Title: The Only Girl
Author: Kora
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Romance/Angst
Summary: Michael remembers a promise.
Disclaimer: I do not own Michael, Selene or anything else - though I wish I could own Michael now after writing this ficlet…
Author's Note: This bunny just popped into my head and refused to go away. Here's the messy results.
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It had been raining all day but Michael could have cared less. It wasn't like he had any plans to go anywhere anyway. He had managed to get out of work and any other obligations he may have had. He was looking forward to an entire day spent in bed - and best of all; he wasn't spending it in bed alone.
The gorgeous woman he was snuggled next to giggled as he let his fingers trail along her soft belly, his movements whispery quick. He could feel the flesh pimple with goosebumps and that made him chuckle against her shoulder, his nose buried deep in her sweet smelling dark hair.
"Michael! Stop it! You know I'm ticklish!" she squealed in mock outrage, bucking in his grip slightly.
His chuckles merely grew louder as he tightened an arm around her, his mouth nipped at her shoulder blade and he spooned himself even closer, voice a mumble against her back, "I know. Can't help myself."
"I don't believe that for a second, Michael Corvin."
"Ouch. My whole name. You only use that when you're real upset...is it that bad?" He asked, fingers continuing their teasing dance.
She indulged in her own throaty laugh, "No. Not really. But you know, I AM tired. I could use some sleep after…well…"
Michael drew back slightly; sucking in a breath that showed how smug he felt, "Yeah, yeah…I know. I'm fantastic."
He couldn't see her roll her eyes, "God, you can be so conceited."
"Hey, can I help it if I'm great? If I please you out of your mind in the bedroom, if I make you cry out in passionate-"
She twisted in his grip and took hold of a pillow, promptly smacking him full in the face, "Oh shut up."
Michael pushed around the downy softness and sat up, eyes narrowed, "So that's how it's going to be, hmm?"
He tugged the pillow out of her grip and began pelting her with it lightly. She squealed in outrage once more, giggling hysterically as he pummeled her with the pillow with one hand and his other continued to tickle her all over, "Admit it! You looooooooove me! You loove what I do to you in bed! Say it! Say: Michael Corvin you are the best lover ever! King of the bedroom! Admit it!"
"Ahhh!" she cried in mock terror, her hands flapping around uselessly to try and bat him away. But he continued his gentle assault. For a moment only their laughter filled the room. At last she gasped, catching her breath, "All right! All right! I surrender!"
Michael dropped the pillow to one side and scooped her into his arms, looking down lovingly into her dark eyes, "Say it."
She sighed and stretched, arms looped above her head lazily as she returned the same look he had on his face, eyes twinkling, "I love you, Michael."
"And the rest…"
This time he could see her eyes roll, "Aw Michael…"
He reached for the pillow threateningly and she batted at his arm, "Okay! Okay! I love what you do to me in bed, you are the king of the bedroom."
"One more."
"Best lover? Hmm…I dunno…you may need to convince me." She bit her full lower lip, a playful sexiness about her.
"Mmm, I'd love to," He murmured, ducking his head down to capture a kiss of her warm mouth. Just as her fingers tangled in his locks, body moving suggestively beneath his, he drew back, sighing, "But I AM tired…"
"Oh! You son of a-" She batted at him again, laughing. They kissed again and then he flipped their positions slightly so he lay on his back and she rested against his chest, ear to his heart.
She sighed and stretched against him, their toes playing with each others as they rested silently, comfortably together. They could hear the rain falling and Michael's left hand brushed idly at the wispy hairs along her forehead. The sounds of their soft breathing filled the air but both were awake.
She was especially lost in deep thought, at last she spoke, voice serious, "Michael."
"Yeah, babe?"
"Do you…" she bit her lip, "Do you ever think they'll ever be anyone else?"
"What do you mean?"
"I mean…do you ever think that…I may not be the one for you. Or you may not be the one for me or…"
Michael sat up and looked down at her, face full of concern, "Are you saying you want to-"
"Oh no! No! Never…I just," she gasped and sat up as well, running a hand through her hair, trying to collect her thoughts, "I just love you so much and I don't want you to ever feel trapped or that you have to be with me. I mean if there was someone else you were attracted to-"
"Hey, shh..." He reached out and brushed a thumb along her chin, "I love only you. You know that. I could never…I mean, there's never been…there never will be…"
"But - but what if there will be? I mean…if someone came along or something happened to me…"
"Don't say that." His voice was sharp, flat.
"Michael…"
"No. I don't want to hear it. Nothing's going to happen. To you. To me."
"But…"
"No."
"Michael, please let me finish," she insisted, her own voice sharp now, "This is important to me. I - I want to say this…"
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, then raised both hands up and let them drop, feeling defeated, "All right, go ahead. Though I don't see the point of discussing something that'll never…"
"It could, Michael. Be realistic. Anything could happen and I just…I love you so much. I never, ever want to see you unhappy-"
"Well this conversation is making me unhappy, so you may want to-"
"Michael."
"Okay, okay, sorry…finish."
"Michael, if something ever happened to me and I…wasn't around. I wouldn't want you to be unhappy. If I was…out of the picture...I'd want you to - to move on. You know…be with someone. Be happy…"
"I don't see how that's possible. You're the only girl for me, Samantha. The only girl."
