AN: If you don't like the character, okay. I get you. Don't read the story. I respect your opinion but this is MY story and you don't have the right to tell me that it doesn't belong here.

Music: Isolated by Toonorth & If Only for a Day by iamalex

WARNING: LIGHT SMUT

CHAPTER 9

Brown eyes when hit by moonlight are magical…

~She's Magic & Midnight Lace

"Wanna listen?" Tessa held out one earphone to him. He accepted it from her with a soft 'thanks.'

"Hey…" He drawls with a smile when the music plays, "this one sounds hot."

"What do you mean?"

"It sounds like it's good for…"

"For…?" she looks at him in askance.

"What other songs do you have? Anymore like this one?" he quickly asks then…"What are you giggling at?"

"Nothing."

Marcus turns quickly on his stomach, supported by his elbows, "I didn't say anything." He lifts a brow.

"You didn't have to. I dare you. What do you think it's good for, hmm?" she lifts her own brows to him in that sassy way. The man looks at her in the eyes then he became serious.

"For this." He whispers.

Marcus's lips pried hers open. As the tip of his tongue teased hers a shock of electricity shot through her body; it made her feel weak and heat blooms from her belly and lower. It made her back arch in surprise. "Marcus…" she turns her head away but his hand slides under her head and guides her back to his hungry lips. The man moves closer; his chest on her chest. His right hand glide under her waist slid under her shirt to caress the smooth skin of her back just below the waist; gently kneading, pressing, moving up. Her gasp made him break into a pleased smile and he latched on the skin below her neck.

Marcus shifts his weight to move a knee over Tessa's and places it between her legs. As he moves his hips forward Tessa felt his hard on against the loose thin cotton pants she's wearing. His hand moves lower to her hips to better press her toward him. His groans of 'yes' made something hot and wet flow between her legs.

Tessa wants to meet him and slide her legs up against him but she is torn if she would rise to it or move away because this kiss wasn't the quick peck on the lips he gave her before. This is hot and passionate. The man moans her name in her lips as his hot lips and tongue explore hers in a way not her even her former boyfriend had done.

Inside her shirt his hand had traveled up toward the under curve of her left breast. The woman shivers in surprise as his thumb gently play with its softness through the thin fabric of her bra. When Tessa didn't stop him he took his caress higher until he could cup her breast. When she raised her chest her shirt opened slightly and he dove his lips in their creamy smoothness. Her hands start to move on their own exploration, they went up his broad shoulders and up to his neck.

"Marcus…" She whispers getting adrift and she felt the loss of control from the deepening kisses, from his seductive hands on her body, the urgency of his hips pressing against hers and though she felt weak and hot from wanting him Tessa pushes Marcus farther away. She got up on an elbow until she's sitting up. "Marcus, you're burning up!"

"What?" he leans in to the cool hand she pressed on his forehead.

"You have a fever! Come on. You need to get inside." after she pockets her phone Tessa took an arm and pulled Marcus to stand. "Come inside. I'll come back for my things…" Tessa drapes Marcus's blazer on one arm and grabs the laptop bag. Marcus looks like he's a little disoriented; blinking. "Let's go, Marcus." She gently calls to him. Tessa took his hand when he didn't respond. His hand is burning hot! She needs to get a cold pack on him ASAP.

"Have you eaten?"

"Not hungry….thirsty."

"You need to eat something before you take medicine."

"I have some in my bag."

"Good. How about some soup?"

"Yeah, I'd like some."

"Let's get you in your room first…" Tessa locks the screen door but kept the door open.

"I need a very cold bath."

Tessa paused, trying not to blush. "Can you manage?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go." Tessa looks at the man; he seemed like a lost boy. She goes ahead a few steps but she couldn't hear his footsteps. Behind her Marcus leans one hand on the wall. "Hey, Marcus. Come on."

"Yeah." His eyes sometimes lose focus.

