Sometimes Lena heard music whispering from the studio in the middle of the night. She didn't mind that Alex used the space for herself, and she didn't intrude. However, the music was especially poignant tonight, and Lena remembered the subtle shift in Alex when Allison Larkin's name had been mentioned. She thought the young ghost might need some company. As she entered the studio Lena noticed the same song beginning again. Alex had it on repeat: "Never is a Promise" by Fiona Apple. This wasn't Lena's music; Alex had brought it with her into the studio.
Alex sat quietly in Hal's chair in the corner. Tears slipped down her face. Lena sat near her on the floor.
Lena had good instincts when it came to this sort of thing. "What did you say to Allison to bring her back to Tom?" she asked.
"Nothing that wasn't true." Alex looked at her. "I can't dance. Not well. Not like you. Will you dance for me?"
Lena nodded, rose to her feet, and began to dance. Grief and loss were familiar to her; she knew the pain of a broken heart, missed opportunities, bitter fate, and death. She could interpret Alex's truth.
When the song ended Lena returned to her friend, picked her up like a child in her arms, and held her as the song began again. Lena took Alex with her onto the dance floor and carried them both through it one more time. Her wings unfurled and lifted them off the floor, and they dipped and turned gently in the stream of notes coming from the piano accompaniment.
Alex had seen Lena's wings during battle; she hadn't known the depth of love and understanding that they also represented. She rested in her friend's arms and accepted the comfort that she offered. When the song ended Lena set them down in front of the sound system and Alex turned off the music.
"That's enough of that, I reckon. No need tae spend the night feeling sorry for myself," she said.
"I know why you are still here, Alex." Lena spoke softly. "Not the details, but the reason."
"Can you tell me?"
"Yes, it won't hurt anything, and maybe it will help you." Lena sat on the floor and Alex joined her. She took Alex's hand in both of hers. Lena's touch was always real to Alex. She didn't have to try to be tangible with the Nephilim.
"You are still here because of your brothers. Each of them will need you at some point in time. I don't know how, exactly, or when. It may be years, even decades." Lena paused for a moment, and sighed. "I had hoped for your sake that you would find your door soon and move on. I know you have a good eternity waiting for you. For my sake, for the sake of this crazy family of ours, I'm glad that you will be here for a while. I know that's selfish."
"Years. Decades? That long?" Alex was deeply troubled. "What does that mean? Should I go live with them? How will I know when they need me?"
"You will know, Alex. The tie you have with your brothers will tell you when you are needed, and you will be able to go to each of them when you need to. You can do that now, in fact. All you have to do is picture one of them, and you will go to him. Have you tried it?"
"No. I was afraid to. What if I caught them doing something they wouldn't want me tae see?" Alex looked a bit awkward as she spoke.
Lena chuckled. "Well, I don't suppose your brothers will be doing anything most fellows don't do, and it's not like they'd know you were there. That's not the point. Alex, you need to be strong and prepare yourself to be here for a while. That's what I'm trying to tell you."
"What do I do in the meantime? Hang around here? Hang around the hotel? Hang around and watch Tom have a life with someone else?" Alex finally voiced the source of her greatest pain.
"Tom will have the life he chooses. You will be in it, I'm certain. I know it is hard to have perspective when you are young, but time passes for us all, even if we don't age along with it. We still change and grow, and what is a tragedy today may be a comfortable memory in 5 or 10 or 100 years." At Alex's horrified expression, Lena continued quickly. "Sorry, the 100 years is for me, not you."
"I guess when you've been around forever something as simple as a lovesick ghost isn't a big deal. For me it is—terrible," Alex said sadly.
"Love is the most ruthless thing on the planet, Alex. It is always terrible, even at its most beautiful."
The question was out of Alex's mouth before she knew she was speaking. "Do you love Hal?"
Lena bowed her head. "I have loved Hal for 500 years. As I said, love is the most ruthless thing on the planet."
"But you wanted to kill him. You hated him, you said so."
