06/25/11

Hey, I was rereading the chapter and I noticed the community error with the time-line.

Remember when I said I wasn't going to do this? :p

Oh yeah: I going big brother on this fic!

Anyway, there is one change I made for this chapter. Every time I had Rogue repeat a one liner from the past I had to write a sentence explaining she was quoting Eric, which got very annoying, very fast. So, to make my life easier, and less irritating, flashbacks are now in Bold.

Please review!

Hope you all enjoy!

Taunting Repartee

Chapter Eight

Rogue ran up the stairs as fast as she could, trying to put as much space between her and Magneto as possible.

'As much as he'll allow,' she thought sadly. The realization of just how close he had been all these months was almost too much for her to handle. She felt like a coward running from him, knowing there was nowhere to go, no one to run to. But what else was she supposed to do? She didn't want to be in the same room as him. Not now.

She stopped herself halfway down the hall. Letting herself collapse on one of the red chairs that lined the walls, she closed her eyes, trying once again to catch her breath.

That seemed to be all she was doing today. Run, calm down, talk, run again, calm down again, and again and again. She was getting tired or it. It was too much. Too much in one day. Why couldn't he just take the hint, and leave? Why couldn't he give her the time she needed to process?

'Cause he's an ass,' she thought with a sigh. 'He's always been an ass, since the beginning…' She was finding it difficult to think about Eric now. In the past she had thought about him in two different respects. There was the fragment in her mind, the man who had taught her how to use her mental powers, and so much more. She almost loved that man.

He had been helping her from the moment he had entered her mind: quieting the fragments, showing her how to use her powers, teaching her how to think, ultimately how to control the other fragments in her mind. She still had a lot of work to do, in that respect, but they were making progress. And then there were her dreams. 'Were they dreams?' she questioned. All those nights spent in each other's arms. She and Eric had bonded, emotionally. 'Physically...'

She took another deep breath.

Then there was Magneto: the man who scared her, who was trying to seduce her, who had taken her captive several times without a second thought, who wanted her by his side, 'By any means…'

She had been trying to keep the two of them apart in her mind. Treating them like two separate beings. She attempted not to think about the fragment when she was with the real Magneto. She was afraid of mixing the two up, of treating the real Magneto like the fragment. 'Not that it matters,' she thought sadly. 'They're the same person... oh god they're the same person,' she repeated as her breath quickened. She had told herself that at least twenty times by now, but it still hadn't sunk in. She was still gasping what that really meant, the consequences of his actions. 'It was- it was always him, or mostly him?' she questioned. She inhaled deeply. 'It was him,' she though more firmly. 'They're the same. Same memories, same…'

"And because of my sources I now know everything about you."

'His source was me,' she thought in disgust. 'I told him everything he would ever want to know about me… about everyone,' she realized. 'Magneto knows everything I do,' she cried. 'What am I- how am I supposed to fight him? He's…'

"We talk until one of us changes the other's mind."

'Okay...okay... breathe...' she told herself as tears ran down her face. 'Get up… cover up and… and get him to go away,' she thought determined. 'I gotta wait for the Professor to get back, and explain everything to him... All of it…' Another deep breath. '… I can do this.'

'But what if he won't leave?' The pessimist in her asked. She closed her eyes, water drops once again falling free. 'Then it don't matter what I do… I'm fucked…' She let her head hit the back of the chair. 'Why do I feel so helpless?' she asked herself.

'Because you are,' the fragment of Magneto answered. She took yet another deep breath.

"Get back with the others," she said firmly, "Or come up here and talk to me. I'm not doing putting up with this bullshit anymore. I wanna know who I'm talking to…"

She sighed in relief as she felt him fade into the back of her mind.

'…Get it together, girl... You're stronger than this... You can handle this. You can handle him.' She wiped the remaining drops of water off of her face, as she inhaled.

With new found determination she got to her feet, made her way down the hallway and into her room. Closing the door behind her she walked up to her dresser and pulled out a black, long sleeves shirt. 'I'm gonna be hot,' she thought with a sigh, 'but it'll be worth it.' She pulled it over her head.

