All characters that are from the TWILIGHT saga by Stephanie Meyer belong to Stephanie Meyer. All others belong to me. I do not receive profit for these stories except for the joyous enjoyment of reviews.
This story follows right after When I'm Gone: Third Installment to GONE Saga, so if you haven't read that one or the two before, please do.
The timeline of the story will coincide with Gabriel Michael Laskaris' growing up years, starting at Seth and Rosa's wedding day, April 12th and will progress from there.
AN: I know! It's been another month but here it is. I'm having a hard time finding my writing rhythm now that I am working days. Anyhow, here's a new chapter for every one to enjoy.
I need to explain something that's been bugging me and that's Gabe and Vivi's age, which in retrospect also affects Emmie's age. Okay, at the moment Gabe and Vivi are fifteen and in eleventh grade, which doesn't compute EXCEPT that Vivi and Gabe tested out of kindergarten and were placed directly into first grade at age five...so now it makes more sense, right? As for Emmie, she is three years and three days younger than Gabe.
Now that I've got that worry off my head (and muse), enjoy the chapter and remember -MANY reviews, AWESOME reviews and THOUGHTFUL reviews, along with ENCOURAGING reviews, helps my muse find her rhythm within my new schedule.
Oh yes -I have already started the next chapter -and it will answer the question concerning Emmie's new phase in life, which is, will she be like her father or will she be like her mother? Now that she's had her first period, will she phase with the full moon or will it not affect her at all? Stay tuned in the next chapter -it shall have the answer!
Chapter Sixty-Six (15 yrs old)
December 23rd
5:32AM
It had been a wonderful night, just the two of them under the covers, talking and kissing, occasionally sleeping but most of the time they made love as if there were no tomorrow, as was their habit on no moon nights.
With his arms around her, he could feel the soft cotton of his t-shirt, which she'd pulled on to go check on Erick and Xavier sometime after midnight. It was rubbing against his bare skin, his mind going fuzzy as he sank into sleep, which was probably why he wasn't prepared for one of the many out of nowhere questions his wife liked to ask in the early morning hours.
"How old were you the first time you had sex?"
Rick's laugh was muffled into the side of her neck, Leah's own giggles over the tickling sensation stifled against his shoulder.
"Where'd this question come from?"
Burrowing deeper into his embrace, she tucked her head under his chin, "Because I think Gabriel's already contemplating sex –doing it, I mean."
"Oh, I got what you meant by contemplating sex," Rick wrapped his arms tighter around her as he pushed his thigh between hers, her warm feet resting against the tops of his. They were both on their sides, face to face and wrapped up in each other, the cool air of the room unable to penetrate their warm cocoon under the covers, "What makes you think that?"
"Seth told me," Leah moved her arms down to wrap them around his waist, her fingers drawing absent-mindedly against the warm skin of his lower back, "Apparently, he was once a fifteen year old boy and he knows all the signs of impending sexual activity. He's forbidden him from being alone with Vivi, closed door or not. It seems your son asked Vivi to see her bra and she complied."
Rick couldn't help chuckling over her pointed phrase of Gabe being his son, instead of their son. It always happened whenever any of their children did or said something she wasn't quite sure how to handle.
"Was she wearing it," he asked, tongue in cheek, laughing when Leah jerked her head up to look at him in surprise, missing hitting him on the chin by mere centimeters, "Why would that matter?"
"Because it wasn't the bra he wanted to see," Rick wiggled his eyebrows at her, grinning as she bit back a laugh, reaching up to run his fingers through her mussed hair before pressing a smiling kiss to her forehead, "He's a fifteen year old boy, Leah. Gabe's going to push the boundaries as far as Vivi lets him."
"I realize that," Leah moved her fingers up his bare back, enjoying the play of muscle under his warm skin, feeling the same awe she had felt the first time she laid eyes on him the morning after that first full moon thirteen years ago, "I was reading this article on how teenage boys start having sex around the same age as their fathers."
"I see," Rick slid a hand under the hem of the t-shirt she wore, slowly dragging his fingers up her spine, taking the piece of clothing along for the trip, "This is the article stating girls tend to start their periods at the same age as their mothers as well, right?"
She nodded, placing a kiss against the notch between his collarbones, loving the way he smelled of them –a combination of citrus and dirt just before it rained, "I was a week shy of my thirteenth birthday when I got my first period."
The silence was a bit heavy as their thoughts went to Emmie, both of them feeling the tension of having to wait for the next full moon to see how much their daughter's life would be changing due to this transition period she was now entering.
Letting out a sigh, he forced himself to relax, burying his nose into the soft hair on the side of her neck before supplying an answer to her original question, "I was seventeen the first time I had sex."
He rolled her onto her back, following along until he was above her, smiling down into her beautiful brown-green eyes, thumbs tracing the curves of her high cheekbones, "It was…short lived."
