Let the Fairytale Begin

Ned looked her in the eyes, he was pleading with her, "Skye, please come home with me."

"What exactly does that mean Ned?" Skye asked, "Come home with you? Back to Port Charles? Back to the Quartermaine's?"

"I want you to come home with me so we can be together. We can get everything out in the open, no secrets, no covering things up, just the truth."

Skye laughed, "The truth?"

"Yes."

"I don't know what the truth is Ned." Skye confessed, "I've been living a lie for so long that everything just blends together."

"I'm not leaving here until I can get you to come with me." Ned said sternly.

She shook her head, "Well, you can stop wasting your time, because I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh no?" Ned asked, "We'll see about that."

He swiftly swept her off her feet and began carrying her down the hallway, she protested the entire time. He took her to a cabin, right in Llanview. He pulled up the long and narrow dirt road and parked the car. He looked over at her, she had been silent the whole time.

The car door opened and Ned got out, he went around to the passengers side and opened the door for Skye, but she just sat there.

"Come on, get out of the car." He told her.

She still wasn't moving.

Ned sighed heavily, "Fine." He said, "We'll play it your way." Ned grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. "Either you can come out willingly or I can drag you inside."

She glared at him, "Do I have a say?"

"I gave you a choice." Ned told her, "Now get out of the car."

"I'm getting out." She yelled, pushing him away from her, slamming the door behind her. She looked around at the surroundings, it truly was beautiful, she didn't understand why he had brought her here.

"Be careful, this car is rented."

"Do you really think I care?" She asked.

"You know, what Skye? I don't care if you care." He stepped forward and grabbed her, throwing her over his shoulder.

"Ned, put me down!" Skye screamed, "Put me down!"

He carried her up the cabin stairs and inside, he carelessly threw her down on the couch, "Happy?"

"No." She huffed out.

"Well, that makes two of us."

"Fine then." She said, raising her voice, "Let's go home."

Ned slipped his jacket off and threw it over the back of the chair, "We're not going anywhere until you and I work things out."

"You brought me all the way up here to work things out?" Skye asked, "Are you insane?"

"No, I'm not insane." He assured her, "But we are going to work things out."

Skye noticed the roaring fire in the fireplace, she looked back over at Ned, "Why?"

"Because we need to." He said taking a seat in the chair across from her, "Take your coat off, I have a feeling we're going to be here a long time."

"Ned, why did you bring me here? I told you that we are over. Finished." Skye yelled, "I want nothing to do with you."

Ned shook his head, "When did you decide this?"

"I guess, I've always known." Skye answered, she was trying to sound as convincing as possible, "I was just trying to make it last for as long as I could."

"Is that so?"

Skye got up off the couch and walked towards the fireplace, "Yes, I was using you to get to Kristina."

"You were?" Ned asked.

She propped rested her hands on the mantel, staring at the painting that hung above it, "You made is quite easy. All I had to do was pretend I was in love with you and in exchange I got to be near Kristina." Skye explained, trying to hold in her river of tears, "It was that simple."

Ned shook his head in disbelief, he was determined to make her come to her senses, "How am I suppose to believe you when you can't even look at me?" He asked.

"Believe me." She whispered, "You know it's the truth. Edward even said so himself."

"I don't give a damn about what Grandfather thinks." Ned answered firmly, "This is about us."

Skye collected herself, she took a deep breath and slowly turned around to face him, "It's over, everything I just told you was the truth."

Ned decided to call her bluff, "You're right, who were we kidding? Deep down we knew all along that this thing between us was just a manipulation on both our parts."

Skye felt as though something inside her broke, she realized that it must have been her heart, but she wasn't going to let him get the best of her, because nobody messes with Skye Quartermaine and gets away with it, "Then we're agreed, we were just using each other all along."

"Yes." Ned answered, "I just have one request."

Skye went into protective mode, "What's that?" she asked bitterly.

"That we go back to the way things were between us before."

"Hating each other?" Skye asked.

When Ned looked at her, he noticed how the look in her eyes had changed. "No, not hating, just mutual dislike."

She looked at him coldly, "I always knew you were arrogant."

