(Two)
Kimble made his way to the cage, still disoriented and upset from his dream. Fallen wasn't on the bed so he went into her bathroom. He found her there, nestled comfortably asleep on the floor in a tangle of blankets. She'd taken to sleeping in here now for the privacy. He went to the sink and turned on the faucet. He greedily cupped water to his mouth with his hands and drank heavily, unmindful of the mess he made. It tasted sweet and wonderful and he felt refreshed. He splashed some more over his face and wiped away the fog that had clouded him. He dried off and grabbed a cigarette from the glass jar. When Fallen finally woke from his noise, he'd composed himself well enough that she couldn't tell he'd been wrecked when he'd come up from below.
She rolled over and looked up at him smiling. "Good morrow," she whispered.
"Good morrow."
He came over and crouched down next to her, touching her face to absorb some of her power and recharge. His fingers glowed blue from the contact and he smiled, easily amused. She laughed at his wonder and he leaned down to kiss her, glad that she seemed better from all of her rest. He brushed her face, leaving his hand there to keep absorbing her power. Her power restored him and he felt strong up here above her, like he could protect her from anything.
"Ya looks better," he said finally.
"I feel better. Stronger. Thanks to you."
"Won't be thankin' me when ya stop takin' the Lightnin'. 'S gonna suck big time."
"It won't be so bad this time, I can feel it. You didn't give me as much as I was taking before. I don't feel like I need it as much and I want to start cutting back as soon as possible."
"Yer already takin' only half. Ya shure ya wanna go with less?"
"Yes. I'll be all right with you and Seth watching over me."
"All right. You start slippin' an I'll up it back, 'kay?"
She smiled at that, he was such a Mother Hen. "Fine."
"Right. Ya hungry?"
"Yes, but I want to shower first."
"How 'bouts a bath?"
"Takes too long. There are some things I want to do."
"Like what? Alls we gots is time, darlin'."
She didn't answer him but rose stiffly instead and yawned. She started to undress, struggling weakly with her pants. Even she found crooked cat legs a hassle when it came to clothing. Kimble stood and helped her, trying to ignore the heat of her naked body so close to his. She turned on the water and stepped into the shower on wobbly legs, prompting him to take her arm and steady her along. She hadn't eaten as much as he'd hoped and she still looked so thin and frail. Seeing that she was going to need his support, he went right into the shower with her, still holding her up.
She looked back at him gratefully, but laughed when she saw he was still dressed. "You'll get soaked!" she said.
"It's jus' my 'skin', baby doll. My pants don' really git wet."
She looked at him closely and saw he was right. The water beaded and rolled off of his legs as though his pants were his skin for real. They didn't absorb the water.
"Could you take them off if you wanted to?" Fallen asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
"I reckon so, but I don't see the point of it really. Don' wants ta start sumpthin' we ain't gonna finish," he said, propping her up and lathering up her hair. He scrubbed her scalp with his usual vigor and she mistook it for him being upset by her question.
"Don't be mad," she said softly.
"I ain't mad about nuthin'," he replied honestly with a laugh. "It's jus' how things are, that's all. I don' spend hours an hours worryin' about it so neither should you."
She leaned forward and rinsed out her hair. He was very patient and held onto her so she wouldn't fall. He waited until she had rinsed all the shampoo out before asking, "So what's yer big plan fer today?"
"I'm going to try and talk with Valentin."
Kimble grunted. "That'll be a fine waste of time." He gave her the soap.
"Well, time is something I have plenty of right now, so I can't see how it could hurt."
"You'll take it easy, right?"
"Don't worry. I'll be careful."
She lathered and rinsed off quickly, grabbing a towel on her way out.
Kimble stood where he was, feeling the water run off of him. He'd forgotten how nice a hot shower was and the wonderful smell of her soaps filled his senses. His inner core was cold and anything warm that touched him gave him an extra thrill. He tarried, washing himself so he'd have her smell and watched her dress through the curtain.
