Re: Twined Roads (AU, CC, Adult) Chapter 29, 01/10/2015
Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2015 1:24 am
@ Eve: Exactly! You nailed it! About the ice queen attitude, are you up for more?
@ Carolyn: Yes, the puzzle is slowly falling in its place. Our group will have to take actions, no matter what. It’s their only chance to save Emily ànd build a future for their own. Something they had never believed in. But one at the time, they’re encountering their counterparts and they start dreaming just like everybody else on this planet: a partner who cares and loves them, building a future together, maybe even raise children,…
A/N. Like usual, I’ve got some references to the real thing. This time from “Sexual Healing”.
Chapter thirty
The air blew her hair around. The engine of her car made overtime, blaring loudly while she cut around the curves with too much speed.
She couldn’t think straight anymore. The blood in her veins kept pumping at a high rate, trying to get her emotions back in check. But no matter how hard she tried, she failed miserably. Worry combined with rage and disillusionment fuelled her emotions over and over. Her head hammered wildly, like she had a gang of kobolds in there who were splitting her brain into a billion pieces.
It made her reckless. Her feet stayed persistent on the gas pedal, pressing it even harder than before. A mist of tears clouded her vision for just a second. And as always, that second was crucial.
Her inattention allowed her car to skid but her reaction was quick. Grabbing the steering wheel with both hands she tried to take the control back by throwing the wheel in the opposite direction. The blood in her fingers was pulled away while she squeezed the wheel with every ounce of strength she had. But she couldn’t stop the car from skidding further. At a high speed it spun over the street, straight towards the bushes to park it right against a tree.
Her head hit the wheel in front of her. But in the adrenaline of the moment she didn’t feel a thing. “Damn it!” Angry she slammed her hand against her steering wheel before slumping her head against it in total despair.
“Are you hurt? Miss?”
“No, no, not him.” she growled under her breath. Could her day get any worse?
Tired she closed her eyes, hoping that it would all disappear. Shaking it off, just like a bad dream.
“Isabel? Isabel, is that you?” he asked when he recognized the profile of the blond woman lying senseless in her car seat.
“Damn it” he cursed out loud when she didn’t respond to his question. His heart raced like hell now, pounding out a jagged rhythm. He could almost hear it thud against his ribs.
Alex had seen the car speeding at an insane rate from miles away. Even minutes before the actual accident, he had seen it coming. “Idiot” he had jeered at the driver when he had lost control of his car. It took him nanoseconds to throw his bike to the side of the street and to rush to the irresponsible jack-ass of a driver. Or at least, that was what he thought before his insults vanished away after one look at the gorgeous woman.
With one jerk he yanked her car door open and started to check her out. When his hands tried to examine her pulse at her neckline, she shoved them away.
“I’m fine!” she brushed him off.
“Are you sure?” he persisted. She sure didn’t look right to him. Not at all, as a matter of fact.
“Yes!” Isabel yelled before adding a softer “No!” She looked up at him, right in his eyes. “I don’t know anymore.”
Alex could easily read the sadness in her features and it crumbled his heart. “Come on, get out of the car.” He ushered her out while offering her a hand.
But when she ignored him, he lost his temper. “Isabel. Get. Out. Of. That. Car. Now! Before I pull you out.”
His anger awakened her. “Fine!”
With exaggerated movements she unbuckled her safety belt. She tilted her head up and Alex saw her changing before his eyes. She straightened herself up, fierce and arrogant, while her jawline hardened and the look in her eyes went cold. Her body language screamed at him to leave her alone.
He knew she was playing her ice queen card again but this time he wouldn’t let her. This time Alex knew that she was hiding behind a fake posture, hoping to get rid of him. He grabbed her by the arms and forced her to look at him. “I’m not a fool, Isabel. Don’t fucking play with me! I’ve got eyes in my head and I use them. Don’t pretend that you’re alright when you’re clearly not. Not to me!”
Although his voice rose with every word he was throwing at her, she didn’t see a spot of anger in his eyes. The compassion she read in them confused her. Why would he care a thing about her?
In a last effort to convince him, she bit out, “Get out of my way. I’m doing great!”
Alex admired the way she stuck to her guns but he could play that game too. Hell, he had even mastered it. So he snickered. “My ass! I saw you driving like you were on a suicide mission. Oh yeah, you’re doing great!” he mimicked her last words.