She had to grab his arm firmly to keep him from stopping every now and then. They finally manage to arrive at his room. She deposited all his things on the Eames chair, when she turns around Marcus stands by his bed, fingers fumbling for the buttons of his shirt; hand shaking. "Here. Let me do it."

"Thank you." He whispers as the fever makes his body quiver every now and then.

Tessa could feel his gaze as she reaches up to unbutton his shirt. She purses her lips when her fingers slightly shake at how he kissed her at the garden. She lifts one of his hands to release the cuff links and then the other. She placed them by the side table. She frowns when she turns back; Marcus didn't do anything to remove his shirt. She had to tiptoe to reach the collar and push it off of his shoulders.

"Did you drink?" She turns him so she could pull his shirt off his back completely.

"Uh, yeah. Just a little."

"What's this?"

Marcus looks down; Tessa's cool fingers lightly brush the skin around the small patch of bandage on his arm, "Vaccination. I had a physical today."

"I see. What for?"

He shrugs then his torso spasms again, he got goosebumps, both from the fever and her hand. "I always get it when I come here. For some tropical disease or something."

"Oh okay. Maybe it's why you've a fever." She made a worried sound.

"Why?" He frowns when Tessa took out her phone and starts thumb tapping, "What are you doing?" he asks, stepping behind her.

"Googling if you can drink fever meds with alcohol…"

"What's it say?" Marcus laid his chin in the crook of Tessa's neck.

Tessa gently pushes the chin away, trying to look nonchalant and she was anything but. After what happened at the garden she realizes now that what he makes her feel is desire. It gets stronger each time and her body remembers the feeling at odd times. When it hits her she couldn't help but close her eyes and gasp quietly. She hates to admit that she likes that feeling. "It's ok if it's only once…"

"Once." Marcus held up a finger.

"I guess its okay." Tessa shrugs as she puts her phone away. She gave Marcus's shirt a shake. "What's funny?"

"You'll look good in my shirt."

The hell? Tessa's jaw drops, shaken at what he's implying. "Funny. Go on. I'll get your water and soup."

"Okay." Marcus said that word so softly and quietly and….damn it! She's such a sucker for the cute and vulnerable types. All her resolve to stay angry at him vanished. Damn it! All her anger melted. For now. Tessa took a deep breath; all her insides feel like liquefied cheese.

Tessa waited until Marcus got inside the bath before she went the other way. When she came back with a tray of food and other items she found the man sitting in bed, back against the headboard; hair slicked back, still damp from his bath. The effing man looked hot even in white T-shirt and loose white pajamas. Tessa must have made a sound or noise and Marcus opens his eyes.

"Hi."

Don't melt with that 'hi', Tessa told herself. "Do…you feel better?'

"Yeah." Marcus blinks as if sleepy. He moves up the bed so Tessa could place the tray on the mattress.

"Here's your soup. I'm afraid the noodles have gone soggy."

His brows furrow, "Oh, that's delicious! You want some?"

"No, there's more where it came from. I had some of my mom's stew. I've to finish the food she gave me…whoa!" Tessa grabs his hand and saves the cup from spilling. It also saved her from babbling and making a fool of herself. She took it from Marcus's trembling hands. "Ohhkay… I think I'd better feed you." She returns the cup to the tray and moves it to the side table. "Open wide." She gave him a spoonful of noodles with a lot of meat.

"Sit here." Marcus pats the space in front of him.

Tessa couldn't return the intense stare of the man, "I'm okay standing up."

Marcus almost reaches out to her but she moves slightly away. Oh shit. "Are you scared of me?"

"No…." Tessa sighs, lips tense as she stirs the broth. She looks at him and away clearing her throat. "Kinda."

He didn't like the sound of that 'kinda.' It's terse. "Why?"

"You've been becoming so bold…" Tessa took a shaky breath because she's angry at herself. In the kitchen she almost burned the soup. She was standing there by the stove stirring the sauce pot but in her mind she replayed what happened in the garden and her body would tremble. He wanted her and deep in her she would have let him take her. But that moment of madness was thankfully and unfortunately saved by the realization that he was sick.

