Finding ELE (ELE Series #2) Written By: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels

by Nuckels, Courtney

  I can tell that he's trying to let me handle this situation on my own, but if it were up to him, he'd go off on Tony for me. I don't need a fight right now. Especially when Alec doesn't stand much of a chance against Tony's strength. I take a deep breath and nod. "Yeah. It's all good." I tell him.

  He stares at me for a second longer. "If you need to go train, it's cool." He looks to Tony trying to diffuse the agitation in the room for my benefit alone. "In fact, I think it would be good for all of us to get on a training schedule too."

  I look down at his hands, which are crumpled into fists. I can tell that he's not happy with this whole situation. I step in front of Alec to try to be a sort of buffer right now to the testosterone waves that are taking over the room.

  After tiring of their macho-man stare down I tell Tony, "Let's get on with it then."

  He doesn't respond. Instead he turns around abruptly and stomps out of the room.

  I look back at Alec and mouth the word sorry.

  He pulls me into his arms and gives me a kiss on the bridge of my nose. "You go learn to kick butt." Then he points towards where Tony stalked off. "And if that guy gives you a hard time, you come get me."

  I smile. If anyone stands a chance against Tony it wouldn't be Alec. I'm not trying to be rude, but you have to be realistic when it comes to abilities. Alec is certainly strong enough to take on a normal man, just not a beefed up superhuman. Anyhow, I know Tony isn't really a jerk like he just acted. "He really is a good guy. He's just a bit high strung right now, that's all."

  Alec cocks an eyebrow. "He got to you Willow. I'm not blind. He hurt your feelings and that's not cool in my book."

  Great, a new animosity has formed now. "Not that bad. I mean, the words stung a little, but like he said, he's a bit on edge. He's helped me this whole time and has protected me. He's a friend, even though he was being a little bit of a capital 'A' back there. I want to make sure you stay cool with him. I don't need you two fighting." I say earnestly to Alec.

  He studies me for a few seconds then says, "Fine."

  Not wanting to talk about it anymore I kiss him quickly on the cheek. I look over to my friends who are still sitting quietly around the Monopoly board. They are acting like they weren't paying attention, but I know better. "Bye guys." I say as I head out.

  "Willow!" Connor calls before I leave.

  I look over my shoulder. "Yes?"

  "Can I have your money?" He asks with a big heaping smile on his face.

  I roll my eyes and wave him off with a laugh. "Sure." Then I head out to find Tony.

  CHAPTER 11 (Pinned)

  I find Tony in the practice room. He's taking out all of his troubles on a poor beat up punching bag. The windows are open in the room and interestingly enough, the draft feels cool. Not cold by any means but there's definitely been a drop in temperature. That heating the earth plan is now truly an epic fail. Project ELE should be called Finding ELE since she's pretty much left the building. I don't foresee it getting any hotter anytime soon.

  I clear my throat to let Tony know I'm here.

  He turns around and takes off the boxing gloves he was wearing. Heading towards me he says, "I really am sorry Willow. I realize I was being a jerk back there. I just..." He stops himself.

  I meet him halfway in the room. Part of me wants him to confess the real reason why he was being so mean, but the other part of me doesn't want to hear it. If it's admitted outloud, I don't know what that would mean for any sort of friendship Tony and I could have. I decide to sidestep the situation all together. "I forgive you. Let's just get on with training please." I realize after the fact that my words sound cold.

  Tony does a great job of masking the hurt. "Fine. Let's start with shooting today." He leads me over towards the makeshift target range.

  I put on the protective gear, pick a pistol up off the table, load it and ready my stance, holding the gun towards the target. I don't wait for him to signal me to fire. Instead I start shooting, unloading all of the rounds into the target. Who knew that shooting would be a great way to blow off steam?

  "Wow. I didn't expect you to remember how to do all of that after just one training session." He tells me.

  I avoid looking at him. Instead I busy myself with reloading the magazine. "Yeah, photographic memory comes in handy sometimes." I look over at the target. Too bad it doesn't help me with better aim. I did hit the target four times, but none of the shots are vital organs and they are barely on the paper.