Leah's laughter made him smile, a shiver running down his back as she wiggled under him until he was cradled between her long toned legs, her next question tinged with a hint of jealousy, "Were you in love?"
He smiled at her as he shook his head, placing an opened mouthed kiss against the side of her neck, his fingers burying in the thick silk of her hair as he let the weight of his body rest against hers, "No. We've been dating for a month or so. We were at the beach one no moon night, no one else around for miles. We were fooling around, one thing leading to another and before I knew what the hell was going on, it was over."
Biting her bottom lip to keep from laughing, she ran her fingers through his sandy blond hair until she felt she could speak without betraying her amusement, unaware of the dimple in the corner of her mouth he'd come to know as her tell whenever she was hiding anything from him, "Good thing your staying power has improved, huh?"
Giving her a playful scowl, he reached down to cup her bare bottom, lifting her up and sliding into her warm wetness in one smooth stroke, the intimate proximity to each other having him hard and eager for her once again, "Want me to show you how much its improved?"
She let out a soft hum, her entire body flushing from the inside out; she loved the feel of him filling her up until she was certain she would fall apart.
"I love you," he whispered into her ear, all teasing forgotten as he pushed her t-shirt up and over her head, wanting the intoxicating feel of her skin against his, bodies pressed together from chest to feet, "Love you so much. You're my whole world, agape mou."
The lovemaking was slow and sweet, a simple expression of the joy they found in each other, the contentment of shared lives throbbing between them, increasing their pleasure tenfold. It wasn't about the end result but about the journey, time slowing down as souls melded into one, bodies doing the same.
They reached their release together, hearts beating as one, both breathing each other in as they worked at regaining their breath.
Keeping his arms around her, he rolled them back to their sides; foreheads pressed together, they remained lost in each others' eyes. Time ticked on as it was wont to do, neither aware of it until nature began nagging at Leah.
"I have to go pee."
Rick chuckled as she pressed a kiss against his smiling lips, letting her go and watching as she rolled out of bed to take the t-shirt from the floor before pulling it back on, making her way to the en suite.
She pulled the black shirt down to cover her butt, not because she was shy or uncomfortable but because she knew he was watching her. She had no doubt, after thirteen years together, he loved her body, whether it was stretched to the max with his babies or slimmed down to a size four.
No, the reason she pulled his t-shirt down to cover her bare bottom was to make him smile, which she knew he did even if she didn't see it.
Once they were back in bed –after he'd taken his turn in the bathroom –they went back to snuggling together, the silence in their home letting them know the children were still asleep despite it being close to nine in the morning. Winter always seemed to bring out hibernating tendencies in all of their kids, even the early risers like Emmie and Zak. This meant taking advantage of these quiet mornings before they had to get the busy day started, still having last minute preparations to complete for the festivities of the next two days.
"I've been thinking of something," Leah snuggled her head under Rick's chin, resting her cheek over his beating heart, his hands rubbing slow wide circles against her back which was making her sleepy, her response slow when he asked what she'd been thinking of.
"I've been thinking of stopping."
Rick wasn't sure he'd heard correctly, being she'd yawned halfway through her sentence and, of course, spoke as if he were able to read her mind, "Stopping what?"
Yawning again, she let out a soft sigh, finally letting her eyelids close, "Phasing…"
"Oh," Rick's mouth hitched into a somewhat sad smile as he tucked his chin down to look at her face, studying every minute detail down to the very faint freckle on the left side of her nose, "He's going to miss you, you know? He believes you to be the most beautiful thing he's ever laid eyes on...and I can't help but agree with him."
Leah gave him a sweet smile as she tilted her head back on his shoulder to look into his eyes, letting out another soft sigh, this one a little sadder sounding than the last one, "I don't think I'm going to, though…not until we know for sure about Emmie –"
"Baby," Rick reached up to gently grasp her chin between thumb and forefinger, making sure she wouldn't break eye contact, "I'll be looking after her –if you want to stop phasing, you don't need to worry about her –or Tyra."
"I know you'll watch over them, Rick," Leah touched her long fingers to his squared jaw, the skin smooth against them, "But I think they'll need a woman…someone who'll understand the hardships of something so…unreal. They need someone who'll be with them during the difficult transition."
Staring into her eyes, he could see the echoes of a past he wasn't part of, one she didn't want her own daughters to live, "It wasn't easy for you, was it?"
Leah shook her head, dropping her eyes to his chest, flattening her hand over the solid beat of his heart, "My father died the day I phased for the first time…I thought I was going crazy. Sam was in total denial, no help at all. Seth had to be the one to explain everything, the one who took the brunt of my anger over the whole situation. It took three days…three days to calm down enough to phase back. Afterwards…I guess the added component of having to share a mind with Sam…of not being able to keep my secrets…I suppose all that made it all the more traumatic for me but still…our boys, they're used to it –they've known no other way to be since they were babies, since that very first full moon but Emmie and Tyra…"
"I know, Leah," Rick kissed the top of his wife's head, pulling her in closer to him, "We still don't know if she'll phase or not…we've got two weeks to prepare her for this…and she won't be alone. I'll be there, the boys will be there and most importantly, Embry will be there."