"I would have killed him, and destroyed myself in the process, if I hadn't been kept from it. Hal and I would be dancing together in hell right now. We'd probably be running the joint." Lena smiled, but she shook her head at the notion. "Love is terrible. When it turns into bitterness and hatred it is the most poisonous thing in the world. Don't let that happen to you, Alex."
"What should I do?"
"Prepare yourself. Become as strong as you can, learn as much as you can. Most importantly, take care of yourself. Oh, and let's get you on the official payroll so you can start putting aside some money for when you need it." Lena's mind quickly turned to the practical.
Lena knew that Tom insisted on paying Alex for her work at the hotel, but he hadn't asked exactly how that worked with ghost employees yet. Instead he had been keeping track of Alex's hours and paying her what he could out-of-pocket. Alex had nothing to spend the money on, so she just stuck it in a jar. Getting Alex set up as a proper employee was on Tom's list of things to do at the hotel, along with everything else. He was getting a crash course in management, and Lena decided that she would step in and take care of this detail for him.
"Why would I need money?" Alex asked.
"Most of the ghosts in my employ use their income to help support family or other loved ones, or they donate it to worthy causes. We have a charitable foundation set up that issues grants and scholarships as a way to help disperse funds without asking too many questions." Lena smiled at her friend. "You can help pay for your brothers' education. You can save to buy your dad something nice. It's your choice."
"I can do that?" Alex smiled. She liked the idea of continuing to be part of her human family and of helping them in ways she hadn't considered.
"Sure you can. I'll set you up in the morning. Tell Tom, so I can go over the details with you both after work tomorrow." Lena stood up and stretched. "Right now I need to get some sleep. You okay? You're welcome to stop in my room any time, you know. I don't think I snore as loudly as Tom."
Alex smiled. "I don't mind the snoring, it's the growling that gets to me. And thanks for the invitation."
As Lena began to walk away, Alex had an idea. "Oi, Lena?"
Her friend turned back to look at her.
"Could we put a television in here? Maybe a DVD player?" Alex asked. "I could do with a regular workout."
"What do you have in mind?"
"I don't know. Zumba? Shrink Belly Fat? Navy SEAL fitness?"
Lena laughed. "You really need to stay away from late-night infomercials. But yeah, we could put a television in here. Maybe I'll join you. I could do with a regular workout too. Goodnight, Alex."
"Goodnight Lena. Thanks."
"Any time, friend."
# # #
Hal woke to the knowledge that Lena wasn't in her room. He heard melancholy music coming from the studio and went to investigate. He opened the door quietly to see Lena's wings unfurled as she carried Alex gently around the studio. Alex had her arms around Lena's neck and her head resting against Lena's. The ghost was several inches taller than the Nephilim when the two stood together, but now Alex looked like a lost child in Lena's strong arms.
Lena floated and turned quietly to the music. Her wings barely moved; her feet didn't touch the floor; she effortlessly rode the sound waves in a manner that had no explanation. Hal watched, captivated by her. He saw her compassion and felt the love that radiated from her, and he realized that he was getting a glimpse of an immortality he had never known.
Hal knew pain and fear; he knew rage, hunger, and regret. He knew that the devil waiting for him was at times the only thing that kept him from putting a stake through his own heart. He had seen Lena's warrior nature, which was fiercer and more terrifying than anything else on earth. He had not seen this part of her, the human's love and empathy combined with the angel's freedom from earthly restraint.
Something in him broke as he watched her. The blackness at his core gave way, and a splinter of light entered the hopelessness of his existence.
As the song ended and Lena's feet touched the floor again, Hal shut the studio door and returned to his room. He sat for a long time with the memory of her moving across his mind. He wanted to hold it forever, to remember every detail. He could feel it battering against the darkness of his curse in a way that even her presence couldn't.
He remembered her dancing beside the lake during their flight to the Brecon Beacons. He had seen her as something more than human then, as an element of the natural world through which she moved. He remembered her dancing to the music he selected. He had seen her become more than human in her grace and strength as she allowed the music to claim her. Hal had seen Lena dance to all kinds of music, even the music of battle, but she had always maintained an element of humanity in her movements.
