The Sweetest Broken FairyTale...(J/R)

[BadInfluence]

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. he’d been travelling for most if not all of the night and well into the next day, his reasons were his own..and that’s where they would remain, he was a rather private person afterall.. certainly not one to air their dirty laundry to all and sundry. He appeared slightly dishevelled, weathered.. tired.. though he would press on…his right hand released the long leather reigns ..reaching to tug upon the wide brim on his homburg hat.. tugging it down a little further than it was before.. anything to keep the dust and the wind out of his eyes.. he’d approach the city proper, moving through the tall wooden gates.. a finger to his head.. a further tip of his hat to the guardsmen..a silent salute to the powers at be..a profound respect for authority and the letter of the law.. the guards nodded their heads and returned to the job at hand.. he steered that large beast through the side streets.. deciding to take the out of the way route as opposed to going directly through the towns centre..getting to a point where the horse couldn’t go any further without destroying shop frontage or housing he would move to dismount.. his boots hitting the dusty soil with a light thud..gloved hands would tug down upon his jacket.. his coat.. pulling them all back into place.. dusting his hands against his sides in the process..he’d take the moment to take a bit of a .. gander.. to glance down the length of the street..it was still relatively early..the cobbled roads were misted with fog and dew.. many of the houses were still hauled up from the evening before.. he gathered people were still at rest.. sleeping soundly within their beds .. he’d kill for a coffee..even water at this stage his throat was parched ..and the caffeine would do his mind good.. the lack of sleep in the past day or so would soon take its toll of that he was quite certain.. he’d gather up his bags from the sides of the horse.. relieving it from some of its weight .. making sure the beast had its water before he would make off down the road..he was dressed quite well really.. dark coloured slacks that fitted well.. they weren’t too tight.. they just fit.. cleanly upon his figure.. black boots.. dusted lightly upon their sides.. he had on a light coloured shirt.. a richly coloured navy blue vest and blazer.. and a coat over the top.. it swung loose as he moved.. the sides catching the wind every so often causing the fabric to flutter and flap outward.. his wandering would cause him to happen upon the small café type store..the scent of coffee had drawn him there like a cat to its cream.. he could have just about floated in through those doors.. a few coins upon the counter from the depths of a pocket would have him a large cup of that heavenly elixir.. he sunk down to sit upon a high backed stool.. drinking it down.. the first sip was superbly smooth.. and every one after that just wetted his thirst perfectly.. he could feel it coating his throat.. taking away the slight hoarseness in his voice.. that rattle that certainly didn’t belong.. he wasn’t as old as much.. he appeared quite young.. in features and in demenor.. several people coming into the café had their eyes upon him.. whispers were uttred amongst themselves.. ‘could he be’.. ‘was he’.. his features remained quite plain really.. calm.. serene.. he didn’t smile.. he didn’t laugh.. he just tilted his head.. glancing toward one couple over the rim of his cup.. he caught them looking toward him.. he’d lift that cup then.. to let them know he knew full well they were talking about him- .. If you have a question Ma’am, the polite thing to do..would be to ask it.. rather than settle upon the whispered truths of chinese whispers.. .. his cup found its place down upon the small china saucer.. the teaspoon soon following.. he went to rise from his seat then.. straightening out his blazer once again.. his hands back upon his bag..the woman would then rise from her stool.. uttering quietly.. enquiring for forgiveness she meant no offence.. she was just wondering if he was a doctor.. what with the bag and all.. he paused.. glancing down toward the bag before he would look to the woman there..a breath drawn.. the words were just there upon the tip of his tongue before a youth came bursting in through the doors.. causing a few chairs to tumble over as he skirted around them.. nearly stumbling into the gentleman that was seated beside that very same young woman..he bumbled on about there being screaming.. blood curdling screaming coming from the house on the hill.. the one with the white picket fence.. and it sounded horrific.. the youth continued that it seemed to go on for ages.. and the noises.. breaking glass and wood.. someone was fighting.. and then it all just seemed to stop.. he was begging for the man who he would then figure to be the lawman within the village to come.. the man tried to usher the child away.. telling the kis to keep its nose out of other peoples business.. he on the other hand found it all a bit.. peculiar really.. he motioned for the dejected looking child to come to him.. a gold in the hand for a few directions.. before he took off out the door.. in the opposite direction to which he had arrived.. weaving in and out of the now morning traffic.. there were carriages everywhere.. people opening shops.. children dashing about ater waking only moments prior.. he could see the pickets then.. it was the only house within that large section that had those.. so he simply deduced .. well.. that had to be it.. closing in on it.. opening the small gate at the front.. he’d approach with a mild sense of caution.. there didn’t appear to be any screaming.. any yelling.. any grand noise of any kind.. perhaps the child was mistaken.. the front door was opened.. just a little.. enough to gain him entrance.. his features screwed up a little.. he could smell the taint of wards.. of magic.. it was thick.. heavy within the walls.. it was everywhere.. someone had this place done up like a Christmas tree.. his curiosity certainly struck him deeply then.. just what were they warding?.. was it to keep someone out? Or someone in?.. he would hear it then.. sharply pointed ears drank in the sound of someone groaning.. the whimpering.. it was quiet.. being at the opposite end of the house but it was still noticeable.. at least to him.. he pressed on.. normally he would have perhaps called out.. to see if anyone was around or to at least alert someone to his entrance.. but.. if something dark had gone down perhaps it was better not to.. at least not yet..he came to a decision then..



(08:26:00 )

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…



Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. standing there closer to the staircase.. to continue looking through the house? Or head upstairs where he felt the noises were coming from.. so up he went.. .. luckily with the house being built so sturdy there were no creaking floorboards so his approach was almost silent..at the top of the stairs he was almost dropped.. he was almost floored as the scent of blood hit him.. strong..very strong.. there was a lot of it spilt somewhere.. cuts were one thing.. even deep stabbing.. but no.. this was gushing blood.. peering into the first room.. nothing.. the second was a bathroom.. nothing.. he came to her door then.. it was closed.. his hand reached for the handle.. giving it a turn.. the brass hinges groaned a little and he went to gain entrance but..it was stuck.. it was jammed on something.. or something had been pushed up against it from the inside.. quite possibly the mirror from the dresser.. he gave it another shove.. and then another before the wood finally gave way and he was gifted access.. his senses were struck like a brick wall.. and he took it all in.. the walls were painted with new fresh blood.. scarlett.. bright red.. it was everywhere.. puddles of it upon the floor..- ..in Hanali’s name What on earth!?.... he blinked.. it would be in truth the first time since he had happened upon this place that his expression had actually changed.. he was genuinely shocked by what he was digesting.. what he was seeing.. it would be then that he would catch sight of her tiny bare feet.. peeking out from the opposite side of the bedding.. his breath caught there in his chest and he quickly rounded that side of the room.. trying to avoid the puddled blood..the mucus.. he could see there was more than just lifes essence there.. there was something else.. and quite a bit of it.. he sunk to the floor then.. uncaring of his clothing.. he pulled his hat from his head.. placing it across onto the bed as he looked down to her- .. Oh great goddess.... he exclaimed.. trying not to startle her.. unsure at this stage if she was even still alive.. he waved his hands infront of her face- .. It’s ok.. It’s ok.. come.. I’m a doctor.. I’ll take care of you.. It’s ok.. try and keep calm.. I know that sounds utterly ridiculous.. but hey.. just try.. please..Im going to give you something for the pain and we will get this leg on a splint until we can tend to it properly.. you have lost a great deal of blood..more than I.. just.. try and keep calm for me.. ok.. My name is Dr Anikinok ok?.. Whats yours?.. can you tell me your name?.. .. he twisted his body around.. palming his bag.. drawing it open as he fished around inside.. drawing out the tiny bottle and a needle soon following it.. he’d flick the needle as it drew from the clear liquid..before the empty bottle would find its place upon the small side table- .. just a small sting.. and you’l start feeling a little numb.. please try not to panic.. I know.. easier said than done.. I.. know.. .. he exhaled.. swabbing the area with just a touch of vodka.. all he had managed to get his hands on in such short notice..the needle would slip into her skin.. its cool fluid finding its way.. to wash over her body.. it would take a moment perhaps two.. a little massage upon the prick site before it would hopefully help to at least take the edge off.. she had a rather nasty break and had lost copius amounts of blood.. though he was of the thought that a great deal of the puddling around her was not from her veins.. but a most horrific miscarriage .. it would account for the mucus.. the remnants.. it wasn’t just blood..he reached around- .. Still with me?..can you sing for me.. can you sing me a song?.... he was trying in earnest to keep her from falling into unconsciousness.. he’d gather up that long thick piece of wood.. it was what was left from the side of the broken mirror.. though there were no shards of glass upon it.. he’d move down then to her leg.. if he had a weaker stomach he would have lost his coffee by now he was sure of it.. - .. sing for me Ma’am.. nice and loud.. as loud as you can.. your choice.. Ladies choice.. .. he slid that stake beneath her leg.. a few ripped pieces of bloodied sheet would come in useful.. another two pieces of wood.. one on either side ..before he would work on wrapping those sheet pieces around it.. pulling them in tight but not so much as to break off the circulation.. enough bandaging packed to stop any bleeding though at least from that wound site..- .. You have got yourself in the wars.. there’s no denying that.. that’s for sure.. . he twisted about to reach into his bag once more.. he pulled out another set of bandages.. larger ones.. smaller ones.. he had pretty much emptied out his supplies by this stage.. he came to settle just above her then.. she would be able to see his features fully if she was conscious and able to focus.. he would look quite familiar really.. which after what had just occurred to her could well be quite frightening.. but it would be clear it was not the same person.. - .. I’m going to have to lift your head.. just a little.. Please don’t close your eyes.. look up at me.. stay looking at me.. I know it’s not the prettiest face in the world.. but hey.. it’s interesting right.. that’s got to count for something.. .. he had taken on the heterochromia trait from his Mother.. one eye was blue.. the other an emerald green.. his ears had sharpened points.. his features were quite youthful really.. he reached around.. wrapping the thick of the bandage against the back of her head.. then around and around and around.. -.. I think we need to get you to a hospital Ma’am



(10:00:13 )

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *What ever warding had been placed there was done by Dravanos, that much could be certain since Ace had not warded their home, no more than she had the ability to do so. This was all set up so that it would all play back, every moment of it the second Ace returned from his rendezvous. Like having a home security system set up to record all access, not a moment of it would be missed. The children had come to know her house, but perhaps not for reasons she would be all too happy with. Ace used them for carriers, messengers and the like and they would often be found around the house, waiting for a delivery to be needed. She had often seen these same children and when she had the time or even a day off, she had taken to baking for him, cookies and pies, cakes and éclairs, anything she felt like doing that time. When the weather was cold, she often invited them inside to the kitchen where she would whip up some soup or other nice, hot meal and give them a chance to get out of the cold and fill their tummies. She might not be completely human anymore, but she would have made a wonderful mother if given the chance. She genuinely loved kids, even the grubbiest little urchin was a cherub to her and she had taken on more than a few charitable organizations for helping children. There was always food and money to be had here at this charming little home with the white picket fence. A lot of love… And perhaps it had been that alone that had sent the child running to try and find someone to bring aid to whoever needed it there. Who knew? Either way though, that little boy had been at the right place at the right time because without him, she would probably be dead and grateful for it. It wasn’t even the pain that was the worst part, and she was in enough to kill two grown men at least… No it was the loss... Everything just fell on her at once, everything from the moment she fell into this world, up to the last second… How much suffering could such a small body take, how much pain could a tender heart endure, how much loss and sorrow such a naive and hopeful soul? She had done it all and more, put on a brave smile while the world crumbled around her ears, soldiered on each day and finding something worthwhile in it no matter how hard it got. She was plucky and hopeful, sweet and kind, tenacious and dedicated. And completely, utterly broken. Dravanos had done in one night, what her entire existence had failed to do. Her past hadn’t broken her, her presence did, and she doubted the future would ever come to circle. What was the point? She had lost everything, each tender little thing, every fragile hope she had held up, sheltered, protected from the harsh realities of the world. Every dream she had stitched a hope, embroidered them in silver and gold heartbeats, ever tender and sweet moment she had experienced. Ace wasn’t here though… and perhaps by the time he got home, she wouldn’t be either… Just a broken little doll on the floor, an abandoned toy that had been forgotten in the pursuit of the new one. Perhaps it was better… She didn’t want to see Ace right now… she didn’t even want to think about him, to do so would bring to mind what had happened… Such fragile dreams… She had tried to get up at some point after Dravanos left, to try and pull herself up to the bed and out of the center of that floor. She had made it part way before she caved, unable to do anything as she played peek-a-boo with consciousness. Wonderful… She wished she had at least… at least had some sort of clothes on… All of this was hard enough to bare, but to be utterly naked, the proof of everything on her skin like a scorching letter of hate. She heard that door creak, to hit against the dresser she had been thrown against… She thought the worst, and as much as she wanted to die, that innate human need for survival had kicked in and she played dead… Hopefully if God was merciful, Dravanos was just coming back to make sure she was gone and go about his merry way… The voice was not him though… It was someone else… Someone she did not know… Well, at least someone would find her body and remove it… Make her look pretty before Ace saw her if she was lucky… She saw a pair of booted feet and strong legs… and nothing else. She couldn’t move anymore to save her life and right now, there wasn’t much to save. The man knelt down next to her, his first words about a Goddess… For some reason, that alone made her somewhat peaceful but she couldn’t place why… That hand in front of her face made her flinch though, the movement making her stomach churn because naturally, she wanted to focus on it, but it also gave her the heaves. She summoned up strength from somewhere… Looking up at him, listening to him, trying to focus on every word…. Her voice was weak, so faint, more of a mewl than anything else. She was trying though… He was a Doctor… and in truth, real or not, she wasn’t planning on living much longer, her body couldn’t do it even being as advanced as she was. When he asked her what her name was, she remembered her promise to Ace… That she would run and disappear…She took a deep breath, or at least as deep as she could manage. A few of those ribs were bent in, pressing on her lungs, giving that poor little frame quite the misshapen look about her torso.*”Ro… Rose…amund….M…Ma…MacDon…ald…”*She had lost a lot of blood? Lord was that ever the understatement… the only thing keeping her from full on cardiac arrest and death was the fact that she wasn’t human, her heart could manage on very little blood and keep beating…but not much more could be lost before she would be unable to sustain her heart. Bless his heart though… she wanted to vanish right there, her last moments would be filled with concern from another human being, a bit of kindness… Her lips turned up softly, just a weak, frail smile as she tried to sooth him in return.*”Y….our…..v….very….kind… D…Doctor… I….. pro…prom…ise I…..won’t….panic…Too….tired…to….be….scared…anymore…”*She was more listening then looking, and she was so high on pain that she hadn’t felt his touch, his moving her feather light body, the needle in her arm… She wasn’t registering an iota of it… Just his voice… a lovely harmony… She always loved voices and his was rather lovely… Then that coolness spread through her arm, racing along her veins like mercury… Her heart stood her in good stead, that strong, steady organ beating beautifully despite the chaos and wreck of her body. She moaned softly at some of the release, the edge going…softening…numbing… Oh….Lovely… She had never had drugs before…and this was quite nice… She melted there, her whole body going quite lax as her eyes began to drift closed over those mossy green orbs..