"If he's still sane by then," Leah let out a tired chuckle, letting go of the tension building up inside her at the memories of the past, "He's been prowling the woods every night –"
"Driving me crazy," Rick's words came out in a heavy sigh, his own eyes closing as he let himself relax into the mattress, "He's constantly nagging me about how it'll affect her if she did indeed phase."
"He's worried about her," Leah rubbed her cheek against his shoulder before settling down in what she hoped would be a nice hour-long nap: "He still remembers how it was for me."
Half an hour into their nap, a soft knock at their door had Leah tiredly lifting her head, watching blurry eyed as the door slowly opened, "Mama?"
Recognizing her daughter's voice, she pushed herself up onto her elbow to be able to see over Rick's shoulder, "What's wrong, baby?"
Emmie moved further into the room, stopping at the foot of their bed to give her mother a wide eyed look, the blue of her eyes bright with unshed tears, "My lower stomach hurts…I think they're menstrual cramps."
"Oh, baby," Leah moved to make room for her, patting the mattress in invitation and wrapping her arms around her daughter as soon as she climbed in between them. Rick gave his daughter a smile as he tapped her nose with his finger, "I'll go to the store and get you a heating pad, okay?"
Emmie gave her father the patented puppy eyed look, voice soft and sweetly pathetic, "And chocolate?"
Rick chuckled, giving her forehead a kiss before he turned to get out of bed, Leah's hand playfully covering Emmie's eyes, the twelve year old giggling as she wiggled around to bury her face into her mother's cotton covered chest.
Pulling on the jeans he'd worn the day before, he headed into the closet, grabbing a t-shirt and sweater along with his joggers, Leah looking over at him, "Can you get some Midol as well?"
"Sure," Rick nodded, pulling on his shirt before sitting on the edge of the bed to pull on socks, grabbing the comforter in one hand while patting his daughter's hip with the other, "Climb under the covers, agoraki, that way you'll stay warm."
Scrambling under the covers, Emmie let out a soft sigh as she snuggled her back against her mama's front, dark hair a cloud of tangled curls around her face, blue eyes watching intently as her father tied his sneakers before standing up and pulling the sweater over his head, blond hair a mess but she still thought him to be one of the best good looking guys ever –aside from Embry, that is.
All the girls at her high school would be in total agreement over both observations so she knew she wasn't just making erroneous assumptions.
"Where do I find Midol," Rick asked Leah as he slipped his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans, smiling at the sight of his wife and daughter snuggled in the middle of the queen size bed, the comforter pulled up to their shoulders, Leah's chin resting on Emmie's head. There was just something about seeing Leah with his children that made his heart expand to painful proportions inside his chest.
"It should be in the same aisle as the Tylenol," Leah gently stroked her hand over Emmie's head, brushing her hair away from her face, her other arm held captive between her daughter's chest and drawn up knees, "If you can't find it, ask someone."
"You know I hate asking for directions," Rick grumbled, giving his daughter a wink, glad when her serious little face broke out into a smile, "Alright then, Midol and a heating pad. It shouldn't take me too long."
"Don't forget the chocolate."
December 24th
Tradition is really just a repetition of an event immensely enjoyed the first time around. Sometimes, the second time around isn't as satisfying or fulfilling as it had been the first time. At other times, it becomes an even sweeter moment, with deeper meaning and significance felt by all who participate, which is why it's repeated again and again.
This was the case with the Clearwater family gathered in their living room; they were taking part in one of the many traditions during the Christmas holidays they've held close to their hearts throughout the years, except this time, there was a guest.
The cheery fire flickered away in the rounded fireplace, keeping the large living room cozy warm. A nine foot Christmas tree, beautifully decorated with glass spheres that threw off rainbows where the white lights touched the delicately spun glass, stood on the opposite end of the living room where it could be seen from the outside through the wide living room window.
In the middle of the long couch sat Seth with Harry and Carlos snuggled together on his lap, his arms around them while he held a picture book in his hands, Rose and Vivi flanking him on each side. Marc sat on the plush armchair nearest the fireplace, Betty wedged in on his right side, her socked feet resting on his thigh while he had his arm settled comfortably around her back.
"Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…"
The bright eyed look on Harry and Carlos' faces as they gazed up at their father was a truly sweet sight, one Rose was glad she was capturing with the timed camera she'd set up on a corner. It was special for her to see her little boys growing with traditions, which she believed gave them roots within their family and surrounding community.
She loved watching them, every day –they were both growing up so fast but she wouldn't give up anything to make it stop. It was beautiful, the way Carlos and Harry were a part of something so much bigger than just their small family –aside from their live-in cousins, they both were close to their other cousins. Harry and Erick, despite the year difference, were nearly inseparable whenever there were big family dinners or bonfires. Carlos was the oldest by some months of the little threesome everyone referred to as the three musketeers, which included his cousin Xavier and Willie, Paul and Rachel Lahote's youngest.