This was different. This wasn't her dancing, it was her being unlike anything else in existence. It was her being the creature who might save him from himself.
# # #
The following day Hal and Lena went for a long walk, aiming for the waterfront and meandering from there to a café for a late lunch after the crowd had waned. It had become part of their routine since returning from London. When the weather allowed they would wander the area and test Hal's reaction to varying numbers of humans. He hadn't been too keen on the idea at first, but he soon realized that moving into the world meant that he could touch Lena frequently and keep her very close to him for extended periods. The walks were much more pleasant than he expected, and they became longer because of it.
They learned to avoid crowds and cramped spaces for the sake of his comfort and for the safety of the humans they encountered. Hal also learned that they needed to avoid some places for the sake of Lena's comfort and for the safety of the humans who may be inside. He would feel her tense against him and see her study unseen things, and he would move them along quickly to avoid conflict with whatever creature she had found. Evil spoke to her as loudly as blood spoke to him—more loudly, because she had nothing to mute its call as she muted his bloodlust.
They explored Barry together, with Hal showing Lena the places he already knew and the two of them finding new treats for each of them. They discovered their favorite bakery and the greengrocer with the best produce. She bought new dancewear and he bought origami paper. They even stopped at a bookshop and browsed the shelves for treasures to add to their growing home library.
Most surprising for Hal was their first trip to a combination tobacconist and confectioner's shop. He assumed that she would focus on the sweets, but Lena moved directly to the tobacco section. She inhaled deeply and smiled at him.
"Don't you love this smell?" she asked.
"Do you smoke?" he returned her question with his own.
"On occasion. I enjoy a well-seasoned pipe or a quality cigar. You?"
"On occasion," Hal said, "and yes, I do love the smell of fine tobacco."
They ended up with a cigar each, along with a cutter and lighter. Lena chose a Flor de Las Antillas, a Nicaraguan that she found delightfully spicy, while Hal kept with the traditional Cuban Cohiba. Tom and Alex returned home from work that evening to find them outside, relaxing in the garden with a bottle of vintage port and their cigars.
"Smoking'll kill ya," Tom had said.
"Too late," Hal had replied with a smirk. Lena had just smiled and shaken her head. Tom meant well, but he was the only one in the household who actually needed to worry about his long-term health.
Hal was quieter than usual on this day's walk, so Lena knew something was on his mind. They were nearly home before he dared to speak of what he'd seen in the studio the previous night. He was afraid that mentioning it out loud might ruin the magic of it somehow, but he also wanted to know why Alex had been upset.
Finally he said, "Is Alex all right? I saw you holding her last night, and—not dancing."
"She is not all right, but I hope that she will be. She's in love with Tom, and she believes that she has no future with him," Lena said. "I thought you were at the door. You didn't stay long."
"I didn't want to interrupt," Hal said. "You were—not dancing," he repeated.
"Yes, that happens sometimes," Lena explained. "Angels don't experience emotion in the same way that we do. They connect to humans in a different way, on a different level, than we connect to each other. Sometimes music takes me to that kind of connection." She paused to let him grasp the idea. "Dance is the most human thing I do. I have no divine gift for it, but it has been a part of me for my entire life. Sometimes the most human part of me is also the most divine and takes me beyond the reach of humanity."
"And sometimes the most divine part of me, the ability to know evil and to destroy it, is also the darkest part of me and the cruelest," she added.
"The most human."
"Yes. That is the paradox at the core of my being."
Hal was silent for a long moment as he thought about what she'd said. He knew that humans were supposed to carry a spark of the divine, although he'd seen very little evidence of it during his own brief humanity. He supposed it was lodged in the soul he had cavalierly traded for immortality as a walking horror.
In his case the human was his better, albeit weaker, half. What Lena saw as dark and cruel in herself was the part of himself that he clung to while struggling to avoid a greater nightmare. The two halves of his being, man and vampire, formed an uncomfortable dichotomy of self that had fought for control of him for centuries. Only under Lena's influence had they begun to settle into one persona. Now, when he was with her, he heard only one voice in his head, and it was one that he could accept and live with.
