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Life Debt; PG-13
Topic Started: Friday Nov 25 2005, 02:28 AM (870 Views)
Fanfics Admin 01
Administrator
 *
Note: Be warned this is an alternate reality universe. I've been watching way too many Kung Fu movies. If people beg enough Jet Li and Jackie Chan may
make cameo appearances.

Disclaimer: I don't own Days or any of their characters or any of the various Kung Fu movies I've watched. And I don't know a heck of a lot about
Eastern culture other than what I've learned through the pop grapevine, please understand that this is mindless fun.


Background: Brady never went to boarding school, instead Mercenary John Black sent his son (at three years old) to be trained in the ways of a Buddhist
priest/warrior, in far off Hong Kong under the guidance of Master Chan to learn the arts of Kung Fu, Judo, and Tai Chi, so that he could better honor his father and
stepmother and achieve a state of enlightenment (that and Steffi brainwashed John into doing it). Oh, and Lucas (you remember Lucas Roberts, don't you?) never
was in a fire and never married Nicole, instead he took out all the frustration Sami has caused him over the years into his old passion-martial arts. He is now the
undisputed champion of Drunken Boxing.


Brady is finally coming home to that strange land they call Salem. . .


Prologue:

He opted to fly in a day earlier than expected to allow himself a small span of time in which to acclimate to his new surroundings before he would meet the people he
would call family. Drinking his tea in an outdoor café under the cool afternoon sun, he strived to achieve that inner calm that had so alluded him since he first took off
his peasant's robe to don traditional Western attire, dark slacks, navy sweatshirt (Go Yankees). He watched a young couple playing catch in the distance,
contemplating the nature of the game, how eternity in the representation of a circle could be tossed about so carelessly, through the simple redirection of energy. A
smile tugged at his lips as he also couldn't help but notice that the woman was by far the more graceful player.

Perhaps it was her loveliness that distracted him, or perhaps it was the overwhelming sense of culture shock that he was experiencing, or perhaps it was simply fate
that his normal meticulous nature, ever aware of his surroundings, was failing him. Whatever the case, he felt slightly off balance.

And consequently he had no idea that the waiter approaching him had a gun concealed under his tray.

In retrospect, he should of known that Kai Ling would never let go. A debt of blood was a debt of blood, even if Ling's craven brother Hang had started the feud
taking the life of Brady's best friend in a mockery of a challenge pulling out a hidden knife when the match clearly would have been lost. It was now a matter of honor
for Ling to avenge his brother, as it had been a matter of honor for Brady to do the same for his friend. And if not for the girl, Ling would most assuredly have
succeeded in his quest.

It truly was fortune's intervention that not only had she seen the flash of the gun, but also had the quick thinking and precise aim to fire her baseball in a direct hit to
the waiters head. It bought Brady the instant he needed, before the echoing machine gunfire to dive for cover utilizing the waiter's body as a shield while the rest of
Ling's disciples arrived, screaming and running across the street hopping over cars and pushing past pedestrians. He had precious seconds to spare, abandoning the
riddled and bloody body to dive over the café's gate behind him. Then he was sprinting into the nearby park, dodging bullets along the way until he reached his
dumbstruck benefactress, one of Ling's men having already targeted her, forcing her and her gawking boyfriend to hide behind a maple, hands over their heads in
terror. In disgust Brady noticed that their attacker obviously had no principle, toying with his hapless victims sending off showers of bullets fiendishly grinning the
whole while, laughing as the boy wet himself and the girl screamed.

Fast as a silver fish, kick flying into the air, Brady made small work of the thug sending him sprawling and unconscious.

After which, he wasted no time to pick up the gun and shoot off round after round into his attackers, each of his aims finding a home.

Five men had been sent to kill him. Five men had paid the price for that audacity with their own lives. Wordlessly, calmly as if nothing out of the ordinary had
happened, as if the green grass of the park was not splattered in bright burgundy, Brady reached out and grasped the huddled girl's hand pulling her away to walk
down the street with him. They we're a half a block away before she realized what she was doing, before her fair haired boyfriend woke from his stupor to yell out,
"Hey, where do you think you're going with my girlfriend?"

Phillip didn't have the time to blink his eyes much less think about following when Brady disappeared around the corner. . . . with Chloe.

*****-----***********

They stopped in a grungy small alleyway between sixth and seventh, with five possible escape routes: one up the fire escape of Frank's Fishery, one through the open
back door of Franks where some truckers were unloading cargo, one in the open second story window of the neighboring apartment building, and the obvious ones
at the opposing ends of the street which in the case of trouble would surely be blocked. But, Brady liked the advantage it gave him since he could clearly see any
approaching danger. And he was pretty certain that now that Ling had lost the element of surprise, there would be no more upcoming confrontations for the day.

But looking into the enraged face of his savior, he quickly reassessed that assumption.

"Let me go you Creep!" She shouted.

Automatically, Brady released her, astonished at her loveliness in her bright yellow shorts and blazing orange tank as she stumbled back from the force of her own
pulling.

"I mean you no harm, little sun. I only wish to thank you." He explained confused by her look of incomprehension until he realized that he had spoken to her in
Chinese.

Yes. He was definitely having an off day.

"I thank you, kind one. You have saved my life and now it is yours, till the day I save your life in return. It is my duty and great honor." He repeated, marveling at the
perfect dichotomy that was her, from her dress as dazzling as the dawn, to her hair as dark as the blackest night, to her skin as pale as the moon. She must of done
spectacular things in a past life to be blessed with such beauty.

But instead of being relieved by his words she looked frightened, timidly but steadily backing away from him, babbling the whole while.

"Ah. . . that's very nice, but no thank you. Really it was nothing. I- I'll just be going home now."

A couple weeks have past; Brady is continuing with his bodyguard act and has met his family. Brady has also informed his father of Ling and the possible threat the
entire family could be in (thanks NickyJean for the idea). Both Carrie and Eric have been notified but are unlikely targets. John is taking precautions to protect Belle
and Marlena leaving Sami to another's care. . . .(like you can't guess).

Setting: the Dinner;

Belle is wearing a long sleeved cotton yellow dress with tiny orange blossoms decorating it; Chloe is in ripped up jeans and a powder blue top; and Brady is looking
very fine, if uncomfortable in his black jeans and Spider-Man button down shirt.

********--------*********

Wasn't there an old saying that no good deed goes unpunished? Chloe thought to herself as she pretended to listen to Belle prattle on about Shawn's new haircut and
how hot he looked and wasn't school going to be fun this year and yada yada yada when in actuality she couldn't keep her eyes off of their 'protector' who had just
reached over and without a so much as a 'how do you do' ate one of her fries and took a sip of her soda as well as a bite of his sister's burger and a gulp of said
sibling's chocolate shake the second their meal was served only to go back to reading Time magazine as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred.

It was too much.

The rat bastard actually had the gall to taste her food for poison when she was in absolutely no danger what's so ever! Bad enough that he shadowed her everywhere
she went. Bad enough that he camped outside her house in his van. And way bad enough that his father was in tight with the police chief (the little neo-nepotism nazi)
and his sister was her own best friend (the wussie cry baby Polly Anna with her 'please don't be hard on Brady he was raised up in an entirely different society with
entirely different values and morals'-oh boo hoo) and so she couldn't exactly take a restraining order out on him (not that he'd pay any attention to it if she did mind
you--but this--this was the monkey that broke the camels back-wait straw, straw that broke the camel's back---Grrrrrr, stupid Brady Black with his stupid Kung Fu
and inane cave man code of honor, scaring away Phillip and ruining her life, Aaagh!).

"Chloe…CHLOE!"

At Belle's shout for attention, Chloe snapped out of her internal monologue and re-joined the living eyeing her friend in confusion and left over irritation.

"What? Huh?" She asked still out of it, a paper tablecloth clutched tightly in her fist.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes of Course I am. I have No enemies, unlike Some People at this table and am in absolutely No danger. Why wouldn't I be alright?" Chloe responded snottily
while twisting and scrunching the tablecloth giving Brady a glare of death while he purposefully ignored them both still 'pretending' to read.

"Well. . . . it's just you were like a million miles away and you kind of massacred your napkin. Eeep! Please don't hurt me!" Belle babbled out mockingly throwing up
her arms to cover her head and face at Chloe's thunderous scowl and flinging away of the now torn to pieces napkin.

"Oh Pleeeze!" Chloe grumbled leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms over her chest, her baby doll T-shirt cropping up and exposing the flat of her belly in
the process, "This whole situation bites!" She further scoffed while Belle giggled having noticed Brady's sidewise and interested glance focused on the nice expanse of
smooth mid-drift.

