:cheers for her reviewers: And now, time to thank those who keep me writing by sending me bits of encouragement. You guys are awesome!
filanvampire: I'm so glad that you're still reading and enjoying yourself. Please let me know if you have any suggestions!
fate22: Your review was massive validation for the dinner scene. I was crazy-nervous about its dynamics. Your comments were really appreciated and I hope I can keep things entertaining!
Lunatic: Mary-Lynnette's scene with her car was something I've had in my head for awhile. It actually taught me a thing or two, as I had to look up the specifics. I'm really relieved that you found Ash to be in character – you're an eagle-eye reviewer and I totally count on you to keep me in line. Enjoy Chapter Five!
laura: You went on to In My Sight? That's so cool! I won't be updating that one for awhile, since I'm firmly stuck in Mary-Lynnette and Ash World, but it won't be as long a hiatus as the last time. Still, in the meantime, I'm so psyched that you like both my stories. That really means a lot.
amber-rules: The telepathic fight was one of my favorite parts to that last chapter – Ash's interaction with his sisters is absolutely hysterical to think about. As to updating, I'm doing it as quickly as I can :grin:
Hananiah: Ash under the spotlight was most interesting – it just sort of came to me, and he and I had to have a long mental conversation about how he'd handle it. It's wonderful to know that the balance of the chapter kept you interested – I hope you like the next part!
scary miss mary: I've said this before, and I'll say it again – comments like yours are the highest honor I can conceive of receiving; thank-you so much for giving it. I saw that you took a peak at my other story, as well. It'll be a little while before I update, but definitely not as long as last time. Enjoy Chapter Five!
crystleflys: The teasing/fighting/sarcasm parts are some of my most favorites to write. I think it's when we see Ash's true wisecracking potential, and it's really funny to think of all the kinds of things he could say. I'm pleased you're having as much fun reading this as I'm having writing it. Keep in touch!
J: Well, you've got your wish.
Now, I present you with Chapter V.
For A Knight's Lady
By: EarthDragonette
Disclaimer: Ash is not my original character. Mary-Lynnette isn't my original character either. Neither are Thierry, or Hannah, or, well, anybody really. Except Reina, the blonde kid from the club, and the pup. Those I'm rather fond of – even if Reina DOES vex me so. Anyway, I'm not making any money off of this story.
Rating: PG-13
To Mary-Lynnette's infinite relief, the rest of dinner passed without her father needing to grab the family set of chopsticks and make quick work of the guests. After giving Ash another not-so-subtle kick following a remark about how much he "sucked" at cooking, another after he talked about the "stakes" being high when it came to early death in his family (for all that they naturally lived a long time), and yet another following his quip about Dracula being his favorite childhood hero, he tossed her a perfectly innocent look and kept his comments to normal, non-vampire related references.
Which brought them to dessert.
"Oh, tiramisu," Ash said, looking appreciatively at the tray that Claudine was carrying. "Our grandmother used to make that for us all the time."
Yes, in addition to knitting sweaters for us and giving candy to all of the children she met while volunteering at the local hospital, Kestrel grumbled. Will you give it a rest?
I like giving them a sense of our roots, Ash answered, accepting a plate and a mug of coffee. It makes me seem more family-oriented.
Our grandmother is responsible for the near extinction of wolves in Colorado, Kestrel snapped, declining the coffee but accepting the pastry.
But she's really sorry she did it, Jade offered.
If I have to tell you three one more time...
Given Rowan's tone of thought, none of the siblings decided to comment further.
Ash mentally sighed, looking down at the dessert. Although it was fun playing the normal-human-boyfriend role, it was getting late, and, because dinner had done nothing but give his taste buds a wild ride, he was starting to get hungry. Glancing over at Mary-Lynnette, he was impressed to see that she was still managing to keep a check on her temper. Not that he hadn't tried to bait her as the evening went on, just to see what she'd do in front her dad. In the end, however, she'd opted for patience, only doling out the occasional assault on his leg to keep him in line. Considering that he'd decided to hold back on his usual biting sarcasm for the evening, those seemed to be the biggest reactions he was going to get from her.
The conversation around the table continued as Ash mused, the cross examining having ceased for the time being. Glancing at Kestrel, Ash had to concede, Okay, the hospital volunteering thing was probably a bit much.
Still, he'd managed to construct a pretty solid picture of his background, giving Mary-Lynnette's father the impression that he was a young, ambitious man from a large family that was looking to discover his true passion and follow it through wholeheartedly while taking extremely good care of his daughter.
As a result, the details were all fabrications, though the general idea conveyed was not.
Although, Ash couldn't help but kind of wish that the details were true, too.
