Disclaimer: Bla di bla..
Yes! Somebody (Deichtine) did spot that Les Miz reference, it was indeed Inspector Javert I had in mind. And as always, hugs to my lovely beta, Amanda, for doing such a good job.
This one is rated R upfront, PG13 later.
Chapter 13 (final)
There was an air of finality to it all, and that was why she wanted to preserve every moment in a jewel-encrusted case, like a precious heirloom, to behold and cherish in her future years. As he sat on the bed, dazed and confused, she kissed him reassuringly, hoping she had left no other permanent marks. The temporal lobe, which stored memory, was such a fragile thing.
'And...' he looked questioningly at her, 'how did I get here...I don't remember...I thought I was standing over there....' He shook himself. 'I must be getting old.'
'It doesn't matter,' she said. 'We are here, and it's our last night together. So we're going to make it special.'
'Yes, special,' he echoed. His eyes softened. 'I did have fun, you know, Emma. This past month.'
'So did I.' She smiled ruefully. 'But we both agreed to move on. And you taught me so much about myself...I'll always think of you when I...pass it on.'
He grinned cockily, a glimpse of his former self. 'Hey, when you're in doubt, you can always come to the master.' Turning serious, he added, 'Do you have someone..waiting for you in the wings?'
'Yes. Yes I do. And you?'
He seemed to search himself - she thought for one frightened moment she had erased his memories of Shal - and then he nodded. 'I think so.
For one heartfelt, tender beat, they looked at each other, the weight of so many loving memories behind them. Then he took her in his arms. 'Emma..I will always love you, you know that.'
'I will always love you too.' She was sure he no longer remembered how deeply she meant that.
His nearness was giving her an ache, and he seemed to feel it too. She heard his breathing quicken, his chest was rising rapidly against hers and his mouth sought hers urgently. She responded by devouring it, sucking at his lips with fearsome intensity, glorifying in a sudden surge of reckless abandonment. She had nothing more to lose and she was going to enjoy him tonight, every bit of him, before she turned him over to Shalimar.
They undressed, peeling the rest of their clothes off hastily and falling on top of each other. She wanted to explore everything with him, and when she pushed him on the bed, holding his hips down with her palms and taking him into her mouth with an embarrassingly wanton hunger, he laughed out loud. 'Goodness Emma, I might have to cry rape.' He tasted wonderful though; and as his hands, groping in the tangled trails of her hair, guided her into a moist, sucking rhythm, she was thinking - I could grow to like this.
When he had returned the favor many times over (he said, 'Most men don't like giving head, but I do. You can always train them though by withholding favors, and they'll be putty in your hands.'), he reached down for his pants, seemingly lost in thought. 'I'm not sure if I was supposed to have brought you something..' she was alarmed, perhaps her hatchet job on his brain had worse repercussions than she had anticipated '...but anyway, here it is. At least, I think this is what it is.' He withdrew a tube of lubricant from his pocket, frowning. 'Now why would I bring this...?'
'Because I was a virgin, remember?' she said helpfully. 'At least I was until last week, when you helped me. You do remember that, don't you?'
'Oh yeah.' He didn't sound convinced. He shrugged. 'Anyway, it's better to be safe than sorry. Have you ever used KY Jelly before?' She shook her head. 'Well, trust me, it will help. And I will just put this on...' He tore at a condom sachet with his teeth.
She stopped him. 'No. I want to feel you, all of you, tonight.' She wanted to experience what Shal had, the completeness of skin to skin, the totality of no barriers between them.
'Are you sure? It can be risky.'
'I'll take a pill tomorrow.' When he eyed her in concern, she said, 'Trust me, I'm a big girl. I know what I'm doing.'
'Okay then.' He kissed her, and then slathered a generous dollop of lubricant on himself. 'If it hurts, you tell me to stop, and I can always put on more of this.' He eased her with lubricant as well, massaging her sensuously until she was writhing at the slippery coolness. Then he entered her with two of his fingers. 'Is it okay?' When she nodded, he said, 'I'm a lot larger than this, so we'll just take it slow, one bit at a time.'
