Hope from the Ocean: 69 (adult)

"I'm going to start the copter, Aiden."  Todd said.

Aiden hesitated, getting up from his chair, and going to embrace his parents again.  Todd didn't waste much time on goodbye, because he knew it wasn't.  He planned to bring Blair back the next day, to meet them, and talk with them more about Aiden and the situation.  Maybe his time in Ireland, since he'd never been able to remember it all.  He felt that both Lily and Aman deserved the truth about Aiden, but didn't feel it was time to let Aiden know.  Not yet.  Timothy didn't even know yet. . .

Timothy.  He adopted me.  And he has a son, a biological one.  A real one.

He hopped into the copter and started the engine.  Telling Timothy would be tricky, as would telling Aiden.  He'd need Blair's help.  She'd know how to do it, with tact.  He sat, in the cab, waiting.  He was prepared to wait a great deal of time, when he saw all three of them on the lawn, in the copter's spots, and Aman and Lily were waving Aiden off, and he was jogging toward the helicopter.  He hopped into the passenger side, and fastened his belt.  He made no appearances of hiding his tears; in fact, he let them roll, and sniffled here and there.  Todd said, "Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine.  I'm ready to go.  I have to face things, and there's no other way.  I just hope that ya stick with me, because I'll need help."  Aiden's eyes focused on Todd's for a moment.

Todd said, "I'll stick with you.  I'll bring you to the best clinic I know of.  I'll pay for the bills, everything I promised."  After all, for all intents and purposes, you're my brother.  Never had one of those before.

He sniffed, more, and said, "Oh God," looking down and sobbing.  

Todd said, "Hey, listen.  When you're better, you can come back and live here, if you want to, right?  Or visit them whenever you want."

"Yes, I suppose that's true.  Thank ya.  I needed that."

"It's been a long day.  A lot of emotion."  You were right.  He couldn't take it right now, not with everything going on, the head pain, seeing them again.  The last time he had an attack, he almost didn't come to.  Dorian said his heart rate was out of control.  You made the right decision.  He needs to be somewhere where a doctor is available . . .

"I want a normal life," he said.  "I don't think it's too much to ask."

"I don't either.  Unless you're me."

"Hmf.  Ya don't quit."

Todd smiled lightly.  He directed the copter toward the Wild Swan, and Aiden leaned back, closing his eyes.

Before he knew it, Todd was landing the copter outside of town, and he was surprised at how excited he felt being there.  He hurriedly undid his belt, and roused Aiden.  They began their walk to The Wild Swan.  Todd was enthusiastically pacing himself, while Aiden, who was still in the grip of sleep, lagged.  Todd said, "Hey, you coming?"

"I am.  Ya've got something to look forward to.  Seeing Blair."

"You have my sister, right?"

"Ah yes, Little Tina.  I don't think she likes me, quite the way Blair likes ya."

"Oh, she likes you."

"Ya think so?"

"I know so."

The two men were quiet for a long stretch of the way, and Aiden said, "Ya think I've got a chance, to be better?"

"Yeah.  I think there's a chance for anyone to be better.  If I can, you can."

"I suppose.  Figures ya would underestimate ya'self."

"Not doing that.  I just tell it like it is.  You don't know what kind of man I was."

"It doesn't matter.  Things change, Mate.  Time.  People."

Todd was quiet.  Up ahead, he could see the lights from The Wild Swan, and a feeling of relief came over him.  "We're just about there."

"We are.  We ought to see if ya can have y'ar own room now."

"That sounds smart.  What about you?"

"I'll get one, too.  I have a good bank roll in my sock."

"Oh, is that so?"

"For certain."

"Let's see what they say."  A few more steps, and they were opening the front door of the tavern, and Todd was carefully avoiding placing his eyes on the area of his shooting.  

They entered, and the barkeep said, "Ah, y'ar back, Maties."

"We are," Aiden said.  "Pass some ale!"  He worked himself onto a stool.

"Not me," Todd said.

Aiden winked.  "Ah then, send that pretty little Tina down here, will ya?  I'll check into a room."

Todd took the small staircase in bounds, and then knocked on the room door.  He could hear Blair and Tina, inside talking, and then Tina's voice louder.  "Who is it?"

Todd didn't answer, and stood off to the side.  Listening, he heard Blair, "Don't open it, Tina.  We don't know who it is, and what they want."

Tina said, "Oh, come on, Blair.  It's probably the management."

"Tina!  Don't open that door!"  Blair said, and Todd became concerned as to how nervous she was.  

"It's me, Tina.  Open up."  He blew his surprise.

The door jerked open, and Blair was the one holding the knob.  "Todd!"  She shouted, and fell into his arms.  He held her, and found her hair with his hands.  

"Hey, Babe.  Hi, Sis."

"Hi, Todd."

"Tina, Aiden's . . ."

"I'm going, I'm going," Tina said, taking her pocketbook and leaving the room.

"Todd," Blair said, "I missed you."

"I was gone all of ten hours, Blair."

"So?" She said, starting to undo his shirt collar.  "I still missed you."  She kissed his cheek, and ran her mouth along his neck, finding his ear.

"Hey, you two," Tina said, peeking her head back around the corner and into the room.

"Yeah, Tina, what's up?"  Todd said, slightly annoyed at the interruption.

"We got rooms.  I have one, Aiden does.  And you two have this one," she said, grabbing her nightclothes and bag, "I'll get the rest tomorrow.  Night."  She closed the door softly.

"Now," Blair said, "Where were we, Mr. Manning?"