Shit. She's pissed at him now. Marcus closes his eyes, rubs a hand on his face. With slightly shaking hands he clasps his hands like on the first day. "I'll behave, promise."

She sighed. Damn puppy dog eyes! "You better." She whispers as she sits but it not the lady-like kind of sit; it's the pissed and wary kind of sit.

"I'm sorry I startled you with the kiss." Tessa gave him another spoonful of soup. "Tessa? Please say something?"

"I've nothing to say." Tessa wipes Marcus's chin with a paper napkin. Don't look at the lips.

"Are you mad at me?" But Marcus remained worried even when she shook her head. She's lying. He didn't blame her, really. She still didn't want to look at his eyes. "Did you like the kiss at least?" he asked with an expectant look in his eyes.

She made a sound that's part strangled laugh part snort of disbelief. She kept shaking her head in incredulity. Yeah, he's asked a shameless question. He knows he made her feel something. She returned his kisses, her body responded to his touch.

Tessa's lips were moving as if she's thinking of the right words to give him. A small smirk escaped her lips, "You are impossible. Last bite."

"Tessa?" he pressed when she went silent on him again.

"I'm not mad at you, Marcus." Tessa stands to return the cup and the paper napkin to the tray.

They were gentle words but it made Marcus apprehensive. "Okay."

"Where's your medicine?"

"In the laptop pocket."

Tessa looks at the bag; she puts it in the chair with Marcus's blazer. She brought the bag back to him and held it out to him. "Here. I don't wanna search in there..." Marcus nods. Gun. She gave him some water after he took two capsules from a small pack. "Okay." She steps back with a satisfied sigh. "I'll leave you now."

"Can you stay?"

Tessa froze halfway reaching for the tray, "What?" she gulps, wary when he pats the space beside him.

"Can you stay?"

"Why?"

"Please? Just until I fall asleep." Marcus slips his feet under the bed covers.

Oh hell. "Uh, I'll take the chair..." Tessa gestures at the corner.

"Please…I'm…I'm not gonna do anything stupid."

She took deep breaths, clearly suspicious of him. "Fine."

"Could you turn off the light?" He points up then turns on the bedside lamp. Still, Tessa falters before she flicks the switch off. The room looks more intimate now that it's only lit by the warm light beside him. "In you go." He flips over the covers.

Her heart beats like a Japanese o-daiko* drum; slow but deep and booming. It's the kind of beat when you dread something. Tessa took her time to walk over to the other side of the bed, once or twice glancing at the door. She shouldn't have closed it.

Marcus lays down when she sits and lifts her legs up the bed. He covers her legs with the sheets; the room had gotten colder when the AC had achieved full power. He moves slowly. Spooking her is the last thing on his mind. He tries not to think of anything sexy or sexual about her. He wants to win her trust.

"Don't you want to lie down?" Marcus says, on his side facing her.

Tessa keeps her eyes down; she avoids looking at the man beside her. "Don't worry about me, Marcus. Just try to get some sleep, okay? It's late." Tessa jerked in surprise when Marcus's hand came out from under the sheets and suddenly took hers.

"I'm so glad you're here." Marcus whispers.

In the dim light of the lamp his face looks glowing. Fucking hell, there's that wide-eyed vulnerable expression that disarms her. "Now go to sleep. Hey! Marcus," she grunted. "Let go!" Miffed, she gave her hand a tug.

"No." he sounds petulant and sleepy, brows knotted, lips in a pout. Now he used two hands to capture hers; his hold wasn't strong or painful just firm. "It's mine….it's mine…mine…."

And he was out cold.

"Oh, my God." She groans in exasperation, running her free hand on her face. "I did not sign up for this." Her whisper was so low it's almost silent.

o0o-

A crick in her neck and an achy back made for a rude awakening. Grimacing, Tessa massages the stiffness out of her side then for a few seconds was most disoriented at the unfamiliar area.

