walked back inside."

"I honestly don't care anymore. I've a mind to go in and tell the president the truth."

"You can't do that." He said. "The child."

"I will have to tell the truth and do you know how much it hurts to read those things? Hear people say those horrible things about him."

"Nachelle, let's go home." He said taking her arm.

She yanked free, "I'll go home when I want to go!"

"You're my wife."

"You're my husband of convenience."

Dana gripped her shoulders. "Nachelle, I've got to say this or I'll burst."

"Then by all mean's say it."

He inhaled. "I don't want this to be a marriage of convenience anymore. I want it to be a real marriage." She stared at him in shock. "I care about you, and I want to be more than that."

She shook her head in denial, "you don't know what you're saying."

Dana drew her close and kissed her. she gasped and pushed at him as unwanted emotions filled her. she finally was able to wrench free. He stood there, his eyes intently studying her.

"don't….ever…do…that…again." she growled. "ever!"

"why Nachelle?" he asked. "tell me. does it fill you with disgust, anger, or could it be that you feel something and you just can't stand to admit it."

Nachelle broke free and ran back inside and to her relief Dana didn't even follow after her.

Thank you for reviewing, so I added a little hanger.