TOMMY - A FEW DAYS LATER

I'm sitting outside in the garden, staring at nothing in particular. I know that Zedd's worried about me, but I don't particularly care. I know the minute what's-her-name gives me clearance to travel, Zedd wants to take me home. He hasn't said which one, but either way I know he thinks that I'll 'get better' if he gets me away from here. He just doesn't get it. But then again, how can he? At least he was able to get better. Me - not so much.

I do roll my eyes however, when I hear Pina and the other woman arguing - again. I'm so tired of it all. Pina's sure that something's wrong with me and the other woman- well, she hasn't said it in so many words, but she seems to think that my behavior is a ploy for attention. My attention is drawn to the pair of them as they crouch in front of me.

"Tommy? Boetie, I need to draw some blood, okay?"

I shrug. Whatever. Take it all. I don't care. I'm careful not to say any of it, because the last time I said something similar, there was talk of restraining me again. Which is stupid because I'm not suicidal. I don't care enough to be suicidal, plus it's a lot of work, never mind that it'll hurt Zedd.

"Are you guys bothering him again?" Speak of the devil…

"No, I'm going to prove her wrong once and for all" Pina says. I wish they'd stop talking and go away. It was nice and quiet until they came out. Idly, I wonder how long it takes for a bond to break down like Mara told me about.

"Well, go do it somewhere else." It's only another minute and I feel his fingers running through my hair. "I'm back, love." Slowly, I let my gaze wander to the man crouched next to me. He's not quite looking himself lately. I mean, he doesn't exactly look sick, but something is definitely off. It's just too hard to figure out what it is right now. "I brought your medicine."

Whatever. It's not like it's helping me anyway. I mean, if it was helping, fine, but it's really not doing anything. "Come on, Thomas. Open for me." It's just easier not to fight.

I do as I'm asked, but suddenly there's a commotion coming from the house. "Zedd, stop!"

"Don't give him the medicine!"

"What?" He pulls the pills back, turning his attention to the women.

"Now that he's better, the dose is entirely too strong" the blond pants. "That's what's making him like this - well, this bad anyway. In fact, if Scorpina's right, the powers should take over from here and finish healing him."

Zedd groans. "This isn't going to be like the last time the powers healed him, is it? With the convulsions and all that?"

"Not likely" Pina answers him. "And I'm not sure how long it'll take for the powers to get the last of it out of his system. Odds are, the illness has kept his hormones in check so he's not going to be badly needy once the drugs are gone."

Zedd sighs. "Not my primary concern right now, but thank you for the warning. Is there anything we can do to help speed things up?"

Silence falls for a minute. "I don't know, Zedd. Short of detoxing him, which is unnecessary, I have no suggestions."

Pina says, "It's really a matter of forcing it through or the powers destroying it since it isn't helping him anymore. Exercise and that sort of thing would help, but good luck getting him to cooperate while he's like this. I doubt you could even interest him in mating at this point."

Wow - why don't you just say that you think I've lost interest in him? My hand twitches with the extremely brief desire to slap her for making the, I'm certain, hurtful remark. Zedd's gaze snaps to my fingers before offering me a weak smile. "What do you think, love? It's been a while since you've let me lavish some attention on you."

For his sake, I put forth a bit of effort. "Out of balance, mate."

He should not be this happy just to get four words. Quickly, he answers, "We can rebalance it later, Thomas, when you're better."

"Already owe you."

His grin falters briefly. "Love, we can argue about that later." He stands up and picks me up. Not all that surprising, really, when waiting for me to walk to the bedroom will take all damn day. I am surprised - and confused - when he sets me on my feet twenty feet from the bedroom door. "Come on, Thomas. Get your blood moving. Well, you get the process started and I'll - help you when you get in here." He shoots me a grin and disappears into the bedroom.

Focusing as best I can, I slowly shuffle into the bedroom. As long as that took, he could have gotten off a half a dozen times by now. As he closes the door and locks it, I climb on the bed, sprawling out corner to corner on it. And that was just way too much work. Zedd gets me out of my clothes before he starts caressing me slowly. I'm not really into it at the moment, but if I know Zedd, he's going to do his damnedest to make sure that I am into it and as soon as possible - or he's going to feel like he's forcing me and quit.

