Disclaimer—See Chapter One
A/N: I'm now in the middle of chapter 14, and based on my rough outline, I think this story will end up being 18 chapters total. That's the plan so far at least, it tends to change as the chapters develop! :) Thank you so much to everyone for your amazing support, your encouragement means the world. I'm sorry my transitions are so confusing, I'm trying to improve on those! Mayra, MariShal, Garfieldlady, Lady Alexandra, CatJerica, Quadrantje, Jessica, Rachel, Meg, Fiery Feral, Brennan's angel, thank you so much! Rain, very perceptive…time shall perhaps tell! :) KT, thank you so much! You are right, this story is definitely different for me, and it's a challenge, that's for sure! The idea of "mind games" is the theme of this one—good catch! :) This next chapter slows things back down a little bit, a sort of temporary reprieve if you will, to allow some reconnection. They're going to need it. Thank you again so much!
All Things—Chapter Eight
Life at Sanctuary was a degree of priorities. It had been their first priority to sedate Lexa, their second to restore power and security. Without power, their defenses down, the mountain itself was their only natural protection. Jesse didn't want to leave Lexa's side, so Brennan had volunteered to take a shot at the generator. He knew nothing about fixing it, but figured he could give it a jolting start. He had been wrong.
Grumbling under his breath, Jesse had left to fiddle with the massive circuit board while Brennan and Shalimar ran a security sweep. Satisfied there was no immediate danger and the blackout had not been planned, they checked one more time on Lexa before settling down in the kitchen. Priorities also included eating, Brennan had reminded Shalimar when his stomach growled loudly in protest.
Cold, slimy eggs greeted them as they stumbled through the darkness, and Shalimar's stomach twisted at the smell, the reminder. She rubbed her hand absentmindedly while Brennan dug wholeheartedly into the fridge, finally rousing herself to find candles and matches and slowly lighting a few on the counter. She pushed aside onion remains and leaned her elbows against the edge as she sank down into a chair.
"Don't drink from the container," She automatically reprimanded Brennan as he tilted the milk carton toward his mouth.
He paused to throw her a look, sighing and grabbing two glasses. She accepted the glass he handed her and took a sip, staring at the flickering light as it cast long shadows that danced and hovered against the far wall. She loved candles. The snap of the wick as it burned lowly, the wafting scent of flame and spice curling in tiny wisps that disappeared into the darkness, it all appealed to her heightened senses and offered a sense of comfort. Lately, the darkness had been disturbing.
"What are you thinking about?" Brennan prodded, easing into a nearby chair and taking a bite out of the sandwich he had thrown together.
"Lexa."
"Ah, that would explain the somber face."
She smiled slightly at his attempt to cheer her up. He grinned at her in triumph, hand reaching over to squeeze her fingers as she tapped them against the counter.
"I really thought she had betrayed us, Brennan."
He put his sandwich down, turning towards her more fully. "Shal, you can't blame yourself for feeling the way you did. She was sick, and you were the only one to see it." He turned her face towards his, "Not even Jesse realized something was wrong."
"I was so angry, Brennan, so confused. I couldn't stand the thought of someone using us that way once again."
"Yeah." His thumb stroked her cheek in agreement. "That seems to be a recurring theme in our lives."
She leaned into his touch. "It hurts too much sometimes, you know?"
His hand slid around to cup the back of her neck, pulling her against his shoulder and pressing a kiss into her hair. "I know."
She stared at the tiny flames licking the air greedily. "Eckhart, GSA, Ashlocke, Dominion Agents, Steven, Luca, Jimmy." Her voice trailed into an agonized whisper. "The list keeps growing longer and longer. When does it all end?"
Brennan shook his head, brow furrowed at her tone. "I don't have the answer, Shal." He felt her tremble beneath his arm.
"It never does, they'll just keep coming and coming." Her eyes blinked as the flames danced larger.
"Hey, hey," Brennan slid out of his chair, kneeling in front of her and peering into her face. "We don't know that."
She stared past him, and he glanced over his shoulder, following her gaze to the candles. He frowned, turning back toward her. "Where's this coming from? This isn't like you."
She laughed, a harsh rasping sound in the shadowy darkness. "We can't win."
"Stop it." Brennan wrapped his long fingers firmly around her chin, turning her face back to his. "We do win, we win everyday we're still alive, still together." He forced eye contact. "They only win when we let them."