"He's looking at me again, isn't he?" Chloe dead-panned whipping around to catch Brady burying his head quickly in his magazine as if intently reading. "But no he
wouldn't look at me directly, no that would be against the rules remember? . . . Because if I can't have my Privacy we're going to at least Pretend that I do and that
Brady doesn't exists, just like he Promised, right Belle?!"

"Oh Chloe, I'm sorry," Belle managed to gasp out between chuckles indulgently watching Brady's downcast chastised appearance, "I don't think I can do this. He is
my brother. I can't just ignore that he's sitting inches away from us."

"Yah, but you managed to do a pretty fine job of it when he was eating our food."

"Chloooe. Come on, be nice. Please? Pretty Please, for me? Your bestest dearest pal?" The young blond pleaded with her patented guaranteed-to-sway puppy dog
eyed, pouted lipped expression succeeding to make her friend sigh and throw her hands up in concession.

"Fine. You have permission to speak Brady."

No sooner than Chloe had said the words and the magazine was dropped to the table, the very animated and eager young man abandoning it to scoot his chair over
to sit next to his startled sister, all his attention centered on her.

"Who's Shawn?" He inquired, folding his hands together, his stare unsettlingly fixated.

"I take it back Chloe, I can ignore him just fine. Make him shut-up."

"Not a chance. Ol' buddy o' pal--"

"--Belle who is this Shawn boy that you think is. . .ah. . .hot? How old is he? What are his intentions? What does his father do?"





"I can't change the past; I can only change the future."

He didn't realize it but he was whispering the words over and over again like a prayer as he ran through his defensive patterns in a rapid succession of hand blocks to his training post with it's arms thrust out at every conceivable angle of attack.

And even as his focus grew more and more centered, away from the spacious empty gym to the outstretched pieces of wood, his hands moving in a blurring flurry, the sweat wetting his dark hair black and glistening down his bare chest, it still wasn't enough. It never was enough, no matter how hard he worked to get her out of his system, whether it be with weights, or calisthenics, or even drunken boxing-Sami was always there to torment his mind and soul. He hated her; he loved her, the mother of his son.

Like always she'd been a bitch today, flaunting Austin in his face, rewriting history to suit her own warped tunnel vision, pretending that she never thought of him as a friend, never knew him better than anyone else. And for what, so that she could lie to herself that he wasn't a good father and justify every shitty thing she tried to do to steal Will away from him?

If he was a bastard-f**ck she drove him to it. God the nerve of that woman, starting another custody war, hiring a new lawyer to spew her spin that he was an unfit parent because of his new school and its violent, debauched nature. It just proved she didn't know a thing about him or the martial arts. He trained his students self-control, first and foremost, to always avoid a confrontation if possible, to only use their skills in defense. Control and harmony of the body, spirit, and mind were the goals of his instructions, not self-aggrandizement; rather, his tenets were almost religious.

And so what if his specialty was drunken boxing? The use of alcohol was meant to provide desensitization to pain and in truth wasn't even necessary to practice the moves, maintaining the perfect unwavering imbalance that does not fall. Hell, drunken boxing required an even greater level of control than the other forms of martial arts since he had to always be aware of how much to drink and how much not to-- for as his master taught, 'a boat can float in water, but a boat can sink in water as well'.

But like everything else important to him, she had to twist it and make it appear ugly.

Consequently, he'd been pretty vicious this afternoon, had Victor kick her out of the guest house when he'd gotten the court order to attend the preliminary hearing, told her coldly that maybe she could visit Will on the weekend. And now even though he shouldn't, he regretted it.

And like always the pain brought him to the gym, but this time it wasn't helping much. His hands were starting to bruise, his knuckles starting to bleed, the image of her beautiful angry face was seared into his mind, like the mantra he couldn't stop repeating.

"I can't change the past; I can only change the future."

Sighing, he finally stopped his patterns, leaned his head against the post, and gave up on not thinking about his throbbing hands or her, when suddenly through the open windows of the gym he heard a car pull up, its doors slam, and a voice he'd recognize anywhere.

"John, I'm not going in there! I won't do it! You Can't make me! Not for anything in the world! I'd rather eat glass than ask him for anything, be indebted to him for anything! After everything he's done to me, why can't you understand that?"

"Because not only is he in the best position to protect you and Will, he Is the best and that's a fact.. . Sami, there simply isn't another option. Think of Will."

And she must of because after that all Lucas could hear other than silence was approaching footsteps. And his heart sped with the thought that something must be seriously wrong for Sami to seek his help.


(A couple days have past. Oh and for those who asked. The Salem PD never questioned Brady about the shootings because they were all having lunch at the Hudson Street Dinner at the time and were too infatuated with Kate to notice anything unusual.)

As she walked down main street, idly glancing at the passing shops and milling pedestrians, ignoring the exaggerated banter of the two girls twittering beside her and the three men adamantly forging plans behind her, taking the time out every once in a while to crank her neck back and see if her son had gotten off of Brady's shoulders yet; Sami tried to figure out if she liked her step brother or not.

Presently, cutie pie that he was, she was leaning more towards not.

Because of Brady, Austin had skipped town, to God knows where, under the foolish notion that Carrie might be in danger. Because of Brady, she had to go begging to Lucas. Had to agree to follow his 'orders'. And worst of all, had to move in with the drunken lout in the practically barren apartment above his 'school'. It was either that or have John handcuff her to his kitchen sink because he supposedly didn't have eyes in the back of his head and couldn't keep watch over her, her mother, and Belle all at the same time (whatever, like she couldn't take care of herself; what did he think she was reckless or something).

And to top it all off, Brady practically worshiped Lucas. For the last two and a half hours she had to listen to the boy ramble on and on about the 'Great Master Roberts' and what an honor it was to meet him, and how he had won this match or that, or performed one impossible stunt after another, and was the story concerning him and the USA Olympics women's gymnastics team true?

Sami wanted to puke.

Of course, Lucas was eating it up, practically glowing from all the praise, yet acting oh-so-humble with his grunts-of-no-comment while simultaneously flying away on his inflated ego. He made her ill. If John hadn't kept pushing the conversation back to the business at hand, namely Ling, she probably would have doubled over in nausea by now.

Yes, at the moment she could completely empathize with Chloe that Brady was nothing more than a Big Pain. But that didn't mean that she didn't find Belle and her best friend's discussion equally sickening. There was only so much whining she could tolerate. Gritting her teeth and clenching her fists as Chloe once more pointed out their complete lack of danger and Belle for the millionth time agreed wholeheartedly, Sami finally reached the breaking point.

"Would you two just Drop It Already!" For Belle's sake, she tried not to sneer; she really, really tried.

"What!?" Both girls turned their shocked and hurt faces towards her.

Damn, she must have sneered.

Chloe looked like she was bordering on apoplexy and Belle appeared teary eyed. Sighing, Sami rubbed her temples and tried a little damage control.

"You heard me. Your constant complaining is useless and basically over nothing."

"How can you say that, when he shadows me where ever I-"

"Go. Yes, I've gotten the picture. Loud and clear. And believe me I can relate, but your problem is easily solved while mine isn't."

At that revelation, Chloe's angry expression instantly turned to one of interest, dropping her voice several decibels she sidled up close to Sami and asked in deadly seriousness, "How so?"

"Brady said that he owed you his life, right? Until the day that he saved your life in return; am I correct?"

"Yes, but I don't -"

"You know, everyone tells me how bright you are, but I'm beginning to have my doubts. . . It's so simple. Put your life in jeopardy, let Brady save you, and you're free." Sami whispered in the girl's ear conspiratorially, a small, satisfied smile tugging at her lips when Chloe sucked in her breath in comprehension and jumped up and down in excitement.

"That's brilliant! Why didn't I think of that! Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Chloe gushed while Sami mentally patted herself on the back with a 'Sweet Lord, I'm Good' and Belle kept piping in wanting to know what was said.

Sami was just about to fill Belle in when Chloe sprinted off running into the middle of the road, right in front of an on-coming semi. Sami's heart dropped at the sight. This was definitely not what she had in mind.

"Chloe STOP!" She called out but to no avail as in slow motion she saw the truck driver slam on his breaks, the vehicle careen to it's side, the tires squealing, the horn blasting, Chloe screaming. In a panic, she yelled at the men to do something, almost ran out into the street herself, but Brady trapped her, his hands on her shoulder, iron in his gaze. In surreal horror, she watched the scene unfold chanting under her breath for Chloe to move, move, move when almost at the last second the girl did, jumping out of the way.

Shaking at the side of the curb, deathly pale, Chloe looked up at them as they all rushed to gather around her, or rather she looked up at Brady staring right into his eyes.

"Why didn't you save me?" She trembled, numbly rising to her feet, smearing the dirt on her hands into her pretty white dress.

"The decision to take one's life is personal and I promised not to interfere in your personal affairs." He stated flatly.

