Memories Keep Flooding Back ( Open )

[david]

It was always a long day at the “office” for David. His career didn’t really allow him to have the luxury of working in a cubical without many responsibilities. In fact, David hadn’t been a cubical since his barracks; well at least that was the closest thing to a cubical he could figure. Driving was always nerve racking for David and he had every reason to be worried because there was a flood warning between Seattle and Forks. It was the rainy season in Washington and that was always a problem, even if David was driving a hummer. Then there were the flashbacks… “David! Alpha just got hit, Ray is gone! We’ve got to get up there now and provide back up! Move this vehicle son!” The windshield wipers kept going back and forth trying to give some clarity to the road but there wasn’t much to be seen. It was a long dark road in the middle of a forest. David passed an advisory sign for a bridge ahead. “Drive Reaves! Base camp this is SO 3 we have a visual on the convoy now. How do you wish for us to approach! Reaves! Bomb!” David swerved off the road to avoid a fallen tree but began to hydroplane across the road towards one of the water filled ditches off the shoulder of the road. David slammed on the brakes in time to slide into the water without any real damage to his vehicle.

David ran his hands over his face and looked around. His windshield was beginning to get a bit fogged up. His breathing was heavy and he was perspiring a bit. His hands were clutched to the steering wheel like the jaws of death to cold metal of a wrecked car. David took a deep breath and looked behind him. He couldn’t see anything but darkness. At least there weren’t any cars nearby then. David but the hummer in reverse and got back onto the road and continued to drive forward. He was cautious and visibility was still a problem. David knew he needed to get back to Kristen and the kids but it was going to be difficult with this weather. David checked his phone to see if he had any service but there wasn’t any to be had on his commercial phone. If only he was allowed to use his military phone for non emergencies. David eyes stayed on the road, his pupils moving back and forth frantically to find the road but it was obvious was driving in a foot of water. David needed to slow down and as he put his foot on the brake he felt the road go out from under him and he realize that he was in a river. The vehicle wasn’t sinking but water was rushing into the vehicle and there was a harsh current that was pushing on the passenger side of the hummer, pushing the car, threatening to tip it over. David reached up and broke the sky roof and pulled himself up onto the roof of the car with a flashlight. He stood there for a moment, flicking the light on and off. Hopefully someone would pass and see the light. Of course, he wasn’t even sure where the road was at this point or if anyone would even be driving in this weather besides him.

[kristina]

The exhaustion fell through Kristina’s muscles as she continued her drive back home. She had just landed back in Seattle from visiting Spain, and was dreading the lonely drive home. A part of her loved the seclusion of Mikel’s estate, but it made nights like this especially long and cold. The rain wasn’t helping at all either. Rain meant traffic and accidents…two things she was not prepared to deal with tonight. She had just returned from an assignment designed to gather information on a growing threat. Her final night there had ended in a fight between her and the man she had been watching. His drunken lust had consumed him, and Kristina had been obliged to obey without a word. He had been entirely too rough, and even as a lycan…her muscles still ached as she got into her car. All she wanted was a steaming hot shower and her silk sheets wrapped around her fragile body…drifting off into a calm night’s sleep.

Of course, she wouldn’t have that for another hour because of the rain. It was nearing nine o’clock, and she sighed lightly. Flicking on the radio, she heard a flood warning in effect for Seattle. “Perfect…” Usually she wasn’t one to have such a bitter outlook, but for some reason that trip to Spain hadn’t gone the way she intended. It was the first time an assignment didn’t go according to plan, and something just seemed off within her demeanor. Of course, she was still the lovely, elegant lady she was raised to be…but she couldn’t help but just want the gentle touch of a man. One with a loving force driving it…not strictly lust.

Inhaling deeply, she continued her drive back to the Estate, trying her hardest to focus on the road. Her speed was kept safe for this kind of weather, and her grip was tight against the wheel. She bit at her lower lip out of habit in concentration, her heart rate slightly higher than normal. Not only was this road secluded and the rain was pouring down, but oftentimes there were deer that enjoyed leaping out in the middle of the road. That was one disadvantage to living so far out. She had been lucky enough to not hit one yet, but she certainly seen many along the side.

Her thoughts were drawn back as she saw a flashing light ahead. That was odd. Maybe they added in a flashing sign to warn of the narrow bridge ahead. But, as she grew closer to it, she saw it was a man who seemed to be flicking a flashlight on and off. Slowing the car, she turned on her hazards to let alert any others on the road of her whereabouts. She wasn’t quite dressed for cold, rainy weather, but she wasn’t about to walk away from someone who needed help. Stepping out of her car in a classy black dress, she tossed off her heels. It would be dreadful to try and walk in them with this weather. As she stepped out, her hair near immediately became soaked as she tried to see where the man was. Walking closer, she realized his car was in the river. Her pace quickened as she moved to the edge of the flooding river. “Are you alright?” She asked, more concerned of his safety than the matter that his car was in the river. Her voice held a Spanish accent, but it was only minor. Traveling so much had pretty much rid her of her native accent. “What happened?” She asked, wondering how the man ended up driving into the river, a small laugh of disbelief escaping her throat.

