Apparently you

[Lovely]

November 10, 2008
6:30 a.m.

A dark morning was made darker still by fog and a light rain that rapped against the window above him, slowly pulling him to consciousness. His first thoughts were muddied by a blurred ache as he blinked against the dim and quiet of his rumpled surroundings. Iain slowly sat up, fascinated and amused by the not-so-blurred aches in places that he'd enjoyed discovering again, his hand sweeping out to straighten the ball of sheets, blankets and jeans that had been promptly ignored the moment they'd fallen to the end of the mattress. He shifted his hand more over the expanse of sheet beside himself and frowned. It was cold as if abandoned far longer than the few minutes needed for a shower or freshening up. "Dakota?" His voice rasped out harshly, almost too quiet to hear as it fell flat in his lap. Did he expect her to answer? His fingers scratched through his hair as he turned to put his feet on the floor he stared at another long minute. "Dakota?!" He called out again clearly with a hint of impatience. He listened but heard only the rattlings of pipes deeper in the building. She wasn't here. The sound was low and gutteral, a moan, perhaps a growl deep beneath rasp in his voice that built into an aggitated but controlled roar of devastation. He reached for nearest item that could find his hand to throw. A small picture frame landed in shards and crumpled paper against the wall. "I can't believe she... GAAAAAH!!" He screamed into his hands, consciously withholding the shattering screech- for now. He could have clawed his eyes out just then and might have been happier, but he was up on his feet, finding gravity to be a powerful enemy against him as he tottered over piles of clothes and toppled pillows and other items, gathering enough to resemble a full set of clothes to go and find her. He would find her!

He might discover a few things missing as he dug for his clothes, Dakota had 'borrowed' one of his shirts and a pair of his socks, she'd aslo left behind her shirt and panties. Her clothes had been flung off in playful delight during their romping and she'd not been able to find everything of hers before making her get away.

A full onslaught of irish fury flooded out at the innocent objects he straightened. Of course he didn't expect to find her under the sofa, but what he did find made matters that much worse. He couldn't find his good black shirt anywhere, but found she'd left her own, and her tiny scrap of silk and lace he'd found flung over the lamp he'd turned on to brighten the room without much luck.

He partly laughed and partly stood stunned as he ran the thin fabric between his fingers. "How could she do this to me?" He chuckled, then tossed some other small trinket to its shattering end, just below the window that might have exploded with the force he'd used. The undergarment hadn't left his hand, however, gently clung to as a reminder of her and his mission. Another two hours he spent pacing his room, thinking, considering, cancelling good ideas for worse ones and spiralling deeper into chaos in his mind. He'd trusted her and shouldn't have, it was his fault, it was her fault... either way he was alone with no idea where to even start looking once he stepped out the door. It wasn't even 9 a.m. but the hint of daylight was brighter than brooding in the room. He stuffed the silk in his pocket and fastened on his boots, a little tighter than normal just to keep himself focused, and he headed out to the street. There was a bar he knew would be open this early.. or late - he was sure the place never really closed.

Drinking and early mornings that started out this far on the wrong foot were bound to get worse. Someone who'd seen him leave the night before with Dakota had balls enough to ask where she was and why Iain was walking down the alley alone, talking to himself, instead of f*cking her blind like he would have. Iain's rage was on hairpin response already and the man likely didn't know what had hit him at first. The scuffle lasted only a few punches before the other man was crawling and sputtering blood, laughing off the 'fair fight' and promising Iain another go at it when they were sober. Iain was sober, unfortunately too much so, and his arm hurt where before it only ached. Grasping it to massage out the pain gave him a stained and warm hand and he realized he was bleeding ... a lot. He slipped the shirt off his shoulders to find the gash underneath that had ripped his skin, but not cut the shirt at some point in the fight. He had no idea what was in the alley beside a laundry list of cruely infectious possibilities that made him dizzy just to consider. "f*ck..." he repeated over and over, trying to get his bearings and a sensible plan of action. Sector guards, ID, medics... he wasn't good with his left hand to stitch his right on his own. He needed a clinic and he needed time to get there. Tying the shirt around his arm to keep it as closed as possible, he stomped off, realizing his boots were still tight, and stopped to loosen them or he wasn't getting far at all. He was already lightheaded before the fight and worse, close to collapsing in hallucinations by the time he arrived at the clinic almost 45 minutes later.