A throat clearing made his head dart up, and he noticed that Mark was exchanging looks with Claudine and Mary-Lynnette's dad. Before Ash knew what was happening, the young man took Jade by the hand and stood up, heading towards the living room. Kestrel and Rowan jumped up only a second later, gathering plates and insisting that they be allowed to help Claudine with the cleanup. Within a span of three minutes, the dining room was empty save for Mary-Lynnette, her father, and Ash.
Uh-oh.
Clearing his throat, Mary-Lynnette's father leaned back in his chair, resting his head on his entwined hands.
Hearing Mary-Lynnette grumble under her breath, "Now what?" Ash was unable to stop from grinning before he looked up to see Mary-Lynnette's father intensely appraising him. Ash got the distinct feeling that the older man wanted him to back down.
Oh, no you don't, Ash thought, his grin fading as he steadily met the older man's gaze. I've seen worse than you on my good days. I don't care if you ARE her father.
The staring went on for a long moment, Ash respectfully holding his own as Mary-Lynnette's father went through some sort of judgment, almost as if he could tell Ash's worth from his eyes alone. After a short while, her father moved forward, resting his arms on the table and reaching for his mug. "I like him," he informed Mary-Lynnette, sipping his coffee.
Mary-Lynnette let out a sigh that she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "That's good to know," she said, relaxing for the first time that evening and resting against the back of her chair.
Giving her a patient look, her father dryly remarked, "Any young man that you feel is so important for me to like that you go an entire dinner without saying more than a handful of words must indeed be unique."
Blushing, Mary-Lynnette muttered, "I just wanted you to get to know him."
Ash sat back and watched the interaction between father and daughter with interest, sensing that there was something important that needed to be communicated between the two.
Her father glanced at him again before his eyes returned to his daughter – eyes, Ash noted ironically, that very much-resembled Mary-Lynnette's. "And I think I have," her father answered. "I may not have a sense of all of the details, but my feeling is that I can trust you with him."
Mary-Lynnette turned to look at Ash and gave him a smile. "You can," she affirmed, reaching under the tablecloth to gently squeeze his hand. "We may have our differences," she observed, Ash's lips twitching in amusement (You can say that again), "And even though he was showing you his good side tonight... I know for certain that he is trustworthy."
Arching an eyebrow (another trait that the father and daughter seemed to share, Ash noted), her father questioned, "Good side?" His eyes narrowed speculatively, "Would this have anything to do with all the kickboxing you two seem drawn into?"
Letting go of his hand, Mary-Lynnette crossed her arms and muttered, "Every kick he's ever received from me was a kick that he deserved." Giving Ash a look that assured him that she had remembered the verbal liberties he'd taken earlier and that she had no intention of going easy on him, she added: "Sometimes 'he inspires neither love, nor fear, nor even respect. He inspires uneasiness.'"
"Well it's not like it's easy to tell what kind of response you want from me," Ash pointed out, crossing his arms and grumbling at his soulmate. "You were so quiet this evening, that 'whether you meant war, or peace, or prayer, I could not tell.'"
Somewhat stunned at the display between the two teens, her father eventually let out a chuckle. "Heart of Darkness, hmm?" Standing and picking up his coffee mug and dessert plate, he stepped around his chair on his way to the kitchen and commented, "If both of you can quote from Joseph Conrad, then I've no doubt you'll have a most interesting trip."
Mark and Jade sat on the front porch swing, the female vampire nestled comfortably against the human boy while the two enjoyed a quiet moment in the early summer evening. Light conversation had died some time ago, leaving the couple to their own thoughts; although Jade knew she'd have to leave soon to feed, she wasn't quite ready to give up the comfort of resting against her boyfriend.
Besides, she wanted to see what would happen when Mary-Lynnette and Ash finished dessert.
Tugging absently at a loose thread on Mark's shirtsleeve, Jade reflected on how much happier Mary-Lynnette looked now that Ash was back in town. Although the older girl hadn't necessarily seemed unhappy while her soulmate had been away, there was a different sparkle in her eyes now that he was back.
Even if some of it's because he makes her mad.
Turning her head up to look at her own boyfriend, Jade had to admit that although Mark made her feel many things, anger was not one of them. That was one of the reasons she liked being with him – they never got mad at each other. She didn't know if this meant that different people were different kinds of soulmates, or if it meant people that didn't argue weren't really soulmates, or if -
"You look like you're thinking about something," he said.
Bringing his fingers up to her mouth, she kissed them delicately, teasing one of her canines with his fingertip and enjoying the ache it produced as her body reminded her that she really should go and feed soon. "We don't argue with each other," she observed. "Not like Mary-Lynnette and Ash do."