Kristina's Dress 1 // Kristina's Dress 2
OOC: Sorry it's so long...my starter posts usually are.

[david]

David couldn’t help thinking to himself that there wasn’t going to be anyone else on the road at this time of night and in such horrible weather. To be honest, he was a bit frustrated that he had actually driven off the road and into a river or creek or something. All he could tell was that the river wasn’t deeper than his seven and a half foot tall black hummer which sort of sat in the water. The river was obviously flooded and there was a substantial current which David knew would probably make swimming to shore a rather difficult task. So David just remained on his car and continued to flick his high powered flashlight into the direction he thought the road might have been but after a while he was becoming less than optimistic. The rain was still coming down and his clothes were drenched completely. His bones were probably drenched. The fifty or so degree temperature didn’t really help either because he was simply cold and wet. That was not one of David’s favorites. David stood just waiting, persistent but less hopeful with every passing minute. He began to contemplate how he was going to get out of this river if no one drove by soon. Thankfully he didn’t have to think for too long.

David began to see car lights in a distance and they proceeded to get closer to him with each passing moment. That was a good sign. David saw hazard lights come on which meant they had stopped and probably seen him. David hoped they would be able to help with a cable or something he could hold onto while swimming to shore. He didn’t really care about swimming in water at this point cause he was already cold and wet. What else could change by jumping into a river. To be frank, David was not really expecting a woman to come out of the vehicle. It was hard to make her out in the rain but he shown his flashlight on her to try to get a clear view of her. She was not dressed the part of a savior. Quite honestly it looked like she had just come back from a cocktail party or a formal evening event of some kind. David figure that she wasn’t going to have a cable he could use. This was going to be interesting. She come over to him and asked the obvious question of whether or not he was alright.

“Well I’m not doing as well as I could be that is for sure!” David yelled back to the woman. He had to yell so he could be heard over the rain and the sound of the rushing water. David began to feel the car moving underneath him. How powerful was this river? “It would seem as though this not the road!” David continued. He shown the flashlight on the water and tried to determine how far it was going to be for him to swim before he got to where the woman was standing. It was fifteen yards which would be hard under this conditions even if David was a decent swimming. Being an ex Navy Seal sort of gave him that quality. David looked at the woman as the car shifted a bit underneath him again. He maintained his balance. “Well my car is shifting so its safe to say I won’t have all night in this river. If you have a cable or rope or something which I can use to help swim ashore I’d appreciate it!” Terion looked back at the river. “I’d be too easy to get swept away by this current if I tried to do it on my own.” He didn’t need to tell her that he had already figured out how fast the current was going and how long he had before his vehicle was moved based on the weight of his hummer and the direct and constant pressure of the river, given its current and mass. David looked at the woman in hopes that she would have a rope for him. He had one in the back of his hummer but he was going to have to find it and if his car started moving while he was in that process he was going to have quite a few issues to deal with.

[kristina]

The rain continued to pour as Kristina stood at the river’s edge listening to the man. From the sound of his voice, he didn’t seem to be in any pain so she assumed all of his bones were still in tact. Even with her keen vision, it was hard to see five feet in front of her, much less the man that seemed to be sitting on his vehicle but she tried nevertheless. He seemed to be fit, but she guessed he was human. If he wasn’t, that swim would be manageable, but for a human it was far too dangerous. There was no way in knowing where the river led or to where he would be swept. Even in spite of the pending danger, she heard a lick of sarcasm in his voice and couldn’t help but smirk. He seemed to have a small sense of humor which she could definitely appreciate. Hearing his request for a rope or cable, she stood for a moment in thought. Usually Mikel just sent the car to the mechanic if anything went wrong, she wasn’t sure he would keep emergency supplies in the trunk. “Umm, hold on just a second!” She shouted, her adrenaline beginning to flow as she heard his vehicle begin to move in the current.

Biting at her lower lip, she ran quickly back to her car. Opening the door, she popped the trunk and hurried to see if she had anything. From the sound of his voice, she estimated he was probably around twenty meters away from her…so she needed something that would be that long. Pulling her suitcase out and rummaging through her trunk, she saw she had jumper cables. While she knew they wouldn’t be hurt by the water, she looked for another alternative. Mikel only kept the essentials in his car, so it surprised her when she came across some rope. Thank God. Her mind moved through a few scenarios of why he would have rope, but she quickly put them aside and closed the trunk. Hurrying back, she shivered lightly as the wind began to pick up.