“Let your act go, Isabel,” he demanded calmly. “I see right through it and what I find there isn’t pretty. You’re hurt.” Softly he touched the bump on her head.
But she brushed him off again. “It’s just a scratch. It’ll heal.” Or it will be healed later. Stubbornly she kept glaring at him.
“It’s not what’s hurting you and you know it.”
Isabel felt her strength crumble as he cornered her with her back against the wall. Normally she could blow nosy people away with a blink of her eye. But apparently normal didn’t apply to Alex. Outside of Michael he was the first man who could match her determination. The way he took a firm stand surprised her and attracted her at the same time. But it drove her up the wall too. Like a hunted down deer she did the only thing she could think of: flee.
“Forget it!” She yelled at him just before running away from him. But due to her drained emotions Isabel didn’t pay much attention to her surroundings and she tripped on the first tree root that came along. Gracelessly she landed on the ground.
It didn’t take long before he squatted before her. “Stubborn woman! What am I going to do with you?” And then he did the only thing he could think off: he kissed her right on the mouth.
Taken off guard she answered his kiss, deepening it with a force he hadn’t excepted from her. Or maybe only in his dreams. Her arms crawled around his neck, pulling him close as if her world depended on it. Alex shifted his position when their combined weight threatened to unbalance him. His movement brought her back to her senses. The minute she started to think clearly again, Isabel shoved him away after lashing out and smacking him across his face.
Rubbing his red and hurt cheek, Alex grinned. “And then, she’s alive again!”
Blazing she glared at him. “You’re nuts!”
“Says the pot to the kettle!” Alex snorted. “I may be nuts, there’s no denying that one, but you’re a crazy woman too, Isabel Evans. Anyway, you’ve got to admit it worked.”
She furrowed her brows in question.
“I hate the words ‘fine’ and ‘great’.” With a fake voice he imitated. “Oh yes sir, your album is great! You’re so great! The songs are great!” He wound himself up with every example he quoted. “Or those people who say ‘I’m doing soooo fine!’ while the world around them crumbles! It’s bullshit, Isabel! It’s just lip service, you know.”
He took a deep breath and stroked her face with this right thumb. “Look, I understand if you don’t want to talk to me. I’m basically a stranger and even the slightest memories you have of me are already outdated. But don’t deny your feelings. Don’t run away from them. Take my word, running away isn’t a solution.”
With big eyes Isabel heard him vent his frustrations and advice. This Alex surprised her more than she could say. After being on a rollercoaster all morning, he didn’t make it any easier for her. Especially not after that kiss, a kiss that had made her tingle from head to toe. She didn’t understand what he was trying to do but at the same time his direct approach was somehow a direct hit too.
Alex flexed his fingers and let them crack before pointing towards her crashed car. “At least let me help you. Your car will have to be towed.”
“No, it won’t.” she thought to herself but she couldn’t exactly tell him that she could pop the dents out just by touching the hood. Or could she? A wicked smile appeared on her face.
***
With a last sway of her arm she waved the two cars out. They had driven off like they had come: Liz had taken a seat next to Max blue BMW while Kyle had escorted Tess to his pickup.
Although they had all smiled after the meeting, Maria knew the situation had weighed on all of them. She was still a bit surprised that Kyle had offered Tess a ride back to town. After being hit by a load of unexpected and above that highly extraordinary information she had half-believed he would’ve turned her down.
Maria knew her brother, he always stood with his both feet in the real world. He even dispatched her mom’s and her own preference of naturopathy as a lot of mumbo-jumbo. But Kyle remained a gentleman from head to toe too. Jim Valenti had drummed it in his son’s head that a men should always be polite and good mannered towards women. And apparently that life lesson had taken the upper hand.
When the last car disappeared behind the curve of the driveway, Maria stayed behind. In spite of the boiling heat, typical for the time of the year in New Mexico, she shivered. With her arms crossed she tried to rub the goose-flesh away.
What a day!
The drama of the morning kept playing before her eyes. How was it possible that a day that had started so peacefully had turned into such a horror of a day?
The burden pressed on her shoulders, almost suffocating her in the process. Her maternal instinct guided her through the wreckage. It was the only thing that kept her there, that kept her from crumbling down or going ballistic. Or fleeing as far away as possible.
Her mind drifted again to Michael. Oh boy, she sure could empathize with him, even more than before.
Her head popped up towards the cottage. Would he be there?