With bleary eyes, she sits up further then notices Marcus has lost his hold on her hand. Carefully, slowly, she moves it away in case he captures her again. Oh no, she's not spending her time here any longer if she could help it.

Tsk! Then she remembers: he has a fever. Of course, as his caretaker [literally!] she needs to check if it has gone down. Damn it! She has to risk captivity again. Tessa cautiously and lightly places her palm on Marcus's forehead. She checks her own temperature by placing her own palm on her forehead for comparison. Yes, it definitely has. What a relief.

Who are you Marcus Pike? She gazes at the man as she slowly and carefully gets up from the bed. Do I want to know? She crosses her fingers that he's totally out cold so she could escape back to her room. What time is it? She looks back.

Please stay asleep.

Stay asleep….

-o0o-

And that sound you heard…the soft gentle crack, coming from her chest was just her calcified heart breaking open and in love with you.

~Sarah's Collection of Scars

Shit. Tessa steps back out of her room. She stares at the hallway. She just remembered; her mat and shawl are in the garden. With a sigh she went back out into the garden. The moon is now low in the sky, just below the trees leaving the garden a little dark.

The mat is still there where she left it. What almost happened there…Stop it! She got her mat and shawl, even Marcus's shoes, which she left at the shoe shelf by the door. After making sure everything's been secured she wearily walked back to her room…

"Why the hell are you here?" a forlorn looking figure sits hunched on her bed. She hastily propped the mat in the corner by the window.

"You left!"

"I left you asleep, Marcus." She held out her hand for Marcus to take. She'll return him back to his room. Too bad there's no rope to tie him to his bed; Tessa suddenly had this wicked thought for the wandering Marcus.

"You too!" Marcus wraps his arms around Tessa's waist, pulled her close between his legs and lays his head against her stomach. "You feel good."

She sighed at his new antics, "Marcus, what are you doing?"

"I'll sleep here too."

"Marcus..." Tessa's shoulders sag. She shakes his shoulder. "Marcus! Come on! Go back to your room!"

"You have pretty bed sheets."

Ugh! Here we go again! "A student gave it to me."

"Man?"

"A woman. If you're sleeping here I'm sleeping in your room." Tessa sighs when his arms went around tighter.

"I don't want to sleep alone."

"I…!" Tessa could only scratch her head. He's fucking kinda adorable. The man's prickly beard pierces through her shirt like a hedgehog; it's kinda ticklish. Damn it! She didn't even mind that he's very warm. Please don't get turned on. Again.

"I'll stay on my side of the bed…" he raises one hand in front of her to make the Boy Scout hand sign.

"Ok, fine. You're lucky I'm just too tired to argue with you. You have to let me go first." She rolled her eyes when he made a sound of protest.

"Why?" his voice sounds muffled against her stomach.

Please stop that. If this guy only knew his effect on her…."I need to change clothes."

"Oh." Marcus lifts his head away from her stomach; he regards the shirt. "You need to change your clothes." He looks up with a smile.

Tessa returns the nod, going along with his 'drunk and or drugged' conversation, "Yeah, that's a great idea, Marcus." She just held back to the point of sarcasm.

Marcus nods; his face's expression like it's the best notion ever. "I know." The man finally released her, his hands span her waist and gently pushes her away from him. "I'll wait here."

Tessa stops and frowns; she looks at the he man intently because for a moment there he sounds suspiciously kinda lucid. What the hell. She's very tired and it's much too late as she remembers the time.

From behind Tessa could feel his stare as she grabs some clothes and went into the bathroom, locking it behind her. Tessa frowns at the door thinking of her safety. She could only breathe out her worry. She's at his mercy and if he means her harm how does she fight his strength? So far he's been kind, nice and affectionate. They had many instances where they were so close but he never…

Oh shit, that kiss in the garden. It's more than a kiss! Here we go again!

