Gail sat on the bonnet of her blood red Mustang, listening to the smooth voice of Brett Eldredge as the soft melody came from her car stereo. Gail could get lost in that sweet country sound easily and had many a time escaped here over the years, just taking in the scenery while the music played around her; however, this time it was different and she could not allow herself to get distracted from what she needed to do.
As she stared out into the calm water and tried not to get lost in the melody, Gail pondered over the mess that she had returned to. Her youngest Son had killed a young man who was just coming into his prime, her Husband had goaded Caleb into murdering her Editor and friend Mark, not to mention how she had in turn murdered Jack, the majority stakeholder and wildly known as the owner of the Trinity Guardian. That was only naming a few unfortunate incidents and she hated to think how all of this had impacted her Daughter. Just because the baby appeared quiet did not mean that she had not been scarred in some way and Gail knew from her own dark past how impacted a child could be from the actions of their parents.
The song stopped, signalling the end of her CD and Gail let out a long sigh at the silence. She sensed her past self watching her from beneath the water and supposed that she had delayed the inevitable for long enough; therefore, she hopped off of her car bonnet and moved casually towards the edge of the riverbank, not looking forward to what she was about to do.
As the water in the centre of the Trinity River became hostile, Gail smiled and shook her head in amusement. Rosemary would have know that she was not herself recently, the strong connection that they shared meant the tortured soul would know instantly what was going on and Gail was not afraid of her past self at all, no matter how hostile and malevolent that she may appear.
'Stop with the theatrics and just show yourself. I haven't got all day' Gail called calmly, not allowing Rosemary to feel like she had the upper hand against her.
The water parted as Rosemary emerged from the depths of the Trinity River and began walking towards Gail. To an onlooker, this would look like a scene from a horror movie; however, Gail was used to Rosemary's pale wet appearance and was not fazed by it.
Rosemary stopped 10 feet away from her mirror image and stared at her suspiciously. She had sensed her previous retreat into herself and had chosen not to interfere when her kin's dark half had been given free reign, now she sensed the true dominating personality had returned and she suspected the reason for her visit.
'Oh come on, I'm not that bad am I?' Gail asked sarcastically, watching the moody way Rosemary was regarding her. When Rosemary continued to keep her distance, Gail took a few steps forward and tried not to shudder when she felt the cold water enter her boots.
Rosemary held up her hand in warning, ordering her to stop. She had a strong connection to this woman and even cared about what happened to her, choosing to assist whenever things appeared to go too awry; however, this was Rosemary's territory and she did not appreciate being disturbed.
Gail let out another long sigh and shook her head in frustration, this was going to be harder than getting through to her children and she was not in the mood for a stand off today. 'Look, I appreciate all that you've done to assist me, but let's not forget who freed you from your shackles in the first place...Don't make me regret forming this connection that we share' she said slowly, as though speaking to a child.
Rosemary took a few steps closer, indicating that Gail did not need to come further into the water to fetch her and her demeanour relaxed slightly, not truly wanting to upset the woman before her.
Gail sensed Rosemary relax and smiled, then backed up out of the water and tried to ignore the wet discomfort of her feet. Drawing Rosemary out was the easy part, she had no illusions about that, it was what came next that would test her control over this unpredictable being.
As if to demonstrate their shared subconscious, Rosemary smiled maliciously and began circling her right hand. Gail suddenly spotted that she was playing with a chain and let out a small gasp when Rosemary pulled hard, causing Joshua's Mother to partially emerge from the water. The woman who had murdered her past self and her unborn Daughter, out of some twisted sense of love for the Buck of that time, looked utterly defeated with her head hung low. Gail could only see a portion of her body; however, she sensed that the scratches and bit marks all over her skin were just part of the punishment that Rosemary had been inflicting, knowing her past self had not yet truly unleashed the full extent of the torture that she craved.
'Alright, I see that you've been busy-' Gail started calmly, choosing not to take her focus away from Rosemary for long.
Rosemary yanking the chain towards her before Gail could finish and smiled when her Cousin screamed in agony, as the rough metal drove tighter into her already damaged body. Her smile grew wider as the sobs increased and she revelled in her murders terror.
Gail felt a devilish smile cross over her own lips, her darkness reminding her of what this thing had caused Rosemary to go through, then she shook off the pride that she felt at her past self's actions and tried to regain her focus. Gail had not banished her darkness like she had done previously, as though it was a separate part of her, now she accepted herself for who she was and she finally felt whole. Her darkness was a big part of her and always had been, she accepted that now and would not scold herself for taking pleasure in Rosemary's form of justice; however, she did need to get a handle on things around here and this was the first step.
'Alright, you've proven that you're not a victim and you're strong, I can relate to that, but you've had your fun and now you need to let go of all that pent up anger...You'll feel better for it' Gail advised sweetly, choosing to take a softer approach rather than causing a harsh reaction.
