CHAPTER 18

Ignorant Wedded Bliss

I could feel how happy Furey was having me home. Greg wasn't so sure about it. I was having trouble reading thoughts, probably as a result of the injuries and drugs. I was picking up waves of emotion, but thoughts were completely muddled. This happened sometimes when I was really sick or exceptionally tired. I could hear Furey when he spoke directly to me, but for now, that was all I was receiving.

Feeling a little more energetic, I thought I should get up and walk around a little to keep my lungs from getting congested and ending up with pneumonia again. I finished the game with Furey and then looked over at Greg who was reading the newspaper in the chair.

"Greg, you need to take Furey out and throw a ball or something."

He gave me one of those, "are you nuts?" looks. "Have you forgotten I'm a cripple? Besides, who died and made you his Mom?"

I smiled, "Teagan." I knew he wouldn't understand my vision of Teagan sending me back. He wasn't amused. In fact, I could feel that my answer had pissed him off. "Honey, I'm sorry. I just meant that he's been cooped up in a hospital most nights with me."

"His choice, not mine. I wanted to take him to Uncle Jimmy's."

Furey looked glum, "Uncle Jimmy is feeling weird about having me over, afraid that I'm going to be kidnapped again."

I reached over and patted his hand, noting that his fingers had to be longer than mine and he was only nine, "He's right to be concerned. You need to be vigilant. You have something that the government and others are going to want from you. Now that they know about your talents, they're going to want to put you in a program. I'm not too worried about them taking you away, your Dad will make mince meat of them, but you need a good lawyer to make sure they don't trample on your civil rights." I turned to Greg, "Do you know a good Civil Rights lawyer?"

Greg looked flustered, "Yeah, why?"

"You should ask them to come over and talk to us sometime."

"I'll call tomorrow and see what she says. Furey take the tray down."

He picked up the tray and went downstairs.

"Greg, you can still catch and toss a ball; you could make Furey run after it if he doesn't throw it right. If that doesn't work, go rowing or kayaking. You both need to get out and do something together."

He glared at me, "Furey and I do just fine. He wanted to stay close to you this weekend." He shifted and gave me a smirk, "Why, I don't know."

"Well, why don't we go out to a park then? I could sit and you two could…do what you do in a park. I'd like to get outside."

He exhaled out of frustration with me, but stood up and started to walk out of the room.

"Greg?"

He stopped and looked down at me. I motioned with my index finger to come closer. He leaned in so I could whisper. I gave him a kiss on his lips. He jerked back.

I laughed, "Come on; please don't be mad at me. I don't mean to drive you nuts."

"Oh yes, you do." He almost smiled and left.

I convinced him that we should get out of the house. I went into the guest bedroom, saw the medical bed and laughed. Why he thought I'd want to sleep in there, I didn't understand. I decided that I would call and get the bed taken away on Monday. I found my travel suitcase, which was packed with clothes, most of which were dirty. I called for Furey and he took them down to the washer and put them in for me. I found a pair of black jersey slacks and a nice warm red sweater, socks and my black shoes. I went downstairs by myself only to find a very angry Greg.

"You should have called for one of us. What if you fell?"

"But I didn't. I want to go somewhere, even if it's just for a drive…maybe a picnic.'

Greg rolled his eyes. "I have journals to read."

"Bring them along. You have a son and he spends way too much time in his computer world. Now, make up a picnic lunch and let's go.'

He skulked off into the kitchen where I heard banging and mumbling. He put the wheelchair in the trunk which made me feel like an invalid. We piled into the car and drove to a park with a large glassy pond, playground and a large expanse of grass. I refused to sit in it, instead walking across the grass with my crutches so Greg didn't bother taking the wheelchair out of the back. I noticed that Furey was carrying two baseball mitts.

We had a Greg House picnic. The basket had two beers, one bottle of water, one coke, three peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on white bread, three bags of potato chips and three candy bars. I chuckled. It was a very pretty day outside and I watched as Furey stared at the playground and the kids climbing the wood-framed jungle gym.

Greg threw his keys on the blanket where I was sitting, "Hand me a beer."

"Yes, master." I handed him a beer.

