Smiling, I nodded, "I needed to get away." I motioned to my head, "This thing is in overdrive. It won't stop thinking."
Kit moved across the room to sit on the edge of the bed behind me, a thick silence falling between us.
"I don't have to go to San Diego." It came out quiet and hesitant. I turned in the chair to look at the redhead, still wearing her jeans and trusted purple hoodie, Kit was looking around the room nervously. "I'm sure Davey can handle it without me."
I sighed hard, Kit could read me, read all of my fears and doubts about us separating. I shook my head slowly, "No, you need to go. You are the only one that put the clues together and faced two of these monsters. You are the only one that can handle this Kit." I paused, "I will be okay."
Another heavy silence fell.
Kit looked at me, her glassy eyes meeting mine. "Do you know how much I love you Claire?"
I smiled and shrugged, "You might have told me once or twice." I stood, moving to sit next to her on the bed, her body leaning into mine like it always did when we were close. I glanced up at her, "And you know how much I love you, Kit."
Kit chuckled, nodding as she picked up my hand to hold in hers. I sighed delicately at how warm her hand was, a far cry from the cold, clammy one I last held in my basement lab. I pressed against her hand, "Not to sound like a teenager in the midst of her first love, but I'm going to miss you every minute you are gone."
Kit grinned at me, her hand moving to rest against my cheek. "Don't say you miss me anymore, Claire."
I leaned into her palm, silence returning to us for a third time as I held her bright hazel eyes with mine. A strange memory from long ago suddenly making its way to the front as I studied her eyes, but I didn't dare say anything else. I didn't want to corrupt or bring further reality to this moment. We both knew what was to come in the next few hours and deep down I felt ridiculous at being so attached to this woman. So attached I was acting like a newlywed sending her beloved off to war.
I closed my eyes, shaking my head faintly at the silly thoughts that had arrived the moment Kit arrived in my life. Love was truly a fickle entity of its own.
Kit dipped her head, searching out my attention, "Hey, stop thinking so much."
I rolled my eyes, licking my lips to tell her as if that would ever be possible, only to be caught off guard when her lips found mine. It was a small kiss, one of her unique ways to get my brain to stop thinking. I kissed her back, my hands finding their own way to the sides of her face. It had been far too many days I let pass since I last kissed Kit more than just politely and I began to feel the slow fire build in my stomach. I pulled away when I felt her tongue graze mine, "I should go get my things ready."
Kit's fingers came up and pressed against my lips, when I gave her a look, she shook her head. "Later. You have time." She replaced her fingers with her mouth, kissing me with such an intensity that it literally made me forget my name.
When she nipped my bottom lip, resistance became futile and I found myself getting lost in her lips. Kit's hands moved quickly, making quick work of removing my sweater. When strong, diligent fingers brushed the skin between my breasts softly, I let the fire consume me. I reached for her, unzipping and removing her hoodie in one motion, I quickly moved to the tank top she wore underneath. Breaking from her mouth long enough to rip it over her head and throw it in the corner, she returned to me with a ferocity that made me catch my breath. Her hands sliding around my ribs and unhooking my bra, I pressed my body forward. Needing and wanting more contact.
Kit leaned back, ending the kiss as we both panted for air. The look in her eyes made my heart thunder in my chest. Love, lust, hope and a sense of ownership that made me weak. I swallowed hard as her fingers drew lightly over my shoulders, pulling down the straps of my simple bra. Kit looked down as my bare skin was revealed to her inch by inch. It made me squirm closer to her, I wanted her to touch me and take control quickly before I lost it. I went to reach for her, to remove her bra, but she caught my hands, shaking her head as she leaned forward and kissed my collarbone, then down to the center of my chest before moving to right over my pounding heart.
Kit placed a hard lingering kiss over my heart, making me whimper when I heard her whisper against my skin, "Mine."