Irony heavy in his voice, Mark responded, "Mary-Lynnette argues with everybody."
Feeling the need to point out the obvious to him, Jade said, "But she argues with Ash the most. Is it because they're soulmates? You and I don't argue."
Mark shrugged, shifting his weight so that he could draw her closer and gently kiss her temple. "I think they argue because of who they are. He's sarcastic and she's too serious. He has to prove something and she's judging him." He rolled his eyes. "Each wants to jump the other, but both are too scared to do much besides hold hands."
Jade blinked serenely, pondering Mark's answer as the last of the sun's gentle light disappeared, leaving behind a cloudy night sky. Mark let her take her time to gather her thoughts, knowing that his patience would be rewarded with a seemingly simple but deadly insightful observation.
"So they should stop being scared and just jump each other?"
Mark snorted, causing the swing to sway back and forth a little. "That could be one solution," he answered, chuckling when Jade looked up at him intently. "Another could be that they just need more time together."
"He needs to prove himself – to her, and to himself," she stated, finally deciding to yield to her hunger and get ready for the evening's hunt, even if it meant missing out on seeing Ash and Mary-Lynnette. Sitting up, she added, "So that means that you can still be soulmates but not fight?"
Mark blushed, feeling a little overwhelmed by her earnest question. "I think so," he said.
Jade nodded, getting up and giving a little cat-like stretch. "That's good. I like thinking you're my soulmate, especially since we don't argue." Here she made a face, "I think I'd get tired of that."
Mark grinned, appreciating her honesty but feeling slightly hesitant to return it. Taking her hand and squeezing it gently, he asked, "Are you going out, now?"
She nodded. "Yes. I'm hungry."
Standing up next to her, Mark was about to offer his company when the front door opened and Mary-Lynnette and Ash came out of the house.
"You just had to show off, didn't you? You couldn't make it through an entire meal without telling half-truths and puns?"
"Oh, come on. It's not like he knows, and I seriously doubt he could guess from what I said. He probably just thinks I'm just weird."
"That's because you are."
Mark and Jade stood still and stared at the other couple, partly in amusement and partly in practiced patience, as Mary-Lynnette rolled her eyes at her soulmate before hopping off the porch to head in the direction of her hill. Ash followed her and took her hand, giving her a playful nudge to counteract her sour expression. Looking up at his sister, Ash opened his mouth as if to say something, but decided against it, choosing simply to wave before the pair walked off into the night. The last that either Mark or Jade heard of them was Ash retorting: "Oh, stop being such a drama queen! He said he liked me!"
Slapping his forehead, Mark muttered, "Those two."
No, Jade thought to herself, reaching up to kiss Mark on the cheek before she went off to hunt, it's much better to be with somebody that you don't always argue with.
"You're such a pain," Mary-Lynnette observed, keeping her eyes forward as they walked up the hill. Looking up, she noticed that the sky was completely overcast, adding to her slightly grouchy mood.
"Well that feeling is mutual," he grumbled, shoving his free hand into his pants pocket.
"What do you mean by that?"
Running his hand through his hair, Ash sighed with frustration, "I tried to make a good impression on your parents and it worked. Now you're all snarky because I told a few inside jokes."
"And spent half of dinner in telepathic conversations with your sisters, and went over the top with gifts for Dad and Claudine. And, you know, those inside jokes were just ways to flaunt the truth just because you could!"
"But he doesn't even know! And he's agreed to the trip! It all worked out!"
"That's not the point. It's the principle of the thing!" she retorted. Although the conversation had begun with her feeling nothing more than mildly exasperated, the discussion was aggravating her emotions, and she could feel her anger rising to the occasion almost against her will.
"What? You're mad because I had some fun with the truth? Why can't you just focus on the part where I got his approval?" His eyes rapidly shifted into different colors as he grew more agitated. So caught up were the two that they didn't notice as they moved closer to each other, their other hands coming up to cling together.
Although Mary-Lynnette was proud of him, and although she knew in her heart of hearts that Ash had done an amazing job with her father (despite the puns), she couldn't seem to stop and use logic to get rid of her anger. She discovered that she liked being mad at him – it brought together all of her confusing emotions and made things seem clearer.
"The principle," she gritted out, narrowing her eyes at him and imagining that the pink haze forming around them the closer they got to one another was a metaphysical representation of her irritation, "is that you didn't take it seriously. I thought you were supposed to be growing up!"
"You're calling me immature?" He asked, completely aghast.
"If the shoe fits," she tossed back.
"Just because I told some jokes?"