He wanted her body badly, but was doing his best to choke it back. He knew it was only for his own personal gratification at this point and nothing more, except perhaps to make her happy, to make her laugh and have fun. He enjoyed her happiness more than anything. It was the only thing that made him feel alive and valuable. He loved her dearly, but wasn't truly in love with her. He'd been there once so very long ago and he knew what it was like to have that absolute, perfect love. This wasn't it. Perhaps he resented her just a little for not using him properly from the beginning and so never fell completely. He was never meant to fly ships or be a mechanic as she had him do, he wanted to play and explore and make love with anyone who was willing, enjoying himself as much as possible. He would lay down his life for her but it was because she was family. She belonged to Seth heart and soul and he knew it. Kimble wondered if she really understood how much he cared about the two of them. He knew she sometimes dismissed him as frivolous and insensitive.
He stepped out of the shower and shared her towel. She stood quietly while he brushed out her hair and fussed over her, loving his caring and attention. It was familiar and comforting to have him there helping her and she told him so, making him smile and laugh again. Finally he was satisfied she was as beautiful as she was going to get and they left the lav for the galley.
Valentin watched them pass from the doorway of their prison. Kimble put an arm on Fallen's shoulder protectively and steered her to the galley, nodding at Henry who was on guard duty.
Gambit greeted them as they entered, glad to see they both looked better rested. He'd cooked another fabulous meal, careful not to use any meat. Logan had removed the stash anyway, but he wasn't taking any chances. He set a plate down in front of Fallen and watched with contentment as she ate.
Maylee was there too, cleaning up the dishes. She smiled at Fallen and Kimble. She still hadn't formally apologized to Kimble yet. She wasn't quite sure what to say and was hoping to catch him in a quiet moment so she wouldn't have to speak in front of the others. Kimble returned her smile and she resolved to find the time to set things right between them.
Logan leaned against the wall in his usual slouch, smoking with one thumb hooked on his pants pocket as his eyes tracked Kimble's every movement. He didn't trust the holographic pilot one bit and wasn't quite sure what to do with him just yet. It was probably too much to ask for that Kimble would calm down and be good for a while.
Fallen ate in silence, enjoying Remy's cooking and contemplating her next move. She knew she had to try and negotiate with Valentin, but wasn't sure what to say. She knew he could still hold sway over her. She would have to be calm and try not to let him rattle her.
Henry came into the galley looking for breakfast and Logan walked out to relieve him as guard on the Clan. Fallen watched this changing of the guard with trepidation. She really didn't want to try and talk to Valentin with Wolverine there, but she was afraid that if she waited too long, she would lose her nerve. She finished her food quickly and stood up to leave. Kimble questioned her with his eyes and she told him to stay in Siskan.
He obeyed, quiet.
The others watched her leave. They could tell she was up to something so Gambit moved to the doorway to watch her. He shuffled some cards, but didn't follow.
Fallen walked confidently to the doorway of the barracks. Logan was seated in the first row of the passenger seats. He had his back to the wall and had started a game of solitaire. He watched her come, but didn't move or speak.
Fallen stood in the doorway and called to Valentin. He came to the door slowly, taking his time. He leaned against the doorjamb and slouched arrogantly. "What."
"Will you speak with me?" Fallen asked, not the least bit intimidated.
"Anything for you, my love." His words dripped with malice.
Fallen looked at Wolverine. "Could we have some privacy?"
"Nope. You didn't stop him from takin' us in. How do I know ya won't let him out? Think I'll just stay here and keep an eye on ya," he replied with a cocky smile.
Fallen considered using her telekinesis to forcibly remove him, but figured it wasn't worth the hassle he'd give her for it later. She closed her eyes for a moment and compartmentalized him out of her mind. She knelt down on the floor in the submissive female posture and waited. Valentin snickered and sat down in front of her, eager to begin the game.
They regarded each other as if there was no force field separating them. She made no comment about the damage Wolverine had done to his face though she hadn't known about it.
Valentin lit a cigarette and blew smoke. "What do you want, pilot?"
