Warning: Scene #3 heads towards M-sexual rating - Not your cup of tea, skip ahead.
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Lauren's POV
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"Sex on the beach."
"Yes please." She looks up at me overly eager, her head tilting to the drink I'm offering her. "Oh."
I can't help laughing, taking a seat beside her. "Sorry to disappoint you."
"You shouldn't tease a woman like that." Despite her protest she takes the drink. "It's hurtful."
"Aw, my poor baby you want me to make it better?"
Shamelessly she pouts, overly dramatically nodding. "I do."
"So, so…" Words trailing off as I lean forward, free hand coming to rest atop of her stomach. My eyes meeting hers as I pause, even though they're hidden away behind her sunglasses I know the desire buried deep beneath them. "Spoiled." Lips brushing against hers teasingly.
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Charlie's POV
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"This really wasn't what I meant when I suggested we hang out again." Trini flashes me the apologetic grin that I can't help smiling goofily at. It's ridiculous. I can feel the stupid smile taking over my face, but I can't help it.
"It's fine." Shaking my head, I hand her the pile of would be blankets as she continues stocking the makeshift cabinet.
"It's not. I suggested we hang out and here I rope you into slaving it up with me."
Rope me into…? What does that mean? "Really Trini, I enjoy helping and I enjoy your company so..," I have to hesitate, the first thing coming to my mind being 'Ka'tra'a', a circumstance without a downside, but they don't speaking my mother's tongue so it would be…"It's really a win-win for me."
"Aren't you the lucky one then."
"I'm beginning to think so."
"Awe, look at you two getting your flirt on." Danielle's voice cuts through the air like a razor blade through tissue paper. Devilish smirk curving her lips as she glides toward us. She never seems to really walk, she's always swaying or gliding. What it must be like to have that much confidence. "It's cute."
"You'd be?"
"This is the part where you introduce us Kiddo." She laughs, looking at me but all I do is shove my hands in my pockets, heat rushing through my cheeks, suddenly very uneasy. "Guess not. She's not very social." She reaches her hand out toward a timid Trini. "I'm Danielle, but you can call me Dani."
"Your parents must have really wanted boys."
"Oh no, no. We're not related. We're just, um, friends I guess you'd say."
"You guess?" Dani chuckles.
"No! I just meant that we don't really know, know one another you know." My attention shifting to Trini who's shooting Dani a scowl that could give my parents a run for their money. "We just met a couple days ago."
Trini looks from Dani to me and then back to Dani, curious expression. "Interesting."
"What?"
"She thinks we have something going on." Dani kind of leans toward her, pretending to whisper. "Children." She points at me, attention fixed on Trini. "Always so shy."
"Children? You're what, five years older?"
"Yeah, sure. We'll go with five."
"How about we just get back to helping people?" I cut in, suddenly extremely worried about where this was heading.
"Excellent idea." Dani almost laughs, walking between the two of us further into the hospital leaving me with a scowling Trini.
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Lauren's POV
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"Married life apparently hasn't taken away from my sex appeal." Bo smirks, pouring a freshly opened bottle of champagne into two glasses. She leans against the desk, right leg idly moving ever so slightly back and forth, if I was going to assume it would be because it had fallen asleep during our previous activities. "Sexy woman in my bed. Sexy woman flirting at the door with me. This old girl has still got it." She bites her lip, poorly attempting to keep from laughing.
"Bo, all I saw was some girl scout out passed her bedtime fishing for tips. Essentially comparable to an escort displaying her unappealing goodies to a drunk, old businessman to get money without putting in the required work."
"That was…" She slightly chokes on her laugh. Remaining silent as she untucks part of the sheet allowing it to fall from her body to the floor. "An interesting analogy baby. I really don't know if I should be creeped out by the comparison or offended you basically compared me to the old, fat, balding alcoholic who sits in the corner of hotel bars waiting for jail bait."
"Well, I'm not implying the old adage of if the shoes fits," I look down, repositioning the sheet making sure I'm still covered. "But, if it does, well then…"
"You're adorable when you're jealous."
"Thank you, but I am not jealous."
"You're soooo jealous."
"I am the Queen of the new world. I was the Queen of the old world. I am of some of the purist royal blood in fae history. I am a mother to beautiful children. I am also your wife. I am not jealous of the girl scout."
"W..o..w." She laughs, quickly taking a drink in an attempt to hide it.
"What?"
