Got delayed- I have a group I attend and that took the better part of a day, then there was a different creative project that I needed to complete. I make things around this time of year to capture the inspiration that has presented itself to me... anyway. random info.
onward:
Thanks to all my betas who contributed in different ways: lovingyouisbest, JD Bell; Joy Booth and Fredrica.
Final tweaking is my own.
And, yes, there is probably at least 1 more post after this before this baby is done.
Sanctuary
MA, Definitely MA stuff going on in here.
It took them a little longer on the way down, but eventually the two made it back out the doors. As they got into Lizzy's car and she ordered him to put on a blindfold. They drove a short distance then she helped Darcy get out of the car and led him to be seated in a room fragrant with a tapestry of scents that, together, was indecipherable but mouthwatering. She took it off and he realized immediately the place's significance.
He also realized she was wearing a black butterfly motif corseted top that looked a lot like that dress from so many years ago. If there was any question in his mind, it vanished when he spied the photograph in the center of his table setting.
It put him in mind of the first time he'd seen her in it...
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Darcy had taken his role as man of the family seriously when Dad wasn't around and felt it was important to keep a close eye on the easily influenced Jorge. He'd always hated Santa Fe cotillions, but would do anything to take care of his mom.
His aloneness was only multiplied at night when he tried to find solitude in sleep. Instead the dreams and visions came so frequently now. He often asked the Divine, the Creator to make them go away. He thought he was going to go mad from images that were red, white and black.
Always red white and black. Either give me an answer or stop these dreams and visions!
His Rational self commanded whoever – up there- out there- would answer. What was more disturbing tonight was seeing Charles, Mom, Jorge, his 3 new girl-friends and their Aunt wearing these colors, bearing images from his dreams. Spirals, feathers, pomegranate seeds, a butterfly, bells, … there were so many dream references Darcy had to eventually tune them out.
I've got to take a break somewhere- the dreams are getting to me. It's just a stupid coincidence! A warring part of him cried: You know it's not true. Remember the man that Mom took you to see when you were younger.
Rational: Yes. He taught me how to shut it off.
Spiritual: That isn't all he taught you. He showed you how to control it and figure out their meanings.
Rational: I don't have time for that now.
Spiritual: Don't you realize? You are running out of time.
That caught his attention. Later that night Darcy wrote everything he could remember in his journal, the one Dr Miller had given him upon completion of his mentorship at Aunt Catalina's institute.
But while he was at the party, Darcy allowed his Rational self to continue to take care of his mother, help out Jorge to encourage these new friends of his to feel welcomed (finally. Some girls who accepted his brother for who he was) He was intrigued by Jane's younger sister, thinking that fine featured girl will become a most handsome woman and fascinate many a young man someday with her wit and creativity.
Sooner than he ever imagined, he would realize what the dreams were preparing him for, and he would mourn. His Visionary self also mourned the fact that it had been right. Not once did it gloat.
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He saw it in her eyes. "Dearest, Loveliest Lizzy, you remembered when we first met."
She nodded, smiling softly, It took me long enough. "Do you really have some kind of intuitive impression?"
"Yes." His eyes bore uncertainty.
She reached out and held his hand, caressing his knuckles with her thumb. "When did you know?"
He took her hands in his and concentrated on them. "I had dreams and visions about you. Bits and pieces. I knew the moment I saw you at 101, you were the woman I had been drawing, but who you were- I figured it out when I saw your butterfly outfit. I remembered you." At this, he looked up.
She arched her brow. "Clearly your intuition is no substitute, however, for social skills."
This got him to smile, "No. A certain very clever, very talented woman taught me that if I want to be proficient at something, I must practice."
She massaged his fingers in suggestive motions, "I certainly hope that you want to practice at certain activities at which you are quite exceptional."
"Do you have anything in particular in mind?" He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "What on earth are we doing here when we could be doing that?"
She abruptly stopped, pulling her hands into her lap, in mock offense, "Seriously? Does it not occur to you that we are having official date?"
Darcy held his hands up in surrender. "I mean, my dearest, loveliest Elizabeth, I treasure making special moments with you and I look forward to our romantic dinner."
She burst out laughing and his eyes took on a look of frustrated intensity. She leaned in to caress his cheek and kiss him softly. "You silly man. After all these months have you still not realized how very, very much I love to spend time with you? This is what we missed. Not just the sex. We have a lot of dates to make up for. YOU have a lot of dates to make up for. The amazing sex is a given."
