C15: Lip Service

Den couldn't breathe. She was trying so desperately, but her heart was going at fifty miles a second and there was a strange ringing in her ears.

'He found me. Oh, God. Oh, God, please no!'

All her old fears crept slowly back in.

The first few weeks she'd slept alone with her lights on, sure she could see a shadow at the window.

That knocking on her window at 4 am.

That terror when she heard his voice.

How her mind had almost been driven to the point of madness and her dreams had twisted and contorted, inviting him back into her mind and creating nightmares that haunted her for so long.

Anders saw her distress and he immediately grasped her shoulders, trying to get her attention away from the graffiti.

"Den, you need to breathe. You're having a panic attack," he rubbed her shoulders, making her look at him, "deep breaths, come on."

She did as he asked, not realising she was, in fact, breathing so erratically. For some reason, she felt tears trickle down her cheeks.

"It's ok," Anders looked over his shoulder at the 'art' and then back at her, "do you want to call the police?"

She scowled, feeling herself calm down and her anger rise.

"No, they don't do a damn thing against him. They didn't before," she shook her head and tried to turn away from him, "I feel sick."

"Do you want to go back to mine?"

For a moment, she looked at him and wanted to agree. But that would mean her fear got the better of her.

"No, I'm not letting him frighten me out of my own home," she still hesitated to move forward and up the steps, "I just...I don't know how to ask..."

Anders looked her in the eye and slipped his hands down along her arms.

He took her hands gently and asked, "do you want me to stay the night?"

She nodded, feeling their evening had been ruined but not wanting him to leave her. She wouldn't be chased out of her home, but that didn't mean she wanted to be alone.

Not tonight.

"Come on, I'll sleep on your couch," he led her up the stairs through the back, purposefully keeping her on the outside so she didn't have to look at her wall again.

Quietly, they made their way up and into her apartment. Anders, of course, made her wait outside the door whilst he checked the place. From what he could tell, no one was waiting for them and nothing seemed to have been ransacked.

He invited Den in and once she went over everything herself, she was satisfied that everything was not only as she left it, but no one had actually entered her personal space whilst they had been out.

Still, in a state of shock, she didn't seem to know what to do with herself now and Anders took control. He made her sit down at her kitchen counter and poured her a cup of tea.

Once he'd poured himself one and Den instructed him to add 'the drop of whisky she kept by the teapot', he sat down opposite her and thought carefully of what it was he was going to say.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked as gently as he could, hoping that keeping calm would keep her calm. He hated the look of vulnerability and fear on her face and didn't know how to take it away, but he knew that talking about it would help.

"I don't know if you want to hear it," she looked down at her cup and willed herself not to cry in front of him.

She shut her eyes for one brief moment, but when she felt a gentle, firm pressure on her hand, she opened them and found his fingers rested on her knuckles.

"I do. It's your Ex, isn't it? The one who hurt you?"

She nodded and decided to get it all out. Taking a breath, she decided to say the name of the man who'd tormented her for so long.

"Manny," she spat it, his name a foul taste on her tongue, "fucking psychopath. I thought he'd given up. That message...only he would do it."

"Zo? What does it mean?"

"It was his pet name for me...I don't know why he called me that...I didn't think it meant anything but...I think it did," her lips quivered and she took a shaky breath, remembering all the times he'd call her it, "I think...I don't know, something tells me it was like...a property claim...like I was his."

Keeping the hand that he was touching still, she used her other one to take a quick sip of her tea, giving herself some courage before she continued.

"I thought he was in another state. I suppose he expanded his business again."

"Business?" Anders wasn't actually interested in his job, but he wanted to know what kind of line of work this dangerous man would have.

"He's not a good man. Never was...when I dated him, I thought he'd just owned a string of casinos and a few small gambling establishments...turns out, he was running more than that behind the scenes," she turned her hand over and slipped their fingers together, wanting to hold on, "I supposed you'd call him a mob boss. Drugs, weapons. Anything seedy, he'd usually be attached to it."

"Jesus," his question had been answered and he know knew how such a man could hurt Den.

"Yeah...I didn't figure it out straight away. I should have gathered he was into the bad stuff as soon as he started to throw the punches."

She felt Anders' hand tighten on hers and looked into his eyes to see pure anger.

"It's fine...well, it's not, but he never broke anything and I always got him back too...I think I'm the only woman who ever did fight back," she shuddered at the unpleasant memories, "he seemed to like that more."

For a moment, they were silent. Anders wanted to know more, but he didn't want to push her. It was her story to tell and he would be patient.

"It started off as just verbal...trying to belittle me...chisel away at who I am and for a short while it worked. And then it went physical and sexual," tears prickled her eyes and she knew she wouldn't be able to fight them, "when he wanted to talk, he'd talk. When he wanted to fight, he'd start fighting and when he wanted sex...he took it. I spent so long letting him."

"How long where you with him for?"