"Nothing, just a bit defensive there babe."
"This isn't defensive, this is…"
"Jealousy? Green-eyed monster raring its ugly head? Overreacting? Passive aggressively showing your dominance Ms. I-Am-Queen-And-All-Around-Badass-Better-Than-Everyone-Else?"
"Firstly, I've told you repeatedly, I prefer going by Lauren." Smirk tempting my lips, arms folded firmly over my chest refusing to let the sheet fall. "Secondly, I am not jealous nor defensive. I was merely stating my opinion that the girl looked like she should be on the street corner somewhere and that you were buying into the sexual demeanor which wasn't actually intended for you per-say, but toward someone who is an ATM in sneakers."
"Retract the claws my love." She rolls her eyes at me, taking a glass in each hand as she makes her way to the bed. "I was only teasing."
"Teasing is what you were doing between my thighs before your little friend showed up." Hesitantly I take my glass from her. "What you were doing is called antagonizing."
"Same difference."
"Very different."
"Same type of event just with a different name."
"I think you should let this go, unless you'd like to go pay for another room and spend the rest of the week alone."
"I'm sure I wouldn't have to be alone." She wiggles her eyebrows with a giggle, only furthering my frustration. Her hand wrapping around my wrist as I begin to slide from the bed. "Lauren, stop it." Keeping ahold of my wrist, she keeps me in place. "It's nice to see after all these years you can still get this jealous."
"Why wouldn't I?" I finish what is in my glass, before setting it beside the bed. "I am not admitting I was."
Rolling her eyes, she sets her own glass down. "Of course."
"Why wouldn't I get jealous anymore?"
"I don't know we've just been together for so long I thought…"
"What? That, I'd stop caring if people were trying to move in on my wife?"
"Well when you say it like that it sounds ridiculous."
"Because it is ridiculous. I don't care if we've been together a million years I don't think I'd ever not care about that."
"I guess—just sometimes it's easy to let little things slip through the cracks. Take the Greens, he's been cheating for two years now since the Lin's Christmas party and she is just like okay whatever."
"Is this your way of saying you want to open up our marriage?"
"Ha. Ha. Ha."
"Maybe?"
"Stop it." She forces a laugh, hand sliding from my wrist until our fingers are intertwined. "I'm just saying."
"Okay, well first off babe, the Greens are rich, money hungry ass-hats who married for their image—which in perspective did improve their bank account. And secondly we are not them, I can only speak for myself but I married for love…all three times."
"You're a lot smoother than you use to be."
"I know."
"And full of yourself."
"I know that too."
"Hey, I meant to ask you. Did you happen to see Tam before we left?"
"Tam?"
"Yeah, Tamsin."
"Oh she has a nickname," Frustration quickly returning. "No, no I didn't see her but then again I wasn't exactly looking."
"I hope she's alright. I didn't see her after the ceremony just got a little worried."
"She is a grown woman and one of our chief security officers so I hope she can take care of herself, if not perhaps we should consider a change."
"She can handle herself. I just-."
"How about we not talk her anymore or on the other hand we could just call and invite her here."
"Excuse me?"
"Yeah. You two could go off playing cops and robbers of whatever it is you two go off and do all the time and I'll use this time off to catch up on some much needed sleep."
"For a woman who has spent most of the night experiencing multiples-you're pretty crabby."
"Perhaps that's because every time your tongue isn't inside of me you're talking about some other woman. Beginning to make me wonder if your mind is even on me during."
"I can assure you my mind was one you."
"Hm,"
"I would have been saying your name but my mouth was kinda full."
"Cute."
"You know instead of bitching about every little thing you could put that aggression to better use."
"Define better use."
"You need instructions?" She challenges, maneuvering into my lap. Her lips fixed in a smirk as she looks down at me, leaning down the tip of her tongue darts over mine. Hands finding a home in my hair as her tongue slips passed my lax defense. "What the hell Lauren?" She snaps, jerking back. The taste of her blood on my lips and undoubtedly filling her mouth.
"I'm sorry. I don't enjoy listening to you doting over another woman…women, bark at me and then begin to force yourself on me."
"Force myself?"
"I haven't moved. I haven't touched you. I haven't kissed you back, but somehow you continue to do as you please, that would be the definition." Despite a growing frustration she has sorely misjudged, my tone remains even and calm.
"You can get so jealous." Her scowl remains, but her body relaxes. "So territorial."