  "I'm sure that helps." Tony says. He doesn't question me further about my memory. "Take your time this round and line up your sights. Remember, three in a row, you're ready to go."

  I nod my head, load the gun and try again. This turn, I take my time. Breathing deeply, I concentrate as I fire off round after round. All of my shots hit the paper silhouette. With one bullet left in the chamber I take my time lining up the sights just right. I fire and hit the target right in the bull’s eye on the chest. I carefully place my gun down first and then I do a happy dance. "Yeah!" I say feeling elated and like a champ. It's amazing how achieving a goal can change a mood so easily.

  "That was awesome!" Tony says excited at my enthusiasm.

  "I know, that was amazing! I can't believe I actually hit it!" I hug Tony before I realize what I'm doing. He stiffens up and I back away quickly.

  Realizing the awkward situation, he quickly says, "You're learning quickly. You must have an awesome teacher." He jokes.

  Grateful that the tension was cut I say, "Yeah, or you can chalk it up to that kick butt photographic memory of mine."

  "Nah, we'll stick with the awesome teacher story." He laughs and I join him.

  "Deal." I smile.

  "Because you did so great, you get to choose what we work on next."

  "Oh is that so? What are my choices?" I raise my eyebrow and smile.

  "Knife throwing or hand to hand combat."

  "Tough choice. Let's go with hand to hand combat." I choose.

  Tony leads me over to some mats on the other side of the room. He starts off with showing me some more dodging maneuvers. Then we move onto punching and kicking using practice pads. We practice in silence with the only noise coming from our heavy breathing and the sound of force hitting the kicking pads. Tony shows me how to flip a person, pin a person to the ground and how to get out from a pin.

  Somewhere in the middle of our training a new tension floats in. I don't know if it's all of the physical contact or the aggressive fighting that's causing it but it's definitely there. While sparring with each other, our maneuvers and punches start getting a little harder, which causes us to duck and dodge quicker. If the dodging isn't enough to give me whiplash, the hot and the cold between the two of us is.

  When we take a second to grab a drink of water Tony makes the stupid decision to break the silence we've kept for the past forty-five minutes. "So, are you happy to have your boyfriend back?"

  Of all of the questions he could bring up, he has to go for the most inept one. I try to avoid looking at him. Instead I stare at my water bottle like it's the most interesting piece of plastic ever and wishing that the silence had never been broken. "It feels good to have everyone back together again. I feel complete now."

  He steps in front of me so I have to look into his neon yellow eyes. He runs his hand through his copper hair that's wet from exertion. "Are you happy with him Willow?"

  I gulp. The lack of space between us is so obvious that my stomach turns on its side. I am very happy, but I know that this response will only hurt Tony and I don't want that. I can tell that's not what he's asking anyway. He's really asking 'what about me?' I start by saying, "Tony..."

  He cuts me off before I can complete my thought by turning away from me abruptly and heading back over to the mat. "Never mind. I mean, it's obvious you are happy. I have eyes. I don't know why I asked you that."

  "Tony..." I try to speak up again not totally sure what to say.

  He wave's me off. "Let's get back
to work."

  I set my water bottle down and meet him back at the mats. We start sparring again. I get in a few good punches before he flips me over onto my back. The air whooshes out of my lungs in one fail swoop. Feeling like my chest has been hallowed out, I gasp for air.

  "Oh man, I'm so sorry Willow." He kneels at my side with worry etched across his forehead.

  I don't say anything as I finally start to catch my breath again. That hurt like hell!

  "I didn't mean to..." Tony starts to say, but I quickly sit up and knock him over, pinning him to the ground. I give him my best don't mess with me kind of look as I pin his hands to his sides. Feeling elated at having gotten the best of him and making up for his knocking me down I smirk.

  He gives me a dangerous glare and in one quick maneuver he reverses our roles. I struggle to get free as he moves on top of me, pinning my hands above my head. "Fighting tip: don't ever get cocky."

