This story is translated from a French fanfiction. Without the help of
Loveconquers and Viviana, I would never have succeeded in translating it.
Thank you again.
Disclaimer—see Chapter one
A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews!
Chapter Three - - Covered
It took them a while to cross through the woods to get to their destination as the forest was thick with overgrowth; only a roughly hewn trail marked the way. There were hurdles everywhere, formed by high plants and tree trunks. But no matter how difficult, the path was safer than the road.
Shalimar walked ahead of Brennan, warning of all the dangers in front of them. After a while, the feral paused, looking around for signs of danger. Brennan stood cautiously by her side, waiting; ready to either attack or to keep going. His fear was justified as Shalimar signaled to him to turn off his flashlight. Silence again fell as he waited, not seeing or hearing anything.
Suddenly, Shalimar pushed him hard, knocking him to the ground as a bullet hissed right past his ear at the exact same moment. Before he could even realize what had happened, Shalimar vanished into the darkness. Stunned, he remained on the ground for another moment, and than took his flashlight and headed in the direction he last saw Shalimar. In the small light he could faintly distinguish two people fighting. He quickly approached, until he could finally see the fight more clearly.
Shalimar was fighting with another mutant. The man was big and strong, eyes glowing in the darkness. Brennan froze, wanting to help, but not wanting to get in Shalimar's way. He watched them struggle, prepared to jump in if needed.
Shalimar was not as powerful as her opponent, but she was definitely faster. She forced him back a step and then attacked again, not giving him any time to react. She kicked him, knocking him to the ground. But he rose, facing her again. Glowing eyes met glowing eyes, and then he suddenly attacked again. She easily dodged him, kicking him back down again. With a quick jump, he was back on his feet, facing her yet again. They start fighting again. She blocked every one of his punches and dodged every one of his attacks. She wasn't completely in control of the situation, but Brennan could tell she was slowly gaining the upper hand. He watched, fascinated, as their movements seemed more like a coordinated martial arts demonstration than a fight, each countering with powerful punches and astonishing blocks.
Finally, Shalimar had enough and decided to put an end to the fight. She sped up her punches, taking him by surprise and connecting her fist to his stomach. He staggered back, and she quickly delivered another powerful kick to his face. Whirling around, she hit him one more time with a spin kick, throwing him back several feet into the air. He crashed hard into the ground and lay still, head crushed.
Brennan came up behind Shalimar, grasping her hand as she stared down at her enemy's body.
"Shal, it's ok," he gently reassured, "I don't think he's going to get up this time."
Shalimar shuddered. "That could have been me."
"Yeah," he mildly agreed, "It could have, but it's not." He stared down at the body. "Was he a feral?"
"Yeah," Shalimar nodded, "He was a canine. I'd recognize that smell anywhere. He was very strong."
"Ah," Brennan wryly chuckled, "The known love between a cat and dog."
Shalimar shot him a pointed look. "You wouldn't be laughing if that was me down there in a pool of blood."
Brennan blinked in surprise, taken back by her bitter tone. "Shal, I was just kidding." He took a step closer and pulled her into his arms. She was trembling, and he caressed her back in soothing circles, trying to comfort her. She stiffened and pulled away, turned her back on him.
"Shal," Brennan tried again, "Talk to me. What's wrong? Look, if it's something I said, I'd really like to know."
She shook her head. "I don't know, I just still have that same bad feeling that I had earlier. I've never felt this way before."
Brennan understood her feelings. He stepped forward, taking her back into his arms, determined not to let go this time. She averted her gaze, but he took her chin in his hand, forcing her to make eye contact, wincing when he saw the same terror that was there earlier. Tears slowly slid down her cheeks.
"Shal," he huskily whispered, "I told you before, no one is going to die tonight, neither one of us anyway. And that is because we are always there for each other. You always watch my back, and I always watch yours. Nothing bad can happen to us as long as we are together."
Shalimar shook her head. "You could have been shot. If I hadn't been fast enough, you would have been—"
"Hey, hey," he soothingly interrupted her, "Could you just stop. I could have died, but you were there, just like you've always been there. You saved my life."
"You have also saved mine many times," Shalimar's voice was whisper soft as she stared up at him.
"True," Brennan smiled, "And I would never hesitate to do it again." His eyes darkened. "I would never hesitate to give my life for you."
Shalimar flashed him a radiant smile. "Do you remember the day I asked you if you would always be there for me?"
"I remember." Brennan smiled tenderly. "I also remember that I told you that you could always count on me."
"That has meant a lot to me."
"I hope it did." Brennan stared down at her. "It was not a flippant remark. I meant it."
"I know." She stared back at him.
After a moment, he cleared his throat and glanced away. "I think we should get going." He slid his eyes back towards hers. "But before we do, there's just one more thing."
"What's that?"
"I don't want you taking any more risks for me, understood?" He didn't give her a chance to respond, knowing full well she would argue with him. He drew her up against his chest, softly kissing her on the lips. After a moment, he released her and started back down the trail. Shalimar stared at his retreating back with a small smile. After a moment, she followed after him, hoping that, for once, her instincts were wrong.
