CHAPTER 16 WATERFALLS AND MAGIC

He sat in the shade of the beautiful Hawaiian garden and watched the play of emotions across Gina's face. Watched the easy friendship the two women shared, the touches as they shared a small joke and the way her eyes would shift and stroke him, just a little. Then he would catch the soft glances that Jennifer sent his way. Callandra, he told himself. That ancient from so long ago who even now was keeping a watch over the humans of this galaxy to make sure that the rules were kept and that things progressed as they should.

He felt a myriad of emotions himself at this point. Looking at her and sensing all that she knew, and knew also, that she had chosen to keep certain things hidden. How must it feel to go through ones life with the weight of two galaxies and two races of people upon your shoulders? Yet, she had a serene expression on her face and as she caught his eye from time to time, he saw Sam, with whom he had an excellent professional relationship and admired her both as a scientist and as a pilot. Hell, as a pilot she kicked some serious ass - his included! She deliberately didn't ask him questions and he knew that Gina was a little surprised by this, so he joined in the conversation offering anecdotes of his own, random and inconsequential so that Gina relaxed a little. Then the heat began to get to them and he saw Gina's eyes become a little sleepy and he stood then, not wanting to appear rude, but needing himself, to get out of the heat.

She pushed against him, tired but wanting to show him one more thing before returning to the island. "You'll show him the falls Gina?" Jennifer smiled at her niece as she ushered them out the door and gave John a shadowed look as they left.

"The falls sound wonderful, the water is cool and very very private..." John found himself blushing a little at the implication that was being made in the presence of her aunt, hell in the presence of an ancient ascended being and ducked his head a little to their laughter.

"I think you'll find it ... interesting John. There are some special properties in the falls, one would almost say... magical..." and she winked at him them and wouldn't say more and he left wondering just what the hell he was getting himself into.

She wobbled a little on her bike now, tired and ready for a swim and he stayed behind her a little just in case she fell. They were not far and throwing her bike unceremoniously into the bushes, she shucked out of her clothes before he had even had a chance to dismount and was gleefully flinging herself into the cool waters, a cry of happiness as she felt that first rush of water as it tumbled over her head.

"Hurry John... Aunt Jen is right... these are magic!" He needed no further urging, and for the second time that day found himself naked in the water and laughed at the sheer absurdity of it all. The water was pure heaven. Cold, almost freezing , in contrast to the intense heat of the day and had a zing that tingled across his skin and sent a bubbling awareness all the way down to the tips of his toes. She moved closer.

"Do you feel it?" Her eyes looked sleepily up at him.

"Feel what, you little minx... this water is freezing.. likely everything's dropped off..."

"Not everything..." and her grin was wicked as she reached down and grasped his rather prominent appendix which had managed not to shrivel in the cold of the water. In fact it appeared to have developed a life of it's own under the minstrations of her rather nimble and extremely welcome fingers. He moved closer and his own hands went around to cup her bottom and pull her tight against him, her skin like silk as it rubbed sensually against his. With one finger he traced down the length of her spine, sending shivers along her length and these shivers electrocuted him into instant awareness and opened his mind as his senses became overloaded. He wanted to stand like that forever - the cold water almost numbing except for the throbbing heat of his penis and the hot centre of her that he now plunged a questing finger into. Ice and fire.

The heat of the sun beat down on his shoulders and glinted like diamonds off the top of the water and he had to blink, for a moment imagining another time that had suddenly superimposed itself over the time he was in. Then blinked again, and the waterfall had changed slightly, the rock structure around the edge was different, worn smooth by time and the foliage that came almost down to the waters edge was thicker and more intense than when they had arrived. He looked sharply at Gina but she had not appeared to notice. Her mouth was busy running hot kisses along his collarbone and the sensations almost overwhelmed him. Here or there? Now or then? Gina. Her hands, her mouth.

And fell head first into the abyss as she wrapped her legs around his waist and clung to him, bringing her most intimate centre in instant contact with his manhood that stood to attention, and ready to play. "Magic..." he growled into her mouth just before he kissed her hungrily. "What sort of magic weaves it's spell over this place... hmmm?" He deepened the kiss, hungrier now than he could recall ever being, and saw the hazy shift in time again, as the stage changed yet again. But the players are still the same argued John it is just the here that changes.. we are still the same people, still creating the same sensations in one another... and hell, I want her so much.

She shifted herself slightly then and she felt the tip of his penis probe her warmth, her heat and she sighed before letting him grip her hips to make the connection complete. He closed his eyes, letting the heat, the magic and the shifts in time wash over him, then opening his eyes saw that she had thrown her head back and was nearly at her climax. He watched her face, transparent and so lovely and waited until she cried out, his name on her tongue – then he changed the rhythm so that she began that delicious climb up to the peak again.

"Magic... what magic is here Gina?" He panted this out, nearing his own release, but needing to know. "There is more than one generation here, watching us, making sure that this happens. Do you feel them Gina?"

"Ghosts John? You see ghosts? … aaahhhhh... she breathed out in one exhale as another ripple shot through her and he could hold back no longer, his own release loud and hot and extremely strong as he felt the rifts in time ripple around him.

His breathing gradually quietened and he carried her, still imbedded in her warmth, to the rocks surrounding the waterfall. "Ghosts... maybe sweetheart. There is something here. And whoever just witnessed that, certainly approved. You spoke before of fate? Perhaps fate is a part of our lives, perhaps we were supposed to meet in this way, in this time." He dropped his eyes, bowing his head slightly and she had to lift his chin to see the expression on his face.

"What is it John? You came to do what was needed? You doubt yourself now?"

"No sweetheart, I don't doubt myself... I doubt my ability to leave you..." In an abrupt change of subject his face hardened slightly. "Tell me about him Gina – the one who hurt you?"

Her own face shuttered a little. "Why do you want to know about him? What can that bring you? It surely won't bring me any peace to talk about it, and bring it all into the open again."

"I know Gina and I'm sorry about that, but I need to know. If I'm to understand you, I need to know the circumstances that led you to me, and his treatment of you was one of those circumstances – hell, it was probably the main reason!"

He put her down gently and ran his hands up her back, putting a little warmth into her chilled skin as he saw the goosebumps begin to blossom. She pulled away from him and went to stand a little distance away, her back to him now and facing the falls.

"It's still an open wound John, just so you know..." As if making a decision she spun around. "He beat me – ok? By day he flew fighter jets out of Hickam, made polite talk with my father who though the sun shone out of his backside, sat around during the weekend drinking beer with my brother, then by night... he would beat me, then apologise and make love to me. So John, I was turned around, all the time. I knew what he did was wrong, but when he apologised, he was so gentle and so loving after, I tried to tell myself each time that it wouldn't happen again, that this time he would change..."

John reached her side and gently ran a hand down her hair. "But it didn't... the promises meant nothing, did they?"

"No John, it got worse if anything. Then one weekend he snapped in front of my father, at a family picnic, hit me hard enough to drop me to the ground. I never saw my brother or father move so fast. He was history after that. They made me tell them everything, humiliating moment, by humiliating moment. I was stripped bare, photos taken of my bruising, I had two broken ribs that had refused to heal... I was a fool John... and I swore during that trial, that I would never trust a man again..."

John's hand continued to stroke down her hair. "And along comes a man from the future, promising nothing but one night... why'd you do that Gina? Why'd you take something that could cause you more pain?" He needed to know what her reasons were behind that one night.

"Because I knew John. I knew that one night with you would be better than no nights at all..."

And as her tears fell he held her tightly, cursing the man who had taken her innocence and wishing he could break every bone in his body.

I need to speak to Callandra... I won't give her up...