- Chapter Eighty-Nine (And A Half) -

The Two Faces Of February

Back before all this crazy (fleetingly wonderful) mess happened, Bai had planned out just about every foreseeable aspect of her daughter's life, down to the last detail of the stitching in her underwear. Or at least the bespectacled avatar of evil might as well have, going so far as sending her offspring back to change if her appearance was deemed to be less than befitting a lady.

Approval hard to come by, Daniella had unfortunately gotten so used to it that she had long since given up trying to defy her mother. Like most of her peers, the teen had eventually learned to change after leaving the house; lacking any kind of a support system when Keats was gone, it was more effort than it was worth. So she got to wear a low-cut blouse beneath her uniform, big fucking deal. Defeated instantly by self-doubt, odds were that no one even got to see the shirt; if by some fluke they did, she'd have to remember to change out of it prior to arriving back home or risk the security team reporting back to her mother.

Suffice it to say that Daddy's little princess was out of her element once there was no one there to police how she presented herself to the rest of the world. Constantly reminded that she was the face of the family and therefore had responsibility to uphold the name of Adler, with the newfound freedom of being just Dells, it was like entering a whole other world. If she so wanted to, she could stay in bed that extra five minutes, or she could order a large side of fries instead of a parfait. Having the ability to decide without having to return to the drawing board was so liberating!

So far there hadn't really been anything of consequence to live or die by, however wasn't that to be expected from lazy days spent on a tropical island getaway? Well, less 'getaway' and more 'invasion', but the point stood.

It's not like Sam HAS to bring me....

Continuously trying to make herself feel better about basically forcing herself into the picture, it suited the heiress better to think of it as reconciling where they had started with where they were now. Something had undeniably changed when they spent their final morning in bed together, so was it really so wrong to think like that? Yes, it was technically true that there were tigers on the prowl, and that being alone in the room for that long a period of time was inviting either a breakdown or some other sort of trouble. Dells merely wanted to think that what had been obligation had shifted into something a little different as well.

Can I really not hope that some part of him genuinely wants me there? Obviously it would have been asking too much for that to be the case, however it was still nice to imagine her... whatever he was...whatever they were to one another... Dammit, I just would like to hear that he wanted her to belong.

Regardless of anyone's intentions, now that it was Cassie's birthday at long last, the time had come for the heiress to put her best foot forward! Picturing Elena and Mr. Drake first and foremost, it was almost bitter to think that it would be goodbye so soon; going down the list to Mary-Elizabeth and Lisa, parting sounded almost sweet. Whether or not this was the last time she had to interact with any of these people, Dells had been ingrained with the mentality that she had to go all out to dazzle (just not so much that she overshadowed the star of the party).

Laid out for later, the leggings on the untucked sheets were comfy enough for a day of excitement and just that right balance between classy and trashy; the sparkly miniskirt she opted to pair with them would add that final touch. Shirt versatile enough to wear just about anywhere for any occasion, this time she had been wiser about the itinerary and went with a duster that had at least some room for flexibility, unlike what she had worn out to the beach.

Bathroom light making the soft pink jade shimmer and shine atop the dresser, while it was probably redundant to wear underneath a jacket, the heiress was partial to the armband that she had picked up at the flea market.

[Shopping With A Deadite As A Power-Stealing Storm Rolled In aka The Long Road To The Truth]

Polished smooth as glass and milky in complexion, the stone on display wasn't as real as the vendor was trying to imply. Band one of several ornamentations on sale, the one that had caught the eye of the heiress was pushed nearly to the back row. Out sparkled by some amethyst monstrosity and overshadowed by a bangle that had been propped up to really catch the overcast sun, it was a miracle that she had even noticed it.

On the hunt for a suitable gift for the birthday girl - right after Mr. Drake had left with the others and Sam had broken it to her with the most basic version of how he had known her father - Daniella had needed to focus on anything else. Damn near the walking dead, it was even more of a surprise that she had been stopped by the flash of rosy quartz (the vendor put it out there that it was supposedly jade, however the heiress knew better).

Eyes glued to the farthest corner of the stall, the young woman hadn't meant to fall in love, but when you see something you absolutely adore, you just can't let it go so easy. And this, this felt fated.

Refusing to read any similarities between her situation and finding something so beautiful in the midst of rubbish, Daniella knew that this excursion was originally supposed to be about a different blonde. Keeping her gaze off of the thing that had been shadowing her every move, she stepped closer to the display for a better gander at the rest of the stock.

