Light My Candle

Pairing: Sludy

Other Characters/Pairings: Maylene, Mava

Rating: PG-13

Words: silk, bungee cord, match(es), music box

Sentences: "Are you always this subtle?", "If it's games you want to play, then I'm not your girl/man.", "That's my cat, Miss Kittyfantasico... my two year old sister chose the name."

Must Have: a power outage, AU please

Disclaimer: take 10 guesses, and Lie to Me stop using movies as a plot device if I haven't seen them.

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"Anyone seen the fuse box?"

"Are you sure it's not the power?" May asked in the dark calling out to the other women in the house.

"You have a fuse box? Where?" Darryl asked.

Salene rolled her eyes in spite of herself, "Zandra! Do you something about Darryl please"

"Darryl shut up"

"Thank you- and don't worry I'LL find the fuse box and see if that's why we lost power," Trudy declared feeling her away around until she got the stairs and started to feel her way down step by step.

"I'll try to find some matches, and candles," Java said dryly in the dark.

"You're going to help? Has the world ended?" Ruby demanded when suddenly the lights flicked on.

However, as they did- they caught Darryl off guard as he slammed back into a wall knocking over a stand with only a single music box on it as it crashed causing Ruby to let out a shriek.

"DARRYL YOU BROKE MY MUSIC BOX," she yelled as Java then put out the lit match.

Darryl jumped and flashed her an apologetic expression, "Ruby… I'm so…"

"Stuff it Darryl, take your girlfriend back to your place and go home before I scream," she retorted as angry tears fell down her face.

"Fine, I'm going- I'm going. I come all the way here so you can meet my new girlfriend and then you throw me out. Be that way," he declared in a sad voice before taking Zandra by the hand and leading them to the door as Zandra cast her a dark look.

Ruby then rolled her eyes and sighed as the others raced to put an arm around her, "I'm sorry about your music box," Trudy proclaimed sympathetically, "I know it meant a lot to you".

Ruby nodded, "I have nothing else to remember what happened between Ram and I," she said with a sniffle.

"Oh honey…" Salene said rubbing her shoulders.

Java just rolled her eyes before walking off.

"Why do we have her here?" May demanded watching her fleeting as Trudy sighed in between Ruby's sobs.

"Favour to Slade- and his brother… she needed somewhere and Slade wasn't letting her move in with them," Trudy reported dryly.

"Oh…. Well she's got a pole stuffed somewhere," May muttered.

Salene nodded.

The group then sat like that for a few minutes before Java came back towards them wearing a business outfit and her hair up she then gave them a nod.

"I'm going to Mega's place to have a shag, back later," she declared brushing her hair out of the way.

"Are you always this subtle?" May inquired harshly.

"Of course ciao lesbos," she said shutting the door and walking down the steps.

May and Salene rolled their eyes together as Ruby finally excused herself from the room and Trudy moved to get up.

"I should go too- Slade and I have our anniversary…"

"Right, you should- we'll be fine here with Ruby," Salene reassured her.

As Trudy decked out the two of them then turned to each other. Salene silently got up and walked towards Ruby's room opening it finding out she had went to take a nap. Smiling lightly she then walked back to May who was sitting on the couch with the lights off and the candles lit.

"Power outage again- guess we're stuck this way," May announced looking at her.

Salene froze, "Oh god not again- I should go check the circuit breaker," she cried racing off.

May laughed as Salene left and picked up a package under the couch wrapped while then getting some wine from the kitchen and cookies. She then put her kitty on the other couch that she had been playing with earlier and sat back down.

Salene then flicked on the breaker to only discover it was fine- then turned it back on and noticed it was still dark. She then stormed back upstairs and before she could see anything she turned to May and spoke…

"If its games you want to play, then I'm not your woman…" she started before stopping when she saw the gift, wine, and cookies.

"I thought we'd bring the New Year together seeing as Ruby is sleeping already and I could give you this for an advancement for your birthday," May said with a smile holding up a gift.

Salene smiled at her, "This is great- but what is that?" she asked May.

May then turned a bit red, "That's my cat, Miss Kittyfantasico... my two year old sister chose the name."

"Lucy named that? That's so cute. Did you just get it?" Salene asked her.

"While I was visiting my parents," May said dryly as Salene started to undo her gift untying it to see a cell phone inside.

"Oh my god- May… that's…"

"Too much? Or not enough?"

"Way too much," Salene replied dumbfound before turning her head towards May- her face sparkling in the candle light.

"No, it's not- really," May reported, "I got it on sale… promise".

Salene looked at her brushing some of May's pink streaks from her face and smiling deeply underneath her own reddish-pinkish mop, "It's great- you're so amazing you know that".

"You are too," May replied as she leant in for a kiss.

"To the New Year?"

"To the New Year indeed," May reported.

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After a short time deciding what she was going to wear, Trudy headed down towards the town house in the inner city where Slade and Mega lived. She first making sure the cabbie would wait till she got in before leaving.

They lived downtown off Victoria street in downtown Wellington which was not the best place in her mind. The amount of business there- with the few crime troubles they got tended to be not so far.

Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door when it opened up with Slade swinging it open and slamming the door as he pulled her for a lip lock without even saying a word. Trudy replying enthusiastically as she caused herself to moan slightly at his tongue in her mouth.

She then felt herself pushed up against the door their acitivies quickly about to hit a new rating when she heard a loud scream escape Java from upstairs.

"OH HELL YES"

Trudy then paled and then the moment between them ended… Slade rolling his eyes as he looked towards the steps, "They really have no shame".

"Must be frustrating," she noted fixing her silk dress some.

"You have no idea… anyway, did you bring those change of clothes I asked?" he inquired seriously.