"I have to be."
"Because you're Queen."
"No." My eyes running along her collarbone to her chest, not particularly looking at her breasts, just looking at her. Fingertips lightly running over the outside of her thighs. "Because you are who you have always been. Irresistible. Insatiable. Memorizing. A living fantasy. The epitome of beauty."
"I thought that was Aphrodite." Her voice hushed now, hands gently resting atop the back of my neck.
"She doesn't compare."
"Well," The tops of her cheeks flush. "You are amazing."
"I am."
"And cute." She chuckles, presumably at my statement. "And gorgeous." Her hips pressing down against me, her lips moving along my jaw. "And sexy." Soft moan escaping her, hips still rocking gently against me. "So, so sexy." And another. "Also a genius." Hands moving back into my hair. "Perfect really." Abruptly she stops, eyes coming to meet mine. "But don't bite me like that again."
"Or what?"
"Lauren, don't,"
"Bo." My hands coming to grip her hips with a firmness unexpected to myself. "Don't make me."
Our lips crash together rather than fall together as we normally do, Bo is simply put…like gravity to me. No matter how far from her or how hard I try I always find myself back within her embrace. Our eyes always manage to find one another. Our hands, our lips just always manage to find once another. It's beautifully simple yet complicated in the most unique of ways. I used to question it for hours, but now I simply enjoy it.
This moment now, is different.
Her feel…her touch…her kiss…her taste…even her touch is different.
At least different from as of late. Different than how we've managed our sex life for the past decade or so. Vanilla would never be a word that would come to mind, but it has become slightly tamer than what we had once explored on a regular basis. It's never bad, far from it. It's never unsatisfying, never in a million years. Though, every so often there are moment when the edge is pushed and I can't help but think of how much we've changed.
Not that I would ever complain because honestly there's nothing to complain about. And I would never discuss this with her because despite all these years, she is still slightly overly sensitive about things of this nature. Besides, the reason for our much tamer sex life is me, I know that. I am the reason we had to limit ourselves to the point of becoming slaves to our own rules.
This now though, there is something different. First subtle and now…far from it. The night gradually progressing as Bo went from perky to playful to edgy. From docile and pleasing to downright dominant. At first it was only subtle differences and then slight actions that would come and go and now…
My hands gripping her face as I pull back, needing air more than I had realized. The world spinning slowly around us but the feeling pales in comparison to the desire ravaging every fiber of my being. The look in her eyes telling my lingering self-control to give in, much as does the way her body feels atop of mine. Her body still, except for her skillful hips that refuse to halt.
"B-Bo." Hands gripping her hips, attempting to get her to stop, yet only helping her find a different rhythm. "We need to stop."
"I know." She whispers through a soft moan, her hands joining her rebellion as they slide over my stomach to my breasts. "I don't want to."
"We have to."
"Do we?"
"Yes." Answer of protest lost in moan, my eyes gradually changing to meet her own icy stare only making my control waver further. "Bo you," Finding some sense of composure I flip us with an unnecessary strength that only seems to excite her…us further. "You have no idea how much I want to taste you, in every possible way. How much I want to feed from you without restraint, to lose myself in you in the truce essence of the word, but the risks…"
"There's always risks."
"None as tempting as this. As what you're wanting." My hands resting on the mattress above her shoulders, sheet crumpled within my grasp.
She leans up as much as she can, tongue running over my skin just above my breast, followed a sharp pressure. My hand in her hair, pulling her head back as gently as I can in the moment. She smiles at me and for a moment it's sweet and loving. "Trust me."
"It's not you I don't trust."
"Lauren," Blue turns to brown, and while she canines stay descended her features find a unique softness to them. "I will keep you safe, just as you have always kept me safe."
My words lost as I watch her drag the tip of her index finger along the sharpest point of her canine only to bring her finger to my lips, the taste as exhilarating as I remember. Lips slightly parting to let my tongue run over her finger, earning a moan that seals our fate tonight.
Control a thing of the past now.
Bo has always trusted me….it's only fair I trust her now.
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Charlie's POV
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"This weather is…nice."
She glances over at me, hands in her jean's pockets. "You aren't exactly good with small talk are you?"
"I'm excellent at small talk."
"I doubt that."
"I am." I attempt to protest, not really feeling like myself. I'm never the charmer, but today everything just seems so forced.
"So, when are you leaving?"
"Leaving?"