(10:00:27 )

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She heard his question…making her come to the fore just in time for she had almost slipped into Morpheus’s arms all too willingly…. A song?... She could only think of the lullaby she had hoped to sing some day… It was all she could think of, the only words that would come to her lips. With the pain ebbing, releasing some of it’s hold on her that music that was naturally in her voice came to the fore as she sang softly, letting him know she was still with him in so much as she possibly could be. There was the voice that had captivated Ace and made her the shining star of her word, the toast of the quarter century, that angel in human form.*Deep in the meadow…. Under… the willow…. A bed of grass… a… soft green pillow… Lay… down your head, and… close your… sleepy eyes…. And when again… they open, the… sun will rise... Here it's safe…, here it's warm… Here the…. daisies guard you… from every harm…Here your dreams… are sweet… and tomorrow brings them true… Here is the place… where I love you.”*It was hard, slow going, but the lullaby itself was sweet and calming, it adjusted well to the often breaks she had to take to breath, to try and get enough air in her lugs… When he handled that leg of hers, she cried out suddenly, wanting to pull away… The drugs took the edge off, but it couldn’t remove all the pain from the amount of damage she had sustained. She forced herself to remain still, as still as she could though she started to shake, those little toes of hers curling as she fought for control. Without the pain to numb her, and the medication making things all too loose inside her head, she couldn’t grip everything that was going on… She had been through the wars… More like a god of wars… Lucifer himself couldn’t have enacted such violence on his worst enemy… To keep from crying she attempted a bit of humor, to try and keep that light shining inside herself that was so close to flickering out.*”You… should see… the other…guy…”*Oh it was all too obvious that she had gotten her ass thoroughly handed to her on a silver platter complete with side dishes and a fucking diet coke. She wasn’t meant to survive this, and only him being here, even more so him being a doctor, was keeping her from a one way ticked straight to Naggoth with a big red bow on her back end. She felt his hands on her head, gentle and light but the gash there was so tender that it hurt no matter how kind he was being. She held back, the tears welling but not spilling, her full bottom lip between her teeth as he worked. When he was closer like this, she could see him and those large green eyes widened even more in fearful recognition. Though a second…perhaps two…she saw that though there was a resemblance… it wasn’t all too strong… One had been beautifully cold and cruel… this one was open…frank…if not kind, then at least benevolent… She caught that odd coloring of his eyes, her own flashing that vivid jade for a moment, just a spark of that light that usually lit her pretty face.*”Your…eyes… One… Green…one Blue… Heaven… and Earth…”*There would be a pause, a deeper breath being drawn… Without the children interfearing and getting all the attention, her systems were right on track… Those ribs were slowly being pushed out, repaired, restored… She was finding it easier to breath as time passed, but with this amount of damage it would be days before she was flawless again.*”Pretty… Faces… don’t…always mean….pretty people… Often… hide…nasty natures… Lucifer… Was Glorious… Before the Fall…Sometimes… It’s better… To hear someone….before you see them… The Voice… Can’t lie like….a pretty face..does…”*She stopped…stilled, catching those pointed ears… pretty… He was selling himself short… He wasn’t ugly no… He was handsome…but in a more….earthy way… strong features complimented each other rather than detracted from the over all look of his face… She wondered if it was just her being drugged, beaten, and royally off her rocker too, she couldn’t tell. A hosplital huh…. She hated them…Ever since the day she was made, since she was institutionalized, she hated them… She couldn’t stay here though… Not…. It hit her all over again… She was alive…and they were dead… Those tears slid out of those wide doe like eyes, lids sliding over, hiding the pain in her soul from sight. Her lips trembled as she spoke, but she did get it all out…*”Do what you think…is best doctor… I have….I have no reason to stay here anymore… None at all… I have…my carriage in the back… And a four team… If you think you can handle them… We can go… But first… May I …Please… Get some clothes on… I understand your…a doctor…but this is…a bit embarrassing...”



…The..Curse..Ends..Here…



Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. he was pleased it at least seemed that she was calming a little.. the drugs must have been kicking in.. even if it was just enough to take that edge off.. that at least counted for something.. he tended to her leg there as she sang.. a sweet childs lullaby indeed.. the bandages wrapped around and around.. securing that leg in place.. so it was rigid.. straight.. she wouldn’t be able to bend it.. she still wouldn’t be able to apply a great deal of pressure on it either.. but it was better than it just dangling as it would have been- .. good.. good.. yes.. that’s perfect.. You have a beautiful voice there Ms Macdonald.. .. he had settled up there nearer to her face to wrap a few more of those bandages around her head.. the wound was deep upon her skull.. he could feel it before he would even get the chance to see it.. she definitely needed further medical aid.. well as far as he knew anyway.. he knew nothing about her being able to repair herself.. so he went with her just being your every day average general human in trouble..the base of her skull was packed thickly.. so when her head came back down to rest upon the plush blood soaked carpeting it shouldn’t have hurt Quite as much.. he blinked when she mentioned his eyes colouring.. I causing him to pause just a moment before she would continue.. telling him of the tale of pretty faces and lucifer.. he knew she was lacking a great deal of blood so figured it was natural for her to be rambling about something.. usually it was fairies.. - .. Eloquent with your words Ms Macdonald..You keep on talking.. about anything and everything.. I am but here to listen.. .. he turned back around ..his attentions falling upon his bag once more.. drawing it closed.. she spoke of the carriage awaiting and the four team.. and hat she would be more than willing to go if he thought it was best.. which he clearly did.. though when she spoke on clothing his eyes shifted.. he glanced from left to right .. more so thinking not.. actually observing anything.. to be truthful he hadn’t even noticed she was naked.. it wasn’t high on the priorities list when he entered the room so it didn’t even occur to him at the time- ..Naturally.. .. he uttered..turning back toward her- .. What I am going to do is help you into a seated position.. upon the bed.. Ill gather up a few items of clothing for you and then we will head out.. the sooner you get into a .. well.. .. he glanced around a little at the bloodied mess..- .. cleaner area the better.. .. he pressed one knee to the floor.. the other his foot was resting upon the toe of his boot.. he’d slide one extremely smooth hand beneath her shoulders.. - .. I’m sorry, it’s going to hurt.. I can’t really do a great deal about it.. Ill try to be as gentle and as quick as I can.. .. his other hand slid across the front of her.. to meet her other side.. to guide her.. to make sure she remained as still as was possible whilst being moved..- .. ok.. when I read 3 I will lift you up.. if you wan’t to prepare yourself.. take your breath then.. bite your teeth down if you have to.. .. he drew his own breath- .. one…two… three.... he counted out before he’d press down upon his legs and lift her little body up off the floor.. turning her around.. his legs at one point had to straddle over hers.. his thighs parted as he settled her down to sit upon the soft quilting.. - .. are you steady?.. .. he’d question.. his hands moving from about her body to rest upon her shoulders.. tilting his head to watch her features incase she was about to pass out on hin.. he wanted to do it as quickly as he could for the sake of the pain.. but he also knew if he went too quick her mind would spin and the likely hood of her passing out would grow.. - .. Ok.. I’m going to release you.. and get you some clothing…... he paused.. remaining close a moment before he would take those steps back.. more than prepared to lean forward toward her once more if she went to tumble or lose her balance..he went to the drawers there.. just randomly grabbing a few items.. here and there.. different fabrics..a dress or two.. he wasn’t out to pick coordinating items.. she just needed clothing.. a robe though would be all she would need right now

(10:44:38 )

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…



Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. and it was the easiest to slide upon her.. the plush thick warm fabric was floated about her shoulders.. he’d help her to slide her arms into the sleeves before it would be drawn about her front.. and the thick tie drawn about her middle.. just lightly.. not once did his gaze wander to her frame.. not once did he perve upon her in her most vulnerable state.. - .. right.. ok.. better?.... he’d question her before he would move to sit down beside her.. - .. now.. we are going to move out of the room and down those stairs.. slowly.. You weigh practically nothing so its not a problem.. I just don’t want you passing out on me.. if you feel unwell at all..if you start feeling dizzy you have to tell me and we will stop.. .. he slid his arm around her once more.. across the back of her.. his other arm slowly gradually.. delicately slid beneath her legs.. he’d count for her.. so she could gain her bearings and then he’d move to stand.. her cradled in his arms.. against his chest there.. her legs over one arm.. he tried to keep that one leg as rigid and as straight as he could..- .. Normally id get you to walk out with me.. bu I don’t think you’d make it down those stairs.. not without me having to scramble to pick you up.. .. he went to step out of the room.. not before he’d grab his hat.. sliding it back atop his head.. into the hallway.. he’d begin to move down those stairs.. not once had he asked her what happened.. not once did he push her for details.. his only concern.. his focus was upon her wellbeing.. through the kitchen.. he’d ask her for directions.. before they would move through he sunroom and out into the back yard.. the men upon the carriage would scramble back into their positions.. he’d call out to them to make sure the doors were open and ready to accept an injured woman.. he made sure she was seated very comfortably inside.. - .. Right.. I have left my bag in your room.. I will go and get it.. the driver knows where he is going.. I will catch up.. you go on ahead.. I will make sure to check in on you when you’re comfortably in a bed and resting.. You’re going to be just fine Ms Macdonald.. .. he paused.. - .. it wont be easy.. . he nodded.. - .. I can assure you of that.. but.. you wont be alone.. .. he stepped out of the carriage.. drawing the door to a close.. he knocked the side of the wood alerting the driver to the fact that he could leave.. before he would step back and out of the way.. his hands would fall behind him.. the fingers on his right clutching his left wrist.. he was a gentleman.. it was how he was raised.. he tipped his hat to her before the carriage would be off and on its way.. he’d linger there a moment longer before he’d turn and head back into the home.. he appeared as though he’d been in a murder scene himself.. his knees were soaked with blood.. his jacket must the same.. his boots were nicely coated also.. the neighbours were talking as they watched him re-enter the home.. he pulled the door closed behind him.. making his way back upstairs.. he’d gather a hold upon his case.. lingering perhaps a moment longer to take in the scene before him.. the blood splatters.. the puddles upon the floor.. certainly wasn’t just a miscarriage on its own.. heavens no.. he found himself questioning the lawmans refusal to check.. though he wouldn’t allow his judgement to continue a moment longer.. deciding he needed to be elsewhere.. exiting the home.. closing the door.. before he would head off to that hospital..to check on his first patient for this very village-



♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

: Jacob)*Oh the drugs had her going to quite a bit of putty in a way, it was such a novel and new experience that she really didn’t quite know what to do about it. Rather like the first time you jump off of a swing set and get that belly rush, you aren’t quite sure how to deal with it despite the enjoyment of it. It definitely made the pain more tolerable, but it loosened her control mentally and emotionally, things were going to sip through and she had to keep a cooler head than what she had now. Thank Google he was talking to her, keeping her focused, her mind working on this or that thing and not of what had happened. The second she was alone though? Was there any such way to protect herself from dealing with the reality of it then? The upcoming night… The darkness… Who would save her from that? She didn’t want to… And yet here she was, being saved, when all she wanted to do was just let it all go… Her shoulders were small, tired and bruised, forced to carry too many burdens in a row and doing it alone. No one had known about it all, no one had cared to ask… No one had bothered to watch her in the silence, when she was alone and without people to see, no one had stopped to wonder if the woman who was always trying to do for others might be in need of a little doing for as well. She was torn, balancing of the precipice of two very different emotions, of choices. She could pick up that burden again, settle the yolk of a reality far too cruel for such a small person…. Or she could leave it there, let it go and fade into the darkness and shut her systems down and simple slip into the darkness… She had never really wanted to die before, she had accepted it as a forgone sort of fate when he became too outdated to be considered worth something and she would be decommissioned… Now though? She willed it with her heart and soul, and that buffer was above her with those strange mismatched eyes. Complimenting her voice she did smile just a bit, normally she would shake her head a wave it off, but she was far too gone for humility.*”Thank you… It’s the…One good thing… I lay claim to…. You… Should hear me… When I’m at my best… I’d…. Blow your socks off…” * The wrapping of her head had started out painful at first, a stinging pressure that made her want to scream, to beg him to stop doing it but she knew something had gotten damaged badly and it did need repaired. She was too off center for this to be normal, and even if her nanobots were working to repair her body, if something were broken mentally it wouldn’t near as easy to fix. She knew she was in for hell… Pure, unadulterated hell. How strange it was though, this Doctor… He certainly didn’t look like one, the doctor she had been seeing… Old, rather musty thing he had been, and outrageously expensive… She had needed his help for Ace after Sydel had been done with him and he had done precious little for him in all honesty. It had been what drove her to seek out Nautilous in the first place, to try and find if there was something else she could do. If it were that other doctor, he would probably take a look at her and tell her she was going to die and to make arrangements for her funeral. This one here though…mismatched eyes and all… he was a better one than she had ever seen… Knew just what he was doing… She made a mental note, hopefully it would stick, to trying to help this man out in his profession here… Every man who worked a job needed a backer, someone to help them establish themselves and give them that little jump start. She had hers with her own patrons after all, and she in turn became patron to others, and she would consider in an honor to patron this Dr. Anikinok… She was tickled for a moment that she could remember his last night, a little proud that she could recall it when it was such an odd last name to have. Well, at least part of her recall was still functioning at least… He rested her head down on that bloodied carper and she simply looked up at him, curiosity and drugs making her more than a bit bolder than she normally would be.*”Eloquence is for the poets…. I just… say what I see… I’m sorry for being… Too forward… but you have…lovely eyes…. How lucky are you….to have two colors…when the rest of us….poor mortals… have to make due…with only one?… I envy you….”*Every few minutes that passed made it a little better, a little easier to breath, but that was about it… Something was a bit wrong indeed… where were all her nanobots? She had usually quite the bit, buzzing about in her brain and blood, ever the busy productive hum… There was much more silence now, almost deafening. The lungs were taking a bit longer than they would have before, a good deal longer if she were honest, and nothing else was being repaired while the main focus was on getting her to breath properly. Had she bled them all out? How much did she loose then if that were the case? How was she even alive if that were so? Ugh…. Her head hurt so badly… She couldn’t make sense of hardly anything, as if she were a small child with a complex problem in front of her and expected to solve it. Why wasn’t she sleeping again?.... Sleep was good…it called to her like an old familiar friend and whispered such sweet release… She sighed softly, those lids dipping down as she flirted with that darkness.*”So sleepy…. “*Her head rolled, almost slipping into sleep once more when he talked about the hospital, a little by play… It drug her back to reality once more, just enough to keep her out that dangerous sleep once more. He said he would get up her up on that bed then, and help her get something to cover her nakedness. It wasn’t that she was shy of her body… She had never been before, she knew what she looked like naked and it had never mattered to her. She wanted something, anything to cover herself with, to hide it all from herself and the world… There were dozens of black bruises on her body, some from impact, others from a viciously hard grip. Her lower face was slightly swollen still, her jaw bruised a nasty navy blue and green in the shape of five perfectly formed fingers. There was the fact of what wasn’t there anymore… Her once rounding belly was now perfectly flat once more, a delicate hollow with the everyday feminine curve devoid of life. She didn’t want to see that emptiness… It was bad enough she had to feel it. She moved with him easily, perhaps a bit sluggish, but with a familiarity of following commands. She had taken a deep breath, followed his count and found herself shifted, lifted easily… And promptly sick. As soon as he stepped away, she leaned forward and was promptly sick all over the floor, her body rejecting all the blood she had swallowed that had flooded her mouth. At least she didn’t throw up on him… she probably wouldn’t have been able to look him in the face if she had.*



(16:23:27 )

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

: J)*She was shaking like a leaf as she was hit by wave after wave of it all, each one making the next one so much worse. Each time she heaved, she had blood coming out of her lips and between her thighs, her body continuing to reject the dead fetuses, to finish clearing out her womb from the placenta that still clung to places inside her. Dravanos had done his job well indeed… Too well perhaps… he had nearly ruptured her internal organs with that pressure, feeling his boot heel almost to her spine at one point. She wasn’t sure but there was a good likelihood that he had ruptured her uterus and she would never be able to have a child again. Only time would tell, and she seriously doubted she would ever try again. She could hear him going through her clothes, many of the dresses there were beautiful little creations of silk and tulle, lace and cotton, chiffon and other light, airy materials. There was a couple of thicker cotton dresses, things less doll like and more practical, serviceable. When that robe settled about her shoulders she shivered hard, that softness felt so alien against her torn skin, like having a soft bed after sleeping on rocks. She looked up at him then, watched his face as he lifted her arms for her one by one, guiding them into the sleeves of that robe each in their turn. He was so kind….collected… What an odd man… No… Odd wasn’t quite right… he was only odd seeming to her because of the men she had known all her life and how they always appeared to be. He was kind to her… not because of what she was or how she looked… Not because of what she might be able to give them or what they wanted to get from her… He was kind for the sake of being so… It set her at a sort of odd place, and she respected him for that gentle seeming nature of him. Some people chose professions… he was born to his. She made herself focus on him more, made her mind thinking about him, his voice, the way he looked, the way he dressed… Keep focused on the present… The past would kill her… Focus…details…precision… Come on Trinity… You can do this… She kept that mantra up to herself, made herself think of nothing but this second…the next… the one after that… Nothing more… She nodded her head when he asked if it were better, looking across at him. Honestly, it was much easier to talk to him this way, without having to tilt her head back because she was so short. She leaned in a bit, curiosity take over and she seriously lacked the control to moderate her behavior. She reached out a hand to touch the tip of his ear, her fingers would be gentle, delicate, softer than silk if he would allow her to touch them. She had only ever seen ears like this once and it wasn’t exactly a fond memory to recall. They were pretty… that point at the tip there quite interesting to her who had only ever seen rounded tops… She stopped when he spoke, jade eyes finding his own mismatched ones. She was light she knew that at least, she was just small by nature, a wee little thing indeed. She wanted to make a joke about her being travel sized for his convenience, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. She was utterly exhausted, the effort she was putting in to focus, to stay awake, to not think about what had just happened… If she were to be honest, she just wanted to fade into oblivion and just cease functioning… She didn’t want to see the world anymore… What was there for her to see? What reason to draw her breath, the next one, or the one after that? Hours had passed while Dravanos raged on her like a child having a tantrum, and never once had Ace come home… Not once, during that entire hellish, awful night… If it had just been to pop out to grab something, to run an errand, to help a friend… Surely he would have been home long before Dravanos could have hurt her as badly as he did… He could have come home and maybe saved her and the babies… Dravano’s words circled there inside her head, one after the other, again and again and again… If it was the truth… If… She felt a sob start in her chest, her throat on fire but she bit it back. When he moved to lift her, her arms went about his neck softly, curling herself into that chest, her head resting on his shoulder. Beneath the smell of blood he might be able to catch her own natural scent of flowers that came off her skin in delicate waves. She was so glad to be in his arms rather than trying to walk under her own power, she needed his strength right now. That chest was like the rock of Gibraltar to her and she craved the solidarity, the sound of that steady beat beneath her ear, feeling each pound of his heart against her. She didn’t know what she needed, she didn’t know what it would take to put her life back together, or if there was even anything that could make such a miracle possible. In all honestly… she didn’t believe there was… Her miracles were dead… her hopes and dreams scattered and shattered and there was no chance to put them back together as they once were. She was sure she was making it just a bit uncomfortable for him, after all, here she was a strange woman, covered in blood and broken inside and out, holding him as if they were long time lovers. The her of yesterday would have been shocked and ashamed of herself, the her of tomorrow…might never exist. She only knew she was taking what she needed to survive to the next minute, and if she was making him uncomfortable she would apologize about it later when the opportunity arose. She sighed softly, the start of a sob that never came to light.*”Please… just let me rest here a moment longer… I promise I won’t encroach on you anymore… Just… let me listen for a little longer…”*He would begin to make his way down the hall then and down the stairs, his care to keep her leg from jostling was noted and there was little discomfort on the trip. She had felt a bit nauseous at the motion, but it wasn’t something she couldn’t handle, just a tightening of her jaw, a pressing of her lips, and she forced it down. When they got to the bottom, the smells of her house surrounded her, coated her… Ace was there… the smell of his pipe, the tea they drank so often, the smell of the bread she had baked just yesterday morning… Each one was a dagger to the heart. Damn memories… Damn then all.



