Hope from the Ocean: 44 (adult)

Morning showed its face with sun and cold air.  The sky was cloudless, and the temperatures were testing the heating system in the castle.  Tina, who was in the kitchen early, making Ray's breakfast and tending to him, as well as to herself, was greeted by Sister Rebecca Katherine.  The nun said, "He made it home.  Last night.  Somewhere around two-thirty.  Maybe later."

"He's all right, then?"

"Yes.  Seems so.  I caught wind of it when he and Blair walked someone out to the cottage."

"They brought someone home with them?"

"It seems so.  Can I help ya?"

"I knew the two of them were up late.  I wanted them to be able to sleep in.  Starr and Hope are already up.  Starr fed her and they're in the drawing room, I believe.  Jack's still asleep.  Sam's already had a tray, from what I understand, and he's coloring.  That leaves me, Ray, and you, and Dorian if she plans on coming up for breakfast.  I'm not planning on disturbing my brother and Blair any time soon."

"What about the guest?  Clearly, someone Todd wanted to show kindness to.  Shall I go out to the cabin and rouse the fellow?"  The nun offered.

"You know, I'll go.  It will do me good.  Just let me finish this breakfast for the baby, and then if you don't mind watching him?"

"Not at all.  Preferable to going out there in the frigid air.  A good and fair trade."  The nun made herself comfortable by Ray, who was making gurgling happy sounds and banging his spoon on the tray of his high chair.  "Oh, Little Man, what an imp ya are.  Scaring us all yesterday.  Ya got running feet, ya do."

Tina finished heating Ray's breakfast, and placed it down on the tray for the nun to manage, and went out the door, stopping to take her coat off the coat rack in the lobby.  Walking out into the cold air, she bundled herself by pulling the coat closed, and holding it with one arm as she made her way to the third cabin.

***

"You know," Blair said, opening her eyes slowly to waking as she stirred from his touch, "you did make a promise about what would happen when you got home."

She'd been roused by his hands, caressing her face and body, as he pulled her, sleeping, to him and nuzzled into her neck.  He said, "Exactly what I was thinking.  And I always keep my promises.  Well, at least lately."

She smiled.  "Do you remember what they were?"

"I think so.  Wasn't there something about being inside you all night, yada yada yada?"

She laughed sweetly, and put her head over his shoulder in an embrace.  "Yeah, well you blew that one!" she laughed, and then said, "I'm so glad you're all right."

"I'm glad, too."

"What about the part where you said I could have your autograph?" she reminded.

"Oh yeah," he said, feigning innocence.  "Where would you like it?"  She pointed to her lips first, and he brought his tongue out, and lightly flecked them before kissing her and exploring her mouth with it.  "Was that it?"

She shook her head "no," and moved her fingers to her nipple.  He obliged.  Looking up, he said, "Too small an area.  I can't get my whole name in.  Let me try here," he said, moving toward her belly.  He drew his tongue over her middle, circling and flicking it in little patterns to mock handwriting.

She said, "No, not quite right."  He moved down her body, and gently pushed her thighs apart with his hands.  He buried his tongue in her, and she arched her back toward him.  "Yes, that seems right," she said, and lost her fingers in his hair.  Closing her eyes, she let him work her to ecstasy, and she felt the waves of completion pulse through her.  She gently moved his mouth away from her.  "You have a long name.  I can't wait until you get to the other part."

"What other part?"  he said, moving his mouth back up her body.  His hands rested on her breasts, and he thumbed her hardened nipples, putting himself inside her.  

She moaned and closed her eyes, and he did the same.  As he moved himself in ways that brought them both to passionate heights, he was flooded with memories, but this time, they weren't frightening or interruptive.  They were of her, the various ways she had given him everything, over so long:  under him with fireworks shining onto their faces in the penthouse; hanging off his arm at the top of the Chamber of Commerce Building; dancing with him as he showered them with gold balloons; understanding and tender with him when he first made love to her after eight years in captivity.  All this, and he felt there was never enough time to think of it all again, but he wanted to.  He so wanted to . . .  

She called to him, softly, and urged him on.  He changed his angle, and brought her leg up over his shoulder, and she squealed with pleasure.  He felt her body responding to him in rhythmic cadence to his movements, and at the same moment, he exploded into release.