"Yeah, I don't think you came up from Chicago to stay here. Only people that stay here are stranded."
"You're not stranded."
"How do you know that?"
"Because," Gradually I come to a stop, my attention taken by the enormous crater a few dozen steps behind her. "What is that?"
"Come on." Nervously she nods toward our current path. "It's not safe."
"What is it?" I hear her words, but find myself pulled toward the edge, one step at a time. My body jerking as her hand abruptly grabs my arm. "Trini, let me go." I jerk away, faint sounds from below only urging me closer.
"The government dropped a bomb, a long time ago. There's many of these around here."
"But," Breath caught in my throat as I finally reach the edge. Within this enormous hole in the earth, there's dozens of people, laying on the ground, stumbling around like lost sheep. "There's people in there."
"I know."
"Why?"
"They're sick."
"Nearly everyone is sick."
"No, they're infected. Who you see in the hospitals are side effects. Collateral damage in one way or another. These people, they actually have the plague. Nothing we can do for them."
"So you throw them down there and forget about them?"
"I do nothing." She snaps. "This is the way it has to be. It's either this or we kill them."
"Excuse me?"
"Charlie, they are highly infectious. A single touch, hell get too close to them and it's over. This plague is wildfire, how do you not understand that by now?"
"I just, this is-."
My words lost at the sound of ruble breaking apart. Or maybe they're lost at the sight of Trini disappearing right in front of my eyes. Or maybe they're lost at the sound of her scream, a fear in her voice that I was unaware she could feel. One second she's beside me, practically snarling at me and the next she's gone.
I call out for her, dropping to my knees as my hands grip the ledge. Heart speeding to new speeds as I don't initially see her. Then there she is a good thirty feet down, collapsed on a ledge of sorts. She remains still, my calls going unanswered. And just when I'm sure she's dead, there's weak movement.
"Are you okay? Don't move! I'll get help!"
"Stop!"
Her unusually firm yell causing me freeze. "What? What happened?"
"You can't get help."
"What? Why?"
"Look around." She's on her back now, blood covering her face as she stares up at me. "It's over." She forces a laugh, slightly choking on blood. "I'm done for."
"You're fine. Stop that. You just need to get to the hospital."
"Charlie!" Her yell once again calling me back, every inch of my body ready to bolt toward the hospital. She's never mentioned any friends, but there has to be someone willing to help. "Stop."
"You know this isn't a flattering look." I glance behind myself, hoping to find some passer-byers.
She snorts a chuckle, painfully forcing herself into a seated position. "I fell from mountain, give a girl a break."
"I meant the giving up."
"Ah."
"I'll be back in five minutes. Just let me go get help."
"No one will come." She spit outs a mouthful of blood before looking up at me, her hands gripping her stomach. "Look around."
"Of course they will." My eyes shifting from her to the poor people scattered probably sixty feet below her, none the least bit concerned with what's happening over here.
"No one is willing to risk it." Using the back of her hand she falls back onto her back. "I wouldn't."
Shit.
Standing up, I glance around once more. She was right, there isn't a person in sight. Why would she even bring me her if she knew this was so dangerous?
Yeah sure Charlie, blame her for this. You're the dumbass who got too close to the edge.
What do I do…what do I do…what do I do…what would mom do?
Rummaging through my jacket pocket I find my headband, wrapping it up like a rubber band I pull my hair back before slipping from my jacket. Michael or Sean would be perfect for this. Hell, Ria would be perfect for this. I on the other hand am not physically inclined, which is ironic considering my bloodline. Sighing to myself I take several steps back, starting to run to the edge only to find myself stopping short. Ground at the ledge giving away slightly, causing me to hop backward.
I could survive the jump, but then she'd know I was Fae. Use your head Charlie! Making my way back to the ledge, I maneuver onto my knees and then drop my body over, hands gripping the unsteady ground. Every breath taken harder than the last. My feet struggling to find a viable position. This would be so much easier if I just jumped.
It takes a good five minutes to climb down, palms bloodied and bruised, but I make it onto the ledge. The answer to my question answered as to why she hadn't been protesting or actually saying anything. She's fallen unconscious. Kneeling beside her, my head pressed to her chest listening for a heartbeat. Granted the second I hear one I realize I could have just felt for a pulse.
This hero deal is harder than I expected.
