(Eleven)

Kimble walked into the Lucky Dragon and looked around. All was quiet. He peeked into the galley and saw Fallen there, her back to the door and an open bottle of whiskey on the table.

"Hey, Fallen," he whispered softly, trying to sense her mood.

She turned to face him and cocked her head in surprise when she saw he was dressed in normal clothes. He hadn't told her about being able to alter his skin. She didn't speak, but patted the bench next to her.

He came in and sat next to her, sideways on the bench. He lay his hand on her cheek and 'read' her. She had been terribly worried when she learned he had gone and was shocked by the great big hole she had found inside when it occurred to her that he might not return. She had cried and cried and Seth had been unable to console her. She was now sitting here, depressed and sad, but relieved he was home.

Kimble took her into his arms and held her close. "I ain't goin' nowheres, baby doll. I jus' had ta go out. I cain't stay all trapped up inside like this. I'm sorry if I scared ya."

She gripped him. "I was so afraid you wouldn't come back."

"We made a promise, you an' me. I ain't goin' nowheres ya cain't find me. Ya gots ta unnerstand, girl. You gots love all around ya here in Seth, I gots nuthin'. I need it more'n the Ristle, okay? Without it, this place ain't nuthin' but a big ol' box, fuckin' squeezin' me so tight, I cain't hardly breathe."

"I'm sorry, Kim. I guess this place isn't what I'd thought it would be."

"I knows this is a good place fer you an' Seth an' I promise ta try real hard, okay? I means it this time. I had such a good time, Fallen, I ain't got the words. I ain't felt so good in so long an' it...it made me think real hard 'bout what I gots ta do. I'm gonna be real good, you'll see. Remy's gonna take me out again and y'all will see that ya gots nuthin' ta worry 'bout with me, okay?"

Fallen hugged him. He had the smells of other people and of other places. It made her sad until she sat back and saw the glowing light in his eyes. He seemed so very different now, at peace. All the pent up frustration he'd been carrying around was gone. He kissed her and she could sense his inner serenity, he had sent it out to her as they touched.

She laughed a little. "So who was she?"

"Raul."

"Oh! Oh, heh...okay," she said, rolling her eyes.

"He wuz so sweet an' fine, Fallen."

"I'm glad you had a good time."

Kimble laughed, feeling high again as he thought of it. "Remy had a bellyache so he let me drive us back. He gots a nice black Jeep and it was really, really great!" Kimble said, his excitement infecting Fallen so she laughed with him. "Can I gits one, too, huh? I cain't wait ta drive it again, it wuz so cool!"

"What was cool?" Seth asked, popping up on the galley screen. His eyes were heavy and sad. It had been a long night with Fallen so upset and him not being able to do anything to help her.

Kimble noticed. "Fergit it," he replied, feeling bad. He got up and opened a drawer, taking out one of Fallen's large kitchen knives.

"What are you doing?" Fallen asked, rising. She knew what he had in mind but still wasn't comfortable with the idea of him cutting himself for her.

"I had such a good time, Fallen. Let me share some of that love with you. I knows it's been a long time since you an' Seth been together. Let me takes ya to the Black Room an' we kin all be happy. You know, like it wuz b'fore."

"Let him do it," Seth said, unable to hide his anticipation. He needed this badly.

"All right," Fallen agreed, not wanting to argue. They went to the cage and Kimble undressed, not wanting to take a chance on ruining the clothes Remy had given him. Fallen watched him remove his clothes, looking him over and marveling at this creature she had brought out in the world. He was so beautiful and more lovely still when he shivered and changed back into a pilot. He stood before her naked, and gave her a small smile. He couldn't be embarrassed by his nudity, she was the one who had designed this skin for him after all. "Raul liked this. He said I wuz beautiful," he said, making his voice soft and husky.

"That's because you are," she replied, still unsure about him. He had changed so very much since they arrived here. He was a man, he was a child, he was a stranger. She wasn't entirely sure if he even belonged to her any more. Looking at him made her wonder what it was going to be like having Seth here for real. Would he be as beautiful as Kimble was? Perhaps he would be more so because she loved him so.

Kimble laughed at her softly and used the knife to cut his hand as he had done before, making a tight fist to increase the flow of gel from the wound. He shivered from the pain, but in his current state of mental contentment, didn't really mind. He saw Seth on the screen eyeing him strangely and so used a mental command to dress himself in his usual black jeans to ease his brother's mind. He lay down on the bed next to his Mistress and embraced her quickly, kissing her cheek and burying his hands in her hair, unmindful of the gel he smeared across her face. He knew it would shimmer and disappear anyway.

She cried out as his body took a large draw of power from her for the repair and they were falling down togther as Kimble and Remy had done, only this time Kimble was in the right place and the connection to the Black Room was made. She landed with Kimble onto the soft silky bed of the Black Room and laughed when she felt him shake and shiver from the rush of her power. He slid away from her and curled up, his hands balled up at his throat like a child and a contented smile on his face as he slept.

Seth dropped down from the circle of light and greedily took Fallen into his arms, trembling madly at the thought of her. It had been so very long since they had been together like this. She laughed again at his haste as he kissed her madly and took her quickly. Like his brother, he learned fast and had soon found what pleased her best. This time he was overcome with emotion from the stressful night he'd had and was less careful as he whimpered with his desire for her. She let him do as he wished, sensing his need for release. It didn't take him long and he was shivering and gasping against her, much as Kimble had done only moments before.

Seth lay his head against her chest and wept. "Fallen, it's been so long. I can't bear it to be away from you anymore!"

"It won't be long now. I can feel how close we are with the codes. We were meant to be together and we will, my love," she said, untying his hair and letting it spill loose about his shoulders. He was Kimble's twin in almost every way except for his coloring and clean shaven face. He was so beautiful right up close like this, as beautiful as she had imagined he would be in real life, and she couldn't help but kiss him again. "Now, let's make up for time lost and try this again, nice and easy," she said, wrapping her arms around him and finding a way to bring him even closer.

They made love again, nice and easy as promised, and Fallen felt more content than she had in a long time. It had been her biggest fear that Kimble would not return. It wasn't that she had to have him near to her always, it was that he was her only conduit to this magical place, this Black Room. This was the only place she and Seth could be this close and communicate their love in such a meaningful way. With Kimble gone, they were hopelessly separated until Seth was finally retrieved from the system. She loved Kimble, but it was nothing compared to the bright flame of her passion for Seth. She wouldn't be truly happy until he was out and safely in her care for all time.

To be continued in Consequences.