Kit continued her slow assault with her lips, moving to the curve of my breast then down to my nipple. Brushing her lips ever so painfully slow over it, then taking it in her mouth when I whispered a plea. I held her head in place, letting her take her time with a warm, wet tongue that forced my eyes closed. I knew what Kit was doing, taking it slow and mapping out every inch of my body for her own memories, and yet was driving me insane.
When she moved to my other breast, teasing it like she had the first, I couldn't hold back. Slow love making would have to come after, I ached to feel Kit on me, in me and I ached to do the same to her. I dropped my hands from the tangle of red hair I had released from her ponytail, sliding them to her waist I lifted her up and rolled us to properly lay on the bed.
I hovered over her, smirking at the look on her face of surprise that I had taken control. I lifted her up just enough to remove her bra and when she went to contest, I pushed my thigh up between her legs, making her gasp and writhe at the contact. I bent down, grazing her lips with mine, "Just let me, Kit. We have time." I flicked my tongue over her bottom lip before taking it in my teeth, causing Kit to moan loudly and push down on my thigh.
My hands covered her breasts, but I didn't take my time like she had, I had one goal in mind. I moved my hand down her stomach, my palm flat on her toned stomach, I could feel the sharp intake of breath with every move I made. I removed my thigh from Kit, receiving a groan of protest and a barely audible, "Please." I sat up, moving quickly to unbutton and tug her jeans down, revealing the tiny black underwear I loved. I swallowed thickly when I clearly saw how ready she was for me by the way the material clung to her and in that moment, I threw slow and teasing out the window.
I stood up on my knees, fumbling with the button on my own jeans, Kit sitting up to help me, kissing my stomach as our hands yanked off the jeans like two maniacs, my underwear thrown with the jeans to land somewhere across the room.
Kit's hands quickly wrapped around my thighs, pulling me towards her, almost falling forward the moment I felt the tip of her tongue glide easily through me. I shuddered and reached for the headboard for support at the same time I went to reach for her, but lost all ability to function when her grip on my thighs tighten as her tongue went deeper, circling around the swollen nub then running down the length of me. Kit's tongue moved slowly, then quickly, prolonging my misery. I couldn't resist pushing my body down on her, searching out more contact. I looked down at her, her bright hazel eyes shining with love and desire as she took more and more from me with every flick of her tongue. I was close, getting closer to coming when I felt her fingertips trace along where her tongue had just been.
I leaned back, my one hand falling to her stomach. Kit raised her legs to support me when her fingers slid in slowly. I had to squeeze my thighs hard to stop from coming on that simple contact. I gasped for air while Kit's tongue and fingers synced up, I wouldn't last long. I pushed my hand across her stomach, under the waistband of her underwear, my fingers slipping at how wet she was and pushed two fingers into Kit. She cried out, her body gripping on my fingers, her hips began bucking involuntarily at the sudden pleasurable intrusion. It only took two more thrusts for us to come hard together, both of us crying out curse words and names as the waves of pleasure surge over our bodies, overloading the sense and every little nerve ending in our bodies, filling each one with almost overwhelming pleasure.
After coming down from the blinding orgasm, I slowly drew my hand free from her. Hearing a soft whimper from the loss of contact, I moved my body down to lay against Kit. Her face flushed, her chest heaving as air was forced into her body.
Brushing some of the hair out of her face, I kissed her lips lightly, "You know you never win whe
n you try to take control. I always find a way to one up you."
Kit chuckled, swallowing hard still trying to catch her breath, "For a minute I thought I had won." She leaned over kissing the tip of my nose, then looked over my shoulder at the clock. "We have an hour, what do you say to letting me try one more time?"
I smirked, "You won't win..." My words were cut off by her fingers finding how sensitive I still was. Kit sat up on her elbow, "We will see about that Senator." I couldn't respond, her fingers moving deeper had taken my ability to speak and for once I was willing to give in gracefully and let her win this round.
I laid on my side, still tangled in sheets and pillows, staring at the Johnny Cash poster on Claire's shelves. I was in bed alone and had been for the last twenty minutes. Claire had slipped out when assumed I was still passed out from our last round. I wasn't, I just couldn't sleep much after we said out physical goodbyes, only faking it for her benefit. I knew Claire hated goodbyes and it was clear as she pranced around the room like a cat burglar, collecting her things before leaving me with a light kiss on my forehead.
