WR: Hmm, only now do I realise… just.. how BADLY that last chapter was written, so I grovel and apologise for its crappyness, but during my two weeks in turkey, followed by my week in spain, from which I returned today, I have been giving a lot of thought into this fic and have come up with some good ideas. So.. without further stalling, I shall sit at my computer, and I shall write…
Over the course of the next few days, Kai did nothing. He couldn't. His mind, whenever it was forced to apply itself to something, drifted within two minutes to the coming Saturday, when the Kinyonova family would be moving into the apartments in the South Wing of the Biovault HQ. Yet he was exhausted. A queasy feeling of dread, apprehension, and .. and an emotion he could not put a label on. It made him feel ill, he thought briefly of getting himself checked out at a medical centre when this feeling mounted on him, surely it could not all be because of this one woman. This one woman who… who had occupied his mind, since the moment she had left him.
The morning she was due to arrive Kai found himself pacing his office at five o'clock in the morning. This was stupid! The sickness within him had changed now, this emotion he was very, very familiar with; rage. Why was he so wound up about her! She was nothing special, a blind girl having an operation, that was all. The abbey was so massive, that he hadn't ever even seen half of his staff. He would not have to have any contact with her whatsoever. He breathed deeply, closing his eyes momentarily. He felt drained, every iota of his persona, since Mrs. Kinyonova had left after their brief meeting had been taken up each day with the same thoughts:
She's coming in 5 days, she's coming in 4 days, she's coming in 3 days.
She walked brusquely to his desk, sat, and drew out the bottle of scotch from the second draw, along with a glass tumbler. Pouring himself a shot, he leaned back and let the fiery liquid burn on his tongue for a second before swallowing. He allowed his eyes to slid shut, the exhaustion of the last five days rolling upon him like a wave.
When he next opened his eyes, he had to wince as the pale Russian sun gleamed bleakly through the vast glass windows of his office. Groaning in pain he hauled himself from the chair and stretched out his cramped spine. He stood in a crumpled white shirt and black suit trousers from yesterday, he felt filthy and like something had died in his mouth, he glared accusingly at the bottle of scotch. He let his eyes drift out of the window, and he froze.
There were four ambulances, a television van, complete with a crew and a reporter, and about five cars parked outside the entrance to the abbey. His brow creased in confusion. What was happening? Had something gone wrong with his facilities? Had some of his staff come to harm? Surely he would have been informed…
Then it clicked into place, as quickly forgotten things so often do early in the morning.
She was here.
Sure enough, he felt himself automatically draw back a little when the door of the nearest car opened. First came the head, wound in a red bandana, and the work worn hands of Mrs. Kinyonova as she pulled herself from the seat, she then turned and aided her daughter from the car.
He felt the air catch in his throat. Her hair had grown longer, it was held from her face today in a slightly severe looking ponytail at the back of her neck, her pale eyes stared somewhere in the region of her mothers right hand as the two spoke. She wore a plain khaki vest top and jeans, her face was un made and if Kai had seen her in the street he doubted he would even notice her, for she would be so below his attention. But… seeing her now… she could not look more beautiful to him if she had appeared as she had the night he left her in the mines. Then…
Tala stepped out of the car.
Kai's eyes instantly turned cold, and he felt like someone had thrown a bucket of water in his face.. or at least he assumed it did, as no one had ever done that to him before. What was Tala doing here at all? And why had he just put a hand on Hael's shoulder and spoken unheard words to her, in what could only be called an affectionate way? If Kai had known no better he would have thought they were a couple.
The icy blue eyes flickered towards the window, cold, and triumphant.
Out of another car came Dane, followed by his young wife, his daughter was held against him under one of his arms. The broad man eyed the complex with an expression which made him look like he had a foul odour in his nose. He clearly knew very well who ran this place, and didn't like it. His mother gave him a warning glare, clearly telling him not to spill it to his sister.
Kai barely took the rest in though, his eyes were still on the pair below… Tala's hand had now moved to her hip.
"So Hael, tell us, now that you are at the Biovault Abbey, what are your feelings now that you are on the last leg of your quest to regain your vision?" The reporter asked Hael.
