Hay everyone. I just wanted to say thank you for all of your wonderful reviews and I hope you stick with this story. I'll keep writing it as long as you keep reading it! Thankyou again, Spikevv
Chapter Four
Close to You
Al slowly pulled up in front of Mikes' store. He got out of his truck and walked in. As he entered he saw that, like always, Mike was behind the counter watching tv as Michelle stacked the shelves. Al said hi to Mike as he walked past him, heading for the frozen food isle. He was stocking up on a few things, stuff that would keep till the bad weather passed. Next he grabbed some more tea bags and a tub of hot chocolate powder. As he picked the tub up Michelle said "Well that's a first." Al glanced over at her "What?" Michelle put her pricing gun down and turned to face him "In the whole time you've been coming in here, you've never brought coco before...I mean you always buy the same things, bread, milk, cigarettes and whiskey. All of a sudden your buying coco?" Al simply shrugged his shoulders "Just thought I'd have something different for once...that's all." Michelle giggled slightly "I didn't mean nothing by it...so how did it go up the north mountain...you got anything for us?"
Al sighed. He couldn't tell her what had happened up there, she would just think he was crazy. So he quickly said "Nah...must be the snow...I didn't get anything worth selling...I best be getting home before the snow gets to deep." as he turned to walk away Michelle said "Al wait!" he stopped and turned back to face her "How come you don't want to take me out for a drink...why do you keep knocking me back?" Al sighed and rubbed his eyes "Michelle...its not that I don't like you...its just...I don't like you in that way...I'm happy on my own...I'm sorry." Michelle took a step back and sighed "Oh...ok...I'm sorry...I thought you were...you know...looking for someone to...be happy with, but if your happy with being alone then...nevermind." she then quickly walked out the back. Al shook his head, was he really turning down the hottest girl in this little town for...Zara! Al walked over to the counter, payed for his stuff, said bye to Mike and headed for his truck.
As he started the truck, Al sighed "Face it...your attracted to her...she crashed into your life and now you can't get her out of your head!" Talking to himself was always a bad habit of his, but for Al, it was a way of getting things straight in his head, say them aloud to yourself and maybe you could understand things better, at least that's how he saw it.
As he arrived home Al grabbed the shopping bag and headed inside. He was greeted by the sound of one of his favorite songs, the sound of silence by Disturbed. Zara was sitting in front of the fire, he couldn't help but think how beautiful she looked in the warm glow of the light from the small fire. She slowly turned her head and trilled softly "Welcome home Al...did you get what you need?" Al nodded and said "Sei-i and I even got something special for you to try."
Zara's eyes lit up when she heard him speak her language "What did you get?" Al smiled at her and reached into the bag. Pulling out the tub of hot chocolate he said "Its called hot chocolate...its good...trust me"
Zara stood up and slowly walked over to him "I do trust you...with my life." Al blushed slightly as she said that "So ummm what you been doing while I was out?" Zara looked over at the stereo "I listed to songs...I like your songs." Al went into the kitchen and Zara followed him "Yeah...this one is my favorite...do you like it." she stood and listened for a moment "Sei-i it is good...can I ask you...when I first showed you my face...you were not afraid...why?" Al had started putting things away, but when she asked him that he stopped. He sighed and turned to face her "I guess it's because I've seen some pretty nasty shit in my time...your face ain't one of them...besides, the only thing I could think when I saw it was how beautiful your eyes are."
Zara purred softly and took a step forward, she was given off her scent as her body warmed "You think so...thank you Al." Al's nose picked up on her scent almost immediately, it was a cinnamon kind of scent, maybe a little bit like nutmeg. He breathed it in and softly said "Well yeah...I mean...ummm...shall we have a hot chocolate now...I'm still kinda cold."
Zara nodded "Sei-i I would like that." Al smiled at her and said "Ok, you go and put some music on while I make the hot chocolate." Zara trilled softly and headed to the front room. Al put the kettle on and got the hot chocolate ready. As he heard the music playing he sighed, but this time it was a happy kind of sigh. For the first time in a long time he was happy to have someone around him. This strange alien woman had some how made him open up, made him smile and be glad that he was alive. It seemed insane, hell it was insane, but he didn't care. Al was happy, something he never thought he would be ever again. After making the hot chocolate Al walked into the front room.
