Diana and Matthew meet at Oxford as Diana returns to teach history and research manuscripts at the Bodleian for a new book. Jealousy and mystery hinder their romance but their desire is made real. (All Human) NO VAMPIRES/NO WITCHES/NO DAEMONS. First story in a few years. Keeping it simpler by not adding the supernatural aspect.

Desire Made Real

By Goode Girl

DISCLAIMER: All rights to Deborah Harkness. Just borrowing the characters.

Chapter | FIVE

There was a crazy, stupid smile on my face that Monday morning, as I tried to focus on my manuscripts at the Bodleian. My mind drifted back to Saturday evening dinner. Prior to Marcus and Phoebe's arrival, Matthew and I made very good use of that sofa in the library. Twice. We showered together, keeping it tame, for the most part. That is until he pulled me against him, his lips seeking out mine as the water washed the soap from my body. His hands followed the trail of water down and suddenly I was lifted, pressed against the tile of the shower wall. He slipped inside me and our lovemaking was hard and fast. The thrust of his hips against me was urgent. His mouth fastened to my puckered nipple, as moans of pleasure slipped past my lips. We reached our climaxes and held one another in a soft embrace, kissing slowly. The water started to chill and we finally separated. We wore silly cheeky smiles on our faces as we dressed for dinner.

"Matthew." Marcus greeted as they gave each other one of those manly hugs. I introduced myself to Phoebe and passed out some wine while Matthew went to check on the roast. We sat down to dinner around 7:00PM. "So how did you two meet?" I posed, taking a sip of my wine. The clanking of silver wear on our dinner plates seemed deafening. "At the market, actually. It was a Sunday and I was just picking up some groceries for the week when my bag split. Marcus was there and, the rest is history, as they say." Phoebe regaled. "That's really sweet, Marcus." I complimented. He blushed slightly and took hold of Phoebe's hand. "We've been inseparable since." He added, looking longingly into her eyes. My gaze moved to Matthew, next to me and gave a sly wink. When it appeared that everyone was finished eating, I started clearing the dishes. "Who's up for some dessert?" I called, as Matthew helped gather the plates. Everyone chimed in, in agreement and we took the dishes to the kitchen. "You cooked Matthew, at least let us do the dishes." Marcus offered. "No, no, it's fine, you guys relax. Why don't you show Phoebe your rooms for the evening?" Matthew suggested. Looking at Marcus coyly.

Dessert seemed to be forgotten as Marcus and Phoebe still hadn't come back downstairs after an hour. Rather than disturb them, Matthew sent Marcus a text message that he and I were heading to bed ourselves and that we would see them in the morning.

I was roused from my musings by a loud bang and turned in my chair at the Bodleian to see a stack of books had fallen off the call desk. Sean was rushing around the counter to pick them up, and when I turned back to my work, I noticed a large manila envelope was left next to me, my name on the front in a cursive script. I picked it up carefully, looking around to see if anyone was nearby, but it was still early, and only one other person sat at a table, twenty feet away. I opened the flap and reached in, pulling out what felt like a photo.

Turning it over in my hands, the image in front of me was morbid, but the faces clear. A post-in note with the same cursive script as the envelope was attached, and read, 'This could be you.' The photo was a close up shot of my parents faces, bloodied from gashes on their heads, their eyes open, but dead. I jumped from my seat in shock, my chair scraping against the floor. I tossed the photo on the table in disgust. "Dr. Bishop?" Sean called. "Diana?" He called again when I didn't respond. "Did you see who left this?" I asked, pointing to the envelope. He shook his head in the negative. "I need to go." I blurted, collecting my things and putting the photo back in the envelope. I ran out of the Bodleian, feeling like the air was being sucked out of my lungs and a sense of disorientation filled my vision. I think I was in shock.

The disorientation only lasted a few moments and when it cleared, I found myself outside the main doors to Matthew's lab. I walked in the front door and took the elevator up to the appropriate floor. I ran down the hallway in desperation. I knew there was a locked door to his lab, and I didn't have key card or a code. I peered inside through the double paned, reinforced glass and saw Matthew's lab assistant Miriam, hunched over a table. I'd only met her the once, when I gave my blood donation. I knocked on the glass to get her attention and when she saw me, she headed towards the door. "Hello," She greeted. "Miriam, hi," I replied. "Oh, Diana, right?" She finally seemed to recognize. I nodded in confirmation, not realizing that I was still rather emotional as I tried to ask for Matthew. "Matthew's in his office, you know where?" She asked, letting me past. "Thank you," I managed to get out, as tears fell from my eyes. I ran to the back of the lab and down the small hallway, stopping at the open door to his office. Matthew looked up at my arrival. He smiled at first, until he took in my face. "Jesus, what's wrong love?" He asked in concern. His arms were around me in seconds, and the door closed. In the privacy of his office, I dropped my bag as I let everything out, sobs wracking my body. "Talk to me, what happened Mon Coeur?" He soothed, pulling me to sit on his lap. "Was it Knox, Gillian?" He pressed in concern.