And he's trying his hardest, no doubt about it, making sure to pay attention to the spots that would normally have me wanting to jump him in no time. But it's not until he starts working my neck that I actually feel a surge of something. I don't know what it is about that little spot on my neck, but sometimes I swear it could almost bring me back from the dead. Well, in the past it kind of has… He slides his hand down and cups me gently for a minute before actively starting to work my body over.

Fortunately, he knows me pretty well by now, knows just what to do and how to get the reactions from me that he wants. I can feel his delight when a low moan escapes me. The more he gets me wound up, even as slowly as it's happening, I can feel small changes coming over me. My heart starts to beat harder and faster, there's a tingle on my skin where he's caressing, blood rushes southward and I can feel my body reacting.

He slowly slides a finger into me and I'm puzzled at the discomfort. Then I realize that this is the closest I've been to dry since I became a half breed. I know that Zedd realizes it too when he backs out. He rummages in the nightstand for a minute before coming up with a small bottle. Whatever it is, he quickly puts some on his fingers before sliding them back in me. I can't help but moan again now that it's not uncomfortable any more. When he brushes that spot in me, I gasp as my body tries to surge against his digits. Unfortunately, my body and brain aren't working in tandem just yet and all I can do is whimper in need.

"Shh. Easy love. I'm here. I've got you." He starts working me in earnest, trying to force my body to participate. I moan again when he slides his mouth down on me. For the first time in days, I actually feel something besides terror and depression - even if it is only the need for relief at the moment. He holds me in place, not allowing my body to react as it wants to his slow, almost lazy playing.

My hands grip the sheets of their own accord and I groan in frustration as he releases me and kisses his way back up my body. I force the word out between my teeth. "More."

"Soon." He settles above me and returns to kissing and caressing. It only takes a few minutes of this before I've had enough of waiting.

"More now" I tell him as I reach around and drag the nails of both hands down his back. I've never done that in just that way before, but with the full body shudder and gasp it just earned me, perhaps I'll have to do it again sometime.

He eases into me. Thankfully the additional playing and time relieving the dryness issue, I cry out in pleasure as he fills me. God, I'm close already and bits of me are aching badly with the need. He's not moving and I swear if he doesn't start moving soon, I'm going to have to somehow find the energy and coordination to roll us so that I can just ride the hell out of him. He wraps his hand around me and starts stroking me. "Sorry love, but I'm too close right now."

Is that so? "Please" I whine, knowing that it's one of the few things that can push the limits of his self control. For some reason, the begging and whining and occasional demand or command seems to trip his trigger, so to speak. I moan as it works once more and he starts thrusting into me. I break out into a sweat as I start thrusting back as best as I can in this position.

"The hell with it." Zedd pulls out of me and flips me over before I can protest it, pulling me up on my knees and thrusting back in deep and hard. And, oh god he's pounding me into the mattress and I start to meet him, grunting at the impact of our bodies against one another. "Hells, Thomas."

Suddenly, I realize that he's getting close, but I'm not there yet. As good as he feels, it's still taking longer than usual. "Go ahead, Zedd."

"Not yet." He changes the pace, easing up slightly as he understands that I'm not with him. "Not without you, love. Not this time."

He pulls me up and back against him, my own weight forcing him deeper into me. This is rapidly becoming one of my favorite positions. Not only does he get deep in me, it also allows him access to my neck and his hands can wander - and wander they do. In a minute, he has me panting and writhing on him. "Oh god." My body starts to move on its own and shortly I'm riding him as if my very life depends on it - and maybe, in a way, it does. "Zedd, please."

The half sob propels him into upping his game, so to speak, and shortly my muscles lock down on him and I almost scream at the strength of my release. I'm vaguely aware of him unloading inside me as well even as I slump bonelessly against him. Gently, he lies us both down, his hands soothing me as he does. He doesn't pull out but I don't mind in the least. Exhaustion has me drifting off to sleep in the safe haven of his arms even as he presses a kiss to my temple.