Second Chances
Chapter 3: Angel Arms
By: IMBSA and KAHBG
IMBSA: Sorry for the long wait, but, I've been on restriction and whether or not I still am is up in the air right now, so I've decided to take advantage of the chaos and post this. We have a nice, long chapter for you today, so be happy. Oh, and I'm not sure if they're still allowing songfics on this site, so if I get in trouble, it's you guys' fault.
Disclaimer: "It's not the wind that cracked your shoulder/And threw you to the ground/Who's there that makes you so afraid/You're shaken to the bone/You know I don't understand/You deserve so much more than this"
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Murrue awoke to the alarm clock screaming in her ear. Cracking one eye open slightly and shutting the clock's alarm off, she looked at the timepiece to discern what ungodly hour it was. 5:45 am. Groaning slightly as she pushed herself off the comfy mattress, she exited, intent on the bathroom.
While in the hallway, she gave a small jump when a mumbled cry from the guest bedroom reached her. Peeking in, she saw Mwu tangled up in the blankets on the bed. As she watched, he muttered another, incoherent word, and turned over.
Murrue smiled. 'Talking in his sleep, just like he did on the Archangel', she thought to herself. She returned to the bathroom. Stripping off her blue nightgown, she turned on the water to take a quick shower.
Halfway through, she heard a muffled thud followed by a sarcastic "Ow…." Murrue quickly wrapped a towel around herself and hurried to his room, convinced that he had somehow hurt himself. She didn't even shut the water off.
Both relieved and amused when she saw Mwu picking himself off the floor and pushing the sheets back on the bed, Murrue still had to make sure he was all right.
"I'm fine," Mwu replied when she'd asked him. "Just fell out of bed while sleeping." He sighed, and then remarked, mock-ruefully, "Happens all the time."
Once assured that no harm had befallen him, Murrue became painfully aware of her dripping body and the thinness of the towel she wore. A ruddy glow formed in her cheeks as Mwu's eyes lingered where the blue cloth ended and the pale skin of her thigh began.
"I could get used to this," Mwu told her, eyes sparkling rakishly.
Beyond blushing now, Murrue murmured, "Sorry," before running back to the bathroom for all she was worth.
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"Where are we going again?" Asked Mwu from the front seat of the car as Murrue pulled out of the driveway.
"The school I teach at to drop off some plans." She replied, looking into her rear-view mirror.
"Why? You don't trust the kids to direct themselves for one day?"
"They're third graders, Mwu. They still need me to hold their hands a bit."
"Ah," He answered, as though that explained it all.
Murrue sighed. "Besides, it's not for 'just a day', it's for the entire week."
"An entire week?" He smirked, cocking an eyebrow. "Wonder what you've got planned."
Lips twitching slightly upward, Murrue responded, "I have to get you acclimated if you're going to live with me into the unforeseeable future."
"What could have possibly changed?"
"You'd be surprised, Mwu. It's been three years since…." She swallowed against the lump that had suddenly formed in her throat. She couldn't bear speaking those words.
Fortunately, Mwu understood. His eyes softened and his voice was a touch more gentle than usual. "Hey, it's ok. It's a whole week I've got you to myself." His voice and expression turned slyly seductive. "What's a couple to do when they have an entire week alone?"
Murrue had no answer—none that would be appropriate, anyway. She didn't think that she was ready to go that far with someone she didn't completely trust. And she still didn't completely trust him. So she chose to remain silent, and silent it remained until they pulled into the parking lot of the school. She parked the car, but didn't get out.
"Mwu. In order to keep us safe, Orb allowed us to change our names to prevent us from being charged for any war crimes the Earth Alliance would find us guilty for. So when we're not alone, it's Maria."
"Got it."
"And, please, stay in the car."
Mwu made a show of rolling his eyes. "Yes mother."
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It wasn't as easy as it sounded. Every minute that passed by made Mwu more and more anxious. Maybe because it had been less than a day since they had been reunited, maybe just because being blasted to smithereens had put his nerves on edge.
Whatever the case, Mwu was almost screaming in frustration when Murrue came back to the car at least thirty minutes later. As happy as he was to see her, Mwu could tell that she was angry even before she'd slammed the door and muttered, "Bastard," in an uncharacteristic fit of rage.
Mwu cocked his head to the side. "What happened?"
"Nothing," was the sullen reply as the engine started up and they pulled out of the parking spot. Mwu continued to stare at her, an unconvinced look on his face. With a weary sigh, she gave in. "The principal. He chewed me out for taking such a long leave of absence. He cornered me in the mailroom and said that I didn't look sick. Believe me, I would've been out a lot sooner if he hadn't stopped me. Bastard," she repeated under her breath.