"Hey." I repeat myself several times attempting to wake her, my hand on her cheek and then giving a light tap. Still nothing. Shrugging to myself, I give a decent slap earning a groan, her eyes fluttering back open, mumbling something. "What? Are you okay? Can you breathe?"
"I said, that hurt." Coughing up a little more blood, she grabs hold of me as I help her sit back up. "And you're stupid."
"You're rather ungrateful to someone who is risking their life here."
"Are you?" The blood covering nearly every inch over her face making her hard to read…harder than normal. "I mean, are you okay?"
"Y-yeah. I'm fine, just a little…" I hold my palms out, the cuts already nearly healed. "Tender. Didn't even break the skin."
"Lucky." Weakly she smiles, attempting to stand by herself.
"Yeah, lucky." I nod, standing myself starting to help her to her feet.
She's suspecting something Charlie…this has be the end.
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Lauren's POV
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"Do you think we should have another?"
"I don't know," My attention shifting from my book to the half empty daiquiri on the table beside me. "I still have enough, for now."
"Not that." She laughs, hand lightly cupping my chin to guide my face to bring the two children playing on the beach a few feet in front of us. "Them."
"When we have another, we have them in pairs." I laugh, looking back down at my book.
"So that's a no?"
"That's a…I am eight days into my honeymoon and definitely not thinking about anything that resembles responsibility."
"Then focus on all the fun we'd have making them."
Mind wandering from the words on the pages. "Ohh that would be a lot of fun."
"See."
"But after the fun comes eight months of…followed by fifteen years of….and then another three years of teenagers."
"That was very descriptive babe." She laughs, pulling the book from my hands. "Once again proving I am the wordsmith in this relationship."
I can't help laughing. Smile replacing laughter as I watch her gradually turn her attention to my book. My own wandering back onto the children in front of us. They are adorable, five or six. Generally they are cute and manageable at that point. Sweet and absolutely worship their parents. It's not until thirteen they get unruly, unless you're Ethan. Smiling at the thought, I glance back at Bo.
We could do it, we could have another one.
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Charlie's POV
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She glance back at her, her pace unusually quicker than mine. A slight grin glued to her face since I met her. It's all a little off-putting and kind of adorable at the same time. I think this is giddy, or at least Trini's version of giddy. She's a bit like mother in the way she's guarded nine out of ten times.
"We're almost there."
"You should take an easy." I warn, five days later and she still limps when she doesn't think I'm watching. Humans are oddly fragile. I don't remember Aunt Kenz ever being quite so fragile.
"I'm fine." She sighs, guiding me around a building on what was at the corner of a street. Part of the wall missing and roof in shambles, but none the less she leads me up five stairs, nearly jogging in through the doors that have surprisingly held up. "Welcome."
Her features wenches in slight pain as her grin momentarily graduated to a smile. The poorly stitched cuts on her right temple, chin and left cheek causing her a presumably great deal of pain. She turns her back to me, holding out her arms at the shambles of this…library. The only light seeping through the holes in the roof. Nearly all of the shelfs tipped over, a sea of books, ruble and furniture awaiting us. This is nothing to be impressed by, but yet she looks as giddy as my mom and aunt on Christmas.
"This…is nice."
"Nice?" She snorts. "This is heaven."
"We have different definitions of heaven."
"I'm sure we do." She scoffs, walking further into the ruble, and despite better judgment I follow her.
"Look, Trini I didn't mean to offend you."
"It's cool."
"Hey," Taking an uneasy liberty, I reach out grabbing her hand. "I really didn't. I'm not really one with an imagination. My parents, well my mother is more of a logical…doesn't matter. Just, took after her in regards of having a lack of imagination."
"It's cool. Everyone is different." Disappointment and embarrassment evident, pain from her wounds causing her to have a hard time keeping her normal stoic expression. "We all see things different."
"Yeah, we do." I nod, eyes falling onto our hands. "I want you to help me see though."
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Lauren's POV
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"Sun. Is. Bad." She groans, putting on her sunglasses. "It's evil."
"Evil, hm?"
"Yup. And I know evil. I'll have you know I was a champion once upon a time."
"You still are honey."
"You have to say that, I've just kept you locked in a room for three days doing nothing but feeding you yummy treats and giving you pure ecstasy."
"Euphoria would be a closer term, but yes, I can't argue there."
"Better not." She playfully smacks my ass, leaving her hand there as we walk further into the woods.
"To play devil's advocate, what would you want to name them if we had another?"