After I had calmed down, I relayed what happened at the Bodleian, and pulled the envelope from my bag, which I'd dropped at my feet. I bit my lip, handing it over to Matthew. He placed it on his desk, cupping my face in his hands. "I will look at it, but I want to know if you're okay?" he demanded, resting his forehead to mine. My arms moved up around his neck. "I'm scared, Matthew." I cried. His arms holding me tightly for a few moments before I felt them leave me, followed by the sound of the crinkle of the envelope flap. There was no sound other than Matthew slipping the photo from the envelope and his sharp intake of breath, before he shoved it back in, tossing it on his desk. "I'm sorry you had to see that sweetheart." He comforted, his arms around me once more. "That was a death threat, Matthew." I cried, my watery eyes meeting his green ones. He nodded, using his thumbs to wipe the tears from my cheeks. "I think we should leave Oxford for a while." He suggested. I looked up in shock. "I can't just leave. What about my classes?" I retorted, climbing from his lap, and pacing the room. "I believe, once we show this new evidence to the Dean, that she would agree, Diana. That is very clearly a death threat. It's not like we'd be leaving permanently, but it would allow the police to handle things." He reasoned. I couldn't think of a response. "What if we met with the Dean first, and hear what she has to say?" He offered, standing from his desk chair and stopping my pacing. "So, I should go home to my Aunts then?" I offered. He shook his head in the negative. "No, I think Knox would know to look for you there. I think…" He began as he took a deep breath. "I think you should come home with me, to France."

An hour later, we'd met with the Dean, and shared with her the new evidence. Her shock was palpable and she agreed with Matthew that we should take a 'holiday', as she put it. We were assured that my classes would be covered because I'd already provided an outline to the syllabus. Matthew knew he could count on both Marcus and Miriam to run the lab in his absence, and he was only a phone call away if they needed something. There was nothing left to do but pack. Matthew dropped me off at my rooms, and I wouldn't let him walk me up. Insisting that he go and pack, himself. He assured me he'd be back within an hour.

The first thing I needed when I returned to my rooms was the bathroom. I'd felt nauseous since I first opened that envelope, and couldn't stop the reaction as I'd fled to the toilet, emptying the contents of my stomach. After flushing, I washed up, brushed my teeth, and gargled with far too much mouthwash before pulling a small suitcase from my closet and tossing it on my bed. I knew I wanted my laptop with me, so I headed back into the main room to get my bag. That's when I noticed a new envelope on my floor. Someone had already slipped something under my door since I'd been home. I could feel my resolve slipping away. If Knox and Gillian wanted to break me, they were succeeding. My lip trembled as I cautiously picked it up off the floor. My name was on the front is the same script as the one this morning. After taking a deep breath, I opened the flap and prepared myself for what might lay inside. The minutes ticked by, and I had no idea how much time passed. My fingers finally gripped the edge, and it was clear it was another photo. Thankfully it was face down, so I took some time to catch my breath. When I finally flipped it over, another post-it was front and center with the inscription, 'this would be a good look on you'. In order to see what was being referenced, I had to lift the post-it up. I threw the photo on the floor when the disembowelled remains of my mother were front and center. A sob broke through my lips and I was startled when a resounding knock echoed in my rooms. "Who is it?" I called shakily. "Diana? It's me." Matthew's voice filtered through. I couldn't open the door fast enough. I was clutching him to me and he wasn't even in the room. "Hey, hey, what's this?" He crooned lifting me into his arms, my legs wrapping around his waist. He moved to sit us on my sofa after kicking the door closed. I couldn't stop the sobs. "What happened?" He whispered, pulling me back to look at my face. "There was another envelope." I whimpered. I could feel him stiffen, gently lifting me to the sofa beside him as he spotted the photo on the floor. He inspected it, reading the note before lifting it like I had, only he looked a little closer. "We'll drop this off with the Dean before we head to the airport." He stated, finding the envelope and slipping it back inside.

Matthew helped me pack my bag. I couldn't seem to do it myself, I was shaking, and crying on and off. "Come here Mon Coeur." He soothed, bringing me to his lap on the edge of my bed. "We'll be away from this soon okay?" He comforted. "Can we leave now." I mumbled, wiping my cheeks. "Of course. Look at me first." He asked, his eyes seeking mine. When he held my gaze, I couldn't look away. "You're safe with me. You know that right?" He posed. My lips on his was my reply. It was slow, and gentle. I loved how his hands would cradle my face, as his tongue swept over my top lip, asking for entrance. After a few more caresses, we parted. He left one more lingering kiss on my cheek before I stood from his lap. We secured my apartment and I slipped my hand into Matthew's as we headed to his car, my bag trailing behind as he pulled it along. We stopped off and left the Dean with the second envelope before finally heading to the airport for a 2:00PM flight to France.

