Disclaimer: Same lack of continuity and ownership as all of the 25(

Disclaimer: Same lack of continuity and ownership as all of the 25(?!) chapters in Part 1.  I own Susana, Marvel owns anyone else, Mitsubishi owns Eclipses, and Moby owns his music. 


Notes:

sound
*thought*
} telepathic conversation {

Setting: July 24th, 3 years later.  The New York Mansion. 

Susana Blaine adjusted her position on the tree limb, then leaned back against the supporting trunk.  Scribbling over something in the small notepad she held, she scowled and cursed managerial accounting.  *I wish I'd taken this back when I was supposed to, instead of putting it off till now.  Oh well.  One more semester and I'm soo done.*  Reaching up, she gathered her now-long hair into a loose bun and stabbed it through with her pencil.  She tucked the notebook into a back pocket of her jeans, then turned on her limb.  Looking down, she gulped, then slid off the branch and onto the ground.  She landed on her feet with a light thump, right as her fiancĂ©e, Jonothan Starsmore, walked around the tree trunk. 

}Whoa there, gel.  You ok?{ His eyes showed his concern, and she smiled at him. 

"Never better, sir.  Finished my homework.  Know what that means?" 

He looked genuinely puzzled.  }Nope, sorry.  No idea.{

"We can go into the city tonight," she grinned, then pressed a kiss to the bandages over the lower half of his face.  "To celebrate my birthday!"  She did a delighted little dance, then glared at him.  "It's not nice to laugh at people on their birthdays!"

}Laughing?  Me?  Never.{  He grabbed her hand and pulled her back towards the mansion.  }Come on, now.  I've got a surprise for yer.{

"Oooh...a surprise.  Fun!"  She gave a little hop, then smiled at his amused expression.  "Sorry...I guess I'm still just a big kid, aren't I?  God...I'm getting old.  I'm 23 today.  That's weird to think about." She shrugged, and the introspective mood left as suddenly as it had come.  She followed him into the mansion and to the room they shared.  He pushed her down onto the bed and told her to stay.  She sat calmly on the bed, looking around at the room that had been her home for three years and his home for nearly half that.  Just then, he pulled a package from the top shelf of the closet and held it out triumphantly.  She took it, and settled it on her lap while she waited for him to join her on the bed.  "Just had to use the top shelf of my closet as a hiding place, did ya?"

}Well, I figured since you can't reach up there...{  He grabbed both of her wrists before she had a chance to hit him for the comment.  His eyes glinted mockingly, and she growled at him. 

}None of that now...save it for later.{  She choked back a snort, then turned her attention back to the package on her lap.  Ripping open the paper, she grinned. 

"A London 'pictorial tour book', sweet.  I'm all about going there next year."  She leaned across the bed and pressed a kiss to the side of his face. 

}Somethin' else, too.{  She looked at him, then at the book, then back at him in confusion.  }Yer get a tour guide who 'appens t'know the area pretty well. Just say the word, and we'll go.{  He fell backwards as she set the book carefully aside and scrambled across the bed to give him a hug and press another kiss to his cheek. 

"Thanks, Jono.  I love it."  }And you, don't forget that.{  "Now, come on, let's get ready!  If we're staying at my place, I've got clothes.  You, however, don't."

}Perhaps I should do something about that...{

"You could.  I mean, would you really miss one pair of jeans and a concert t-shirt?  That seems to be all you'll wear."  She lay back on the bed and closed her eyes for a moment, then shrieked in surprise as he suddenly settled on top of her.  "What now?"

}I figured I should point out that jeans and concert shirts aren't all that I wear.{  He raised an eyebrow at her as she tentatively slid her hands down his sides. 

"Ok, point taken.  You have some very nice silk boxers, and I should know, since I bought you these.  However, I think I could enjoy them more in New York where I don't have to concentrate on dampening your telepathy quite so much."  She slid a hand back up his side and tickled him lightly before bringing both hands up to push his shoulders off of her.  "Dressed, please?  Not that I couldn't stay here like this for a lot longer, but we can have a lot more fun at my place." 

Her 'place' referred to the SoHo studio apartment her parents had provided when she decided to go back to school at NYU to finish her degree.  Her mother had encouraged her to stay there rather than commute from Westchester every day.  However, she generally used it when she had early classes the next morning, or when, like tonight, she wanted to go clubbing without having to worry about the late night drive back.  Spending time away from the mansion meant spending time away from Jono; so she endured the daily train commute instead.  Dragging herself from her position on the bed, she stood and walked to her side of the closet.  She pawed through the clothes until she found something she liked.  She took the black sleeveless turtleneck and tan leather pants over to the mirror behind the door and held them up in front of her.  With an approving nod, she slipped into the bathroom to change clothes.  That done, she opened the door and stepped out, then whistled. 

"Well now...you look absolutely scrumptious."  She eyed his dark jeans and plain white dress shirt.  "Now let's go.  We're both gorgeous," she giggled "and every minute we're here is another minute we're...well, not at the club or my place.  And of course we don't want that."  She gave him a fake pout, batting her eyelashes simultaneously; then she shrieked again as he scooped her up and carried her downstairs.  "What the..."

}Well, if I'd let you keep talking, we'd still be up there.  Wouldn't we?{

"Good point.  But do you think you might put me down now? Alright then...."  When he made no move to let her down, she shifted her weight until she could reach the fly of his jeans.  "Put me down or you lose the...what dy'a call em?  Oh yeah, trousers. You know I'll do it.  I can deal if you fall, remember?  Wolverine's been teaching Jubilee and I how to take a fall and not get hurt."  She smiled triumphantly as he set her back on her feet.  "I'm sure some time it'll be a useful skill.  Until then...I'll content myself with just threatening to depants you."  With that, she raced down the stairs to the driveway.

}We're takin' the Eclipse today.  Since it's yer birthday and all, you know.{  His eyes crinkled at her delighted expression, and he stumbled back as she threw her arms around him in a hug. 

Tilting her head back, she gave him a pleading look.  "Can I drive pleasepleaseplease?  Cause it's the Eclipse, and it's my birthday, and I'm a perfect driver..." she trailed off, waiting expectantly for his input.

}Well, yer got two out of three right...so I suppose so.{  He hugged her against him, then pressed the keys into her hand and pushed her towards the other side of the convertible.  After some shuffling around in the glove compartment, Susana pushed a Moby CD into the changer and threw the transmission into drive.  They sped off into the night, tires squealing, techno blasting, and a slight odor of burning rubber hanging in their wake.