“Okay, I found some rope…but I can barely see you!” That worried her because trying to toss it to him would be extremely difficult. It wasn’t a doubt of whether she could toss it that far, but whether or not he would be able to see it or if she would even get it anywhere near him. Thankfully, he still had hold of the flashlight, so that would be her target. Seeing as they were surrounded by forest, she moved to the nearest tree and tied it securely in place. Even though she was sure she could hold her stance by holding it, that wasn’t normal strength for a human to see.

Standing at the river’s edge, she shouted again. “I’m aiming for the flashlight…ready?” Her heart raced as she knew he only had mere minutes before the current took his vehicle and he was bound to the river. She really only had one, maybe two chances to get it to him. “Here!” With a swift toss, she threw the rope towards the man. She knew it came close because she heard the soft thud of it against metal. Question was, would he be able to find it before the water swept it away.

[/blockquote]

[david]

David heard her tell him that she was going to go and look for a rope or something to throw to him. He wondered what in the world a woman dressed like she was, obviously of high class or some sort, would have rope in her car. He wasn’t going to argue too much if she did. It was going to be a long wait though and David could feel the vehicle moving underneath him. The river must have been quite flooded for it to have enough power to begin to move a hummer. David get the flashlight on as he waited. He dropped to one knee to keep his balance while the hummer began to move back and forth again with another large surge of water. David looked down into the car roof and saw that the water was almost completely to the roof of the car. The rain wasn’t getting any lighter and David could still barely see but he could hear her yelling at him to catch what she was throwing over to him. He couldn’t really see anything so that was going to be difficult. David put himself on full alert and he could feel the adrenaline coursing through his body and as he waited he saw something barely moving towards him. Rain seemed to slow everything down some reason. There was the rope! It hit the car roof but immediately began to roll off with the force of the current. David didn’t have time to react, instinct kicked in.

David didn’t think about keeping his flashlight, he just jumped for the rope. He pulled himself to the rope, bringing his body as close to it as he could. He could feel the rope tighten as he reached the end of it and he felt himself beginning to be pulled downstream. The current was very strong but David had some experience with such conditions. He began to pull himself up the rope, keeping his body tight to the rope, or as tight as he could. He felt things beginning to beat against his body, different rock s, twigs and other miscellaneous items that were being quickly swept away by the river. David didn’t have too far to go and before too long he had pulled himself to a point where he could stand on the river bed. It wasn’t solid ground because it was muddy and squishy but he could hold his own and the water was only to his waist so he wasn’t in as much danger. He pulled himself out of the water with a few more strong tugs and it wasn’t before he was standing in front of the woman in black, realizing how much taller he was then she was did he realize how almost impossible it was for her to be able to hold his weight with her own and the current of the river. David thanked her, his voice exasperated, his body shivering from the cold of the water and the air. “Its been a while since I have to do anything like that.” David said as he put his hand on her shoulder, “Your dress looks nice.” David paused. Stupid blundering words. “Thanks for stopping when you did.” He managed to get out after another deep breath.

[kristina]

Kristina’s brown eyes peered at the river as she waited for any movement to let her know the man had caught it. If not, she only had a few moments to pull it back in and try again. But, much to her relief, she saw the rope tighten and she let out a soft sigh. Of course, with the flashlight now under the water, she couldn’t see where the man was, but she heard his movement through the water. Her heart was still racing, and she hoped the rope would be strong enough to hold against his weight and the current. If not, they would end up in a worse situation then they had before. But, as she tried to watch, she saw the man swiftly maneuvering along the rope…almost like he’d done it before. He finally reached land and she couldn’t help but smile. She hoped he wouldn’t start to question things because she really didn’t have an answer for any of it.

When he came near face to face with her, she could finally see him. He was a bit taller than she, and he appeared a little older as well. But, even then he was still extremely handsome. Her eyes lingered on him for a moment, taking in what seemed to be everything about him. Of course, she did it in a discrete way. He finally spoke, and this time it was in a softer tone since they were closer. Then she felt his hand on her shoulder and she smiled softly up at him. She didn’t know what he had meant by his first statement, but she assumed he had meant some type of training. A melodic laugh escaped her throat as he complimented her dress and she smiled up at him. “Why thank you. You should see it when it’s dry.” The smile remained on her face before she heard metal scraping against what sounded like rocks. Looking past the man, she saw his vehicle being pushed down the river with the current. “You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.”