Rosemary's smile disappeared at the suggestion and she regarded Gail coldly, shaking her head stubbornly. She was not ready to give up her toy and her mirror image could not make her.
'Oh but I can, I just don't want to' Gail warned sternly, sensing her past self's thoughts and shutting them down instantly.
Rosemary felt anger surge through her at the warning and she took a step towards Gail, not appreciating her disrespectful tone.
'It's not disrespectful, it's a fact...You know I'm stronger, partly because of you, but I don't want things to go down this way and I'm giving you the chance to just let your anger go so you can finally be free' Gail advised softly, truly wanting Rosemary to be free of the mental torment which had plagued her for a century.
Rosemary continued to stare at Gail angrily, not willing to give up her play thing, then her demeanour softened when she sensed how much she truly cared and it was hard to stay mad at her.
'Good...you see, I only want what's best for you and allowing that murderous thing to have so much of a hold on your emotions is just holding you back' Gail said soothingly, smiling warmly when she sensed Rosemary's tough resolve waiver.
Rosemary's shoulders slumped and she released the chain that she was holding, crossing her arms moodily over her chest and waiting for her mirror image to remove her toy. Gail nodded her head in appreciation of her trust and stepped forward carefully to claim Joshua's Mother, then she suddenly froze and her attention was taken far away, giving Rosemary a small window of opportunity to grab the chain again and rush back down to the depths of the river before Gail could regain her focus.
Gail tensed as a sharp pain surged through her brain, then cursed out loud when she spotted Rosemary retreat while her attention was elsewhere. 'Goddamn it!' she exclaimed in frustration, sensing Rosemary disappear from her grasp and shook her head in irritation. When she spotted Gideon rush out of the tree's at her sudden outburst, she let out a small laugh and ran her hand through her hair in exasperation, sensing instantly who had caused her attention to drift.
'I swear that boy is going to cause me to lose my shit one of these days' Gail snapped agitated, then headed back towards her car to locate Caleb after giving Gideon a reassuring stroke.
Lucas leaned casually on the front counter in his Station, watching Caleb help Ben with a crossword puzzle while they ate their lunch. Caleb had dealt with Mrs Gardiner in a clean, precise way and the boy had not shown any signs of panic or remorse for his actions. His eldest really was starting to come into his own and he was proud of the boy for seeking out his own release, rather than requiring Lucas to direct him.
Caleb smiled happily at his Father when he spotted him watching him closely, then focused on the crossword puzzle. He felt great and this was the first time in a long time that he actually felt relaxed.
'Well I'm glad somebody does' Gail said unimpressed, as she entered the Sheriff's Station and spotted Caleb mingling with Ben happily.
'To what do we owe this pleasure Mrs Buck?' Lucas asked charmingly, turning around at the unexpected sound of his Wife's voice and smiling at her appreciatively.
'Office, now' Gail ordered through gritted teeth, then stormed out of the main reception area and headed for Lucas' office without saying another word.
Caleb stared at his Father with wide eyes, sensing Gail's disappointment, then relaxed slightly when Lucas shot him a reassuring wink and followed her to his office.
Lucas entered his office casually, then slowly closed the door to give them some privacy. 'I thought you were so tired of my company you that wouldn't wanna come near me until later' he stated calmly as he moved towards her, disregarding her tense demeanour.
'That was before I realised you couldn't be trusted for a few hours with your eldest...What did you let him do Lucas?' Gail asked accusingly, not falling for his charming exterior.
Lucas laughed and placed his arms on her shoulders, running his hands down her arms reassuringly. 'The boy did what he wanted, but there'll be no comeback and he was very clever about it' he advised, unsure of how she had found out about Mrs Gardiner so soon.
'Mrs Gardiner?' Gail asked in disbelief, reading his unguarded thoughts.
Lucas cursed himself for letting his guard down around her and shook his head in exasperation. 'She wasn't a Saint Love, the boy had pent up urges that he needed to release and she just happened to be the best candidate at the time' he said coolly, not allowing her to get under his skin.
Gail laughed at his explanation and folded her arms over her chest sternly. 'The boy doesn't just get to release his pent up urges Lucas, he is just a boy and it was only recently that you aimed him at Mark!' she snapped, irritated by his lack of concern.
One thing that Lucas had not missed over the past month was the judgement in his Wife's tone and now it was clearly visible. He narrowed his eyes at her, trying hard to disguise his agitation at her tone and placed his hands at the sides of her arms, leaning down slightly to meet her eye level. 'My Son isn't just any ol' boy Love and we ain't any ol' family...I thought that became clear when you authorised our youngest to unleash all hell on an unsuspecting young boy' he said sarcastically, unable to stop himself from reminding her of what she had instigated recently.
Gail took in a sharp breath at the hurtful comment, then forced herself to remain calm and regarded him sternly. 'That so called young boy was nearly 20 years old and mentally tortured your eldest, Mark never hurt anybody and God knows what you two dreamed up to justify whatever Caleb did to Mrs Gardiner' she responded coldly.