"Well, I had hoped…" The server had been waiting for the right time to take their orders and finally took his chance. Elizabeth and Darcy continued their flirting banter throughout the meal. At one point, Elizabeth's stockinged toe found its way up Darcy's leg. He promptly stilled it. "I thought you said that we were going to have a date?"
"Fine." She huffed. Elizabeth spent the rest of dinner peppering their conversation with innuendos intended to make her date extremely turned on. She didn't count on the fact that he had been turned on ever since their warm greeting earlier that evening. She was certainly playing with fire.
Elizabeth insisted on paying for dinner. When they got back in the car, he asked "Am I going to have to wear the blindfold again?"
"That depends. Do you want to continue to have a fun date and get some action, or do you want to be a party pooper and go home to your own bed?" Her tone was threatening.
He shook his head, pursing his lips, "OK, I'm game, put it on me."
"Good choice." She blindfolded him and drove to their destination.
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Again, she guided him through a doorway and he found himself pushed onto something springy and soft.
"I like where this is going." When she removed the blindfold, Darcy saw a room with several glowing candles. "Is this where you stayed when you were in town that time?"
She kissed him. "Very good guess."
Apparently this kissing thing was some kind of reward system, Darcy guessed. "You know, back then I supposed that you would someday be quite beautiful when you got older. I underestimated how very nicely you have, um, developed." His eyes had that familiar predatory gleam.
"Why Mr Darcy, are you commenting on my figure?" She was backing away, now, having few places to go, winding up against the wall.
He pursued her, leaving with no escape. "What do you expect me to do when you're wearing that top, displaying it to such an advantage?" His fingers traced the blouse's low neckline.
"I'm afraid to show you what else I've done with this old thing. You might eat me alive." She traced his lips and he took one of her fingers into his mouth.
"I'll eat you alive in any case, but if your figure might be any better displayed, who am I to refuse such an inducement?" She obliged by artfully removing her pencil skirt, underneath which were a silk garter belt, stockings and panties, all matching the corset. You are so talented. He ran his hands up her legs and her shapely hips, thumbs caressing the garter belt and her abdomen.
She began unbuttoning his shirt, kissing the skin that was revealed. "You were my muse for this little number."After unbuttoning the last, she pulled off his shirt. Her mouth now grazed his toned stomach and she caressed his hardness.
His fingers threaded through her hair as she undid his fly and her mouth continued its journey. "God, I love being your muse" he commented as she took his length into her mouth. She continued to work him until he was nearing orgasm, then Lizzy moved her attentions slowly up his body the way she came until their lips met again.
Darcy ran his cock back and forth over her drenched folds, slowly sliding in and out until he was thoroughly encased in her pulsating warmth. He grasped her ass, turning her to the wall and thrust into her, letting Lizzy, and himself, build up slowly. When she was at a plateau, he slid out of her, down her body and started devouring her.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Lizzy screamed as her sensitive flesh was persistently stimulated until she had a hard orgasm which Darcy drew out for seeming minutes, licking and lapping at her pussy with just the right rhythm and pressure. Another one started building and when Lizzy was about to come again, Darcy grabbed her and threw her on the bed, flipping her over to plunge into her pussy from behind.
Holding her hips, he slammed into her over and over. She came again, and her trembling core stimulated Darcy to come, too. Feeling it ebbing, Lizzy squeezed him as Darcy continued working in and out slowly, prolonging his orgasm. Finally his tip was too sensitive, he was spent, and he collapsed crossways on the bed, beside her.
They rolled to face each other, tenderly kissing and caressing. The air conditioner's slight breeze felt soothing and they fell asleep in such an attitude. Darcy awoke after several hours when his cramped body protested over the lack of leg space. He maneuvered them both right way up, where they remained the rest of the night.
PPPxoxNMxoxPPP
*Teotihuacan- amazing pyramid and monolithic ruins outside of Mexico city that has beautiful artisan work such as stonework, fiber art, etc, if you know where to look. IE The Dreaming House.
Old Dirt Road
"Can you please get that?" Darcy groaned as the phone rang way too loudly for so early in the morning.
The phone was on Elizabeth's side and he couldn't fathom how she seemed to take no notice of it. "Mrrrph."
"Fine. "Darcy reached across her to get the phone. "Why are you waking us up?...Well, it's too late now, we're up. Yes, yes, we'll be there after we have breakfast."
Lizzy was already getting ready by the time Darcy hung up from his brother's brief but unwelcome call. "This is the first time I've slept well since…."
"Since that last time we slept together? Yes, come to think of it. And I woke up too early then, too." Darcy grumbled.