I knew she was scared at what splitting up could result in. Fear at the emotions that were triggering her response and all that analytic nonsense that was Claire's main brain function. I, on the other hand, was simple. I loved her so much I didn't want to be away from her. That was my simple selfishness, my fear laid elsewhere. The fear Alistair was already ahead of us and that we were doing exactly as he planned.
I ran my hand over her pillow, pushing to sit up.
In the end we had split. Claire was right, I had to deal with San Diego and she needed to start on Geneva to finish it. The sooner she did finish her work there, the sooner we could be done with it all and find the quiet.
I stretched my arms, smiling at the small mark she had left on me above my left breast. Her way of claiming my heart for the duration of our separation. I leaned over the side of the bed, picking up my discarded tank top and pulling it on. I had an hour before I headed to the airport and met Sam. Just enough time to shower, dress and say my goodbyes to her parents, or apologize for the noises their daughter and I made in their home.
I giggled as I stood, I finally managed to get the prim and proper woman to fool around in her parent’s home. That alone was worth the sore muscles and tiny bite marks I would have to hide.
Standing up, I looked around for my jeans and hoodie when I spotted a folded note on the desk under Johnny. "Kit" written in big letters on the front. I picked it up, unfolding it to see Claire's messy but elegant scrawl.
"I took your purple sweatshirt. Call me clingy or sentimental, but I have it." I laughed lightly at how adorable the big brained genius scientist was.
"As for September 7th. It took me longer than I would have liked, but I do remember that date. I’d gone to the steel mill on holiday from Oxford. Finally bending to my father's insistent wishes for me to see what had become of my childhood crayon written formulas. I was standing next to him on one of the pouring towers. Half listening to him tell me how he would like me to take over the mill when he retired. I was distracted and looking around the yard below us. Watching a few of the mill workers stroll with their families.
It was the mill's family day and most of the workers had brought younger children. Then there was one foreman with an older girl, well older than the ten year olds and teens everywhere. This girl looked to be in her early twenties, wearing a Purdue University t-shirt.
I kept staring for some reason until the girl turned, looking up and from afar, we still made eye contact. Bright hazel eyes lighting up when they met mine. A huge grin fell across the girls face, a small dimple showing on the right side, and made my heart twitch in a way I didn't know was possible. She was cute, her red hair struggling to break free from the huge yellow hard hat of her father's. This girl was cute and would be beautiful when age continued to grace her. The girl waved at me after a minute of mutual staring and I awkwardly waved back, hiding behind the thick glasses I still wore in my first year at Oxford.
Your eyes never left mine until your father dragged you away to meet some of his coworkers.
I never forgot your hazel eyes, Kit, but I never put it together until last night when I finally saw those same bright, sparkling, happy eyes looking back at me. That young, happy girl had lost her way over the years. Her eyes lost that sparkle and it didn't occur to me that on September 7th, 2003 we met for the first time and it was the first time you made my heart skip and make me wonder if true love was real and attainable.
I love you, Caitriona."
I folded the paper back up, grinning like an idiot. I had also forgotten about Claire. The tall blonde girl standing next to the mill owner, the girl who for whatever reason I couldn't tear my eyes from, her long blonde hair in a braid and those big black framed glasses on her face hid a lot, but I never forgot the way she made me feel when our eyes met. Something that went past my first declaration of love to my first boyfriend, and everything that followed in my love life. It was a moment like my mother always talked about when she met my father, one look in his eyes and she just knew. She just knew he was it and there was no one else.
I felt that when I looked at the young Claire, that's why I never took off the Purdue shirt, to remember that moment and spend my life finding it again or her again.
That all fell to the wayside when I thought I had found that love in Callum and I fell into the darkness. I forgot her, I forgot that feeling and it took me far too long to remember, until I saw a picture in her parent’s house, a picture of that day with her father. The two of them standing outside the main office in front of the huge Ocel Steel sign, that's when the memories came back.