Her feet found the way to the house on automatic pilot. Before the door she hesitated briefly before drumming her knuckles firmly against the wooden front door. Her patience to wait was small to non-existent, so she whirled around and bolted back off. Just when she jumped off the last step of the porch, a noise behind her made her look back.
Michael’s weary head peeked from behind the door. When he saw who was standing in front of his house, he took a deep breath.
“Are they gone?”
“Yeah,” she nodded.
He opened the door a bit further. Maria immediately noticed his sweaty t-shirt, clinging to his upper body. Like he had run for hours, which was probably exactly what he had done.
“Are you ok?”
The worry in her voice made him uncomfortable, so he just shrugged his shoulders. “Are you?” he countered.
“No.” Her plain answer couldn’t be any more clear.
“You want to come in?”
Maria nodded. “Yeah.”
Silently she followed him inside. He waved at the couch in his living room.
“Have a seat.”
“Thanks.”
Maria wiped her clammy hands on her jeans before she sat down. “Can we talk about what happened?”
Of course she would like to talk. Knowing that he really couldn’t avoid the topic, he stoically answered. “Talk on.”
Searching for a lead to start, Maria’s eyes wandered through the room. They fell on a beautiful painting standing on the floor. A painting of a cute little toddler. His daughter!
Maria held her breath. A younger version of her daughter smiled brightly at her. The resemblance to Emily was unmistakable.
Just before she could comment on it she noticed a backpack and some plastic bags standing next to it. A quick look in the room told her that it was very clean. Too clean to belong to Michael.
“Michael?”
Michael heard the warning tremble in her voice and followed her gaze towards his small amount of belongings, standing ready to leave in a sec. Questioning she lifted an eyebrow when he didn’t react. Her piercing eyes demanded an answer.
Fuck! He had thought that he had been ready to answer her questions just before going away. But when he saw the disappointment in Maria’s features, it grabbed him by the throat.
Why wasn’t she happy that he would leave her and Emily alone? That he would distance himself, just to set them free? Why didn’t she see that his only option was to sacrifice himself in order to keep them alive?
Desperate he tried to apprehend. “Please, understand. I need to do this, Maria.”
“No, you don’t.”
Resigned to his fate, he just grabbed the bags, put the painting under his left arm and marched out of the room.
“No, no, no, no!” Maria shook her head while barging behind him.
@ Carolyn: Yes, the puzzle is slowly falling in its place. Our group will have to take actions, no matter what. It’s their only chance to save Emily ànd build a future for their own. Something they had never believed in. But one at the time, they’re encountering their counterparts and they start dreaming just like everybody else on this planet: a partner who cares and loves them, building a future together, maybe even raise children,…
A/N. Like usual, I’ve got some references to the real thing. This time from “Sexual Healing”.
Chapter thirty
The air blew her hair around. The engine of her car made overtime, blaring loudly while she cut around the curves with too much speed.
She couldn’t think straight anymore. The blood in her veins kept pumping at a high rate, trying to get her emotions back in check. But no matter how hard she tried, she failed miserably. Worry combined with rage and disillusionment fuelled her emotions over and over. Her head hammered wildly, like she had a gang of kobolds in there who were splitting her brain into a billion pieces.
It made her reckless. Her feet stayed persistent on the gas pedal, pressing it even harder than before. A mist of tears clouded her vision for just a second. And as always, that second was crucial.
Her inattention allowed her car to skid but her reaction was quick. Grabbing the steering wheel with both hands she tried to take the control back by throwing the wheel in the opposite direction. The blood in her fingers was pulled away while she squeezed the wheel with every ounce of strength she had. But she couldn’t stop the car from skidding further. At a high speed it spun over the street, straight towards the bushes to park it right against a tree.
Her head hit the wheel in front of her. But in the adrenaline of the moment she didn’t feel a thing. “Damn it!” Angry she slammed her hand against her steering wheel before slumping her head against it in total despair.
“Are you hurt? Miss?”
“No, no, not him.” she growled under her breath. Could her day get any worse?
Tired she closed her eyes, hoping that it would all disappear. Shaking it off, just like a bad dream.
“Isabel? Isabel, is that you?” he asked when he recognized the profile of the blond woman lying senseless in her car seat.
“Damn it” he cursed out loud when she didn’t respond to his question. His heart raced like hell now, pounding out a jagged rhythm. He could almost hear it thud against his ribs.
