DISCLAIMER: All recognisable characters and concepts...belong to somebody else.


Chapter 9: The Afterglow Revelation

Chicago, Illinios, USA

Indy sat in his room, poring over the two pictures. The rich boy he'd worked out. Any first year archaeology student would know that one. It was King Louis XVII, the child King of France and the last monarch of the country. The one who may have escaped the French Revolution. No one was sure.

There was a knock on his door.

'Come in.'

Marion walked in, carrying a glass of whiskey. 'You all right?' She set it down in front of him. 'You've been up here for hours.'

Indy smiled, contented, as she kissed his head. 'Just a little personal project I'm doing, honey. Don't worry about it.' He took a sip of the whiskey and grinned to himself. She'd raided Abner's stash for this.

'Yeah?' Marion slipped her arms over his shoulders and rubbed his chest. 'What are you doing?'

Indy was really enjoying this. He reached up and rubbed her arm. 'Kamau Kawar gave me this stuff. He said Abner had an ulterior motive. Said if I wanted to know what it was, I needed to work out the connection between these two.' Indy tapped the photos.

Indy felt Marion smile against his head. Then she ducked her head down to his ear. 'You look tired.'

'Do I?' Indy felt it. He'd been studying the damn things, as Marion said, for hours, and he had nothing. That and she felt very inviting, pressed against his back like that.

'Yes.' Marion kissed his jaw. 'You want a break?'

Indy automatically tipped his head and arched his neck to give her better access. 'I shouldn't…' He groaned loudly as Marion laid an open-mouthed kiss on the groove between his ear and his jaw. 'Oh, really baby, don't.'

'Sensitive there?' Marion sucked on the same spot.

Boy, was he ever. Indy grabbed her arm tighter, swinging her around and into his lap. He kissed her, completely forgetting what he was supposed to be doing. His hand wrapped around her calf as he pulled her onto his lap more firmly.

Abner suddenly yelled from downstairs. 'Marion Ravenwood! Get down here now!'

Indy and Marion broke the kiss.

~NQM~

Marion didn't know what she was expecting when Abner called her down, but it sure as hell wasn't this. Apparently, someone had come around wanting to see her – a boy with a bouquet of flowers. She knew if she had answered the door she would've sent him packing. She was quite happy with Indy and she knew she always would be.

'…I don't know where you get off like this!' Abner yelled. 'You're a useless whore!'

That hurt. Marion winced. Then she straightened her back. 'Dad, I don't even know what boy you're talking about! I haven't been out seeing anybody!' No, she'd been in seeing somebody. But not out.

'Don't you lie to me, girl!' Abner snapped. 'How are we supposed to get anywhere with you going around prostituting yourself?'

Marion glared. She was about to call him on his Freudian slip. He'd basically just admitted he was planning something. Someone else beat her to it though.

'Where are you hoping to get, Abner?'

Marion and her father both spun around. Indiana Jones was casually leaning in the doorway, thumbs hooked in his trouser pockets. Even though he looked calm, Marion could feel it, like vibrations emanating from him. Under the exterior, he was furious. He didn't like Abner calling her a whore. And he didn't like some kid going after Marion's attentions.

Abner's jaw dropped open and closed. It happened a few more times before he found his voice. 'Henry, please just mind your own business.'

Marion shook her head. Indy wouldn't be much of a hero if he could mind his own business. Anyone with common sense would see that those guys wouldn't get into the situations they did, wouldn't save people the way they did, if they could mind their own.

'Well, you're disturbing me,' Indy said. 'I see it as my business.' He walked into the room. 'Did it ever occur to you that the boy could've just been some kid that's seen Marion around and thinks she's pretty?'

'Uh…well…' Abner stammered.

Indy shrugged. 'As for him knowing where she lives, she's your daughter and you're one of the biggest names in Chicago. It wouldn't take that much.' Indy wrapped an arm around Marion's shoulders. 'Come on.'

Marion let him lead her out of her father's study, leaving a stunned man behind. She waited until they were out of Abner's sight and then she leaned against Indy's frame. His lips brushed against her hairline.

Indy led her up and back into his room. He sat down next to her on the bed. Even though the argument was over, Marion could still feel the irritation in his frame. She knew that Indy viewed her as his, he just didn't know it yet. In the same way, Marion viewed Indy as hers.

Then there was the other thing. 'Guy doesn't overreact much.' That was said with heavy sarcasm, something Indy was good at.

Marion knew why. Abner wanted her to stay "pure" for the guy he decided was the hero foretold in the Psalms. Little did he know, that guy had already come around. Marion huffed. 'He just thinks he can control everything about me, including my sex life.' And she did that on purpose.

Indy immediately calmed down. He started playing with her hair nervously. 'Have you…had much of a sex life?'

Marion shook her head. 'Not at all.'

'Oh.' Indy's hand froze. 'So you're still…?'

Marion looked at him. 'Well, I don't want just anyone to take my virginity.'

Indy licked his lips quickly. 'Who…do you want to take it?'

There it was, the opening. Marion knew if she took it, Indy would be gone the next day. On the other hand, the way Indy took her out of the room…Abner would figure it out soon. Whatever Indy was meant to fight, it hadn't risen up yet. He hadn't learned what he needed to know yet. Abner would attack Indy if he was here when her father found out about the affair. And he could do Indy some serious harm.

Decision made, Marion leaned over and kissed Indy. He responded, letting her push him back onto the bed. She quickly unbuttoned his shirt and somehow got it off. Indy's hand rubbed her back. Marion only pulled back to take in air and she didn't move far. Indy opened his eyes, panting just as hard as she was, and he looked at her with a longing that made her body quiver.

'You sure?' he asked breathlessly.

Marion could only nod. Indy kissed her again and rolled them over.

~NQM~

Sunlight hit Indy's face, waking him up. He felt more relaxed and happier than he could ever remember feeling. It took him a moment to remember why. Indy opened his eyes and looked down. Marion was curled up against his chest with a soft smile on her face, even though she was asleep.

She'd wanted him.

Indy grinned. He nearly felt giddy with masculine pride over that. She'd wanted him. Not some little idiot her own age, not whatever guy Abner would decide was a good candidate. Him.

And it felt like this had been coming since the day Marion saw him necking what-was-her-name. He generally forgot the girl's name after he walked away from them, unless they were annoyingly persistent, like Kate-something-or-other. That wouldn't happen with Marion.

Nick had known. Leo had known. When he'd denied it, they'd both told him. Or tried to. They'd seen this attraction before even he knew it was there. And so had Marion…No. No, "attraction" was the wrong word.

There was another word, more appropriate. What was it? For the life of him, he couldn't put a name to it. It was just on the tip of his mind. He knew it was there, but he really couldn't work it out. The word he was looking for…not attraction. No, that was what he'd just taken it to be. But this felt far stronger than a plain and simple attraction.

Then the word struck him and Indy came crashing back down to earth. No. No, no, no! That did not happen to him. He did not…it just didn't happen to him. Indy looked down at Marion and carefully pulled himself out of her embrace.

Even though she was asleep, the smile faded, her brow furrowed and tears slipped out of her closed eyelids. She knew what he was going to do next. Somehow…she knew. Indy nearly climbed back into bed with her but he couldn't. He'd put a name to it.

Indy leaned in and kissed her lips one last time, long and lingering. When he pulled back, he stroked her hair back. 'I love you.'