She jerked her head out of his grasp, pushing past him, striding around the counter and yanking open the fridge. Brennan sighed as she banged items around the fridge, sitting back into the chair and taking another bite of his sandwich. "Women."
She whirled around at his utterance, finger pointing at him warningly. "Don't even think about finishing that sentence."
He stared back at her, taking another bite in defiance. She narrowed her eyes, slopping a slice of bread onto the table and yanking a butter knife out of a drawer, viciously spreading peanut butter around the bread, growling as it clumped into hard lumps and tore up the bread. Cursing, she threw the knife onto the counter where it clattered loudly, peanut butter flying and splattering across her shirt.
Brennan couldn't help it, he chuckled.
Her head jerked up, eyes glaring at his audacity.
Unintimidated, Brennan sauntered over to her, finger reaching out and swiping at one of the blobs clinging to her. She froze as he brought his finger to her mouth, lightly smearing peanut butter around her lips, eyes flaring as his finger then pulled away and landed in his own mouth. She took a step back, but he followed, deliberately crowding her space. Her tongue darted out, tasting the peanut butter, breath coming in shallow puffs as his eyes followed the movement.
"Brennan."
She took a step back, pausing as she brushed against the island counter. His lips curved, brow arched upward in satisfaction.
"You still think we haven't won?" His gaze landed on her mouth.
Her eyes fell shut as he bent his head towards hers, chin tilting imperceptibly upward, fingers clenching the counter top behind her. She could hear his heart beating; feel his breath against her lips as he stopped inches away from her. Anticipation coursed through her in delicious waves, body betraying her determination to stay angry.
"We're the winners, Shal."
His whispered breath brushed tantalizingly against her, and her lips parted slightly, eyes popping open in disappointment as he suddenly pulled back.
He raised an eyebrow. "Do you feel it, Shal? Do you want it badly enough to fight for it?" Her eyes flew to his as he grasped her arms, leaning close. "Then we fight, and we win."
She stared at him, swallowing at his words, drinking in the strength he exuded. Her tongue darted out again, licking her lips. "Yes."
He didn't move, waiting.
She cleared her throat, eyes settling into a determined gleam of acknowledgement. "Yes, I want it." She pushed back against him, knocking him against the counter, smirking at his surprised expression. "I want it all." She reached up and grabbed his head with both hands, pulling him down into a kiss. His arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her off her feet as he straightened, improving their angle as they kissed again. The candles flickered in the silence until they finally pulled back. He breathed heavily, maintaining eye contact as he set her back on her feet. She reached for him again, but he stopped her.
"Are you with me?" His voice was a husky whisper.
"Oh yeah, I'm here." She took a step closer, hands sliding up his chest, face tilted enticingly up at him.
His mouth quirked. "I don't mean just physically, Shalimar." His fingers traced her lips, chuckling as she pouted slightly. "I mean here." He tapped his fingers over his heart.
"I get it, Brennan." She sobered slightly as she twined their fingers together, pressing her palms flat against his. "And you're right, we can't give up. Ours is a road we fight for." She shrugged. "I just don't always have to like it."
He smiled at her words, pulling her into his arms, shivering as her hands rested on his waist. "I'm sorry, Shal."
"Three steps forward, two steps back." Her fingers dug into his sides as she chuckled ironically. "I'm just tired, Brennan. Emotionally and physically tired."
"Come here." He straightened, tugging on her fingers.
"What are you doing?" Confused, she followed him.
He grinned at her over his shoulder. "Rescuing you."
Jesse squinted in the thin light, flashlight clenched in his teeth as his hands ran over the circuit wiring, feeling for breaks. So far, he hadn't been able to find a cause for the power outage. He shook his head as his fingers found the wires that Brennan had fried; the entire section would have to be replaced. He made a mental note of the place before moving on to another section. Time was passing, and he was worried the sedation he gave Lexa would wear off soon. Brennan and Shalimar were convinced she was infected, but he wasn't sure. It seemed impossible; she hadn't had contact, which meant chilling possibilities if she were infected. He grunted, scratching his nose as his fingers moved further over, stirring dust particles into the air. He sneezed, and the light bounced at the jerk of his head. Silver glinted off the light as it hit the bottom of the board, and he froze, pulling the flashlight out of his mouth and swearing softly as he knelt down and shone the light, revealing a tiny microchip timer clamped onto the wire base. He knew two things instantly; that he had found the source for the power outage, and that someone had been inside Sanctuary to plant it there.