"Am I winning you over?" She laughs. "I don't know really. I think we used all of our top choices."
"Maybe a sign we've had too many."
"Or a sign we need to expand our list."
"Adorable." It's my turn to laugh, attention wandering slightly as a warm breeze comes to pass. "What was your favorite pick? You know Ethan and Charlotte were my top picks."
"I…I don't know."
"You don't know which name of our children you liked best?" Another laugh escaping me, my eyes shifting from the dancing leaves above us to my wife who is seemingly suddenly very uncomfortable. It takes a moment to realize what's happened, what her answer would have been. "Oh."
"Yeah." She nods, hand falling away from me as she tenses. "Do you think she…found peace before she died?"
"I'm sorry?"
"Do you think she found peace, or do you think she died the same…."
"You think she's dead?"
"Of course." She sort of snorts, arms folding over her chest as our paces slows. "This is Danielle we're talking about. She's inane with a thirst for blood and destruction unlike anything either of us has ever seen. If she was still alive we would have known. She would be making a spectacle out of every kill."
"There's the Dead-Lands." The moniker leaving a disgusting taste in my mouth, the name one I've tried to steer away from, yet after hearing it so many times, it begins to stick.
"Humans? Most of which are half dead already?" She glances at me. "I'm sorry to say it like that, but let's be honest Lauren even when you develop this cure, and I know you will, there's not going to be an overwhelming amount of people left out there to take it."
"Firstly, we're going to shelf that topic for now. Secondly, if Danielle is dead then this subject is pointless and we should talk of better things."
She laughs, features scrunching up curiously. "Better things?"
"Yes, things like what we're going to be doing for these last couple of days before we go back to being royalty and parents."
"Ahh, yes. Much, much better things."
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Charlie's POV
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"I don't want to seem disinterested or disrespectful, but you're not leading me to another death trap are you?"
"Ha. Cute."
"I try to be."
"You don't have to try." She glance over at me, smirking. "When are you gonna get that."
"I…um," I laugh nervously, unsure of how to take her abrupt turn to crassness. "I'm sorry if I offended…"
"Charlie," She spins around in front of me, sighing. "I'm teasing you. Well not about being cute, you're really cute…when you're not annoying me."
"I-?"
"It's a joke." Chuckling, she lightly shoves my shoulder. "I thought you had siblings."
"I do."
"They don't tease you?"
"They do."
"Then why do always seem to take my teasing personal?"
"Because other than my siblings, no one does."
"Ooh, cause you beat their ass?" She laughs, walking backwards now. "You're a secret badass right? You probably could take on ten of those demons and not even blink."
"Ha. No."
"You can't fight?"
"Actually, no."
"Not at all?"
"No."
"Not even a little?"
"Why do you seem so surprised?"
"Just…" Hesitating, her grin wavering. "I don't know actually. I just kind of assumed you would."
"Sorry to disappoint." Giving a shrug, hands going into my pockets. "Is that a deal breaker for you?"
"Nah, just means I get to feel all macho and protect you."
"Interesting." Uneasy laugh coming as we come to a stop.
Another field of ruble, broken down buildings and some broken trees. Why she seems so excited is baffling. She takes my hand, not bothering to ask for permission as she guides us further into the ruble. Slightly annoyed and slightly curious I glance around for anything she might be excited about, but there is nothing. I think to say something, to stop this useless exercise at once, but the realization dawns on me that if I do she might let go of my hand.
Forcing logic away I enjoy the warm breeze and the feel of her hand on mine, allowing myself to be guided wherever it is she wants us to end up. It doesn't take much longer before I feel her hand fall from mine and I wonder momentarily if the only reason she does that is to make sure I follow her…desire, rather than to actually feel close.
Train of thought derailed as she kneels down beside this ugly, half alive, baby tree. She looks up at me smiling, a genuine smile that's so rare, but so breathtaking. "This is my baby."
"That is…"
She laughs, palm just barely touching the leaves. "My baby."
"I see."
"I've been growing him for over a year."
"Shouldn't it be bigger?"
"Yes, HE should. But you know, radiation and lack of resources." Smile wavering as she glares. "When I was little, there was still some places that had trees and wildlife. Just deer really. I absolutely loved it."
"It sounds, nice."
"It was. But then the second wave of attacks happened and there was nothing." She shrugs, standing up. "I found this little guy and nursed him back to life. He's a little fighter."