He laid her back against the bed gently, and opened her legs. 'Just relax, okay?' When she gazed down at his massive erection, he shielded her eyes. 'Don't look. Close your eyes.' She wanted to smile. He was still concerned that he was going to hurt her. He didn't know she would go through a thousand times that amount of hurt just to feel him inside her for the first and very last time.
When he entered her slowly, just an inch, she had to recoil. He was right, it did hurt. For a moment, she thought her problem wasn't solved, but then she figured he had been there anyway, all the way in he wouldn't lie about something like that, so it truly had to be in her head. Was this really what it felt like? It was like being torn apart..geez, and women were supposed to like this. Maybe it got better with practice. But it didn't really matter anyway, as long as he was here, holding her intimately. She now understood that old adage on why some women traded sex just for love.
'You okay?' he asked, solicitous as always.
'Yes.' She smiled encouragingly. 'Go on.'
'You're not really enjoying this, are you?'
'I enjoy being with you, Brennan.'
He kissed her. 'It'll get better, I promise.' She felt him inch himself inside some more, letting her get used to it. 'Do you want me to use more jelly?' He made to withdraw, but she grasped his buttocks, saying, 'No.' The trauma of penetration was painful enough, she didn't want to go through it again. When she thought there was no possible way for her to get stretched any further, he stopped. 'It's okay,' he whispered, 'I'm all the way in now. It's not so bad, is it?'
'No,' she said. It really wasn't. And with him holding her, looking at her with loving eyes, just lying still - that was heaven.
'Kiss me, Brennan,' she whispered.
He did, deeply and wetly, and began to move inside her, never taking his lips off from hers. Strangely, it did not hurt as she thought it would. It was just the initial penetration. But the closeness she felt with him was indescribable. She felt like floating, she could do this forever just to have him beside her. She would never have an orgasm with intercourse - it was too invasive for her to fully surrender herself, and besides, she had read that most women didn't orgasm with intercourse either - but as long as he was enjoying himself, she could get used to it. That was all that mattered, that he liked it.
After a while, he said, 'I'm not going to stretch it on too long, because it can get painful. So I'm going to come inside you, okay?'
'Okay.'
His strokes began to increase in rhythm and strength, and she felt her emotional self being caught up in his frenzy. She could lose herself in him, his fervor became her fervor; his excitement her excitement, and his determination her determination. And flinging out her mind to mesh with his, she connected as he reached his climax, which was a sensation that assaulted her on all fronts - her core, her limbs, her belly, her breasts and the soft buttery void that was her mind. It was...if she were to describe it in one word..rapture. Like the petals of a flower opening and closing, its stamen and pistils bristling wildly. So different from her own orgasms, and yet there was a kinship in so many ways. As she felt his moist wetness trickle into her, she flung out to embrace him with both body and mind, I love you Brennan..I love you, I love you and nothing will ever change that. HiH
He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily, kissing her neck. 'I love you, Emma,' he whispered, and she realized it was the first time he ever said that to her after an orgasm; and if she hadn't read his mind earlier, she would have still harbored some hope. He made a move to withdraw, but she pulled him back, pressing his body close against hers.
'Stay inside me,' she begged.
'Okay, but don't blame me if I get excited all over again.'
That's the idea, she thought. She let him rest for a while, enjoying his warmth. Then she began to kiss him, passionately, on his lips and all over his face. Kissing always did arouse him. Sure enough, he was hard again. 'You're going to be the death of me,' he groaned.
'Let's try another position,' she suggested, almost blushing in her audacity.
And so they did. When he came again, he withdrew this time. 'No more, Emma. I'm not twenty-two anymore.' She bided her time, and when she thought he had rested enough, she grabbed him again. Despite protesting, he hardened up he was such a pushover, and so easily aroused for someone in his late twenties and took her, nonetheless. This time the penetration did not hurt. Maybe he was right. It took practice. When he had come again for the third time that night, he said, 'Really this time, Emma, no more. Something's going to fall off. You can kill a guy like this, you know.'