Next she opened the draw she kept her gloves in. One look inside, and she quickly slammed it closed again. Her other pairs were missing, again. 'This is getting old,' she thought frustrated as she headed for the exit. As she was opening the door her eyes lingered on the wall. 'What the...' she thought as closed the door and walked up closer to the wall. She let an image from earlier that day appear in her mind. Her fingers touched the wall. 'The holes were... they were right here,' she thought confused as her fingers slid over the unbroken wall.

'You've had over two hours, why isn't it done yet?'

'I wonder which lackey was put on construction duty,' she thought with a smile as she continued to run her fingers over the wall. 'Whoever it was, they did a good job. If I didn't know that there had been a hole here a couple of hours ago I'd never…,' she gasped. 'I'd never know,' she finished slowly. Her mind played over the day again, all those conversations with her friends, they never remembered any of them. 'Or maybe they never happened... How much of today's been real?' she asked herself, fear started to creep up on her, for the countless time.

She heard a knock at the door. She sucked in a breath, knowing who was there, knowing it couldn't be anyone else. She didn't respond.

"Anna?" Magneto asked. She took a deep breath.

"Come… come in," she yelled. She glanced over at the door as it opened. Magneto looked over at her with a smile on his face.

"Our dinner is here," he informed her. "Shall we?" he asked as he walked over to her. His eyes lingered over her clothed arms. She saw him frown slightly as his eyes ran across her arm, and onto her figures on the wall "So, you noticed what they were doing?" he said with a smirk as his gaze traveled to her face. "Anna, are you alright?" he asked, with concern in his voice.

"No," she said dryly. 'Ask him,' she thought strongly.

"Ask me what?" She looked up at him.

"How… Did- did you put a hole in my wall earlier?"

"Yes," he answered bewildered. "You watched me do so." A soft smile graced his face. "It certainly wasn't my finest display of sportsmanship," he said humorously, glancing down at her. She almost smiled back.

'Focus,' she reproved. He raised an eyebrow.

"On what, precisely?"

"Did I talk to my friends? When I was trying to escape did I talk to them?" He continued to give her a puzzled look. "I mean the real X-Men, and not some illusion."

"Now, I see," he said with a nod as he stepped closer to her. "Yes, you spoke with your teammates. Anna," he started to say as he took her chin in his hand, and tilted it up slightly, "I have order minds to be alters. Certain memories have been created, others erased. But I promise you, my girl, that not one of them was your," he said decisively.

"I don't think I believe you," she said, shaking her head out of his gasp. She took a few steps back.

"Given all that you know about me, you're very wise not to. However, I hope in time that you will learn to trust me again," he said with a kind smile as he stepped towards her. Despite the strong urge to, she did not back up further.

"Stop doing that," she demanded.

"Stop doing what?" he asked as he took another stride forward.

"That," she exclaimed, "trying to get close to me. Stop trying to touch me."

"Anna-"

"I know you enjoy it. I- I like it to, but I can'-" she stopped herself from completing that sentence, knowing he wouldn't accept that excuse. "I'm telling you not to... Eric, I'm saying no," she said firmly. To her surprise he ceased his movement.

"Are you certain that is what you desire?" he asked her.

"I'm- I'm sure," she said while nodding.

"Very well," he sighed, "you have my word. I will not touch you until I have regained your permission." With slow movements he made his way back to the door. "Come," he said as he opened the door for her. "Let us go eat." She quickly marched out, and started to walk down the hall. She heard the door close from behind her. "So? Is there anything else you would like to ask me?" he questioned as he made his way to her side, keeping a safe distance of three feet between them.

"I… yeah…"

"Well?" he pressed as they went down the stairs.

"Give me a minute," she yelled. "I didn't have time to think everything through."

"We'll discuss it together then," he said as he stepped in front of her as they neared the kitchen. He once again held the door open for her.

"What? Are you going for world's most polite capture or something?" she asked as she went through the open door.

"Or something," he murmured walking to the table; he pulled out the same chair he had asked her sit in earlier. "Have a seat." She gave him a questioning look as she sat down.

"Hmm, what are we eating?" she asked, noticing a lack of food on the table. She was startled when he pushed in her chair.