Cassie wore at least one bracelet a day, and usually she had something hanging from her neck, so the only problem with jewelry was finding something that she wouldn't hate. Musing on the qualities of the person that would be receiving the present (to the best of her shot ability), Dells noted that the bespectacled child of Drake was also sporty in nature, so that immediately made anything especially glitzy fall out of favor. Seeking things that were more earthy or natural, that also were timeless and could be considered cool, a picture was beginning to form in her mind.

Beads red as a cherry and roughly the same size, a bracelet of circular medallions caught the young woman's eye; Cassie seemed fond of the color, and the style would compliment her more worldly interests. Mind made up about her purchases, the heiress pointed out the two items she wanted and with a soft voice that didn't at all betray her fragile state of being, began to haggle with the shopkeeper for her prize. Prizes.

Awed at how the living zombie could still make her old man proud even in a state of distress, the thief watched aloofly from afar as the young woman bartered down the price the swap meet regular was asking. Observing the exchange of goods for the agreed-upon amount, Sam had a working theory that only one of those was for his niece - Dells may have been lost to him (rightfully so), but she wasn't so far gone as to not keep one eye on what she wanted. His hunch was confirmed when the young woman slipped the petal-pink one up over her wrist, thrusting the scarlet one at him.

Frankly the ex-con couldn't fathom why Dells would be remotely interested in something she picked up from a temporary stall in a mobile tent city, not when she was loaded enough to have bigger and better. Fairly certain that he wasn't going to get any sort of an answer, nothing stopped the man from voicing his confusion, "Don't you already have a dozen more genuine articles back home? All tucked safe and sound in some sapphire-inlaid jewelry box?"

Sounding very much like a professional that had cased his fair share of treasure troves, the choice of sapphire over any other precious gemstone was no accident. Well, the selection wasn't - saying it aloud on the other hand...

A little too detailed for a vague example, the young woman was too numb to really consider the slip-up; honestly she was too numb to think of anything more meaningful than shopping. Actually, that was a stretch as well, but damn if Dells wasn't making an effort for Elena and Mr. Drake. In all this catastrophe, they'd been so great, so kind and oh so generous.

Jostled by those in the crowd that most feared melting, the steel-blue sky grew steadily darker as it began to sprinkle down on the tarp-and-canvas city. Thunder rumbled ominously in the near-distance, but neither Sam nor Daniella were quite ready to call it quits just yet. A little rain never killed anyone outright, but being cooped up together in the hotel room while they waited for word on what came next? Hitting the gym with Nathan was still a possibility on the cards at that point, however it was seeming less and less likely.

Compelled to answer the question for whatever reason, she didn't look at her companion when she spoke, instead training her blue eyes on the flapping of paperbacks as the peddler tried to calm the pages. Making a beeline for the outdoor library, she took extra care to keep her gaze forward. "It doesn't matter if it was a million dollars or free, just so long as it means something to me."

Wriggling that thick auburn brow as he followed her to the limited supply of fiction, there was only one more thing he had to ask her then. "So what does this," gingerly snatching her wrist before she was out of his grasp for good, the man tapped the stone deliberately, "mean to ya?"

[His Genius, Her Body]

Warpaint applied without further incident while the silhouette of her brave and handsome knight guarded the door, the cloud of smoke surrounding them both was nearly as heavy as the dab of colored power she had rubbed over her lids. Lip gloss alleging that it was smear-proof and would last for up to eight hours, the matte shade was a touch darker than she normally would have gone for. Granted these days almost any make-up at all was more than she'd been accustomed to, however, speaking solely of those now-rare moments it was used at all, this was definitely a richer hue.

Slightly worried that it was going to 'make her look like a porn star' as her mother was so keen to suggest, the heiress was second-guessing everything, from the decision to be swayed by the pretty color to seeking a second opinion. If Elena was there there would be no need to fret, as the natural blonde would help set this matter straight in a snap. Even Chloe could've offered some sort of advisory opinion, though it likely would have been tangled in her sense of humor. Not all that sure about what Nadine Ross could bring to the table, there was really only one option that was viable.

Drumming the edge of the counter top as she debated the pros and cons of asking Sam, Dells made faces at her reflection, testing how all the different angles made her look. It wasn't like she had picked up an edgy rock star black and paired it with fire engine red lipstick, but she found it intimidating moving up from a more natural pallet.

Inadvertently burdened by additional pressure brought about because of the thief, this was going to be the first time they went anywhere farther than the room since the shift, and no matter what their relationship was, going to the party was a big deal. At least, it was to her. As such, it was more than simply making a good lasting impression... Daniella wanted to look good for Sam.