She understood why she was doing this. She was trying to cram everything that could have been but was never to be into one night; or like experiencing a virtual reality simulation of a possible future among many possible futures in fast play. But maybe he had had enough. Such a pity this would be the last time. She could do this with him forever, preserving the moment in all eternity. She wished she had the power to bottle time into one recurring loop, repeating the same day over and over again until it must exhaust itself, or its combatants, out.
'At least lie like this with me tonight,' she said. He was still inside her, and though he had gone soft, his presence was still considerable.
'I'll flip over and you can lie on me instead,' he replied. 'That way you'll be more comfortable.'
'Don't let me go.'
He didn't. She nestled against him contentedly, wishing she could be closer; so close until her blood ran into his, and her bones knitted against his bones in a profusion of matrixes, until they were truly one. She knew it was a morbid thought, but that was the way she felt, and she wasn't about to deny herself her own feelings; not tonight. She fell asleep like that, joined to him, dreaming of him all night, a glorious deluge of successive images, one after the other. All with him inside, smiling, laughing, picture perfect pretty.
Know that I'll always be here for you, she told him in her dreams, even if you won't ever need me.
*
They celebrated her twenty-second birthday in a posh restaurant, with Adam buying. The candelabra on her cake and the table were piled up so high she thought it would set off the smoke alarm.
'No singing, guys,' she warned. 'Not in here.' But of course, they didn't give a damn, and sang lustily anyway, with the other patrons in the restaurant looking crossly on (it was that kind of place).
'So Emma,' Adam said, 'has turning one year older made you any wiser? Any reflections you care to share with us?'
With everyone looking at her expectantly, she blushed. She gave it some thought, peering at Brennan out of the corner of her eye. He was seated next to Shalimar, and she knew their knees were touching and sometimes their hands brushed against each other's under the table. It was a bittersweet experience. 'I've learnt a lot this past year,' she said carefully, 'thanks to each and everyone of you. You have all touched me in different and important ways, and I can't thank all of you enough.'
'Spoken like a true teammate,' Shalimar said, raising her glass.
'Hear hear,' the others chorused, toasting her.
'So where do you want to go after this, Emma?' Brennan said.
Indeed. Where did she want to go? After such dizzying heights and abysmal chasms, where can one possibly go?
'I'll figure that one out, and I'll tell you later.' She smiled at him.
He nodded, understanding. Their eyes met. Sometimes, he could be terribly perceptive.
The waitress arrived to take away her cake for portioning. She was brunette and pretty, and her hair was done up neatly behind her head. As she bent down, curly tendrils of loose hair fell across her cheeks, reminding Emma of those artistic renditions of Rubenesque women, only the waitress was as slim as a willow wand. Emma saw Brennan's eyes light up in appreciation.
She was not the only one to notice Brennan. Shalimar saw it too, and although her facial expressions did not alter, there was just the slightest set to her mouth, and a little more hardness in her gaze. Emma pitied Shal. Her friend was going to have to get used to this. He won't love you one iota less, she thought. He's just browsing, and you have to accept the fact he's always going to browse.
The waitress looked down at Brennan's face, and smiled. 'Can I clear this?' She indicated his plate.
'Sure,' Brennan smiled back. 'Let me help you.' He handed her his plate.
Beside him, Shalimar averted her face, a fleeting look of annoyance just crossing her features and disappearing, like it hadn't even been there. She's trying hard, Emma thought.
Dessert went on, and the dishes were scraped clean. Beside her, Jesse poured her more wine. He was terribly attentive tonight, taking care of her every whim. It was like he knew something momentous was about to happen. She had to smile to herself. Perhaps it was.
'Hey,' Shalimar exclaimed suddenly. 'Isn't that the woman we were supposed to track? The one who never showed up in the end after setting up a meeting?'
Everyone looked up to where she was indicating.
'I'll be damned,' Adam said. 'Maybe she does exist, and the pictures we have of her weren't fake ones after all.'
'What woman?' Brennan asked. 'I don't remember tracking any woman.'
Shal clicked in exasperation. 'Oh, don't be so dense. You know, one half of the couple we were supposed to check out at the party. That party?' She looked at him significantly.