Alex had seen the car speeding at an insane rate from miles away. Even minutes before the actual accident, he had seen it coming. “Idiot” he had jeered at the driver when he had lost control of his car. It took him nanoseconds to throw his bike to the side of the street and to rush to the irresponsible jack-ass of a driver. Or at least, that was what he thought before his insults vanished away after one look at the gorgeous woman.
With one jerk he yanked her car door open and started to check her out. When his hands tried to examine her pulse at her neckline, she shoved them away.
“I’m fine!” she brushed him off.
“Are you sure?” he persisted. She sure didn’t look right to him. Not at all, as a matter of fact.
“Yes!” Isabel yelled before adding a softer “No!” She looked up at him, right in his eyes. “I don’t know anymore.”
Alex could easily read the sadness in her features and it crumbled his heart. “Come on, get out of the car.” He ushered her out while offering her a hand.
But when she ignored him, he lost his temper. “Isabel. Get. Out. Of. That. Car. Now! Before I pull you out.”
His anger awakened her. “Fine!”
With exaggerated movements she unbuckled her safety belt. She tilted her head up and Alex saw her changing before his eyes. She straightened herself up, fierce and arrogant, while her jawline hardened and the look in her eyes went cold. Her body language screamed at him to leave her alone.
He knew she was playing her ice queen card again but this time he wouldn’t let her. This time Alex knew that she was hiding behind a fake posture, hoping to get rid of him. He grabbed her by the arms and forced her to look at him. “I’m not a fool, Isabel. Don’t fucking play with me! I’ve got eyes in my head and I use them. Don’t pretend that you’re alright when you’re clearly not. Not to me!”
Although his voice rose with every word he was throwing at her, she didn’t see a spot of anger in his eyes. The compassion she read in them confused her. Why would he care a thing about her?
In a last effort to convince him, she bit out, “Get out of my way. I’m doing great!”
Alex admired the way she stuck to her guns but he could play that game too. Hell, he had even mastered it. So he snickered. “My ass! I saw you driving like you were on a suicide mission. Oh yeah, you’re doing great!” he mimicked her last words.
“Let your act go, Isabel,” he demanded calmly. “I see right through it and what I find there isn’t pretty. You’re hurt.” Softly he touched the bump on her head.
But she brushed him off again. “It’s just a scratch. It’ll heal.” Or it will be healed later. Stubbornly she kept glaring at him.
“It’s not what’s hurting you and you know it.”
Isabel felt her strength crumble as he cornered her with her back against the wall. Normally she could blow nosy people away with a blink of her eye. But apparently normal didn’t apply to Alex. Outside of Michael he was the first man who could match her determination. The way he took a firm stand surprised her and attracted her at the same time. But it drove her up the wall too. Like a hunted down deer she did the only thing she could think of: flee.
“Forget it!” She yelled at him just before running away from him. But due to her drained emotions Isabel didn’t pay much attention to her surroundings and she tripped on the first tree root that came along. Gracelessly she landed on the ground.
It didn’t take long before he squatted before her. “Stubborn woman! What am I going to do with you?” And then he did the only thing he could think off: he kissed her right on the mouth.
Taken off guard she answered his kiss, deepening it with a force he hadn’t excepted from her. Or maybe only in his dreams. Her arms crawled around his neck, pulling him close as if her world depended on it. Alex shifted his position when their combined weight threatened to unbalance him. His movement brought her back to her senses. The minute she started to think clearly again, Isabel shoved him away after lashing out and smacking him across his face.
Rubbing his red and hurt cheek, Alex grinned. “And then, she’s alive again!”
Blazing she glared at him. “You’re nuts!”
“Says the pot to the kettle!” Alex snorted. “I may be nuts, there’s no denying that one, but you’re a crazy woman too, Isabel Evans. Anyway, you’ve got to admit it worked.”
She furrowed her brows in question.
“I hate the words ‘fine’ and ‘great’.” With a fake voice he imitated. “Oh yes sir, your album is great! You’re so great! The songs are great!” He wound himself up with every example he quoted. “Or those people who say ‘I’m doing soooo fine!’ while the world around them crumbles! It’s bullshit, Isabel! It’s just lip service, you know.”
He took a deep breath and stroked her face with this right thumb. “Look, I understand if you don’t want to talk to me. I’m basically a stranger and even the slightest memories you have of me are already outdated. But don’t deny your feelings. Don’t run away from them. Take my word, running away isn’t a solution.”