Within ten minutes they had arrived at Murrue's—well, their house. Before Murrue could exit the car of her own accord, Mwu jumped out and opened her door for her, extending his arm with a kind of half-bow. "An escort for the lady?" He asked mock-poshly.
Smiling radiantly, Murrue took his hand, allowing him to pull her up and into his warm embrace. She also let him plant a firm kiss on her lips while he closed the car door. A few moments later, they entered the house, intent on not wasting their week.
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The week passed quickly and without great incident. Mwu and Murrue slipped into a comfortable routine. They spent days on end together, not speaking, just holding one another and living in each other. Sometimes, though, Murrue thought that it was too good to be true. She'd lie awake in bed, thinking about the man sleeping across the hall.
"Why can't I believe him?" She asked herself on one such a night. "He's proved himself a thousand times over. He has to be him. But…how?"
She had no answers, none she was completely sure of. Alone, her fears and doubts crept over her, stealing away all her certainty. But one look at Mwu's strong frame and all those feelings were banished. It gave her no more assuredness than her other state of being but filled her with a sweet desire that had only overtaken her with Mwu.
Her eyes were drooping closed when she thought she heard some type of piteous moan—like an injured animal. Her eyes snapped open, recalling similar noises from various points during the night from the beginning of the week. She tried to pinpoint it, but it did not sound again until she was sound asleep.
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The next day was Sunday and marked the end of their (more or less) blissful vacation.
Mwu came wearily down the stairs to the kitchen, slumping into one of the chairs around the table as Murrue busied herself with making breakfast. When she noticed him in the chair, she started violently, almost dropping the pan in the process.
"Good morning." She said after a moment. "I didn't hear you come in."
"Sorry," he replied, groaning slightly as he stretched, groan turning into a yawn half-way through.
Setting down the skillet, Murrue went to him, concern evident in her eyes. "What's wrong?" She asked, gently hugging him from behind.
"Ah, didn't sleep well." He answered with a noncommittal shrug. "Not like I do anyway." He smirked slyly up at her. Murrue smiled and rolled her eyes, much more relaxed than the night before. She kissed him lightly on the cheek before returning to the stove.
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"Let me get that." Before Murrue could protest, Mwu swept the plates that had held their breakfast out of her hands. "You made breakfast; I sat on my ass. I wash the dishes….You wash dishes too."
Murrue shook her head slightly. "No. You wash; I dry the dishes."
Mwu smirked and set the plates on the table. "That's only after everything that fits in the sink is clean." He wandered off to the side of the room, his back to Murrue.
"What are you—". Her inquiry was cut short by the gentle waft of music emitting from the stereo. The first sweet piano notes of Sarah McLachlan's "Angel" reached their ears, soft at first. Then a seraph's voice sounded:
Spend all your time waiting
For that second chance
For a break that would make it okay
There's always some reason
To feel not good enough
And it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
Oh, beautiful release
Memory seeps from my veins
Let me be empty and weightless
And maybe I'll find some peace tonight
"Or," Mwu turned and walked back to Murrue and put his arms around her , right hand on her waist, left at the small of her back, pulling her towards him. "We could dance instead." He whispered into her ear. Murrue shivered , arms automatically locking behind his neck. Slowly, they began swaying from side to side, moving to the beat.
In the arms of the angel
Fly away from here
From this dark, cold hotel room
And the endlessness that you fear
You are pulled from the wreckage
Of your silent reverie
You're in the arms of the angel
May you find some comfort there
They rotated on the spot, moving together until Murrue's head rested on Mwu's chest and his arms completely encircled her body. Her hands had moved down to lie on his shoulders. The dishes lay forgotten on the table and in the sink. Other than the song, not another sound was heard, except for the slow scuffs of their feet.
So tired of the straight line
And everywhere you turn
There's vultures and thieves at your back
And the storm keeps on twisting
You keep on building the lie
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference
Escaping one last time
It's easier to believe
In this sweet madness
Oh this glorious sadness
That brings me to my knees
Murrue closed her eyes and let the scent of Mwu wash over her; that intensely familiar male smell that all at once charmed her and made her feel safe. Truly, if angels really were able to descend to earth, Mwu had to be one of them. When she looked back at all he had done, he seemed all too good for her, as though she didn't deserve him. But as she clung to him for dear life, she knew she would never give him up for anything. She was glad he had come back to her.
That thought surprised her. Did she believe him? She smiled as she realized that she did.