Lena continued, "I've never tried to explain myself to anyone. My family knows and humans don't need to. You are the exception." She looked at him quietly. "You have seen more of me, good and bad, than any other person in my life."
He was startled by her quiet confession. "Why?" he asked.
"I'm not sure," she said. "I believe it comes back to the vampire curse. Facing it and protecting myself from it demand a level of honesty that I usually avoid." She nodded as she spoke the thoughts that formed in her mind. "We all hide ourselves from the world to some extent, but hiding is a form of dishonesty and a kind of weakness. I can't afford weakness when facing the vampire."
"Something changed in me when I saw you last night," Hal said. "I can't explain it. It was a good change."
"Noted," Lena said with a smile. "A touch of the divine is a good thing for a vampire."
"It was a bad thing for the vampire, but a good thing for me," Hal corrected her.
"That is a very important difference," she said, "and one I will remember."
# # #
Tom found himself surprisingly at ease as he drove to Cardiff to meet Allison for lunch. He was casually but appropriately dressed, thanks to Alex, and had several good questions to use as conversation starters, also thanks to Alex. He knew to look at the restaurant menu from the standpoint of what he could eat without making a mess in front of his date, and he knew that he should choose a more expensive option as a signal to Allison that he could afford to pay for whatever she chose for herself. Alex had been very specific in her advice and very kind as well. Tom didn't realize that going on a date was so complicated, but everything Alex had told him made sense, and in the end he was comfortable that he would make a good impression on Allison.
Tom was meeting Allison in a car park where she would leave her car and he would drive her to Gwaelod-y-Garth, a village a few miles north of Cardiff. He had reservations for lunch at the Gwaelod y Garth Inn, a local establishment with excellent reviews. After lunch he thought they might enjoy a walk to Castell Coch, a 19th-century castle that was occasionally used as a location site for film and television.
He and Alex had investigated the area online and planned the outing together. They also had a few backup plans in case Allison wasn't interested in Castell Coch. There were several scenic walks in the area, which had a rich history including the story of Garth Mountain. If she still wasn't interested, they could always return to Cardiff.
Tom arrived a few minutes early and parked in an open area of the car park so Allison could find him easily. He got out and leaned against the side of the Audi A3 that had become his daily driver. He and Alex had cleaned it up earlier that morning, because apparently a girl didn't appreciate her date having an untidy and unwashed car.
When Allison pulled into the car park she had to do a double-take before she recognized Tom in the fit, handsome young man leaning casually against his car. She admired the olive green trousers and rich brown leather jacket that sat easily on him. She noticed his relaxed, confident demeanor. This was definitely not the shabby boy she had left in Barry. Allison suddenly wished she had taken a bit more care in her own preparations for their date.
Tom greeted Allison warmly and held out his hand, but when she met his grip he put his other hand over hers and pulled her to him for a quick kiss on the cheek, a move that left her slightly flustered. Tom noticed Allison's heightened color and congratulated himself that the move had gone smoothly. Alex had said it would start things well, and she'd made him practice with her until she was satisfied that he could pull it off.
Tom got Allison settled into his passenger seat and told her of his plan for the day as he drove them to lunch. She seemed pleased with his plan but was slightly awkward with him, as if she didn't know him. Tom asked her a few questions about her studies and her life at Bristol, which got her talking, and soon she was smiling and comfortable.
Lunch was very good, the location was beautiful, the weather was cool and sunny, and the afternoon moved along smoothly, until Allison broached a subject she had been considering since her meeting with Alex.
"Have you considered moving to Bristol?" she asked. "It isn't so far, and you could commute to work, at least until you found something suitable locally."
"Why would I do that? That's just crackers." Tom was dumbfounded. "My home and my family are in Barry."
"I'm in Bristol," Allison reminded him.
