Chapter 8

Thanks for the reviews guys! I have no idea how to judge if a story is successful from other readers' perspectives but your reviews and likes/ follows give me great encouragement. Full disclosure - I deleted one review because it was just pointing out an error in spelling which I fixed. Thanks for the catch! Okay…. You might not see it yet, but this story will be getting more interesting soon. Maybe at the end of this chapter you'll see a small clue.

Misaki tossed and turned in the bed. The bed was undeniably comfortable but even the slightest of rest seemed to elude her. Maybe she could use a second blanket. She opened the closet and found a blanket that looked well-loved but warm. After curling up back in the bed, she noticed a familiar smell. It was on the blanket that she had found in the closet. She didn't know why it smelled familiar but it brought with it a sense of comfort and security.

She had been exhausted. Being on this plane, tasting that food, watching him cook, losing at cards….all of it. It was an assault on her mind. Mentally she hadn't been so fatigued since she'd awoken from the coma and had to begin rehabilitation. Then there was the hour. She'd been traveling, which always disrupted her sleep schedule. It may be mid-day according to the clocks, but to her it felt like the dead of night. Of course there was also habit. It was her nature to equate planes with sleep. She tried to clear her mind. She balled up this new found blanket and held it like a child holds a teddy bear close to her face. She breathed in its security and forced herself to feel the softness of the bed, as it enveloped her body. At last, sleep consumed her.

If you could see beyond the eye lids of the woman before you, dear reader, you would find a veil of fog. A fog that could obscure and blur reality and fantasy. Walking through this fog you would find yourself on the stage of Ms. Misaki's subconscious. The various sets are brought out and the actors gather to perform an artistic and modern dream. A dream that will retell the story of today. The story will be like a dance... a ballet. The viewer must try to guess the meaning as the actors interruption of the day's events, performed in the hopes of securing permanence for a select few special memories. This is a process that begins every night, but tonight is special. The Director has found the shards of a script. The script is tawdry, passionate and enticing. It would be a break from the company's repertoire demanding a performance of material not related to the day's events, but the script is too alluring to ignore. Perhaps, the Director reasons, this script does relate to the day's events.

Misaki, of course, is the intended audience and, as with all patrons of the arts, she is not privy to the internal workings or preparations that the artists endure. She simply sees the final work in all its glories. For Misaki, the scene began with a pair of emerald colored eyes peering down at her. The eyes are full of lust and longing. These eyes… that she knows intuitively should have been kind and playful...are, at the moment dark, dangerous and erotic. Somehow, her body feels excitement under the gaze, even though she knows that she is the prey. Strong arms lift her by the waist and thrust her against a wall. The body of the man in front of her…the body of Takumi….blocks her exit from the front. He takes both her wrists in one hand and holds them security over her head. There is no escape. She is trapped. She feels excitement as his free hand begin to unbutton her blouse. Unable to wait the hand slips under the fabric before it can finish its task. Gently but with an undeniable urgency, the hand explores her bare skin eventually traveling up her back and unclasping her bra. His lips have traveled to her collar bone and his tongue softly and gently licks a bead of sweat that had formed on her skin. She feels her heart is racing, her breathing is rapid and shallow, her body feels on fire and alive.

"You must ask me, Misa." He says. It is Takumi's voice. He is taunting her. The amusement in his tone is obvious and a touch of mirth is back in his eyes.

She is frozen in place. She can't move, can't think, can't talk. He releases her wrists and walks away. She's stunned. She wants him to come back, to feel the heat of his body against her once more. "Takumi?" She utters.

"I told you…. You must ask." He says. He doesn't appear angry but there is a note of disappointment.

"Please?" It's nearly inaudible, but he has heard it. Before she can register anything, she finds herself in his arms, being carried toward a bed room. His mouth is on hers and she hears herself let out a deep moan.

Misaki bolts awake. She is sitting up in a strange bed, drenched in sweat. 'Jesus Christ, what the hell was that?'

There was a soft knock on the door. It was Takumi. "Misa, are you okay? You called out, it sounded like you might have hurt yourself."

She suddenly remembered where she was and who would be standing behind her closed door. "No. it was just a bad dream. I'm fine Mr. Walker." Had he just called her Misa? Wasn't that what he'd said in her dream?

"I can make you some warm coco. It always helps me sleep." He offered.

Right now, she'd agree to just about anything to get him away from her door. "Yes, sure, let me just get changed." She called back. She walked into the bathroom. There was a shower in her airplane bathroom. She looked at it incredulously. Of course she would be using it, but at the same time she told herself, 'Get a grip. You are clearly from two very different worlds.'

Misaki dried off after her shower and changed back into her clothes. She made a mental note to ask Ralph where she should put the pjs she had borrowed. The pjs seemed like they were unisex, one size fits all. This plane was equipped with everything for the unprepared guest. It seemed odd and Misaki thought perhaps Takumi was some sort of playboy that would keep things on hand for his unexpected one night stands. She wondered how many times such a guest had flown on this plane. Then she wondered why her mind had gone there and why she felt jealous about it. It was equally as likely he had a supply of over night items in case he, or another company employee, had to fly out of town without any notice. Why should she even care about such things?

She wandered into the kitchen annoyed with herself for over analyzing and caring about the life of this person she barely knew. Although she was now wondering just how well they had known each other in the past.

"Mr. Walker," she ventured, "you called me Misa a minute ago. I'm aware we dated, but was it very serious?" Maybe she shouldn't be asking but that dream disturbed her and she wanted her past back. If she had to step out of her comfort zone and discuss personal relationships to get back her memories, it would be worth it. She knew that she and Tora were close to moving forward with their relationship and all these missing episodes in her life were holding her back to some degree.

"Mr. Walker now huh?" Takumi had that teasing sparkle in his eyes. "You wouldn't refer to me as Mr. Walker if you knew the answer to that question." He handed her a cup of hot chocolate and walked her back to the sitting area where they had played cards. "I would characterize our relationship as very close Misa."

She blushed. "Oh." She wasn't quite sure what to ask next so she fell silent.

Takumi broke the silence, "your nightmare… would it help to talk about it?"

"No. I can't exactly remember what it was about anymore." She was a bad lier. "Can we get internet service from up here?" She asked. Partly because she wanted to change the subject but party because they would be landing soon and she needed to touch base with her sister to discuss plans for meeting at the airport.

"What kind of mobile office would it be without it?" He asked with a smile. "Feel free to use the office if you need some privacy. We should start our decent in about 30 minutes."

Misaki thanked her host and went to the office. Before calling Suzuna she wanted to look for any texts from Tora. She'd sent him a quick text when they'd left. She wanted to let him know of her change in plans. If Tora knew Takumi in high school and her relationship with Takumi had been serious, Tora might be feeling insecure. She felt guilty. Guilty because of the dream. Guilty because her mind had betrayed her and, as a result, she'd made Tora fill in for a role that did not belong to him. Guilt because of long forgotten feeling that were beginning to wake.

She needed to make sure Tora knew that nothing had happened and that he had nothing to fear. She would forever be his. She maybe confused about her feelings prior to the accident, but the past three years were very clear in her mind. Tora had been her rock. He had been her salvation and no one would ever change that.

Hummm... General Betrayal wasn't Tora but her self huh?