It was a quick flight, thankfully, and Matthew had thought to call ahead for a car rental. I was roused from sleep when I felt Matthew kissing my cheek and squeezing my hand gently. "We're here." He stated quietly. My eyes fluttered open. "Oh, I'm sorry I fell asleep." I apologized. "It's okay, it was a three-hour drive from the airport." He confirmed. "What time is it?" I questioned, stretching in my seat. "Almost 8 o'clock, and my mother is watching, waiting for us to get out of the car, sweetheart." He smiled. "Shit, Matthew, I'm not presentable." I cried, indicating my wrinkled clothes. "She will understand, we've been traveling, it's fine, and you still look gorgeous." He winked. I couldn't help but smile at that. Matthew insisted he help me from the car, so I waited until he opened my door. "Diana, this is my mother, Ysabeau De Clermont." He smiled. "It's a pleasure to meet you." I intoned. "Welcome Diana. I am sorry to hear that you and Matthew are dealing with some rather simple minds. To put it kindly." She smiled. "I think that's being rather generous in the description, Maman." Matthew chimed in. "Why don't you go inside with mother, it's cold. I will get our bags." Matthew urged. I nodded at his remark and followed Ysabeau inside. "This is so beautiful, Ysabeau." I complimented. She literally lived in a castle. "Thank you, dear. I'm sure Matthew will give you the tour. Marthe, our housekeeper, has set some dinner aside for the two of you, and is setting it up in Matthew's tower." My head reared in her direction. "Tower?" I balked. She smiled, "Yes, Matthew has his own tower, there are a lot of stairs, if you choose, but we've since installed an elevator." She explained. "How many stairs?" I queried as Matthew bustled in the door with our bags. "One-hundred and fifty in total. Seventy-five to the first level, where my office and library sit, then another seventy-five to the bedroom." He smiled. "Is that how you kept in shape?" I teased. "Among other things," He joked back. "I was just telling Diana that Marthe is setting dinner up for you and Diana in your office, Matthew." Ysabeau informed. "Thank you, Maman. I think we will head up then if you don't mind, it's been a very long day." Matthew explained. Ysabeau waved us off after hugging Matthew and surprisingly, hugging me as well.

Marthe was an excellent cook. She had made rack of lamb and I was licking my fingers it tasted so good. "I take it you enjoyed dinner?" Matthew interjected. I nodded, a huge smile on my face. "Well if you're finished, I thought we could head up to the bedroom." He smiled. "I could use a shower." I informed. "I smell like airplane, surprisingly, even though it was only an hour-long flight." I added. Matthew grabbed our bags and set them in the elevator, along with the cart carrying our dinner plates. "Why are we bringing the cart?" I asked in confusion. "Well, we will go up, and then send the cart down to the kitchen." He explained. My mouth formed a silent 'oh'. "You're adorable you know." He smiled, kissing my cheek.

I took a hot shower, just to get the days grime of travel off of me while Matthew made a few calls. He wanted to check in with Marcus and Miriam to see if anything had transpired since we left. The Dean was going to make a formal statement to staff about our departure so it looked official. When I stepped out of the shower, I could hear Matthew's voice echo into the bathroom. "Thank you, Marcus. You will let me know if you hear anything?" Matthew confirmed as I wrapped a towel around myself. I had put my hair up, so it didn't get wet, and pulled the tie out holding it in place. "Alright then. Goodnight." Matthew stated, ending his call.