[Lovely]

He was shown directly to a room and only the basic information was taken at the clinic because he was bleeding. He was lead into the room with instructions to wait for the tech to come tend to him. Doctors were scarse in the city and the clinic had one but he only saw serious cases, the tech would decide if the cut was serious enough to send Iain on to the doctor.

She'd been tired enough today to actually ask to go home early and was hoping the flow of patients would slow down so she could do so, she'd already seen several in the few hours she'd been at work. Of course as she looked over the paperwork on this one, she knew her day wasn't going to be easy and she sighed as she entered the room. Her head was tipped down as she looked at the mostly blank page, her long dark hair pulled up in a messy twist to keep it out of her face as she worked. Her voice would likely be quite familiar to him and if he looked at her Iain might notice this tech was wearing his good black shirt. "Sooo mister ... Walsh, what seems to be the... " She found his name on the paper and looked up to offer him a warm smile only to find herself surprised. "... trouble...?"

Laying on the cot he'd been directed to, he was now holding a clean cloth over a deep gash and breathing hard and angrily, trying not to spit out a rude remark at the tech's gratingly annoying question that should have had an obvious answer. He paused, too weak really to fight, but looked up at the voice he was sure he recognized. "Apparently," he started, slowly forcing himself to sit up. He spoke quietly, concisely telling her everything that needed to be on the chart summed up in a single word, "... you." A snide, defiant, yet defeated tilt of his head was followed with the snap of his sharp gaze a moment before he launched up with all he could muster to kiss her madly.

The only reply she was able to get out was a muffled "Oh." as Iain swept up to kiss her. He tumbled her back a couple of steps and she felt herself push up against the counter that was behind her. Dakota tried to hold onto his file and ended up tossing it to the counter as she began to tangle around him as he kissed her. She was obviously happy to see him as well, even though she'd left without a word to him earlier.

"Tell me why I don't hate you right now," he muttered with a little chuckle as he pulled back from the kiss as she wrapped around him and the hole in his arm. He only noticed the pain then and how the room was spinning. She was nearly the only thing holding him up right now and thankfully the counter was holding her up. He reached behind her to grab hold of it to steady himself. "I'm sorry, I really screwed up this morning," he said, hushed and clearly exhausted.

"You can't hate me because you're so crazy about me." She smiled sweetly, teasing him as he steadied himself and she reached her hands to his hips. "Maybe you should sit down.." She spoke softly and looked up at him as he leaned over her. "What are you sorry for and what did you screw up so badly?"

"Well crazy's a good word for it," he bemoaned then chuckled again, nodding toward the still-bleeding gash. "Took a fight and lost it after I lost you this morning and threw back most of a fifth before nine. Is there a reason you're not standing still?" He'd turned his head too fast and the world shifted on its side. He let go of the counter and turned himself around, reaching for the cot like a buoy in a bouncing sea, tugging her along with him. "Sew me up and let me go. I'm sorry for whatever it was that offended you, sorry I thought you'd stay. Sorry... did you take my shirt?" He noticed the black fabric as he crawled back up to lay on the cot and turned to face her.

She moved with him and did her best not to let him fall or teeter too much as he moved back to the cot, her expression was saddened and concerned. Her mouth pulled down into a pout as she listened to what he said about his morning and her leaving. "You.. did all that.. because I left?" She asked softly, moving beside the cot and pressing a clean cloth to the gash on his arm. "I borrowed your shirt, I planned to return it this evening after work."

