Hello! I'm pleased to present chapter 7, in which things heat up, in more ways than one I might add. That said, if you're not an adult, proceed with caution as this story's M rating becomes applicable starting now.
A note on my Sherlock fic which I may or may not have spoken with some of you about previously... I completed the first draft of it for Nanowrimo, but I've decided to postpone it simply because season 3 is on its way and my story merges with Sherlock's return to London. As a result I wanted to keep my plot and characterization somewhat in line with the new episodes coming up so obviously there's no way I'm comfortable completing it just yet. It could be several months before I'm ready to publish it, though I will say it's got a title (Company Under Cover) and hopefully a believable romance xD
Anyway, back to The Monster's Mask. I hope you all enjoy this! Again there is M rated sexual content in this chapter so please if you're underage, proceed with caution.
Chapter 7 – Acquiescence
"Madelyn McGivers, you've been in London a year and I'm only just seeing you now because it's Christmas Eve! How dare you!"
Carol Marcus grinned through her feigned scolding and pulled Madelyn into a tight hug before letting her into her flat.
"You've been in San Francisco," Madelyn pointed out as she pulled off her coat, revealing a simple black dress with a dusting of sparkles.
Carol nodded repentantly and pulled Madelyn into the central space of her flat where other party guests were chattering over drinks. The room smelled like evergreen and pumpkin spice, and strings of old fashioned twinkling lights wound themselves around an artificial tree in the corner.
"I only came back to London because I wanted to see my father for Christmas," said Carol. "Unfortunately, he was unavailable." She snagged a glass of sparkling water off the bar that separated the kitchen from the rest of her flat. Then she grinned. "I'm not going to ruin Christmas by talking about him. I want to hear about this fling of yours."
Madelyn feigned a glare as she poured herself a glass of wine. "How did you know?"
"I ran into your flatmate last week. Kelly, was it? Anyway she talked my ear off about some John Harrison guy, and I have to say Maddy, it's about time."
"I swear she doesn't know when to keep quiet about things. I hope her family is enjoying her right now."
Carol made an amused noise into her drink. Glass of wine in hand, Madelyn joined Carol on a plush bench by the artificial fireplace and pulled off her high heels.
"I don't know why I wore these things. I hate them."
"You only dress up like this once a year, Maddy. I dare say you should keep them on."
Madelyn tossed the glossy black pumps away so they landed underneath the plump Christmas tree nearby. "They look better there."
Carol put a hand on Madelyn's knee. "John Harrison."
Madelyn felt a grin playing with the corners of her mouth and took a sip of wine. "It's a little complicated. We met originally because he had business with my grandfather. He was doing an investigation or something; I'm not quite sure. Top secret Starfleet stuff your dad would probably know about. Anyway, that evening, my grandfather was killed…"
"I'm so sorry about William. I wish I could have made it to the funeral, but work—"
Madelyn shrugged. "You couldn't help it, I understand. John was convinced it was related to his investigation, but he never told me why." She took a long, slow sip and let the liquid slide down her throat. "I saw him several more times before I realized I was attracted to him." She paused, then said slowly, "I've never met anyone quite like him."
Carol smiled mischievously. "Have you kissed?"
Madelyn ran her tongue vaguely along her bottom lip just remembering what it had been like, grinned at the memory of it, and then ducked her face into her wine glass.
"Oh my god, Maddy. Don't be such a prude," Carol whispered, grinning ear to ear.
Madelyn swallowed a large amount of wine before looking at her friend again. "Until Kelly came home, and then your dad called right at the same moment."
"Oh!"
"Would've gone further otherwise."
Carol raised her eyebrows and lowered her voice. "It was that good?"
"It was fantastic," Madelyn replied with a straight face.
"So why aren't you with him tonight?"
Madelyn sighed. "He's off-world, working."
"On Christmas Eve?" Carol sounded indignant, and then like she was hit with the obvious. "Oh, he works for my dad."
Madelyn met her gaze knowingly and shrugged. "He didn't say when he'd be back, but apparently this is a normal thing for him. Being called at the last minute, never really having time to himself."
"Long distance relationship at its worst," said Carol.
Madelyn nodded. "There is one plus to this. You remember Owen, right?"
"Yeah, I do. I know he's had feelings for you since grade school. How is he taking this, your being with John?"
Madelyn grinned bitterly and ran her fingers through her loose hair. "He finally admitted out loud that he had feelings for me, the same day John and I kissed. It was getting to the point with him where I had to tell him to back off. I didn't want to hurt him, but I guess it was inevitable."