As she spoke, a gust of wind passed through, making her dress cling to her body…the cold seeping through and chilling her to the bone. Even as a lycan, she hated being in such weather. There was nothing fun about shivering in the rain. But of course, of all the places for Mikel to settle down in, he chose Seattle….the coldest, wettest state in the continental US.

Wrapping her arms around her body, she motioned towards her car. There was nothing he could do in this weather about his Hummer. At the very least, he would have to wait until the rain cleared up and then come back to find where the current had dragged it. Even at that, she was sure it wouldn’t run. He’d have to have a tow truck come out and pull it out. “Come on, I’ll give you a ride home.” She spoke, hating that she would have to prolong her steaming shower, but she knew she couldn’t leave the man. He would be more than welcome to stay at the estate. Mikel had explicitly told her he wouldn’t be there when she arrived. If the roads were still this bad as they got closer, that might be their only option.

“I’m Kristina, by the way.”She spoke looking over the roof of the car at him with a small smile. Unlocking the door, she slid in soaking wet. Her hair was a tousled mess on her shoulders and the fabric of her dress clung to her lightly. Thankfully, she had waterproof makeup, so she still looked halfway pretty. Turning on the ignition to get the heat running, she waited for him to see if he would get in.

[david]

David did tend to say strange and rather odd things at times but there wasn’t much he could do about them once he already spoke. David would loved to have been able to retract many statements in his life but that wasn’t his luck at all. David began to follow Kristina as she walked towards her car. He had heard the creaking and clunking of broken and bent metal against rocks and he knew that his hummer was going to be in terrible shape when or if he found it later. It was a good thing it was a company car and he would be fully reimbursed for it later. David didn’t have any option except to get into the car with this woman now. His vehicle was gone and she was really the only hope that he had to get anywhere but where he was. She offered to take him home and that sounded like an awesome idea to David. He reveled the idea of a warm shower and soft sheets of a bed after the past hour or so of standing in the cold rain. David opened the car door and plopped down on the seat of the car and looked down at the seats. “Sorry about your upholstery.” He apologized. Both of them were dripping wet and neither of them were really prepared to be drenched. Then again, who really prepared for this sort of thing? In the couple of seconds when the light of the car was on David began to examine himself and he had a considerable amount of cuts and scrapes on his body from wrestling with the rope and the river throwing random objects at him for trying to escape its grasp.

Kristina told him her name but David was preoccupied with looking at his injuries and for a moment her statement didn’t really register in his brain. He then sat up as the car started to get moving and just sat there for a couple of minutes in silence. Then her statement chose to register in his brain. “Oh sorry, I’m David.” He paused and looked down, a little flustered, “Well as you can tell its been a bit of a long night.” He said and moved his hands up and down his body, indicating to his wet clothes. “Probably would have been longer if you hadn’t shown up when you did.” David continued and then moved his hands to his shirt and did his best to speedily remove it. Taking off wet clothes was always difficult. “This will only keep me cold.” David sat calmly as he then proceeded to very literally fold the wet shirt perfectly and place it on the dash board. David ran his hands over his arms, over the scrape and cuts that he had, over the bruises on his chest. Apparently some sort of rock had hit him in the river or something. The adrenaline must have not let him feel the pain at the moment. Adrenaline did stuff like that. David ran his hands over his face and then turned to Kristina. He looked at her and he could very clearly tell that she was drenched as well. She was not someone that would normally be seen helping a stranger in a river though by her outfit and appearance. She had a model’s body and face. “Kristina may I use your body?” David asked. His cheeks flushed and he shook his head, “I mean your phone…I need to make a call.” Stupid thoughts in his head… He needed to call his sister and tell her what was going on. Hopefully they would have reception.

[kristina]

When he finally got into the car, Kristina saw the cuts and scrapes that were on his arms and she bit at her lower lip. “Those look bad…” She felt like she was stating the obvious, but his arms were covered. She was shocked that a mere river could do that, and when he took off his shirt she winced even more. “My place isn’t too far away. We have medical supplies there, if you wanted to stop by.” She was sure he had a family and a wife waiting for him, so she braced herself with anticipation for him to say no. In which case, that would be perfectly fine…she just hated to see him so bruised and scraped. Her eyes lingered on his bare chest for a moment, and her fox perked up…curious. He had a nice build and he definitely took care of himself. That was always respectable in a guy. Her blood moved a little warm through her veins, but she tried her hardest to ignore it. In the light she could tell just how handsome he was. His hair was long and his eyes were dark. His skin was tanned and as she looked a little closer, she found scars on his chest and arms that weren’t from the river. Curiosity hit as she wondered where they had come from, but she instead remained silent. “It’s okay, I’m just glad you're safe.” She spoke in regards to the upholstery. That was honestly the least of her worries right now.