She just stared and then weakly she walked away, Belle and the others trailing behind.

Everybody, except for Sami who stayed with her brother and noticed the slight smile he was trying to hide.

"You wouldn't of let her get hit."

"Of course not. But now she will think twice before placing herself in danger."

It was at that second that Sami decided she liked him. She took his hand in her own and gave it an encouraging squeeze.

"You're a good guy Brady, you're all right with me."
(Later that day-still walking around)

Brady was worried; his little sun was not acting as expected. She should have been angry with him, throwing out sarcastic comments left and right, cutting him down with her stare, or at the very least, ignoring him in murderous silence. But instead, she held his hand, swinging their joined arms back and forth as she brightly chattered away, behaving as if he was her very best friend in the world.

It was like she had never stepped in front of a truck. It was like he hadn't let her. But even more disconcerting, it was as if she actually wanted him in her life.

She must be up to something, he thought morosely, wishing his father and sisters hadn't gone home, wanting someone to explain Chloe to him.

"So what do you think?"

She tugged at the bottom of his 'Wolverine versus Sabertooth' shirt, gaining his muddled attention with her pretty wide-eyed blues.

"What? About what?"

He furrowed his brows, stopping their trek along the walkway, pulling her off to the side of the 'Bridal Boutique' building so he could examine the boisterous crowd, while simultaneously paying attention to her.

"Buying Will a puppy, silly. I think you should. After all, he is your nephew and you have missed every single one of his birthdays and every Christmas too. You should get him a homecoming gift, definitely."

It touched him that she should be concerned for the happiness of his family. Looking down into her sincere, earnest face, he couldn't help but feel ashamed at his earlier suspicions. To imagine that she would hold a grudge against him, this generous woman who had saved his life, it seemed ludicrous now.

"It is your opinion? This . . . homecoming gift, it is customary, in this country?" He asked hesitantly, not realizing till now how much he craved her acceptance.

"Totally. Poor little kid is probably wondering why you haven't gotten him anything already. He probably thinks you don't like him and I can't even begin to guess what Sami thinks-"

"But I do, I do like him! He is family."

"I know that, and you know that, but does Will know that? Let me tell you little kids are Sensitive! You already dropped the ball by not greeting him with a present. . .I'm afraid, the only way to make it up to him now is to get him something really good, like a puppy." She continued on conspiratorially, pulling him back into the crowd, her arm looped around his waist, cheerfully maneuvering him along until his next words stopped her dead in her tracks.

"Hmmm, perhaps you are right. I will get him a good gift. Not an animal, too much responsibility for one so young. I'll give him my nunchaku."

"You can't mean. . . numb-chucks?. . . ARE YOU CRAZY? YOU WANT TO GIVE A FIVE YEAR OLD NUMB-CHUCKS!"

He smiled into her clearly appalled and enraged countenance, no longer fooled. His first instinct was right; she was up to something. He decided to play along trying to goad her further, hoping she'd reveal something.

"My master gave me my first pair when I was four. I loved them." He confided, amused to watch her scramble to cover up her first reaction of frustrated disappointment.

"I-I'm sure you did. . .but Sami will freak, she'll have a cow! Trust me; just get him a puppy. And what Luck! Look right up there is the pet store. It must be Sign! Come on, Brady, let's go get Will a Puppy!!"

Excitedly, she pulled at him urging him forward while Brady followed in patronizing bafflement, curious to discover what was so important about a pet store.

*********-----------*********************

A man clothed in a black suit, his dark hair gelled fashionably, his stance at coiled ease, watched the young couple enter the pet store from across the street. Removing his sunglasses, his squinted into the sunny afternoon light and raised his cell-phone to his ear.

Whatever he heard caused him great pleasure. Although, one would not be able to discern that fact from the expression on his non-descript face, rather his joy could be observed in the way he moved across the street with precise intent.

************--------**********************

Likewise, across town at the front of the Salem 'Pick N Save', a similarly clothed man was enthusiastically signally to his cohorts as they pulled up, the tires squealing, in a navy sedan.

It was the same 'Pick N Save' that Sami, Lucas, and Will had just entered in search of a gallon of milk and a box of 'Captin Crunch' cereal.

Pacing amongst the rows of brightly packaged cookies and crackers, her pale yellow skirt swishing, her open toed sandals clogging, her crisp white blouse fluttering, Sami almost collided with yet another hapless shopper. After a quick mumbled apology for blocking the aisle and for scaring the 'bejeezes' out of a easily agitated, suffering from heart palpitations, poor old widower of ten years (may God rest his dear Edna's soul) who had almost tipped his cart over in his haste to avoid plowing into her and who almost 'darn near met his maker' in the process, Sami practically tackled Lucas as he handed Will yet another box to throw into an already full cart.

"I'm ready to go." She gritted out, while smiling perkily over her shoulder at the pea green tweed clad gentleman she had just abandoned.

The old man scowled evilly in return shaking his cane at her.

Startled, Sami grasped Lucas by the shoulders and repeated herself.

"I'm Ready to Go."

"Well, I'm not and neither is Will. We haven't decided if we want Oreo's or Chips Ahoy yet, and we haven't even Begun to compare and contrast the multitude of merits between Fishy Crackers and TeddyGrams. Isn't that right Buddy?"

As Will nodded his head solemnly, Sami started rifling through the cart picking up item after item.

"Junk, junk, junk, junk, JUNK! Hey, this is all junk!" She exclaimed throwing Lucas a package she'd just grabbed.

"Ah! Be careful! You almost crushed my Ding-Dongs!" Fumbling, he clutched the chocolate-coated cream filled treats to his chest safe against his 'Bruce Lee' black tee.

"Like I care. Look at the example you're setting for Will. I thought with your new hobby-"

"-Career-"

"-Fine, career, that you'd care about nutrition, that your body is your temple."

"My body is my temple."

"Really? Because, judging from the contents of this cart the only altars you've been praying at belong to Hostess, Little Debbie, and FritoLay."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah that's so."

"Ok, Nutrition Nazi, how about explaining your box of Captain Crunch cereal with the Mega Blast of Crunch Berries? Huh? What do have to say about that? …….. What's the matter the sugar-free fairy got your tongue?"

"A-at least it's enriched with Some vitamins and minerals unlike your precious cupcakes-

"--Ding-dongs-"

"-Whatever, the point is we came here for cereal. The sole purpose of this outing was to get cereal and milk, a five minute trip tops; and forty-five minutes later, guess what we have instead?. . .A Cart Full of Crap! That's What! Forty-five minutes, Lucas, Forty. . .Five. . . . . .Minutes! I could be watching Croc Files right now!"


In amazement, Will looked on as his mother chucked a bag of Cool Ranch Doritoes sky high into the air and his dad made the most spectacular running backwards one handed catch ever. Even the old man pretending to study the vast assortment of raisins and dried prunes down the aisle was impressed. Of course, Sami wasn't. She simply crossed her arms and waited while Lucas sauntered back towards them fuming.

"Oh so that's what this is really about. . .the Crocodile Hunter. . .Will cover your ears." He commanded taking his nemesis gently by the hands and escorting her a few feet away from their son.

"Usted es un uno mismo centrado conceited a palo de golf de la rodilla de la perilla!" He cussed her out under his breath thankful for his three years of High School Spanish.

* translation : you are nothing more than a self-centered conceited knobby-kneed brat *

And while uncertain of the language, Sami sure as hell knew the tone. So, after taking one glance at her son who was doing a terrible job of covering his ears, she searched her mind for long lost knowledge, namely what she gleaned in High School German.

"Ich hasse Sie, Sie groBes grosses dummes Schwein!"

* I hate you, you great big stupid pig

"Perra insane!"

*insane bitch

"Du Freaking Arschloch!"

*you freaking asshole

And so forth and so on, they continued to trade insults never realizing that they were being carefully stalked; and thus, taken completely by surprise when three dark suited men blocked the north end of the aisle while two other equally decked out individuals blocked the south side of the aisle. In fact, Will had to point and ask what the secret service were doing at the 'Pick N Save' while one of the thugs commented loudly to his companions (in Chinese) that he'd enjoy silencing such a pair of bickering crows, before the arguing couple would pay any attention.



As she entered 'Karl's Animal Kingdom' with its caws and barks and chirps and meows and hisses and door chimes ringing, with its fur and feathers and fins and scales and colors, along with the cages and aquariums and pet food and squeaky toys and scratching posts and chains and books amongst a wide assortment of other odds and ends; her blue eyes instinctively sought out the dark gaze of her conspirator ringing up a sale behind the cash register and handing a young woman, with a diamond nose stud, her newly acquired Angel fish viva a small, water filled Ziploc bag.

Immediately, her step lightened, her will fortified, her faith in fair play renewed for Kevin smiled back inclining his head ever so slightly her way.