He grabbed a mitt and the baseball, walked about twenty yards away and motioned for Furey to grab a mitt. Furey ran as fast as he could back to get his mitt. I could feel how excited he was to be playing with his father. It was as if he was a bottle of champagne about to explode, all bubbly and happy. Swigging back the beer, Greg belched so loud that the family several yards away from us laughed. He put his beer and cane down by a tree and then hobbled out to a clearing. Furey waited for his Dad to throw the ball. Greg looked handsome in his Ray Bans, t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt and Levis. It was slightly chilly, but still a nice autumn day. There were leaves on the ground and it was the perfect day for being out with my family.

We stayed a couple of hours. Greg had enjoyed throwing the ball with Furey and was now sending out feelings of being relaxed, a feeling I hadn't felt from him before. We ate our sandwiches, laughing at Greg's lack of attention to what he had packed for us to eat. After lunch, Greg watched Furey play football with the family that had laughed when he belched. Greg read a journal while I slept; my head in his lap. He woke me when Furey came back to the blanket.

"I'm done with the beers, time to go."

I nodded.

We got home and I folded my clothes that Furey brought up from the dryer. Around 8:00 pm, Furey looked up at me with those beautiful blue eyes and pleaded, "Can I sleep with you and Dad?"

Before I could say anything, Greg barked, "No! You're too old to sleep with us."

I gave Greg the evil eye. I couldn't read Furey's thoughts because he wasn't trying to project them to me, but I could feel that he felt scared. He had felt scared all day long to some degree or another, especially when he was around strangers. He was still worried that someone was going to kidnap him again.

"Furey, get me a drink of water with ice, okay hon?" He went off to the kitchen. When he was out of the room I whispered loudly, "Greg, he's just been through a very traumatic event. He's been frightened all day of being outside, exposed to strangers. He needs a night with us. He may look twelve, but he's only nine. This isn't easy for him."

Greg looked down and thought hard, "I take it you can read his thoughts?"

"Not his thoughts, but his emotions, yes."

He took a deep breath and blew out, "Okay, but it's going to get crowded."

"You could sleep in his room."

Greg pulled his head back in shock, "Excuse me? You two are going to kick me out of my own room? Maybe I will. At least I'll get some sleep."

Greg went down the hall to the guest room and slept in the medical bed, playing with all the levers before deciding on the position that he wanted the bed fixed when he slept. Furey and I ended up in our bed with Furey curled up in his Star Wars flannel pjs. I held him until he fell asleep in my arms. Once I knew he was okay, I let myself drift into a pleasant sleep, taking care to keep my wound away from the thrashing of the nine year old.

I woke up feeling like a boa constrictor had me. I looked at Furey, twisted in the bed so that his arm was across my neck, his leg across my waist about a foot from my wound. Behind me was Greg, wedged in tight next to my butt, his arm draped around both me and Furey. I'm a little claustrophobic and it took everything in me not to panic and scream at the two of them to get off of me. I took a deep breath and undraped Furey's arm from my neck. I turned him gently over so that we were all facing the same direction like a human oreo. I was the filling that was oozing out the sides. After we were all sorted out, I have to admit, I felt comfortable and safe. I had my two little heaters and Greg's arms holding me. I fell back to sleep and had dreams of sailing on the harbor in San Diego. The sails were full with the afternoon wind. It was peaceful and I felt happy with the sun shining on my face

I woke up and could feel Greg was just starting to wake up because a hand was touching and caressing my breast. I pulled it away so that Furey wouldn't wake up and see me being groped. I could feel Greg's morning friend between us. Grabbing his hand had awaken him. He lifted his head.

"Did the alarm go off?"

I whispered, "Not yet, but you were going for gold, so I had to stop you."

He nodded, understanding, looked over at Furey and dropped his head back on the pillow. The alarm went off. Furey moaned and whined, "I don't want to go to school."

House snorted, "Yeah, well I want to go to your graduation in another eight years, so get your butt up and move Dude."

Furey didn't even have his eyes fully open as he slid out of bed and went back to his room. Greg quickly felt me up, giving me a very passionate kiss that made my whole body tingle. I knew I was feeling better because I wished he could stay and grope some more. He lifted his head and smiled.