"Well, everyone was right Skye, you're conniving and self centered." He shot back, deciding to play along with her. He knew he was taking a risk because, the look in her eyes shot daggers through his heart.

"Oh, I get it, I was good enough to have in your bed, but not in your heart." Skye accused.

"Exactly." Ned said flatly, "You were a damned fool to believe that I ever wanted you for anything other than your body."

"Well, now you're free to run back to Alexis." Skye yelled, "Better hurry before the lumberjack beats you to her."

He stood up to face her, "I don't see anyone standing in line to win your affections."

"My affections aren't given as prizes." She shouted, "They're earned through mutual respect."

"Through manipulations." He shouted back.

One minute heated words flew through the room. Insults and saucy comments bounced off the walls. The next minute they were standing only inches apart, their lips almost touching as he spoke, "Just shut up."

Skye was taken aback by Ned's change in tone. He leaned forward slowly his lips brushed over hers.

"Ned, what are you doing?"

"This." He breathed out before covering her mouth with his. She didn't respond at first, she pushed the palms of her hands against his chest, but as he parted her lips with his tongue she gave up all struggle of fighting him off. Ned's hands quickly made there way up to the front of her scarlet red shirt, pulling at either side until the buttons gave way and her black lacy bra was revealed.

Ned pushed her up against the fire place mantel, continuing to kiss her mouth, her neck, anything his lips touched. His hands tangled in her red tresses and slowly made there way down her neck to her lace covered breasts, gently massaging them through the thin material.

Skye moaned into his mouth, she felt his body pressing into hers. Ned pushed the shirt off her arms and then slid his hands around her body to the back of her skirt, his fingers found her zipper and pulled it down, allowing it to fall to the floor.

Ned pulled her legs up around his waist and carried her into the bedroom, practically throwing her onto the bed. Skye lay, waiting with anticipation while he quickly undressed himself and joined her on the bed. On time or no words did he waste, his hands grabbed her high heels and slipped them off her feet, they hit the floor with a bang.

His hands traveled up her thighs, he hooked his fingers on the sides of her thong and swiftly pulled it down her legs, it joined his clothes on the floor. Ned moved up her body, covering it with his own. His fingers found the hook on her bra, he unclasped it, his fingertips brushed against her skin, giving her chills down her spine as he removed it from her body. He used his hands to pin hers above her head, his body stretched out over hers.

Ned shifted his body and entered her with urgency. He kissed her with need, but tore his lips from hers as his breathing pace increased. They moved together roughly, driven by anger, as hard, deliberate movements forced their bodies together. Over and over again. Skye's hands roamed over his back, she pierced his skin with her nails, bringing blood to the surface. She couldn't remember ever wanting someone so much.

His weight was now secured in his hands as he hovered above her, she arched into him with every thrust. Ned looked down at her, her eyes were shut, her lips were slightly parted, his name escaped from them. "Ned", Skye called out, louder each time.

His breathing was increasing as he came closer and closer to his climax. Skye screamed out as she reached her peak, Ned moaned a few times as her body began to milk his life giving essence from him. He collapsed on top of her, exhausted. Ned moved off of her and settled beside her in the bed. As he went to pull her close to him she rolled over on her side, pulling the covers up to her chest.

He sighed and rolled over in the opposite direction. The only sound that filled the room was their struggling need to catch their breath. Finally, Ned drifted off to sleep, but was awoken a few hours later by a soft sobbing sound.

Skye was crying into her pillow. Ned turned over and placed his hand firmly on her shoulder, he tried to turn her towards him, but she resisted. "Skye." He called softly as he tried to pull her over again.

"Stop it, Ned." She answered through tears, "I'm not ready to go another round with you."

Now she was confusing him, "What are you talking about?"

Tear after tear ran down her cheeks, "You said it yourself, you only wanted me for sex."

Ned let out a heavy sigh, "I didn't mean it." He told her honestly, he dropping a few kisses on her shoulder.

"Of course you did." She sobbed out.

"No, Skye, I only said those things because you were trying your damnedest to get me to believe that you were using me. I thought you knew that I was calling your bluff." He tried to explain. "I love you." He whispered. "Always."

"Then why did you say all those things?"