Mwu too was indulging in the smell of Murrue, the one that always seemed to excite his senses no matter what. He rested his chin on the top of her head as they danced, pushing himself closer, if that was possible, to Murrue. As he inhaled the scent that clung to her hair, an intense desire stirred within him. He wanted her so badly in that moment. He needed her. Though he was in his arms, somehow, he ached for more.
Gently, he tilted head, removing it from his chest, and lowered his mouth to hers. A bit taken aback at this action, Murrue could do almost nothing but kiss him back. If she had been holding onto him tightly before, it was nothing compared to what she was doing now. They had stopped dancing completely and everything in the kitchen, the music, even the world, slid away, leaving the two in their embrace. Mwu deepened the kiss, pushing Murrue's head forward with a hand. She went willingly, moaning slightly as the kiss became more passionate, more desperate. Murrue's eyes opened slowly, though her mind protested slightly to herself. Her gaze moved around the room, falling on a figure behind Mwu, shadowed in the kitchen doorway.
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IMBSA: Dum dum dum….I'm sorry, I couldn't resist…. :smiles innocently: Oh, invisible johnny will hate me for sure….FYI, this will probably be the last chapter for awhile. Report cards are coming out soon….And I doubt my parents will be very sympathetic to my cause….So be patient! R & R!
Lady Une-Chan a.k.a. Mirai: Thanks for the review!
REDKC: Hey hey bro! I'm sure there are better emoticons than the ones we're coming up with….
Yun Fei: We're still kinda…figuring that out too.
ShinigamiZero16: I checked it out, and I agree with you. Mwu definitely seems alive as Neo. I just hope they don't kill him off for real this time….That would suck ass….
Tori-kun: KAHBG! How goes it? Thanks for reviewing…your own…story….
Chayla Manzable: Permission granted::winces in anticipation:
Mangamaniac: Good to here you like it, but please, we don't effing know how he survived. We're trying to come up with a reason. You have a suggestion, we'd be glad to hear it. :grumbles to self darkly: Uh, I'll try to read your fic, but like I said, I'm probably going to be on restriction. But I'll definitely try.
Anonymous: Well, we don't really plan to have other characters brought in, but….Eh. And I understand what you mean about the shortage. I feel it too, man, I feel it. Sorry, I'm watching "Aliens" as I type this and Hudson just melted down again…so, yeah….Well, I've only watched the dubs too, and I'm trying to get the episode summaries for Destiny, but mahqdotnet is just failing me in that respect. Thanks for the review!
Darth Riven: Thanks for the positive feedback, dude. I agree with you, even though I haven't actually watched the thing, I've seen screenshots, and I'm beginning to love life again.
Kurama-kawai: You're right; there aren't. I'd really like it if more of them cropped up. :cough, cough, hint, hint, hack, wheeze:
Reader of Many: Hey, hey, hey don't go pointing the finger at anyone. Do you know how hard it is to write decent stuff and maintain good grades? Sometimes one must sacrifice quantity for quality. :nod nod: Well, anyway, thankies!
Wandering Cat: Um, a Padawan is Star Wars Jedi terminology for an apprentice. It's my saying…kinda….So….Yeah. Well, Mwu's…been as good as dead for a couple of years. Abnormalities are to be expected. I liked that method of reuniting them too. What else says "It's me, honey, your former lover you thought was dead" other than almost getting run over? Don't feel bad; I laughed too. In fact, I laughed while Kira cried too. I'm so heartless. Who was the guy who shot Patrick? To me, thinking back on it, it kinda looked like Nicol's father. But then again, my memories not the best, so I could be wrong and he was just nameless cannon fodder. You're welcome for the uplifting of the soul or whatever….
invisible johnny: Are you kidding me? I couldn't move for about an hour after he died, I was crying too hard. It was a happy ending, but too happy for my tastes. I don't know. Mwu was dead and everyone besides Murrue was all happy and crap. It just didn't seem right to me. I really got off my ass to type up this chapter for you. Your review….Well, it made me do it. Thanks for being so supportive and patient. I apologize for not updating sooner, but….:sigh: It's hard. :blush: My writing really does have that much of an effect on you?
Dark Roxy: Of course you know it'll turn out all right. Or will it? Dum dum dum. Thanks for your support! You were heart broken? I felt like dying or something.
KC: Well, here's the next one!
SilverCannon: Thanks for reviewing!
Murrue Ramius: O.o Really? Well, I'm glad to help. Thanks!
Seigi-san: Thank you! They're my fave too. Sometimes, though, other couplings overtake me, but I always come back to M/M. I'll try making it longer….