"You liked that."

I nodded. "Is there any way we could accommodate each other sometime today?"

He got out of bed, "I'll be home for lunch. Have the dairy-bar open."

"Ha, ha."

They got ready and Greg took Furey to school. I received a call on my cell phone from Freddie telling me that Furey was being guarded. From now on, he'd have a guard at school, courtesy of the FBI.

"Does Greg know?"

"We told him this morning when they got to school. I was there. Furey looked relieved, his Dad looked pissed, saying something about slippery slope of civil rights.

I laughed, "Yeah, that would be Greg's reaction. But, he's right. We're going to have to figure out a way for Furey to have a normal childhood."

"How are you doing?" Freddie asked.

"It's nice to be home."

There was a pause. "Home? Are you in San Diego?"

"No, silly, Princeon, with Greg and Furey."

"Oh, what are you doing after your month off?"

"Go back to work."

"We solved the D.C. murders, got the guy in custody yesterday. You and I are going to be sent back to San Diego."

I laughed, "They can't do that to me. Who's going to take care of Greg and Furey?"

There was another deep pause, "Auri, are you alright? You're still assigned to the field office in San Diego, unless they told you something different. Did someone say something to you?"

I was really confused; it didn't make sense for me to go back to San Diego when my husband and step-son were here. "I better call them."

"Well, in the meantime, did you get all your stuff? I had them send it up from the hotel room."

"Yes, thanks Freddie."

"Well, I fly back the day after tomorrow. I'll see you when you get home. Take care."

"You too, bye."

At 11:30, I made my way up the stairs, noting that I had managed to climb them faster. I was starting to feel much better, only taking half my pain dosage. I was still on prednisone too. I looked through what I had and there was nothing sexy in the suitcase. I went through the clothes in the guestroom, but they were too big for me now. I was feeling strangely unattractive and sure that being with a woman that had a large bandage in the middle of her would not be that attractive. I heard the door close downstairs.

"Honey, I'm home!"

"Upstairs."

He came up the stairs and down the hall in record time, started stripping down as fast as he could, clothes flying everywhere. I was under the covers in a t-shirt.

He was standing, his penis starting to move around like a conductor's wand. "What's with the t-shirt?"

I lifted up the covers and he climbed in. "I have a huge bandage on my torso. How attractive is that?"

"Let's see."

I pulled up the t-shirt and the bandage wasn't even a nice white. I had obviously bled sometime since leaving the hospital because it was a brick brown red. I saw his penis deflate slightly.

"We need to change the bandage." He said, staring at the bloody gauze. Then he looked at my breasts and I saw the penis start waving around again. The poor fellow didn't know whether it was coming or going. He looked back at the bandage. "Damn it. It will be better for you, me and my erection if I take a look at it and change it."

He got up and by the time he came back with the supplies, the lovesick penis was now calmly resting between his legs. I sat up while he took off the bandage. "Ah crap! Get up and get dressed, I'm going to have to take you in. You've got an infection. Damn! Damn!"

I looked down and the area around the wound had puss and the entire region was red and angry looking. A makeshift bandage was applied after which we both got up and went to the hospital where House hunted Dr. Chase down.

He looked at my wound, "Yes, it's infected. How do you feel Auri?"

Horny. I shrugged my shoulders,"Just a little weak. I felt better this morning."

"I'm tempted to admit you. Let's get an MRI and see what's going on inside you."

I came back from the MRI and there were three doctors in the next room looking at my results, including Greg. Chase came back out to me, followed by Greg and a female doctor named Cuddy.

"Auri, your surgeon in New York didn't sew up a nick in your bowel from a piece of the bullet. You need emergency surgery."

I started crying.

Chase took my hands, a little dismayed that he had caused an FBI agent to cry. "Auri, are you afraid?"

I whispered, "No. It's just that, by the time this is over, I'm going to have scars all over my body. It's not very attractive."

Greg rolled his eyes.

Chase smiled, "I'm going to do the surgery laproscopically. I promise you'll hardly notice the scar. And I'll see what I can do to minimize the other one. I have to open it up anyway to clean it out. I'll give you tiny, tiny sutures, okay?"