"Just think, the sooner we get things sorted, the sooner we can get home and christen it." Lizzy moved to embrace Darcy and he pulled her down on the bed, as they started making out. Lizzy emerged breathless, "You are not a fair player. Now I don't want to leave this bed."
"Alright." He pulled away and got up, grumbling under his breath.
Before he got away, she grabbed his ass to emphasize her request, "Please, do remember where we were so we can continue this conversation."
He took the offending hand in his hand and turned, kissing it. "Your wish is my command, my Lady."
She smiled, "I like the sound of that." When the couple finished getting ready and pulling together their scant belongings, they partook of the southwest breakfast buffet downstairs, replete with chorizo eggs and potatoes, chilequiles, huevos rancheros, tortillas, fresh fruits, coffee and Mexican hot chocolate.
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They joined the others who were packing things from the living quarters. Jorge and Charles had started the process, already having an idea of what Darcy would need. Darcy went round to all the areas and added to the list. Then Lizzy and Darcy sorted through his work and art supplies that would be needed for the time being.
They both worked quickly and after a couple of hours Lizzy looked over at her beloved who was finishing his task of packing some canvasses together and wrapping them for travel. Eventually he looked up, intuiting she had an unspoken question. "What?"
Her hands lovingly caressed the package she just wrapped. "If this were me, I'd be crying. You're so calm and collected. Are there feelings of sadness under your inscrutable exterior, dearest?"
He left his area and came over to her, putting the package down and pulling her into an embrace. "I admit I am a little melancholy to go, but, after all, it is only a few hours away. Jorge is still here. Charles, Caroline and Catalina are all going to co-op this place, so it will be put to good use. Besides, I am going to be with you. And moving on to this phase of my life is certainly better than that dream I had about it."
Her eyes were shining up at him. "What do you mean?"
"I dreamed that this place- well the place in my head this represents- was consumed in your flames."
Her face dropped. "Oh dear. Well, your girlfriend is certainly not a pyromaniac."
"No, but she is hot! You are my little fireball." He teased, touching a finger to her shoulder and making a tsssssss! sound. "Fire woman."
She shook her head and chuckled, "Ah, that was an embarrassing night. I can't believe you remember."
"Remember? It was the closest I'd gotten to you after our 101 encounter and you were so damn cute singing The Cult. Charles begged me to stop playing that goth butt rock. So I started playing Interpol. About drove him out of his mind."
She tightened her embrace, "You are sentimental."
"About you? Sentimental doesn't even come close to covering it." Darcy dipped his head and they kissed tenderly and at length.
"What do you want me to-"
"Do you have poor timing on purpose?" Darcy barked at Jorge who had just 'barged in' to ask his brother a simple question.
Jorge covered his eyes in an exaggerated manner. "It's not that hard the way you two are all over each other, geez. I could just leave and you can pack this up yourself."
Lizzy laughed and pulled out of Darcy's embrace, resuming her work wrapping packages, "Koko, just ignore your brother. Remember that I promised you we could go riding anytime you want to visit. You are welcome at our house or The Farm or Aunt Phillips's any time. I will remember all the wonderful things you've done to help, and fully intend to get to know my almost brother in law."
"Almost? My cheap brother better put a ring on it if that's true."
"Well, I, ah…" Elizabeth sputtered when she realized her slip. She had meant it figuratively but Darcy was beaming at this new declaration. "I meant that because we are so close, Koko- Darcy and I are um, partners, I suppose, not married." she finished weakly.
"You know you are as good as married. I always wanted a sister. I accept your proposal, Lizzy." Koko hugged his new 'sister' while Darcy looked bemused. "I still say my brother needs to put a ring on your beautiful finger."
"Fine! Ruin this too, why don't you!" Darcy indignantly replied as he pulled a velvet bag out of his pocket and knelt. "Lizzy, this is for you. I will marry you whenever you want, or will stay with you until you kick me out of the house. I just want you to wear a ring symbolizing our love."Lizzy was laughing and crying at this point.
"Everybody, come in here!" Jorge yelled, then to Elizabeth and Darcy- "Wait! Wait! They'll want to see this!"
This caused Lizzy to laugh and cry even harder while Darcy remained awkwardly kneeling wondering whether to stay that way or get up and hug her. When she took his hand, he decided enough was enough and pulled her down into his arms. Taking her left hand, he pushed the moonstone eternity circlet onto her fourth finger. The Gardiners, Jane and Charles had all rushed in during this scene and they erupted in applause. Just when she started kissing him, Darcy's leg gave out and they wound up on a joyous heap on the wood floor. The group rushed to help them up and give hearty congratulations the sealing of their coupleship.