[Lovely]

"All because you took my shirt," he frowned, clearly teasing though his effort was taxing him more. His good hand rose to mop his forehead that felt strange and cold to him though he was certain he was burning up. He closed his eyes a moment, then remembered something else, suddenly reaching and digging something from the opposite jean pocket. He pulled out the lace that was clearly not his. "I guess I could wait until after your work to give these back, then, but now I'm wondering... if I give them back now, if you'll stay and leave them behind again... at least once or twice."

"Oh you found them!" She laughed softly and reached with her free hand to take the lace and stuff it back into his pocket. "Maybe you should just hold onto those for now." She smiled at him and moved away to grab a kit to stitch him up, coming back and getting to work on his arm. She cleaned the gash with antiseptic and sighed softly. "I'm sorry... that I caused you so much trouble."

"That's the one part I'm not sorry about," he said, a little mystified, himself, not exactly fighting to keep her fingers out of his pocket. He watched her tend his arm next, staying as still as he could manage. "Was there a reason you didn't just tell me you were working, though? Respectable, nearly honest job you seem to have, here."

"I didn't want to wake you." She said softly with a slight smile on her lips. "You probably don't know how beautiful you are when you're sleeping.. you looked so peaceful and you had this barely there little smile on your face.." She bit at her lip trying not to smile more as she thought about waking up in his bed and seeing him next to her. "..and I didn't know what to say. Last night wasn't a normal night for me.. I've never behaved like that.. in the bar and then I went home with you and... I enjoyed every second but it's not something I've done before."

"Me either," he admitted. He'd stunned himself and certainly stunned Venge. That was going to take more explaining than he was ready for, considering he didn't know the answers himself. "And every second, at least before I was asleep. After... it's been a little rough. Ow! Hey... sorry, that's.. probably well deserved," he decided, chalking his reaction up to the will of the early alcohol that was wearing off now as she swabbed and poked.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, I'm the one that left without saying anything and obviously upset you.. you didn't think I was coming back. Why would you? I didn't give you any reason to think I would.. I'm the one who is sorry. I really.. really like you and I had every intention of coming back.. of seeing you again if it was something you wanted. I just didn't know how to say it or ask.." The needle poke he'd feel but a moment later the area around the gash would be numb and his stitches were small and neat, closing the wound.

"I think you just did," he considered out loud, turning his arm once she was done with a curl of approval in his frown. He was impressed with her work, perhaps a little surprised though the rest of her was remarkable, why shouldn't her other skills be as well? And very useful especially in his usual line of moneymaking, when there was any. "Tonight then? Leave early. Tell them you're sick.. No, don't tell them that, they'll keep you here and run every test known to man. Mmm... or maybe I'll just have to learn patience in the next few hours."

Dakota smiled and wiped his arm down, she put some ointment over the stitches and a bandage to help keep it clean, she wrapped gauze around his arm and over the patch to keep it in place. "Tonight." She agreed and leaned to kiss him softly. "If the patient flow isn't too heavy I'll be able to get off early."

"Only fair. I have no patience, neither should you," he grinned now from her kiss and lay back. His head was throbbing now and he couldn't disguise the discomfort. "What I wouldn't give for ... something that would likely be illegal to mention and get you fired over for bringing up. How about water?"

"You could probably use some fluids, with the alcohol and the blood loss.. that was a pretty good gash for a little fight." She moved to the counter and ran the tap, letting it flow for a minute before filling a paper cup for him. "Does it hurt much? If you can stand being here for a little while I can get you something for the pain and an IV for some fluids."

[Lovely]

"Good gash, stupid fight... for your honor, though. Chivalrous asshole I am to get cut up to show for it. Not sure you'd want to be seen with me after that. Hurts less than when you didn't answer me when I woke up. Not sure that's a good scale to use, though... I don't suppose you have a vacuum of some kind, maybe a roll of carpet you're not meaning to use anytime soon? A.. few things were broken, glass everywhere," he sighed. "Might be safer for my apartment if I stay here."