"Thanks."

I was in the hospital for four days, but when I got out I was weaker than before, sleeping most of the days in bed. At night, I spent time with Furey before we all went to sleep. Furey was feeling much more confident with the FBI watching him. He slept in his own bedroom without a fuss. After a week, I started getting up and walking around the house to get back some of my strength. I told Chase on my next visit that I didn't think I could go back to work.

I sighed and shook my head, "My job is both mentally and physically exhausting."

"I'll write up another month of rehabilitation. Have your boss call me."

It was settled; I received an additional month, giving me six more weeks before I had to go back to work. I had talked to my boss and they confirmed that I would have to finish up my stint in San Diego before they could grant my wish to move me to the east coast. They weren't sure how close they could get me to Princeton though. I was working it out with Joseph Persichini, Jr., the Assistant Director and the one who had authorized me to work Furey's kidnapping.

"Well, I need to be close to my family. Furey needs someone who understands and can teach him how to deal with what's coming up."

"We agree with you. We'd like an agent close to him and you're the best choice. It's possible I can convince them to station you nearby." Persichini said.

"Thank you, sir."

"Well, get better Ferrell, we're very proud of you. You protected one of our nation's best assets and believe me, it hasn't gone unnoticed. Good bye."

"Good bye."

I still felt as if I was in a fog and sleeping seemed to be what I did best. However, it made sense to me now why none of my things were at the house. Everything was in San Diego where I was stationed with the Bureau. I wondered how Furey and Greg had managed to live without me? I wondered how long we had been married? It was all very hazy. I remembered that we must have gotten married near Seaport Village because Greg, Furey and I walked around Seaport Village in our wedding clothes. I didn't understand why we had done this, it didn't make sense. But, I had a clear vision of just walking aimlessly around Seaport Village.

I was gaining strength every day and after two weeks, I was climbing the stairs at a reasonable rate. I was upstairs one day when I heard the door downstairs open and close.

Since no one identified themselves, I called out, "Hello?"

I heard Greg's somewhat bored voice, "It's just me. I came home to grab a journal and a little lunch."

"Oh, okay." I yelled down.

I heard noises in the kitchen. I quickly grabbed the package from the guest room, (which no longer had a medical bed in it.) I had been buying clothes on the internet and having them shipped to me. I opened the package and pulled out the little outfit. It had little black laced panties with a black camisole that conveniently covered my wound. I figured that we could take the panties off and leave the top on. Greg could pull the straps down, revealing his favorite toys. I put it on and sat on the top of the bed, waiting for him to come up. After fifteen minutes, I heard a noise at the bottom of the stairs and then the front door open and close.

I sat up, "Greg?"

No answer.

"Damn!" I hit the pillow with my fist and started to take the camisole off. But then I heard a door open and close again so I posed myself seductively on the bed.

I heard steps coming up the stairs. He started yelling down the hall, "I forgot, I was reading the other journal I need in bed last…" He stopped when he saw me. It took a minute for his brain to absorb and make sense of what he was seeing. "Oh, ho, ho…you little minx. Damn, I'm in the middle of a diagnosis." He kept looking at me, up and down. I took a strap and pulled it off my shoulder, revealing my breast just below the nipple.

He smiled and shook his head. Taking out his cell he dialed. "I'm having trouble finding that journal; it may take me a half hour. You guys take a quick lunch. Yeah, I know. He's stable right? Fine. Half an hour."

I realized that I wasn't going to get much cuddling in. He began throwing clothes into a pile before jumping onto the bed next to me.

He shook his head in disbelief, "And to think I almost went back to the hospital without coming up here. I tell you, one more day in bed without any relief and I was going to kick you to the curb."

I rolled my eyes, "I know! When I heard the door close, I almost had a heart attack. All dressed up and nowhere to come."

He laughed, pulling on the strap to reveal the entire breast. I saw the tongue come out of his mouth as he tickled the tip of my nipple. I couldn't take it. I slipped my hand hurriedly into his shorts and started pumping hard.

Reaching down, he grabbed my arm to stop my frantic efforts, "Whoa…we have a half hour. We don't have to rush that fast."

