Ok, I realize that to those of you who have given me feedback I've been very rude. So to thank you I'm posting two parts today. But if you want part seven before Monday…. Well, you get the idea.
5 – Memories of Antiquity
Four hours into flight Ian and the pilot were the only on the airplane still awake. Sarah and Kenneth had had another one of their confrontations upon boarding, at present they were at opposite ends of the cabin. Sarah slept fitfully in her seat, despite the fact that she had slept twenty-plus hours the previous day and had only been up for about six before the flight she was tired. As Ian watched her, he realized that she didn't even have a blanket. Moving quietly he took one out of the closet, before he could move however Kenneth's voice stopped him. "You'll only hurt in the end you know. It's who you are." For a moment Ian could not move as familiar rage surged through him, he didn't even bother wondering what Kenneth meant. Masking it however he turned around, passing the blanket into his waiting hands.
Irons wheeled himself over to where Sarah slept, gently covering her with the blanket. As he tucked her in, his hands lingered for a second over her face as thoughts of another woman flooded his mind. As the time passed, he closed his eyes tuning instead what was reflected in Sarah's dreams.
In the dim light of a few scattered candles a sparsely furnished room with blackout curtains can be seen, soft laughter can be heard coming from the two figures sitting upon a blanket laid across the floor. From the back neither face can be seen, one of the figures is a well-built blonde man, even if he were sitting one would be able to tell that he is a solider. The other figure is a woman with brown hair wearing a dress suit. She was lying across his chest and he seemed intent upon tickling her, at any other moment they could've seemed an imposing pair, at the moment they looked less dangerous then silly. Between her laughter the woman pleaded for him to stop tickling her, and at last he relented. "You know Lis, I have a present for you."
"Oh?" She turned around then, but the man blocked her face from view.
"Yep. Thing is you'll have to find it." The woman raised an eyebrow, pushing away from him slightly.
"Really now? Hum… let's see." The woman tipped her head and wrapped her arms around his neck seductively. "What if… I convinced you to just hand it over?" He moved his head back then, looking down at her, after a moment of thought he relented. Unbuttoning his uniform he took out a black box tied with a red ribbon. Silently he handed it to her, as she opened it she smiled entranced. "It's beautiful."
"I know, it belonged to the Vatican but they traded it with Herr Hitler. I'm not sure why it's considered so valuable but when I saw it I decided that it would be far lovelier on you then in the Herr's display case." Taking a bracelet out of the box he placed it on his lovers wrist. She smiled then, and leaned up to kiss him, removing his uniform jacket as she did so.
Sarah woke from the dream slowly, thinking that she was still asleep when she felt a hand on her face. "Now, now Sarah, we're almost there. It would hardly do for you to miss the funeral." At the sound of Kenneth's voice Sarah's eyes snapped open, transforming the bracelet into a gauntlet she pressed the flat side of its blade against his wrist.
"Get your hand the hell off of me." Inclining his head Irons removed his hand from her cheek reluctantly.
"You must forgive me, but when you sleep you look so much like Elizabeth… my darling, darling Elizabeth." Sarah's brow furrowed at his words… his darling Elizabeth? As her dream came back to her she realized what she'd seen was Elizabeth Bronte's first contact with the Witchblade, and the man who's arms she'd been lying in was most definitely not Kenneth Irons. His demeanor had been far too gentle and playful and his back and arms were much better muscled. Not replying to Irons she wondered just who Bronte's lover was. He had seemed so oddly familiar... like someone from her own not so distant past
***
New Zealand
The door slammed shut behind Onica as her mind went blank. "What in hell -?" The two of them stood gazing at each other, both trying to think coherently but failing miserably. The two of them were friends of a form, confidants in darkness, strangers in light. Both too preoccupied by the past to want to become anything more. Never had it occurred to either of them that they might one day have to be met by daylight. Now that they were faced with what they had never thought possible amusement mingled with dread.
Erik stared, he knew he did but it didn't matter. Dimly he realized that though he had poured his heart out to her he didn't even know her name, as he did so, his mind finally began to move again. She looked different by daylight, she had her hair pinned up in Greek fashion rather then let down around her shoulders. Instead of her usual sandals and casual ensembles or summer dresses she wore a fashionable business suit of dove gray with matching high-heeled shoes. She looked older, less innocent and fragile, and above all far removed from everything around her. It was hard to describe but some how she gave an aurora of frost… as if she were surround by an invisible but equally impenetrable wall ice.
Still standing across the room Onica nodded, at what she knew not, but she did. In his business attire Erik was most definitely did not give off the notion that was a casual going easy to talk to type of guy as he did in casual clothing. In fact in the bright light of day Onica even noticed a slightly haunted expression, one that she wouldn't have seen had it not so often plagued her own face. "So I take it you're a reporter." It wasn't a question but a statement Erik answered anyway.
"Yeah I am." Suddenly he laughed. "I can't believe we never considered the possibility that our jobs might bring us together. You know, I always thought we were two intelligent people… now I'm not so sure." The awkwardness passed and Onica found herself able to think again, slanting her eyes she broke into a grin.
"Hey, you're the one who never asked what I did for a living. Don't blame it on me." Motioning him to a seat she sat down herself and at last introductions were made. Business was brought up and Erik conducted his interview.
Little more then half an hour later they had fallen back into familiar roles. As business was concluded the two of them left the conference room and said their good-byes and headed in opposite directions. As Onica instructed Karen to give her ten minutes to prepare for her next meeting Erik doubled back and paused beside her. "Oh by the way, you are still coming tonight aren't you?" Seeing Karen's eyes grow wide Onica decided to send the company gossips scurrying in shock.
"Of course, I always do don't I?" A few of the people passing in the hall slowed their paced a bit. Could it be? Was the Ice princess actually grinning?
"Good." Erik flashed a smile as he spoke, and as if on cue she leaned forward and gave him a hug. He hadn't expected this, but while slightly surprised he hugged her in return. "Onica, It's a beautiful name." He murmured into her ear before letting go.
"Bye Erik." They separated once again, and as Onica moved down the hall she could hear Karen franticly picking up the phone.
"Dana! You are not going to believe this one."