It mattered to her, very much, to see her sons integrated into the lives of those around them –they had a family, such a big yet close family to be their support if ever they were to need it. There was nothing that could possibly be as perfect as this moment –this life she was living.
Nothing else could compare if anyone were to ask her.
"…the children were nestled all snug in their beds, while visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads…"
Vivi grinned at the way her cousins' little round faces glowed in sheer bliss, recalling how she herself, along with her brother, had always been enthralled in listening to Uncle Seth read the well known poem every Christmas as far back as she could remember.
Vivi loved the traditions her family participated in every year, even hoped in that secret place in her heart where she kept her most cherished dreams hidden, to be able to carry on these very same traditions with her own family sometime in the future. She knew Gabriel, who was at his house with his family, was participating in whatever traditions their own family had for Christmas Eve night, so, more than likely, he felt the same way she did about the importance of tradition…at least she hoped he did.
Giving her watch a subtle glance, she noted there were still thirty minutes to go before her video chat date with Gabriel –she had gotten a new web cam for her laptop this past birthday but being Gabe didn't have one, there was no one to use it with except for the occasional chats she had with Roger, who was currently in Illinois performing with the Chicago Opera Ballet. He had send out his audition tape to several schools some three years back, including his top choice of the BBT, which he got into, staying with them for two years before moving to Chicago to perform with the COB this past summer.
It was fun to find out what life as a professional ballet dancer was like, and despite their age difference and the rather embarrassing situation concerning their first non-date, they had bonded over their common love for dance and performing.
Gabriel didn't know about her conversations with Roger but now that he'd gotten a web cam as a Christmas gift –apparently, his family had a tradition of opening one gift each on Christmas Eve right after dinner and he had called to tell her about his so they could set up a time for them to talk before bed –she couldn't help but wonder how to circumvent him from finding out about Roger.
Despite his request they not keep secrets from each other, she knew he wouldn't be very gracious over this particular secret of hers –not just because it was Roger but also because their main topic of conversation concerned her future in dance.
He just didn't seem to understand how important it was to her, this dream of Juilliard and Broadway and ballet so she kept quiet even though it seemed to cut her every time he shrugged it off, as if it didn't really matter.
Shaking her head to clear the gloomy thoughts, she refocused on Uncle Seth's deep voice, letting the lilting rhythm to the poem give her spirit buoyancy again.
"…when, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer…"
Betty was glad Marc's aunt and uncle had agreed to her joining them for their Christmas Eve dinner, being her grandparents had flown down to Nevada to spend the holiday with her uncle Rhett whose wife had just given birth to their first kid the weekend before. She hadn't been able to go with them since she'd been in Florida with her dad, which meant spending the holiday with her mom…that, in itself, translated to spending the holiday alone.
Her mom wasn't much into family holidays, believed since her daughter was now a teenager she could look after herself so she'd agreed to a date with a colleague, which Betty knew would last well into Christmas morning…that is, if the guy could hold an intelligent conversation.
Betty loved her mom, she really did, but she couldn't help feel a little resentment for the lack of closeness between them. She had a closer relationship with her grandmother, whom she had only seen sporadically after moving to Florida when she was a little kid. Sometimes, seeing the way Marc's aunt and uncle treated him and his sister, as well as their two little boys, made Betty realize she had missed out on something.
But alas, nothing can be changed at this point. She supposed it was the result of having older parents, both of whom had enjoyed their independence together and apart, something having a child would definitely cut into.
She knew both her parents loved her, as much as two independent and scholarly focused people could, but she also knew she hadn't been planned or yearned for. They never made her feel unwanted –not on purpose –but they also didn't hide the fact they'd met late in life and hadn't wanted children so her coming along had been what most things in life are –a very shocking surprise.
They made the best of it and she supposed she should too…wrapping her arms around her drawn up knees, she made herself focus on Marc's uncle as he kept reading, smiling at the looks of awe and wonder present on both little boys' faces, neither looking at the book but at their father.
"…more rapid than eagles his coursers they came, and he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name…"
Marc chuckled under his breath as Carlos and Harry echoed their Dad as he named each of the eight reindeers, both little boys bouncing excitedly with each name said out loud. Shifting on his seat, he stretched his long legs out, crossing his ankles as he pulled Betty tighter into his side, his fingers rubbing the soft wool of her charcoal gray sweater which she was wearing along with black skinny jeans, her gold blond hair swept over her right shoulder into a ponytail.
As Uncle Seth continued reading, his little cousins completely enthralled with every word of the story, he shifted again, pulling Betty closer, which was pretty much an impossibility being she was wedged in tight between him and the arm of the chair, but he liked the way her soft body felt against his. Moving his hand from her arm to her ribcage, he rested it under the swell of her breast, giving her a one sided smile when she looked over at him, catching the awareness in her brown eyes before she settled her head on his shoulder, her arms wrapped around her drawn up knees.