I rolled on my back and looked up to the ceiling, "I just feel like it's been a long time since we had sex."

He pulled the left strap of the camisole slowly down and then straddled me, bending down to take a breast in his hand, suck it before rotating to the other one. He blew on each of my nipples after he sucked them, making them get hard with goosebumps around them.

Pulling my panties just past my slit, he rubbed the dark blonde hair as he straddled my thighs. The long index finger followed the slit between my legs without penetrating the folds then he pulled the panties down all the way, taking them and throwing them on the floor. He rolled off and quickly took off his boxers. His fingers glided gently up my thighs as he rubbed the folds between my legs from the outside, never penetrating.

"Spread your legs a little," He commanded. I did. He knelt between them, "Now, play with yourself."

I blushed, "I want you to play with me."

He smiled at me, "I will, but first I want to watch you."

I pushed my hand between my legs and fingered through the slit, finding my clit. His eyes were glued to what I was doing. He took his erection in his hand and started to slowly glide up and down it with his hand. It was starting to glisten with come on the tip of it. Leaning forward, he hovered over my body. The only place we were touching was our thighs.

I felt a hard fleshy rod start rubbing where my finger was. I removed my finger as he used his erection to play with my clit. I started to gently rub his erection with my fingers.

"In, go in." I begged.

He shook his head, "Not a good idea with your stitches. He continued to rub me over and over with his erection. "Play with yourself again."

I did, I started to rub harder and harder, my thighs becoming rigid as I concentrated on the feel of just my finger between my thighs. He climbed up and put his head on the pillow kissing me, pushing my hand away and taking over, his long fingers making quick work. He could rub my clit and finger me at the same time. The fingers were dipping in and out rapidly as my breathing matched the pace of his fingers. I felt it like a muscle contraction at first and then it went through my groin and up into the tips of my nipples.

"Suck me, Greg." I groaned.

He reached down and sucked my nipple and then the other one. It was all I needed. I grabbed at the bed, screaming, "Greg, fuck me, fuck me."

He kept sucking and thrusting his fingers further and harder as the orgasm exploded until I had to stop him. The pleasure had peaked and it was uncomfortable.

"No more. Stop."

He stopped fingering me. I grabbed his rock hard erection and slid down to put my mouth around it. He didn't wait for me to get comfortable before pushing it up into my mouth over and over. I angled myself to get more of it inside, my tongue continually licking the tip when it came up. I started sucking faster and faster as he pushed my head down over his dick. I was sure I was going to gag, but I didn't. The semen hit the back of my throat and then slid down into my stomach. I had a hard time breathing, but I didn't remove my mouth. I don't think I could, his hand held me down firmly over his dick.

"Auri, yeah baby. Yeah, that feels great. You're so hot. Ah yeah."

I didn't feel any more semen going down my throat and the grip on the back of my head loosened. I lifted up to look at him. The lids of his eyes and his mouth were half opened in satisfaction. He rolled back and smiled.

"To think I almost went back to work."

I crawled up to the pillow. He motioned to the corner of my mouth. "It looks so sexy, but I guess I should tell you that you have come dripping down from the corner of your mouth."

I took my tongue and licked it up.

He watched me do this; his mouth opened wide, "Oh my God, that was hot."

"When can we really screw?" I asked.

"At least a week, depending on what Chase says tomorrow."

He got dressed, leaned over, kissed me and went off to work. I didn't want to move, I felt so satiated. I finally got up and showered when I realized that Furey would be home soon and I hadn't even gotten anything out for dinner.

When Greg came home that evening we ate dinner downstairs. He kept pointing to the corner of my mouth, "You have a little food right there."

I took my tongue and rubbed it around my lips and then dipped out and licked the corner of my mouth really slowly. "Did I get it?"

His voice went hoarse, "Yeah, I think so."

Furey looked at his Dad. I could feel his curiosity. He finally looked at us, "Did you guys have sex today?"

We both looked horrified.

I looked squarely in his eyes, "Why do you ask that?"

"Cause whenever Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Jen have sex or are going to have sex, Uncle Jimmy's voice gets really husky, like Dad's just did."

I started laughing. Greg looked off and shook his head.

