Everyone wants to know what happens to Topaz! Never fear, the truth will be revealed, but all in good time... So sit back, relax, and enjoy this chapter! Read and review, please!
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The morning dawned in the pouring grey curtain of torrential rain. Thunder growled and roared in the distance and lightning flared and flashed. The rain pounded against the windows like phantom fingers, knocking, knocking, as if trying to get in.
Law woke up still feeling rested even though he hadn't been able to sleep since Topaz's cries had woken him. He was used to operating under very little sleep and the few undisturbed wonderful hours would be enough to keep him going all day. Stretching his arms high above his head, he got out of bed and went to the dresser Topaz had helped him put the clothes Ryou had purchased and Kuronue brought in. He pulled out a pair of clean jeans and had to resist the urge to slip into the dirty jeans he had worn yesterday.
Once he was dressed, had brushed his teeth, and splashed some water on his face, he slipped quietly from his room.
The house was quiet and dark.
Law went quickly and quietly through the rooms, but he couldn't find Topaz. Maybe she was still asleep, he decided, and went to listen at her door. He heard a few quiet distressed sounds coming from inside and hesitantly knocked.
Immediately, the sounds were silenced and Topaz's voice whispered, "Bellamy? Is that you?"
Startled, for a moment, Law didn't answer. Then, he heard Topaz begin to cry again and there was great distress and anguish in her sobs. Gathering his courage, he turned the doorknob and gently eased the door open.
"No!" Topaz screamed. "Please, Bellamy-sama! Please, don't!"
Someone was in the room with her!
Law hurled the door open and her stricken eyes met his in an instant. A scream tore from her mouth and then faded into and choking, sputtering gasp.
"L-Law-kun," she whispered with great relief. "It's… it's only you. Thank goodness." Then, she scrubbed her face with her hands as if trying to wash the terror from her features. With a deep sigh, she held out her arms and almost begged him, "Please, will you come here?"
Law went to her and she drew him against her body. He tensed for a second, but slowly his muscles eased.
"Thank you," she whispered into his shoulder and clutched him tightly. She inhaled deeply the scent of him as if drawing him into her heart, into her body. She was shivering, trembling like a leaf in high winds. Her teeth chattered.
"Miss Topaz…" Law hesitated, but continued when she dug her fingers into his back in desperation. "Are you cold?"
She shook her head. "No, no… I just… had a bad dream…" she whispered and gripped him tighter. "Could you just sit here with me for a moment, Law?"
"Of course," he murmured and timidly wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders.
She leaned hard into him, still gripping him tightly in her slender arms.
After a long moment, he whispered, "Who's Bellamy?"
Topaz shook her head. "He's… I'll tell you… some other time."
He nodded nervously. That could have gone badly. If she had become enraged at his question, she could have beaten or starved him. He let a breath he didn't know he had been holding out in a rush. Then, he gripped Topaz's body tightly against his frame and thanked a God he ceased to believe in that she was such a kind young woman.
Thunder crashed and lightning lit up the dark skies.
Finally, Topaz pushed lightly on Law's chest, putting some distance between their bodies. He took a step back from her immediately though she remained close to him, gripping his hands tightly in her own with an uncanny desperation.
"Thank you," she murmured.
He inclined his head and whispered, "It is my pleasure to serve you, Miss Topaz."
She released her breath in a great shuddering gasp and smiled rather falsely at him. "Alright, Law-kun, what do you say we have some breakfast?"
He nodded. "That would be nice," he murmured.
Topaz continued, "Just let me get dressed and I'll be ready."
Law nodded and turned to leave. As he closed the door, he glimpsed Topaz pulling up her pajamas to slide her stocking on before putting on her brace. Her leg was a mess of bumpy white scars at the ankle. Long thin lacerations ran from ankle to knee. There was also a small crater, shaped like a pair of knuckles on her calf. That was all he glimpsed before the door shut.
...
Shortly after breakfast (rice omelets and mixed fruit), someone barreled through the door, yowling. "Topaz-chan! Topaz-chan!"
Said woman was at the sink, standing on her braced leg and doing the dishes absently while Law shuffled things from the table back to their proper places at her direction. When a tall lanky blonde barreled into the kitchen, Law immediately perceived him as no threat–unlike Kuronue–and continued tucking the milk away in the fridge.