"You'd love the Phoenix Conservatory or even Silver Creek, it's gorgeous. The…" I stop, words catching in my throat as my heart begins racing like a war drum. Her head cocks to the side, eyes narrow. "I…see…look, the thing is…"
"Yeah, what is the thing Charlie?"
"I had a friend once, a guard and…look I didn't want you to hate me. I know how you feel about them. It's just, I knew him since I was a child. Before I knew anything about the politics and war."
"You befriended one of them?"
"This is why I didn't tell you." Sighing, I shove my hands in my pockets, pretending to be irritated rather than terrified. Like Michael always says, once you start a lie-commit to that shit. "I get it. They're bad. You think they're all evil. I get it. But I had a friend and I didn't think he was evil."
"Obviously."
"He showed me pictures of inside the walls. It was beautiful. That's all." Spinning around, I start back toward where we came, praying that she didn't press this. Praying that she will come after me.
"Hey." Her hand grips my shoulder pulling me to a stop, this uneasy look on her face, but far gentler than before. "I'm sorry. My shit is my shit. You got your own."
Um…what?
Her hand falls to her side, taking a step back she looks at her so-called baby and then back to me. "Tell me about this Phoenix Creek."
"Conservatory."
"Right." She nods. "Please?"
.
Lauren's POV
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Warm water washes over my feet, the tide just as quickly pulling back leaving me staring at my toes. The sound of Bo's laughter in the distance keeping a smile firmly on my face.
She calls out. "Come on babe, it's beautiful." Her words slightly hushed by the sound of the waves.
"I'm fine."
"Babe." Pouting she starts the stumble my way through the water, every other rhythmic wave threatening to knock her from her feet but she somehow makes it to me, pout still intact. "It's our last day, we should be having fun!"
"I am having fun. I'm just one more drop of water away from turning into a prune."
"Is there a scientific word for that?"
"I am sure there is."
"Do you know it?"
"Actually," My smile turning to a smirk. "I do not…at this moment."
"Just at this moment, huh?" Her brow raises, her hands on her hips.
"Yes, I am currently distracted."
"Riiight." Her arms drape over my shoulders, stepping into me. "You don't know it."
"I do, just…"
"Not at this moment." She finishes for me, lips dangerously close to mine. I know this look though and this tone, if I was to lean in she'd lean back. Playful Bo, always one of my favorites. "You're letting me down here babe."
"Am I?"
"Mm-hm." Pout returning as she nods. "I was fishing for some geek-speak."
My equally playful comment lost with the tide, smile replacing a smirk as I can't help but to remember the first time she said it. Either my smile or the look on my face intriguing to her as she pulls back slightly. Everything about her look saying 'What', concern gradually approaching.
"Nothings wrong."
"Then why do you have something face."
"I was thinking."
"About?"
"Us."
"If you're about to try and break up with me, remember we're bound for life sooo…"
"Oh stop it." I can't help laughing, arms wrapping around her waist, pulling her close. "Every now and again, in the least expected moments I catch a glimpse of us. The old us, from before…everything. Not that I don't love our life now, or our family or what we've built. Or how far we've come. It's just nice that after all this time somewhere inside…deep inside, we're still the same."
Pulling back slightly, her eyes look me over and my smile fades slightly. Suddenly I am unsure of her mood or rather if my comment has upset her. "We've been a lot of different people through the years Lauren. Growing, maturing, learning. It hasn't always been easy or pretty. But there's always been one constant for me, loving you. Needing you. Every version of me from the best to the worst…it's always you. And that'll never change."
"Hm, never?"
"Not even in death."
"Don't say such things."
"Lauren," Taking a step back, her hand takes mine. "One day, a long time from now, eventually we will die and go to…wherever the heck it is that we go when it's all done, but I know two things for sure. One, we will be together and two, I will love you even then."
"That is incredibly romantic," Smile calming my worries. "Slightly morbid too."
"Yeah, I was thinking that."
We share a laugh, gradually falling back into one another's embrace, staring out onto the ocean, sun steadily setting. It's a perfect picture. A perfect closing moment to our getaway. A perfect moment in time. It's always so rare, those perfect moments. She maneuvers herself behind me, arms wrapped around my waist as her chin rests on my shoulder. She whispers something I don't quite make out, mind wandering from this moment to nowhere in particular.
"I love you too." I whisper back, and by the way her hold tightens and she sighs softly I'm sure that's what she had said.
Moments like these are what I live for.