She had to admit, Brennan understood women. How he came to that understanding, she would rather not think about, but she sighed gratefully as she sank further down into the warm water and frothy bubbles. Her hand reached out and brought the glass of wine to her lips, eyes falling shut as candlelight winked against the darkness. Quiet. It was soothingly quiet and peaceful. She could almost feel the tension leaving her body as the warmth stole over her. With the power out, the air had grown decidedly chilly, and the contrast now against the steaming water was intense, refreshing. She sank down even further, laughing as bubbles tickled her nose.
Brennan smiled when he heard the sound of her laugh through the open bathroom door. "Mission accomplished," He crowed at Chester, scratching her head as she pressed against him, tail wagging. Shalimar had been right; they had been used a lot lately, and they had been fighting against overwhelming odds that left them scarred and drained. But he would be damned if he let them win. Against all odds, they survived. They lived. It had to mean something. He shook himself from his thoughts, pushing himself to his feet and crossing the room.
"Hey, Shal." He poked his head into the doorway, grinning at the sight of her almost sleeping in relaxation, only the tips of her white shoulders visible in the mounds of bubbles. He had used almost the entire bottle to get them so luxurious. "You want me to read to you for a while?"
Her lips curved lazily at the suggestion. "Maybe later. Right now, I'm loving this quiet."
"Ok." He backed out of the bathroom, forcing his eyes away from the tempting sight.
"Brennan," Her voice called lightly after him. "Thanks."
"No problem." He bent down and picked up Chester as she hovered in the doorway. "Oh, no you don't," he warned the little dog as she tried to squirm out of his arms and into the bathroom. "If I can't be in there, then neither can you." He frowned when he realized she was shivering. The temperature was steadily dropping; they needed to get power back on soon. In the meantime, he had an idea.
Shalimar raised a toe out of the bubbles, pushing against the faucet and turning it back on to add more hot water to her cooling bath, relishing in the heat and moist steam as it contracted against the cold air. She heard Brennan faintly talking to Chester over the roar of the water, and the dog whining back in return. When she lifted her toe back out of the water to turn off the faucet, it was quiet again, and her eyes drifted shut. She didn't know how much later it was when she felt a gentle nudge against her arm as she hung it outside the bath. She opened her eyes and shot up straight, mouth gaping in shock. Chester stood beside the bathtub, bumping her head against her arm. Shalimar stared at the little dog, her face comically surprised, and then she started to laugh.
The little dog was wearing thick, lumpy, falling-down bright white socks.
From beyond the bathroom, she heard Brennan running across the room, his voice growing more distinguishable as he came closer, calling after the dog. The footsteps stopped suddenly, then resumed, slow and reluctant.
"Uh, I can explain."
Shalimar stopped scratching the dog's ears, looking at him in amusement. "Hey Brennan?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you know that Chester has socks on?"
"Well, yeah…"
"Ok." Shalimar managed to say with the giggles gurgling high up into her throat. "Just making sure I'm not imagining it."
Brennan shrugged, face a little red. "She was cold."
"Ok." Shalimar couldn't quite stop the giggles as she watched Chester clumsily slide down on her haunches, laying down and resting her head on her front paws. Shalimar laughed again, the poor dog's expression was solemn, but her socks were falling and hung down like a long white beard below her chin. As Shalimar laughed at her, she seemed to sigh with longsuffering. Humans.