"Because you were totally irresponsible with the truth and made inappropriate jokes." Dropping his hands and crossing her arms, Mary-Lynnette scowled at him before adding, "And you made your family sound like the Brady Bunch."
Eyes wide, Ash sputtered for a few moments before finally exclaiming: "What else was I supposed to say, Mary-Lynnette? 'Hi, Dad! I'm your daughter's vampire soulmate. Forget Boston - I grew up in an enclave off of the east coast. Where is it, you ask? Well, here's the thing, I can't tell you! You see, if I told you, I'd have to kill you. No, seriously! You, and your family, and the entire town. I was raised to think human were vermin, after all.'"
Oh, no, Mary-Lynnette thought in a panic, realizing that they had gotten completely carried away. I didn't want this!
"'Well, actually,'" Ash continued, his eyes nearly flashing with colors, "'That's what I would have done a year ago. I'd have actually done the killing – remember, you're all vermin. That is, that's what I thought until I met your daughter. Then, well Dad, this is going to sound weird, but she sort of saved my soul. Even though I was a totally even bastard, she actually gave me a chance. So I went back to try to fix things, and in that time period, I just haven't had time for college. Maybe after I help to unite the Nightworld and the Dayworld, you and I could go out for a beer. I'll probably be 21 by then – perfectly legal by human standards – and we can chat about politics, the economy, and professional football!'" Finished with his rampage, Ash stood as if he were bracing against an attack, his breathing labored and his eyes looking slightly wild.
Mary-Lynnette was stunned.
I didn't want to hurt him. I didn't want him to tell me those things just because I hurt him.
"Evil bastard ..."
Oh, God.
Ash, do you really think that?
Mary-Lynnette was so ashamed of herself, she could barely find the strength to meet his eyes, feeling tears spring to the surface of her own.
You are not going to cry, she sternly told herself. You will not make this about you.
As usual, her body refused her mental command and she was left with tears softly streaking down her face. Still, she kept looking at Ash, trying to find a way to repair the damage she'd done.
Ash's thoughts and emotions were chaotic at best. Released from the stress of the evening, faced with a growing hunger from not having fed yet, confused and scared that Mary-Lynnette was rejecting him before he'd been back with her a full day, and angry that she wouldn't give him more of a chance, he was dangerously close to a breaking point. His canines ached with his hunter's need to protect himself, and his senses were more acute, picking up the scent of wildlife nearby.
After a few moments of silence, those same acute senses picked up on the scent of salt and wetness. Shaking his head to clear his vision, he finally made out Mary-Lynnette's figure through the pink haze around him, and was first surprised to see her so close to him, and then mortified to see that she was weeping.
I made her cry again.
"Mary-" he coughed, clearing his throat. "Mary-Lynnette. I'm ... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you cry."
She didn't answer, and instead kept looking at him, her blue eyes wise and almost sorrowful in the evening light. Ash could do nothing but look back, his own gaze revealing the raw quality of his emotions.
Mary-Lynnette suddenly remembered another time, another place, where they had looked at each other much the same way – like hurt kids. On his aunt's front porch, just before he'd left last year, she'd felt with certainty that what they'd needed was to physically connect with each other but she'd almost been unable to do it. And when she had, it had been sudden and quick, like rusty mechanical gears haltingly scraping against each other within a machine. Like the gears, she and Ash were supposed to click together, but it was almost impossible because of all that was between them.
Is that what I need to do, now? Do I need to show him that I'm here? That I'm not angry with him? It was all just emotion, just stupid, illogical emotion. I wasn't even really angry before.
Should I just fix it? Just tell him that it's all okay - that I love him?
Biting her lip, she slowly closed the distance between them, reaching up for the first time since they'd known each other to thread her fingers through his hair. It felt silky in her hands, and she became slightly fixated on weaving her fingers through the golden strands. The contact brought them together, the sparks fizzing off of her fingertips as their bodies met. Still, despite the physical connection, something was still blocking her from feeling his emotions – there was still too much pain surrounding them.
Glancing away from her hand, she saw that Ash was staring at her, his eyes having settled to the most intense green she'd ever seen them. His breathing had quieted, and she knew he was waiting to see what she would do.
You told me once, she thought, reaching up to kiss his forehead and sensing from the shudder that ran through his body that she'd done the right thing. Moving to his temple, she slowly worked down his face with soft kisses, stopping just before she got to his lips.
But did I ever tell you?
"Ash," she said, drawing his face down to rest his forehead against her own, "I ... I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't want to hurt you. I'm not sure why ..."
Why was she still so afraid?
Say it, Mary-Lynnette. You've got to tell him. He has to know.
You're the one who has to start growing up.