"I know, Allison, and I miss ya, I do. But you have school and I have the hotel. It isn't just a job for me, it's more than that. It's my place, it belongs to me, sort of. I like being in charge of it. It suits me, and I'm doing a good job and learning a lot. I don't want to leave it."
"And I don't want to leave school," she said, more to herself than to him.
"I wouldn't want you to. It's your place," Tom said. "Where is this coming from, anyway?"
"I just don't want to lose sight of you again, Tom," Allison said with a shy smile that grew as she looked into his big beautiful eyes.
"Then don't," he answered simply. "I'm right here. Don't plan on going nowhere. Anywhere." He corrected himself quickly.
There was nobody else in sight on the path at the moment, so Allison took advantage of their temporary privacy to pull Tom into a kiss. She rested her hands on his shoulders as they connected, then pulled him more firmly against her; Tom put his hands on either side of her waist and did his best to return her kiss.
Allison put everything she had into that kiss because she wanted to make sure that Tom understood how serious she was about reconnecting with him. That was a tactical error on her part, as Tom was quickly overwhelmed and found himself trying to keep up. Clearly Allison had much more experience with kissing than he did. Such had not been the case the last time they were together.
Tom found himself swimming in feelings he wasn't prepared to handle, and he pulled away from her gently. "That's enough," he said.
"Not for me," she replied as she reached for him again.
"It is for me, Allison, for now." Tom began to walk down the path again, leaving Allison with the choice to join him or be left behind. As she joined him he looked at her briefly and then concentrated on the path in front of him.
"You've had some practice," he said with a slight frown. He glanced at her and saw her blush. "I have too. She—she died in the apocalypse before much could happen."
"I'm sorry, Tom," Allison said. She wasn't sure what she was apologizing for, his loss or her experience without him. The conversation made her feel off-kilter. She hadn't been directly affected by Hatch's short run for power, but she knew people who had been. It was all bizarre and unreal to her.
"Yeah, she was grand," he said. "Her name was Natasha. Hatch used her to turn me and Hal against each other, then he killed her. That's what started the whole thing, you know."
"I didn't know. I've only heard the cover story, although I assumed there was more to it than that."
"We haven't talked for a while," Tom said. "I can tell you if you want."
"I'll be happy to listen," Allison said. "You've listened to me talk about myself quite long enough."
They found a secluded spot and sat in mottled shade as Tom told her quietly of his life since she had left. As he spoke, Tom pulled out his pocketknife and absently whittled a wolf from a piece of a limb that had fallen off a tree. She watched it take shape in his hands as she listened, horrified, to his explanation of the blast at Stoker's, and Annie and Eve's departure from the world.
Allison's horror didn't lessen as Tom told her about the months leading up to their discovery that feeble Captain Hatch was an evil creature whose growing power had depended on the destruction of Tom's friendship with Hal. He named the dead and described the chaos and treachery into which the housemates had been lured with such simplicity that she had to believe it, no matter how much she wanted it to not be true. Hal's return to the vampire he once had been was heart-wrenching; the creature Tom described bore no resemblance to the socially-inept young man she had known.
When Tom finally turned the corner on his story and told her of Lena's entrance into their lives and of the stability she had brought into their household, Allison was deeply relieved and grateful. She wasn't sure she could have taken much more. Tom continued to describe Lena, her powers, and what she had accomplished while defending Alex and Hal from dark forces. He credited her with saving Alex from purgatory and saving Hal on several occasions. Tom explained that she had bought the Barry Grand and trusted him to manage it; that she had given Alex respect and responsibility; that even Hal was happy and busy under her influence.
Throughout Tom's story, Allison heard him speak of one person as a friend, a comforter, a helper, a wise and funny guide to the world, a true companion. Alex. He didn't even realize how often he said her name, and he only described her as his mate, but Allison recognized much more in his voice and manner. Alex was Tom's partner, in every way that she could be, and Tom clearly loved her. Allison couldn't be sure how he loved her, but he presented the evidence of his attachment to the ghost in such a way that Allison couldn't deny its existence.
