Beginning 10
He was quiet at first. He had no part in their conversations and only appeared when called, standing meekly to attention. For a while Shalimar wondered if perhaps he had always been so introverted. If he truly didn't want to be there with them. But she didn't stop trying as she took on the role of his tutor in fighting skills, lessons for which he attended reluctantly, standing silent and scowling as he watched her demonstration, less than enthusiastic in his own attempts.
It was a month after he had arrived at Sanctuary when she first saw the side of Jesse Kilmartin that she would love forever.
Morning sickness had struck hard that morning and, though she had been expecting it, it didn't make it any easier as she sat shaking on the cold tiles of the bathroom, waiting for her stomach to realise that the room wasn't moving around her. She jumped as a glass was placed on the floor by her hand and a cold flannel made its way to her brow.
"I locked the door, you know." She whispered with a small smile.
"I'm sorry, I'll go." She caught his arm as he went to leave.
"NO!" She looked down, abashed. "No, stay, please?" With his own smile he took a seat beside her self-consciously, helping her lift the glass with shaking hands and holding her as she cried a little.
That day Adam watched, curious, as Jesse, triumphant, pinned Shalimar to the floor. Both laughing more that he had ever seen either or them laugh. And he smiled. Because this is what he had wanted.
Two months, longer than ever before, and still there was no sign that this would end like the others. She was jubilant and Jesse celebrated with her, so caught up in her joy and energy he forgot to hide himself away from the pain he knew that love could cause, and he became part of their family. Loved and loving in equal amounts.
When he found Shalimar later that same month, with her knees tucked into her chest and her face so blank and empty of emotion, he felt something within him break for her. Lost again, although he could not know that it was for a third time. And he sat beside her again, and as she cried he held her close, her tears fire-hot rivulets down his skin. And when she became angry he took every punch she threw, not caring about the bruises, only wishing that the emptiness that he saw in her eyes would go. Would be relieved by something - anything.
Anything