I walked out of the bathroom and over to him, as he sat back on the side of the bed. "Everything okay?" I questioned as he leaned back on his hands, watching me. He nodded. "Nothing has come up yet, but they'll let me know if they hear anything." He confirmed. "Hmmm…" I responded, straddling his hips. His hands moved to my hips as his head tilted up towards mine. Our lips met in a soft kiss before he snuggled his head against my chest, hugging me tightly. "Diana?" Matthew mumbled from between my breasts. I giggled at the sensation his voice put on my towel clad skin. "Yes?" I implored. "I need to tell you something." He confessed, pulling his face away from my breasts to look at me, his hands supporting my back so I didn't fall. "Is it something bad?" I questioned worriedly. "No, no, at least, I don't think so." He started. His eyes met mine before he continued. "Because of your blood donation, we started the DNA sequencing and when that happens it becomes part of our archive." He explained. "What does that mean, part of the archive?" I pushed, playing with the hair at the back of his neck. "It means that your DNA is run against all the other samples we hold. Sort of like how the FBI has CODIS to match DNA to crimes." I nodded in understanding. "So, something came up?" I pondered. His eyes met mine and held my gaze before he continued. "There was a match, to your DNA." He stated. "To who?" I retorted in surprise. "It's not just a who, but a case." I remembered Matthew telling me that his lab helped the police with unsolved cases. "Okay," I pressed. "It would appear that our lab is doing testing on the DNA and trace evidence from your parents murders." He finally admitted, watching me for a reaction. "What does that mean exactly?" Matthew explained that when my parents were murdered on their trip to England roughly twenty-five years ago, they didn't have a full process yet for DNA extraction but samples were still collected and kept for later testing. "What are you telling me exactly?" I cried. "Shhhh…don't cry love. It just means that we have your parent's DNA on record and it matched to you, at least that's the basic point. What it means for you is, I can work on the case. There's other evidence and hopefully, I can find who killed them." I smiled gently. "Really? You think you could?" I asked hopefully. "I really want to. I hope I can, but processing everything will take some time." He clarified. "What other evidence do you have? Are you allowed to tell me that?" I urged as he sat forward more, cuddling me close to him. "I normally wouldn't, but I will tell you because I know I can trust you're not going to tell everyone!" He smiled. "Okay." I nodded. "I had to have Marcus look it up while you were in the shower, so I got some details about your parents." He began. My eyes didn't leave his as he continued. "You need to know they fought back Diana. They both had DNA under their fingernails, which means they had to have gotten a piece of their murderer." My eyes welled up, and I tried not to cry. "It's okay. Cry if you need to." He soothed as I rested my head on his shoulder. "The possibility that we could know who killed them, after all this time? I have to call Sarah and Em." I retorted, jumping from his lap. "Hey, hey, slow down." He called, following me to my bag where I'd stored my phone. "I can tell them, right?" I begged. "Of course, you can. Just please ask them not to tell anyone. And I mean anyone. For all we know Diana, they died at the hand of someone they knew." Matthew rationalized. "I'll make sure they know not to tell anyone." I confirmed. "Are you okay?" He posed. I nodded again.

Matthew stepped into the bathroom to take a shower and I crawled into bed before calling Sarah and Emily. "Hello? Diana?" Sarah called down the line urgently. "Hi Sarah, is Em on the line too?" I questioned. "I'm here honey, are you okay?" Emily queried. "I am. I had to leave Oxford though." I explained. I relayed the past few days events to Sarah and Emily and the reason for leaving Oxford. I knew they'd be worried, but I also knew I was safe with Matthew. "So, where are you?" Emily queried. "I'm with Matthew, at his mother's house, in France." I stated. "And you're okay?" Sarah pressed. "I am. I will be." I added, trying not to cry. "If you need anything, you call us honey. You can come home." Emily offered. "I know Em. But there is more, and this is separate. It has to do with Mom and Dad." I started. I heard them both take a breath. "What could you possibly have to tell us about Rebecca and Stephen?" Sarah questioned in shock. I explained Matthew's lab in a little more detail and told them about the DNA sequencing and the tests that he could run. "Are you saying that Matthew could find out who killed them?" Emily whispered. "Yes. It's not conclusive, but he can run the evidence and hope for a match." I finished. "I don't want to get my hopes up, Diana." Sarah admitted. "I know Sarah, but the possibility that we could know the truth finally, it changes everything." I finished by telling them they couldn't tell a soul, adding the same rationalization that Matthew did about possibly knowing their killer. After a few more reassurances that I was safe, I said goodbye and placed my phone on the nightstand.

The pillows on the bed were a little high for the neck, so I rearranged them before settling back in. Just as I got comfortable, Matthew stepped out of the bathroom, completely naked, and half wet, towel drying his hair. He was completely oblivious to my staring at him, a small smile tugging at my lips. "Hey there handsome." I called. He turned abruptly and smiled at me. "Sorry, I thought you'd be asleep." He admitted. "I just got off the phone actually." I pulled back the covers for him to join me, and so he could see that this was a no-clothing zone. "I take it I don't need pajama bottoms?" He teased, tossing both of our towels back into the bathroom, before sauntering over to the bed and climbing in beside me. "Completely optional." I confirmed, pulling him into my arms so he was over top of me. I wiggled myself underneath him, wrapping my legs around his waist and fastening my lips to his. He moved his lips down to my neck, latching on to his favourite spot and making me giggle. His eyes looked up to meet mine. "I love you." He stated simply before pushing inside me, and thrusting hard, but slow. My back arched at the feeling, my breasts pressing into his chest. "I love you." I replied before our lips met once again. We both reached our releases but still remained together, continuing to kiss and caress before cuddling up and falling asleep.