Selfless

Three – Control

He left her when her shaking finally got too bad; raising his head from her stomach, he followed his instincts and touched her jaw line once more before heading to the bathroom. Stepping in, he heard the sound of sheets against sheets as she rolled over like some little woman, scolded and wounded… that wasn't his Greenlee.

When he came back in, dried off, he had his jeans half-on before he realized she was still there. Straightening, he stood at the end of her bed, stood and watched the way she moved and stretched, the way the long sweep of her bare back looked in the dim light of the bedroom; she was asleep, in his bed, stretched out with his sheets curved around her like soft chains.

Oddly curious by the simple sight of her, there, just sleeping, he finally gave in to the wild urge. Thoughtful, he climbed carefully up onto the bed, settling carefully at her side, stretching out, propped on one elbow, watching the way she moved with each breath.

For long moments he let his hand hover over her skin… then he finally let the heel of his hand graze her bare back; the sweat had cooled, dried and her skin was slightly chilled beneath his fingertips. It felt wonderful and, reaching the base of her back, he laid out his palm, let fingers stretch out, fingertips just barely brushing the curve.

For long moments he enjoyed just the steady rise and fall beneath his hand, enjoyed the sound of the air entering and leaving her lungs… it was a perfect contrast to her actions just a few hours before. Perfect… she wasn't perfect, not nearly, but, once, like him, she hadn't denied that part… after all, it was that part that kept you alive.

Every noise she'd made, from the hiss of breath when he'd bit down on her shoulder to that noise… these were all sacred sounds now, sacred and powerful and he carefully folded them away, slipped them into the back of his mind, between the sight of his father's body that morning… and how the blood had felt on his hands when he lost his first patient, Irene Owens, age 23, college student hit by a drunk driver while crossing the street to make it to class before she was late…

There was no sound other than her breathing and he enjoyed it, letting his eyes slide shut… the feel of her beneath him, easily keeping up with his movements… how she'd sounded when she'd finally collapsed, shaking, and let him curl up at her side, at least until she'd started panicking… these were carefully put away too, in an attempt to keep them untouched and safe from the outside world…

In less than an hour, he enjoyed these things, rolled the thoughts through his mind, letting his hands wander over her back, down her arms… he laid in the bed after she was gone, after watching her flee in her dress with its missing buttons from bed, while she fought to ignore his gaze… he laid there and enjoyed the carefully preserved memories, enjoyed them because, god knows, he'd never enjoy her again right?

Kendall was off doing fuck knows what, probably screwing Slater like some rabid monkey… like a rabid psychotic monkey with eyes she'd kill for. What was she going to do, fall for him? It wasn't the fact that she was off that was pissing off Greenlee, it was the fact that she'd banged into him this morning.

Didn't she know better than to go into the restaurant? She knew his schedule, and she'd never admit how she knew his schedule, and she knew that was where she always went for breakfast… he hadn't spoke… hadn't even smirked… he'd just sat there, plate of eggs and toast growing cold as his attention shifted fully to her.

His eyes had to be illegal… at least that gaze should be… he shouldn't be able to affect her from the other side of a full restaurant… but he had, and all she'd been able to do is sit there and grow rapidly, um… she'd finally snapped and fled—been doing a lot of that lately, haven't you, Greens?—out to her car, shaking and breathless.

She'd sat in her car for a good ten minutes, hands clenched, jaw tight, fighting back waves of what he was doing to her… her water bill would be big this month… she was spending so much time in the shower, scrubbing… and she'd spent another hour in there today, beneath the water, shivering despite the heat…

Oh, yes, that gaze had to be illegal…

It was the call to Chanelle that finally made him decide to make that call. In the nicest shirt he had and with new jeans, he sat nervously in the plain office, annoyed at the stupid kitten posters on the wall. Stupid kittens… like little furry things could save your ass when you're tired and hungry and needing a good rest.

With an annoyed grunt, he pushed against the desk before him with the bottom of one sneaker, feeling the growing unease… well the growing unease was continuing to grow… hence… 'growing unease'… hmm… what was the definition of unease anyway…"Mr. Porter?"

At Reggie's rather murderous look, the woman gave him a slightly shamed look, touching his shoulder softly before heading around her desk and settling in, dropping the armful of files to the scarred wood; it creaked and… okay, a wood desk should not shift like that! Unnerved, he leaned back from the desk, watching as she quickly looked through his file.

She was the standard social worker, middle-aged, pleasant outfit, bad heels, and an even worse pair of earrings… but, like many, her heart was in the right place. This was why she was being so helpful right now. He listened, waited, and finally, "Trey and Jack made all the proper preparations so that at least will be easy to do."

"So… that's a yes?"

'Reggie…" A split moment of hesitation, a softening of the eyes but he jumped up, clearing his throat, and gave a low snap of "I have to go."

And then he was gone, fleeing down the halls and practically running out of the building, digging his phone out of his pocket as he fled, shaking but excited and hopeful.

She'd first learned how easy it was to sneak out at the precious age of thirteen. In under a month, she'd perfected the method… and that's what it was, a perfect method. Slip out of bed, get dressed, open the window and climb out, hooking her legs around the branch of the tree. There, hanging the bag off one shoulder, she climbed down effortlessly.

Tonight was no different than the last four years and, landing lightly with bent knees on bare feet, heels swinging from between her fingers, she took off, heading off and towards the front of the her father's estate. The car was waiting and she happily lunged into it, giggling.

Six hours later, she was struggling to figure out a way to get up the tree… usually, she didn't have problems. But, then again, she thought with a laugh as she swayed, she usually wasn't this out of it. She stood there, hair hanging in her face as she considered her predicament.

Her shoes hanging from her fingers, she threw one, in some absurd idea, and it hit the tree about five feet up, bouncing off to land in the grass like a knot of red leather flowers… shoe was ruined… damn!

Grimacing at the sudden lurch of her stomach, strange after how much fun she was having, she turned halfway, standing, deep in thought and thinking through things… hence 'deep in thought'… not that a few drinks would stop her! Forcing herself to stay on her feet, she braced one hand against the brick of her house and set off.

One step, two step… she grinned, cocked her head, watching her feet move… and then froze, raising her eyes and letting out a low groan. Okay, why didn't she sleep here? Yeah, here was… um, good… shaking slightly, she let herself slowly slid down, folding her knees up beneath her as she unhappily set herself there.

She was absolutely out cold in a matter of seconds… and she was awakened the following morning by the sprinklers going off. Sneaking back in with Tina's help, she managed to hold herself in until she got to the bathroom… and the toilet… at which point, and with much grace, she promptly tossed her cookies.

AN: Read and review! Hope you enjoyed! And, yes, of course that first part was some of David's naughty thoughts… did I get into his head okay?