(16:23:49 )

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

: J) She directed him as he asked, finding herself tucked away in that overtly large carriage, lost in the dark maroon and burgundy colors, no more than a speck of white and gold in the corner. She had drawn some measure of peace from behind held as he had done for her, letting her take from those moments what she needed to carry her along to the next. His words caused her to shake her head softly, tentatively, feeling as if she had water on the brain.*”You’ve done enough Doctor… You’ve indulged me, been kind to me when I expected none… You saved my life, and your Hippocratic oath has been fulfilled… Besides…”*She paused, looking out the crack of the window between the curtain and the glass.*”I’m used to being alone… it’s better that way… People can’t hurt you if you don’t let them close…. They can’t break your heart…”*She couldn’t bare the moment any longer and closed her eyes, closing out the world… He had closed the door then, tapping the wood to set the carriage in motion… As soon as she was free of it all, she broke down… She would survive, at least for the next could of hours because of his work on her, stopping the blood and bandaging her up… But there wasn’t enough medicine in the world to heal her broken insides… She began to cry, broken, hollow sounds, screams that produced no sound what so ever. Her hands moved to cradle the place that had held life, her body shaking as she sobbed uncontrollably, her sounds muffled as she buried her face in the folds of her robe.*”Davina… Danielle… I am so….so sorry… Oh God I am so sorry… Your mommy loved you so much… She would give anything…anything to bring you back… I would trade places with you if I could… I’d give anything to bring you back… I wanted to give you the world… I wanted to sing for you, every single day… I wanted to give you the life I never had… Oh my God… Oh my babies… My sweet, sweet baby girls… Momma will follow you shortly… We’ll all be together soon…” *No…. there wasn’t a band aid in the world big enough for this wound, not enough drugs to numb this pain, no therapy that could heal her… The human will is a legendary thing, it can push people to great acts both dark and light, to lift cars off of loved ones…. It could also kill someone if they willed it hard enough… She didn’t want to live anymore… The will, the drive that had always pushed her, made her fight for every moment of freedom, to break free from the chains that had bound her to her programming…. It was gone…snuffed out like a light, just like the glow that had once lit her eyes up. Her voice was a whisper, tears falling like rain down her cheeks as she gave up.*”Bhris tú mo Chroí Ace ... Even in the end… Where were you… When I need you most?... I hope her arms were worth it… I hope her heart makes up for my sacrifice and my pain… I hope she brings you the joy I apparently couldn’t…”*She then began to shut down her programs… one by one… The nanobots that had been working on her ribs stopped, fell silent… All the places that had been bleeding that were being repaired by them were stilled. She was as close to human as she could get right now… and without the will to see tomorrow… Well that Doctor would have to be some kind of special to save her now, not when she was determined to go. They arrived at the hospital and good god the buzz that started up as soon as she was carried in was obscenely loud… No one could miss all that long golden hair, her slight figure, that heart shaped face with it’s bruising… Oh people would know who she was in an instant, and considering that last night she had disappeared with her Fiancé and was suddenly being admitted to hospital looking as if she had been beaten nearly to death?... Oh God the rumors would be flying before the morning paper had even had it’s ink dry. The few who helped settle her into a bed, cleaning the blood off of her , unmatting all those gorgeous golden curls weighed down with that clotted crimson… They would notice there was no ring on her finger, though there had been once placed on her finger last night, the tabloids had gone nuts describing it in detail after all. What ever had happened, it was enough to have even the most respectful girl frothing at the mouth for details. One of the nurses noticed the large black bookmark on her abdomen, the blood that was still coming out of her in gushes… Oh spark the gas, there was an inferno. Before she knew it she was crowded about with just about every nurse in the hospital, shooting questions at her left right and center, asking about her miscarriage, if her fiancé had done it, how far along she had been. It was all too much and she covered her ears with her hands, balling up there on the bed and wishing for an end….*



…The..Curse..Ends..Here…



Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: ..he felt that touch.. those delicate soft nimble fingers of hers touching the very point of his right ear.. his eyes would twitch in response.. his ear doing much the same and quickly following.. as sensitive as it was.. his hand rose then.. strong yet smooth fingers soon took a hold of her hand.. guiding it away.. words weren’t needed.. or even required.. he didn’t want to jump on her.. or berate her for her curiosity, now was not the time for ill chosen words.. he placed her hand back down upon her lap.. - .. Ah! It’s nothing fanciful believe me.. .. he gave a light shaking of his head when she spoke of his eyes colouring- .. I’m told it’s a gift from my Mother.. .. nodding soon after- .. it has.... he would have gone on then to say that it caused him great trouble during his schooling and training.. not many would take him seriously with such a genetic fault as it were.. made him have to work just that little bit harder to get where he is today.. he would however remind himself that.. she was simply rambling.. she didn’t need nor want to hear his history and that privacy of himself was all he really had..he left it at that.. moving to cradle her against him as they made their way back down stairs.. he went on her directions to move out of the house.. into the yard.. he would place her there in that carriage.. bowing his head to her when she said he had done more than enough for her.. he would tip his hat and the carriage would be away.. he had no idea what happened soon after that.. no idea that she had broken down so horribly.. no idea just what was happening in her life.. if he’d had an inkling he may have taken the ride with her.. to make sure she got there ok.. he’d gathered up his supplies.. his medical bag.. what small amounts of supplies were left..toward the hospital he would move.. on foot no less until he was able to secure a small two man carriage.. his approach was swift.. he entered the main doors of the small hospital.. it wasn’t overtly large.. though it was well stocked.. he shrugged out of his coat.. his blazer soon followed.. each splattered with blood..a couple of nurses just about fell over themselves to get to him.. thinking he required aid.. he shook his head and ushered them away.. toward the Director he would move.. discussions would be had.. they had no idea he was coming.. though he would soon produce the note.. a handwritten letter requesting his arrival.. the signature however was illegible.. the director couldn’t say no.. the hospital itself was horribly understaffed.. he would have to work nights however.. since he was new.. he wouldn’t be gifted with the choice on shifts..and the day time doctor (the one she had seen) had of course chosen to take on the day shift.. he’d accept that.. with little complaint.. he did however say he had already seen a patient on this particular day.. hence the.. somewhat dishevelled appearance..and that he would check in on her before he left for some much desired rest.. the two parted then with a shake of hand.. before he’d slip back out into the long thin corridor.. he’d walked into the small staff area.. placing his coat and blazer upon one of the hooks.. his medical bag down beneath it.. two of the younger nurses in there giggled quietly to themselves.. one blushed profusely.. a brow of his rose.. he nodded his head.. offering little more than a quiet ‘Ladies’ toward them in a hello before he would step out.. he was left with those dark coloured slacks.. a white shirt and deep navy vest.. not really practical for this line of work but it would do at least for the morning.. word got around quickly that there was a new doctor in the hospital and he was not like the other.. he was not some grumpy old man that just took the easy route whenever he felt a little bored.. and he was quite a catch indeed.. a little eyecandy.. and so young.. though his age could be accounted by his elvish heritage.. those ears were not so easily hid.. especially with his hat removed.. he made his way through the hospital.. checking out the rooms.. trying to find his way to where the emergency early arrivals would be.. finding it all a little confusing.. whilst this was going on however the older doctor would have caught wind of the commotion .. the new girl having arrived covered in blood and bruised up to within an inch of her natural life.. so he would of course being the day shift doctor go to her to tend to her wounds.. his bed side manner was atrocious..though he certainly seemed to enjoy all the nurses around him.. sweet young fillies they were.. he gruffed as he looked her over.. shaking his head.. taking a few notes.. he wasn’t soft in his touches either.. he proded and poked at the bruising.. he lifted her leg on an angle that would have filled her tiny body with pain before he let it release.. he uttered something about there not being a lot they could do.. that the leg would have to go.. and that perhaps that husband to be of hers.. was a bit of a bastard for the treatement he clearly placed upon her.. though then again maybe she did something to provoke him.. oh yes.. he was one of those men.. the door however soon opened and Jacob would be there.. curious as to why the small room was filled with people when it clearly wans’t necessary- .. LADIES .. his voice would rise considerably.. authority clear.. he had the tone for it.. stern.. not rude.. just loud enough to make them all take notice.. and they did.. they turned quickly to face him.. twitching as they were.. tilting their heads.. were it possible to flirt with someone by just standing there.. they would be winning the prize of the day..he motioned toward the door with his hand- .. I don’t believe Ms MacDonald requires any of you in here.. and there are so many duties in this hospital that require attending to yes?..



(17:54:13 )

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…



Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. they all bowed their heads.. and many meek voices offered a ‘yes Doctor’ before they toddled out quickly.. though when they reached the hallway several busted into fits of girglish giggles.. the older doctor would then turn to him.. trying to tell him to leave- .. No.. Ms MacDonald is my patient.... he moved to approach the bed.. taking the chart from the small side table as he flipped the first few pages over- .. She wont be requiring your services any longer.. thankyou Doctor Thompson.... the older gent went to argue the point before he just huffed.. something about his precious time being wasted.. and these young kids of today thinking they own the place.. before he walked out quickly.. the doors swinging as he did so.. Jacob on the other hand didn’t even turn his head to watch him leave..his attention remained upon the sheet there.. perusing over the notes that were just made.. - .. utterly ridiculous.. .. he shook his head..- .. Now.. are you comfortable?.. .. he placed the board down for the moment.. coming to stand beside her bed there.. he’d look toward her.. his head slightly tilted.. he could see her a lot better in this lighting.. it brought out all of those bruises.. most notably the finger prints upon her jaw.. he moved down the length of the bed.. turning his attentions toward her leg.. though he didn’t lift it.. or move it.. he simply looked at it for now.. noting the bandages were no longer soaking with blood so it must have stopped there somewhere- .. your leg will most notably be fine.. .. he shook his head once more.. quite surprised with the prognosis of the earlier Doctor.. sure it’d be an easy fix.. just slicing it off at the knee.. cauterizing it.. and that’s it.. but where was the life satisfaction in that? How would he feel it someone did it to him?.. and if he’d known Thompson lifted her leg like that possibly further breaking or tearing into the healing he would have been right unimpressed.. and vocally so..- .. if you require more pain relief it is available.. you need but to ask.. don’t be a hero.. .. he turned away from her then.. toward the cupboard.. drawing it open ..he’d pull out another set of needles.. a few more tiny bottles.. placing them down upon the small table before he’d go at washing his hands.. there were no gloves or any such nonsense.. but he would make sure his hands were perfectly clean.. settling down to sit nearer to her right knee..- .. Im going to numb this area.. almost completely.. you wont be able to move your leg.. you wont be able to feel the pain.. but the pressure will remain.. any movement I do.. will be felt.. so try not to panic.. we will get this sorted first.. then we will look at what else is going on.. .. he drew the liquids into the needles.. three in total.. the first prick would be felt just above her knee on the right side.. the second on the left and then the third much deeper down.. he’d lightly rub his fingers upon the skins surface willing the agent to flow a little quicker.. .. that should only take a moment.. or two.. .. he stood from the stool then.. moving back up to her side.. the bandages upon her head would remain fixed.. there was no reason for them to be removed just yet.. but he did however take the small sponge from the dish of warm clean water and he began to brush it over her cheeks.. her chin.. removing the splatters of blood that had settled there- .. I know you’d probably kill for a drink right about now.. especially with that horrible taste in your mouth.. soon as I have tended to that leg ill make sure someone gets you some water.. something.. anything to at least clean our your mouth a little.. .. he tilted her head to the side.. allowing him better access to look upon that bruising along her jaw- .. really hurts along here yes?.... he exhaled.. shaking his head.. - .. someone certainly did a number on you .... he glanced over his shoulder..feeling eyes upon the back of his head.. there were nurses all lined up outside the glass section of the door.. pressing their faces to it to get a glimpse of what he was doing.. he paused before reaching for the privacy curtain.. drawing it across and around.. no one could see them now.. he moved back toward her leg.. settling down to sit..- .. see if you can count the spots on the ceiling.. .. he asked of her..pricking the skin just a little in random places to make sure it was indeed completely numb.. she didn’t seem to react so he went about removing the bandages.. removing the pieces of wood.. her leg looked atrocious if he were to be blunt.. black and blue.. clearly broken.. sure he could plaster it.,. it would probably repair..though a break like this would take quite some time.. - .. keep counting those dots Ms Macdonald.. .. he lightly rubbed his hands together.. feeling the heat.. that spark coming to life.. he’d glance back over his shoulder a moment to make sure the curtain was in place before he’d place his palms upon her skin.. fingers curling inward.. whispered words barely audible really.. more so his lips moving.. with very.. very little sound- .. ambar aire anar nulla urwa nu wilma kelva tulka assare... she may well have felt that heat then.. she may have felt the twitching.. the pressure.. he was doing all he could to stop the healing light from showing.. he didn’t need people in the hospital to know that he had this kind of scorcery behind him..in his blood.. he’d become a hot commodity and he didn’t want it.. or need the attention.. he was content in his choices.. the bones would slowly.. gradually fuse back together.. along with the steel.. though that was odd and he noticed it.. the feedback telling him that things were.. different.. though he wouldn’t air his concerns on such.. afterall.. it was none of his business.