Breathing in his usual hit of nicotine, the looter and occasional shooter ran his left hand through his hair, pressing the side down so that the light magnified the underlying layer of silver. Wishing for a time when it was closer to saturated mahogany, the man caught the reflection of the moon looking back at him through the mirror. Demure in the smooth confines of charcoal, her gaze was shy even as it scurried away, showing back up in the lightest tinting of her cheeks. Sleeping Beauty was smitten.

And who could blame her?

Maybe it was an old-fashioned thought, envisioning a steamy return from the party after secretly giving the adventurer something to look forward to, christening the boat once they had checked out and moved on. Assuming that they could even wait that long, Dells couldn't help but to think of his hands roaming freely over her body, ripping everything off as he made her cry out into the void of the high seas. Her mouth over his as their tongues did their best impressions of the serpentine Lernaean Hydra...

Plug fitting a little too neatly into the socket for a dirty mind, the randy young lass crossed her legs as she waited for the thin-nozzle curling iron to heat up. While there was enough time to kill before they ran the risk of being late, it was probably best not to push it. Still, it was difficult not to give in to her baser whims when he looked like he did...

Behave yourself. Stern and righteously parental, the voice in her head was that of her late father, commanding his daughter to remember that she was a proper lady and not some tawdry tramp. Like her mother.

Unaware of the unclean thoughts going on in Sleeping Beauty's mixed-up psyche, the thief grinned over at the girl. Savoring one of the final drags his cigarette had left, he thought to catch the young woman's eye, if only to see how she would react. Watching her squirm was amusing at the best of times, and most recently baby girl had taken to playing the bashful one, so he was interested in how she would handle the gesture.

Knees knocking into the highly polished knob on the cabinet as they buckled at the sinful simper on the silver fox, Dells could feel herself turning to putty in his palm. In truth, in that moment there probably wasn't a single thing he could ask of her that she would refuse; any request would be honored, any order obeyed with a frightening lack of question.

On one hand that was probably someone's fantasy, an egomaniac's power-trip and a sadist's wet dream, but honestly it scared her. Growing up underneath the demeaning thumb of her mother and subsequently treated with next to no autonomy, being powerless was not a foreign realm. Enter early adolescence and school. Haunted by the ghosts still, Dells knew what it was to be so desperate for attention - for the lie of companionship - that her own dignity and morals were not above the price of sacrifice. It was a loathsome place, and that had only been for mere 'friendship'...

Cue the holy terrors that were Angel and Ashley, where she had learned what it was to truly be without any say whatsoever. It was not something she would wish on anyone, and yet there she stood at the cusp, admiring the scenery that came just before submission.

Comforted somewhat by the thought that Sam wouldn't abuse that line (at least not without some kind of reason), she shoved the thought of just how far she would go for him aside. Yeah, that was probably something important to focus on at a later date, but for now, this was the time to capitalize on her thief's brilliant idea.

Reaching for the narrow barrel to test if it was hot enough for her hair, the heiress returned his smirk with a bubbly grin of her own, chuckling softly at the end. "What?"

Gaze lingering longer than he cared to admit, the thief shook his head as she twisted a lock of spoiled milk around the curling iron. While he'd never actually seen Elena with her hair curled (outside of a photograph or two), a little light snooping around the house had confirmed that his sister-in-law did at least own one. Actually, she had two - one for large, lazy spirals, and another in a bag with changeable heads, none of which he found particularly interesting. Now he inexplicably found himself wondering what the end product might have looked like.

"Nothin'," Sam played up that charming little innocent act he had, shrugging cutely to go along with it, "just looking."

Unwilling to own up to what precisely it was he had been ogling, the historian would rather it have been something perverse, like the curve of her backside as she stooped over the sink. The fleshy spill threatening to pool over the top of the towel when she leaned on her elbow, the split riding high alongside her hip, hell, even her exposed ankles. Instead it was the woman herself, the dark hazel isles of the explorer locked on her frame as she primped.

Dells...

Hypnotized by the sway of her hips as she swung around to tend to her bleached tresses, it was all over before he expected it to be. Embodiment of the cat that ate the canary, the hopeful look on the young woman's long face was one that expressed the thought that she had had just done a kindness for another. Not exactly seeing it that way, Sam was reminded of that dark-haired stranger loitering outside his door, dripping wet from the rain and shivering as the world as she knew it collapsed.

"So?" Eager for approval, the heiress was practically standing on tip-toe as she awaited his verdict.