"You got into a fight over my honor?" She asked with obvious shock and awe in her voice and expression. "No one has ever done that before." She smiled and leaned to kiss him again, more deeply this time, her hands cupping his face. When she pulled back her eyes were warm and she gazed over his face. "I am really sorry I left like that."

"Then don't do it again," he hinted, wanting to ensure she would be back, not just to return his shirt. Strangely he'd gotten some part of what he did want, a morning kiss from his pillow, though not quite what he had in mind with it being not at home. "Keep doing that, I'll move in here and you'll work forever."

"I won't do it again." She promised in a quiet and sincere tone, she considered his suggestion about kissing him more and smiled playfully. "Or I could just take you home with me tonight and chain you to my bed.. keep you my prisoner and force you to please me whenever I want." She teased with a soft laugh and started to prep his arm for an IV that would keep him there for awhile longer and possibly ensure they'd leave together.

"Sold," he grinned. His eyes were getting heavy and his thoughts were feeling thick. "I'll just wait here. Hopefully you won't need a box to get me there. You won't have to go far, will you? Other patients? I might end up following you around all day."

"You'll stay here and behave." She told him with a certain firmness in her voice as if she expected him to do as she told him on this. "..and you'll thank me later when you're feeling better instead of worse." The needle was in his arm now and she hooked it to a bag which she then hung from a hook over the head of the cot. "I won't go far and I'll come back to check on you between patients and when I don't have any I'll stay in here.. okay?" She moved away from the cot and then came back, injecting some mild pain killers into his tube to help relax him, though he seemed ready to doze off anyway.

"Promises," he teased still, reaching out for her. "Dakota, seriously. This isn't like anything I've ever... never done this before... I'm usually the one out the door before anything ever..." His thoughts were muddled and his voice fading out for the moment.

"Shhh.." She soothed him softly, staying close after giving him the pain medicine, her fingers lightly brusing a lock of hair off his forehead. "You just rest awhile.. don't worry about anything." She couldn't help it and leaned down to kiss his forehead. "I understand." She whispered not sure if he was able to hear her or if he'd completely drifted off.

[Lovely]

2pm


The hours had passed quickly since she'd left Iain sleeping on the cot with the IV hooked into the needle in his arm. Dakota had come into the room to check on him as often as her work would allow, she'd changed out a fresh bag on his IV and kissed him softly but she didn't know whether or not he was aware she was there. She'd finally gotten to take a late lunch break and was sitting in a chair next to his cot, using his bedside tray to eat her salad. There was another salad on the tray and a couple of juice boxes that she'd grabbed for him in case he was hungry when he woke up. The doctors had told her that she could take off early and she was happy for that, now it was just waiting for sleeping beauty to wake up so she could bring him home with her.

The clicking of the fork was a strange rhythm that disturbed his sleep. The fact he was sleeping he found disturbing, feeling it had to be an hour he usually wasn't. The confusion rousted him with a jolt that wasn't quite enough to open his eyes. He stirred a little and felt coverings that weren't like those he remembered on his bed and the light came at him from the wrong side. He lifted his head up, groggy and lost, peering through half-opened eyes, wondering if he'd fallen on the floor of the pub or something equally strange. The throbbing of his morning drink and the after-effect of the fighting made him lay his head back and he stared upward, absorbing the sounds and the curious scents. Turning slightly, he smiled. "You're here this time," he mentioned, seeing Dakota at the bedside - a much improved awakening than he foggily remembered.

The fork dropped gently into the plastic bowl as he stirred and spoke to her, Dakota smiled back at him and shifted out of her chair. "I promised I would be." She whispered, reaching to somewhat embrace him and her fingers smoothed his longer locks away from his face again. She leaned down to kiss him softly, in her own way trying to make up for the way she'd left him before. Her hair was still up and her badge still dangled from the clip on her shirt so he might not realize she was ready to go home. "How are you feeling?" She asked as her fingers left his hair and brushed tenderly over his cheek.