Zara was sitting in front of the fire again, Al stood and watched her for a moment before sitting on the sofa. He placed the mug's down on the coffee table and said "You like sitting by the fire don't you Zara." Zara turned to face him "Sei-i it is warm..." She then did something he did not expect, she held her hand out to him "Come...join me...please?" without saying a word Al got up and walked over to her. He sat down next to her and handed her mug of hot chocolate "Here you go...careful it might be a little hot." Zara tilted her head "It is called hot...so it should be hot sei-i?" Al thought it was cute, how she would take things as they were. He gave her a smile and said "Well I guess that's right...I just ment it might be to hot to drink."
Zara trilled softly "Oh...I see." she picked up the mug and gave it a sniff. Her eyes lit up again as she looked back at Al "It smells good." she took a sip and purred loudly. To her it was the greatest taste in the world. She looked back at Al as her eyes seemed to sparkle "This is...good...it is warm and nice taste." Al nodded and smiled "Well I'm glad you like it...so what would you like to do now?"
Zara moved herself closer to him and purred "I want to...be close to you...I like to be close to you Al." she gently placed her hand on his knee and purred. Al put his mug down and smiled at her. His hand gently laying on top of hers "I like being close to you too Zara." she slowly placed her head on his shoulder a d trilled softly "My people...share stories of battles...what was it like...the war you were in?" Al tilted his head to the side so that it was resting on hers. He sighed and said "Its not something I like to talk about, but I think I'm ready to tell you about it." Zara purred softly as Al told her about his time in the war.
Al took a sip of his hot chocolate "I remember the day it started, same as every other day. Then the news broke and we were shipped out. We weren't told where, just what we had to do. The fighting was tough and a lot of the guys I shipped out with...didn't come back." Zara trilled softly "But you did..." Al nodded gently "Yeah...there were a few times when I didn't think I would...and a few times after I wish I hadn't." Zara sat up and tilted her head "You mean...you wish you had been killed in combat?" Al nodded again "Yeah...it was...a dark time for me...but I learned to live with the things I did...and the things I saw...but after coming out here, getting away from everyone...it helped. The only thing I regret is not saving Jimmy...that...that still haunts my dreams." Zara trilled softly and placed her head against his "I...I am happy you are alive...but...do you still wish to die?" Al sat forward and shook his head. He looked up at the pictures on the mantle "Not anymore...you see...since I met you...I've been...happy...for the first time in, hell since I can't even remember when." He turned to face her and softly said "I don't know why..." but before he could finish speaking Zara moved forward and purred "I think I know why" She slowly leaned her forehead against his, her mandibles gently brushing his cheeks. Al took a deep breath and whispered "Zara...what are you doing?" She softly purred and said "This..." and then she gently kissed him, her tongue slowly, softly touching his lips.
Al was shocked. Zara had made the first move and was now kissing him. For a moment he just sat there being kissed, but he slowly moved his hand up held the back of her head. He kissed her back, softly at first. His hand gently stroking her dread's.
Zara began to purr louder as he touched her dread's. Al gently touched her tongue with his, his mind was filled with wonder as he tasted her mouth for the first time. He thought that she tasted as good as she smelt, like cinnamon and nut meg.
They sat there,kissing for a few minutes before Al broke the kiss and said "Wow...that was...unexpected." Zara trilled softly and touched the side of his face "Did you not like it?" Al smiled up at her and pulled her head towards him "I liked it...I liked it a lot." Zara pressed her forehead against his and trilled "So did I...it was my first...with a ooman male." Al giggled at that, he wasn't exactly a pro and kissing alien women "Well your the first alien I've kissed, so I guess that's something. She purred happily and rested her head on his shoulder again "I'm tired now...will you...stay here...close to me?" Al nodded gently and intertwined their hands "Yes...I'll stay close to you...always."
The two of them lay there, in front of the fire, wrapped in each other's arm's until the sun came up.