Smothering the smoldering butt prior to entering the bathroom proper, Sam disposed of the spent filter, placing his newly freed hand against the side of her cheek, mere centimeters away from the ugly mark that Ryan had left as a message. Thumb pantomiming touch as he beheld his baby girl in such a vulnerable place, a single word came to mind, only the one, and it by far fell short of coming anyplace near doing her any sort of justice. And Jesus, he was sounding just like his sappy, love-struck little brother!

All of two ghostly wisps given shape, the hardened criminal mastermind (thank you very much!) wrapped one of the pale coils around his finger, toying experimentally with the soft, bouncy curl. Spring-loaded and astute at mimicking the young woman's emotional state, the bone-white lock framed her face quite nicely. "Eh, I guess I wouldn't be completely embarrassed to be seen with ya."

Wrong. Thing. To. Say.

Danger, stupid, danger!

Obviously it was only meant to be a good-natured laugh, a harmless way of expressing that she was pretty without actually commenting on the fact that he thought she looked good. Except just like when they first met, girl was not having his jokes. "I was just..." Lungs deflating like when the air was let out of a balloon - like when he was playing pirate and his sword broke - the historian remembered who it was he was dealing with. Defeated, he was quick to amend with an apologetic nod, "I... Ah... You look good."

Snapping back to that disarming smile of hers, that aura that radiated the vibe that she was happy as a clam - not unlike the unhinged way her father could fly off the handle at a moment's notice - she acted as if there were no hiccups. Weary of falling back into that trap, it seemed as if the grizzled brunette were learning a hobby of the heiress: fishing. Oh so sweet and naive, his cruel ingénue only had to pout, "Just good?"

Every time. Every. Single. Time.

Absolutely aghast at what he had become and how the mighty had fallen, Sam could only ask himself how the hell it had come to this, how baby girl had him so wrapped around her little finger that he was willing to just go along with it.

Raising his little brother had been his one charitable act in life, the only selfless thing he had been capable of, and even then 'selfless' wasn't exactly the word. After Nathan had hit a certain age (and Sam had experienced a string of his own heartache), the teenage dirtbag had made a promise to himself: to never again let another soul get that close again. To invest that level of care.

Now look at me...

The thief didn't particularly care for the feeling welling deep within his chest, half as warm as a big fuzzy blanket fresh from the laundry and half as cold as the plunge into the ocean as a madman was shooting to kill. Nor did he much appreciate the guilty lump in his throat, the extra beat of his heart dancing to the catchy rhythm of a ballad whenever she was near, or the fact that he wanted to hold her close in his arms just to feel her. Sam especially didn't trust the mounting sense that he would go through fire for her sake.

Money becoming less and less of an incentive - although of course he was still going to inquire after his payment when all this was said and done - the auburn-haired jailbird knew two things in that moment. If one were to count biology and theory, a solid argument could be made for three.

First:

Sam was truly not fond of the idea that he had come to legitimately care about this one little girl.

Second:

Goal nothing short of transparent, the fact that she was leaning so heavily on what he thought only proved that Dells was in this thing as well.

While having a hard time jelling with this new reality, with being in a place where he risked caring about another and gambled being cared for in return, he saw it less as symbiosis and more as a parasitic attachment. Maybe not harmful, but definitely like the remora. Viewing it in those basic terms just made it easier to wrap his head around, if only by a little.

Head tilting ever so slightly to the side as she waited the four reluctant seconds it took Sam to answer her question, Dells would have dropped everything if she knew what had been going on in his head. Thinking something along the lines of 'screw it, they'd come this far already so they might as well see this thing through to its conclusion', he wished it were all as simple as that third point. Meaningless sex hardly ever had this many strings and complications. Usually.

Relenting when every fiber of his being was screaming to not do it, he gave baby girl what she needed in that moment. He gave her his truth. "You look beautiful."

Exchanging smiles, the twosome hid the parts that were like pulling teeth, the mutual feelings of elation outweighing all the bad thoughts, the future what-ifs and the fear. Letting go of the drama for this moment, he dropped the curl but did not tarry far from her face, lingering just over the side of her cheek; nuzzling that final ten percent, the heiress leaned into the gentle caress. Closing her eyes as if in prayer, he kissed the side of her crown.

Author's Note:

What I meant to be a cute little moment/payoff for his idea somehow spiraled into this whole chapter. Wow. Bright side, it did make me go back a bit so I didn't get their trip to the market wrong. 'A bit', hah, that scene took place in chapter fifty-eight, "Fun In The Sun". Being so long ago, I wouldn't blame anyone for forgetting it.

Also, I don't remember it now, but I know that when I watched it, I really enjoyed the movie "The Two Faces Of January".