Returning her attention back to getting him home, she clicked off her flashers and signaled back onto the road. The rain was still just as heavy as ever and though it didn’t look like it, Kristina had a death grip on the wheel. She wasn’t used to driving in such conditions, but she knew her lycan abilities definitely helped. Her high beams were on and she could thankfully at least see the lines of the road. After the event that had just happened, she would have thought the adrenaline would be faded, but it was quite the opposite. It continued to pulse through her as she attempted to safely get them to where they needed to go.

There were a couple minutes of silence as she felt his eyes on her. The warm returned to her skin and when he accidentally slipped up on asking for her body instead of her phone, she too had a crimson blush on her cheeks. A soft laugh escaped her throat and she smiled, nodding. “Yeah, it’s in the glove compartment. It’s off though.” She only used her phone for work purposes. When she wasn’t working, which wasn’t often, her phone was usually turned off. She needed that peace. No doubt a dozen text messages would pop up when he turned it on, but that was the least of her worries. None of them would mean anything to him even if he did see them. “Just ignore any texts or voicemails that come through.” Her heart continued to race as she tried to maintain focus on the road…the rain still falling as if it’s sole purpose was to re-create the Great Flood.

[david]

David didn’t really hear what she said about the voicemails or the text messages. He opened the clove compartment and fumbled around inside for the cell phone. He took it out of the glove compartment and shut it before opening the cell phone and turning it on. The first thing David was concerned about was getting service. He waited for the phone to turn on and the several text messages to register. She had two voicemails. David didn’t bother with them either and he just began to dial the number for his sister’s cell phone. He only had one bar so he hoped it would be able to get through to her. “Hello Kristen!” David said emphatically as someone answered the phone on the other end. “I know I’ll be home as soon as I can. I had some car problems and I got flooded I guess you could say.” He paused, listening to the woman on the other side, “Well its ok, its ok, I have ride but we may not get back until tomorrow. Its raining really badly out here and the person driving apparently has somewhere nearby where I can get cleaned up and we can wait this storm.” David looked over at Kristina as he said this. “Sometimes I hate Seattle…” He paused as the woman continued to talk on the other end. “Well, tell the kids I’ll be home as soon as I can alright.” He paused, “I love you too. Bye now.” David said with a smile and hung up the phone. He then held it in his hand for a moment before he put the phone back in the glove compartment and closed it again, looking back over to Kristina.

David sighed and looked out the window again at the rain that was still coming down extremely hard. “That was my sister in case you were wondering.” David told her. She had to be have been wondering who he would have called. “I promised the kids I’d bring some pizza tonight and have a movie night. Well, I’ll have to postpone that for now.” David said calmly. “You said you had a place nearby? I wouldn’t mind if we went there and had a place to get cleaned up. I love to get a shower with…” He paused. He caught that one. “Well I’d just like to get a shower. It would be nice. I hope you have enough room for me at your home. I don’t mean to intrude.” David said calmly. David wondered where she lived. He hadn’t been to another woman’s home in about ten years, in fact he hadn’t been around another woman alone since before he joined the military all of those years back. David was uncomfortable in such situations and it was possibly because he spent his time in books and numbers, calculations, algorithms and equations and really had never learned how to interact with other people all that well. David looked out the window towards the road. It didn’t look like they were getting any closer to civilization. He wondered where this woman lived or why she would live out in the middle of nowhere like this. How could she have a place nearby? Nearby where? I rock and some trees? Maybe she liked her solitude or something.

[kristina]

Kristina focused solely on the road as heard him turn on the phone and dial. It was none of her business who he was calling. But as he began to talk, she couldn’t help overhear what he was saying. Immediately as the name Kristen breached his mouth, she knew to back down. Especially when the words of ‘kids’ and ‘I love you too’ completed the conversation. She had to admit, it was a tad bit disappointing, but at the same time, she was used to it. Any guy she’d ever been interested in always ended up being married or having children. Not that she minded the kids’ part, but she was always scared to death to try and take on the mother role. In her mind, motherhood was something only certain people deserved. With the tasks Mikel had her running, and her inner beast of a fox…she wasn’t one of them.

At some point during the conversation, she felt his eyes fall on her and she briefly looked over to him and smiled. She knew all too well about hating Seattle. Her heart much more longed to be somewhere warm, and sunny. Perhaps back in Spain where she had been born, or even in Arizona. Anywhere away from the cold, really. Especially with the winter months and holidays approaching, she longed to be somewhere she felt safe and secure. Ironically enough, she already was. Mikel’s estate was her home, and in it she surprisingly felt at peace. Perhaps it was because it reminded her of home. She had been brought up a lady and when Mikel rescued her, he had continued to keep her with highest regards. All of her dresses and clothing were made from the finest material. Her bedroom quarters were luxurious beyond comparison. Diamonds and gems from all over the world were in her jewelry box. That was Mikel’s way of trying to keep her happy. Granted, it worked to a point…but there was always something lacking.