"Sore," he sighed with honesty, trying to move more to reach up to her. His arm had the bandage from the IV and the rest of the events began to filter into place as he reached over to remove the tape first. The brush on his cheek and his hair... "But much better, thank you," he grinned softly beneath a blush of realization. "Keep doting on me and they'll charge me extra. I should let you get your work done."

Her hand reached to still his over the bandage on his IV and she leaned in to brush his lips with her whispers and kisses. "My work is done. I've just been waiting for you to wake up so I can kidnap you." She laughed quietly, almost as soft as her whispers. "You'll just have to suffer through the doting till I decide to let you go.." Her other hand cupped his cheek and she tried to look into his eyes, hoping he really didn't mind her giving him some tlc.

She kept him from removing the tape yet and he didn't fight her, not when she kissed him so gently. He watched her eyes as she teased him first, then spoke sincerely about kidnapping and not letting him go. His brow knotted, hearing things he'd said come back around through her words, or at least his intentions being spoken with her voice. The smile widened. "I must have amnesia. I don't remember this being the definition of suffering."

[Lovely]

[[Scene edited for content, unedtied version continues on our sister site. Edited version continues below]]

There was a devilish sparkle in her eye and the playful smile that shone at him as she gently climbed up on the cot and straddled him. "Really?... hmmm.. I guess this means you probably don't remember that I left my panties at your place." She hinted at her lack of them now and her intent as she kissed him again. "How sore..?" She asked him with genuine concern in her expression, behind the teasing, she didn't want to hurt him.

"I do, and not that sore that I won't take advantage of you not having them," he smiled, almost purring into a chuckle as he sought more of her kiss, wondering how private their little area here was.

"Mmm keep thinking like that and you'll never be rid of me.." She teased with nibbling kisses that gradually deepened as she carefully moved the blanket down and worked on getting his pants undone. She didn't need his trousers off, just out of the way enough for them to enjoy the lack of undergarments beneath her skirt. The area they were in was private enough but she hadn't locked the door, this was not a planned 'seduction', it was purely spur of the moment. She wasn't thinking about anyone walking in and at the moment didn't care that they could, she was too busy trying to kiss him all better.

"I'm completely delirious," he murmured behind a smile as her touch made his breath catch. And she wondered why he'd been absolutely insane to find her gone in the morning? "What have you to cure me?" He asked, not sure he wanted to be completely cured.

She kissed his cheek and neck, giggling softly at his comments as she kept tending to him to make him feel very good. "Hmmm.." She whispered with a nibble over his ear. "I don't want to cure you.. I want to make it worse. I want to drive you over the edge.." She meant it in a good way and in honesty until meeting him would never have considered doing what they were now or what they had in the bar and at his place for hours the night before. One night stands, public displays, and falling for a guy she'd just met were definitely not the kinds of things she normally did. In fact the reason her last relationship had ended was because she wanted to take things slow.. she wasn't going slow with Iain. Her kisses drifted along his collar and back up to his mouth, hungry for him and telling him so many things without words.

"Damned fine driving skills," he admitted, trying to find any words to come out while he enjoyed the sensation and risky attention she gave him. He reached out with his still-taped arm, not quite embracing her, though he didn't want to hinder her, either while she 'drove'. "You can kidnap me any time you want."

"I will after I make you better all over so we can get out of here... though I might never let you go.." She caught his lower lip in her teeth and tugged gently. "How's this?... does this make you feel good?" She guided him to meet her, much like she had in the bar the night before.

"Beautiful," he said, chasing after her kiss. "Promise you won't," he said a moment later. "That you won't let go." He wasn't intending to, either, eager to enjoy however much time they had before they were discovered.

"I promise." She whispered with absolute sincerity as she let him catch her in a kiss and gently pressed him back.