  Fury rips through me and I thrash about trying to get out from the pin like he taught me to do. Nothing's working. I'm just exhausting myself as I struggle beneath him. I huff and puff and refuse to cry uncle.

  Tony laughs at my efforts and moves closer to my face.

  I stop struggling and look up into his eyes. My heart stops and my breath catches at the passion in his gaze.

  "Get off her!"

  Tony and I both turn in unison towards the door to see Alec coming at us like he's on a warpath. Tony does the smart thing and moves off of me quickly.

  I sit up, "It's okay, we were just training."

  Alec looks so pissed that I expect to see smoke come out of his ears at any second. "That did not look like just training!"

  I stand up in time to block Alec from going after Tony. I push at Alec's chest with both my hands and he doesn't budge. He looks at me and through the reflection in his dark blue eyes, I can see my neon ones staring right back.

  "Let me by, Willow." He says through his teeth.

  "Chill out man. We were practicing hand to hand combat and pins." Tony says coolly from behind me.

  Alec looks from him, then back to me, then back at him. His eye's narrow, "You need to watch it." He points at Tony. Then he looks down at me. It takes a second before his expression turns gentler again. "Are you done here?" He asks.

  I exhale heavily, not realizing I had been holding my breath. I nod and say, "Yes, we are done for today." I grab his elbow and hold onto him all the way out of the room, afraid to let him go.

  When we make it out and turn down an empty hallway, Alec stops me. He turns to look at me and succeeds in backing me into a wall. "I don't like this training."

  I raise my chin and say, "I need to learn how to defend myself Alec."

  "Not with him!" He says loudly, getting in my face, pointing at the general direction of Tony.

  I've not seen him this forceful, other than back when Zack had used compulsion to tell him to be mad at me. A shiver runs up my spine with that memory. I shake it off. "Tony is a good trainer."

  "I don't care!" When I jerk back from his outburst he takes a deep breath and works to calm down. "He seems like a loose cannon. Then when I walked in with him on top of you..." He tightens his hands into fists and places them on the wall to each side of me, locking me in. "I was ready to pummel him." He admits in a whisper.

  I shiver. Then looking into his deep navy eyes, I say, "We really were just training."

  "Are you sure there is nothing else there?" He demands earnestly, his hands are still boxing me in against the wall.

  "No, Alec. There's nothing there." I close my eyes for a second to confirm that revelation within myself. I open my eyes again and see the man that I love staring back at me. "Nothing is there. I love you and only you."

  As if he felt the need to confirm this, his lips collide with mine in a passionate kiss that blows my worries and thoughts away like embers in the wind. We hold onto each other like we could slip away forever if we let go. He says everything to me with that kiss. It tells me that I am his and that I hold his heart in my hands. I will not take such an enormous responsibility lightly. I kiss him back with just as much passion and when we break away the worry and anger in his eyes is gone.

  "Alec and Willow kissing in a tree..." Connor chides in his best singsong voice. We both turn our heads to see him and Claire walking down the hall towards us. Candy is on their heels. She looks every bit of the uncomfortable third wheel.

  "Um, I think you meant sitting in a tree." Alec playfully punches Connor on the shoulder.

  "You two were not just sitting." Connor laughs then makes his move, trying to put him in a headlock. Alec blocks him and the games begin.

  I roll my eyes and turn my attention towards the girls as the boys do that weird wrestling thing that guys do. "Awkward." I joke.

  "I guess for guys a simple hug doesn't do." Claire laughs.

  We laugh for a second and then I turn my attention to Candy. "So, how are you doing?" I ask her seriously. She stands a step behind Claire and looks like she wants to melt into the background. I can't believe how much the tables have turned. I actually feel bad for this girl who bullied us for three straight months.

  She looks up at me with her baby blue eyes. "Fine."

  I stare at her for a moment and then let her unspoken emotions sink in. I can feel the anxiety, sadness and homesickness that she feels. Pushed away in a far corner is a mix of anticipation and determination that might just get her through all of this.