"Four months. He'd continuously sweet talk his way back around and...my granny had just died so I wasn't in the best place, mentally. I finally fucking saw the light one day and packed my bags and told him I was leaving. I made the mistake of telling him in private."

"And that's when he hurt you," he said quietly, remember how she'd described the scar Manny had left her.

Den was unable to get out any more words as she began to cry.

Immediately, Anders got up, walked around to her and pulled her towards him. She went willingly into his arms, her head pressed against his chest. Her hands clung to the back of his shirt as she finally let it all out.

All that pain. All those memories locked inside her.

She'd only told Jane but that hadn't been enough. Sometimes, she wanted to scream out to the world what he had done. What had happened to her. But she lived in a bubble of silence.

And along came Anders.

Safe. Warm.

She trusted him.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," he told her patiently, his fingers weaving into her hair.

'I do. I really do.'

"I was in so much pain. I thought he was going to kill me. He held me down and just...he dragged the knife along my chest. I actually thought I was dying," she sniffed and took small breaths to get through what she needed to say, "and then...he just got off of me and went to the bathroom. I ran out of the house as quick as I could and held my bags up to my chest to stop the bleeding. I went to the hospital, they called the police...and they didn't arrest him due to lack of evidence."

Anders pulled back in shock and she looked up at him.

"Apparently, he'd told them I was 'mentally unstable' and had threatened to hurt myself for weeks. His 'mates' backed him up, telling them they'd seen me attack him," her face contorted in anger and she shook her head, "to them I was just...I was the crazy bunny boiler. So I ran. I ran and I tried to start anew. But-but he wouldn't let me!"

Her tears fell harder and Anders pulled her out of her sight, making her stand so he could hold her tighter.

"It's alright. Shh, it's alright," he almost felt like crying himself, all the voices in his head (both himself and Fili) demanding justice for what had happened to her.

"I kept seeing him for weeks afterwards. He kept turning up in places, trying to talk to me. I even moved to another house, but he found me AGAIN!" Her tears finally seemed to stop and she hurriedly scrubbed at her wet face, "He stalked me. I'd be fast asleep and he'd knock on my windows in the early hours of the morning and demand I let him in. Though whenever I called the police, he'd bloody disappear and always seemed to have a convenient airtight alibi. The only shining light was when something happened at one of his casino's. A big heist or something...police got involved and he just...poof. He went away."

She shut her eyes, remembering that relief she'd felt. That wonderful time when she could actually breathe. And live.

"That was four years ago. I thought...I thought I was rid of him. But I know what Ingrid said was true. Oh God, she was right," she pulled away and looked guiltily up at him, "I'm sorry. I've ruined this bloody evening."

His hands moved again, this time he gently pushed all the hair away from her face and held either side of her head.

"It's not ruined. I'm here, with you," he leant forward and placed a gentle kiss in the middle of her forehead, "and I won't leave. I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

Each little kiss he began to pepper against her face seemed to have a calming effect on her.

When he kissed her brow, her fears fled.

When he kissed her cheek, she felt safe again.

And when his lips pressed against the corner of her mouth, she turned her head slightly and let him know she was ok. That she needed this attention. His affection.

What was meant to be a slow, gentle kiss quickly became heated when Den's tongue slipped into his mouth. The flame that had earlier been subdued suddenly came back to life and she pushed herself against him.

Her hands grabbed the front of his shirt and tightened, wanting more. Needing-

"Wait," he pulled away and shook his head, "no."

Den, taken aback, let him go and froze.

He...didn't want her? Did he push her away after everything?

"Sorry, I-"

He saw the rejection, clear as day on her face and kept his hands on her shoulders, shaking his head.

"No, not that! It's just," he smiled, a little nervous that he may have already spoiled the moment, "I told you...I wanted to return the favour."

For about 5 seconds, Den had no idea what he meant.

But her mind drifted back and remembered his promise about Ghostbusters 2 and returning the favour.

'Oh. Oh...God, yes!'

She suddenly felt hot all over and renewed with passion, she practically threw herself forward and kissed him desperately.

His hands were suddenly moving over her and when he began to walk backwards, Den followed eagerly.

With careful guidance and not breaking the kiss or the body contact they seemed to desperately need, he'd walked her through her living room and backed her towards her couch.

He kept his grip around her back with one hand and slowly, balancing himself on the back of the couch with the other, lowered them both down to the cushions below.

As soon as Anders' body laid itself against hers, Den let out a very 'wanton moan', that would have embarrassed her horribly, except her body was currently screaming 'More!' and 'Yay!'

She wanted to reach out and touch him, but it'd been so long since she'd been with a guy who wanted her and who was just...wonderful! She let him take control and admittedly, it felt great just letting him touch her.

His hand wandered down, over her stomach and hips and came to rest in between her legs, cupping her through her jeans. She arched up, wanting him. Wanting more. She felt like a horny teenager again.

'Oh Gods, it's too much!'

Anders must have sensed her growing frustration because he pulled his lips away from hers and smiled.