Their relationship had gotten quite physical in the past weeks, ever since the night he took her to the club. It had been a slow progress before then but after that seriously hot make out session in the front seat of his car, it gathered momentum at a slightly frightening speed. He knew it was only a matter of time before they crossed the point of no return but had no intention of pushing her into it, instead letting her be the one to let him know when and where.
He liked her –a lot, actually. There were times when he was certain he was falling for her. She invoked feelings in him he could identify as a subtler form of what he felt for his aunt and his sister, feelings which seemed to grow stronger every time they were together, alone, both eager to discover themselves in each other.
Turning his head to breathe in the honeysuckle scent of her hair, he let his cheek rest on the crown of her head, eyes on the lighted Christmas tree as he tuned in back to what Uncle Seth was reading in hopes of getting his body's reactions to his musings under control.
"…and then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof, the prancing and pawing of each little hoof. As I drew in my head, and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound…"
Before Rose, family man and homebody were two descriptors no one would ever have used to describe Seth yet here he was, reveling in the role of father, uncle and husband, enjoying the intimate moments of family, especially the ones experienced during holiday times.
This had not been the future he had pictured for himself back when he was a teenager eager to become an adult yet, nothing could possibly be better than this very moment, with his wife snuggled into his side and the two little loves they'd made together in his arms, not to mention his niece and nephew by marriage, both of whom had become extremely important and dear to him over the years. This moment, to him, was magic…not just magic, but an absolute miracle.
In that brief moment, he wished it would never change while at the same time knowing it would be a wish that never came true. In fact, change was quickly approaching; not just for his family, but for all of the pack families as a whole.
The first generation of cubs, being Bailey, Bradley and Marc, were just five months away from graduating high school and heading off to find their own futures. Seth knew Marc had send out several applications, two of them for schools in Washington, three in California, two in New York and one in New Hampshire. He had even, on a whim, sent out an application for Universitat de Barcelona in Spain.
Scuttlebutt around the reservation had it his sister and wife were planning a reveal party for the three of them to announce their plans after high school, more likely in March when acceptance letters would be received.
Sam had mentioned at their last bonfire Bradley had also sent out several applications, desiring to pursue a career in computers. As for Bailey, no one knew whether she was going for a higher education or a modeling career after high school, although it seemed there were several modeling agencies offering to represent her if she wished to pursue the latter.
Hopefully by the time the reveal party came about, she would have already made up her mind thus giving her parents peace of mind. He'd have added Brady to that particular list but the guy hadn't been around since October and no one knew how he was doing, being he'd requested a phasing sabbatical from their Alpha, one Sam had felt obligated to acquiesce after the way Bailey had treated the guy.
Turning the page of the book as he kept reading, he smiled at the little faces peering up at him in wide-eyed wonder, wondering why he even bothered to use the book. They never looked at the pictures in it and he had it memorized so there was no need for it…unless, of course, it was a matter of it's always been done this way.
Tradition…to him, it was an event that took on a life of its own, one that could not be denied or changed and on his part, he had no desire to do either.
Especially the all favorite tradition of making love to his wife under the Christmas tree…he definitely did not want to change that.
"…but I heard him exclaim, 'ere he drove out of sight, 'Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!'"
"What did your uncle mean," Betty finally got the door unlocked, removing the key and pushing the front door of her grandparents' house open, grabbing Marc's hand and pulling him in out of the cold, "When he said it would be your fault if you returned after eleven thirty?"
Marc laughed as moved further into the dark living room, watching as she flipped a switch beside the door, the tree on the corner of the living room twinkling on in bright multi colored lights, "Uncle Seth and Tia Rosa have this tradition they do after we go to sleep."
Placing the keys in the bowl on the small table beside the door, Betty looked over her shoulder at him as she removed her gloves, stuffing them into the pocket of her jacket before taking it off and hanging it in the coat closet under the stairs along with her scarf, "Hang up the rest of the decorations? I noticed the only decoration we all helped put up was the tree itself."
"Yeah, they do that," Marc removed his own jacket, laying it over the back of a burgundy armchair as Betty removed her boots and placed them in the closet before closing the door, "They also take out all the presents to put under the tree and dance to Christmas music."
"That's so sweet," Betty took his hand in hers, leading him towards the long couch, its color matching the armchair, "Why would it be a problem if you saw them doing that?"
Marc laughed as he sat down, gently pulling her down to sit next to him, giving her one of those roguish smiles that had the ability to make her heart skip a beat or two, "They have sex under the Christmas tree after."
"Oh my god," Betty stared into his dark brown eyes in shock for a few seconds before she let out a laugh, "How do you know that?"