My brain was free of the darkness and the scotch I had kept it in and I could finally remember that day I looked in her eyes from across the yard and knew. I knew she was someone special. My heart knew, but I never saw Claire again until I ended up on her couch a few months ago with Davey and lost as ever. Life had become overcrowded with pain and I cared little.
I chuckled, setting the paper on top of my bag before I walked to the bathroom. I couldn't fight it now, Claire and I were meant to be. Plain and simple like the fairy tales I read. If we made it through this and a few years down the road had passed in peace, maybe September 7th could be a strange anniversary for us.
I let the shower heat up, leaning against the edge of the sink, I also didn't want to think too far ahead. The last time I did, I lost everything, so this time I wouldn't and I had to keep that in the front of my mind before I was swept away.
_______________________________
I sat on the empty plane, waiting for Sam to tell me we were about to take off. I pulled out the files on Jessica and the Beekeeper files Rebecca was able to get. I went to Jessica's first, wanting to know my attacker a little better. My hands shook as I opened the file, flashes of the last time I killed my attacker racing forth and threatening to shatter my still very fragile balance with my past and the present.
I took a deep breath and read about Jessica Cornwell.
Ensign Jessica Cornwell had been a typical military officer on the rise to a successful long career in the Navy. She had gone to the Naval Academy and graduated in the top ten percent of her class, earning herself the choice in which commission she took. The girl chose to be part of a support unit in Afghanistan attached to a mash unit. I felt sad looking at the eager girl in her Navy photo. Young blonde with bright hazel eyes. A huge proud smile on her face as she stood straight like all good officers should. The girl was full of life and a far cry from the mangled woman I killed.
Ensign Cornwell was all about being patriotic and doing what was right for her country in a time of war. An attitude that served her well with her unit and her leaders. She did her job and kept morale high, putting her on the fast track to a promotion to Lieutenant. Then near the end of her last deployment, Jessica was involved in a convoy that was attacked by insurgents. Jessica was injured when her Humvee caught on fire and a
lmost consumed her. She was rescued and sent back to Germany for treatment and then to Bethesda Naval hospital.
That's where her Navy file ended, the last entry was her medical discharge and she was placed in Veteran's Affairs care. She then effectively disappeared from the Navy, but reappeared in Dr. Bourne's file.
I set the Navy file to the side, smiling at Sam as he gave me the thumbs up for takeoff. I grabbed the thick Beekeeper file on Jessica, what was inside was hard to read. Dr. Bourne had somehow managed to get Jessica transferred into her project through some back door dealings by the CIA with NCIS. The girl was handed over like a frog waiting to be dissected in biology class.
Dr. Bourne treated Jessica for her burns first, utilizing some of the research Claire expanded on, to heal the girls burns quicker, but still leaving heavy scarring. Dr. Bourne’s notes on Jessica were morbid.
"The new patient is healing quickly. This is a good sign. I will gain her confidence and her trust. I will need that before I begin phase two and introduce her to the rest of the group. From this day on Jessica will now be known as Apis. After she is healed I will begin the injections to splice her DNA like I have with Honey. I am eager to get started on Apis. Next week I will have two more new patients and I can move even faster on creating the perfect soldier. Honey is doing well, but I cannot keep doing experiments on him. It appears his immune system is in overdrive from the genetic redesign. It keeps eradicating everything I put in him. He's a decent specimen, but not perfect and the CIA wants perfect or I will lose funding."
I continued reading, clenching my jaw at how graphic some of the test notes where. How Dr. Bourne would test Jessica's pain tolerance by manipulating her burns, reopening them then closing them, or leaving them raw for days at a time, leaving the poor girl to scream endlessly until her throat gave out. Jessica was electrocuted, drowned, injected endlessly with god knows what, I couldn't decipher the long chemical names listed in every injection. Dr. Bourne had one last entry in her file before the lab explosion ceased all of her documentation.
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