(17:54:32 )

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…



Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. he remained there nearer to her leg for quite a time.. those same words uttered a few times over.. the same series of phrase.. the repair going all the way up to her knee and beyond if it required it.. he was already tired from the trip.. if he wasn’t careful this would knock him on his ass.. he could feel the need for the magic to flow all the way to her upper thigh.. whoever had done the damage had made sure she was going to be broken.. before he blinked and released the hold his palms had upon her .. she wouldn’t be able to move that leg.. the anaesthetic still working its own form of modern magic..before he would come to stop there about her mid section.. his fingers would press to the flat of her lower stomach.. his head tilting- .. I know it’s delicate.. I know it’s.. perhaps uncomfortable.. you were pregnant yes?....he had hoped she knew..he couldn’t be sure how far along she was.. he hadn’t the time to study the remains.. not properly.. he would apply a gentle pressure.. a light rubbing low upon her belly.. willing anything that remained in there to be ejected.. though he wouldn’t use force.. it would just feel.. uncomfortable.. though not painful.. sponges had been placed down between her thighs to catch what had been flowing upon her arrival.. so whatever was indeed left would be removed.. he couldn’t be sure of the damage internally however.. and he wasn’t in the position to check.. not with him already being physically and somewhat mentally drained..- .. I’m sorry Ms Macdonald.. It’s never an easy thing.. I am certain there will be people here to talk to.. should you require it.. . he noticed the boot marks upon her belly then.. clear as day.. - .. Im going to go out on a limb here.. if you aren’t comfortable with this.. you need to say so.. but.. I can tell clear as day that you have been assaulted.. by one if not more than one person.. I believe the law should be notified.. but, the ball is in your court.. naturally.. your decision outweighs everyone elses.. ... he returned to her head then.. looking down to her..his duo coloured gaze regarded her features.. she looked exhausted- .. it’s safe for you to rest now.. I have no fear of you failing on me.. you should rest.. .. he reached down.. to pull the thin cotton blankets up over her.. letting them rest there nearer to her chest.. all the spongues had been removed and replaced.. he took up her chart once more.. scribbling a few further notes before the pencil found its place behind his pointed ear- .. I will come back and check on you in a few hours.. the bell is here though.. call upon those nurses if you need anything.. .. he nodded.. before he’d turn.. drawing back open the privacy curtain.. the sunlight from the opened window would caress across her.. warming her slowly.. before he’d turn and make his way back out into the corridor.. the door half closing behind him.. it would be now that he would give those nurses a bit of a dressing down.. instructing them to only enter if they are called upon, there was to be no gossip.. there was to be no wandering by.. to leave the woman Alone-



♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *Normally she would have kept her hands to herself, she respected people’s privacy, even when her own was often ignored or put on the back burner. That was something she had cultivated in herself, respect for people, no matter their walks of life or what they did for her. It was why through this whole hell she had managed to get through it with a degree of composure, of elegance that bespoke of a woman who cared for others more often than herself. She couldn’t resist her curiosity, the drugs, the probably concussion, the blood loss… She was quite off her regular tract indeed, and as such she had reached out to lightly touch that pointed ear, feeling the cartilage so fine and delicate beneath the pads of her fingers. She caught that twitch of his eyes, her mind capturing the image but unable to compute the why of it… Did it hurt? She had been so gentle though, were they somehow tender to the touch because of their shape? Curiosity was quite a flaw of hers, she usually kept it under a nice and tidy lock but that wasn’t quite the day for it today. She wanted to know more, but that inert sense of respect saved her from exploring more than that gentle tough. She felt his hand on hers, small in his own as he guided it away from his ear. Her mouth pulled down a bit at the corners, a flare of compassion for what she had thought had been her causing him pain. When he talked about his mother though… She knew… Her fingers in his hand gave a delicate pressure, too light to really feel unless he was paying attention… Would he feel that caress, that delicate touch, her way of telling him she knew, that she understood?…*”I didn’t know my mother ether… I was left on my father’s doorstep as soon as I was born… I never knew her name… or what she looked like. I must have looked like her though, because my father was a flaming redhead and big as a house… I was quite the bastard runt of the litter so my father sent me off to another continent… By-blows and all, can’t have us tainting the true born heirs…I was his only daughter, though you’ll never find my name in the records… The little bastard princess… what a laugh I turned out to be…”*She stopped….dead silent when she realized she was rambling on quite a bit… She had told him something she hadn’t told anyone, no one knew who she was, not even Ace… Still, if anyone looked at her bone structure, her delicate features, the way she carried herself… It would be apparent that some sort of blue blood ran in her vein, though her humble nature and self-depreciating lifestyle certainly wouldn’t come across as such. She had money but didn’t spend any of it on herself, every bit of that income from Nautilous and Chris went towards charity and the upkeep of the house. A majority of it went to several local shelters and hospitals just like this one as well as soup kitchens and the orphanage in town. The food for the house, her dresses, the coach and horses and the drivers… They all came from her own pocket money from the Nightingale. She was good with her money, she made wise purchases, watched the money coming in and going out of the house in neat tallied number columns in her book at the house she kept in the kitchen. She did so much more than she ever let on, keeping her name out of much of it, preferring to help silently, from the shadows rather than blast it about town. She made a comfortable life for her and Ace at that house, kept it running like a well-oiled machine until it almost seemed to run itself. Perhaps she had been taking on too much in combination with her pregnancy and everything that had happened to her. Maybe it was why she had such precious little strength to fight Dravanos when he had come after her hell for leather. If she were honest though…her body could take the beating, pain wasn’t new to her, wasn’t a stranger to her at all… But his words about Ace in combination with the fact that he killed her children… That had been what truly broke her, not the damage because that would always heal over time, but the things that her body couldn’t heal, things that went beyond physical pain… Oh it had snapped her like a much too dry twig… She had done well, keeping the amount of pain she was in under close fitted wraps… She was good at that…at pretending she was happy when all she wanted to do was cry. Too good perhaps… The commotion at the hospital made her feel violently ill all over again, their questions rattled about in her head like some sick and twisted mantra. Damn it…just let her die in peace, was that so much to ask, really? Hadn’t she taken life’s full dose of pain in it’s dose, didn’t she earn the right to slip into the void silently with none to mourn her? Then her doctor had come in, the one she had been checking up with every two weeks, making sure everything was going normally with her pregnancy in so far as he could tell. Today though… Oh he was quite a bit beyond his usual insufferable negligence… When he lifted her leg like that, she big back a scream, feeling the bile rush in the back of her throat as she pressed deep down into that mattress, groaning, trying to escape the pain. His words just salted the already raw and inflamed wounds she was suffering inside. Ace had his issues, things he had done had hurt her deeply, made her cry more than once… But he had never physically harmed her. The one time he almost had, he had sunk his fist into the wall by her head rather than strike her. Then he just…Dropped her leg there and she did scream then. The drugs that had been in her system had been burned up all too quickly by her system, a side effect of what she was meant that anything like that wouldn’t have the shelf life with her as it would others. She had blanched out even more than she already was, that bare bit of pink to her skin fled like shadows from the sun, making her whiter than she sheet she was under. Her head was swimming violently, the urge to puke was there all over again but she had nothing in her left to get out, not even bile. Those long delicate fingers were curled into the sheets, gripping them with what kitten like strength she had left, trying not to cry in front of these strangers. She was breathing through her nose, soft sudden pants that didn’t help with the pain, or her swimming head but it kept her from crying at least. She heard that voice then, a command that stopped the questions in an instant… Oh there Was a God left in this dark world after all.. She sagged into the bedding, opening her eyes just enough to give her that narrow, black hued view of them room. As they all began to file out to tend to the other patience here, she could have kissed him for his mercy. Catty things… nosy, prodding, vicious… Was it any wonder she had no female friends?*



(20:19:27 )

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She heard him put her old doctor quite in his place and if she had had the energy, she would have snickered. That useless old coot bastard would have been fired by her own hand after what he had said to her, the way he had handled her broken leg. Oh she would have relished tearing him down so politely… but Dr. Anakin had done well enough on his own without her having to do a thing… She had to admit… it was nice… She couldn’t say why she felt so guilty thinking it, but it was true… She was so used to handling everything herself, never having help from anyone that this was… something else. When he asked if she was comfortable, she would have shrugged if she could have found the strength to do so.*”As much as possible… Is there a chance…you could get me a basin…. I’m a bit afraid that I’m not quite done being sick just yet…”*When he handed it to her, she held it there against her chest, her body heaving, shaking, but as she feared there was nothing inside her to come back out. Just those horrible dry heaves that made her hurt from her head to her toes, each contraction made her feel like her head was going to split right open like an over ripe melon. When it was finally gone, she sagged back, white and sweating but she soldiered through it, not a whimper. When he talked about giving her more stuff for the pain, she danced on the razor blade of decision… It wouldn’t last long… but when it was in effect it felt so, so good… Besides, it wasn’t as if she had anything to worry about anymore… And she didn’t want to die in pain… She had already set herself about it, shutting down anything and everything that might save her life, keep her going till tomorrow… If she could slip out in a numb sort of bliss… She opened her eyes slowly, looked over at him as he looked at her, taking in the damage he could see in the light.*”Pain isn’t a stranger to me… but I admit… I am rather much the coward today… If you don’t mind… I would like to not feel anything…at least for a little while… If you have something that can make me forget, I wouldn’t complain about that either…” *She listened then, watching him wash his hands as he talked, preparing to handle her broken little frame. She felt so guilty then, seeing him pour in his skill and his knowledge into a frame she didn’t want to survive anymore… She almost wanted to tell him to stop but if she did, she was sure he would put her on constant guard and they would stop any attempt she made to end it all. Her voice was just above a whisper as she sunk down into the pillows, watching him go about filling those needles.*”I trust you… I won’t move, promise…”*She didn’t either, she remained perfectly still as he set about placing each needle, each injection about this and that spot on her leg, bathing the nerves in something that deadened them quite a bit. Her body did well as before, it made use of what could aid it and used it efficiently. She mewled softly when he began to bathe her face, a small, soft sound of appreciation… God…that felt so good on her bruised skin, feeling the blood and sweat leave her skin while letting the air cool that water, soothing the bruises and swelling. Heaven…*”I think I can forego the drink if you would be an angel of mercy and do that just a bit more… It does hurt a bit, I won’t deny it… I think it’s cracked in a couple of places but I’m not sure… That sponge feels like heaven, thank you…”*She hadn’t noticed the women, she was a bit out of the range of caring anymore. Between the torture and the forced miscarriage, between Ace’s disappearance and the words from the doctor, she was mentally gone… She could respond, she was sweet tempered and soft spoken…but caring… that was out of her grasp. She was grateful for him pulling that curtain though, she might not care but the silence and the blank wall it provided her with made her feel…a bit more relaxed. When he asked her to look up at the ceiling, to count the spots there, did as she was told. Rather than count them though she looked for patterns of constellations there, seeing Orion… The Crab…. Aquarius as well… Pisces a little after… Though that magic when it hit her was unmistakable… She was finely attuned to it, she could always feel it around her… She wasn’t sure what he was doing…but she hadn’t expected it… She twitched softly, her toes curling softly as she remained still, not wanting to interrupt… She didn’t know much about magic, other than it was a volatile thing and she didn’t want to do anything, cause anything to make it say, recoil or hurt him. She couldn’t keep from talking though, her control was still a bit too lax for that. Her voice was soft though, the same pitch as his, just sweeter.*”I once asked someone what magic was like… I was told that it can be like a beast… it can be your friend, or it can be your foe… Use it too much, and it will round and bite you… Please….don’t put yourself at risk for me… Trust me, I’m not worth saving…” *She tilted her head then, to look out the window by her bed, watching the sun come up and paint that soft blue sky all shades of vermillion and pink, fiery orange and the palest gold… She didn’t know why, but the sight made her want to cry… Why was the dawn so beautiful when her night had been such a hell? Her throat tightened up as if someone had a hand about her windpipe, making her struggle to swallow down the lump there, the sting in her eyes. When his hand left her numb leg, to press over the flat of her stomach, those tears spilled over, flowing down her cheeks like a summer rain… She hated crying in front of people, hated how weak it made her feel, made her seem… She tried so hard to put up that strong face, to be strong for those who couldn’t be… Yet here she was, crying again… She would never be able to cry out all the tears that the night had caused to spring inside her…*”I was….yes… Twins… Four months along… “



(20:19:37 )

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *When he pressed down though she hissed through her teeth, clenching her eye shut tightly. It wasn’t that he was hurting her…but that bruise combined with the deep internal pain… It hurt… a LOT. She fought not to pull away but that was really all she wanted to do. She felt more blood, more clots… The last remainder of the lining was expelled under his skilled touch, and she did her best to try and relax but damned if it wasn’t hard… When he talked about her being assaulted… a part of her wanted to laugh a bit at that… Assaulted…what a light… normal sounding word to use for the hell that had been last night. It sounded too common, too normal to be used, but for the life of her she couldn’t think of a strong enough word to use in it’s place.*”I don’t…often talk to people, Dr. Anikinok… I keep to myself as much as I can and I am not one who tells people anything… I keep everything to myself for the most part… Though for some reason… I tell you… Can I blame the drugs for the sake of my pride, Doctor?... Ah, but that would just be a crutch and I hate excuses… You are just…a very good listener… To tell you the truth… I can’t explain to you what happened… It’s a long, long story and not something I would burden someone with… I’d rather take it with me to the grave if possible… The fact though is that I can’t report him…because there is nothing I can…legally report… You can’t call the constable on a ghost, can you?... It was just the one person… He’s just a bit bigger than me… but I’m so short most people tower over me anyways… Thank you though…. For Everything…. You’re something special, Dr. Anikinok… Don’t ever forget it…. Or let anyone tell you differently… ”*She looked into those mismatched eyes again, a flicker of that light again in her own before they dulled out to that flat moss once more… She had beautiful eyes once… such a striking color… they were faded now…but every now and then…for a brief second they flashed before they were gone again… That light was so close to being completely gone… She turned her head once more, letting that sun bathe her face, setting her golden hair to a halo brilliance in it’s gentle light. Even broken a bruised as she was, she was something else… Not your common every day stunner, no raving beauty that stopped traffic… But there was something there that compelled…drew the eye despite all the black marks on her skin. She nodded her head when he spoke about having that bell if she needed help, that she should rest. He had no fear of her failing on him… how little he knew… if she were lucky, if she could will that heart to stop…. She just needed to be alone, just for a few moments…she would sink into sleep and end it…. Just be done… NO more suffering… no more pain… no more loss… Just oblivion and if the Gods or God was kind… Her babies would be there for her on the other side. She exhaled a soft, slow sigh, giving in… Her last words were their names… Davina and Danielle…*





…The..Curse..Ends..Here…



Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: ..it was of his opinion that she was simply human, a young woman that had been through a night of hell.. she had never once corrected him when he referred to her as Ms so that told him she wasn’t married.. yet she had been with child.. it wasn’t a big deal in this time period.. but certainly something that a great deal of the general community would have frowned upon, he himself however couldn’t have given a damn what people did in their spare time.. so long as they stuck to the letter of the law.. he paused though when she began to speak about magic.. that she had asked someone what it was like.. his gaze shifted a little.. though his react was out of her line of sight for the moment.. when he drew away from her leg and went to stand he simply brushed her off- .. I’m quite certain I’m not sure what you mean Ms.. .. he had drawn that thin cotton blanket up over her.. letting it settle just beneath her arms.. the room wasn’t cold, and the sunlight coming in through the window would certainly help make her feel a little bit more comfortable..- .. as for you not being worth saving.. well.. .. he reached back behind her head.. shifting her pillows just a little so she was resting back more comfortably.. he leant a little further over her.. his fingers brushing just lightly against the top of the bandage there upon her head.. making mental notes to have that changed after she had woken..before he would draw back that curtain..- .. How about the only one in the room who’s not hyped up on pain killers be the judge on wether or not you are worth saving mm?.... he took a hold on that chart.. making those few further notes.. scribbles about her vitals and what he had done.. or.. what he Should have done that his magic made short work of… he had made sure to inject her with a little bit more.. enough to make her feel perhaps a touch more drowsy.. it would take away every ounce of that pain within her.. the physical pain in any rate.. the mental anguish he couldn’t really help with.. at least it wasn’t in his profession..he had stepped across the room.. peering out the window a moment.. noticing the sun was rising just nicely.. which was perhaps a little odd really considering just earlier there were quite a few dark and angry looking storm clouds in the area.. someone had been toying with the weather as of late.. someone that wasn’t from the area.. he drew the thicker drapes across.. and out of the way so the suns rays could flood through properly.. they would only lightly brush against her face.. her cheeks.. the way they made her hair shon.. it was quite striking really.. like nothing he had ever really seen before.. his expression however wouldn’t show this.. he had this.. professional bedside manner that was pretty steadfast.. - .. I am sorry for your loss Rosamund.., uh.. Ms Macdonald .. one hand slid down into his pocket.. the other held the chart a moment longer before he hooked it onto the end of the bed.. letting it swing just a little as it clipped into place…. He listened to her talking.. to her telling him that she didn’t often speak so openly to just.. well anyone.. that she kept a lot of herself to herself as much as she could.. - .. We are alike in that regard Miss.. .. he nodded as he went to stand there in the doorway.. - .. I am a very private person.. I don’t bring my personal life into my work and very few people know very little about me.. .. his head tilted to the side- .. I will wager you are only speaking so freely because the analgesics have hold of your tongue.. It’s my job to listen.. .. he nodded.. reaching around to then take the pencil from the top of his ear.. placing it upon the counter- .. I will of course respect your decision.. if you don’t wish to pursue your attacker then your words.. your responses and what has occurred here today will remain with you, I and this hospital.. don’t fret.. it will not leave these walls.. I will make sure of it.. .. he nodded once again..- ..Should you have any visitors they will be instructed to come back tomorrow.. unless it is of course a husband.. a partner or.. . he paused then recalling that she said she had no family here.. or at least not around her.. - .. do use the time to rest, you will feel a lot more like yourself after you do.. the bruising will start to heal up.. and fade.. your leg.. .. he leant back upon the heels of his boots- .. was surprisingly a clean.. clear break.. easily repaired.. more so.. dislocated than anything else.. given some rest I believe you should be able to walk on it come tomorrow morning.. .. lies of course.. it had been completely shattered.. broken in so many places.. the only dislocation was up there near her hip.. - .. Remember.. If you need anything at all.. use the bell.. don’t be afraid to bother people.. it’s what they are employed for.. .. he lingered a moment longer before he’d turn and make his way out into the corridor.. pushing past the small crowd of nurses that still remained there at the door.. he exhaled.. - .. Ladies.. I am quite certain I told you to go find work elsewhere.. there are beds to be made.. there is medicine to be dispensed.. there is Cleaning to be done.. I will not hesitate in reporting the lot of you.. I don’t have time for this nonsense.. .. one of the nurses plucked up and asked him if he was married.. he just half closed his eyes .. clearly unimpressed.. perhaps a touch disappointed that this one clearly hadn’t listened to a word he just said..- .. Go.. I don’t want to see you infront of me.. Again.. be thankful you’re on the day shift.. Id have you cleaning amenities if you were under my watch.. .. the girl frowned and toddled off quickly- .. the situation in this room here is a delicate one.. I don’t want to hear about it in the gossip rags.. I don’t want to hear people talking about this woman in the halls.. it will not leave this room.. if I find out it has there will be hell to pay.. Understood?.... he glanced toward all of them.. his tone wasn’t strict.. or even overbearing.. he just knew how to speak to people.. he knew how to use the authority he was given.. he called upon one of the nurses.. a brunette.. short in stature.. a little rounded in the features.. telling her to come back into her room.. to sit with Rosamund for a while.. to keep an eye on her..