"You were on my ear, Mrs. Manning."

"Oh, that's right," she said, taking it in her mouth, and gently sucking it.  

Her hands worked to open his shirt collar, and he grabbed them and held them, saying, "I have a lot to tell you."

"Later," she said, undoing his shirt the rest of the way, and pulling it loose of his pants.  As she undid his belt, she said, "It can wait."

"Oh, what the Hell," he said, grabbing her and kissing her.  With one hand, he lifted her nightgown, and pulled at her panties, until they slid to the floor.  

She pushed him against the door, kissing his mouth with want.  In turn, he swung her around, pinning her against the wall, and ran his tongue from the center of her breasts up to her neck and ear, and whispered to her, sending her into moans and hums of expectation.  

From the door, he took her in his arms and moved her toward the bed, lifting her nightie and working her body with his tongue.  He surprised her, rolling over with her until she was over him, his hands holding her bottom and pulling her to his mouth, as she took him in hers.  Wanting to bring her to release, he gently turned them on their sides, and continued to work.  

He tried to ignore the exquisite feeling of her mouth along him, the pressure with her lips and tongue hardening him to strong stiffness.  She began to lightly suck, and he fought the urge come inside her mouth.  At this, he rolled again, pulling himself free, and stopped.  He perched over her, running his hands down her torso.  She said, "Todd, don't, don't stop," and he continued, after smiling in response to her desire, to pleasure her the way he knew she loved.  It wasn't long before her hips jolted, and she pulsed against his tongue.  In rhythm to her finishing, he kissed up her body, and into her mouth, where she could taste him and herself.

"Why didn't you let me make you. . ." she started in a whisper, and he touched her lips with his fingers to silence her.

"Because, I can't do without this," he whispered, before driving into her and moaning onto her neck.  He latched on to the skin right below her ear, and moved in and out of her, wildly. Her body, already reeling from completion moments before, began to respond with waves of rapture than ran from deep within her, down into her thighs.  Her head felt light, and she opened her eyes to watch him end.  

When it was over, he kissed her eyelids, gently, her cheek, and her lips, softly.  She smiled into his face, and he ran his fingers along her lips.  He touched her neck where he'd fastened his mouth just moments before, and said, "That's gonna leave a mark."  

She laughed, and he did, too.  Their laughs stopped, their eyes hooked, and they stayed, quiet, looking into each other for a moment.  She said, "Todd, you're . . . different."

"Is that a nice way of saying crazy?"

"No."  She played with his chest hair, and said, "You're different from . . . before."

"From before what?"  He said, tenderly, and then, "Is this a bad different, or a good one."

She rolled her eyes, smiling.  "Good."  She sighed.  "Nothing but good.  You're . . . I don't know how to say it."

"There's usually only one way.  Like a bandage, Blair."

She knew what he meant.  "You're normal, I think.  It's like you're whole, Todd.  Like you're totally with me."

"I am, and don't worry how that sounds, I get it.  I feel different."  He lowered his head and nuzzled against her neck.  She ran her fingers lightly over his back.  "I feel like, well like I felt before Ireland.  The first time.  Remember?"

"Yes.  I remember.  And that's sort of what it felt like today for me, too.  I actually thought of it.  Remember, the staircase, at the penthouse, before you left?"

"Yeah," he said, sliding down a bit, and resting his head just below her breasts.

She played with his hair and ears, and said, "And we're still here."

"Yep."  He was still for a while, she was dozing with her hands on his shoulders, and then he said, "I want you to meet Aman and Lily.  We have to go back."

"All right.  Whatever you say, My Love."

"And there's something else."

"Okay, what?"

"Aiden is Timothy's kid."

Blair immediately propped herself up on her elbows, and he sat up next to her.  "Huh?"

"He is.  It's all too coincidental.  Today, Aman and Lily were filling him in on his past.  He was shot, in the head, his mother was shot dead.  He was kept protected by them because of The Men of 21.  The rest just made sense to me, and I just knew.  He always looked familiar.  Something in the eyes.  And the picture, of him as a little boy, with the woman.  It just . . . clicked."

"Does he know?"

"No.  He has no idea.  And neither do Aman and Lily.  Just me."

"So, what do we do?"

He smiled.  "I guess we gotta tell them."

"Yeah, I think so.  Who first?"

"Well, out of Timothy and Aiden, it should be Aiden.  It's his life.  Timothy, well, he probably knows already, knowing him.  Besides, his sister is a 'knower.'"

"Maybe.  How are you going to do this?"

"I was hoping you'd help me.  Maybe when we get back from seeing Aman and Lily?"

"I don't see why not.  Whatever you want me to do, I will do."

"You know what this means, right?"

"No, what does it mean?"

"For the first time in my life, I have a brother."

She looked at him, and they both smiled.  "Right.  I didn't think of that."

"Well, it's the way it is.  He's not a half-bad guy.  I'm going to help him get to that clinic in Switzerland, where I was when I needed help.  Get those headaches taken care of."

"You never said much about it, the clinic.  In fact, you said very little about the whole thing, Todd."

"That's because I don't remember all that much, Babe.  I just know it was torment.  I was . . . in bad shape."

"Well, if that clinic could help you, it probably can help him."

"That's the idea.  First, to Aman and Lily."

"Okay, I am anxious to meet them.  They took care of you."

"And got me back to you, though I never appreciated it much.  Not then anyway."

"That's done with.  When do we go?"

"In the morning?"

"In the morning then.  Hold me, Todd."

"That's easy," he said, bringing her onto his chest.  "I love you.  Dream sweet."

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