"One moment," he said. She felt his grip leave the chair, and heard him back away. She turned to look at him. He bent down, behind the stools and other table, out of her sight.

"What are you doing?" she asked as she tried to move the chair out an inch, to get a better view. To her dismay it wouldn't move.

"I suspected that collecting you might take a few moments. I put the food in the oven, "he explained as he stood up again. A covered platter floated near his head. She watched it fly, and land on the table.

"Smells good," she commented. "Pasta?" she asked in confusion as she recognized the scent of tomato sauce, and Italian spices.

"Unfortunately, the restaurant I was going to order from was closed today. They've been open for business all this week. Open at eleven am last night, but today. Today, for some reason they were closed." She could hear the disappointment in his voice.

"You're talking like you've been planning this meal for weeks," she said with a short laugh.

"I have," he said bluntly as he walked over to the table, plates and silverware in hand. He let them drop to the table with a thump.

"That doesn't make any sense," she told him gently. "The café-"

"You believe your motives were unknown to me," he said irritated as he moved his hand slightly. "I knew you would only go to the café to gain my knowledge." Out of the corner of her eye she saw two glasses, on metal coasters, flying towards the table. "I was aware that you would say no in the end," he said, the word 'no' leaving his tongue as through it was the vilest statement he had ever had to utter.

The glasses flew and started to descend. However, he used more force than he should have: the glass that landed in front of her shattered. Tiny pieces of glass started to fly towards her face. He quickly pushed her seat back several feet, keeping her from being harmed. He stood up taking the mental coaster out from under his glass; he stretched it over his hand, and started to clear the broken glass. She heard a cabinet open, and soon saw the garbage bin floating in her direction. She looked in front of her and saw the many pieces of glass that now littered the floor. If he hadn't moved the chair in time, many of those pieces would be in her.

She took a moment to calm herself, and then.

"Eric?" she asked softly, calling for his attention. He glanced down at her. "Would you do me a favor?"

"I haven't completed enough favors for you already? You wish for more from me?" he yelled as he threw most of the glass out in the garbage bin.

"What favors? You taught me how to use my powers, and I'm grateful, but it's not like you gained nothing," she rebuked. "You were in my mind. You know everything I know about my family: their strengths, weakness. I mean, come on. It's no wonder Cerebro can't find you, you helped install the last three updates."

"Your point, Anna?" he asked as he knelt down in front of her chair. "I didn't hear a request in that statement," he said as he continued to clean up the broken glass.

"You didn't get the food you wanted. I made you promise not to touch me. You're mad because things aren't going like you planned."

"Thank you, Miss Creed, for the wonderful synopsis of the past ten minutes," he said as he glared up at her. She met his angered gaze, and refused to back down.

"Slamming plates, breaking cups?" she asked incredulously as she watched him stand. She got to her feet and turned to look at him. "Eric, I'm seventeen and-"

"I am aware of your age, Rogue," he yelled as he threw the remaining fragments of glass in the bin.

"Eric, you may berate me as much as you please, after I've said my peace," she said using his words from earlier that day. He marched up to her.

"Do you have any idea how exasperating it is to have your own words spat back at you every other moment?" he screamed.

"Do you have any idea how exasperating it to have your freedom taking away from you?" she scolded. He backed away from her slightly. She watched his eyes, they seemed distance. He was remembering. "We both know you do… You know what it feels like to have everything you ever known taken from you… I'll admit that what you're putting me through its completely different from what happened to you as a child. In a lot ways it's better. You're not gonna kill my family. You'll keep me from seeing them, by you ain't gonna take them away forever, and I appreciate that. But in one way- in one way what you did to me is a hell of lot worse."

She watched his eyes narrow in anger, disapproval, but he made no move to stop her from continuing.

"For three months I talked to you, learned from you. I cared- … I care about you," she admitted. Her eyes focused on his arm, as he lifted them up. It looked like he was going to reach out and touch her, but he merely crossed his arms over his chest. She sighed in relief as she looked back up at him, trying to remember her point. "You've been holding me captive since I absorbed you in New York. You've just, finally, had the decency to tell me about it... The Nazi's were up front with you. You knew where you stood. It was the worse situation a person can be in, but at least you never had to play guessing games. And they never asked you to care about them. That's what's worse."