"Well, I'd say this calls for some champagne." Gardiner quipped.
"Mi amor you think of everything." The Gardiners retrieved a bottle of champagne and box of truffles. Everyone toasted Lizzy and Darcy's sealing of their coupleship. Soon after, the party returned to their respective packing duties until Lizzy's vehicle and the trailer were filled with the entirety of Darcy's necessities for the foreseeable future.
Goodbyes were made as Jorge fiercely hugged his brother, and initially it seemed he wouldn't let go. Finally, when he released Darcy, wiping tears from his eyes, Darcy and Elizabeth hugged the rest of the party as Jorge started talking about how he could now throw a big cool party since his brother would be gone. He continued making statements and went so far as to get on the phone to make calls. Darcy glared at his brother and shook his head, a small smile quirking on one side of his lips." Are people really going to come over and have a party tonight, Koko?"
"No, are you kidding me? I'm just asking a couple of friends to help me move my stuff around now that I've got the place to myself. I'm going to move into the master suite. I'm just buying them some takeout for their help." Jorge explained.
"But we're here to help." Lena insisted.
"We'll get it all done in no time with them here, too. You'll love my friends Martin Dashwood and Christopher Alvarado. They've been together since Martin was a nurse at the VA hospital. It was love at first sight. Besides, I've adopted you as my Tia and really want my new family to meet my closest friends if that's OK with you. I wish they could've met Lizzy too, but Christopher was sleeping off his firefighter shift, so we'll just have to go invade my new sister's privacy in Dona Maria sometime!"
Tia and Gardiner, Jane and Bingley readily complied with Jorge's plan. Martin, Christopher, Tia hit it off with the visitors and they all helped Jorge make quick work of the remnants of the move. Then they all made a merry party, listening to jazz and dining on an immense take out order of super deluxe nachos involving carne asada, refritos, green chile, tomatoes, onions, a variety of cheeses, crema, and copious amounts of guacamole.
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When Lizzy and Darcy arrived in Dona Maria, they did so in peace, but only because Lizzy invoked her mother's new found respect of all people named Darcy. As they drove down Old Highway _, she pulled onto the shoulder and insisted that Darcy put on the blindfold again.
"You mean I really have to do this?" He whined.
She warned, "Not if you don't want the surprise that comes at the end involving me."
"OK."First Darcy pouted, then became impatient and increasingly fidgety as the miles drug on with little for him to do besides wait. The last 10 minutes dragged as long as the past 5 hours. She helped him out of the car, then helped maneuver him to a spot where she then took off his blindfold. If he could guess, he'd suppose he was south of town, given their orientation to the Organs.* Before them was an authentic tin roofed, stucco, territorial style-farmhouse on a small property. It was historic, well kept, and looked to be just the sort of place they'd occupy as a couple. There was just one problem. "Uh, this looks nice but I have no idea why you blindfolded me for this."
"Look more closely at the mailbox." Their address was 1536 South Gardiner Farm road. "Did your grandparents own this?"
She nodded excitedly. "It belonged to my grandfather's parents. My Aunt Phil inherited it. She only sold the portion of the bigger farm where I grew up. This she kept and leased the land and the house.* When her renters moved out of the house at the end of the summer, I knew that it was the perfect place at the perfect time. Do you like it?"
"Of course! Are we going inside anytime soon?" Lizzy answered the affirmative and they refreshed themselves before going out to retrieve everything from the Truck. The place came partially furnished with an old but well styled nail head leather sofa, a lodge pole dinette set, and queen beds with antique frames in each of the 2 rooms.
However, Darcy's favorite room was the house's back porch which faced south and got lots of sun. The screen windows of the original house had long since been replaced by glass picture windows. This was going to be their studio. It was a little cramped but he reckoned they could store anything not in use in the adjacent guest studio which had its own bathroom, mini kitchenette, and other amenities.
After they finished Darcy realized how hungry he was. They ran over to the Burger Joint and got green chile cheese burgers then came home and crashed. It turned out the day had been far too eventful for either to do anything about their early morning intentions.
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*www dot organmountains dot org/multimedia/photos-of-the-monument/organ-mountains-photos/
* farm land can be leased out for others to farm, a practice done increasingly by small family farmers who lack the equipment, water rights, etc to do it themselves anymore. They occupy the land in some cases. In others, such as this one, they rent out the building on the land. Other occasions they will let the old building run to the ground as it may be very costly to restore something with 100 year old plumbing, etc.
hope the beginning of their HEA was as good for you as it was for them (wink wink)