"Lie back," slowly, he began to crawl down her body, planting kisses to whatever exposed skin he came across.

Den wanted to watch him go, but once his fingers began to expertly unbutton and unzip her jeans, her head fell back and she lost herself in the feel.

He tugged her jeans down until they exposed her knickers and then, taking his time, began to plant teasing little pecks around the edge of the fabric.

Feeling his lips so close to her was doing wonderful things. The butterflies flying low in her stomach were gathering about and threatening to burst out.

"Anders," she almost whimpered when his fingers gripped the top of her underwear and slowly pulled them down.

"Lift your hips," he instructed her and she did as he told her, relishing in his hands almost losing control as he pulled down her jeans and knickers in one go.

As soon as they were off of her legs, she finally managed to look back down at him.

He settled back down, hooked one of her legs over his arm and smoothed the skin of her thighs, teasing her.

Her eyes locked with his and as odd as it seemed, there seemed to be a silent conversation passing between the two.

'Fili.'

'Dru.'

Den's eyes shut tight and her head fell back when Anders moved over and began to kiss her pubic bone.

Her breathing sped up.

That wonderful 'finally!' voice sung out, deep inside of her.

That missed ached and feeling of desire.

Den enjoyed every minute of Ander's touch. His tongue coming out to run along her. His lips closing over her clit and sucking. Two fingers slipping inside of her and pumping slowly, in and out.

Everything else melted away into the background. She was solely focused on him.

Where'd she'd expected eager, fast passion was more of a slow burn.

And when she managed to look down into his eyes, she knew she was close.

And they both that familiar pull. But this time, they knew almost instantly what they would see. And they weren't scared because they were together.

When he settled between her legs and she felt his beard brush against her thighs, she pushed herself up on her arms and looked down at him.

"Fi'?"

His eyes danced hungrily and he smiled at her before he turned his head down to the mass of curls between her legs.

With both his hands wrapped around her thighs and holding her tightly so she couldn't escape, his mouth and tongue were suddenly pressed against her.

Dru did try to move away but his grip wouldn't let her.

"Fi-Fi' you don't have to," she managed to whine out but stopped when his tongue suddenly parted her and found that small bud that had been throbbing all night. She fell back and cried out, her hands gripping the fabric below her as every nerve in her body came to life. She felt hot and yet she was shivering.

Fili was going to send her over the edge, just with that damned mouth of his. And she was letting him. She felt her hips buck against him and when he finally twisted his tongue, sucked in JUST the right place and his hot breath landed on her, she came undone.

She fell over the edge, crying his name. And when she was coming down from the peak, her hands finally reached down and grabbed his hair.

"Ow!" He cried out as she gave a tug and crawled frantically up to relieve his head of her pulling. But she merely kept pulling until his mouth was level with hers.

He pressed his body flush to hers as she greedily sought his lips and tasted herself on his tongue. In his mouth. Fili suddenly felt hotter than before at the thought.

The tight cord inside of Den snapped. With the intensity of her own orgasm AND the memory that Dru had so helpfully provided, she screamed as pleasure washed through her body, like the waves in the sea in a mighty storm. She rocked her hips, unable to stop herself as she rode out her orgasm.

She collapsed back against her cushions, threw an arm over her eyes and tried to get her breathing back.

"Holy fuck," she gasped when her body seemed to calm down, but felt it start up again when Anders accidentally brushed up against her, "Oh God!"

Anders crawled back up and hovered over her.

He wanted her.

He'd never wanted someone so much and he knew, like this and in her current state, she'd let him do whatever he wanted. And she would ride him and bring him to the height of his own pleasure.

But...he held back. Tonight was about her. Taking her mind off of things and pleasing her. No rush.

When she finally pulled her arm back and looked up at him with half-lidded eyes, he smiled down at her.

"You should get to bed," his hand carefully brushed away the strands of hair that had stuck to her slightly sweaty forehead.

She nodded, but cupped his cheek and asked, "come with me?"

"I don't want to take advantage-" her fingers moved and pressed against his lips, effectively shutting him up.

"Who said anything about that? I'm just asking you to get in bed with me," she gave him a cheeky smile and whilst she wanted him, she knew now wasn't the best time. She was still unsure that Manny wouldn't be waiting outside, ready to do something stupid and honestly...she really wanted to slip into Anders' arms and go to sleep.

They both made their way into her bedroom and with the lights off, he had no chance to properly take in what he saw. But the bed was simple and clean and big enough for two.

They undressed until Den was in only her bra and Anders only his boxers and clambered under her covers. Automatically, when her head came to rest against his chest, he slipped his arms around her and held her there.

Neither one cared that they hadn't really eaten, nor given thought to tomorrow. But for tonight, they were together and despite dwelling on Ingrid's predictions, Den just snuggled against Anders and let her worries go.

He was there. It was fine.

"Goodnight, Anders," she whispered and shut her eyes.

"Night, Den," he replied and smoothed his hands over her bare, smooth back.

'Night, my Fi'.'

'Night, Dru.'