(21:42:54 )

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…



Dr. Jacob Anikin

..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..

..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..

says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. to just give her.. some company.. before he himself would push through the group of ladies and wander back down the lengthy corridor.. those quiet whispers and giggles continued.. didn’t seem to matter what hospital he attended.. it’d all end up being the same.. he entered the staff quarters.. gathering up his coat.. his hat.. his bag before he would head back out of the hospital proper.. back onto the awaiting street.. the sunshine was quite blissful really.. lifting higher and higher there within the sky as the morning passed.. beautiful day.. there hadn’t been that many around as of late so this was certainly a real treat or at least that’s the impression he got from those around him.. he moved to wander down the road.. toward the Inn.. he had the coin for a house.. something small.. something out of the way but for the moment he just desired nothing more than a hot bath.. and a bed.. a few coins upon the counter the keeper tossed him a key.. he tipped his hat and headed up stairs.. the noises coming from the rooms around him would make anyone cringe.. he pushed the key into the lock and was soon there after gifted entrance.. small.. kinda dingy.. but it was suitable for the afternoon.. he closed the door behind him.. tossing his coat.. his hat onto the table.. his hands reached to rake back through his hair.. giving it a bit of a tossle.. he stunk of blood and the tart smell of medication.. unbuttoning his vest.. sliding it from his frame.. he’d move to step into the bathroom.. tilting his head as he looked toward the bath.. quite deep.. well.. that was worth the coin indeed.. the indoor plumbing was helpful.. not many Taverns/Inns were able to put that on offer.. he turned those taps on.. hearing the copper pipes groaning before the water would begin to run into the porcelain tub.. he’d work then on the buttons of his shirt.. it was still splattered with blood.. would require a bit of soaking.. or.. perhaps just tossing it would do the trick too.. slowly peeling it away from his frame.. his body beneath was quite rigid.. well worked.. toned and quite trim.. there was a difference though.. something that would make him stand out.. his upper arms and torso were flooded with art.. with tattoos .. intricate elven designs.. patterns.. wordings.. he rolled his shoulders.. he cracked his neck.. stretching his arms high above his head.. before he’d go about removing those slacks and boots.. and sliding down into the awaiting grasp of that hot milky water…now the nurse that had gone into your woom had settled down there upon a chair.. drawing it in closer.. she’d look upon you.. to make sure you were resting soundly and if you weren’t she’d enquire as to how you were.. she would introduce herself as Gloria..she wore a smile.. she looked like one of those genuinely happy people, she was sure to let you know that if you wanted to talk she was there.. but if not that was ok too.. she would just sit there quietly until Dr Anikin returned.. her hands resting upon her lap.. interlacing..back in that small hotel room he’d groan when his body had sunk down completely into that water.. stretching his legs out.. it’d been a few days since he was able to bathe himself properly.. doing such whilst travelling was quite troublesome indeed..his head rocked back.. his lids closed over.. he just murmured.. keeping to himself.. remaining within the grasp of the water until it would start to turn cold.. to which he knew it was time to retreat.. stepping back out.. wrapping that towel about his middle.. his wet locks quite shiny as they sat on end after being flicked backward.. he dried himself off.. brushing that thick towelling fabric over his arms.. his legs.. that well toned torso.. before he’d hunt around for a new pair of slacks.. ones that weren’t quite covered in blood.. another lightly coloured shirt.. and his vest.. though he wouldn’t fasten the buttons just yet.. sinking down upon the edge of the bed.. there’d be a knock upon the door.. he’d been gone from the hospital what.. hmm.. maybe a few hours.. 3 maybe 4 tops.. not enough to really get any rest in.. but enough to freshen himself up.. he’d move toward the door as he went about fastening those buttons.. it was a messenger.. calling him back .. to check in on her.. her temperature seemed to be rising and falling like a child on a see-saw.. he slid his feet back into his boots.. fastened the remained of his shirt.. his vest.. the hat would find its place back upon his head… he’d made his way back out with quite a swift pace.. back down those stairs and back out into the street.. keeping up with the messenger as he darted through the traffic.. entering the hospital proper.. nodding toward the caretaker at the desk.. before he’d move back toward the emergency area.. he’d peer in through the glass door.. before he’d go to enter.. grasping a hold of the chart to check the numbers the nurses had been recording.. she up until now was still resting quite soundly.. so the reasons for the rise and fall was.. a little out of the ordinary though it could well have been something as simply as her body repairing itself.. burning the medication in the process.. he dismissed the nurse.. offering her a quiet thankyou before he himself would sink down in the chair there nearer the bed.. he’d keep an eye on her himself.. hat way if anything did occur he’d be there to help.. he didn’t however plan to drift off.. and that’s precisely what he did.. his head tilting a little to the side.. his lids closing over.. his breathing becoming further regular.. he couldn’t have appeared more peaceful if he tried.. -



♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *Ah yes… the titles… Mrs… Ms… Miss… Not the latter anymore since she had been with child it was a bit obvious that she wasn’t a virginal maid… and not the Mrs. Which meant that someone had given a care for her enough to marry her. The Ms. Was all she could be called by really, it was polite and perfectly proper…but it didn’t change her situation… She had been engaged… the ring had been stolen from her, taken from her finger before the real damage started to occur to her little frame. She knew it was gone…but she couldn’t bring herself to miss it… the fact that it wasn’t there…. Rather fit, didn’t it? After all… Many things Dravanos was… but he didn’t lie to her… No, the sad fact of the matter was that all too often the truth was the weapon he chose to carve her up with rather than deceit. Deceit could hurt, but the truth could kill if one let it. What else could she think? What else could she believe? After all, Ace had left her on the night of their engagement to who knew where with who know who… He had been gone for hours, more than enough for Dravanos to destroy her, their children…Here she was in the hospital now… Saved by a stranger with kind hands… She owed him her life and she knew it, sure as the sunrise… If he hadn’t come by the house, gone up those stairs to find her, to bind her wounds and her leg, to take her here to the hospital… She would be dead. She wanted to die, yes, she had no reason to go on, not after all of this… But it didn’t change this stranger’s act of kindness for someone they didn’t know… Where was Ace?... She didn’t want to look at a ring on her finger that for all she knew, was nothing more than a lie or worse, just a guilt ridden act because she was pregnant and starting to show… Oh it was all too much for her…Mind, body, soul, she was a wreck, more than a wreck, she was destroyed… It was pretty close to impossible to say that anyone could have found her in worse condition than he had. First impression wise, she was sure she left much to be desired there in that room, a broken doll with more than a few bits in need of a good deal of super glue and no guarantee that they would ever work right again. His words though… she couldn’t help that tired, sad smile that curled the corners of her lips up. She wouldn’t pry… rather…she would give him an out of sorts…*”I must be mistaken… you have a healers hands Doctor… like magic… I can’t be sure of all I’m saying right now… quite drugged up and such… a bit loopy…Forgive me my ignorance… Sadly, it does come from time to time…”*It was the least she could do for him… It was so odd… so very odd… She felt that blanket rise, the rough durable cotton scratching just a bit against her delicate skin. She had slept on worse though and been grateful for it, and even now, it was still a sight better than most of which she had slept in before. Hell, if she ever once felt like something was uncomfortable, all she had to do was remember that sea chest and anything else would seem like a cloud in comparison. When he had moved his hands there to either side of her head, sliding that pillow down to make her more comfortable just before his fingers lightly touched her head… She blushed… She didn’t even think she had enough blood left in her body to blush, but there it was, that soft peach pink color on her cheeks, pretty as a picture. Why was she blushing?? Ugh…. She just wanted to freeze everything…. No… she wanted it all to just go away, all of this… Every strange, sad, painful thing… But goodness those drugs worked well… The pain was slipping away quite well, leaving her in bits and pieces till all she felt was a delightful, weightless nothing… Numb from head to toe and she just rather…floated there…. What was going on again?... She was sure…something important… That concussion was in full swing now without the pain to keep it in check and she was well and truly sauced without it. She gave a short, softly shake of her head at his words.*”I won’t be someone’s cross… not anymore… It’s unfair to both parties…and it hurts… and I rather like….this….floaty place….right here…”*Oh but she was high as a kite now… She couldn’t help it, the drugs hit her system quite strongly indeed what with having so precious little blood to delude it before it hit her system like a metric ton of drug induced peace. She lay there, lost in that in between land, not quite awake, not quite asleep either, and deadly honest to the point of damaging almost. His kind words, his empathy for her loss, for what she had suffered through… In all honesty… She was going to need a lot of that kindness… If she was going to survive this, and right now she seriously lacked the will to do so, she was going to need a good dose of understand, compassion and no small serving of kindness. She’d done too much on her own, taken on her problems as well as the worlds on those delicate shoulders and she had crumbled under it at the end. She would be broken when she came out of the drug induced haze again, but for the moment it was just… silence…blissful nothingness… She was drifting into that place between sleep and awake, on the edge just waiting for that last push to drop her into the realm of Morpheus. Her voice was a soft, dreamy little whisper, like the far off sound of wind chimes on a summer afternoon, heavy with the possibilities of a beautiful day…*”Rosamund is fine… I prefer it…. Anything else bring to mind I am neither A Miss… nor a Mrs. Rather landed between the two…..for the sake of propriety… Besides… it’s not like…I have a right to my fathers name anyways…. Just Rosamund….”*It would take some getting used to, being called by her birth name rather than her model name… But she didn’t think she could quite handle hearing anyone call her Trinity right now… It would bring up too many painful things, too many memories she didn’t want crowding back into this happy numbness the drugs were giving her right now. How sad was this though… Oh no…no no no….she pushed that thought that was floating up into her head far, far away from her as quickly as she could… She focused instead on what he was saying.



(00:20:48 )

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪



°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °

°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°

says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: ”Well… I owe you a thank you…. I don’t think you’ve told that to anyone before…. Drugged patient or not…. Perhaps we are….very alike… indeed… As much…as you say that…. Your job is to listen… I am sure… you aren’t….always this….kind to every….nearly dead person….you find…. Then again… I could be wrong… As you said… I’m pretty drugged up…”*She paused for a moment, watching that movement from his hand, pulling that long yellow pencil from behind that pointed ear to set in on the counter. Her question was random, out of the blue… normally she didn’t, wouldn’t ask these questions but there wasn’t really much of a filter on her right now.*”What is your name, Dr. Anakinok? You don’t have to tell me, I respect your privacy… Just….a little curious is all…” *She curled up a bit more comfortably under those covers. She couldn’t stand to sleep on her back, she was much more of a side sleeper, preferring to curl up on her right side more than anything else. It was that way she shifted then, burrowing down into the blankets, her hands tucked up beneath her chin, curled softly beneath that delicate chin. When she laid like that she was even smaller looking, just a delicate feminine outline under that blanket with long legs, sweetly curved hips, the deep dip of her waist and the delicate rounds of her shoulders. When he said he would ensure no rumors would leave the hospital, it made her sigh softly… Rumors…always rumors… She was a hot item since she was in the public eye so often, rather like a modern day celebrity. She could rarely do anything without someone commenting on it, and the fact of who she was with certainly didn’t make it any easier, let alone make the rumors any less….flamboyant. Well… When all this came to light, and it would, sure as anything else in this world, someone was going to notice and all manner of hell would break loose… His words about someone coming to see her… She paused… those eyes took on such a pained look, not physical but emotional, deep… Her voice was softer still, just loud enough for him to hear as she pulled that blanket up to her chin, hiding from the world as if it were some thick set of armor.*”Someone…may come looking for me… I don’t want anyone to see me… No one… As far as the hospital is concerned….if possible… I don’t even want to be a patient here… I know it’s an odd request… but I beg you to please do that for me… No one named Rosamund MacDonald is here…nor is there anyone named Trinity Trillian… No blond woman… No one who looks like me is here… I’m just a ghost…”*If Ace did decide he wanted to find her, he was going to have to work for it, and work hard for it too. She wasn’t going to fall into his lap again and let him kill her all over again… She wasn’t going to go through that hell a second time, not if she could avoid it… She loved him… but she couldn’t be sure he loved her back… Not in the same way, or perhaps the same intensity. He had never really talked about the babies or the fact she was pregnant despite the fact that she had told him how much it meant to her. He had never said he loved her, not even when he proposed had those three words come together to pass form his lips… No… If he wanted to find her, he would have to struggle and fight for it, she was never going to make it easy for him… There was no guarantee that he would come looking for her though, she had faced up to that fact too… He might never look for her… After her request he told her not to be afraid of ringing the bell or calling anyone to help her should she need it. What could she need? Perhaps a bit of water, but she didn’t need it… Without those children… What was the point? She had never needed food before, and most definitely not now. Her nanobots repaired everything inside her, keeping her running without the need of food or water. With them shut down… She would waste away rather quickly, her little body didn’t have much on it to start with and it would be no time at all before her body gave up from lack of sustenance. If she could…and she would try…she would simply fade out during sleep… It was such a shame to waste the Doctors good work, but she had told him she wasn’t worth it… She saw then the nurse he has sent in, a motherly little thing really… Sweet faced and a little plump but pretty for it… In all honesty it was just what she needed…Not someone too young or two old, mother like without being overbearing… Her attitude was sweet and non-invasive as she explained to her why she was in the room. She nodded softly telling her kindly that she just wanted to sleep right now, but that if she needed anything, she would tell them. With that, she had indeed gone to sleep, or what appeared to be sleep. She wasn’t sure how long she was gone… Hell kind of ran a person ragged like that. She had no idea that they were noticing what she was trying to do, that her attempts to stall her own heart out were causing her body temperature to peak so violently before dropping down to normal, almost too low… Her heart was strong though… it was what had got her through that torture and the miscarriage, through all the other episodes before that… Trying to top a heart that beat so strongly took more work, more focus than she had realized and it was a constant battle, a repeated cycle as she fought to push it through, only to fail… It was wearing her out, what little energy his healing had given her, what precious bit remained to her was being drained away by her efforts till she was too weak to fight anymore. At least though, for the first time in months…there was no nightmares… no nightly visits from Dravanos to torture her… Instead it was something different…something sweeter… hotter… there was no face there in her dream…she couldn’t make out who it was… but the passion that sparked between them was intense… His hands were all over her body, touching her in all the right places, the right strokes and pressure to make her whimper and beg… Her breath was picking up there in the room, her temperature rising while her cheeks were once more than peach pink color, her lips parted on delicate little pants and whimpers. Her fingers would twitch softly there beneath the blanket, her thighs fusing together as even in sleep she was trying to achieve that place of satisfaction. She rolled over then, her arms splayed out above her head delicately in a state of sweet abandon, those delicate fingers curled in oh so softly as they twitched every so often. Her chest rose and fell quickly, every now and then bowing off of the bed, thrusting those full breasts impudently out while one of her legs rose in tempting invitation. Even in her sleep she was a tempting little morsel, innocent but somehow utterly erotic there, locked in that drug hazed dream. Then those sweet little hiccups started, catching on whimpered mewls before, every now and then a word was moaned, a delicious entreaty.*”P…Please…..”