The plan was a go.

Without giving Kevin a second glance, Chloe pulled Brady off to the back of the store where the puppies were kept in a separate room that could be viewed through its glass wall. There she made the appropriate 'ooooos' and 'ahhhhs' and 'isn't that one soooo cute, look, how adorable, it sneezed' noises. Masterfully, she pretended that the puppies were the real reason that they were in the store, and not the snakes-more specifically not the scarlet king snake which bears a striking resemblance to, and in fact is often mistaken for, the highly poisonous coral snake.

"Is there anything I can help the two of you with?" Politely, Kevin inquired while adjusting the nametag on his atrociously blue and red polka dot speckled shirt, his previous customer long gone from the store.

"I like that one, can you tell me how much he is?" Brady asked; his tone light and excited as he watched a tiny Siberian Husky happily munch on the newspaper lining its cage.

For some unknown reason, this made Chloe feel bad.

Out of nowhere, she experienced a slight twinge of guilt as Kevin informed them that the dog had already been sold, Brady's crestfallen face tugging at some tender place in her heart; perhaps because even as annoying as he had been, she couldn't help but recognize his fundamentally innocent and good spirit or that for all his self-assuredness how at heart he was no more than isolated--never to be quite understood.

From under her black, thick-rimmed glasses, she could relate.

But she could also relate to taking a shower without someone checking to see if the water was too hot or liable to scald her 'creamy delicate skin, so smooth and fine as the butterfly's wing.'

With that particularly embarrassing memory in mind, she turned to Kevin, squashed her guilt, and exclaimed on cue, "Oh that's horrible, poor Will, that puppy would have been perfect for him!"

To which Kevin responded (as they had earlier discussed he would over the cell phone, from which Chloe had called him while she was supposedly going to the ladies room), "Will? You mean you want to buy a puppy as a gift? How old is Will?"

"Five."

"Five. . .hmmm, a lot of little boys come in here looking for snakes or chameleons. If you don't mind my suggesting, I think that's the way to go. Reptiles are all the rage with that age group. I think it has something to do with dinosaurs or maybe the Crocodile Hunter. And, Cickey, the parents love to buy them too; probably because they're so easy to take care of."

At the mention of the Crocodile Hunter, Brady beamed, his interest obviously piqued.
"Show me the snakes." He commanded enthusiastically while Chloe made the appropriate 'ick, gross' response and Kevin guided them over to the reptile section where he commenced to point out the various types of snakes (from the garter to the python) lecturing on their diverse feeding habits and temperaments and statistics as if he was a PBS documentary speaker.

But Kevin stopped short at one particular aquarium. "That's odd." He commented almost to himself.

"What's odd?" Chloe asked.

"Ummm. . .there must have been a mix-up. This snake shouldn't be out on the floor. It's a most deadly species: Micrurus fulvius, the coral snake, one bite from it's fangs can cause drooping eyelids, slurred speech, double vision, drowsiness, disorientation, hallucinations, continuous, aimless physical activity, convulsions and even death! Its venom acts as a neurotoxin paralyzing the heart and respiration. We usually keep them in the back room for the University Hospital. It most assuredly shouldn't be out here! I better quick return it to its proper place; if you'll excuse me?"
And thus, Kevin picked up the aquarium causing Chloe to sigh, mentioning to Brady that she thought 'that one was pretty with its yellow, red, and black stripes, too bad'. Likewise, Brady shook his head in sad agreement. But then, he turned his attention on to a brightly colored garter snake and smiled thinking that Will was going to be thrilled.

It was at this point that all hell broke loose.

Because just as Kevin 'accidentally' (on purpose) tripped, there by 'accidentally' (on purpose) releasing the scarlet king snake which he had 'accidentally' (on purpose) identified as a coral snake, Chow Lee, Ling's right hand man and most deadly assassin, entered the building motioning for Brady to come and 'dance' (fight).

The thing is--fights are messy.

Especially if you are in say, a pet store. Kitty litter goes flying, falling in a shower of pellets to scatter haphazardly everywhere, lingering in dark corners and under cabinets, far from the reach of a vacuum cleaner for years remaining, until finally it cures its poignant odor into the very walls. Sadly such an event happened at Karl's when Chow round-housed kicked Brady into a five-pound bag of Fresh Step. A hole was tore into its side upon impact and further ripped when Brady picked up the bag and threw it in his adversary's direction where it imploded, the contents dispersing all over, as Chow blocked it with a nice chop of the hand. Some of the chalky granules even found their way down the front of the shocked and bewildered Chloe Lane's dress.

The poor girl was unable, even then, to process that an assassin was indeed in her midst attacking her protector. She watched dumbfounded as punches, blocks, and kicks met and re-met in a blurring exchange of fists and legs, cages knocked broken to the floor, the various animals escaping while Kevin in a panic tried to gather them all up as the fight continued moving towards the back stock room. In wonder, she witnessed Chow deliver Brady a crushing spinning hook kick to the abdomen, the small and hard back of his heel excruciatingly damaging, sending her friend crashing through the stock room door. The wood splintered everywhere jagged and sharp.

Immediately Chow followed the move with a walking stance, while Brady painfully hand sprung to his feet flowing into a Tiger stance both his knees bent to his lower body about six inches with only the ball of his right foot touching the floor slightly wincing as he prepared himself for another attack, the shattered debris on the floor dotted with his blood.

It was this sight coupled with the gash along Brady's left cheek that woke Chloe from her stupor. Shrieking 'no' she rushed Chow, to Brady's utter horror, jumping on his back, almost tripping over a school of goldfish flapping their tails helplessly in the dry air outside their overturned tank. Hence, her hold was far from solid.

The dark-eyed assailant smiled, effortlessly flipping the girl over his head and into her sprinting would-be-hero; the force of it catapulting the twosome straight back, smashing into 3 tier shelves, upending several boxes filled with fish flakes, a case of collars, and two aquariums full of yellow, black, and red striped snakes. Weakly, the couple tried to regain their feet amongst the broken glass, slithering reptiles, and trashed brick-a-brak. Pain and anxiety etched in their mirror gazes, as they sought to help each other up, time slipping into the now, slowing, halting as they stood holding onto one another.

In the following calm, their nemesis approached eerily. His movements perversely at ease while he straightened his cuffs, smoothed back his hair, and delicately dabbed at the sweat on his brow with a gray silk handkerchief pulled from his pocket. Looking with contempt at his prey, he waited-- a man of order, he found the whole affair to be beneath him and his talents-it was pitiful.

"Americans and their messes." He goaded pleased to see the young master advance.

***************------------------

Meanwhile across town at the Pick N' Save, another fight equally (if not more) disastrous was just about to break out with five thugs threatening the Robert's clan by rudely blocking the cookie aisle with their bulky bodies.

Abruptly stepping forward, pushing his son, Sami, and the widower behind him, Lucas instantly sized up the situation. In a matter of seconds he had a nickname for each man.

There was Tidy Bowl, a big bald pirate type stuffed inside a suit. Next to him stood, the Knife, the most dangerous out of the group, lean and lethal, sharp and mean, but with eyes that lacked the keen intelligence of a pro. On the opposite end of the aisle lurked Ganghus and Kahn, two steroid taking body builder types with bad teeth and fists like hammers. And lastly (and definitely least) was the Flunkie, a skinny, smarmy, and out of place nervous wreck of a man-obviously, somebody's relative since he was busy hiding behind Kahn while opening a package of Fruit Newtons, sinking his teeth into one when he thought nobody was looking.

Smiling and spreading his arms wide, palms open in a gesture of friendliness, Lucas found he was more concerned than worried.

"It's me you want, let these three go." He address Tidy while edging towards the shopping cart.

"The old man can leave. Your son, your woman will come with us. You will die." Tidy replied tersely unknowing how his statement would result in four separate yet overlapping conversations.

"I'm Not his Woman!"

"Sami shut-up!"

"Listen boy, I was a Navy Seal in my younger days, stick with me and you might live to see another sunrise."

". . .Well I'm not! Listen whoever you are, my Dad is the chief of police in this town, and he's going to Kick your Ass if you don't leave us Alone. . ."

"I'm scared Dad, are they really going to kill you?"

"No of course not Will, I'm grateful to you sir but I think I have it under control, Sami Shut UP!"

". . .So you and your Goons better hightail it Out of Here, Mr. Big, Bad, and Definately Ugly. . .What are you like Queequeg?"

"Sami!"

"Pipe it down Sister! Your husband has troubles enough! Queequeg indeed! Why my Edna would be rolling in her grave to hear such foul language from a lady."

"I SAID I'M NOT HIS WOMAN OR HIS WIFE! I'M NOT HIS ANYTHING!"

Wisely, as everyone in the nearby vicinity cringed and covered their ears, Lucas made his move.