"You still haven't told me what you want from me. You were asking for a favor." He sounded much calmer now.

"I want you to leave, but I know you ain't gonna do that," she said in defeat as she looked away from him.

"Anna?" he asked tenderly.

She sighed, recalling what she wanted from him, at that moment. She folded her arms across her chest as she glared up at him. Her eyes narrowed in anger as she asked, "Feel like breaking anything else?"

"No," he said slowly. "I believe I've destroyed enough of Charles' objects for one day."

"Then let's eat, I'm starving," she said as she moved passed him, grabbed her chair, and moved it back up to the table. He went to one of the cabinets. Opening it, he quickly retrieved another glass. She walked over to the refrigerator. "What do you wanna drink?" she asked as she opened the door.

"I believe there is ice tea," he told her, he sounded surprised by the question. Recognizing the blue pitcher, she pulled in out, and closed the door with her free hand. She made her way back to the table. He met her there, another glass in hand. He gently placed the glass in front of her, and she poured them both a drink. He moved to the other side of the table as he used his powers to remove the top on the platter. Steam rapidly rose as he started to put food on her plate. She retook her seat, as he placed a plate full of penne pasta in front of her. She looked over at the table. The forks where out of her reach, near him.

He noticed her eyes lingering on the silverware, as he filled his plate. The fork lifted in the air, and slowly floated towards her. She reached out and claimed it.

"Thank you," she mumbled, hastily looking down at her plate, before stabbing the penne with her fork.

"You're welcome," he uttered as he sat down and started to eat himself. Just after he had finished his first bite, he quickly stood up. She glanced up at him in confusion. "I almost forgot," he explained as he pushed his chair out and walked towards the microwave. "Do you enjoy garlic beard?" he asked from across the room.

"I've never had it," she answered as she saw him return to the table, a covered plate in hand. He put it in between them, next to the platter. He removed the cover to reveal several seasoned slices of bread. He retook his seat, as he grabbed one of the pieces. "I suggest dripping it in excess sauce," he said as he took his own advice and took a bite out of the bread. "The favors mesh together, flawlessly." She eyed the bread as she took another bite of the penne.

'Why not?' she asked herself as she reached out and took a slice of bread. Taking his advice she dipped it into the sauce and took a small bite. "Mmmm, that is good," she said as she dipped the remaining bread into the sauce, and took a much bigger bite. As she chewed she felt sauce rolling down the side of her mouth. She quickly surveyed the table. 'No napkins?' she asked.

"I knew I had forgotten something, my apologizes," he said as he quickly dropped his fork onto his plate, and moved his hands to the arms of the chair.

"It's alright," she laughed as she wiped the sauce off of her chin. "There, no problem." He seemed so…serious. 'It's only a napkin,' she thought as she sucked the sauce off of her fingers. She watched him suck in a breath as his hand clenched the chair's arm. Her eyes widen as she realized. "I wasn't flir-"

"I know," he said instantly. "Where are the nap-"

"I'll get them," she said as she stood up, pushing her chair back, she swiftly made her way to the cabinet. "I really didn't mean to-"

"I know, Anna," he said before taking a large sip of his iced tea. She opened the small door. She grabbed the bag filled with napkins. Fumbling, she almost dropped them. She sighed at her own clumsiness, as she closed the cabinet's door. She walked back over to the table, tossed the bag next to the platter, and she retook her seat. Deciding she'd had enough bread, she picked up her fork again and started to eat. Her eyes were on her plate, she refused to look up at him. "Again, I must apologize... I did not intend to make this meal… awkward," he sighed.

"Whole days been awkward," she murmured before taking another bite.

"Search that memory of your. You know that is not true. There were… moments when you and I overlapped in perfect harmony… In the elevator…" Her face flushed as images, feelings, from earlier popped into her head. With effort she pushed them away. "On your bed."

"Would you please stop doing that," she yelled as she looked up at him.

"You started it," he said as he met her gaze.