Before she lost herself again Tessa ties her hair all the way. She didn't want to wet it; she prefers to shampoo it during the day. She quickly took a shower because she likes to sleep feeling refreshed after a long teaching day. Well, she although she didn't teach long today there's no better feeling than sleeping clean.

Before going out of the bathroom she braided her ponytail to keep it out of her face when she sleeps. There. She flips the tail of the braid behind her. There's no other reason to stay in here and we are not a coward. As our students would say, 'Fighting!' Tessa finished her pep talk in the mirror with a double fist pump. With a last deep breath she turned the knob. Oh…

He's out cold.

He's out cold and on his stomach.

Oh thank God! Tessa raised her clasped hands in gratitude. Hands on hips she looks at the man occupying the middle of her bed. Well, that's one issue out of my hands and thankfully so. I won't have any awkward dealing with this effing situation.

But she has to regularly check his temperature just like what her aunts would do when she has fever. Again, being very careful not to nudge or jar the bed because she doesn't want to deal with an impossible Marcus Pike at this time, at this moment. Tentatively she placed her hand on his forehead. She sighs in relief.

So far it's just low grade fever. The fever must have broken while he was asleep so he's gonna be okay. He's strong and healthy…and well…she stops to admire his physique…very well-toned. It's getting hot again. Tessa fans herself with her hand.

Tessa took her phone and earphones before deciding on one course of action; since he took her bed she'll take his.

That's just fair.

-o0o-

A shadow partially obscures the light from the bedside table. Marcus enters his room and studies the sleeper in the white sheets; his white sheets. He didn't need to lift the covers to know Tessa's sleeping in the fetal position again, on her side, feet crossed at the ankles.

Tessa looks good in his bed. Her arms were around her pillow as if embracing a lover. Marcus yearns to be that lover. He yearns to be so much more.

Marcus was surprised how turned on he was by just wrapping his arms around her waist, at how it feels good to lay his head on her stomach. He wanted to lift her shirt and plant more hot kisses on her soft skin. He would like to bare and explore the woman before him but….she stiffened in his arms, her hands grabbed his shoulders in surprise as if to hold him back. He waited for her to move and continue beyond what he began. She didn't. That was disappointing but it was enough for him. Well, she also didn't free herself from his arms. That was a good sign, right? It actually gave him some comfort from his illness.

Seeing her like this make her seem like a flower petal; soft, fragile and weak.

Except she's not.

Before Tessa got into the bathroom Marcus was torn if he would make a move on her again on the pretense of his fever. He discarded that stupid idea. That might backfire on him. He's on shaky ground with her already so he couldn't force her into anything. And he really didn't want to.

She likes him, she said so earlier and he could see he affects her by the way her body responds to his proximity; the blush on her cheeks, the beat of her heart on her neck, the breathing she was trying to control, how her breasts…let's not think of them yet. That's dangerous ground for his sanity.

He's been testing her resolve and limit and so far he'd not reached hers. She's much too strong.

Marcus pretends to sleep on his stomach taking up as much space on the bed. He'll put her to a test again.

While she was in there his imagination began conjuring all kinds of erotic and steamy visions which he stops immediately because he didn't want to get frustrated….and her bed is immaculate and he didn't want to…you know.

A lovely scent announced her exit from the bathroom. He waited. When she stopped by the bed her scent became stronger…then a slight body heat told him where she is.

He never thought that his long years of experience of either playing dead or asleep made him sensitive to things around him especially people could be super useful for this. Shit.

Did Tessa make a sigh of relief? That he's asleep? That disappointed him again because she took to his bed instead.

Marcus almost touched the sleeping occupant in his bed; he couldn't help it.

If only he has Tessa's control.

Not to cast aspersion on Sasha but Tessa has that strength that the other woman never had. It kind of intimidates him. It also makes him kind of protective of her.

It's fucked up, right?

-o0o-

A/N:

1. Japanese o-daiko drum- The largest taiko drums are called o-daiko, some of which are greater than one meter in diameter. Wadaiko are played using wooden sticks known as bachi.