"Because that's what you expected me to say."

"No." Skye yelled, "You said them because it's the truth."

"Skye, did I hurt you?" Ned asked.

"What do you think?" She asked sarcastically.

"That's not what I meant." Ned said softly, "Did I hurt you when we were having sex?"

She sniffled, "No."

"Are you sure?" He asked, "I'm sorry if I forced you or was too rough."

Skye turned over, but kept her eyes from making contact with his, "You didn't force me, Ned, I opened my legs willingly. And I'm sorry about your back." She added softly.

"It doesn't hurt that bad." He told her, "Just a few scratches, but I think that we'll both have some unattractive bruising."

Ned noticed that her eyes were red and swollen from crying, he had done major damage in the past few hours, "Skye, I love you, why else do you think that I came all the way to Llanview and brought you to to this cabin?" He asked, "I did it to prove to you that I love you and that I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I wanted to show you that no one was going to stand in the way of me being with you, not Jax and not the Quartermaine's."

Skye lifted her eyes to meet his, but remained silent.

"You and I both know that we said things out of anger, things we didn't mean." Tears formed in his eyes, "I know we can't take them back or erase them but we can prove to each other that we didn't mean them."

"So, you really didn't mean all those things you said about me being only good enough to sleep with?" Skye asked.

He wiped away a few of her fallen tears, "No, please believe me when I say that I love you. I brought you here to prove that." He told her, "Now, dry your tears, because I have something special planned."

"What?" She asked.

"No, first, dry your tears." He said firmly, "Then get dressed and come out into the living room."

Skye looked at him puzzled, "Ned, I don't have any clothes or anything like that here."

"Yes, you do, I packed everything, it's all in those suitcases by the bathroom door." He explained, "Now, how long do you think it will take you?"

"About twenty five minutes, it's going to take a while for the swelling around my eyes to go down."

"Alright." He kissed her lips, lightly, then slipped out of bed, "I'm going to get everything ready.

Twenty five minutes later, Skye stepped out of the bedroom, in a strapless, soft pink, satin gown, her red locks swept up off her shoulders and pinned up lightly. She caught Ned's attention in only a half a seconds time.

He was dressed in a black suit, with a matching pink satin tie. The living room had a soft, warm glow, candles scattered everywhere. The fire was still blazing, adding an extra warmth, she slowly made her way over to him.

Ned took both her hands in his, he leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. He whispered in her ear, "You look stunning."

She smiled, brightly, "Thank you."

He led her over to the middle of the living room, right in front of the fireplace. Skye wondered what he was up to. Ned, however, was as nervous as he had ever been in his life, although it didn't show on the outside and Skye didn't seem to pick up on it. He picked the remote up off the table, using it to turn on the music.

"Ned, what are you up to?" Skye asked, laughing.

"You'll see." He told her, "Tonight you're a Princess." Ned extended his hand out to her as the soft music began to fill the room.

Skye excepted his hand, "Does that make you the Prince?"

"Yes, I guess it does." Ned wrapped his left arm around Skye's waist, pulling her body as close to his as possible.

"Let the fairytale begin." Skye whispered as they began to dance.

I dream of rain I dream of gardens in the desert sand I wake in vain I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of fire Those dreams that tie two heart that will never die And near the flames The shadows play in the shape of the man's desire

The desert rose Whose shadow bears the secret promise The desert flower Whose sweet perfume that would torture you more than this

And now she turns The way she moves in the logic of all my dreams The fire burns I realize that nothing's as it seems

I dream of rain I dream of gardens in the desert sand I wake in vain I dream of love as time runs through my hand

I dream of rain I lift my gaze to empty skies above I close my eyes The rare perfume is the sweet intoxication of love

I dream of rain I dream of gardens in the desert sand I wake in vain I dream of love as time runs through my hand

Sweet desert rose Who's shadow bears the secret promise The desert flower Who's sweet perfume that would torture you more than this

Sweet desert rose This memory of hidden hearts and souls This desert flower This rare perfume is the sweet intoxication of love

TBC.......

Desert Rose by: Sting

Thanks to all my wonderful readers and reviewers! The next chapter may be the last, it all depends on how it turns out. Please review!!!