[BadInfluence]

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: .She asked him for his name.. he continued to write down a few more notes there.. - .. Jacob.. .. he nodded- .. Jacob Anikin.. .he found her request shortly there-after rather peculiar actually, that she didn’t want anyone to know she was there.. it was indeed something they could do without problem.. though if word got out that she was here.. then there would be nothing more he could do.. he offered her a nod before he was gone.. leaving behind that nurse to sit with her whilst he tended to his own needs back in that small room at the Inn.. he had returned shortly after taking his bath.. smelling fresh and clean..his dress slacks and shirt this time devoid of any blood splatters.. he had been told her temperature appeared to be spiking.. up and down over the entire span of those few hours.. an oddity no doubt.. though there was usually an explanation for everything.. he ushered the nurses out of the room and settled in there beside her.. taking a hold of her chart he would gauge the progress.. the numbers there.. it was a little on the confusing side.. up and down just like a see-saw.. regulating mostly but something dropping just that little bit to far for it to be normal.. he would move back up to stand nearer to her head.. his duo coloured orbs would wander across her features.. he’d check the bandaging on her head.. didn’t seem to be soaked through.. her leg was more or less fine.. the bruising remained but that was to be expected.. perhaps it was internal damage.. he lifted his hand.. pressing his fingers to her forehead just lightly.. she felt a little on the clammy side.. he’d then notice her colouring change.. her cheeks growing that soft shade of peach.. was she blushing?.. a brow rose.. he slowly drew his hand back.. letting it fall back to his side.. he would observe her for a moment.. perhaps she was simply dreaming..something appeared to have gained quite a hold upon her.. the way her body rose up tightly.. he could see her thighs were all but fused together even through those thin hospital blankets.. her breathing was picking up.. the sounds she made.. one of the nurses went to open the door.. he held his hand up.. ushering them away.. he had a feeling if Rosamund knew she’d be terribly embarrassed.. so it was either a dream.. a somewhat.. naughty little dream.. or it was her bodies response to something going on on the inside.. his hand rose and he lightly rubbed it against his temples..her temperature wasn’t dipping quite as much .. so that was a good sign.. it was telling him that she was having quite a dream indeed.. quite possibly brought on by the amount of medication her body was burning through.. he wouldn’t wake her.. not.. straight away.. he didn’t want to startle her.. he didn’t want to drag her out of.. well where-ever it was she was.. he sunk back down into that seat.. his right leg sliding over his left as he continued to scribble down notes upon that paper.. upon her chart.. observations.. medication use.. just how much had been administered.. and how much there was left remaining for her full dosage..she’d place a strangle hold upon his attention every so often.. making him glance up from the paperwork.. watching as her body arched cleanly off the bedding.. hearing her breathing catch.. those quiet mewls..then there was a snap.. it sounded out in the room.. he blinked.. glancing down to the remnants of the pencil he had been up until that point holding onto.. he had managed to snap it clean inhalf.. clearing his throat.. placing it down upon the table there beside him before he’d gather another and finish off those few remaining sentences.. when she began those breathy moans he knew he had to do something.. he knew.. It couldn’t really be let continue.. she’d be gaining the wrong kinds of attention if she got much louder.. he rose from his seat..coming up to her bedside there.. he watched her a moment longer.. as she more or less writhed upon that prickly bedding.. - .. Rosamund….. he called out to her quietly.. leaning down a little so he wouldn’t have to yell- .. Rosamund.. you need to wake up.... spoken softly.. his right hand reached..coming down to rest there upon her shoulder.. giving her just a very light shake- .. Rosamund.. come back to me.. .. he’d call out to her..the hiccups were a bit of a surprise.. certainly not something he was expecting to hear.. her pleadings caused his brows to furrow..things were starting to feel a little.. awkward.. and uncomfortable.. he was a guy.. a hot blooded youth.. it wasn’t every day you had to wake up a writhing tempting little thing.. he certainly couldn’t admit just what he was going through having witnessed that.. and he could feel the eyes peering through the glass of the emergency room door.. a few nurses were interested indeed as to whom was making the whimpering, moaning pleas , they were quite curious indeed at to whom was making the noises.. and to whom was making them Make the noises.. perhaps there was a wee little tryst going on within that emergency room.. though their faces sunk when they noticed the young girl was simply dreaming.. he ushered them away with a quick wave of his hand.. though they wouldn’t go far what so ever.. - .. Rosamund.. Wake up.. .. another shake there-

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *When he had given her his name, for some reason it sounded familiar… as if the name were somehow important, linked to something that mattered but for the life of her she couldn’t remember what it was. It was a nice name though… It suited him… She smiled at him then… fragile, crystalline, easily broken but it was a start… For some reason… She couldn’t put her finger on it what so ever…but he calmed her… Like pouring soothing balm on a wound, he just made things a little less…intense… She had felt it there in her home, the way he had calmed her despite the fact she was in so much pain and anguish… He just… It was such a hard thing to describe… Perhaps it might be in relation to his magic use? There was still so much she didn’t know about it, and typically if it was something that couldn’t be explained by logic, magic was behind it..*”It’s my pleasure….to meet you, Mr. Jacob Anikin…”*The nurse had come in and she had fallen asleep afterwards. She had never thought in a million years that stopping her own heart would be such a hard thing to do. She had seen proof of humans doing it by will alone, others with little more than muscle control at times…. She had excellent control over her own body, her bones and muscles, her breathing…. It shouldn’t have been so hard, such a struggle, a war inside her chest as she fought with it… It wasn’t just a single attempt, a single go at it, but cycles, rounds… Each attempt would cause that spike in her temperature, her heart beating harder, faster as she tried to grip it, to shut it down. Each failure ended with her heart resuming it’s perfect, strong pace, dropping her temperature to more within the normal range… By the time Jacob had come back to the hospital she had been at it for a few hours but at the end, she was far too tired to keep going with it. Her body simply wouldn’t let her die, wouldn’t give her up into the sweet oblivion of whatever abyss waited for her after this life was over. She would either have to wait, gain some more strength and attempt it again, or perhaps go a less subtle rout, one that couldn’t be blamed on the damage she had sustained… She couldn’t win today though, no matter what she did, she was rather locked into the forgone conclusion that she simply wasn’t going to get anywhere with it, not any time soon. It was with that realization that she slipped off to sleep… She expected a black void, a soft of empty numbness caused by the drugs that had been flooded into her depleted system. She looked forward to it if it was empty blackness, she could use a few hours of pure, sweet sleep without nightmares or visitors, free from the torture that haunted her nightly… But it hadn’t exactly gone that way… She couldn’t pinpoint when it happened, but however it came about, it had her locked quite tightly in its grasp, like a baby bunny between a wolfs teeth. Oh….this faceless lover knew her too well, knew when to be rough, to pull her hair or slap her ass, to control… Others that touch was feather light, kisses peppered down on her bare breasts, sweetly searing… That dream was just starting when Jacob had touched her forehead lightly, almost perfectly in sync when he entered the room really…. Either way… She was far too….involved in her dream, so vivid, so intense because of those pain killing drugs that she had no reaction to herself, either in that dream or in that hospital bed. She was nearly mad with want, this dream lover knowing everything she wanted, everything she needed, craved, never dared to ask for… It gave it all to her, made her whimper, made her buck against that invisible body that felt quite solid to her in her dream. She was writhing there, not getting what she craved, what she truly needed there in that dream or in reality, that consummation, that hardness inside her, satisfying that deep hot ache inside… Oh but how it made her want to crawl out of her skin with desire, keeping her hot and heavy, right at the edge of it all till the ache was so razor sharp she wanted to scream. There on that bed her little body writhed and arched, subtle at first, gentle little movements that could have been a fevered tossing as her body healed or as the drugs worked their way deeper into her or out of her system as they would. The hotter that dream got, the more perfect the touches, the more it made her arch and writhe, the more she moved in that little bed. She was well and truly into the throes of it when she started to arch on that bed, feeling that invisible hand sliding down the valley of her breasts to dip lower till they rested above her mons, teasing over the delicate skin there. She began to arch in that bed even more, that lithe, curvy little body well practiced in enticement knew just how to move to enchant. She couldn’t feel that joining of bodies, that satisfaction she craved and it was driving her quite mad, making her have those delicate, sweet little hiccups that were her tell… The fact that she was outrageously aroused but denied what she wanted. Her pleas, that sweet, soft begging was testament to just how deep she was into that lucid dream, how hard it was riding her. Oh how she was aching, just on fire for that touch, just a whispered caress would send her over the edge into sweet oblivion… She felt a hand on her shoulder then, she couldn’t tell the difference between dream or reality, far too gone in that place in-between. Her hand reached out, to grasp that wrist that was attached to the hand there on her skin, so hot under his palm. She began to slide her way up, her arching subdued, the moans silent, but those little hiccups were still there… Her name on his lips shifted the dream though… The voice gave a face to the dreamless lover and she could see Jacob there above her in that dream, wearing too many damned clothes… He was holding her down, tormenting her with his touches, keeping her on that edge… Her fingers would grip the collar of his shirt, the smell of jasmine and honeysuckle would hit him then as she dug those delicate fingers into the fabric there, trying to drawn him down. The fact the two coincided was an odd twist of fate, but it didn’t matter. She arched off of that bed, her face coming up close to his, those sinfully long lashes making crescent fans on her cheeks, testament that she was still very much asleep. Her lips were mere centimeters away from his, for in her dream she was staring up into those beautifully mismatches eyes, about to kiss him. The same was true for reality… Her breath fanned out, sweet against his skin, smelling like crisp apples and honey, her moan a caress against his lips.*”Jacob….”*It was a plea…and entreaty… almost a prayer on her lips… She was about to kiss him when she felt that shake on her shoulder and that was what saved her…and him. She groaned softly, lashes beginning to move, to flutter before they opened, revealing those sparkling jade colored eyes, almost golden at the center and deep dark green about the out ring. When she saw what she was doing, where she was…*

(02:15:53 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: ”Ohmigod!”*She immediately released her grip on his collar, her eyes widening considerably when she saw just how close they were. Oh….She groaned softly, part agony, part lust, and outrageously uncomfortable. She felt outrageously lightheaded all of a sudden and fell back on the bed if he let her, her eyes sliding closed once more. She was a bright shade of peachy pink, still ridden hard by the demon called lust but the shame of what she had done... Or God…What HAD she done?! She couldn’t remember anything but that dream, and that alone made it so she couldn’t look him in the eye. Oh sure…because you know…life wasn’t fucked up enough as it was, oh no… She had to go and come onto her doctor like some three bit trollop out for a stroll. Oh God but she wasn’t like that!! She knew she wasn’t! But she sure as shit looked like it she knew… Oh you could fly an egg on her cheeks as she raised her hands to cover her face, her hands shaking as much as her chest was from those damned hiccups that wouldn’t go. No matter what she did or didn’t do, she couldn’t deny what she was feeling. Hell, her nipples could cut diamonds, peaking up into little cupids arrows beneath the sheets and her thin gown.*” I am so sorry!...”


…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: ..his right hand had indeed reached for her shoulder.. his fingers curled to grasp against the fabric of her robe.. giving her that gentle shake- .. Rosamund.. wake up.. .. he’d call out to her.. watching as her expressions continued to switch and change.. the.. well.. erotic sounds coming from between her lips were growing that little bit louder.. she was moving a touch harder upon those bed linens.. arching so clean and tight.. much akin to a cat.. - .. Rosamund.. please Wake up.. .. his gaze lifted as he glanced toward the door.. hearing it shifting against its oversized hinges..his free hand rose as he held it up.. palm outwards.. he didn’t require any help.. he was doing just fine.. he’d douse her in water if she didn’t wake up very shortly. . of that he was quite certain..it would be then however that she would reach and gain quite a firm grip upon his shirts collar.. tugging him down that little bit closer.. his gaze widened just a touch.. his attention falling back down to her there.. her lids remained closed.. her eyes moving erratically beneath .. so she was still asleep- .. Rosamund.. Comeon.. Wake up.. Wake up.... her breath washed against his cheeks.. his chin.. his slightly parted lips.. he could almost taste those green apples..that honey .. the scent strong enough that it curled against the back of his throat.. he swallowed down a little harder than he expected to.. she lifted her head just that little further off the pillows.. she was going in for that kiss.. they were excruciatingly close by this stage.. a mere inch.. maybe less apart.. his scent would have travelled also.. what with their proximity.. his was earthier.. a mixture of sandalwood and citrus.. coriander and lime.. with that delicate hint of ginger it was quite minimalist really.. so simple.. almost meditative.. he heard her call out his name.. pleading with him right then.. right there.. it was an awkward position to be in.. and one he had not been in before.. so he wasn’t entirely quite sure how to react.. an unconscious gesture.. he lightly rubbed his lips together.. not even realising he was doing so.. his hand upon her shoulder shook her once again- .. Rosamund.. please.... it was his own plea there…this time just a smidge louder.. hopefully not enough to startle her.. just enough to rouse her from her rather.. erotic little dream.. her lids snapped open.. he was then peering down into those strikingly bright emerald circlets.. he blinked at her cry before he stumbled back when she finally released the hold she had upon him.. he took a staggered step and then another before he gained his balance properly.. he had been anchoring himself up until the point she woke.. so he certainly didn’t expect her to release him quite so suddenly.. the nurses on the other side of the door lost it in fits of girlish giggles before they disappeared out of sight.. he had managed to turn away from her.. straightening out his frame.. tugging down upon his shirt.. his cuffs.. he could feel his cheeks were burning.. - .. No.. no.. .. he shook his head.. drawing in a breath.. summoning that inner calm that he knew quite well.. it would wash away any awkward looking façade.. the colouring fading from his features.. before he’d turn back to face her once more.. she looked utterly mortified.. her cheeks were so very bright- .. no.. really.. it’s a common side effect of the analgesic .. the mixture you were given.. can.. his brows furrowed.. he looked perhaps a little.. uncomfortable.. it was quite possibly the most emotion she would have seen on him since they’d met earlier- .. cause.. rather lucid dreaming.. regardless of content.. .. he nodded.. clearing his throat as he reached for her chart.. grasping a hold of the pencil.. to which he fumbled and it rolled to the floor.. bouncing a few times before it settled.. he paused a moment.. taking a breath before he’d crouch down to pick it back up.. he blinked a few times and made a few more notes upon the paper work..- .. Ill be sure to let the nurses know to.. perhaps drop the dosage down a little.. you might not need quite.. so much.. . he glanced up to her a moment.. but it was indeed quite fleeting.. before he’d place that chart back down over the railing upon the edge of the bed- .. are you feeling any better?.. Outwardly.. you.. do appear a little more.. coloured.. .. he rounded to the opposite side of the bed.. his fingers reaching for her wrist.. pressing lightly upon it with his own to take her pulse.. he was groaning on the inside at his own personal stupidity.. she was having an episode and he placed himself in the position where she was able to get her hands on him.. he knew better than that.. why did he make such a rookie error.. quietly he’d count to himself.. before he’d release her wrist..- .. how is the pain?.. can you feel your leg at all? Has the numbness wore off?.. or is it still quite dead?.... he peeled back the blanket from the base of the bedding.. revealing her bruised leg.. it was whole in any rate.. there were no bones poking out of it.. and the blood was minimal indeed.. which had to be a good thing.. he was busying himself right now.. to stop from berating himself from the earlier mistake.. also to try and keep her from thinking she herself had caused him any problems.. he didn’t want to embarrass her further.. especially considering she was embarrassed being naked infront of him.. how would she feel lusting after him in a dream and grabbing onto him as he tried to wake her? Quite an odd little predicament to be in.. he replaced the covers.. over her leg there.. moving to stand.. glancing at her for a moment.. a slightly awkward silence taking root.. but only for a moment- .. Ill get you some water yes?.... he turned then.. his face fell when his back was to her.. he exited the room and exhaled once he got out into the corridor.. those nurses did well to barrage him with questions once he got out there.. he of course ignored every one of them.. not giving them the satisfaction of an answer to further their gossip parties.. he’d gather up the water.. the cup and jug before he’d move to return.. he would have been gone.. all of.. say.. 10 minutes tops.. placing them both upon the side table..- ..