Since their separation Allison had taken Tom's advice literally and had returned to her human existence as completely as she could; she focused on her endeavors and avoided the supernatural as much as possible. Tom, on the other hand, had moved into a lifestyle in which a mixture of human and nonhuman was his daily routine. He accepted the supernatural world because it had been part of him for as long as he could remember. Allison, who tried to distance herself from that world, was uneasy with his casual descriptions of ghosts who worked as furniture movers, of Seraphin Nepos who could see beyond the physical world, and of Lena, who was far more powerful than any one creature had a right to be.
Allison had come to Cardiff with the hope of finding a way to fit Tom into her life; she grew to realize that her struggle would be to fit herself into Tom's life. It was a world in which he was successful and happy, and a world she shuddered to enter.
When Tom had finished his story he handed her his wolf carving and helped her up, and they walked companionably back to his car. They talked about meeting again for lunch the following Sunday; Allison suggested that it become a standing engagement. She wanted to learn more about this new Tom she had discovered. He was intriguing, exciting, and still just a little dangerous. Tom agreed that it would be great to meet regularly if his schedule allowed. He enjoyed Allison's company. She had matured some, but was in many ways the same girl he had fallen for during her stay at Honolulu Heights.
They lingered in the car park for a few minutes before Tom asked for a good-bye kiss. Allison was happy to oblige, but she had the good sense to let him establish his comfort level this time. She was rewarded with a sweet embrace the effects of which lingered long after she had driven away. Tom was still able excite her with his touch. She hoped that he would be willing to do more than just kiss her when they met next Sunday.
# # #
Tom carried warm thoughts of Allison back to Honolulu Heights and his family. He talked openly about their date and their plan to see each other regularly, but he frowned as he spoke of Allison's suggestion that he move to Bristol. He couldn't see any sense in it and plainly said so. Alex saw the intent behind Allison's suggestion—she wanted Tom away from his friendly ghost and close to his human girlfriend.
Lena couldn't help asking Tom why he found the idea of moving to Bristol so objectionable. "After all, Tom, people do commute to work. And from what I've heard, Allison was very important to you at one time," Lena said.
"She still is," Tom replied, "but so's my family, and my place here." He rubbed his hands back and forth over his cropped hair as he tried to find the words for what he was feeling. "I used to dream of being married to a barrister, and having a Labrador, and a baby or two. Now my dream is about doing something for myself. I want to make something of my life, and you've shown me that I can." He looked at Lena as he spoke. "I'm not going to run off wi' Allison and risk losing that."
"It's not running off, it's moving to another town," Lena said.
"And once I'm there, she'll start talking about finding a local job, and about how I shouldn't have to drive so far or work so many hours," Tom said. "I know Allison. She's working on her side of the debate right now. She's a champion, and the only way to beat her is not to debate her at all. So I'm staying."
"I think that's wise of you, Tom," Hal said. "You're a man, not a lovesick boy or a homeless puppy. You don't need to cling to a woman, and the woman shouldn't want you to."
"That's a funny comment, coming from Lena's shadow," Alex teased.
"Hal is my partner, not my shadow," Lena said quietly, "and he's right. A real woman wants a real man, not a dependent child." She looked at Tom as she continued. "It may just be a matter of timing, Tom. Maybe you and Allison both need to take care of yourselves for a while before you can think about taking care of each other."
Tom looked at her thoughtfully for a long moment before he nodded. That's what it meant to be in a relationship. Taking care of each other. He saw Hal and Lena do it every day. He and Alex did it every day. They took care of each other.
Tom didn't see how Allison Larkin would fit into the family that meant so much to him. Maybe it was just a matter of timing, or maybe it was about growing up, seeing the world differently, and wanting something different from it. Tom suspected that he would have some interesting talks with Allison in the weeks ahead.
Alex didn't say much when Tom talked about his date, but he knew she would have questions later, when it was just the two of them. He was getting into bed when she knocked gently on his door, waited a moment for the all-clear, and entered his room. She sat in his desk chair. She didn't bother to turn on the light.