When he finally spoke again, he was no longer on the phone. The words that came out of his mouth surprised her. His sister? Well, didn’t she feel stupid. A small spark ran through her heart, but she tried her hardest to ignore it. Chances were that even if she started to feel things for this man, Mikel would not allow it. In Mikel’s eyes, she was his. Brushing the thought away, she decided she just didn’t care tonight. Already she had had a long day, and now an even longer night. All she wanted was her smooth silk sheets.

“Your kids?” She asked casually as if she was merely curious. Maybe his sister was just living with him and his kids until she got back on her feet. In today’s society, it wasn’t unusual. “And I’m sure they’ll understand.” She added, referring to his date night with the children. He asked if she had a place nearby and she nodded, her cheeks once more growing crimson as she heard him almost slip up again. It was nice to be noticed, even if this man wasn’t the smoothest of guys. In fact, that probably made it all the more sincere. Usually when men hit on her, it was in a very cliché way. She more than openly accepted the change.

As he spoke of having room at the house, she nodded. “There’s plenty of room. And if the storm doesn’t clear up before the night’s end, we have several spare quarters.” The mansion was huge, and it was so secluded and far away, that no one would ever just randomly stumble upon it. Her muscles were growing sore from the cold that still lingered, but she tried her best to not think about it. The tension she had on the wheel didn’t exactly help either. As lightning struck not too far away, she was thankful for the brief illumination of the road, and in the distance she saw the gate to the estate. But with the lightning came thunder and she knew that the worst of the storm was still yet to come as it nearly shook her car.

“And you’re not intruding at all. It’ll be nice to have company tonight.” She smiled softly at him as they pulled up to the gate. She rolled down her finger and pressed her finger against a small digitized pad. It wasn’t the most proper gadget, but it was efficient. No one would get in unless Mikel allowed them. The gate slowly open and she began to drive up the incredibly long driveway towards a mansion big enough to house fifteen people comfortably, each with their own room and bathroom. It was a work of art, and Kristina hoped David wouldn’t be too overwhelmed by it. He seemed like a small home kind of guy, and she hated to scare him off because of Mikel’s love of art and fine things. They pulled into the garage, and Kristina felt herself relax a bit. At least they were off the roads and safe. Turning the car off and getting out, she adjusted her dress which had rode up a bit as she drove. Looking over at David, she spoke softly. “Sorry…I know it’s a bit overwhelming at first…” She figured she might as well apologize now. The inside was only more luxurious.

[david]

A bit overwhelming seemed like an understatement. Even as they pulled into the garage David was still looking at all the architecture and the simple massiveness of the place. There was no way she lived in this place all by herself. How could she afford such a mansion? What did she do? She didn’t look like a doctor or anything like that but he doubted that even most of them could afford a place like this. David was still a bit awestruck when she spoke to him and he fumbled a bit to get out of the car. Even the garage seemed to have a cool look to it. It could hold at least five cars. This garage was bigger than some houses he had lived in. David had been to the white house and the pentagon and he was pretty sure the white house was smaller than this building. It still begged the question as to who would live out here in such style in the middle of nowhere. As David got out of the car he took his shirt that he folded neatly on the dash board and held in over his right arm. He had no idea where he was going to go so he knew that Kristina was going to need to lead the way. A couple of things began to stand out to him though and David began to become a little wary of the whole situation.

He didn’t really know anything about this woman and all of a sudden he was in a mansion with her that she hadn’t really explained. She also hadn’t really explained why she was out under such harsh conditions in the first place. There were a lot of questions about this woman that David hadn’t even asked but were swirling in his head. For instance, how had she held his weight so easily against the current? She wasn’t that strong looking of a woman. Maybe it was just adrenaline and David was being overly paranoid but it could always be something else. It was odd because even though all these things were swirling in his head, nothing about them came out in question form. The only thing he said were things that were rather embarrassing and a fumbled form of flattery. The only woman he could talk casually with without any issues was his sister. “Well I would be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed.” David said, still with a sense of awe in his voice. “I um, well haven’t been to a place like this before…and…I’ve been to a lot of places.” David said, his voice trailing off. She had mentioned that there wouldn’t be a problem with him staying there and that there were plenty of rooms. It was more than obvious now. “Well I suppose I should ask for the bathroom first so I can wash up for you.” David frowned. “Um I guess I’ll just follow you.” He continued, beckoning for her to lead the way. He would probably have gotten lost.