Lucas could not contain his laughter at her justification for turning their youngest Son into a murderer before he was even in Kindergarden and shook his head at her favouritism. 'You know, I get that Luke is our first born and I'm truly happy that you appear to support his true nature, but I really thought that you had come to accept Caleb as your own...guess I was wrong' he stated casually, the subtle accusation clear in his tone.
Gail stared deep into his eyes for a moment, then pushed his hands off of her and leaned her behind casually on his desk. 'Oh I know you're not seriously insinuating that I don't love the boy out there, you'd know better than that wouldn't you Soulmate?' she responded sarcastically, feeling her darkness becoming active in her veins.
Lucas saw the dark glint in her eyes and smiled devilishly. 'The way you criticize his efforts at any chance you get, a man could be forgiven for presuming that the constant disapproval stemmed from a feeling of abhorrence Mrs Buck' he goaded, more than willing to take her anger away from Caleb.
Gail let out a small laugh and regarded him amused. 'Wow, the big words have come out so you must really mean business Sheriff' she mocked, then stood up to face him head on. 'Let's just gloss over the fact that it took you 10 years to attempt to claim your first born and I only gave up my whole life in Charleston to be with him, you obviously know best right?...How can you honestly expect me to applaud his recent behaviour? These are people that I know Lucas!'
'No, these are people that you tolerate because your Mother brought you up to perform like a puppet for the people beneath you' Lucas responded knowingly, being fully aware of the expectations that Christine Emory distilled into her Daughter.
Gail tensed at the mention of her Mother and regarded him with agitation. 'Firstly, what my Mother expected of me is none of your damn concern and secondly, wasn't my credible reputation part of the reason that you wanted me in the first place?' she asked, not naïve as to the credibility her family name held in Trinity amongst her Husband's townspeople.
'Yes, I imagine penetratin' an Emory was part of the allure, but you've since proven to have a few more talents that take my fancy' Lucas smirked and stroked his fingers down her arms, then rested his hands on her hips affectionately.
Gail spotted the mischievous look on his face and rolled her eyes in mock disapproval. 'Maybe bagging a Buck was my plan all along, getting my name on the deed to that big old property of yours and mixing the bloodline...can't say I've done badly considering how much you despised and distrusted my family' she smiled sweetly, leaning back against the desk again and biting her bottom lip teasingly.
Lucas laughed at her comment and shook his head, he had missed her unpredictable playful moods and sensed her mischievous side coming out instantly. 'I guess Peter would be proud with how easily you've managed to find a way past my defences and integrated yourself into my close circle, renderin' me partially blinded to your wicked Emory ways' he said sarcastically, then knelt down in front of her and began lifting up her long skirt slowly.
Gail watched as Lucas ran his hands up her thighs, then parted her legs and nipped at her skin teasingly. 'I doubt my Father would appreciate my wicked womanly tactics, considering how much he wants you dead' she advised, running her fingers through his thick caramel blonde hair as he removed her panties carefully.
Lucas smiled at the comment and ran his nose over her sweet spot, savouring the excitement that was surging through him at her true presence with him. 'I suppose my Father in Law may not appreciate the things you allow me to do to break down my defences, I'll have to broach that subject with him to confirm whether this is what he truly intended for his little girl' he smirked, then teased her sweet spot with his tongue before she had a chance to respond.
Gail let out a quiet moan and shook her head at his ability to control her, she should not be rewarding him or entertaining the digs against her family; however, she truly loved this man and regardless of how hurtful he could be at times, she knew that he did not truly intend to upset or disrespect her. 'I'll make you a deal Papa Bear...you don't mention our extra-curricular activities to my Father and cause his head to explode and I'll refrain from torturing my Father in Law, just because his face irritates me' she suggested, knowing Lucas would happily reveal what she allows him to do just to get a rise out of her Father.
Lucas pulled away from his current task for a moment and stared up at her in consideration. He would love nothing more than to torture Peter Emory with the intimate hold that he had on his Daughter; however, Malcolm was still his Father and he supposed the old man had been tortured enough for now. 'If I agree will you shut up and let me work?' he asked sarcastically, licking her sweet spot playfully.
Gail slapped his face in mock scolding, then pulled him up to her and turned around, leaning forward on the desk and pushing her behind into him softly. 'Oh I'm sorry Master Buck, did you forget that there's a young boy out there waiting patiently to find out whether he's in trouble or not? But take your time...I'm sure his sanity can handle it' she advised amused, sensing Caleb's nerves increase the longer they remained in the office.
Lucas let out a long sigh, then spanked her behind hard and unzipped his pants to release his manhood. 'I suppose I can take a shortcut on account of my boy's sanity and all' he sighed in mock resignation, then thrust his hard manhood deep inside of her and smiled as she was unable to keep in her loud satisfied moans.
-To be continued-