"But, no matter what … I love you," Mary-Lynnette whispered, the pain she felt finally receding so that she could once again sense him. She could feel his surprise – she could feel his elation.
Knowing how happy she'd made him almost worsened the guilt, given how long it had taken her to actually make the confession.
Through their soulmate bond, Ash knew that Mary-Lynnette was telling the truth. In actuality, he'd known for some time how she felt about him, but it was something entirely different to hear her say it. It was a declaration, a step – a sign of growing trust.
She loves me.
"And," she continued, not sure what to make of the new world she'd created now that that Ash had heard her feelings, but certain that if she kept talking then things would work out, "I am proud of you. You really impressed my dad. I don't know why I got so upset. I was fine ... but then … I guess it's just something you do to me."
Tilting her face up to finally kiss him, she added, "I'm the one that's sorry."
They melted into the kiss, both of their nerves frayed from the unexpected argument. The action was almost desperate as they used touch to assure themselves that the other was there, that neither one had been rejected in light of the harsh words and accusations.
In contrast to their earlier arguing, Mary-Lynnette found the haze and the sparks to be wonderful. Although she could still feel the walls between them, although things weren't completely better yet, they were healing. Ash was strong against her, and she felt an instinctive need to let him fully support her – to let him carry her through anything just because he could and she knew that he would.
Pulling away breathlessly, both shivering from the intensity of the moment, she compromised between her fears and her instincts, leaning into him slightly so that he could hug her. They stood there for long moments: Ash holding her, Mary-Lynnette letting herself be held. After some time, she sighed and murmured, "I guess we still have a lot to talk about."
Ash shifted, and Mary-Lynnette pulled back slightly so she could see his face. "What is it?"
Ash had a faraway look in his eyes, but then he turned to meet her gaze. "Has it occurred to you that you and I haven't done much besides talk?"
Thinking of that morning's "conversation" by the car, she didn't get much further than a blush before he amended, "You know what I mean. We haven't done a lot of things together."
"We solved a murder case," she pointed out. "And killed a werewolf."
Rolling his eyes, he retorted, "Yeah, those were great dates."
Smiling slightly, she admitted, "I see what you mean. What do you suggest, then?"
After a heartbeat, he responded: "Let's leave for Vegas. Now. Tonight."
Mary-Lynnette blinked. "That was random."
"Not really."
She stepped back, feeling slightly giddy when he kept a hold on her hands. Peering at him, she asked, "You're really serious about this, aren't you?"
Ash nodded, looking at her earnestly. "I'm tired of talking. We should do something – anything. We need to interact more. I want to learn more about you by being with you."
Slightly flustered, Mary-Lynnette protested, "Ash, I'd need a few days to get ready."
"What do you need to do?"
"Pack," she supplied. "And do laundry before that."
"That takes five hours, tops."
"But I'd need time to let my dad know."
Ash gave her an amused glance, "That takes half an hour."
Feeling backed into a corner, she offered, "And money. I'd need to go to the bank and withdraw some of my graduation money for the trip."
Ash looked mildly offended. "I'm paying for it."
Dropping her hands and crossing her arms, she exclaimed, "Absolutely not!"
"Why?"
"Because! I can't let you pay for everything – that's insanely expensive!"
He shrugged, "I can afford it. Property and stocks, remember?" Seeing that she was going to protest again, he added, "Think of it as your graduation present. I still feel bad that I didn't go."
At a loss, Mary-Lynnette wasn't sure what else to cling to besides sheer stubbornness. Still, the whole trip? Eventually she said, "Okay ... what if we compromise?"
Ash arched his eyebrow. "What do you have in mind?"
"I know you have the money, but I still feel weird having you pay for everything. So, if you let me handle gas, and all the food I eat while we travel, I'll let you pay for everything else."
Nodding, Ash prodded, "And we leave tonight?"
Mary-Lynnette corrected, "And we leave the day after tomorrow. I still want one day to make sure I have everything."
Figuring that that was the best he was going to get, Ash smiled, taking her hands again and pulling her up against him. Giving her one last, lingering hug, she smiled at him as he released her, knowing that he needed to feed. Watching him as he jogged towards the woods, Mary-Lynnette wondered when she had gone from marching into gardens to dig up supposed buried bodies to being frightened of a car trip.
I guess, she mused, walking back to her house, it all happened when I found out that I have more to lose now than just myself.
And you are all now officially welcomed to Earthdragonette's World of Angst. Don't worry, there will be more than enough comedy and fluffiness to balance out the tugging on heartstrings. I like happy endings, after all.
The next update should, in theory, be on Monday. If it's going to be late, I'll post it in my profile. Any reviews between now and then would be greatly appreciated
Until next time!