With big eyes Isabel heard him vent his frustrations and advice. This Alex surprised her more than she could say. After being on a rollercoaster all morning, he didn’t make it any easier for her. Especially not after that kiss, a kiss that had made her tingle from head to toe. She didn’t understand what he was trying to do but at the same time his direct approach was somehow a direct hit too.
Alex flexed his fingers and let them crack before pointing towards her crashed car. “At least let me help you. Your car will have to be towed.”
“No, it won’t.” she thought to herself but she couldn’t exactly tell him that she could pop the dents out just by touching the hood. Or could she? A wicked smile appeared on her face.
***
With a last sway of her arm she waved the two cars out. They had driven off like they had come: Liz had taken a seat next to Max blue BMW while Kyle had escorted Tess to his pickup.
Although they had all smiled after the meeting, Maria knew the situation had weighed on all of them. She was still a bit surprised that Kyle had offered Tess a ride back to town. After being hit by a load of unexpected and above that highly extraordinary information she had half-believed he would’ve turned her down.
Maria knew her brother, he always stood with his both feet in the real world. He even dispatched her mom’s and her own preference of naturopathy as a lot of mumbo-jumbo. But Kyle remained a gentleman from head to toe too. Jim Valenti had drummed it in his son’s head that a men should always be polite and good mannered towards women. And apparently that life lesson had taken the upper hand.
When the last car disappeared behind the curve of the driveway, Maria stayed behind. In spite of the boiling heat, typical for the time of the year in New Mexico, she shivered. With her arms crossed she tried to rub the goose-flesh away.
What a day!
The drama of the morning kept playing before her eyes. How was it possible that a day that had started so peacefully had turned into such a horror of a day?
The burden pressed on her shoulders, almost suffocating her in the process. Her maternal instinct guided her through the wreckage. It was the only thing that kept her there, that kept her from crumbling down or going ballistic. Or fleeing as far away as possible.
Her mind drifted again to Michael. Oh boy, she sure could empathize with him, even more than before.
Her head popped up towards the cottage. Would he be there?
Her feet found the way to the house on automatic pilot. Before the door she hesitated briefly before drumming her knuckles firmly against the wooden front door. Her patience to wait was small to non-existent, so she whirled around and bolted back off. Just when she jumped off the last step of the porch, a noise behind her made her look back.
Michael’s weary head peeked from behind the door. When he saw who was standing in front of his house, he took a deep breath.
“Are they gone?”
“Yeah,” she nodded.
He opened the door a bit further. Maria immediately noticed his sweaty t-shirt, clinging to his upper body. Like he had run for hours, which was probably exactly what he had done.
“Are you ok?”
The worry in her voice made him uncomfortable, so he just shrugged his shoulders. “Are you?” he countered.
“No.” Her plain answer couldn’t be any more clear.
“You want to come in?”
Maria nodded. “Yeah.”
Silently she followed him inside. He waved at the couch in his living room.
“Have a seat.”
“Thanks.”
Maria wiped her clammy hands on her jeans before she sat down. “Can we talk about what happened?”
Of course she would like to talk. Knowing that he really couldn’t avoid the topic, he stoically answered. “Talk on.”
Searching for a lead to start, Maria’s eyes wandered through the room. They fell on a beautiful painting standing on the floor. A painting of a cute little toddler. His daughter!
Maria held her breath. A younger version of her daughter smiled brightly at her. The resemblance to Emily was unmistakable.
Just before she could comment on it she noticed a backpack and some plastic bags standing next to it. A quick look in the room told her that it was very clean. Too clean to belong to Michael.
“Michael?”
Michael heard the warning tremble in her voice and followed her gaze towards his small amount of belongings, standing ready to leave in a sec. Questioning she lifted an eyebrow when he didn’t react. Her piercing eyes demanded an answer.
Fuck! He had thought that he had been ready to answer her questions just before going away. But when he saw the disappointment in Maria’s features, it grabbed him by the throat.
Why wasn’t she happy that he would leave her and Emily alone? That he would distance himself, just to set them free? Why didn’t she see that his only option was to sacrifice himself in order to keep them alive?
Desperate he tried to apprehend. “Please, understand. I need to do this, Maria.”
“No, you don’t.”
Resigned to his fate, he just grabbed the bags, put the painting under his left arm and marched out of the room.
“No, no, no, no!” Maria shook her head while barging behind him.