Trudy looked at him nodded motioning to her purse, "I put them in there- why do I need them?" she asked.

"You'll see tomorrow morning- just know when we go to leave… don't bring anything but ID," he told her seriously.

"Okay.. but then what are we doing till morning?"

"You really have to ask?"

"No"

(The next morning)

As Trudy made her way down the stairs to let Slade shower this time… in private she decided to eat some breakfast before they went anywhere. Finally, it was 2006 and from the way it sounded, Slade had some big plans for their anniversary.

Putting a smile on her face despite still wondering what these sweat pants and old shirt was for- she then walked in on Mega and Java eating… together…. Trudy's mouth dropped open some as their gaze shifted to her.

Mega then pulled his mouth from Java as Java finished chewing on the breakfast bar before inhaling it sharply.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," she mumbled out her face redder than Rudolph's nose.

"You're not the only one," Mega muttered.

"Where you going?" Java said looking at her, "You look like hell?"

Mega then rolled his eyes and whispered something in Java's eyes. A second later her eyes lit up in interest.

"Oh really? Wow Trudy, have a great time," she declared with a false smile.

"You know what Slade is up to?" Trudy demanded giving Mega a hard stare under his messy short hair and glasses.

Mega nodded wordlessly, "Don't worry- Java and I do it all the time- and we haven't died yet," he replied.

"I'm surprised she's got the guts… or that Slade would do it…" Java whispered under her breath to him from his lap.

Trudy paled at his last announced- haven't died yet? What was Slade up to- but before she could ask anything Slade came running down the stairs in his own sweaty clothes.

"Ready Trude?"

She smiled and nodded meakly trying to hide her panic, "Whenever you are"

"I am- I don't want to eat first might get ill otherwise. Josh- Java- be good… don't have sex on the table again… I don't need to gag. Don't do anything stupid and try not to die later okay?" he said to them with pointed looks.

"Your not…" Java began.

"We'll manage- but I could say the last thing to you too," Mega retorted.

"This is a lot safer then jumping out of an airplane thanks," he answered as he pulled a puzzled Trudy away as her expression turned to horror.

"They're jumping out of airplane?" she cried.

"Yea but we're bungee jumping so it's even really," he replied simply as they climbed into his chair.

"Bungee jumping?" she said paling.

"Yea… Trudy, I know it's a bit extreme and you're not much of a risk taker but I promise you- it'll be worth it. It's a important step in our relationship and… it'll be a lot of fun if you let be," he informed her as the drove on the highway.

"Important step how?" Trudy demanded half worried now, what was going to happen?

"Well, you're jumping on the cord I am—and I'm the instructor… so there won't be anyone else with us… it's a trust thing in a way it'll determine if we have a future," Slade told her after a second.

"Wha? What? When you said you taught lessons in extreme sports- I thought you meant like biking or something not BUNGEE JUMPING," she said turning to him.

"You never asked but I would have told you that- why didn't you know? Didn't the bungee cords all over give you any hint?" Slade asked.

"No… I never even… oh my god," she whispered.

"Don't worry- it'll be fine- I promise"

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It was an hour later, and both of them now stood in grey sweats as they stood on top of a bridge in the middle of the Upper Hutt where there was nothing around except water and mountains off to the side.

Trudy couldn't help but look over the edge as panic filled her as Slade strapped them in- though she was properly protected and even though she was with a pro, she was still nervous. How couldn't she be? This was EXTREME sports? She didn't have a death wish!

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god," she whispered.

As he finished Slade then looked at her noticing her fear, "Look, if you really don't want to do this- then don't… don't just go along with this before I'm doing it. If you want- sit it out… go now," he told her, "No pressure".

Trudy then looked at him for a second- that was it, he would just let her go? No holding back?

"Slade…. Are you sure about this?"

"I'm positive… why aren't you? Do you really think I'd let anything happen to you?" he asked her seriously.

"No NO, of course not… it's just it's so high… and… we might weigh too much together…" she started slowly.

"No, we're fine- the only we aren't is if you can't do this- and Trudy, you gotta tell me now because we do need to go soon, I only got clearance for this for two hours," Slade told her seriously.

Trudy then sighed for a second closing her eyes feeling a tear drop. This was the hardest thing she'd ever have to decide on. Jump or not. Follow her heart or not… run away or do the extreme…. Trust Slade or not….

Finally, her eyes snapped open- once her mind heard her mutter that mental question her doubt started to fade- if it all came down to trust- then she had to decide if she trusted him or not. Slade was right. This was about trust not fear or her feelings of fear. It was a matter of whether she trusted him or not to get them through this.

And in that moment, she decided she did- Slade wouldn't let her die. She had to accept that- taking a deep breath she forced the tears to go. Pushing down her fears as much as she could she then smiled at him lightly.

"I'm ready," she declared.

"Are you sure?" he asked one final time.

"I trust you," Trudy replied not even bothering to answer it like she had before- showing him she understood the underlying meaning.

"Good- cause here we go," he announced as he jumped down pulling her down with her as Trudy let out a shriek trying to keep her eyes open as the went flying down- as they went down she could feel her heart start to soar going down in theory felt scary but the feeling of the rush coming into her….

That voice in the back of her head telling her that she'd lived was causing her to smile if even if small at first as she felt the tug up and down showing it was already over they had jumped- a bigger one filling her as the went up and down again.

It feeling like the most amazing and daring experience ever… happy to be alive and to be in Slade's arms- so to speak. Letting out a cry of joy she then felt herself extend her arms out as it went to a close as if she was on cloud nine wondering if this day would ever get any better….

Going through something so hard with someone there making it all worthy it- in those moments Trudy decided that this was something different than relationship she had before. This was real and it was worth fighting for and even worth taking risks or dying for.

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The end