'I remember the party,' he said slowly, frowning. 'Or at least, bits of it.' He gave her a look, as if to say, I remember us. 'But I don't recall trying to track anyone.'
All eyes were now riveted to him.
Jesse raised an eyebrow. 'Memory lapse, Brennan? Or Missing Time, like those alien abductions? Anyhow,' he grinned, 'you're showing your age.'
Emma held her breath throughout all this. It was worse than she had thought. She caught Adam looking at her, and her heart stopped in mid-beat. He knows what I did, she thought wildly. Maybe not why, but he still knows what I did.
Aloud, Adam said to Brennan, 'She's supposed to be a thermal elemental.'
Shal rose. 'She's going to the ladies'. I'm going too. I'll scope her out.'
Brennan still wore a perplexed expression on his face. 'I'll go with you,' he said slowly, getting up anyway.
Shal gave him a peculiar look. 'I can handle myself. Besides, I'm going to the ladies'. You can't go to the ladies', can you?' She emphasized the word 'ladies.'
'I'm not saying you can't handle yourself. I'm just saying you might need back-up. And besides, I'll hang around outside. If you need me, you can just yell.'
Emma observed Shal. Her friend's eyes were flashing now, not feral yellow, but with the kind of spark that marked a violation of territorial borders.
'I won't need you,' Shal said in a voice that had no inflections whatsoever. 'But you can tag along outside, if you wish.'
'Fine.'
'Fine.'
They both left. Emma's eyes trailed after them.
Beside her, Jesse patted her hand. 'You okay, Emma?'
She looked at him warmly. He was looking particularly young, with his patient blue eyes and kind smile. Her hand sought his beneath the table, and squeezed. He was such a wonderful person. She deserved this...she deserved him. He didn't know it yet, but his wait was over.
'Yes I am now, thank you.'
F I N I S
Note: Yes it's finally over. It's been a trip, and I have to go back to writing other things. But I'll always read your stuff and leave reviews. wipes tear Hug and kisses. Bye. Love you guys.
Yes! Somebody (Deichtine) did spot that Les Miz reference, it was indeed Inspector Javert I had in mind. And as always, hugs to my lovely beta, Amanda, for doing such a good job.
This one is rated R upfront, PG13 later.
Chapter 13 (final)
There was an air of finality to it all, and that was why she wanted to preserve every moment in a jewel-encrusted case, like a precious heirloom, to behold and cherish in her future years. As he sat on the bed, dazed and confused, she kissed him reassuringly, hoping she had left no other permanent marks. The temporal lobe, which stored memory, was such a fragile thing.
'And...' he looked questioningly at her, 'how did I get here...I don't remember...I thought I was standing over there....' He shook himself. 'I must be getting old.'
'It doesn't matter,' she said. 'We are here, and it's our last night together. So we're going to make it special.'
'Yes, special,' he echoed. His eyes softened. 'I did have fun, you know, Emma. This past month.'
'So did I.' She smiled ruefully. 'But we both agreed to move on. And you taught me so much about myself...I'll always think of you when I...pass it on.'
He grinned cockily, a glimpse of his former self. 'Hey, when you're in doubt, you can always come to the master.' Turning serious, he added, 'Do you have someone..waiting for you in the wings?'
'Yes. Yes I do. And you?'
He seemed to search himself - she thought for one frightened moment she had erased his memories of Shal - and then he nodded. 'I think so.
For one heartfelt, tender beat, they looked at each other, the weight of so many loving memories behind them. Then he took her in his arms. 'Emma..I will always love you, you know that.'
'I will always love you too.' She was sure he no longer remembered how deeply she meant that.
His nearness was giving her an ache, and he seemed to feel it too. She heard his breathing quicken, his chest was rising rapidly against hers and his mouth sought hers urgently. She responded by devouring it, sucking at his lips with fearsome intensity, glorifying in a sudden surge of reckless abandonment. She had nothing more to lose and she was going to enjoy him tonight, every bit of him, before she turned him over to Shalimar.