The blonde string bean wrapped both his long arms around Topaz and hugged her tightly.
"Kaito-san," Topaz shrieked and flailed about in his hold.
Law noticed her one leg thrashed and struggled as much as the rest of her, but the braced one hung as limp as a wet noodle. It was useless and he wondered if it was completely paralyzed. His mind wandered back to the image of the twisted white scar around her ankle that was permanently burned into his brain.
"Put me down!" She squealed, giggling. "Put me down this instant, Kaito-san!"
Finally, when Law glanced over at him suspiciously, the blonde set Topaz carefully back on her feet. She had to grip the counter to steady herself as her body was wracked with giggles. She looked at Law and he saw something guarded and nervous in her green eyes.
"So, Topaz-chan, this is the famed Law-san I've heard so much about," the blonde man continued and surveyed Law. "Wonderful eyes… a touch too skinny, but I'm sure you'll straighten that out… strong heart… good hands… and very attractive," Kaito finished with a wink.
Law squirmed, tightening his fingers around the salt and pepper shakers.
"Kaito, stop it! You're making him uncomfortable!" Topaz chided and loaded the last plate into the dishwasher. Then, she leaned over and closed it with a snap. "Law-kun, let's go into the living room," she said and held out her hand for him to take.
Law put the salt and pepper shakers away in the correct cabinet and then carefully grasped Topaz's elbow. Gently, only half supporting her, he helped her limp into the living room with Kaito trailing behind them. Once they had all sank into the cushions of Topaz's furniture–Law in the overstuffed armchair across from Kaito and Topaz on the sofa–Kaito hugged Topaz again a little less vigorously.
"How are you holding up, love?" Kaito asked and pulled back from their hug to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.
"I'm fine, Kaito-san," she said. "I'm doing much better with Law here to help me." She sent her slave a winning smile and Law felt heat creeping through his chest.
Kaito smiled also. "I'm glad. Well, seeing you, I guess I should have listened to Kurocchi," he said with a sigh.
Topaz smiled even wider and explained quickly to Law, "Kaito likes to give Kuronue-san all these strange nicknames just to make him mad."
"Oh," Law said and allowed a faint grin to grace his lips.
Kaito sighed dramatically again. "Well, seeing as you're getting along just fine, Topaz-chan, I guess I'll be going."
"You could stay for a while if you'd like, Kaito," She offered.
"No, no. That's quite alright. I have an early shift at the hospital today anyway."
Topaz bit her lip and then turned to Law. "Could you go get my chair for me, Law-kun?"
He nodded, rose from the armchair, and hurried to her bedroom to fetch her wheelchair from her bedside. As he left the room, he saw Topaz lean forward and put her face close to Kaito's.
He heard her whisper, "Have they caught him?" and saw Kaito sadly shake his head.
Then, they vanished around the corner of the wall and he glimpsed no more of their conversation.
After short goodbyes, Kaito left, running through the pouring rain to his car. Topaz sat in her chair in the open threshold for a long moment, watching Kaito's dwindling headlights. Then, Law rested his hands on the handles of her chair and pulled her gently away from the door as lightning knifed through the ink-black stormy sky.
"Law," Sakura whispered.
"Yes, Miss Topaz?"
"There's something I need to tell you…"
...
In the grungy hotel at the limits of the city, a slimy green thing slithered across the worn ugly carpet. It was plump and thick, like a snake that had just gorged itself on a fat rat. Another glided across the hideous filthy comforter on the sunken mattress. Six others slunk in the shadows of the dirty little room. Unattached and undisturbed, they had free reign of the naked body strewn on the bed, but without the guidance of their master, they had no reason and no desire to ravage it.
The master was in the shower, his singing muted by both the rattling pipes that fed water to the shower and the pounding rain outside.
One slick thing inched up the body's naked leg and then curled contentedly at the dip of warmth in its belly.
The naked body shifted and groaned, but did not wake.
The master cleaned himself of the day's tasks.
The eight tentacles slithered.
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Lemme know what'cha think! Leave a review! *dances away*
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