"You said there was a plus side?"
"Right. He works pretty closely with John apparently, so when John's away, so is Owen."
"I suppose that works out for you in a way. You won't have him pressing into your life when you don't want him to."
Madelyn nodded. "You know how he can be. Overly assertive, pushy even. There's no changing his mind."
Now Carol was the one smiling bitterly. "I can see Owen refusing to stay in the friend zone."
Madelyn sipped her wine and snagged a cookie off a passing platter of desserts. "Yeah, but he also told me he's being transferred to San Fran after he gets back to Earth. Orders from your dad."
"Good," said Carol. "I'm assuming you don't have any plans to leave London anytime soon."
"Nope. The university is treating me extremely well. I was just a lecturer this past term, but the department head is considering giving me a fulltime position as a professor in January."
"Well, congratulations!" Carol raised her slender glass of sparkling water. "This calls for a toast."
Madelyn grinned and their glasses pinged.
"To a new year of new opportunities," said Carol.
"And new relationships," Madelyn added.
Carol matched her smile and raised her glass to her lips, but stopped when the front door buzzed. "I'll get it," she said, keeping her other guests from being bothered. Madelyn leaned back against the cushioned seat and savored her wine, noting the hints of fruit and spice that lingered on her tongue. And then her mouth went dry when she saw who Carol had let walk through the door.
"I'm sorry," Carol mouthed.
Owen Gallagher sauntered through the flat, his gaze set on Madelyn. He was dressed in his usual gray Starfleet uniform, but his blond curls were slicked back more than normal.
"Merry Christmas, Maddy."
She remained in her seat, staring up at him with unmasked displeasure that she knew was unnecessary. He was back far earlier than he'd said he would be.
"Owen, I wish you'd warned me before showing up," said Carol. "I don't know that we have enough drinks to go around now."
Owen didn't even glance at Carol. "I'm not here for drinks."
Madelyn had two choices, and the first one was looking like it wouldn't work. He was so intently focused on her that she realized she had no choice to but to deal with this face to face, or rather eyes to chest. Now she regretted removing her heels.
Regardless of Owen's intentions, it was Christmas and she wasn't going to let his unexpected arrival ruin it.
"We need to talk," she said quietly. Owen nodded and followed her out of the center of the party, into a quiet room faintly illuminated by a wide view of London's lights through panoramic windows. Madelyn swept her eyes across the view as she ran through a list of potential remarks she could make to Owen, but all of them were wiped away when she felt his hand on her shoulder. She whirled around, shrugging out of his grip even when he protested. At least he wasn't very strong.
"Maddy, you never called me."
Maybe she was angry because John hadn't contacted her. Since Owen was back, the obvious conclusion was to assume that John was also.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, trying to keep her voice low. "Carol didn't even invite you. We thought you were still working."
"Got back this morning. Had some food at work, and when I heard about Carol's party, I knew you'd be here."
"You knew I'd be here," Madelyn repeated, incensed. Could John know she was here as well? God, she hoped so. "Why did you come here?" She regretted her tone when his expression softened, his blue eyes taking on an offended gleam in the room's dim light.
"I thought since you hadn't seen John in a few weeks, that maybe you'd be over him a bit. I thought I'd try—"
"Over him?! You thought I'd be over him?! Are you really that desperate, Owen? Did nothing I said to you before even click in that funny little head of yours?" She reached up and pushed a finger into his forehead, forcing him to take a step backwards. The action shocked him and Madelyn again berated herself. She could feel negative emotion welling up inside her and she wasn't sure she could hold it back.
So when Owen reached out and put his hands on her arms, Madelyn forced herself not to shrug away from him again. His face was killing her.
"Maddy, just hear me out, alright?"
She sighed. "Whatever you have to say, it's not going to make me change my mind."
Owen lowered his voice. "Can't you just slow down and maybe consider what you're getting into? John Harrison is not someone you want to be involved with like this."
She didn't even have a reaction. It was just the same thing he always said and it was getting old. "We've had this conversation before."
"You'd be better off with me," he replied quietly.
Madelyn let out a single barking laugh. "Of course I would. Because that's what you want. You want me. I'm sorry, Owen, but I don't see you that way!" This time she didn't fight the urge to escape his grasp and brushed past him, making for the lit room full of people. She paused and face him. "Maybe you need to reconsider what this relationship is," she said, waving her finger back and forth between them. "Because I thought you were my friend, and I thought you would support me. Obviously I was wrong."