Letting his head fall back, he stared up at the ceiling and even though the living room was dimly lit, he could still make out the details of the textured white plaster, "I was ten…it was a little before midnight when I woke up, thirsty. I was at the top of the steps and I looked over the railing…I didn't see much, just enough to get the gist of what was happening. Needless to say, I keep a glass in the bathroom now, especially on Christmas Eve."
Betty laughed, burying her face into his chest as he wrapped an arm around her shaking shoulders, laughing along with her, "Well…it's…it is kind of sweet, you know?"
"No," Marc shook his head, lifting his head to look into the brown eyes that always made him think of lazy Susan flowers, "No, it's not. They're old…they shouldn't be doing it where they could be caught…that's what their bedroom's for."
Betty laughed, shaking her head at the look of insult on his face, which was merely an echo of the way he'd just sounded, "Well, that's why it's said parents have secret lives."
"Yeah."
The laughter slowly dissipated, eyes locked on each other as they became acutely aware of their proximity to each other –an awareness they were both familiar with, the electricity arcing between them crackling with excitement and anticipation, just the way it did whenever they were alone with each other.
"I should go," he whispered, moving his hand down her back to rest against the gentle curve of her hip.
"What," Betty's brown eyes widened slightly as she looked from him to the new silver watch she wore –an early Christmas gift from her father –then back at him, "It's barely nine o clock…you don't have to leave yet."
"Your mom's bound to get back soon," he reached up to tuck a loose strand of blond hair behind her ear, fingering the small mother of pearl earrings she wore, thinking he'd made a good choice when he had picked them out for her birthday, which had been two weeks ago, "She'll walk in on us."
She shook her head, moving a little closer as she slid her hand up his chest and around his neck, pulling herself closer to him, her heart beating fast, "She probably won't get here until tomorrow morning."
"What," Marc pulled back a bit to look into her face, hues of colors from the lighted tree touching her slightly tanned skin, "You're spending the night alone, here?"
"Its okay, Marc," Betty let out a long breath, letting her forehead drop to rest against his chin, "It's no big deal."
"You should have said something before," Marc wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him, having picked up the forlorn tone of her voice with those last four words she's said, "I could have asked Uncle Seth and Tia Rosa if you could spend the night at our place –I could have slept in Uncle Seth's office."
"I'm fine, Marc."
Shaking his head, he reached between them to capture her jaw in his hand, his own face set in a stern expression, "You'll just have to come back with me. Leave a note for your mom, get your pajamas and clothes for tomorrow morning –you'll sleep in my room."
Betty's lips, which shimmered wetly in the dim light, spread into a smile as she buried her fingers into his hair to pull his face down towards hers, "I like it when you get bossy."
"You do," Marc whispered against her mouth, using the hand holding on to her oval shaped face to angle it to the side for a tighter fit, "I'll have to remember that."
It was like a flame to dry grass, both of them eager to feel each other and explore the boundaries so they could push past them. Moving from his side, she straddled him, settling herself on his lap without breaking the kiss, both of her hands buried into the surprisingly soft hair at the back of his head. His hands moved from her back down to give her bottom a squeeze before sliding under her sweater only to encounter the cotton camisole she wore under it.
She felt the vibrations of his growl against her lips, a giggle escaping her as she pulled back to breathe, lifting her arms in allowance to his tugging hands, the sweater and camisole landing somewhere behind the couch.
Marc struggled to find the muscles needed to take in oxygen as his eyes dropped from her face to the new secrets revealed, dark eyes studying the generous slopes of her breasts encased in a dark blue bra before lowering to a flat stomach, the small shadow of her bellybutton taunting him with promises of pleasures unknown.
Placing his hands around her small waist, he moved his thumbs inward until they rimmed the edges of the tempting little dimple, swallowing back a groan as she rocked forward on him. Dropping his head onto the curve of the couch's back, he stared into her eyes, her hands locked behind his neck as she stared right back at him.
Moving closer to him, she dipped her head to press her mouth against his, a shiver running down her back as he moved his hands up the curve of it, his fingers slipping under the strap, his thumbs brushing against the underside of her breasts, her nipples hardening as another shiver made its way through her.
Sucking on her bottom lip, he tilted his head to the side, slipping his tongue into her mouth to rub up against hers, his hands moving to the soft skin under the swell of her breasts before covering the soft mounds with both hands. Betty couldn't help arching her back in response, which had her breasts pressing further into his hands as well as grinding down on him.
Breaking off the kiss with a groan, he dropped his hands to her small waist, twisting until he had her flat on her back, stretching out on the couch as he moved his mouth over her jaw line, the sweet taste of her exploding in his mouth as soon as he touched his tongue to her skin.
Running his nose down her throat, he locked his jaw to keep his teeth away from the delicate skin, his lips touching briefly against her fast beating pulse. The venom pooling in his mouth had him holding his breath, his eyes closing as he dropped his forehead against her shoulder in an attempt to find some control.
It was all shot to hell, though, when she shifted under him, drawing her knees up on either side of him which had her grounding against him, simultaneous groans escaping them both.