[Lovely]

He had to be conscious of his mutters and sighs, aware that a stray sound could rupture nearby equipment, though he partly didn't care. He didn't want her to lose her job, however and withheld the delighted gasp as she pulled him toward such forbidden bliss. This was so much better even than the pub, here in bright lab light where he could clearly see the enjoyment she shared. He hadn't meant only the sensations as being beautiful, but her and her raw desires as well.

Dakota leaned down over him, her cheek beside his and her panted breath warm against his ear, he might recognise the tiny gasps and barely there squeak from the night before. She kept the sounds quiet for only Iain to hear as she didn't want to call attention to them and have this ruined or interupted. He drove her crazy in the best way and he didn't even have to try to catch her interest, she was falling head over heels for him. Drawn to him on a level and with an intensity she'd never known before, she simply wanted -him-.. body, heart, and soul.. and she would give him the same of herself. The squeak was just a little louder in his ear and her hand clenched the small pillow beneath his head.

He kissed her cheek, sliding his arm around her as she slipped past her edge. "Thank you," he whispered a moment later as every care and pain he had flowed free of him as well. She had lived up to this promise and he felt nearly certain she meant fully the rest she'd promised him as well. The tension eased and he stretched beneath her, ready to fall back into sleep. "About that kidnapping..," he muttered lazily, kissing and nibbling her neck.

"I hope you enjoyed the preview." She murmured in return, giggling a little as she nuzzled into him for a moment while she let her racing heart slow to a more normal rate. "You're a dirty boy.. need to clean you up before I take you home." She kissed his cheek, her smile was gentle and relaxed as she slowly and reluctantly pulled away from him and climbed off the cot. She grabbed a soft towel from a drawer and used it to wipe him off. She took a moment to do the same for herself and then discarded the towel into the laundry and adjusted thier clothes back into place. She couldn't stop the small sweetly naughty smile that perched on her lips or the way her gaze kept drifting to his face and his gorgeous blue eyes. "Damn.. what have you done to me?" She asked him quietly as she took his IV out and put a small bandage over the spot.

"Made you take home a stray who'll follow you everywhere," he said as she tended to him now like her patient again. She adjusted herself and he pulled his weary self up to sit on the edge of the cot. The IV had certainly helped him, but the alcohol and lack of food hadn't. There was hardly anything back at the apartment either.

"Good thing he's a cute stray who I find pretty irresistible." She chuckled and darted to kiss his cheek as she moved around the cot to dispose of the medical waste in the proper containers. "Are you hungry? I brought you a salad and couple juice boxes.. I wasn't sure if you had breakfast before your outing and it's past lunch.. and I realize I don't know what you like to eat. I hope it's okay."

"It's perfect, thank you. As long as it's not roadkill, I'll manage," he said meekly, thinking about other surprise lunches that had found their way to him in the past. Venge meant well, but didn't share much courtesy or consideration for others' tastes too often. "Can I take it 'to go'? I truly hadn't planned on staying and as soon as I have my second wind..." He slipped off the cot and darted after her now that he was free of tangling cords, trying to embrace her.

She closed the cover on the disposal box and spun herself into the arms that tried to tangle around her, sliding her own up around his neck. "Of course you can. I just wanted to make sure you had something.. we both did our share of drinking and.. romping last night.." She smiled with the memory of all they'd shared and then sighed gently. ".. and with your adventure this morning.." She sort of shrugged and left part of it unsaid but it was clear she cared more than a one night stand or casual fling would. Her hand smoothed down the front of his chest as she gazed up at him, yeah she was such a goner! "Second wind, huh? Better get you out of here quick!"

"Drive faster," he suggested, his icy gaze alight with fires of their own as he stood close. He chuckled slightly through his teeth and the monitor behind her began to beep out their heartrhythm for a moment although not hooked up to them. "I plan several more adventures once we're back where we belong."