When he advanced on her, she turned and escaped out into the light, making her way through the growing number of people that had gathered to celebrate Christmas. She snatched up her shoes from under the tree and only stopped when Carol grabbed her arm.
"I can make him leave if he's bothering you."
"No, I was just leaving," she replied, not taking her eyes off of Owen, who was making his way towards her from across the room. Carol walked her to the door wordlessly, but stopped her before she could get away.
"Maddy, I'm really sorry. I didn't know he would—"
"No, it's fine," Madelyn said quickly, pulling on her coat and sliding her feet into her heels, slightly off-balance. She caught herself against the wall and forced her foot inside the wayward shoe, then whipped her scarf around her neck as Owen came over.
"No, it's not fine, Maddy," he said. "Please don't do this. I am your friend. We can figure this out."
"Figure what out?" Madelyn didn't care that she sounded indignant. She couldn't believe Owen was still trying to talk this over after their quick and brutal argument.
"Madelyn." Carol put a hand on her arm, her expression firm but empathetic. Madelyn clenched her jaw and forced herself to give the woman a hug. It was met warmly, but Madelyn couldn't shake Owen. When they broke apart, Carol still held onto her coat sleeve. "Call me tomorrow. We'll get coffee and talk."
Madelyn smiled with closed lips and stepped outside with Owen at her heels. With both of them out of the middle of Carol's party, Madelyn crossed her arms and did her best to look angry, unafraid to speak her mind now.
"Whatever the hell you think you're doing, it's not going to work," she said.
"I'm not leaving your side until we figure this out," he replied. "I'm not gonna let you go storming off like you always do when you're mad."
Madelyn pressed her lips together in a thin line. She couldn't believe she was going along with this.
When she hailed a cab, Owen climbed in behind her, giving her a look. The ride home was silent, but Madelyn used it as an opportunity to contact John without Owen knowing. There was no way she was going to let Owen into her apartment when she was alone. It wasn't that she mistrusted him, but she'd heard stories of people who were overworked just snapping and attacking those they loved because of unmet emotional issues, and she wasn't about to become a statistic. Not to mention that she was pretty sure Owen was already unstable, at least according to John.
Owen got to me before you did this time. I need you at my flat asap, she texted. It occurred to her that she hadn't considered that John might have family with whom he was spending time. And then she felt stupid for not asking him about them. He'd never brought the topic up himself.
His quick response made her communicator chime and she quickly silenced it.
I'm working. I'm sure you can figure this out on your own.
"Who's that?" Owen peered over at her communicator and she held it away from him so he wouldn't see.
"Just Carol," she lied. God, she hated that she was lying to him now.
And why the hell was John working on Christmas Eve?
It's Christmas! Take a break and get over here NOW, she replied.
She knew how that would look, but at this point, when Owen's arm was stretched over the back of her seat, she didn't even care.
By the time they arrived at her apartment building, John still hadn't responded. Owen paid for the cab, then followed Madelyn closely until she reached her door, at which point she turned and glared up at him.
"You wanna talk? We'll do it right here."
"No, maybe we should go inside—"
"Right here, Owen. You said we could figure this out, so let's figure this out."
He ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, nodding slowly, then he leaned forward and put a hand on the wall so he loomed over her. Madelyn held her ground.
"I've said all this before, but it bears repeating," he said quietly. "We've known each other for years. I care about you a lot, and I don't want you to get hurt. It's as simple as that."
"Then why can't you understand that I just want to be friends?" Madelyn felt like she was pleading with him. "Is that so hard for you to do anymore?"
She saw his jaw clench and knew his answer before he said anything.
"Yes, it's very hard, Maddy."
She tensed when he brought his other hand up to cup her jaw. "Owen, don't."
"I can't see you with him," he said quietly, his eyes flitting across her face, making her insides squirm. "I don't want you to be with him."
Finally, a straightforward, honest answer that she could absolutely disagree with. She reached up and pulled his hand away from her face, never breaking eye contact.
"Well I do." Her raised voice echoed down the corridor. "And you have no right to tell me I can't."
The door to her apartment opened and they both turned to see John standing in the doorway, eyeing them both. "Is there a problem?"
Madelyn felt a wave of relief wash over her, and Owen straightened, backing a good foot away from her. Madelyn glanced at him, then turned towards John. "Owen was just leaving," she said. "I think we've worked things out." She glanced at Owen again, not even bothering to mask her emotions. She was about to lose another person she cared about, and there was nothing she could do to stop it.
Owen glared at John, crossing his arms, also doing nothing to mask his own displeasure. Madelyn had never imagined he could harbor so much jealousy when they weren't even in a relationship.