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *That scent of his curled about her senses, tickling, teasing along every nerve she had, giving that already intense dream another layer of complexity it REALLY didn’t need. God he smelled so good… Clean and wholesome… The tang of the lime and the sweet sandalwood mixed with the spicy smell of ginger that was capped off with something that was almost orange… It made her whimper deep in the back of her throat, almost a purr as she was consumed by the fantasy playing out in that dream of hers. Oh how he touched her…made her body sing, made her skin burn and ache for something only he could give her. It didn’t matter that she didn’t know Jacob aside from a very kind man who helped her when the world had forgotten her, all that mattered was his body, pressed flush against her, arching into her, driving against her, tormenting her. Oh sweet merciful heaven she wanted him so very, very bad! It was that want, that need for him to press her lips against his own, to taste him… Would his flavor compliment his scent that was so intoxicating, twining about her senses like silken ropes? She was indeed hell bent on finding out, every little move of her body, every sweet, melodious moan, every seductive sigh was all geared to tempt, to torment, to entice. She had quite the grip on his shirt, her fingers softer than satin against his skin, warm and so sweet smelling… His words were shifted…muted in her mind… She didn’t hear him calling her name, asking her to wake up… She heard his moans, his passionate growls, the primal cries as he tormented her, as she tormented him back as they pushed each other demanding release. Oh she was so close, so very close to finding her release, she was so tightly wound, ready to scream with it all. Her lips were just a breath away from his, his name a moan on her lips, such a sweet entreaty… It was good he had managed to wake her up before she closed that distance… There would be hell to pay and the world would likely never be the same by the time it was all said and done. How to explain to someone, an elf, no less, that you were less than human, or perhaps more than… That you were bound by a kiss and that as soon as her lips met his, she would be bound to him for all eternity until he decided to give her up to a new owner? Or even better, the fact that through that kiss, not only was she bound to him, but she would become his perfect lover, his perfect mate and partner. She could see that going just…. So well. Ace would go absolutely and utterly bat shit if he cared enough to notice, and poor Jacob… Oh poor Jacob, he wouldn’t know what to do about any of it an there would be no way for them to fix it. She wouldn’t wish what happened with her on anyone, least of all someone who had been nothing but kind to her. Her eyes had snapped open and all to quickly did she realize what she had been doing…or about to do, and she had never before in her life been so mortified before. She just…it was too much. She released him instantly, she didn’t even realize the hold she had on him when he staggered back a step or two. She then heard the giggles and covered her face, wishing she had just been able to do what she wanted to earlier!! But no! No, she was denied death, denied her children, denied her love, and now she had to be the bloody laughing stock of a hospital! She HATED hospitals to start with! Oh it was all too much! And to really put the cherry and walnuts on the fuckedup sundae, she was still so incredibly aroused, so hot and slick despite all that had happened she didn’t know which of all of this the worst part of the last five minutes was. Where was a bottle of poison in the hospital? Surely they had to have a couple, something she could just down and let it stop her heart? As soon as she could get out of this bed she would find it or die trying, both were the same end result she was after. She groaned there, her face hidden by her hands, indeed she had quite a bit of color back and it was all in her face! She was by far no virgin, her whole life since she had been reborn had been at the existence of pleasing men and she knew she would be everything Jacob could ever dream up, even in his darkest fantasies. Somehow they had managed to split up in time before any…permanent damage could be done….She struggled, apologizing as she felt as if she were cooking her face clean off the bone with how hot and red her cheeks were. Her thighs were fused together, trying for all the love in the world to get that ache to go away, to vanish like she was wishing her blush would. She heard him talking, dropping her hands to her lap as she sat up… Though that look combined with the hesitation… Oh my God… What did she DO?! She knew she had kissed him, but had she said anything?! Oh God… She didn’t proposition him did she?! Her voice was pained when she spoke, tight with the very…VERY strong lingering emotions and desires from that dream of hers.*”Jacob really I… It’s…”*She blushed so prettily, even the tips of her ears were turning pink and it made those vividly colored eyes of her pop, nearly glowing… They had been dull, flat, lightless earlier… No matter how embarrassing what had happened was for both of them, it did seem to have a more positive effect on her than any drug he could give her. When he talked about changing the dosage, she shook her head.*”No…. No more medications… I can’t risk this…. I won’t… I don’t care how bad it hurts Jacob, or how much I might beg for it please, no medication…”*Oh God…he saw her blushing… Well no dugh he could, she was sure people could pick her out from the moon right now! She tried so very hard to follow his lead, to move to the…medical side of it, of her condition. Right now she could be bleeding out from missing a leg and she wouldn’t be able to feel a damn thing, she was a bit too tightly wound at a certain part of her body to feel anything ese.*”The…um… Sleep helped, yes… I haven’t slept much the last three months…”*When he picked up her wrist to take her pulse those hiccups came back full force, making her press her hand to her lips and turning away from him. Good luck getting a normal reading from her… She wouldn’t have a regular heart pace until she either was satisfied, or the lust ran out her system. Her heart was racing against his fingers, quite the rapid little stucco song of desire.*” I can’t tell… Everything is numb right now…”*She felt that stilted embarrassed silence, she could no more look at him than he could look at her, but there were glances, she wouldn’t lie. Even with him standing a few feet away, she could smell him, made her quite drunk. When he left to get that water, she struggled, tossing her feet over the side of the bed, careful with the broken leg. She couldn’t stay here… Not after that! When he came back he would see her standing by the bed.*

(04:17:16 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She didn’t bother to hide it, to pretend she wasn’t about to take off out of there as quickly as she could get her feet under her to do so. She wouldn’t…couldn’t go home anymore, not after what had happened, but she didn’t have to stay here. She was good at moving around a lot, and getting from point a to point b under her own steam well enough. She was struggling with the sudden shift, from going horizontal to vertical within a few seconds of everything else. She had pluck and a damn good dose of tenacity though, he had to give her that. Despite her head swimming, the fact her whole body was shaking, she had steel there in her spine. She closed her eyes, trying to get the room to stop spinning for a moment or two, but it wasn’t working… Even with the drug riddling her system, she couldn’t take the pain in her head, the concussion, or the fact that despite the leg being healed, she had multiple wounds and she was dangerously low on blood and the trauma wasn’t helping. She gripped that little table viciously, yet her grip was nothing compared to what she had somehow managed to do on his shirt.*”I think I should go… I’m not bleeding out anymore… you said my leg will be fine, correct?... If you could just give me the release papers to sign… I am sure I’ll be ok on my own… “

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: ..he listened to her when she spoke about the sleep having helped her.. that she hadn’t been able to rest much in the last threemonths.. he nodded.. gathering she was speaking in terms of the hormones collected from the pregnancy being the reason for the sudden bout of insomnia.. his fingers cradled that wrist when he looked for that precise pulse point.. indeed it was quite erratic.. her heart was bouncing all over the place.. he’d release his hold.. - ..numb is good.. .. he nodded.. moving back toward the end of the bed.. plucking up her chart once more to jot down the numbers in his head.. avoiding glancing in her general direction for as long as was humanly possible.. he placed the chart back down upon the table.. letting her know her was going out for that water.. he took his time.. having reached the empty kitchen.. he had gathered up a cup.. a small pitcher of water.. placing it upon a tray.. sure.. he could have easily gotten one of the nurses to do this.. it really wasn’t part of his job description to be bringing people drinks.. but he needed to put some space between them both.. the air in the room had gotten perhaps a little to.. thick.. and him being nearer to her didn’t seem to be helping matters.. he leant against the basin.. dipping his head forward.. he’d take a breath.. quietly cursing himself out for making such a ridiculous mistake.. ‘idiot.. absolute idiot’ would be heard by any who entered the small kitchenette.. he rolled his neck.. straightening out.. grabbing that tray before heading back toward her room..he could hear the whispers from the nurses around him.. little did they realise just how far the range was on those sharply pointed ears.. talk on ‘did you see her, she tried to kiss him’.. ‘how greedy could she be!? She’s the one that was proposed to last night’.. ‘She’s already got a man, someone needs to put her back in her place’.. he did his best to ignore it for the moment but would make a note of the last one.. in case that particular group of ladies made a break for Rosamunds room.. he just didn’t want to have to deal with it all right at this particular moment.. he backed into her room then.. the double doors sliding against his shoulders before they would swing closed.. he would notice her then.. standing upright beside the bed.. or at least attempting it.. - .. Oh.. No no no.. You can’t.. You’re going to rip right back into all those healing wounds.. really.. No.. I can’t.... his brows furrowed.. placing the tray down upon the table..she must have felt quite light headed indeed.. the amount of blood she lost without the ability for transfusions would be making her quite ill.. it would not have been able to replenish itself in that short amount of time..he came up to her then.. standing closer.. - .. look.. I can’t and won’t give you those papers.. duty of care won’t allow me to.... he wasn’t being rude.. or even condescending.. he had coated his voice with that very same calming influence he used when he was within her home.. - .. You’re going to need till at least the end of the week before you will be ready enough to leave.. .. he knew she was feeling embarrassed over what had occurred.. and the nurses outside weren’t helping matters what so ever.. he drew that curtain back around that side of the bedding.. she would still be able to see outside.. as the sun would begin to set.. but no one would be able to see her from the door.. the pair of them were shielded well by that thick curtaining.. his hand came to rest upon her shoulder.. just lightly.. he actually hesitated before doing so as he did not want to make her feel uncomfortable.. or give her the wrong idea..- ..Look.. what happened.. happens.. you aren’t the first and I’m almost completely certain you won’t be the last.. people have full on brutal nightmares and can be in the ward screaming.. with the inability to wake them up.. you at least were able to be woken.. don’t beat yourself up over it.. really.. it’s.. forgotten.. .. he nodded.. - .. Please get back into the bed Rosamund.. Ill be honest when I say I’m not entirely certain I would have the strength to pick you up if you fell.. I haven’t slept for 2 days.. .. he would hopefully with her ok guide her back into that bed.. lifting her just a little so she didn’t have to bare the brunt of it all.. lifting a leg that was almost completely numb was hard enough…. He drew those covers back up over her.. letting them settle upon her lap.. her upper body half seated upright..he came to stand there at the foot of the bed..his hands held up before him.. palms together.. lightly tapping against his chin.. - ..consider it.. forgotten.. we wont discuss it again.. deal?.... his head tilted to the side a little- ..Look.. the girls here will talk.. there’s not a great deal more I can do to get them to stop.. it seems.. almost ingrained in their nature.. .. he shook his head- .. You do however have the power to just ignore them..gossip is just that.. gossip.. it’s stuff people invent to make themselves feel better.. If you don’t hear it for yourself.. or see it.. then pay it no mind.. .. he nodded..- .. Now.. I will be back later on this evening.... his arms lifted to cross there about his chest..this really wasn’t his shift.. he needed to rest.. and pretty badly..otherwise he’d be useless in his chosen profession..- .. I will see you here now wont I Ms Macdonald.. I don’t want to hear about you trying to make a break for it.. Don’t make me get one of the nurses to sit in here with you leaving you with no privacy..You need to rest.. You need to sleep.. that blood will Not replenish if you don’t.. you’l remain lightheaded and become quite ill.. .. he tilted her chart up once more.. his duo coloured gaze would wander over the scribbles- .. Cute as you are Rosamond.. I would much rather see the back of you when you leave this hospital.. .. he released the chart.. letting it fall back into place turning then to make his way toward the door.. his back to her when he spoke- .. Night Ms Macdonald.. .. before he would slip back out into the main area..he’d make sure to note upon the Director that the emergency ward was not to be disturbed.. no visitors for the remainder of the day.. or this evening.. the girl needed her rest or she would not recover.. all seemed to go perfectly fine before he would head back out.. and toward the Inn he was using as his own residence.. to catch some rest while he could-

(06:52:55 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She was trying to be honest with him but inside it was all sorts of chaos and hell and not a bit of a sweeter, sharper sting as well. If she told the truth right now, combined with everything last night and loosing Ace, a lot of the pain had shifted into something a lot worse… Numbness… She had cried, sobbed, and screamed her loss, felt abandoned and utterly alone… Her emotions had been put through hell and back and Dravanos had done his job well… Despite what she appeared on the outside, it was never quite what was going on on the inside. The only thing that kept her from toppling back into that depression that she was suffering from before that little…event… Was the event itself. There was a reason men after battle would fall on the first woman that they could find and make love to them, proving they were still alive on her body. The same went for women using men when it was needed, when such a thing happened. Her mind had given her that fantasy, faceless at first, to try and let her find something to anchor to. Something, anything to keep her sane, to keep her from that dangerous edge. It had been a sweet torment at first, it had definitely given her something she griped with both hands…a familiarity in the lust that grounded her just a bit, enough to keep her from falling into a realm she might never come back from. Things had taken a dangerous turn for her though, when Jacob had come to close, had become involved in that little fantasy in her head. She had a very vivid imagination and despite everything, a very receptive little body and when he had come to touch her, to try and wake her it had all gotten terribly bad, for both of them. Her mind would naturally put into that faceless body the one who was forefront in her mind, who was closest to her, most able to satisfy that need. Jacob hadn’t done anything wrong, he was simply being a good doctor and trying to spare her any embarrassment, and there would have been a great deal. She was… vocal… There was no other way to put it. She didn’t go obscene or stupid like some of these women did, going quite a bit over the top and making it all fake… But she didn’t hold back her pleasure ether, she didn’t try to put dampers on her enjoyment, when something felt good. The way that dream had been going, her body going through the motions on that bed while locked in that sleep, she would have come if left alone long enough and slipped right back into sleep. Rather the upside of being who she was, what she was, it never really took her long to find her peak. However, there would have been a good deal of witnesses, either optical or hearing, and she would have gotten quite the rag about it. What happened instead though was what had set those loose, nasty little tongues flying. Yes, while she was drugged and more than a bit high, she had reached out for Jacob who had become the main focus in her lusty little lucid dream, and she had only been doing what anyone else would, acting it out. Lucid dreams do that to a person more often than not, causing such events as sleep walking, driving, and yes, more than a few cases of sleep sex. It had been a natural thing to happen, but that didn’t mean it was understood, let alone accepted. She shook her head as she got those hiccups somewhat under control for the moment, her pulse would continue to beat a bit too quickly there beneath his thumb as he held her wrist lightly. Perhaps he was right…numb was good…except for the fact it avoided the ONE area she wished was! Nothing to do about it though, she could only endure it with some sort of decorum…. At least until he left. She had developed a habit of being a runner… When she was in the other world, she had run away twice, recovered twice, punished twice. When she had arrived here, she had run from the slave blocks, not wishing to be sold again and hid out in the snow ridden woods for two weeks. Then she had ran from the Nightingale with Ace… To try to get to a safe haven… Their children had been created in that little house a the end of town and when the girls that lived there as well made her suffer and hurt, she had run again. She had run from that house that day when Ace had punched the wall by her head… suffered through Sydel, lost her son… Gone back to that house… and suffered once more. She was only ever safe running, every time she stopped, she was hurt. She was trying to run again now, even though she was still tore up despite her words to Jacob as if that weren’t the case. He was a doctor though, not you run of the mill garden variety idiot. He knew just how badly she was hurt, knew more than anyone else because he had been the one to find her on that bloodied battlefield. She sighed, squeezing her eyes closed, trying to make the room sit still. Oh great Google, someone make the room stop spinning for the love all things technological… Why was she having such a hard time getting this done with?! How hard could it be, really, to put one foot in front of the other? Those eyes opened to look at him, and there he might just see how bad she was hurting. She wanted to talk but she nearly blacked out, feeling the whole world buck up underneath her like a wave. When he told her he couldn’t release her, that his oath wouldn’t permit it it just pissed her off… Why?! Why did she have to stay here?! Her feet were itching to pound pavement all over again, but her mind rather rebelled at the idea of any motion what so ever. She sighed, her head dropping, sending those blond curls spilling down her shoulders and hiding her face for a moment before she stood. Damn…he had been awake for two days?? And he had still come to her house to find her… To bring her here… Oh she felt like a right ass… Wonderful… first she puts him out and makes him take care of her, then she tried to kiss him and if he had gone down with her she most likely would have fucked his brains out with the way that dream had been going… And now this… Yeah…. She had died sometimes…somewhere in the last twenty-four hours, and she was in hell… There was no other word for it, no other explanation. He helped her into bed, saying he had put the whole event behind him, that it had never happened. Tell that to whomever had seen or heard it, tell that to her body that was still craving the smell of him, wondering if he could be what that dream lover was. She shook her head again, listening to him, knowing he was right and there was nothing she could do about it. She turned on her side, curling up once more, facing the window once more, looking out at that wide world she wanted to run into and never look back. His last turn of phrase caught her attention and made her brows furrow there, drawing above that delicate nose… She didn’t want to be cute to him… to anyone… That way lay madness… *

(06:53:11 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She did say something to him before he left though, a sort of apology of a sorts, despite the fact he had said all was forgotten. The fact of the matter was she was going to be in for a shit night and she knew it… The nightmares would come with the dark…they always did. Her talisman was gone with some woman named Quinn, her ring was gone with Dravanos, and the only thing that was hers in the entire world, was killed inside her at the bottom of her sons boot heel… If anyone had a right to run it was her, and she wasn’t even allowed the freedom to try and escape… Still, it wasn’t his fault now was it?*”Jacob… Stop by a place called The Nightingale… Tell the manager Ronnie that Trinity sent you… He’ll set you up with some of the best coffee and food you can get in town, my treat… I work there, and it’s why there is all the talk here… Last night…things happened that I won’t repeat… but you’ll hear about it sooner or later… The gossip rag here loves me to death and all I ever want is to be left alone… It doesn’t matter anyways… They always talk, even if it’s for no other reason than to make my life hell, or if not mine… Someone else’s. I’m afraid you’ll get dragged down with me if you stick around… I know your telling me to stay here a week… But I won’t be here more than two days, and you can’t stop me… The rumors are going to be bad enough as they are… But you’re new here… You’re a fantastic doctor, and the last thing, the absolute last thing you need, is to have your name associated with mine…either of them. Goodnight, Dr. Anakin…..”*At least she had tried to give him a sort of heads up… a flag of peace… and a chance to let her run… She had a few things to check out in this town before she turned tail and disappeared… Once she had them though… No reason to stay…Not anymore. She burrowed deeper into the blankets there, her back to him then, her head cradled on that pillow while all those golden curls fell down behind her like spun gold.*