The young woman inhaled deeply then replied.
"Well, I'm not really sure. Whatever happens to me while I am here, I just feel that… good or bad… it will affect my entire life." She said.
"This operation, if it is a success could mean a breakthrough for medical science, what are your views on being the guinea-pig in this situation?" She asked again in a clipped voice.
Hael laughed. "Well I volunteered for it, so its not like I'm being forced into anything I don't want to do." She said.
The interview continued, and Tala watched from the elbow of the camera man. His eyes traced delicately over her form, he took in ever curve, ever fluctuation of her body. He then raised his gaze to her face. Her hair was dull, brushed and neat.. but dull, even in this light, she wore no make-up and the circles under her eyes from doing interviews, and answering telephones were clearly visible, and of course her eyes revolted him. He couldn't look at them, so he returned to inspecting her body. What a shame she was such a … Tala didn't even know what to call her. She was the type of person who represented everything he hated….
No… the only person he really hated was Kai.. he always had, even in their school years together, he had always quietly resented the bluenette, and he knew. He knew, that Kai was infatuated with this girl, this one person. That, was why he was doing this. He wanted to take the one thing from Kai that he knew he wanted more than anything else. How good it had been to see Kai watching from that window. What a fool!
When Tala had first been thanked for his generous donation to the Kinyonova fund, he had been confused and about to deny it, to call back Kai and ask what was going on. But the man had already left the hospital, leaving Tala to meet Dane for the first time. Of course, he would not deny giving the donation in front of that brute of a man. As soon as the two had been introduced, Dane had clapped Tala on the back and practically welcomed him into the family.
It was then that he knew. He knew that Kai was in love with her, he may deny it, but why else would he have given such a large sum of money under a false name. It was perfect! It had been a simple step to convince Hael's mother that the Biovault Abbey was the ideal place for the operation, he knew Kai would not refuse. He hadn't even accepted any money for the rental of his facilities. When he had first seen Hael, they had talked curtly to each other, at first, but soon Tala managed to convince her that he had given the donation to amend his past cruelties to her, and told her that she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen.
Hael was, of course, unused to compliments, and so it was a simple task for Tala to charm her. Within four days he had gotten her to the stage where she was happily to shyly hold his hand. Her family encouraged her, they were taken with this generous young man who had given her a brighter future, and was clearly interested in sharing it with her.
Tala smiled disarmingly as the camera then turned on him.
"Now Tala, you have not only made this possible, but you have accompanied the patient to the Abbey, it is common knowledge that you spend much of your childhood in this place, but is it safe to assume there is something other than nostalgia bringing you here?" Asked the reporter, directing a microphone at his lips.
"Heh, it is nice to see the old place again, but- " Here he purposefully glanced for Hael, for a little longer than was needed, "I must say, that Miss. Kinyonova has certainly captured more than my interest." He said smoothly. The camera swung back to the blind woman, in time to see her blush furiously, and smile.
Kai growled and flicked off the television. How dare he! He felt like such a fool, he was watching what was being filmed in his own home! His fury had climaxed when he saw Tala act that way. How dare he!
Why had he said Tala's name! Anything else… he stood and threw the remote furiously across the room. He knew he was acting like a child having a tantrum, but he didn't care, he wanted to break something. He felt a surge of satisfaction as his arm swept am expensive vase from a chest of draws, he watched as the pieces of china exploded outwards and covered his gleaming shoes in flecks of enamel and dust. If only Tala could be gotten rid of so easily. He had not left his office that day. He had had countless forms, loans, bills and other such things to deal with. He had not done them, but the intention had been there… how could he work, when Tala's hand was on her hip, instead of his own!
He sighed, the coming months would be long, she would be here for a long time, things had to be organised, insurance and such, she would then need to heal afterwards, and would be remaining in the abbey until the outcome had become apparent, both so that she could be close to top class equipment if anything suddenly went wrong, or if she got an infection, and also so the news and documentaries could track the progress easily.
He turned, and slowly unbuttoned his shirt and trousers, till he had stripped off, after a swift shower the young man tumbled into bed and let tiredness wash over him.
WR: Short I know… but… I don't care! Whaddaya think?