First he pushed the cart as hard as he could to the north end of the isle bowling over Ganghus, Flunkie, and Kahn in the process. As he did this, he politely informed Sami that she was the mother of his son, thank you very much. Then he grabbed the good veteran's cane with a 'may I borrow this' and rushed the south end using the makeshift weapon to batter Tidy and Knife screaming at Will and Sami to run and hide.

Will did as he was told racing to the service counter to get help and find safety.

Sami on the other hand did not do as she was told. She sped to the next aisle, grabbed some can goods, and returned to the fray to beam Ganghus in the head with three cans of Chunky New England Clam Chowder before he could whack the widower for tripping up Kahn. She would of saved some of the cans for Flunkie but he ran in the opposite direction the second he saw her raise her arm.

Thus out of ammo and standing targets, Sami sped back to the neighboring aisle with the widower fast on her heels.

While all this was going on Lucas was doing his best to fend off Tidy and Knife. He'd been doing quite well, until Knife broke his cane. After that, he could no longer strike, as all his concentration became wrapped up in blocks; and no matter how rapid the succession of moves he made he started to quickly feel the blows land as Knife and Tidy worked in unison, one going for his head while the other worked his mid-section. Taking the next hits, Lucas used his hands to toss packages in the faces of his enemies and shimmed up to the top of the shelf, leaping to the next shelf/aisle before Knife and Tidy knew what he was about.

From his new vantage point he could see Sami and her cohort gathering cans, Ganghus and Kahn getting to their feet, and Will pointing at him while tugging at the sleeve of a disbelieving salesclerk.

Impulsively, Lucas jumped down next to Sami startling her into a scream, dragging her over to the meat department, the former Navy Seal trailing close behind.

"I thought I told you to get the Hell out!"

"Who Died and made you The King of the World, in case you Failed to notice, I'm Helping!"

"No you Aren't!"

"Yes I AM!"

"No Yo-I don't have Time for this. If you Want to make yourself Useful, get me some Hard Liquor. I've got to find a weapon."

"What!?"

"Just for once in your life, Do as your Told. Go Get!" He pushed her away just as the entirety of Ling's hired muscle regrouped and flanked (even Flunkie whom Tidy had pulled away from the magazine rack, an issue of Soap Opera Weekly still clutched in his trembling hands).

Once again Lucas opted for the flat out run.

************ Back at the Pick N' Save in the Meat & Dairy Department*************************

Thanks to a carton of eggs, two unhappy lobsters, a crate of jumbo yellow onions, and Jack Daniels, Lucas was in the best and unlikeliest of all positions.

His first step to paradise, the eggs, did a masterful job of pissing off his enemy-always a good thing-as he flung the fragile shells behind him at his fast approaching foes, hitting each and every target several times causing the yellow goo to burst forth and stick and smear along foreheads and tinge shirts and pants most unattractively.

Knife was especially agitated having gotten an egg right in the family jewels-again not hurting him, but causing an embarrassing stain in a rather tiny area. His face twisted and contorted in flaming rage, the hired man made a grab for the first thing he could toss in reciprocation.

The two lobsters torn from their watery tank were not pleased.

For his audacity, the little red fellows did their best to snap Knife's fingers off, but sadly their claws were bound in plastic bands. This too disgruntled them most profoundly as they flew through the air at Lucas who added insult to injury by catching them and whirling them around like numb chucks advancing on all of Ling's men who were now not only pissed off but confused.

Their confusion tripled as wet, red, lobster flesh smacked them up-side the heads and Lucas made it to the produce section unharmed since speeding lobsters to the face do hurt, unlike eggs, and the men were forced to protect themselves rather than attack.

Alas for the poor lobsters, they too smarted for the exercise.

Yet their pain was short lived as their captor abandoned them for a crate of onions, and happily away they crawled thinking 'freedom is ours, to the sea, to the sea' down the isle past many a flabbergasted shopper.

For his part, Lucas didn't spare the crustaceans a thought as he scooped up handful after handful of onions pelting the barely recovered thugs who cried out in pain as onion juice dribbled into their stinging eyes giving him the extra minute to guzzle down a couple bottles of Jack Daniels which Sami and the widower had finally returned with.

Thus with a sonic burp, the situation suddenly turned beautiful, outrageously so, as pain was numbed and his surrounding reduced to a blurring buzzing drone. Lucas felt outside himself as he wavered, but did not fall, casting aside the bottles, curling his wrists into classic drunken master form, and waiting for his opponents to press on.

Tiddy was the first rushing like a bull, roaring like a matador--at least from our hero's point of view who giggled and placed two fingers on top of his head wiggling them like horns and charging, flooring his assailant with a cracking head butt.

"The Toreador meets his match!" He bellowed giggling some more and holding his aching skull while Sami cringed looking on in horror only to cover her eyes aghast.

Then it was Gangus and Kahn who stepped into the fray, trying to take Lucas out in a series of synchronized kicks and punches to which the master simply side-stepped until he got a hold of Kahn and flipped him into Gangus, both cannon balling into the banana display.

"Banana Split!" Lucas chuckled in glee until Knife delivered him a sever blow to the back sending him sprawling with a flurry of kicks to dodge.

More than the actual hits, it was giving him a headache to watch the man's legs move so fast.

So much anger, Lucas thought in his woozy haze on the floor feeling slightly sorry for the hostile hooligan who must never had been hugged as a child. Intent on correcting this parental oversight, he bounded to his feet and ignored all the blows he was suffering to effectively enclose Knife in a crunching hug.

He squeezed and squeezed and squeezed all the while murmuring to Knife that his parents never really loved him either and that 'I'm Ok, you're Ok, it's O….K'.

And when he finally let go of Knife, who slid to the floor unconscious, it was with a big smile on his face.

He turned to Sami grinning wildly, "I call that the Bear Hug! I call this one Sex on the Beach," he informed her with intent, lowering his voice to a sexy growl, eyeing the bottle of vodka in her hand happily.

And thus the best and unlikeliest of all positions was achieved after Lucas caught a fleeing Sami up in his arms kissing her mightily amongst the Pineapple Juice while Henry (the former Navy Seal) and Flunkie shared a pint of Captain Morgan's along with tales of long lost loves and Will and the kind Pick N' Save cashier chased after the free roaming lobsters who were presently holed up amongst the Rice Crispy bars.

To his credit, Craig had tried to bar the gawking girl from her current position as she hovered over Brady wincing in sympathy at every revealed contusion, laceration, or inadvertent groan of pain during patch-up duty constantly interrupting the exam with either another order of 'be careful' or a myriad of solicitations towards the highly amused and uncooperative patient such as 'do you need your pillow higher?', 'are you thirsty, should I get you a glass of water, tea?', 'I can get Craig to give you a painkiller, Craig give him something already, he's in pain dammit.', and the like.

Dryly, the badgered physician compared the experience to taking a car ride with Nancy, thinking of his stepdaughter's behavior as little better than her mother's 'backseat' driving and equally as annoying. Yet, each time he looked at Chloe, taking in the thin angry scratches marring her arms and neck, or the slight swelling along her jawbone, he felt his emotions confuse, the proof of the danger she was in causing his stomach to lurch in anxiety while simultaneously he felt weak with an intense relief that his girl was safe, relatively unharmed, and alive to irritate him.

Still, he also thanked God that he was almost done and nearly jumped for joy when Chloe whisked away on some unknown errand, her promise of 'be right back' urging him to wrap Brady's ribs in record time.

Donning the cool, authoritative persona of chief of staff he studied his patient critically.

"You should be in the hospital. It's quite possible that you could have a concussion, along with several broken bones, and I don't even want to think about internal bleeding. You need x-rays along with the type of care and facilities that I cannot provide here."

"I am well, thanks to you Doctor Wesely." Serenely, the boy smiled as indifferent and placid as an underground lake.

It made Craig want to break each and every single tenant of the Hippocratic oath.

It simply wasn't right that anyone, especially the man who had endangered his family and thrown his home into chaos, should be that blasé about these types of circumstances and injuries. Nor was there any justice in the fact that his stepchild had suddenly fallen into some sort of sick hostage/kidnapper infatuation. Thus, his good will snapped along with the adhesive tape around Brady's abdomen being pulled too tightly, his satisfaction over the resulting grimace remaining unscathed even as Chloe returned, a wash rag slung over her shoulder, a pan in her hands, and a shocked scowl plastered firmly on her face.

"Hey! Stop it! You're hurting him!" She screeched rushing to the bedside abandoning the pan on the nightstand, hovering once more.

At the black stare she shot him, Craig almost felt guilty, but all his anger reasserted when she timidly grasped her battered protector's hand.

"No I'm not. According to him, he's hunky dory…isn't that right son?"