They undressed, peeling the rest of their clothes off hastily and falling on top of each other. She wanted to explore everything with him, and when she pushed him on the bed, holding his hips down with her palms and taking him into her mouth with an embarrassingly wanton hunger, he laughed out loud. 'Goodness Emma, I might have to cry rape.' He tasted wonderful though; and as his hands, groping in the tangled trails of her hair, guided her into a moist, sucking rhythm, she was thinking - I could grow to like this.
When he had returned the favor many times over (he said, 'Most men don't like giving head, but I do. You can always train them though by withholding favors, and they'll be putty in your hands.'), he reached down for his pants, seemingly lost in thought. 'I'm not sure if I was supposed to have brought you something..' she was alarmed, perhaps her hatchet job on his brain had worse repercussions than she had anticipated '...but anyway, here it is. At least, I think this is what it is.' He withdrew a tube of lubricant from his pocket, frowning. 'Now why would I bring this...?'
'Because I was a virgin, remember?' she said helpfully. 'At least I was until last week, when you helped me. You do remember that, don't you?'
'Oh yeah.' He didn't sound convinced. He shrugged. 'Anyway, it's better to be safe than sorry. Have you ever used KY Jelly before?' She shook her head. 'Well, trust me, it will help. And I will just put this on...' He tore at a condom sachet with his teeth.
She stopped him. 'No. I want to feel you, all of you, tonight.' She wanted to experience what Shal had, the completeness of skin to skin, the totality of no barriers between them.
'Are you sure? It can be risky.'
'I'll take a pill tomorrow.' When he eyed her in concern, she said, 'Trust me, I'm a big girl. I know what I'm doing.'
'Okay then.' He kissed her, and then slathered a generous dollop of lubricant on himself. 'If it hurts, you tell me to stop, and I can always put on more of this.' He eased her with lubricant as well, massaging her sensuously until she was writhing at the slippery coolness. Then he entered her with two of his fingers. 'Is it okay?' When she nodded, he said, 'I'm a lot larger than this, so we'll just take it slow, one bit at a time.'
He laid her back against the bed gently, and opened her legs. 'Just relax, okay?' When she gazed down at his massive erection, he shielded her eyes. 'Don't look. Close your eyes.' She wanted to smile. He was still concerned that he was going to hurt her. He didn't know she would go through a thousand times that amount of hurt just to feel him inside her for the first and very last time.
When he entered her slowly, just an inch, she had to recoil. He was right, it did hurt. For a moment, she thought her problem wasn't solved, but then she figured he had been there anyway, all the way in he wouldn't lie about something like that, so it truly had to be in her head. Was this really what it felt like? It was like being torn apart..geez, and women were supposed to like this. Maybe it got better with practice. But it didn't really matter anyway, as long as he was here, holding her intimately. She now understood that old adage on why some women traded sex just for love.
'You okay?' he asked, solicitous as always.
'Yes.' She smiled encouragingly. 'Go on.'
'You're not really enjoying this, are you?'
'I enjoy being with you, Brennan.'
He kissed her. 'It'll get better, I promise.' She felt him inch himself inside some more, letting her get used to it. 'Do you want me to use more jelly?' He made to withdraw, but she grasped his buttocks, saying, 'No.' The trauma of penetration was painful enough, she didn't want to go through it again. When she thought there was no possible way for her to get stretched any further, he stopped. 'It's okay,' he whispered, 'I'm all the way in now. It's not so bad, is it?'
'No,' she said. It really wasn't. And with him holding her, looking at her with loving eyes, just lying still - that was heaven.
'Kiss me, Brennan,' she whispered.
He did, deeply and wetly, and began to move inside her, never taking his lips off from hers. Strangely, it did not hurt as she thought it would. It was just the initial penetration. But the closeness she felt with him was indescribable. She felt like floating, she could do this forever just to have him beside her. She would never have an orgasm with intercourse - it was too invasive for her to fully surrender herself, and besides, she had read that most women didn't orgasm with intercourse either - but as long as he was enjoying himself, she could get used to it. That was all that mattered, that he liked it.
