A/N -
Guest Reviews:
Chapter 170 - Recovery Moments 7 - Guest: My Bunnies say thank you. They are very glad to hear you enjoyed their ideas. They promise to keep on working on more. Yep, she definitely wouldn't have been happy. And the big bold capitals - one of my favourite descriptions from this chapter. The flirting/teasing is so much a part of them, from that very first day. So glad too to have it back. I have to admit to having fun with the reality check from Jessie to Callen. It's rare that I've had her shift to that mode with him, she's usually subtle and patient and gets the message across gently but sometimes ... well sometimes a kick in the pants is needed.
So moving right along to the Wedding Day part - this at present is in about five parts. I've shortened my chapters a little at the moment to help me get chapters out a little quicker while things are still a little crazy in life.
Enjoy. Love to hear what you think.
Chapter 178 - Wedding Day Part 1
Jessie walked toward Callen. Her heart beat just a little faster and the butterflies flitted in her stomach gently. The soft murmur of those around reached her ears, as did the lapping of the waves at the shoreline but nothing could distract her. Her focus was solely on him. On his eyes that shone with love, on the smile that hinted at a secret. She smiled back, a secret of her own behind it. She had plans he didn't know, plans she was sure he would love but that she wanted to surprise him with later. The sand was soft and cool under her bare feet, her pace smooth as the sand shifted beneath her steps. She was halfway to Callen, halfway to the next part of her life, when an unwelcome noise broke the happy murmurs.
Jessie's eyes widened as Callen's expression shifted to surprise and pain. In an instant her heart pounded and fear leapt to her throat. She froze at the horrifying sound just a moment before red spots appeared over Callen's chest, dragging her gaze from his eyes to them as he fell to the ground. Others fell too, she heard the thumps though she didn't see them and the sounds continued. Then a sudden darkness shifted in front of her, breaking the hold that the sight of Callen's body, still on the ground, held on her. A scream finally left her throat just as a body slammed into hers and she fell to the ground, that body landing hard on top covering her.
She couldn't breathe.
This couldn't be happening.
Not again.
But the sounds were so familiar. The bullets, the screams and the footsteps trying to run. The thud as more bodies fell to the ground. The scent in the air. The blood she could still see, the picture of Callen not leaving her mind's eye. The weight on her body holding her down and the slight shift as bullets hit it as well.
She screamed again.
"Jessie."
Her eyes flew open at the familiar voice but it was dark and she couldn't see. Panic enveloped her further. She tried hard to breathe.
"Jessie!"
Trevor. She finally placed the voice. He was right here even though she couldn't see him clearly.
It was dark.
It wasn't daylight.
Dream.
No. Nightmare.
"Jessie?" She felt Trevor's hands cup her face. She grabbed at the comfort and warmth, the life that she felt from them but it wasn't enough.
"I.." It was all she could get out. She needed him. Needed Callen. Needed to know, to feel that he was safe, alive. Still with her. But she couldn't get the words out past the tightness in her throat.
She felt Trevor take her hand and the motion as he pulled her off the bed. She stumbled but he didn't let her fall and then they were moving. Jessie blinked when they moved out of their bedroom into the hall, the lights dimmed yet still too bright to eyes that were used to a much deeper darkness. Trevor dragged her down the hall and through another door.
"Callen."
The light came on. Jessie saw him but it didn't feel real. She couldn't pull herself beyond the panic and memory of seeing him lying there, gone.
"Jessie?" Concern and worry filled that one word.
Callen was off the bed and next to her before she could blink. His hands cupped her face and he held her head so he could see into her eyes. A sob ripped right through her as the truth finally reached her mind and her heart. He was here. He was alive. It truly was just a nightmare.
"Bad dream," Jessie heard Trevor tell him. She felt Trevor's hand on her back rubbing gently but Callen's touch and gaze took the majority of her focus.
"Doc," Callen said gently. "Talk to me."
It took Jessie a few moments to find words that would tell him what had happened without having to say it all because she wasn't sure how many she could manage to say.
"Same as before. But here. Tomorrow. Just like then."
The sounds, the fear, the result, even though Trevor had pulled her awake before she'd seen it. She'd felt it in the dream, that feeling that told her she was all alone once more.
"Please," Jessie begged him. "Tell me it's safe here."
"It's safe Doc." Callen pulled her into his arms. "It's definitely safe. He's gone. There's no one to come after you."
Jessie knew that, logically, but right now that part of her wasn't working. She was running on pure emotion and fear.
"Everyone I care about … gone." She buried her head in his neck and shuddered.
"It's safe," Callen assured her once more. "But if you want to stop it, go home," he continued. "We can. Whatever you need."
"You please," she murmured. His arms tightened around her. She felt a kiss against the side of her head.
"I'm right here."
Jessie also felt the kiss on the back of her head. Different yet still comforting. Then came Trevor's soft words.
"I'm sorry Jessie. I shouldn't have separated you two."
Jessie heard the sorrow and pain in his words, the regret and she couldn't bear it. He had no reason to feel that way.
"No." She lifted and turned her head to look at Trevor, though stayed completely within the safety of Callen's arms. "Not your fault."
"If you'd had him -"
She shook her head. "Had nightmares with him. Not your fault," Jessie repeated as firmly as she could even with the tremors that still went through her body.