The room fell silent, with the exception of both of their breathing.  He was still lying between her legs, when she said, "I just love you so much, Todd."

"I love you, too.  So much."  

He moved down and placed his head on her abdomen and closed his eyes.    She made circles on his scalp, and as they were falling back into sleep, they heard a familiar voice.  "Mom?  Dad?  I'm stuck in here!  Jack has his earphones on and can't hear me!"

Todd picked his head up, still reveling in the quiet relaxation of their morning of lovemaking.  "What do you need, Bud?"

"I gotta go to the bathroom!"  Sam shouted.

Todd said, "Welp, so much for this," and started to get up.

Blair said, "No, My Love, you stay here and rest.  Heroes don't have to get up for bathroom duty."

"You can't carry him, Babe.  You're pregnant."

"I know.  But I can pull Jack's earphones out."  She was already up.  She kissed his cheek playfully.  "I'll be right back.  You stay here, and wait for me."

He thought back to what had just transpired between them, and turned on his back.  "Manning, what the Hell did you ever do to have this life?"

***

Tina knocked gingerly on the door of the third cabin.  All was quiet inside, and she waited another minute.  The grass was covered in frost, which, in the morning light, dazzled her with a diamond-dust appearance.  She knocked again, telling herself she would give it one last try before going back to the castle.

It was just as she turned to go back toward the main house that the door opened.  The man answering had just revealed one eye and one side of his face, as he peered out the door.  He was shirtless, and kept the door in place over the rest of him, for clear purposes.  "Ya woke me.  Who are ya?"

She blushed, from the tips of her toes to her cheeks.  His dark hair, ivory skin and bright blue eyes had surprised her.  She saw one muscular arm propping the door in place.  She fumbled.  "I . . . er . . . I'm Todd's sister, Tina."

"Pleased," he said, extending his hand through the crack in the door.

She shook it, and noticed that he held it a bit longer than she was used to.  His grip was firm, but somehow compassionate.  She said, "Nice to meet you.  You are . . .?"

"Aiden," he said.  "A friend of Todd's.  Involved in last night's ordeal and he offered me a place to rest up a few days.  Now that ya woke me, I think I'll visit the gym he told me about."

"I came to ask if you wanted breakfast."

"Ay, that would be a fine thing.  Can ya wait one moment?"  he closed the door without waiting for her answer.

In a moment, the door reopened, and he stood, in a tight-fitting thermal shirt and cargo pants.  He was trim, tall and fit.  Seeing his whole face, she noticed the scar on the right side of his head, but her eyes were drawn back to his.  She said, "You're a fast dresser."

"Ya have to be on you're toes when you're up against the world."

"That sounds very drastic."

"It's the bloody truth," he said, grabbing his jacket.   "I'll take ya up on that breakfast. What are ya having?"

"Well, mostly anything you want, but today I made my nephew scrambled eggs, and myself some fruit and an eggwhite omelet."

"Ah, a chef?  Ya don't have any black pudding?  Donnelly sausage?"

She made a face, "I'm sorry, I don't even know what those are."  She heard Todd in her head:  Order whatever he wants.  Huh?  Have it shipped in, I don't care.

"I used to like it when I was a boy . . ." he stopped, and grimaced, touching his hand to his temple.  He said, "I'm sorry," and sat on the small sofa.  She stood outside the cabin for a moment, but when the pain appeared to get worse, she walked inside.  

"Can I do something for you?"  He didn't respond.  He had put his head between his knees and was breathing heavily.  She could hear his rasps and waited.  After a few minutes of his not responding, she walked toward him.  She placed a hand on his back, and he appeared startled, looking up to her.  Every ounce of her empathy raced to the forefront as his face, which she could only describe in her mind as beautiful, was crinkled with suffering.  

Without thought, she reached up and touched the side of his cheek with her hand.  "Are you all right?"

He didn't flinch from her touch, he just stayed in her reach and said, "No, but I'm used to it.  An old affliction."

"It has to do with the scar, doesn't it?"

"Yes."

"How did you get that scar?"

"I . . . with all that I am, I can't . . ."

"It's bringing you pain?  Then don't answer me.  Let's just ride it out, and then we can go and get you something to eat."  She sat down next to him, as if ready to wait, as long as it took.

He nodded, squeezing his eyes shut.

She had met Aiden.

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