  "Please don't do that." Candy tells me firmly.

  I cock my head to the side, surprised by her statement. "What do you mean?"

  "I can sense you reading my emotions." She tells me.

  "Oh, and your eyes are like...black." Claire says in wonderment while moving a step closer to get a better look. "That's pretty cool how quick they just changed. It was like neon yellow and then slowly the black came on like an eclipse."

  I instinctively reach my hand up towards my eyes. Then I tell Candy, "Sorry."

  "It's okay. I don't like the invasion of privacy though." She tells me. Her voice lacks passion and she seems a bit beat down.

  "I’ll work on that." I twiddle my thumbs a little lost for words. "If you ever want to talk or something... Um, you know." I look up and her eyes are locked on mine. I say a little more sure of myself, "Claire and I are here. We are pretty good listeners."

  "Yes, anytime." Claire agrees.

  Candy looks to each of us and her eyes soften a bit. "Thank you. I know, I've been a total queen B to you two and I'm sorry."

  "You’re forgiven." I tell her sincerely.

  "Yes." Claire confirms.

  "Thank you." Her lips turn up slightly into the closest thing to a genuine smile that I've seen from her in a while. She turns her attention to the guys who are coming up behind us.

  "Group hug?" Connor comes at us with his arms open wide.

  "You are such a goober!" Claire punches at him and he kisses her on the cheek. This earns a laugh from the rest of us. Candy even lets off a little chuckle. Surprisingly, it doesn't sound anything like her famous hyena laugh, for which I'm grateful.

  "So, is it dinner time?" Connor asks.

  "Probably. Let's go check." I grab Alec's hand in mine and lead everyone back in the direction of the cafeteria.

  We sit with my family during dinner. Once again, Tony is a no show. I do my best not to think about it though. We talk as we eat. Candy sits next to Sabby and dotes over him. I think he's going to be good for her. Slowly but surely, I see some of her fragile state disappear. Nobody is impervious to my baby brother's charms.

  My mom does a great job of involving Candy in the conversations too. She takes care of everyone like they are her own. My mom totally rocks.

  We all laugh and make fun of Connor because he gets a talking to for trying to get seconds of food before everyone has gotten their fair share. He sulks for a bit and then we move on to more interesting topics of conversation.

  Apparently, two gathering groups have been se
nt out to search for supplies in the area and they should be back by midday tomorrow. My mom explains about how they go out on missions to search nearby neighborhoods and stores for supplies and food rations that can be useful. On a side note, she tells me that Tony joined one of the groups.

  Another bonfire party is scheduled for tomorrow night after they return. It's a tradition to celebrate when a mission is successful.

  They didn't hold a celebration for us when we returned out of respect for the two soldiers who lost their lives.

  After dinner, we lounge about for a while more, talking about this and that. My mom introduces my friends to the soldiers that they will be training with tomorrow. The trainers just happen to be the fantastic four. One for each: Alec, Connor, Claire and Candy. My mom tells us that she will be personally training my dad. That should be interesting.

  Since Tony won't be around to train me, I get to tag along and join in wherever I want. Everyone is set for a six-hour training session tomorrow which starts immediately after breakfast. Connor seems the most excited about the training, which doesn't surprise me at all. Every so often he’ll do a random ninja move to show his enthusiasm.

  When the vicious cycle of yawning overtakes our group, we head off to our respective rooms. Claire and I talk for a few minutes about the boys before we fall asleep. I tell her about the situation with Tony and Alec. She eyes me warily and warns me to be careful because it sounds like Tony might have a thing for me. I brush the comment off but it doesn't really leave me. No, it weighs heavily on my conscience. I lie in bed quietly and listen to the sounds of Claire nodding off. I guess it's going to be one of those tossing and turning kind of nights.

  ***

  A thunderous knock on the door pulls me abruptly from my sleep. I hop out of bed to answer the incessant knocking. Claire groans as I open the door and the light from a lantern filters in. The lady that I healed with the burn a few days ago is standing there looking scared out of her wits.