"I started it? What are you five years old?" she reprimanded. "I said I didn't mean to do that. That was an accident..." she let her voice trail off as a memory, from a few weeks ago, replayed in her mind.

Rogue slowly lifted herself up onto her knees again. Her arms still resting on Eric's shoulders, she lightly pressed her lips to his. Her eyes closed as she tried to memorize everything about the feeling. A moment later she broke it.

"Can't do that in real life," she said sadly as she opened her eyes. She looked into his eyes. "Sorry," she whispered as she sat down on the bed. She turned her gaze away from his. He hand went to her chin; he turned her face to look at his.

"Don't be," he said kindly as he brought his face closer to hers. This time he kissed her.

"I kissed you first," she said glancing back up at him with wide eyes. "I did start this… I- I didn't know it was you," she tried to justify.

"Should that have made any difference?" he asked frustrated. "You knew that night, when you kissed me, when you started this, that you were physically involving yourself with a man named Max Eisenhardt. What difference does it make if I was the man before you, or just a fragment in your mind?"

"I-" she started to say. However, he refused to let her say a word, as his anger intensified.

"Allow me to enlighten you. Entering into a relationship with a lowly fragment bares no repercussions. Unless, of course, the great Charles Xavier discovers it. Then you must cease all of our activities… You would not even speak to me for two days," he yelled as he threw his fork down. He pulled his plate away.

"Not because of- you didn't answer my question," she screamed in aggravation. "You said what we had was a good start. I asked 'to what?' You never answered me. We sat there for ten minutes. I was crying my eyes out and all you were doing was holding my hand. Giving me that look that you knew something I didn't, and I couldn't figure out what it was. You were in my head, and I was supposed to know everything you knew, and you wouldn't tell me. I was mad," she screamed as she stood up. She moved her chair back a few inches and moved behind it. "That's why I wouldn't talk to you, not because of what the professor said."

"He was the catalyst," Eric insisted.

"Remember your second day in my head?" she asked as she placed both of her hand on the top of her chair, and leaned towards him. "A paper clip was the catalyst to us screaming at each other." He sighed.

"Oh, yes, I remember that night. Not as well as you do but, never-the-less, I remember it. You would not stop going on and on about the damn danger room. Excuse after excuse for Charles' choices. It was beyond irritating."

"You want to know what's irritating? Trying to fall asleep, at eleven o'clock at night, and having a voice in the back of your head whisper, 'but, Anna, you have to understand,'" she said in her best imitation of him. "What I understood was that I had to get up in seven hours, and fighting with you wasn't going to help any."

"If you did not choose to participate in those morning sessions, then you would be able to awaken an hour and half later, and a good night's sleep would never had been in question." He stood up. "I was trying to do you a favor."

"You could have let me sleep when I wanted to," she said taking her hands off of the chair, folding them across her chest, "that would have worked."

"I am aware of that fact," he said as he marched around the table and towards her. "That is why I started to help you fall asleep."

"You didn't start doing that for three weeks," she said turning to face him. He now stood in front of her. "What the hell were you waiting for?" she screamed.

"I was not present in your mind every evening. How could I aid you one night, and then forsake you another? How would I have explained it?"

"So, I had to live through weeks of nightmares because you couldn't explain yourself?"

"You would have no control what-so-ever if it were not for my influence."

"You don't know that."

"You had resided here for over half a year before you absorbed me. You did not seek Charles help before. I highly doubt you would have requested assistance unless another force interceded."

"And that force just had to be you?"

"Remind me, had anyone else offered before I did?" he asked. She tore her gaze away from his, as tears fell down her face. She walked several feet away from him.

"…You bastard…," she whispered. "You know no one else has. No one else could figure out how they work."

"No, Anna," he corrected. She heard him take a step towards her. "No one else took the time to learn. I am the only one who has ever done that."

"The professor-"

"Charles started to look into your powers because he found out that you were with-holding valuable information about me. Tell me," he said as he walked up to her side, "during how many of your conversation did he ask you about me?" he asked as he titled his head in her direction, hoping to catch her eye.

"…All of them," she said slowly. She glared up at him. "You were the only one I talked to: the only fragment that mattered. He had to ask."