Samantha looked at Michael and felt the love for him flood through her. She couldn't even bear talking about this but somehow the thought had drifted into her head. Maybe it had filtered in because he had proposed three weeks ago. She'd been the happiest girl on the planet when he'd given her that ring, when he'd asked…
But it had also opened many doors of thought, so many possibilities…
She felt they needed to be discussed. She shook her head, "I'm glad to hear that, Michael. You're the only man for me too. And I love you. But if something happened, I - I wouldn't want you to suffer. I'd want you to be happy. And if another girl did that for you…"
"Sam…"
"Just promise me. I mean, if you and I get divorced or something, you'll find a way to be happy. Even if that's with another woman. I'd understand…I'd want you to. And - and I hope the reverse is true. I mean if you…"
"Samantha, if something happened to me - if I ended up a vegetable or died…yes, yes I'd want you to be happy and even move on, all right? It'd probably tear me apart to see you with someone else but I love you enough that seeing you happy is all that matters but…baby, you and I are engaged. We're going to get married and nothing is going to happen. Okay? You'll always be the only girl and we'll live as happily ever after as is possible in this world."
A smile blossomed on her face and she edged forward, giving him a quick kiss, "Good. I'm glad that's out of the way."
He let out a breath and this time it was he whose eyes rolled, "Me too. Now we can get back to more important things."
"Oh? Like what?"
"Well, I'm not all that tired anymore…and I think you questioned my best lover status…" He edged closer, hands sliding up her bare back to pull her near.
"Oh did I?" she breathed, eyes casting down to his mouth.
"Uh-huh." His mouth settled over hers and they began kissing hungrily, her fingers snaking back into his hair as he turned them slightly, his body covering hers.
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Michael shook his head as thunder boomed ominously in the sky. He watched as the rain continued to fall harshly to the ground. His fingers rose up and touched the pane of the glass window in his apartment thoughtfully. He looked to one side and saw the old photo of him and Samantha.
Funny that memory had floated to the surface of his mind…
Funny she had brought that subject up then, asked him those things…
Had she known? Could she have predicted the future? It wasn't hard to believe. Not anymore. Not after everything that had happened to him in the past couple of days. Vampires, werewolves, underworld wars and Selene…Selene…
She emerged from his bedroom, voice crisp, "We shouldn't stay here too long. I trust you collected all the things you need?"
Michael picked up the photo and looked down at it. The rain outside was rolling down his window and the lights behind it cast a strange reflection. Black water seemed to roll down Samantha's faded face. His thumb brushed along her cheek…
The glossy flatness was nothing compared to the feel of her real flesh. Something he would never feel again. He took in a deep breath and didn't even hear the footsteps of Selene as she drew closer. She saw what was in his hand and felt that prickle of jealousy again. She knew she shouldn't, it was unfair and irrational…but still…
"Michael?"
Her voice startled him and he looked up, their eyes meeting. She wasn't the kind to give smiles or be comforting and she was not about to change now. Still, she placed a hand on his shoulder, voice as gentle as she could manage, "You can…take it with you."
He knew she meant the photo and he looked at it again. Then back at her, then it again. He looked at Samantha's face. He thought of her words.
Samantha.
His only girl.
He looked at Selene.
He could see the age in those eyes, the past pain so similar to his own and yet so different. He looked over her whole face just as he'd looked over Samantha's in the photograph. Another girl who could make him happy…at one time he had never thought there could even be such a thing, but Selene…Selene…
He shook his head and dropped the photo, his hands escaping into his jeans' pockets before they could have second thoughts, "No. No. That's - it's over. Time to move on."
Selene's eyes lowered, then she nodded, turning. Michael watched her walk away a few feet and then his hands escaped the jeans, but not to grab for the photo. Instead his feet moved swiftly and his hands took hold of her shoulders. He turned her and her startled eyes met his only a moment before his mouth pressed against her own.
His lips worked hers apart, tongue seeking solace inside. A tiny startled cry left her, followed by the sweetest moan as she melted against him. He drew her as close as humanly possible, head slanting to one side as he captured her fully. Her back pressed against a nearby wall and he pressed himself flat against her.
She could feel his heat, his power and strength and best of all his kiss. So hungry and yet so giving, loving…
Her hands danced up his back, brushing along it with a grace she didn't even know she possessed…almost whispery soft…
And he recognized it. Desired it. When at last he pulled away he rested his forehead against hers, voice so quiet she could bearly catch it as he spoke, "Someday...someday I'll tell you all about her…but Selene. Selene, thank you. Thank you for showing me that…that it can be okay. And that…I mean…Selene…I can't even say…I feel…I think…"
"Shhh," She whispered, amazed at herself. Not only were her actions still surprising but she couldn't remember having ever shushed someone, felt this way about someone. All she could breath was, "I know. I know."
Michael nodded and kissed her again, then took her hand in his own. He lead her to the door of the apartment and she frowned, 'Wait, we came here because…I thought you - you needed something…"
Michael looked around the apartment once more, eyes gracing over the forgotten photo near the window. He shook his head and turned, his hand squeezing hers as he left, "No. There's nothing here left for me." He looked at her once more, a slight smile on his face, "And besides…I found what I needed."