"So, how'd it go?" she asked as he propped himself up on a pillow so they could talk.
"Everything worked just like you said it would," Tom said. "It was good."
"You shag her?"
'No!" Tom was surprised by the strength of his own response. He repeated, more quietly, "No. Alex, it wasn't like that. Not even close." He sighed. "I told you I wouldn't need those things you got me. I don't know why you made me take 'em along."
"You heard Lena. Always use birth control. Shite, Tom, Allison even said 'no glove, no love' that time at the museum. Remember?" Alex did a very good job of remaining casual in her manner while she was gleefully jumping up and down in her head. So Allison hadn't gotten very far with Tom. What a shame.
"You kiss her, at least?"
"Yeah. She kissed me first. She's been practicing. Kind of threw me off, I didn't know what to do," he confessed.
"You could have practiced too. You've been turning me down for a while now," Alex reminded him.
"I did better the second time."
"And the third time?"
"That'll be next Sunday, maybe."
"Maybe? Tom, what's wrong?" Alex wasn't sure whether she was genuinely concerned or just curious. Whichever it was, something made her dig for as much detail as she could get about Tom's feelings toward Allison.
"I liked spending time wi' Allison, and I liked kissing her. I just, I don't know 'Lex, it didn't feel right." Tom frowned as he tried to sort himself out. He didn't understand it all.
Alex watched his expressive face. She hadn't expected his eyebrows to become one of her favorite parts of him, but they had a life of their own and told the story of his inner workings in a way that she had come to love.
"Did you have the horn for her?" she asked. She expected Tom's eyebrows to leap in response to her question, but they didn't. He shook his head, still frowning.
"Sort of. Not like I thought I would. That's why it didn't feel right." He looked at Alex. "You don't suppose there's something wrong wi' me?"
"There's nothing wrong with you, Tom. I've seen you first thing in the morning, eh? And I know you don't want me to just drop in without knocking. You need your privacy sometimes." Alex smiled. "I lived with my dad and my three brothers. I can tell when a fellow needs a good wank."
"This stuff is easy to talk about wi' you, Alex. You're more like a bloke than a girl," Tom said, then he saw the look on her face and realized that he had hurt her feelings. "I didn't mean nothing bad by it," he added quickly.
"Anything," she corrected him out of habit. "You didn't mean anything by it."
"Right…..Alex?"
"Yeah?"
"Sometimes I get the horn for you." He was blushing and awkward. "I know I shouldn't, 'cause you're me mate."
"Tom, if I was tangible enough, I'd sure like to do something about that for you," Alex said lightly. "Maybe I'll put that on my list." Alex had a list of things she wanted to do when she was physically able. She had shared her list with Tom because he was helping her achieve her goals. 'Shag Tom' was now going at the top of that list.
"You mean that?"
"Course I do."
In that case, can you lie down wi' me? I want to see if you can stay solid until I go to sleep. I won't try nothing, I promise," Tom said. "Anything," he corrected himself quickly.
Okay Tom. You can try anything you want, I just don't think it'll go very far." Alex stretched out on the bed next to him and he turned to face her.
"I'm gonna put my arm on you," he said. He rested his arm across her body just below the ribbon that tied her dress together. She felt the warm weight of it and held it easily. She no longer questioned Tom's ability to touch her when they worked or played together; it only became a problem when she thought about it, and she had been thinking about sex with Tom a lot.
"Won't I make you cold?" she asked.
"Nah, the wolf keeps me plenty warm," Tom said casually. "You're not cold, Alex, just a little cool. You're warming up." His voice began to get soft and sleepy. "Goodnight, Alex."
"Goodnight Tom." She stayed with him all night, testing her tangibility as he slept. She held his arm on her until he rolled over, and then she moved on the bed to lie against him and put her arm over him. She even slept for a while, and when Tom's alarm went off they woke up to the realization that they were snuggled together. He had his arm around her again, and she hadn't even been trying to keep it there. She felt the rigidity of his erection against her lower back and thought it best to make a discreet exit.