"That may be, but did he have to ask you so many details about my bases?" She looked away from him again, refusing to respond. "How were the many conversations you and he had over the particulars of my defense systems pertinent to your mental health?"

"You're only focusing on the bad things. That wasn't all we talked about."

"Then you learned things about your abilities that you did not other-wise know? You gained new-found knowledge during these discussions?"

"Yes, the first one."

"Of course, your first exchange, when you knew as little as he," he said dismissively. "And after that? After you started to learn from me, did he discover anything else?"

"…No," she said frustrated. "He didn't understand my powers well enough to help. I was teaching him."

"He was the Professor, and you, his pupil, were teaching him?" he asked in disbelief. "You were the one who was giving him information: either about yourself, or me. You defend his home, you teach him, and assist in the education of his other students. What precisely do you gain from this agreement other than a bed and two hot meals a day?"

"You think you can give me better?" she asked as she glared up at him again.

"You know I can," he said firmly, as he stepped in front of her.

"They're my family. I love them, and I c- won't leave them. I won't betray them," she cried. She eyed his hand in the air, as he brought it near her face.

"My girl, I wish to comfort you, and I believe you wish to be consoled. Give me your consent." Her eyes met his. "Please…" She stood there watching him for a moment. More tears ran down her face as she backed away from him.

"You're the reason I'm crying, Eric," she said as she continued to back away from him. "You can't be cruel one minute and then considerate the next." She walked back over to the table, and sat in one of the seats.

"We have this conversation before. You know my reply. I say what I must to ensure that you see the truth."

Silent fell between. He was waiting for her to say something, and she was waiting for him to get away from her. He sighed.

"You say you will not betray them," he started to say, ending the silence as he used his powers to pull on the stool to him, "but I ask you what is there to betray?" She turned to glare at him. He sat down next to her, on the stool. "Mr. Summer? Surly you must know, my girl, his eyes are for Miss Gray alone."

"That doesn't mean we can't be friends," she snapped.

"Then, Miss. Pride. The friendship she shares with you is not unlike the ones she shares with many, if not all, of the other students in this house."

"So, she's friendly. Big deal," she shrugged.

"It makes you replaceable." Rogue closed her eyes as tears poured out.

"Please stop…" she whispered. She reopened her eyes, and glared up at him. "'No harm can come to you in my presence,'" she quoted one of his earlier statements. "No physical harm is what you meant. But, mental? That's fair game, ain't it? You're just gonna keep fucking with me until I'm willing to anything you want… You say you can give me better. 'You will always be safe in my arms,'" she quoted him again. "What if I don't want to be in your arms? What if I don't agree with you?" she shook her head. "No… My life here it may not be prefect… It's got its faults, but with my friends I know where I stand. We're equals. I wouldn't have that with you."

"Not at first," he said. She glared up at him again. "But over time, once I know I can trust you, I will share with you all I know. There will be no secrets between us. You will know everything that I have experienced. And all it will take," he said as he lifted his hand up as she eyed it, "is one touch," he said as he brought his hand closer to her face.

"I'm not giving you permission," she said firmly.

"Not yet," he said as his eyes met hers.

A moment later she tore her gaze away from his, deciding to glance at her half eaten meal.

"So, now what?" she asked. He sighed, as she watched him lower his hand out of the corner of her eye.

"Now we…" he started to say. She sat there for a moment waiting for him to continue.

Frustrated she turned to glare at him again and asked "Now we what?"

"You wish for me to leave," he stated.

"Yes," she said quickly.

"Is my company that unbearable?" he asked angered.

"No," she said tenderly. The feelings she had for him creeping up on her, she couldn't help by sound kind. "I like talking to you. You know that… But not like this. Not when I don't have a choice. Not when you're doing god knows what to my family."

"They are still playing baseball," he informed her dryly.

"Still?" she asked astonished. "It's been hours."

"And there in lays one aspect of Charles' training I approve of. The danger room builds up his student's stamina to impressive levels. I honestly believe those children could endure for the rest of the night. Perhaps well into tomorrow before collapsing from exhaustion."

"Are you gonna make them collapse?" she asked worriedly. Not that there was anything she could do to help her family, but she wanted to know.