[kristina]

Her eyes watched his every move as he they arrived at the mansion and she could tell he was incredibly skeptical. As he emerged from the car, she could feel a bit more tension between them and she inhaled lightly. She didn’t want to scare the man off, and she had a small feeling that was precisely what she was doing. Not to mention, Seattle wasn’t exactly the best place to have a secluded mansion in the middle of no where. From an outsider looking in, the mansion with the storm looked to be the start of some gothic horror film. Smiling weakly at him, she spoke softly in regard to his comments. “Thanks…it’s a bit complicated how I live here.” She said, praying he would just leave it at that. She knew things must have seemed strange to the man, but in all honesty, she just wanted one night not to think about how messed up her life really was.

Mikel wasn’t home, but the place wasn’t empty by any means. Well, to the naked eye, it would appear that way, but Kristina knew better. He had agents in secret rooms that even she didn’t know about. But, for the most part, they let her be and only intruded when absolutely necessary.

As they walked inside, they were immediately greeted by warmth. Classical music was softly playing in certain rooms of the house, but could be heard all around. Walking further in, they came to the main living room which housed a roaring fire in the fireplace with suitable chairs and couches. It wasn’t a very modern home, but some aspects were as such. Looking around though, one would more assume this to be the house of a Lord and Lady. In essence, Kristina assumed that was kind of what it was. Priceless art hung on all the walls, murals were painted on the ceilings. Stepping into main foyer area, a large staircase led up to a second floor.

Motioning for him to follow her, she kept an eye on his reaction. He seemed a little more wary than before and that worried her. Perhaps she would be making a second trip out tonight. If he didn’t want to stay, she wouldn’t force him. “Are you hungry? I could make us some dinner.” She spoke as she moved towards one of the guest rooms close to her quarters. She figured he would feel a bit more reassured if she was nearby. Opening the door, the room opened to a nicely furnished room with a king size bed and luxurious amenities. The bathroom was open and spacious and appeared to have a lot of crystal. Turning to him, she smiled weakly. “There are towels in the linen closet in the bathroom.” Her eyes looked over the man, not checking him out…but seeing what build he was. Mikel had some older clothes that he didn’t much wear. She was sure the man would appreciate some dry clothing. “I can throw your clothes in the wash as well, and bring you some that I think would fit you perfectly.” The atmosphere was very noble and high, and she hoped it didn’t frighten him. Most people enjoyed the luxurious stay, but she wasn’t quite sure David would.

[david]

David followed Kristina throughout the house and just kept looking at everything as they passed it. David was put a little bit at ease by the classical music that met him when he entered the house. David did appreciate classical music but he was really unsure about all the art and ancient architecture of the house. This woman must have been some sort of collector or something along those lines. That might have been an explanation for everything but Mikel still didn’t know for sure. She said she was here under complicated situations. That meant she didn’t want to tell him everything that was going on. Everything in David’s mind wanted pry a bit into what was really going on here and his Seal training kept him on alert the entire time they walked through the house. For having such a large estate, it was very strange that it seemed to be quite deserted. Everything echoed and it really did seem like Kristina and he were the only two people in these entire building. David wasn’t sure if he should really believe that or not. She brought him to a room and showed him a bathroom. She offered to wash his clothes but he declined with a slight shake of his head. She offered him new clothes and he wasn’t going to say no to that offer. He couldn’t go through the house naked now could he? “Yes, if you think you can find something that would fit me.” David replied. “I guess I’ll see you in a couple minutes.” David told her calmly as he sighed and walked into the bathroom, shutting the door.

David fumbled with the lock for a second before he got it. Everyone’s door’s locks were different. It couldn’t have just been the push the button lock or anything. At least it was a normal looking shower. David’s clothes stuck to him so it was a bit difficult to get them off but David managed without too much time wasted. He turned the water on in the shower and it was plenty hot and before too long the whole bathroom began to steam up a bit. David stepped inside after finding a towel and wash cloth from the closet. The warm water soothed his body and the blood began to drip down his legs as the water flowed with it. For the first couple of minutes the water was stained red from the blood as the scrapes were initially washed off and clean by the warm water. David ran his hands over his face, letting the water run down his back. He needed to relax just a little bit. He was already on edge from being in such unfamiliar territory. He didn’t need to get into a situation that was going to cause him more stress. How was he supposed to provide good company to this woman that was clearly on a different level than him? It was quite clear that they lived two completely different lives and literally in two different worlds. This was just a little much to take in for David. He could configure and calculate missiles but couldn’t figure out the inner workers of someone’s mind. That was always his downfall.