"Betty," Marc groaned as she did it again, a hand clamping down on her hip in an attempt to stop her, "Oh god, baby, you gotta stop."
"I don't want to," Betty whispered into his ear, running her fingers through his hair as she lifted her hips off the couch, the thrilling pleasure zinging through her having her blood running hot, "I'm not ready to go all the way but we can do this…right?"
Groaning again at the way she was undulating under him, he kissed his way up her throat until his mouth was against hers, tongues tangling in a wet kiss before he pulled back to look into her dark eyes, "We don't have to do this, Betty. We don't –"
"You always make me feel so good," Betty whispered, her hands framing his face as she looked into his near black eyes, "And never ask for anything in return…I just…I just want to –to show you, how much I…how much I…"
Letting himself sink into the velvet darkness of her eyes, he rested his forehead against hers, his whisper moist against her lips as he wrapped his arms around her, his entire body trembling with the intensity of his arousal, "I know…me too."
Dropping her hands to his waist, she pulled at his sweater and t-shirt, slipping her hands underneath, the feel of her fingertips moving up his spine having Marc shiver, the tenuous hold he had on himself breaking as she moved under him.
It was one of those moments where nothing but the intense build up inside them mattered, their brains completely flooded with hormones, their bodies straining for something beyond their reach. It was just on the other end of the horizon and together, they worked at reaching a common goal.
He was five seconds away from losing it but in some small part in the back of his brain where clear thinking still resided, thus the ability to keep his teeth to himself despite the strong urge to bite down for a taste of her luscious smelling blood, he knew she still had a ways to go and it was his responsibility to help her get there.
Shifting his upper body weight onto his left elbow, he reached between their bodies to cover her breast with his hand, the hard tip of her nipple rubbing against his palm as he molded the soft flesh, the soft moan escaping her swollen lips as she tilted her head back, panting in an attempt to get oxygen into her burning lungs.
A hazy thought fleeted through her head of how he seemed to know exactly what to do to her right before everything melted into the bright colors she'd come to associate with the feeling of release from the tension right behind her bellybutton.
The urge to bite increased along with the intense tingle of electricity running down his back. Marc knew he wasn't going to be able to keep his tenuous control as the universe came at him warp speed in Technicolor so he turned his head, biting down on his own arm as he climaxed.
A blissful haze settled over them, their breathing loud in the quiet room as they stayed wrapped in each other.
There was a buzz pushing all of Marc's thoughts away as he sealed the stinging bite marks on his forearm, the taste of his blood coating his mouth and throat. Swallowing the venom still in his mouth, along with the remnants of blood, he kept his breathing shallow, moving his head from the crook of Betty's neck in an attempt to distance himself from temptation.
Betty was nothing but jellied muscle and bone, the satisfied hum thrumming throughout her body masking a slight twinge of tension, a feeling of incompleteness she encountered every time they went far but not all the way. Relaxing the grip of her arms around his torso, she blinked her eyes open, feeling a bit of shocked surprise at connecting with his dark brown eyes, her pinked face flushing a deeper rose at the way he was staring at her.
Neither of them spoke for they did not know what should be said at a moment like this, the awkwardness slowly growing as they continued to stare into each others' eyes.
A bit of blood on the corner of his mouth caught her attention, eyes widening as she reached up to wipe it away with her fingertip, "You're bleeding."
"Oh," Marc caught her hand before she could touch him, wiping his mouth himself as he cautiously lied, "I must have bit the inside of my mouth."
A giggled escaped her, the look of shock on his face making it hard for her not to laugh as she tried to apologize, "I'm sorry! I know it's not funny –"
"It's not," Marc sat up, adjusting his sweater before running his fingers through his messy hair, "So why are you laughing?"
"I don't know," Betty's laugh increased as he wrinkled his nose at her, drawing in her legs to sit up, her hands busily fixing her mussed up ponytail, "I'm sorry!"
"Doesn't sound like it," Marc's mouth hitched into a one sided smile as he stood up, moving around the couch to pick up her sweater and camisole, handing it to her, "I'm going to the bathroom to rinse out my mouth and…stuff. You get your stuff and leave a note for your mom in case she returns in the middle of the night."
Nodding in agreement, she watched as he disappeared into the hallway, the sound of the door clicking shut snapping her out of her daze. Pulling on the camisole and sweater, she headed to the stairs; the phone's ringing stopped her on the fifth step. Knowing it was her mother, she hurried back, getting the phone on the fourth ring, "Hello?"
"Hi, sweetie."
"Hi, mom."
"Listen, I'll be coming home probably after breakfast. Will you be okay alone?"
"Oh, don't worry mom, I'm going to stay with a friend," Betty rubbed her finger against the wood of the side table where the phone sat, looking over her shoulder at the sound of the bathroom door opening.
"That's great. Are his parents okay with you staying over the night?"