"It's time we re-evaluated the nature of our relationship."
"There's nothing to discuss. You are my wife." His voice was firm.
She cocked her head and smiled at him wryly. "Not any more. I renounce the Clan. We will not be returning to Cerise."
He just laughed. "You became Clan the moment the Dognan took you. They changed you. We set you free. There's no walking away."
"I gave my ten years as asked."
"Yes, you did. And what a fine service you gave. But your crime, Fallen. Now that is another matter."
Fallen looked down and smoothed imaginary wrinkles on her pants with her small white hands. "I have paid my debt. For every life I took, I saved five from the same fate. I served the Clan in ways beyond any other pilot."
"You kept secrets from us," Valentin interrupted. "This ship is a prime example."
"I never hid Lucky from you."
"No. Just the technology in it and everything else that mattered. The Siskans?"
"Are none of your concern. This is between you and me."
"You and me," he repeated softly, smoking. The light screen between them wasn't the only barrier that separated them. "Tell me, Fallen, all those times you got sick...Your 'spells'...You were murdering my children, weren't you? Your black haired freak said as much."
Fallen swallowed heavily and put her head down. "Yes," she replied softly.
"How many?" Valentin asked next through tightly gritted teeth.
"Six." Her voice was so low, Logan wasn't sure if Valentin even heard it.
"You bitch!" Valentin muttered, confirming that he had. "And the last time?"
"About four months ago."
"I forbid you to do that again! You had no right!"
"Doesn't matter now. I haven't bled since the last. I don't think I can bear anymore," she said quietly, not really wanting to talk about it.
"Why?"
"Why did I do it? Because you're a monster. I would not have your offspring loose in this world," she said quickly.
Valentin only snorted at her words. "Please! Now tell me the real reason."
Fallen paused a moment before answering. "They would have bound you even more to me. I knew the day would come when I would no longer need you."
"You will always need me."
She cocked her head up at him. "Why do you care so much about me, Valentin? As First General you must have women all over."
"No. There's never been anyone else. Not since the first time I set eyes on you."
Fallen laughed without humor, hiding her surprise. "For a man who claims to be in love, you have strange ways of showing it."
"You never let me! You made it quite clear all you wanted from me was pain."
"You enjoyed it."
"I was venting my frustration!" he snarled, keeping his voice down.
Fallen put her head down and was quiet.
"Let's take a breath now, pretty, and start over again, shall we?" he offered. He put his good hand up to the security grid and held it there as Seth had so often done.
She didn't accept. "It's too late for that. I'm sorry. My heart belongs to Seth now."
"He's not real."
"His love is," she replied with conviction, looking up into his eyes. "I have felt it. All I feel for you is a cold dead nothing. It has always been this way, I'm so sorry. Seth has touched me and showed me there was a better way to hold the Hunter back. He showed me how to save my soul, not enslave it."
She arched her back and stroked her hands down the long lovely tattoo on her chest. "This was how. Pulling the alphas out of the pens was the way to my freedom, not your bloody fists, Valentin. He raised me up while all you did was smash me down. Together with my good Kimble, we brought more flesh alive from the pens than I ever took down while I was there. Five to one, Valentin. Five live souls for each one lost."
"Come back with me and you can continue that if you love it so much. There are other pens on other worlds held by the Dognan. The more alphas the better for the Clan."
"No. I'm officially retiring. My only goal now is to restore Seth in return for all he's done for me. I won't rest until he's free from the computer as Kimble is."
Valentin did not believe. "It's his innocence that draws you. He is not a man, he is a child. Kimble's out, I assume he has been out as well. Those Siskans are quite skilled, I've used the one at Nine myself. Have you fucked him yet?"
She didn't dignify his question with a response.
"I thought not. Nothing more appealing than a fresh white virgin, eh? He's holding you back, pilot. Kill him and free yourself. Come back with me and rule the Clan. Cerebus won't last much longer," Valentin offered, daring her to refuse with his eyes.