David didn’t take too long in the shower. He wasn’t sure why he felt like the hot water was going to run out. With a mansion this big it should have been obvious that they would have plenty to go around. He stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around him. He stood and looked in the fogged mirror for a minute. He ran his hands over it so he could see better. He did have some bruises and some scrapes on him but nothing that would need stitches or any immediate medical attention. It was nothing compared to what he had been through before. It was a good thing he had been born with a good pain tolerance. He ran his right hand through his long dark hair and moved his bangs out of his eyes before he shook his head once and moved his head down and up quickly to throw his hair into a proper place. “Alright David, you’ll be fine, you’ll be fine.” David calmed himself. He went to the door and opened it. He peered out and didn’t see anyone. Well at least that was a good sign. He half expected there to be someone in the room waiting to take him out or something when he got out of the shower. He was just being paranoid. He walked out into the room and walked over to the bed. It looked rather comfortable. David should have known that as soon as he laid on the bed he was going to sleep but that slipped his mind in the moment and well that was exactly what happened.

[kristina]

He was quiet when she asked about dinner, and she assumed he just didn’t hear her. No matter, she would ask again later when they were settled and dried off. She smiled and nodded to his answer about the clothes and with that she walked out. Upon closing the door, she heard the shower go on and realized how much she longed for one. Business before pleasure. That was always her motto. And right now, getting David clothes was her business. With that thought in mind, she made her way down the east hallway and turned right down another. It wasn’t long before she came to Mikel’s room. Upon opening, his scent filled her lungs and she smiled lightly. In truth, she did miss him. He was always her serenity when she was home from a trip. Especially when she only saw him once every half a year or so. Everything was perfectly placed and she made her way towards the back end of his closet. That was where his older clothes were. And by older, she meant about half a year old. Mikel always wore the best and so when one thread became out of place…it was moved to the back of the closet or thrown out.

Searching, she found a nice ivory button up top and some black dress pants. With herself being a lady of fashion, she found them to go quite nicely together. Smiling to herself, she moved out of the closet and into the door frame of his room. Sighing softly, she flicked the light off and closed the door quietly. Her footsteps were silent as she walked down the hallway. Usually the click of her heels would give away her presence. But she had taken them off long ago.

When she approached his door, she didn’t even think to listen to see if the water was on or off. She just assumed he was still in the shower. She was only gone for about ten minutes and usually her showers lasted upwards towards half an hour. Knocking lightly out of habit, she opened the door a bit. She saw the bathroom door cracked so she figured he must have still been in there. But, as she walked further into the room, she saw him asleep on the bed. “Oh!” The sound had escaped her lips before she had any time to think. Normally she would have just remained quiet but she had been thoroughly caught off guard. Biting at her lower lip, she prayed he didn’t wake up. If he didn’t, she would just set the clothes down and shower and make them some food. But, something told her that she wouldn’t be that lucky.

[david]

David never really slept peacefully anymore. Come to think of it, David had never really had a deep sleeping pattern for as long as he could remember. He always would wake up to the sounds of his drunken father with his sister or mother, or whoever he had chosen to grab when he had come in the door from his “long day”. David had horrible memories and he could remember every sound, whimper, every image from his childhood and not because he wanted. Many of the images were burned into his brain. Thankfully David’s mind had subconsciously put many memories aside while he was conscious but when he slept, he dreamed about things no one should. So, David was a light sleeper. His Seal training helped with that as well but he had been a light sleeper long before his training. So the soft noise that came from Kristina’s lips woke him with a start. David always woke with his adrenaline running. He had trained himself to wake up and be prepared for anything ever since childhood and so now he could literally wake up with adrenaline already surging through his body. David sat up quickly and the new room, newer face and strange all around surroundings took him off guard for a moment. It took him a minute to calm down.

David sighed and shook his head after he calmed down. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep. The bed was comfortable is all.” David assured. David tightened his towel around his waist as he walked over to Kristina and looked at the clothes she had brought. Apparently the man that had worn these before him was a bulkier man than him but that was alright, at least they would be warm. “Thank you.” He thanked her and then looked at her for a moment. “I feel somewhat bad, you haven’t had time to get cleaned up or anything…I don’t imagine you are very comfortable in a wet dress. You’d probably be more comfortable naked…..or in something warmer rather.” He looked down and took the clothes from her hand. “You go and do that, I’ll change. I promise I won’t fall asleep this time.” He assured her. “I’d rather you not be uncomfortable in your own house.” David told her. He did hate feeling like he was intruding and no matter how much she assured him that he wasn’t he always felt like he was and it wasn’t just her. He would have felt that way with anyone under the certain circumstances, man or woman. David kept to himself and he didn’t really want to be on people’s radars because he knew he didn’t interact well and was very good at making people feel uncomfortable.