It never ceased to amaze Betty how her mother was able to connect dots and end with the correct conclusion no matter how little information she was given, "He lives with his aunt and uncle and they're fine with it –he's letting me have his room and he'll be sleeping in the study."
"Alright then. I'll be seeing you tomorrow after breakfast then –how about we go out for lunch?"
"Okay mom."
Betty smiled when she felt Marc stop behind her, a second later his arms wrapping around her waist as he placed his chin on the top of her head, both of them hearing her mother's parting words, "Please make sure you're careful, Betty."
Blushing over the meaning of the words, she refused to look at Marc, knowing he was probably smirking as she responded, "Of course, mom…we're being careful."
"And safe?"
She grimaced, able to feel the vibrations of Marc's silent chuckles against her back, "Completely safe, mom. Have a good night, see you tomorrow."
"I'll see you tomorrow. Merry Christmas."
"Merry Christmas, mom."
December 27th
"Davy asked me out again."
Brad turned the page of the computer magazine he was reading before turning to look over at Nika, "Even though he knows you're with me?"
Nika was at his desk, downloading his computer with the new programs he'd gotten for Christmas while he laid on his bed, feet hanging off the side and his head by the foot of the bed.
Fingers moving over the keyboard, she didn't look over at him as she answered his question with a question, "Am I with you?"
His attention had strayed back to the article he was reading but the way she'd asked had him lowering it to focus on her, "What's that suppose to mean? We've been dating for, what, two years?"
"Yes, dating for two years," Nika tapped in a couple of codes into the computer, her aptitude for computer programming coming in handy to boost up programs so they could perform at an optimum level, "Two years where you've never kissed me, so my doubt over our relationship status shouldn't surprise you."
Setting his magazine aside, he rolled to the side to sit up at the foot of the bed, his shaggy black hair falling over his forehead as he stared at the back of Nika's head, "You want me to kiss you?"
She turned to look at him, the shock on her face amusing had the situation not been so heavy with unspoken feelings and expectations, "Do I want you to kiss me? What do you think? I'm a sixteen year old girl with a 'boyfriend' –"
"What the hell's with the quotation marks?"
"Well, these past two years, it's been more like hanging out with a friend than being with a boyfriend."
Brad's eyebrows lowered as he leaned slightly forward, his hands on the edge of the bed on either side of his knees, "I hold your hand."
Nika rolled her eyes, swiveling the chair around to face him, "So does my brother Patrick."
"Seriously?"
She let out a sigh, rubbing her hands against the denim of her jeans, "Look, if it's because you're not attracted to me –"
"I'm not gay."
She stared at him for a full thirty seconds before speaking again, "I didn't say you were."
"You implied it."
They stared at each other for a full tense minute before Nika dropped her eyes to her lap, picking at the cuticle of her thumbnail, "Then you don't think I'm pretty enough to kiss."
"That's not it, either."
"So why won't you kiss me?"
He stared at her, not exactly sure how to explain his reasons for not kissing her without making a mess of it. Taking a deep breath before leaning forward, he took her hand and pulled her out of the chair to have her sit beside him at the foot of the bed.
"Look, I, uhm…" he let out a drawn out breath, his eyes on the hand that held hers, "It's not that I don't want to kiss you –I don't want to kiss anybody."
Nika's naturally arched brows lowered over her almond shaped eyes, "Are you saying you're asexual?"
Dark brown eyes swung up in surprise, studying her impassive face before he let out a laugh, his mouth quirking into a one-sided smile, "No…I'm definitely not asexual. I just…there's no forever for you and me."
Pursing her lips, she gently withdrew her hand from his, her cheeks flushing under the copper hue of her smooth skin, "I'm not asking for forever."
Dropping his hands between his knees, he studied the worn toe of his skate shoes, "You have someone in your life…he's been waiting for you all of his…and he'll keep waiting for you until you say stop. I don't think its fair…to anyone…for you to make him wait and watch as you live a life apart from him when he hasn't asked for anything from you. My sister…she has someone, like you; she's putting Brady through hell. I don't want to be a part of that."
She stared at him, studying his profile for a full minute before softly speaking, "Doug and I are just friends."
"For now," Brad let out another heavy sigh, locking his fingers together as he rubbed his thumb over the knuckles of his opposite hand, "But he's your imprint, Monika. That means he's your soul mate…the only one who'll be able to fill every need and want you could ever have."
Dropping her eyes to her hands, she picked at a cuticle as she whispered, "Don't call me Monika."
"See," Bradley gave her a knowing smile as he gently bumped her shoulder with his, "The only one you allow to use your full name, aside from your mother, is Doug. I think that means something."
Nibbling on her bottom lip, she shrugged a shoulder in a nonchalant manner that didn't fool him one bit, "It's just a kiss."
Letting out a sigh, he shook his head as he looked into her eyes, his own begging her to understand where he was coming from, "It's not just a kiss…especially your first kiss. I just –I don't want to be the one to take something as precious as your first kiss when it belongs to someone else."