"Well, it's none of your business and I probably wouldn't tell Uncle Jimmy that. He might be slightly embarrassed." I said.

"You know, I'd make a great brother. So you guys don't have to use birth control."

Greg jumped up and took his plate to the sink. I sputtered and coughed, "Thank you for letting us know how you feel on the issue, but I'm too old to have babies."

He looked slightly disappointed, "Really, did you go through the change of life like Grandma?" Furey asked.

"No, I didn't mean physically too old, just too set in my ways to have a baby. Besides, you're perfect, why would I want another kid?"

Furey shrugged, "Because I want a brother or a sister."

Greg came out with a beer, "Uncle Jimmy's going to give you one of those soon enough."

"But she won't be a real sister. I want a real one. I want Auri to have a baby."

I shook my head, "Honey, that isn't going to happen."

Furey got up and yelled at me, "Then maybe you should go home. We don't need someone who's dried up and too selfish to have a baby. I hate you."

Greg came unglued, "You ungrateful brat! This woman almost lost her life because of you…"

I jumped up, "Greg! It's okay. He's just disappointed. He thinks couples have babies."

"Then it really doesn't make sense. Go do your homework." Greg pointed out the kitchen door.

Furey sulked out the door, bottom lip protruding in protest of his feelings. He slammed his bedroom door and Greg almost went up after him to punish him.

"Let it go, Greg. This isn't easy on him. All the trauma, our new family. He's trying to figure out where he fits with me and you, now that I'm here."

Greg looked at me funny, "Auri, you and I need to talk about where you fit in."

I held up a hand, "I know, it's not my place to punish him. I promise not to interfere." I got up and started to clean up.

"Well, that's part of it. But, it's more, where do we go from here? What is it we want from this?" He motioned between the two of us.

I knew that he must be talking about my job. "Greg, I can't make any promises, but I'm trying to get the Bureau to transfer me out here. I assume that's what you want?"

He shrugged his shoulders, "Sure, that would be nice. I'd like for us to have time together."

"Me too. They're thinking that having an agent with Furey would be a good idea. I told them that Furey is more important to me than making sure they have an asset, so they shouldn't expect me to always act as an agent. They understood. They know how I feel about him. I know that until we know where I'm going to end up, we can't really make any plans. Do you agree?"

He nodded.

I walked over, kissed and held him. He did the same. We both went into the living room. I was sitting on the couch reading while Greg was playing piano when I felt Furey coming down the stairs. I looked up and his eyes were almost swollen shut from crying, his long face -- longer. He stood in front of me about six feet away. His chin started to quiver and I could tell he was about to burst out crying. Greg was frustrated with all the recent emotions from his son. I put down the magazine and held out my arms. Furey came running into them. I kissed him and he started crying.

"I don't think you're dried up and…hic…I don't want you to go …and I …hic..sniff…really love you."

"Oh honey," I started to pet him, pulling him into my lap. I almost laughed at his long legs which reached to the floor and beyond, "I know you didn't mean it. I know you love me, because I love you too and sometimes I say really mean things that I wish I could take back."

He started to control the sobbing and I could feel Greg's emotions turn from frustration with Furey to affection. Looking over at Greg, I smiled at him as I continued to stroke Furey's hair and back.

"You're going to spoil him."

I turned from Greg and smiled into Furey's eyes, "I can't think of someone who deserves it more." I kissed Furey and rocked him back and forth. He must have weighed almost as much as me. He was as tall as me and it seemed to me that the child was going to shoot up past his Dad when adolescence kicked in. Half an hour later I had to wake Furey to send him up to bed, he had fallen asleep in my arms.

The following week I felt pretty good and even started to walk in the neighborhood, making a few friends as I strolled down the street. I'd stop and talk to the mothers and old couples who were out and about in their yards and on the sidewalks. When informed, the neighbors all seemed somewhat surprised that I was married to Greg.

I was still feeling hazy, unable to read people. By now, I figured it had a lot to do with the medications I was still on, including the steroids. I couldn't wait to get off all the drugs.

Dear Readers,

Have you been enjoying this? I hope so! Leave a review if you have time!

Take care,

Gorby