Jesse gripped the microchip in his hand, wanting answers. His first thought was that someone had been inside Sanctuary, and his next that the Dominion must somehow be connected. He strode down the hallway, walking into Lexa's office without any hesitation. If this had something to do with the Dominion, chances were they were also responsible for whatever was wrong with her. He stopped in front of her desk, eyes sweeping the room. He wasn't sure what exactly he was looking for, but he had a feeling he would know it when he saw it. Shalimar wasn't the only one with instincts around here. He sat down, glaring at the dark shadow of the computer. Having no power and hence no computer system was frustrating him. As much as he hated computers sometimes, he depended on them as well. He muttered at the black screen as he yanked open the top desk drawer, rifling through it and then moving on to the next one. He paused as he yanked open the bottom drawer, remembering a time not too long ago when Shalimar had ransacked this office and found a hidden bottom to the drawer. When he and Lexa had returned to Sanctuary and found the mess, Lexa had been embarrassed that a picture of Jesse was left on top of the papers inside the open compartment. She had tried to hide it, but he caught it up faster than she could close the drawer. Jesse smiled at the memory. It had led to their first kiss. He opened the drawer now; removing the false bottom only to find it empty, save for the small snapshot. He sighed; she had moved her hiding place. Of course she did, he muttered under his breath, shoving back the chair and circling the room. He loved her, but her secrets would be the death of him someday. He ran his feet along the floorboards, lifting up the rug, but found nothing. He moved to the walls next, but only felt solid stone. Finally, all that was left was the massive bookshelf running along the entire back wall. He came to a stop in front of it, groaning as he swept the flashlight along the length and height of the hundreds of books. This would take all day.
Chester watched furtively until her humans were distracted, then pushed herself back up into a sitting position. Her paws slid against the polished floor as she tried desperately to shake off the strange white thing he had insisted would warm her up. Humph. She knew better; a warm bed with lots of soft blankets was calling to her. She lifted a paw, shaking it awkwardly, relieved when the white thing finally came off. Encouraged, she went to work on the other one.
Shalimar tilted her head to the left as Brennan's lips nibbled where his hands had been seconds before. He was spoiling her, and she was soaking in every minute of it. He whispered into her ear as his hands resumed their gentle massage. While the bathtub wasn't big enough for both of them, Brennan had managed to drag a stool over and perched behind her, long arms easily reaching her, rubbing the tension away. She lay there for long minutes, growing drowsy under his ministrations, chuckling quietly as his hands slowly began their inevitable wander down her body. She didn't move, save for lifting a leg and nudging the faucet on once more.
Brennan admired the way the water glistened off her shapely leg as she rested it against the faucet. "Hey, Shal."
"Hmm?" She didn't open her eyes.
"What are you doing?"
"Adding more water."
"Why?" His fingers dipped teasingly beneath the water, tempting her with their maddening circles against her skin.
She smiled. "Because the bubbles are starting to disappear."
"Let them." His voice growled lowly in her ear.
She chuckled, arms hugging his as they wrapped around her from behind. "Brennan?" Her foot turned off the water and disappeared beneath the water again.
"Hmm?" He busied himself with her exposed neck.
"Are you trying to seduce me?" She grinned knowingly, growing breathless as he blew softly on the nape of her neck.
He paused, lifting his lips from her skin and quirking an eyebrow at her. "If you have to ask, then I'm doing something wrong."
She chuckled, shoulders shaking against his, catching his hands as they stroked her stomach below the water and turning. She wrapped her wet arms around his neck, soaking the shirt he was wearing, and pressed her lips against his ear. "Actually, I'd say you're doing everything right." She pulled back slightly, meeting his intense gaze. "Thank you."
He smiled tenderly, heat tamping down at the tired lines in her brow. "I love you, Shalimar." He kissed her softly, careful not to deepen it beyond what he could handle.
She sensed his holding back for her sake, overwhelmed by the tenderness he bestowed upon her. "I love you too."
He smiled, hand brushing back damp curls off her temple as he pressed one more kiss on her upturned mouth before carefully turning her around again. "Just rest." His voice whispered in her ear as his hands squeezed her shoulders, picking up a quiet, soothing rhythm.
"Lexa." She eventually murmured softly.
"Hmm?" His hands stopped in question.
"We should check on Lexa."
"Yeah." His hands started circling again after a moment. Neither one of them moved.
The candles flickered lowly, casting shadows.
Jesse shook in disbelieving anger, stumbling on the books piled all around him as he scrambled to look closer at the hidden compartment he had finally found. His fingers turned white as they dug into the spine of the book he clutched, light bobbing as his other hand brought the flashlight closer. It couldn't be. The book fell to the floor with a dull thump as his fingers lifted and ran shakily down the glass, recognizing his missing vial. Thick liquid reflected back at him, resting against a yellow manila envelope he recognized as well; the one from the meet. Anger grew until his fist massed, sweeping against stacked books and sending them flying. He had suspicions, he had questions, but he had never truly believed it.
Until now.
The proof was staring him right in the face, enclosed in shiny glass.
The serum.
Stabilization under Dominion control.
And Lexa had stolen it.