At Brady's bewildered expression, Chloe gently explained. "He means that you say you are healthy and well."

"He is angry."

"Yes, I think so."

"My apologies. I am sorry, Mr. Wesely, Chloe, for …trouble I have caused. I would leave, go to the hospital, give you privacy Chloe, but I cannot protect you from the hospital. When you saved my life, you…are my family, not to me only--to Ling also. Mr. Wesely please understand Ling will try to hurt Chloe now more than before. I would die to prevent it…I beg humbly for this honor."

At the earnest solemnity behind the boy's gaze, Craig simply nodded accepting, before gently murmuring to his daughter to 'take care of him' and exiting the guestroom wondering how in the hell he was going to explain this mess to Nancy.


"Take care of him."

With a click of the door, he was alone with his little sun.

She shone, all grace, all light following her as she tenderly smiled, her eyes bright with unshed tears, wringing out a cloth as linen white as a paper lantern as smooth and soft as her milky skin to place its warmth upon his forehead, his pain dissipating the second her finger tips lightly soothed through his hair and then along his cheek. Without warning, he captured her errant hand and brought it to his lips, engulfed in the blue storm of her gaze, enraptured in the airy touch of the kiss.

She didn't pull away.

Instead his heart hammered as she removed the cloth, leaned over, her dark hair spilling tendrils around him, slipping her hand from his easy grasp to cup his chin while placing feather light kissing lips to favor first the upper then the lower half of his slightly parted mouth, ending it with a gentle kiss to the forehead.
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And in the following silence as she wrung out the cloth, he contented himself in watching the rapid rise and fall of her chest and the glowing hue of her blush.

As his probing tongue could attest, the roof of his mouth did indeed taste and feel like cotton. But his stomach was calm. And while if he didn't know any better he'd swear the room was whirling, with a disconcerting vertigo washing behind his closed eyelids, at least his head wasn't a pounding agony.

As far as hangovers went, it wasn't bad. Not bad at all.

In fact, he couldn't complain a bit, while he snuggled his head upon the soft springy cushions of his pillows lethargically thinking that his bed never felt quite so comfortable or soft or warm before, or so silky or smelling so sweet and clean like musk like…….Sami?

Heart booming, he opened his eyes to find his face nuzzled in between the gentle swell of her cleavage, her fingers nestled through his hair.

Oh. My. God.

Perhaps he'd been too quick to praise his hangover.

Cautiously, he inched himself from the cradle of her chest frantic to recall just what the two of them had done together. He definitely remembered kicking ass at Pick N' Save. And grinning, he was certain that he'd given Sami one toe curler of a kiss, the fact that she kissed him back spreading his smile right up to his eyes. Then scowling, he sort of, kind of, thought that she had…slipped out of his arms and invited Henry over for supper and somehow Flunkie ended up tagging along? Yes, that was right. And they had spaghetti because he remembered laughing when she spilt some on her chest and then chuckling some more when Flunkie told them that off color joke about meatballs. And how could he forget the tale Henry spun, vividly recreating the story of his first love amongst the cliffs of Italy during WWII or the unshed tears glimmering in Sami's eyes?

And they had put Will to bed, and they had some more wine and he was sure there was more talk but he hadn't really been listening at that point-too busy wistfully looking at her, the charming way she raised her glass to her lips, the smiles and laughter she bestowed upon their guests, the unconscious tucking of her hair behind her ears raptly intent -and then…then…nothing.

A big blank frustrating Nothing.

For over two minutes he tried to will the memories back, leaning over her, head resting on his elbow, watching the tide of her breathing, tenderly pushing aside a stray hair from her face, before finally giving up, oddly disappointed that other than their shoes they were both fully dressed. Sighing, he decided to be content in the moment and lowered his head to rest upon her once more, well nigh half sleep before her sugary sweet voice drifted down to weave through his consciousness.

"You comfy?"

"Mmmhmm." He mumbled happily into her breasts.

"Well that's nice, seeing how I haven't been able to feel my arms or legs for the past six hours, and I now know what my Spleen tastes like…Get Off Me You Big Lumox!"

She punctuated her remarks with a swift yank to his left ear and a tremendous push sending him careening wide-awake.

"Ow! Hey! Is that any way to treat the man you've just slept with?"

"Slept with? Slept With? More like shared a near death experience with. You passed out on top of me You Jerk!"

"I did?"

"Yes! And you Wouldn't wake up! I was lucky I could wiggle out to where I could at least breathe."

"Why didn't you roll me off?"

"Oh I dunno…maybe because you weigh a freaking Ton! God, Lucas I could just…throttle you."

If it wasn't for the fact that she was rubbing her neck, wincing in pain, he would of smiled. She looked so rumpled and cute.

"I'm sorry. Here let me do that."

"No! Don't touch me."

"Sami come on, I said I'm sorry. Pleeeeease, let me help."

He gave her his best hangdog 'I'm a piece of crap and I know it look', taking her silence for acquiescence moving across the bed to rub her back. Ever so slowly, he felt her relax under his expert hands.

"Sooo…I guess you know what a pressed flower feels like, huh?" He murmured sympathy as she started to lean into his touch.

"That's an understatement." She pouted, a whisper. "Mmmm…that's nice, don't stop."

"Sami?"

"Yeah?" She exhaled drowsily.

"…..How'd I end up in your bedroom in the first place?"

Note: A few more weeks have past, Brady is healing and still rooming with the Wesely's.

Her hermit crab was lonely.

Correction--Will's hermit crab was lonely. She could tell by the morose way it toyed with its water sponge, dragging it across the neon green gravel bottom of its tiny aquarium, stubbornly pulling it over a littering of marbles and plastic palm trees. Poor lil' thing, Chloe thought, her mind filling with images of white sandy beaches stretching for miles along an endless turquoise ocean, the bright cheerful sun gleaming a refracted light show with the water as strings of kelp wash in amongst the shore rocks eddying into small pools, where happy hermit crab families frolic and feast (and sea monkeys, for some unknown reason, there were hoards of cartoon sea monkeys as well). It made her want to cry.

What must it be like to be torn from everything you've ever known and loved?

Bottom lip quivering, Chloe reached into the cage and tried to help the critter, moving King Neptune out of the way. With an audible click, claws, feelers, and inky beebe eyes instantly retreated deep inside shell armor.

"Feeling a bit anti-social, huh?" Chloe sighed, dropping the figurine and picking up the crab, making her way over to Brady's bed and plopping down, raising her palm bringing the shell eye level.


"I guess they don't call you a hermit for nothing…..

…Come out, come out, where ever you are….

…I promise, I won't hurt you. I'm really very nice, just ask anybody…

…Ok so I'm not nice, I'm horrible and nasty, that' why you won't come out and play, isn't it? After all, animals have instincts for these things. You don't believe me? Get out! You couldn't be more wrong. In fact, I have it on good authority that animals can tell for sure if somebody is nice or not and You are an animal ergo I must be Pond Scum because you aren't even moving a muscle….

….(Sigh)……..

….Nobody likes me everybody hates me. Guess I'll go eat worms. Long, thin, slimy ones. Short, fat, juicy ones.
Itsy, bitsy, fuzzy, wuzzy worms."

And like a charm, red chubby claws, busy feathery feelers, and beady black eyes were coaxed back into sight--that is until she stopped singing to smile and giggle.

"Oh so that's the way it is. Playing hard to get, huh? Fine, fine, but you're lucky I'm such a pushover. Down goes the first one. Down goes the second one. Oh, how they wiggle and squirm. Long, thin, slimy ones. Short, fat, juicy ones. Itsy, bitsy, fuzzy, wuzzy worms."

Her audience was blissfully prancing around her hand (it kind of tickled) as she continued to the next verse when suddenly she had that burning 'someone's looking at me' sensation in the back of her neck. Trailing off at 'out comes the second one' she slowly turned to see, and sure enough there was Brady grinning in the doorway.

Needless to say, the surly crab was not pleased as she whisked him back inside the aquarium. To be precise, he thought it was a load of crap, indeed a big pile of seagull droppings that she stopped right at the dramatic climax of the song. How dare she? He decided a sit-in was in order, a nice dark shell encased demonstration; screw the sponge, he'd redecorate later!

For her part, Chloe was nervously fidgeting while Brady crossed the room beaming.

"You have a lovely voice."

"Thank you. Ummm….he likes it when you sing."

"Mm. I like it too."

He moved in very close, taking her hands, slowly caressing her palm with his thumb.

"Plants! Um, plants like to be sung to too. The whole carbon dioxide…thing."

"I'll remember."

And he gave her that smile that almost always tripped up her heart before releasing her to retrieve the aquarium.

"Do you want to come with me? Give Will his pet."

"Yes! I'd like that, very much."