"Still -"
"No."
Finally Jessie saw acceptance and relief in Trevor's eyes, though still pain there but that was to be expected. He wasn't one who could hide how he felt easily, outside of the dance floor that was. He'd never been good at seeing her in pain, physical or otherwise. With a final soft kiss on her cheek, Trevor stepped back and walked to the door. He quietly closed it, leaving her with Callen. She turned her head back and rested it on his shoulder, focused on the warmth and the touch and his scent as she tried to take some steadying breaths.
"Come to bed Doc," Callen said. He stepped back but didn't let the connection between them break, his hand never left hers. She settled in his arms, the warmth of his body seeped into hers and eased the cold she could still feel that seemed like it went the whole way through her body. Tears continued to fall silently.
Jessie didn't know how long it took before Callen spoke again, but by the time he did the tears were down to a trickle and the warmth had spread most of the way through her.
"What do you want to do Jessie," Callen asked. "If you're going to be afraid to do this, we'll call it off."
Jessie sighed and shifted a little in his arms to settle more comfortably. His arms tightened around her a touch. "I don't want to call it off. I want this." Oh how she wanted this additional tie to him. To know in every way she was his and he was hers. "I just … I guess suddenly everyone I care about is in the one place. Easy for me to lose them."
Callen's hand traveled slowly up and down her back, the rhythmic feel and warmth to it relaxing her even more.
"Not gonna happen," Callen said and Jessie heard the promise in it. "I want old and grey with you Doc. And I'm determined to get it."
Jessie knew that he couldn't completely promise old and grey, but the promise wasn't that. The promise was that he would do everything he could to get it, that he would fight to the last to stay with her, protect her and be by her side. He'd already shown her just how hard he could fight after the accident.
"Want me to talk to Hetty and up the security?"
"No," Jessie said. The security was already high. Hetty had sent Eric and Nell out last week to install a temporary security and monitoring system. There were no blind spots and no one could come within 200 metres of the building without an alarm being set off that would alert the team. The location of the wedding had only been known to those necessary for setting things up until they'd been brought here yesterday, aside from Mac that was who still didn't know. All he knew at this point was where to meet for the pick up Hetty had arranged for him.
"You're right," Jessie added. "Just a bad dream, no one's left to do it."
Callen kissed the top of her head and with a gentle hand tilted her head a little so he could look in her eyes. "On the bright side," he smiled, a hint of mischief in it that had Jessie curious. Her eyes narrowed a touch as she studied him and waited for him to continue. "It did get you here in my arms after all."
A soft, albeit short, laugh made it past Jessie's lips. "True," she agreed, "but it did leave Trevor worried."
"Alex will take care of him." There was full confidence in Callen's statement. Even though he hadn't known them anywhere near as long as Jessie had, he knew them well enough. Yes, Alex would take care of Trevor because Jessie had no doubt that the moment Trevor had left her he would've headed straight to Alex's room.
"And you'll take care of me," Jessie said softly with just as much confidence.
"Always Doc. Just tell me what you need." Jessie yawned and Callen smiled. "Sleep apparently," he said. "So I should behave."
The comment brought a small spark of heat but at the same time the exhaustion was pulling at her after such an emotional moment. Jessie settled back in his arms, her fingers tracing simple patterns on his chest. "Probably," she said softly. "There's that whole anticipation thing."
"And I probably shouldn't take advantage of the situation."
Jessie smiled at that because she knew him and knew he wasn't one to pass up an opportunity without good reason. The fact that they were discussing this meant he knew now wasn't the time. But that spark of heat his words had started was still there and even though she was tired she wouldn't mind at all if he wanted to pursue the situation and see if it did lead somewhere after all.
"You can take advantage of me any time," she said.
Callen shifted and to her surprise Jessie found herself straddling him, knees on either side of his hips and her hands beside his shoulders. He kept his hands on her waist until she was stable. "Not tonight Doc. You've been through too much and you need to rest so you can enjoy what's coming. But," he smiled and reached for her head. She watched the expression on his face as he slowly undid the plait in her hair and ran his fingers through it until it fell softly on either side of her head, creating a little bubble that was just the two of them, the rest of the world blocked out.
"One kiss wouldn't be taking advantage," Callen added. "One kiss and then sleep." He smiled. "Did I ever tell you this picture made my first night in your bed a rather sleepless one."
"What do you mean?" His fingers were still in her hair, one right against the scalp and her eyes closed briefly at his touch.
"This image, you above me, your hair out, the possibilities."
"It kept you awake?"
"Yep." Callen's hand slid to the back of her head and eased her lower. "Until I fell asleep and dreamed about doing this." The distance between them closed and his lips brushed over hers lightly twice before they settled. The firm pressure of his lips against hers was a gentle request, a giving of power and choice to her on how far she wanted to let this go for now. Her lips parted on a soft sigh and his tongue slid over her lips to tangle with hers. His taste addictive, passion-filled, familiar and comforting all at the same time. The warmth and touch of his lips and touch distracting enough to push away the last of the lingering tension from the nightmare. Callen eased back before the heat became too much, though his body's reaction told her he was well and truly interested in taking it further. He smiled.
"Just a kiss, now sleep." The smile grew. "Because I doubt you'll be getting much tomorrow night."