After a while, he said, 'I'm not going to stretch it on too long, because it can get painful. So I'm going to come inside you, okay?'
'Okay.'
His strokes began to increase in rhythm and strength, and she felt her emotional self being caught up in his frenzy. She could lose herself in him, his fervor became her fervor; his excitement her excitement, and his determination her determination. And flinging out her mind to mesh with his, she connected as he reached his climax, which was a sensation that assaulted her on all fronts - her core, her limbs, her belly, her breasts and the soft buttery void that was her mind. It was...if she were to describe it in one word..rapture. Like the petals of a flower opening and closing, its stamen and pistils bristling wildly. So different from her own orgasms, and yet there was a kinship in so many ways. As she felt his moist wetness trickle into her, she flung out to embrace him with both body and mind, I love you Brennan..I love you, I love you and nothing will ever change that. HiH
He collapsed on top of her, breathing heavily, kissing her neck. 'I love you, Emma,' he whispered, and she realized it was the first time he ever said that to her after an orgasm; and if she hadn't read his mind earlier, she would have still harbored some hope. He made a move to withdraw, but she pulled him back, pressing his body close against hers.
'Stay inside me,' she begged.
'Okay, but don't blame me if I get excited all over again.'
That's the idea, she thought. She let him rest for a while, enjoying his warmth. Then she began to kiss him, passionately, on his lips and all over his face. Kissing always did arouse him. Sure enough, he was hard again. 'You're going to be the death of me,' he groaned.
'Let's try another position,' she suggested, almost blushing in her audacity.
And so they did. When he came again, he withdrew this time. 'No more, Emma. I'm not twenty-two anymore.' She bided her time, and when she thought he had rested enough, she grabbed him again. Despite protesting, he hardened up he was such a pushover, and so easily aroused for someone in his late twenties and took her, nonetheless. This time the penetration did not hurt. Maybe he was right. It took practice. When he had come again for the third time that night, he said, 'Really this time, Emma, no more. Something's going to fall off. You can kill a guy like this, you know.'
She understood why she was doing this. She was trying to cram everything that could have been but was never to be into one night; or like experiencing a virtual reality simulation of a possible future among many possible futures in fast play. But maybe he had had enough. Such a pity this would be the last time. She could do this with him forever, preserving the moment in all eternity. She wished she had the power to bottle time into one recurring loop, repeating the same day over and over again until it must exhaust itself, or its combatants, out.
'At least lie like this with me tonight,' she said. He was still inside her, and though he had gone soft, his presence was still considerable.
'I'll flip over and you can lie on me instead,' he replied. 'That way you'll be more comfortable.'
'Don't let me go.'
He didn't. She nestled against him contentedly, wishing she could be closer; so close until her blood ran into his, and her bones knitted against his bones in a profusion of matrixes, until they were truly one. She knew it was a morbid thought, but that was the way she felt, and she wasn't about to deny herself her own feelings; not tonight. She fell asleep like that, joined to him, dreaming of him all night, a glorious deluge of successive images, one after the other. All with him inside, smiling, laughing, picture perfect pretty.
Know that I'll always be here for you, she told him in her dreams, even if you won't ever need me.
*
They celebrated her twenty-second birthday in a posh restaurant, with Adam buying. The candelabra on her cake and the table were piled up so high she thought it would set off the smoke alarm.
'No singing, guys,' she warned. 'Not in here.' But of course, they didn't give a damn, and sang lustily anyway, with the other patrons in the restaurant looking crossly on (it was that kind of place).
'So Emma,' Adam said, 'has turning one year older made you any wiser? Any reflections you care to share with us?'
With everyone looking at her expectantly, she blushed. She gave it some thought, peering at Brennan out of the corner of her eye. He was seated next to Shalimar, and she knew their knees were touching and sometimes their hands brushed against each other's under the table. It was a bittersweet experience. 'I've learnt a lot this past year,' she said carefully, 'thanks to each and everyone of you. You have all touched me in different and important ways, and I can't thank all of you enough.'
'Spoken like a true teammate,' Shalimar said, raising her glass.
'Hear hear,' the others chorused, toasting her.