"Excellent….so, he likes music…"

She felt herself go all gooey inside when he winked. Certain it was her soul when he broke into song,' My heart only has you'. The words incomprehensible, it still sent chills down her spine, his voice so amazing.

And to be honest, even the crab enjoyed it, the melody resounding within his shady hide-away most pleasantly, but he vowed never to admit it, immersed in profound protest as he was. Thus, the couple remained ignorant.

My Heart Only has you-Andy Lau (Translated)

In a hurried circumstance I only knew your shadow

The feelings of a person farthest away seems to act in coordination with each other

The most naive eyes hide the finest laughter
My wish for half of a lifetime is to love someone like you

When I turned back, I knew I only had you in my heart
Along the sloping road, love still remains at the origin
Extrodinary days will make me want to reminisce

To think of you, thinking of you, my heart only has you.

The most naive eyes hide the finest laughter
My wish for half of a lifetime is to love someone like you

When I turned back, I knew I only had you in my heart
Along the sloping road, love still remains at the origin
Extraordinary days will make me want to reminisce

To think of you, thinking of you, my heart only has you.

"How many of you have seen Roadhouse with Patrick Swayze or any Steven Segal, Van Damme, Arnold Swartzenegger movie? …Well, you're never going to be those guys, in fact those guys aren't even those guys-- they're actors acting, and perhaps occasionally performing their own stunts. So forget Hollywood, TV, or any other preconceived notion that you may have that by the time your through taking these classes you'll be able to rip somebody's throat out or obliterate any opponent, no matter how much stronger or bigger they are than you, no matter what weapon they may be carrying. Cause it ain't gonna happen.

Repeat after me, 'there is no Vulcan death grip'.

If you really want to protect yourself or the people you care about you need to understand here and now that self-defense isn't about some fancy moves designed to mystically destroy your enemies. It's simply about keeping yourself Safe and in Control of your own choices, it's about your body being Yours and nobody else's. It's having the necessary mindset to do whatever you have to do to stop an attacker, even if that means taking your index and middle fingers and jabbing them into his or her eyes, Hard.

Today's lessons are about fighting dirty, hitting where it will do Maximum damage with the least amount of effort, to give you the time you need to get away.

Now, I can tell by the looks on some of your faces that this makes you uncomfortable that just the thought of putting somebody's eye out gives you the heebeegeebies. And that's fine; it's normal; it means you care about other people…but it's Wrong. It's the type of thinking that could wind up getting you killed. We are not talking about situations where you are the aggressor picking a fight, we are talking about a situation where you've been Forced to defend yourself or someone you care about. No One has the right to control you or hurt you; but you have every right to protect yourself, to stop them.

Remember, self defense isn't about hurting people, it's about staying safe…"

Standing silently in his heavy padding, listening to his partner, returning the wide-eyed gazes of the fascinated students, Lucas couldn't help but feel proud. He'd made the right decision asking her to help him conduct this seminar. He could tell by the energy radiating off of her in waves, by the sincerity behind her speech, that she'd finally gotten it. She finally understood what his school meant to him, what teaching the martial arts had done for him. He'd be surprised if she'd belittle it again.

"….that said let's take a ten minute break before drawing straws over who gets to plummet Lucas first…after me of course."

As the students filed off to stretch and go to the bathroom, Lucas found himself irresistibly drawn to her. He couldn't help but gloat, she looked far too happy.

"Who better than Sami Brady to give a lecture on the merits of self-preservation?" He smirked.

"You said it! After putting up with your mother all these years, you'd think I'd have a metal by now. Is bitch-dodging an Olympic sport?"

"Cute Sami."

"I try to be."

"Admit it. You're enjoying yourself."

"Watch it Lucas, I swear if you say what I think you're going to say…"

"I told you so?"

"Yes, the magic words. You do realize that I still haven't informed our attentive, impressionable class that even the Best defense techniques are not guaranteed to work All the time…for instance when a drunken fool passes out on top of you."

"Jeez! I told you I was sorry already. How many times-"

"Ssh. Calm down, muscle man. No need to get all 'poofed' up. I'm just teasing."

Pushing a well-positioned forefinger into his cushion-suited chest, Sami laughed until Lucas couldn't keep from chuckling as well.

He'd forgotten how easy it was, how good it felt to be her friend. So good in fact that he decided to push his luck, "Speaking of which, you never did tell me how I ended up in your room."

He meant for it to be playful, but her smile faded in the quiet. She timed it to the second he started to sweat before winking, "that's for me to know and you to Never find out."

Note: Brady & Chloe came over with the hermit crab while Lucas was holding class, so they decided to join in the fun. This one is dedicated in gratitude to everyone who reads.

Grasping at the ends of the towel slung around his shoulders, Lucas mopped the sweat from his brow as he nearly collapsed on the mat, leaning back to idly watch his pupils scrimmage, grateful for the much-needed breather.

What a work-out, he thought, happiness surging through his whole being.

He hadn't felt this tired in a long time, but it was a good tired, a clean one. Still, he couldn't help but smile in rueful self-derision because he was all too aware of the real reason behind his exhaustion, behind the unrelenting precision of his movements as he lead the class through their forms and demonstrated one new technique upon another, and another, and another, and another. It all boiled down to one word, or rather one infuriating golden haired hellion-Sami.

He had to give her credit though, recalling her fierce determination as he took her on as uki. She sure could put up a fight.

Unbidden, his gaze slid to her as she made her way across the gym and bent over to retrieve a twenty ounce from the cooler. For one brief blissful moment he followed the lines of her body from her long tan legs up to her shorts past her flat little belly along the ample curves of her black sports bra to the delicate arch of her neck, the softness of her pink mouth, her sprite's nose, her eyes a vivid blue dancing in the flushness of her face, a small thrill speeding up his spine as she carelessly tossed back her hair, straightened, and headed back towards him, taking a long swig from the plastic bottle in her hand. Oh, to be that bottle, he mused, to have her lips around his--

"This has got to stop".

Hunkering down next to him, she effectively broke up his dirty-minded reverie with an outstretched hand, a few words, and an offering of Gatorade.

"What? I didn't do anything."

Guiltily, he accepted the bottle and adverted his gaze, starring at his bare feet. Hmm. He was going to have to clip his toe-nails pretty soon. Focus on the toe-nails, Lucas, focus on the toe-nails. After all, they looked nothing like Sami or bottles or--

"Not you, those two."

She smacked him on the arm and pointed. His feet were going to have to wait.

"Chloe and Brady? They're sparring. So what."

Actually, it was more like they were playing a bad game of tag, what with Chloe striking repeatedly and Brady easily dodging her every throw.

"He's completely undermining her confidence. He's not letting her win, at all."

"Hmmm, imagine that. Maybe, it's because he's better than her. He's been training since he was three and she just started an hour ago. It's to be expected. Plus, if you hadn't notice, she's doing all the attacking. He hasn't laid a finger on her."

"Pleaze. Every other second, he's flipping her to the floor."

"Well, yeah…I meant except for that."

"And does he really have to lay on top of her like that? I don't see any of the other students laying on top of each other!"

"To be precise, I think he's pinning her to the ground, but I see what you mean…still, you have to remember, he Is from another country. For him, it could be a perfectly normal custom, like a follow through or something. You don't know. Besides, I think she likes it."

For a second, Sami stared at Lucas in incredulous amazement, like he suddenly turned into an alien or had sprouted a daisy from his head. Then she pushed him to the floor and stood up, erupting into a derisive scolding tirade, hands on her hips.

"LIKES IT?! Ha! Ha, ha, Ha!"

She trilled.

"And I'm madly in love with you! You're so delusional, completely clueless where women are concerned. It's pathetic, it really is."

She scowled.

"To be precise, it's called pinning."

She mocked.

"Pff! This isn't the WWF…Hello to the Kung-Fu master! I almost feel sorry for you…Likes it, that's a good one."

Chest heaving, she finally ran out of glory while his patience snapped.

He could handle many things, but to be called delusional by Sami Brady, the queen of twisted reality herself? It was too much. He was on his feet and in her face instantaneously.

"I'm telling you she Likes it. She has the Hots for him."

He invaded her personal space.

"The idea of his Sweaty, Rippling body covering hers gets her all…Excited."

His eyes blazed, raking her up and down.

"Mark my words, the Only reason they aren't kissing right now is because of all the innocent bystanders."

He crossed his arms and cocked his eyebrow, daring her to deny it.

"You're wrong."

She denied it.

"No. I'm not." Painstakingly slow, he enunciated in a dead on gaze as they stood locked in disagreement, until she finally gritted out a surprising command.

"Stop them."

"What?"

"You heard me. I want you to stop them. Change the exercise, give a lecture, whatever, but stop him from beating up on her like that."

"I told you, He's not beating her up!"