"That is for you to decide," he said.

She felt her chest tighten up. There was so much he wanted from her. So many things he could ask for in exchange for their safely.

"What do you want?" she whispered. He looked down at her again.

"I have one condition, Anna. Understand that this is not a negotiation. You will agree to my term, or today's conversation, and there session, will persist. Is that clear?"

"Yes," she sighed in defeat. She watched him stand up, the stool he was sitting on returned to its place by the counter-top. "Now, what is it?" she asked anxiously. He turned his back on her, as he walked over to the window. "Eric?" she exclaimed.

"When I leave today you will tell no one that I was here." She gasped.

"That's it?" she asked as she got to her feet.

"You were expecting some other condition?"

"Yeah, I thought- I thought you would make me go with you," she said hugging herself.

"I considered it," he said while turning his body, and neck slightly to look at her. "But you do not wish to leave with me?" She nodded as they made eye contact. "I will not force you," he promised. She could see the disappointment on his face, until he turned away. "However, you are aware of more than you should be. Things I do not want Charles to know about… not yet. I need to ensure your silence."

"What if…" she started to say, but she stopped herself from asking. She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to her question.

"My girl, you have never let fear limit your inquires before. Do not start now," he ordered firmly. She took a deep breath, burying her dread.

"What if I say no?" she finished.

"If you choose that… then when I depart for my next destination I will take you with me…. An option, I had wished to display as an offer, instead of a threat." He sighed. "But so be it. A threat it will be." He turned back to face her "Do we have a deal?" he asked, holding his hand out for her to shake. She eyed his hand with uncertainly.

She had almost considered saying no. He friends could handle themselves, he would not kill any of them. Plus they were playing baseball, something fun. They were having fun while she was fighting for her freedom. For theirs too. But... she didn't want to go with him. He was giving her a choice, just not a very good one. With a sigh she took four stepped forward until she was close enough to reach his hand.

"Yeah, I won't say anything about today to anyone," she said as she took his hand. As she did he pulled her towards him. His lips descended onto hers. Wide eyed, she tried to pull back, but his hand had made its way to the back of her neck keeping her in place.

A moment later he finally released her. She recoiled several feet.

"I didn't give you permission," she screamed.

"You willingly took my hands. I assumed-"

"You assumed wrong," she yelled. "Don't do that again."

"Your reasoning to discontinue our contact was that I using it to control you. I'm leaving, Anna," he said as he took a step towards her, "without you. What is there left to manipulate?" he asked as he another step forward.

"There's next time. You're not giving up."

"No, I'm not," he said as he stepped in front of her again. He lifted his hand up, nearing her face for the countless time. "May I?" he asked staring into her eyes. She didn't respond. Her face growing hot, with the way he was looking at her. "Would you deny that there is something between us?"

"No," she uttered. "I haven't denied anything...I shouldn't," she said as her eyes lingered over his lips. His hand was by her face, moving up and down like a caress, a few more inches and it would be. His other hand was by her waist. So, near, but not touching.

"You have," he insisted. "What's one more?" he asked. He wasn't even touching her, but still it felt so intimate.

"I don't- I don't wanna become dependent on you." He chuckled.

"My dear, You already are."

"No- no, I'm not," she insisted, shaking her head furiously. He smiled as he took a step back.

"Go and take your shower. I will be gone by the time you have finished," he said.

"I'm not," she exclaimed.

"We'll see tonight," he said.

"You said you were leaving," she replied in confusion.

"And I am," he said folding his arms across his chest. "Go, relax your body, the mind will follow. It will come to you."

"What will?" she asked.

"You will not know until you leave," he told her.

"But-"

"Go," he laughed. She inhaled deeply. Finally realizing that she was the one prolonging the conversation, she gasped.

'Turn around,' she told herself as he face flushed with embarrassment. Her body listened as she turned to face the door and ran out of the room for a second time that day.

And that's it for this chapter! Longest one I've written in a while. Took forever!

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed it! Please let me know if you did. Especially, let me know if you didn't and why. How else am I going to learn what works, and what's crap?

Speaking of reviews:

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