"You know what, John?" he spat. "The day Admiral Marcus woke you up, I knew I should've done something about it. It was all illegal from the start. You'll deserve whatever he has in store for you when the time comes. Mark my words." Then he turned to Madelyn, who was staring at him confused and astonished. "I hope you have a happy Christmas, Maddy." He said it without a hint of warmth and it was all Madelyn could do to keep herself from reaching for him, to keep him from stalking away in his anger. But that was exactly what he did and Madelyn knew she'd just lost him for good.
Fighting back tears, she ran a hand through her hair and brushed past John to get into her apartment. She pulled off her coat and dropped it on the floor, and then, in a burst of anger at herself and at Owen, she picked up a ceramic bowl in which she would normally drop her keys, and flung it at the wall.
It shattered, hundreds of tiny pieces showering the floor like broken glass. A small indentation marred the wall where it had struck. Madelyn gazed at the mess with indifference, blowing a lock of hair out of her face. She felt John come up behind her, his coat brushing her legs, his hands sliding around her waist. She pulled away and paced across the room, her heels crunching down on the broken ceramic littering the floor. She rubbed her forehead when she turned, bothered by both Owen's behavior and her own outburst.
"I can't believe…" She trailed off, not even knowing what to say, gritting her teeth to keep her tears at bay. She'd lost him, her friend of years, because she'd been unwilling to reciprocate his feelings. How many more people was she going to lose before the year was up?
"You seem to have worked things out," John said bluntly.
Madelyn's hand dropped from her forehead so she could glare at him. "You weren't much of a help."
John spread his hands out casually. "I work with him. There wasn't much I could've done."
She stomped towards him, able to meet his face head on due to her heels. "You could've at least talked to him, tried to help him understand! What was all that about Marcus 'waking you up' anyway?"
"Figure of speech," he replied.
"I swear he was gonna kiss me before you opened the door. At least you have good timing."
His hands slid around her waist, pulling her gently against him. "Yes, I do."
Madelyn shook her head faintly. "You were working when I texted you. Did you forget that it's Christmas? Don't you have family to be with?"
His face hovered inches from hers. "I have my priorities in line, believe me."
She stared at him, unwilling to comprehend the possibility that he didn't have anyone to spend the holiday with, or rather that he was choosing not to spend it with anyone.
Except now—since they were suddenly kissing each other furiously—her.
His hands slid along her back and down to her waist where they tightened, but Madelyn was too occupied with running her fingers through his short, luxuriant hair to care. She slid her tongue into his mouth, inhaling the faint hint of mint on his breath, suddenly realizing that he was backing her into the kitchen.
When her heels clicked onto the tile, John swiftly lifted her up onto the countertop without difficulty. His hands ran down her sides until he could take hold of her legs, which she willingly parted as he pushed up the fabric of her dress. Her breathing hitched when he dragged his lips along her neck, and then she felt his hand sliding up her bare thigh, his thumb brushing her just the right way that she couldn't help but gasp.
Swallowing at how quickly things were progressing, Madelyn slid her fingers from the back of his head and took hold of his coat in an attempt to push it from his shoulders. She paused when his mouth suffocated her again, his hand squeezing her leg and gradually drawing it up around him. Lost in his kiss, she managed to kick off her shoes and latch her leg up around his coat, disappointed that it remained a barrier between them.
Everything she realized she wanted was simmering just below the surface. She could feel it growing in the pit of her stomach, a heat that could only be satiated by human touch, something she'd gone far too long without.
She shifted closer to him on the countertop, encouraging his hand to continue exploring her while he lined her jaw with soft kisses that made her eyes flutter shut. She swallowed as his hand slid across the inside of her thigh and kept going, the sensation making her bite her lip. Her dress was quickly bunched up around her hips, and then she heard the sound of fabric ripping.
Without warning, John slid a finger gently inside her. She arched at the feeling spreading through her, a throaty moan rising out of her throat. Then his thumb brushed her and she clutched at his jacket, forgetting about trying to remove it. His grip on her leg tightened and she couldn't help but rock her hips against his hand, wanting more. She slid her hands over his broad shoulders, her eyes falling shut as his thumb began to draw circles against her, his single finger soon joined by a second. She groaned and bit her lip when he inserted a third finger, the action causing faint discomfort. Yep, it had been way too long since she'd done this.
He slowed his motions in response, and when she realized this, Madelyn reached up and pulled his face against hers, kissing his lips, and then his jaw and down his neck until she heard a faint groan in the back of his throat. Oh god, that turned her on even more.