"Yeah? Well, he might as well be with the amount of self-esteem she's going to be left with! For God's sake, at least pull him aside and tell him to let her win a little!"

"No way!"

"Fine. Then I will."

Once more, his patience shattered as she whirled around, making to leave. He caught her by the arm.

"Don't even think about it."

"You're touching me."

"Yes I am. And I'm going to continue to do so until you come to your senses."

"Pretty bad example Lucas. Touching me, when I don't want you to. Didn't I just give a rousing sermon about this very subject? Do I have to shatter your nose?"

At her sugar sweet tone, he immediately released her and stepped back, changing tactics trying to de-escalate the situation with a little logic.

"Sami, you're making a mistake. Believe me, Chloe is not going to thank you for it."

"There's nothing wrong with giving my brother some friendly advice. Besides, You let me win."

"That's because I'm afraid of you." He mumbled before throwing up his hands in defeat with a 'God help me'.

"Alright class. That's enough! Um…I have a…a…agility/speed exercise I want to show you. So gather round and pay attention." He yelled out while Sami grinned in triumph.

"Thanks Lucas."

"I wouldn't be so quick with the appreciation, if I was you, oh darling assistant of mine. Because, for the record…this time, I'm not going to let you win."


Good morning Salem, and what a beautiful morning it's shaping up to be with plenty of sunshine expected to last all day long, and mild summer-like breezes coming out of the East, once more, to make those glorious autumn leaves dance.

And believe me, you'll want to dance too, if you keep it tuned in right here at W-EAZY FM, home of those smooth, soulful sounds you need to kick back into your work-week without a care. Listen to the doctor's orders, you know you want to; all it takes is a little imagination and whole lotta Temptations.

***********---------------------

Like a pattering of warm rain, the music fell, mellow, light, drifting into the spirit, turning a bowl of cold milk and sweet cereal into elements of pure fancy as Lucas lowered his paper to catch Sami's eyes over the instantly surreal breakfast table with its silver backed chairs glinting, with the black and white checkered floor spread beneath them. A slight inclination of the head and she too noticed Will's swaying.

He looked so cute in his blue flannel striped PJ's and matching slippers, his hair all tousled and sticking up, bopping along to the beat. And if she was perfectly honest, his father looked pretty cute too in nothing more than red boxers, an infectious grin to fuel her own.

Despite spite, she couldn't contain the laughter, when with a mischievous wink, he stole Will's spoon, and in a fit of playfulness stood up to sing along, spoon as mic, motioning to her with his outstretched hand, sliding across the linoleum, hamming it up to their son's delight.

…To have a girl like her
Is truly a dream come true.
Out of all the fellas in the world,
She belongs to me…

Discarding the spoon over his shoulders, he dropped to his knees next to Sami's chair, hands clasped over his heart as he gazed up at her in mock torture/puppy-love. Of course, she batted her eyes prettily; crossing her legs, straightening her terry cloth robe over her lap in dainty high coyness while Will giggled.

…But it was just my imagination,
Running away with me.
It was just my imagination,
Running away with me.

But when he lightly grasped her wrist, she shoved him back, only to laugh heartily as he sprawled out on the floor pretending to be mortally creamed.

Ooooo. Soon we'll be married
And raise a family. Oh Yeah.

He sang to the ceiling before abruptly hand-springing to his feet and whisking over to his son, scooping Will up in his arms, spinning in fast circles.

A cozy little home out in the country,
With two children maybe three.
I tell you I, can visualize it all
This couldn't be a dream, for too real it all seems.

Happily, they toppled to the floor, Lucas signaling 'time-out' as he tried to catch his breath, the room still whirling as he looked from the joyous boy at his side to the smiling woman bending over them, his heart fluttering as she proffered her hand, the sun through the window burnishing her hair into soft spun threads of light, her robe dangerously parted, the neck-line plunging low and secret, and that instant of amazing clarity when they touched …

Like before, she had to of felt it. She must have. Her expression betrayed her, as did the color in her cheeks, as did the trembling of her flesh against his when he steadied himself by leaning into her.

But it was just my imagination…

No, he was wrong in a split second she stepped out of his accidental embrace returning to the table, studying her Fruit Loops intently, ignoring the moments it took him to recover.

Sighing, he gunny sacked Will over his shoulders, plopping the wiggling tike back down in a chair, wondering if she really did steal a glance and a smile their way or if he was he simply seeing things?

*************-------------------------------

Runnin away with me,
Tell you it was just my imagination,
Running away with me…

Softly, Chloe sang, absent-mindedly braiding her hair, peering out the window, when she felt him silently slip behind her sinking down on the bed with a creak, his strong gentle hands engulfing her own guiding them slowly downwards as he took over the task. Reverently he unlaced the braid, gliding his fingers through the dark waves of her tresses, repetitiously, soothingly, seductive.

Unbidden, she inclined into his touch, closing her eyes as he breathed in her scent.

Every night on my knees I pray
Dear lord hear my plea yea
Don't ever let another
Take his love from me

With the warmth within her surging, he swept up her locks, exposing the back of her neck to the chill of the air and the heat of his wet gauzy kisses.

Or I will surely die
Heavenly, heavenly, when your arms unfold me

Carelessly, he slid his free hand up and down her side, caressing her through the thin cotton of her baby-doll T, bunching the amethyst material in his fist at her tiny moan of approval. He let her hair fall as he removed the garment. Instinctively, she turned into him seeking his mouth, kissing then singing.

I hear the tender rhapsody
But in reality
He doesn't even know me

But he did know her. As they continued to kiss and explore, as his voice joined in with hers, mingling, mixing into one, as his shirt tumbled off, it was like he had always known her. Always. To be with Brady was as natural as breathing.

But it was just my imagination-- ohh, so fly look out my window
Runnin away with me --It's running away with me baby
Just my imagination --runnin away
running away with me --my baby, my sugar, my sweetie, look at my baby

Just my imagination --ohh, soo fly look out my window
Runnin away with me --It's runnin away with me
Just my imagination yeeaaaa
running away with me--my baby, my sugar, my sweetie, look at my baby

**********-----------------

Aww…if that isn't the perfect way to start your day, Babyface & Gwyneth Paltrol, here easing you into this fine Monday morning at W-SUNN FM, the sunny one, always ready to give you another shot of that feel good music you need to keep you keeping on…


Author's note: A few more quiet weeks have past. Brady and Chloe's affection/attraction keeps growing while Sami and Lucas are having trouble remembering that they are suppose to hate one another. Ling hasn't made a move, or rather not one that our heroes are aware of.

**************--------------------************

It was an uncommonly bright day, unseasonably mild, the gusty air carrying a hint of cinnamon apples and late harvest grapes as the park filled with kite flyers. Their light jackets and windbreakers mixed into a multicolored profusion as festive and brilliant as the kites flown or the leaves blowing under foot.

Silk dragons, rainbow boxes, spin wheels, butterflies, cartoon characters (like Sailor Moon, Goofy, Snoopy) painted the blue heavens from tethers of spooled string. The white noise from the crowd rustled with laughter and shouts, its infectious energy deafening in spurts and murmuring in waves.

From his removed vantage point, in the lair of a tinted window diablo, the man of darkness momentarily slipped and smiled. He knew this place of joy.

Watching two boys run from the parking lot, a diamond shaped flyer clutched between, a trail of red/orange bow ties dragging behind, he couldn't help but remember. It didn't seem so long ago when he was that young, spending days cutting and pasting, fashioning his first kite from bamboo, ribbon, and paper, his little brother hovering the whole while. And now it was like he was reliving it, hearing the steady stream of Hang's chattering once again.

"What are you making Kai, can I help? Please let me help."

"It should be a bird, Kai. Make a kingfisher, with wings out to here, so it can swoop fast and eat all the fish in the village."

Laughing at Hang's mimicking antics, he let his brother help. And they made a bird (even though he'd planned to make a tiger). When it was finished, the night was late and black, no stars.

"Can we fly it? We must fly it! Come on Kai, let's go!"

"No, there's no light. The sun has set. We'll wait for morning."

"No Now! Please! We worked so hard! We must fly it now! I can't wait any longer. I-I'll die."

1 "Patience, as father says the longer the night lasts, the more our dreams will be."

2 "Yes but better to light a candle than curse the darkness… Please Kai?"

The memory of it made Kai Ling wince. He could never deny Hang anything. They took the kite to the top of Crescent Pass. They tied tiny lanterns to its string and there in the pitch black, a kingfisher flew, stars in its wake.

Yes, the man of darkness recognized this world of joy. But there was no place for him in it any longer. His brother was dead, murdered.

Slowly, he slid back in his seat, ignoring the distraction of the park and its children. Stone faced, he scanned the entrance and waited, letting his loss and pain escalate. According to the informant, Brady Black would be here today, along with his nephew.

There would be justice.
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