Disclaimer—see Chapter one
A/N: Thank you so much for your reviews!
Chapter Three - - Covered
It took them a while to cross through the woods to get to their destination as the forest was thick with overgrowth; only a roughly hewn trail marked the way. There were hurdles everywhere, formed by high plants and tree trunks. But no matter how difficult, the path was safer than the road.
Shalimar walked ahead of Brennan, warning of all the dangers in front of them. After a while, the feral paused, looking around for signs of danger. Brennan stood cautiously by her side, waiting; ready to either attack or to keep going. His fear was justified as Shalimar signaled to him to turn off his flashlight. Silence again fell as he waited, not seeing or hearing anything.
Suddenly, Shalimar pushed him hard, knocking him to the ground as a bullet hissed right past his ear at the exact same moment. Before he could even realize what had happened, Shalimar vanished into the darkness. Stunned, he remained on the ground for another moment, and than took his flashlight and headed in the direction he last saw Shalimar. In the small light he could faintly distinguish two people fighting. He quickly approached, until he could finally see the fight more clearly.
Shalimar was fighting with another mutant. The man was big and strong, eyes glowing in the darkness. Brennan froze, wanting to help, but not wanting to get in Shalimar's way. He watched them struggle, prepared to jump in if needed.
Shalimar was not as powerful as her opponent, but she was definitely faster. She forced him back a step and then attacked again, not giving him any time to react. She kicked him, knocking him to the ground. But he rose, facing her again. Glowing eyes met glowing eyes, and then he suddenly attacked again. She easily dodged him, kicking him back down again. With a quick jump, he was back on his feet, facing her yet again. They start fighting again. She blocked every one of his punches and dodged every one of his attacks. She wasn't completely in control of the situation, but Brennan could tell she was slowly gaining the upper hand. He watched, fascinated, as their movements seemed more like a coordinated martial arts demonstration than a fight, each countering with powerful punches and astonishing blocks.
Finally, Shalimar had enough and decided to put an end to the fight. She sped up her punches, taking him by surprise and connecting her fist to his stomach. He staggered back, and she quickly delivered another powerful kick to his face. Whirling around, she hit him one more time with a spin kick, throwing him back several feet into the air. He crashed hard into the ground and lay still, head crushed.
Brennan came up behind Shalimar, grasping her hand as she stared down at her enemy's body.
"Shal, it's ok," he gently reassured, "I don't think he's going to get up this time."
Shalimar shuddered. "That could have been me."
"Yeah," he mildly agreed, "It could have, but it's not." He stared down at the body. "Was he a feral?"
"Yeah," Shalimar nodded, "He was a canine. I'd recognize that smell anywhere. He was very strong."
"Ah," Brennan wryly chuckled, "The known love between a cat and dog."
Shalimar shot him a pointed look. "You wouldn't be laughing if that was me down there in a pool of blood."
Brennan blinked in surprise, taken back by her bitter tone. "Shal, I was just kidding." He took a step closer and pulled her into his arms. She was trembling, and he caressed her back in soothing circles, trying to comfort her. She stiffened and pulled away, turned her back on him.
"Shal," Brennan tried again, "Talk to me. What's wrong? Look, if it's something I said, I'd really like to know."
She shook her head. "I don't know, I just still have that same bad feeling that I had earlier. I've never felt this way before."
Brennan understood her feelings. He stepped forward, taking her back into his arms, determined not to let go this time. She averted her gaze, but he took her chin in his hand, forcing her to make eye contact, wincing when he saw the same terror that was there earlier. Tears slowly slid down her cheeks.
"Shal," he huskily whispered, "I told you before, no one is going to die tonight, neither one of us anyway. And that is because we are always there for each other. You always watch my back, and I always watch yours. Nothing bad can happen to us as long as we are together."
Shalimar shook her head. "You could have been shot. If I hadn't been fast enough, you would have been—"
"Hey, hey," he soothingly interrupted her, "Could you just stop. I could have died, but you were there, just like you've always been there. You saved my life."
"You have also saved mine many times," Shalimar's voice was whisper soft as she stared up at him.
"True," Brennan smiled, "And I would never hesitate to do it again." His eyes darkened. "I would never hesitate to give my life for you."
Shalimar flashed him a radiant smile. "Do you remember the day I asked you if you would always be there for me?"
"I remember." Brennan smiled tenderly. "I also remember that I told you that you could always count on me."
"That has meant a lot to me."
"I hope it did." Brennan stared down at her. "It was not a flippant remark. I meant it."
"I know." She stared back at him.
After a moment, he cleared his throat and glanced away. "I think we should get going." He slid his eyes back towards hers. "But before we do, there's just one more thing."
"What's that?"
"I don't want you taking any more risks for me, understood?" He didn't give her a chance to respond, knowing full well she would argue with him. He drew her up against his chest, softly kissing her on the lips. After a moment, he released her and started back down the trail. Shalimar stared at his retreating back with a small smile. After a moment, she followed after him, hoping that, for once, her instincts were wrong.