'So where do you want to go after this, Emma?' Brennan said.
Indeed. Where did she want to go? After such dizzying heights and abysmal chasms, where can one possibly go?
'I'll figure that one out, and I'll tell you later.' She smiled at him.
He nodded, understanding. Their eyes met. Sometimes, he could be terribly perceptive.
The waitress arrived to take away her cake for portioning. She was brunette and pretty, and her hair was done up neatly behind her head. As she bent down, curly tendrils of loose hair fell across her cheeks, reminding Emma of those artistic renditions of Rubenesque women, only the waitress was as slim as a willow wand. Emma saw Brennan's eyes light up in appreciation.
She was not the only one to notice Brennan. Shalimar saw it too, and although her facial expressions did not alter, there was just the slightest set to her mouth, and a little more hardness in her gaze. Emma pitied Shal. Her friend was going to have to get used to this. He won't love you one iota less, she thought. He's just browsing, and you have to accept the fact he's always going to browse.
The waitress looked down at Brennan's face, and smiled. 'Can I clear this?' She indicated his plate.
'Sure,' Brennan smiled back. 'Let me help you.' He handed her his plate.
Beside him, Shalimar averted her face, a fleeting look of annoyance just crossing her features and disappearing, like it hadn't even been there. She's trying hard, Emma thought.
Dessert went on, and the dishes were scraped clean. Beside her, Jesse poured her more wine. He was terribly attentive tonight, taking care of her every whim. It was like he knew something momentous was about to happen. She had to smile to herself. Perhaps it was.
'Hey,' Shalimar exclaimed suddenly. 'Isn't that the woman we were supposed to track? The one who never showed up in the end after setting up a meeting?'
Everyone looked up to where she was indicating.
'I'll be damned,' Adam said. 'Maybe she does exist, and the pictures we have of her weren't fake ones after all.'
'What woman?' Brennan asked. 'I don't remember tracking any woman.'
Shal clicked in exasperation. 'Oh, don't be so dense. You know, one half of the couple we were supposed to check out at the party. That party?' She looked at him significantly.
'I remember the party,' he said slowly, frowning. 'Or at least, bits of it.' He gave her a look, as if to say, I remember us. 'But I don't recall trying to track anyone.'
All eyes were now riveted to him.
Jesse raised an eyebrow. 'Memory lapse, Brennan? Or Missing Time, like those alien abductions? Anyhow,' he grinned, 'you're showing your age.'
Emma held her breath throughout all this. It was worse than she had thought. She caught Adam looking at her, and her heart stopped in mid-beat. He knows what I did, she thought wildly. Maybe not why, but he still knows what I did.
Aloud, Adam said to Brennan, 'She's supposed to be a thermal elemental.'
Shal rose. 'She's going to the ladies'. I'm going too. I'll scope her out.'
Brennan still wore a perplexed expression on his face. 'I'll go with you,' he said slowly, getting up anyway.
Shal gave him a peculiar look. 'I can handle myself. Besides, I'm going to the ladies'. You can't go to the ladies', can you?' She emphasized the word 'ladies.'
'I'm not saying you can't handle yourself. I'm just saying you might need back-up. And besides, I'll hang around outside. If you need me, you can just yell.'
Emma observed Shal. Her friend's eyes were flashing now, not feral yellow, but with the kind of spark that marked a violation of territorial borders.
'I won't need you,' Shal said in a voice that had no inflections whatsoever. 'But you can tag along outside, if you wish.'
'Fine.'
'Fine.'
They both left. Emma's eyes trailed after them.
Beside her, Jesse patted her hand. 'You okay, Emma?'
She looked at him warmly. He was looking particularly young, with his patient blue eyes and kind smile. Her hand sought his beneath the table, and squeezed. He was such a wonderful person. She deserved this...she deserved him. He didn't know it yet, but his wait was over.
'Yes I am now, thank you.'
F I N I S
Note: Yes it's finally over. It's been a trip, and I have to go back to writing other things. But I'll always read your stuff and leave reviews. wipes tear Hug and kisses. Bye. Love you guys.