She barely had time to register her satisfaction that she'd had that effect on him, however, when his fingers twisted inside of her and his thumb matched the motion outside. The friction he caused against her tiny bundle of nerves was too much to handle and her head rolled back, her bared throat letting loose a louder moan, echoing the tingles of pleasure he was giving her. She focused on breathing as John's teeth descended on her exposed neck and took her skin. There was a stab of pain and then the gentleness of his lips. A faint smile crossed her lips at the thought that he'd just marked her, and then it melted away when his fingers curled within her, sliding further into a place that made her arch towards him again.
She raised her other leg up around him and latched her arms around his neck to give herself more support, then opened her eyes briefly to look at him, until another moan tumbled over her lips. Something tugged at the corner of John's mouth.
She felt her skin growing hot and she knew she was flushed from the heat he was creating in her. His fingers quickened their motions inside her, drawing loud involuntary sounds from her throat that she'd forgotten she could make. Her back arched again. She ached for release. Her climax boiled just beneath the surface, a hot, writhing sensation that slowly overtook her consciousness, a release that was long overdue.
John's thumb swirled around her one more time and sent her crying out over the edge. Her fingers slid up into his scalp for something to hold onto, and a jumble of incoherent noises fell from her lips as she shuddered through the first orgasm she'd had in months. She hissed when his thumb pressed against her again and she felt herself clamping down on his fingers. Another spasm shook her and she leaned her head against his shoulder, shutting her eyes again to steady her breathing. Then his fingers withdrew from her, making her groan.
Madelyn stayed like that for a moment, catching her breath, smelling her sex on John's fingers as he slid them suggestively between his lips. After a moment, she leaned back slightly and kissed him, feeling strangely liberated to be able to taste herself on him. She swallowed, wetting the dryness in her throat caused by the rush of bodily fluids to her lower body, and finally loosened her grip on his scalp. As she stared at him, she knew her lips were parted and her cheeks flushed, and he was obviously enjoying the sight.
She licked her lips again, finally breathing a bit more normally, and felt a smile playing at her lips. She didn't need to say anything to let him know that had been fantastic; she knew it was all over her face. She kissed him again, a small inkling of an idea taking hold in her mind. He stood there between her limp legs, his eyes flitting all over her. She wished she knew what he was thinking.
"Stay with me tonight," she whispered. She reached up and brushed a loose lock of his hair back from his forehead.
"I shouldn't," he said quietly.
"It's Christmas, John."
His gaze still traveled all over her features as she combed her fingers through his hair.
"Just tonight," he replied finally.
She smiled, but before she could respond, he laid a finger across her lips.
"On one condition." His voice had dropped, making her heart jump. She stared at him transfixed as his finger pulled at her bottom lip, then slid agonizingly slowly over her chin and down her neck, until it landed on her sternum, stopped only by the low neckline of her dress. "I want to have you."
The way he used that archaic phrasing to suggest that they take the final step towards a physical relationship was almost too much for her to handle. "So do I," Madelyn whispered.
He pressed the rest of his hand to her skin and slid it up underneath her clothing until he had her bare shoulder in his grasp. She shivered at the cool air that rushed over her when he pushed the fabric away, goosebumps rising across her skin. His eyes dipped to look at the skin he'd revealed, and then his hand slid up her neck and gently took her jaw. "I want you to beg for me," he murmured, brushing his lips against hers but keeping her from kissing him further.
Madelyn's breathing was escalating again. Christ, he knew what he was doing, she thought, as his hand slid around her back and unzipped her dress.
"How badly do you want me, Madelyn?" he purred, his hot breath ghosting her skin and causing more goosebumps. He planted his lips to her neck and sucked at one spot in particular, making her hiss.
"Real bad," she breathed, sliding her hands over his shoulders.
He released her neck from his lips. "Beg," he said more forcefully.
So he preferred to be the dominant one. Madelyn smirked a little. This was going to be interesting.
"On one condition," she murmured as he peeled her dress slowly from her body. "Take off that damn coat."
The corner of John's mouth lifted in a wry smirk and he quickly shed the offending article of clothing. Then he slid his hands underneath her and lifted her from the countertop with little effort, carrying her towards her bedroom while she kissed him feverishly, sliding her hands inside his shirt.
Madelyn had wanted this so badly, and probably for weeks if she was honest with herself, and now she was finally getting it.
*fans self* I hope you all enjoyed reading that. Please review! Also I expect the next chapter to be ready within a week or so.