=========================================

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *Whether or not Jacob had gone to the Nightingale she couldn’t say, only that when he left one of the nurses had come in to check on her and ensure all was in order for the night ahead. It had taken her well over an hour to get rid of the lust had had her feeling as though she were under pressure, about to pop from it all but when it had gone she had finally been able to slip into something of a doze. She didn’t feel the prick in her arm, hadn’t heard anyone even enter the room despite the fact that she was really just on the edge of sleep but not quite there. What she did know that, whatever it was, pushed her over that little ledge from a light doze into a full on out and out dead sleep. She didn’t like that…not at all… If she were just dozing she could get something similar to rest, a light sort of recuperation while she stayed out of the realm of dreams, but in full on sleep she couldn’t stop it. It was why she had rarely slept so much despite everything that had been going on, no matter how demanding the day or week had been. It started off as they always did… Darkness… Darkness and the void, nothing around her to see or take shape, no ground beneath her feet nor a sky overhead, like being suspended in an ocean of ink. As soon as she felt it, she knew what was going on, knew it was a nightmare but it didn’t help make it any less terrifying. She began to run as she always did, to try and find the edge of this darkness, a place where there might be a sliver of light… On and on and on she ran, searching, looking, seeking and never finding. She began to grow tense, in her dream and in that bed, her muscles flexing and bunching, knowing inherently that something was going to happen, it always happened… She was not prepared for what did though… Normally it was Dravanos in that bunny mask.. Pure black eyes would watch her as he tortured her in a thousand different ways, whispered poison in her ears, showed her a future that was eerily similar to what she was going through now… But not tonight… As she ran, she saw something grey ahead…small… like the head of a pin on black velvet cloth. She was curious… She was afraid… AS she watched it, it began to get bigger at a rapid pace, like a bullet being fired from a gun. She began to back pedal, to try and turn around, to head away from it but she was suddenly stuck in a tar pit, unable to move. Suddenly, as if magically it appeared before here there was a mop of dark black hair, waving as though suspended in water and she could see the scalp through the thin locks there. It grew closer to her… Closer… She started to whimper in the back of her throat, little choked cries of fear that echoed in her room and in her dream. She pushed back into that mattress, fingers gripping those thin cotton blankets, tugging them as she twitched. She didn’t want to see what was next, she wanted to wake up right now, to pull herself out but those drugs had her far too sedated. She was trapped in her head with no escape, she was forced to endure whatever would come. What ever would come, came too quickly for that head violently shot up and the face there… It would haunt her forever… It had no eyes, but gaping mouths instead, complete with lips and teeth and tongue that bled, it’s mouth was held open with clamps and barbed wire as it screamed at her…. Such an inhumane scream, it wasn’t something that could ever be made by anything living! Inside that mouth where she was forced to look, to listen, she could see her twins in there, their infant cries that would never exist as they were consumed by that….thing in front of her. She began to scream, inhuman, terrified, mind numbing screams as she tried to reach out, to dig her fingers into that mouth and pull them out by force if she could. She couldn’t pull herself free from the tar that held her, only be forced to endure the vision in front of her as her body twitched on that bed, tossing from side to side, whimpering, crying, but so soft, so muted, as if someone wanted to keep her torture silent. The scene shifted again, as if what she had seen wasn’t the all of it, just the start, the big bang of the hell inside her head. She saw Ace then, in the arms of Alice and Amber and Red, the three prostitutes from the house he had been living in when they met. His hands and lips were all over them, she could see it all, hear it all… Good god she could even smell it as she was forced to watch him fuck all of them, hear their cries of pleasure, his and theirs. She tried to close her eyes, to look away but it just got worse… The scene shifted again, till the three women shifted into just one, this Quinn she had been told about but not seen, only knowing that she was a heart stopping beautiful redhead. Ace was on top of her, loving her so tenderly, in a way he had never handled her, hiding her face so she couldn’t see what she looked like… That hurt… Oh god that hurt worse than the girls, she felt it slice at what tender threads of her heart remained. She was allowed to close her eyes and perhaps she should have kept them open because the moment she did close them, she heard Ace telling this redhead he loved her over, and over, and over again. How wonderful she was, how he only fucked around with other girls until he could have her, that she Trinity didn’t matter, she was just a play thing to pass the time… She felt her heart spasm in her chest, a painful thud that made everything else pale in comparison… The leg, the head, the bruises and cuts… Those were numb, nothing compared to this… The whimpers stopped, stemmed by a pain that overwhelmed the panic… Even in her sleep she was crying as she heard it all, squeezing her eyes shut against the image but unable to cover her ears and unsure which torture was worse. The next bit hurt the worst though… The scene changed again, she could tell without seeing and her eyes were pried open by invisible hands and her eyes in reality snapped open though she could see nothing, locked in this world still until it decided to release her. She could hear Ace, as though he were right next to her in the bed, see him curled up about that redhead, stroking his fingers through her hair as he told this other woman that he was glad that she had lost the twins, that he never wanted kids with her, that he only wanted her for the sex and that the kids just ruined it all…. That now he wasn’t morally obligated to her with the kids and was free to do as he wanted. Snap…. She felt a clean break somewhere…something deep down… All she could think was please….please someone wake her up….*

(00:09:24 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
: *No one was there though… No one to save her from this hell… No one could do it for her, she had to do it for herself, she knew that in the part of her mind that was still working… Another snap… She couldn’t figure out what it was… Suddenly she was jarred out of that nightmare, shaken hard by invisible hands, her eyes suddenly able to see the room around her, the tiled ceiling…. Someone had their hands on her, brutally so, pressing down on her neck. She knew what the snaps were then, and the fact that it had happened… She reached up to try and touch, to claw those hands but she encountered nothing… Snap…. She was going to die….one more crack, one more snap and her head would be torn clean off her shoulders in a mess of wires and blood…. Right when the last snap was about to happen, she woke up, sat up screaming in that hospital bed…. A nightmare…. It had all been part of the nightmare… Her hands pressed to her throat, feeling it hot and tender to the touch but attacked… No bones broken, no wind pipe crushed, nothing she could feel… She was covered in sweat, soaked through that robe and clean through the bedding. She pulled her legs up close to her, surprised that though the numbness of her leg was gone… It was not broken… At all… She thought as much… Jacob … She gasped, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide in shock.*”Oh my God…. Jacob….”*Could it be though?! She had to admit…there was some familiar features in his face… The ability to use magic… The pointed ears…. She had seen those same ears on Sydel… Ace had said his son was named Jacob…. But… how could that be? Ace looked to be a few years older than her and Jacob didn’t seem much younger… Surely… Oh splendor of God… If it was…. She…. Oh god… She felt sick to her stomach, the drug induced fog was gone, burned through like a bad night of drinking. She was cognitive all right… Too much… The reality of it all sat heavy on her indeed… If Jacob was indeed Ace’s son… then she had ever right to rott in hell…*


…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. he had indeed left that hospital.. making sure to leave the nurses with directions.. she would need to be injected shortly after his departure to make sure she slept.. he wasn’t going to run the risk of her getting up again.. he wanted to get some sleep himself and he knew that if she did get up again.. a messenger would be sent to him and he’d have to come back.. Again.. he had taken her advice.. to head toward this Nightingale place.. he’d left his bloodied clothing in the other hotel for the night.. he’d collect it in the morning after his shift.. he’d paid for the room afterall.. he’d go to enter the Nightingale.. pausing in the doorway to admire its.. unusual décor.. a club or all things.. just what part did she play in this kind of place? Waitress perhaps?.. he did have a small discussion with the owner.. offering Trinity’s name as she told him to.. the owner seemed surprised.. perhaps a little at least as this gentleman was not her soon to be husband.. but none the less he set him up with a room..one of the nicer ones away from the gaggle of hens in the other end of the establishment..possibly for the best.. if he looked anything like his Father they’d be all over him in a shot and he’d get no rest.. this however wasn’t a problem due to his rooms proximity to the front of house.. he let the door close behind him.. resting against it a moment.. he sunk in against the heavy wood.. his hands rising to rake back through his hair.. he let out a rather exasperated breath.. a soft sigh.. what a morning .. what a morning indeed.. the images of her writhing upon that hospital bed were not going to be forgotten anytime soon.. he pushed out another breath and made his way into the room proper.. it was nice enough.. certainly nicer than the one he was in earlier.. it had a larger bed.. nice clean bedding topped it.. side tables.. a cupboard or two.. lanterns.. a table with a couple of chairs.. he’d peer into the bathroom.. nice big bath.. that’s all he needed.. he moved toward the window.. pulling the thick shades across.. blocking out the sunlight.. or he knew he’d never get any rest.. tugging upon each of the buttons on his shirt.. one by one.. before he’d do well to shrug it off.. peeling it down his arms.. the dark rich designs all soon on show..his tattoos were quite intricate really.. sleeve designs.. that ran back across his shoulders.. and half way down his back.. his muscles flexed when he reached high above his head.. before he’d roll his neck.. a quiet groan sounding.. along with the faint popping of bones.. he’d tug upon the buckle there.. releasing it from its biting hold.. the button and the zipper soon after.. before those slacks would find their place down at his feet.. his legs were trim.. he’d been brought up on farmland.. and worked from the age of 10.. his body was well cared for.. well looked after.. the muscles were tuned.. not overtly bulky but he was strong indeed.. he sunk down to sit there upon the bed.. those cotton boxers sat just nicely upon the curves of his hips.. drawing back the covers he’d slide down between.. shifting till he was.. well suitably comfortable.. the mere moment his head hit the pillow he was gone.. completely out of it.. his mind knew he needed time to rest.. it’d been two days already and he hadn’t the chance.. and it wouldn’t have mattered how much coffee he had.. or how many baths.. it’d knock him out if he didn’t behave.. his head rocked back.. he looked rather peaceful indeed.. his hands resting atop the thick covers.. fingers lightly twitching every so often.. his heart slowed.. his breathing became.. more regular.. little would wake him now.. not even the dashing up and down the corridor just outside his room.. there could have been a street fair directly out his window.. he wouldn’t have stirred.. something was making his lids tremble though.. and it was her.. it was the image of her.. the way she acted upon that hospital bed had been ingrained in his mind.. it was there at the very forefront and it would not have quite a strangle hold upon his dreams.. the way she writhed.. she arched.. those noises she made.. the whimpers.. the moans.. his fingers were gripping the thick bedding by this stage.. he’d managed to rock his head back even further.. elongating his neck in the process as he was tearing down into his lower lip.. it wasn’t a scenario playing out in his head so much.. it was more like.. a flicker of images.. of sounds.. of smells.. she however was the central theme.. torment him she did.. for quite a great length of time.. those luxurious long golden curls of hers.. her peaches and cream complexion.. it would be now that he’d recall the curves upon that body of hers.. the way her skin felt beneath his fingers.. just how light she was.. how she cradled against him as he took her down those stairs.. all of this.. all of these particular pictures would soon melt away.. and he’d be looking within the very bedroom he was in.. this was where he had trouble deciphering if he was infact asleep or awake.. he saw her there in that doorway.. that hair backlit by the lanterns hung in the hallway before the door closed behind her.. he went to speak but Nothing came out.. his voice had been taken.. stolen.. she never said anything either.. not a single word.. she simply sauntered on over to him.. wearing little more that the very robe he left her in.. she tugged upon the tie about her waist.. the plush fabric growing looser and looser as she did so.. he went to object.. his hand rising.. as if it indicate that no.. all he could however manage to utter was a rather pathetic ‘please’.. the robe soon hit the floor.. landing in a heap there about her feet.. and she just stood there.. a seductive smile playing about her lips.. causing his own heart to sink.. she closed the gap between the bed and her.. before she’d crawl up onto it.. inching her way over to his slightly seated frame.. half of his body was afterall still beneath the covers.. she did well to straddle his frame… her fingers reaching to rake back through his hair.. at this point he’d groan.. he couldn’t have grabbed that bedding any tighter if he tried.. the pair would draw closer.. inch by precious inch.. he could taste her breath.. those apples.. that sweetness that could only come from honey.. and just before their lips met he woke with a start.. unable to catch his breath.. covered in sweat.. his heart was beating supremely quick there within his chest.. he just gasped.. and gasped.. before he’d sink back down and clutch at the sides of his head-

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She needed answers…. Now… It wasn’t as if she could go and find Ace where ever he was and ask him ever so casually about his son. The way it had sounded, the way Ace had talked about him was that he had simply left him behind with his sister and never looked back. She had never thought about it before, but if Jacob really was Ace’s son… Perhaps Ace had really done the best thing he possibly could do… Jacob was kind, a little distant in a way, quite professional, but as a Doctor, he was perfect. As a person though, she wasn’t too sure what she could say about that side of him. He had come to her rescue though, somehow he had known she was in her house and dying, had saved her when he had no reason to. He had been gentle with her, something she had…not really expected, nor had she ever really… had something like that. Oh bollix it all. She shook her head and looked around her empty room. The curtain was still drawn and no one was in there with her… Just silence. She looked about, actually cognitive of the place for the first time and saw her clothes folded up to the side there, a few bits and pieces of under pinning’s and a dress or two. No shoes… Damn… Well, she would do as well without. She slipped out of that bed silently, her body was sore but manageable, her head not spinning for the first time. Good… The concussion was gone then, and she had nothing to stop her now. The bandage on her head was itchy, made her slide her fingers up and under that white gauze. She touched the back of her head, the place that had been sliced open on her headboard last night. It was tender, but she felt the scab and the cleanly knitting flesh. So long as she didn’t beat her head on anything, she was fine. Apparently she was losing a bit of her grip on her system… She had shut those nanobots down hours ago, but she could feel them, busy little bees in her blood, replacing the red cells along with white, knitting her flesh and bone back together. Well… Fuck it. She just…didn’t care anymore. Something had her attention and as long as she could focus on it, hold it in her mind’s eye, she didn’t have to think about anything else. Plus that blessed numbness was still clinging to her, making everything just a bit more bearable. She slid out of that robe then, letting it fall at her feet as she went over to that basin and quickly, efficiently wiped herself down from the sweat of that nightmare. Just thinking about it gave her the chills, made her whole body shiver before she pushed it away. She dried off just as quickly, and reached out to grab at her unmentionables. Silk knickers went on first, sailor style buttons up the sides that held them onto her voluptuous bottom, skin tight and high wasted. Next was her brazier, a sexy little balcony styled one that set off her high breasts to perfection. Good Lord… had Jacob even looked at what he was picking out? Nope… Don’t bother… She shook her head and reached for the dress. Pink… Why was it pink…why not black... or something deeper than black… Something to match what her life had become would have been welcomed. She sighed and slid into the cute little number, pulling it up over her full hips and breasts before sliding her arms into the little capped sleeves. It was one of the few patterned dresses she owned, cream colored with little pink flowers with green stems picked out in silk thread. As she slid the zipper out one could make out her sweetly tiny waist, easily spanned by a mans hands before it flared out to her hips in an A line skirt that ended right above her knees. Well at least it was short enough for her to run, and not so poufy that she would look like a cupcake. She ran her fingers through her hair, feeling the soft curls wrap about her fingers before running to the ends. Another quick look would find her still alone, still empty. She had no idea Jacob had left strict instructions that she was to be left alone, all she knew was that she had an opportunity and she wouldn’t pass it up. She wished she had some sort of ballerina flats or something… She shook her head again, and made her way over to the window. Forget going out that door, she would have people on her faster that a fat kid on cake. The window though… Now that was an option! She puled her robe up and stuffed it under the blankets, making it look as if she were simply sleeping under the blankets with her head covered. The longer it took them to find her, the better off for her. She slid the window open, finding that though she was still sore, she could move about easily. A few more hours, perhaps a day at most and she would be completely healed, even with the pathetically small amount of nanobots she had inside her. They would find her in time she knew, like good worker bees coming back to the hive, they would join her system once more. Until then though, she would simply manage with the pain and that was nothing new. In two shakes of a lambs tail she was out that window and closing it behind her silently, her bare feet delicate and not loving that rough ground beneath her heels. She made her way quickly from that hospital, keeping o the shadows, remaining unseen by keeping to the alleys and back yards of the better districts until she got to the Nightingale. Was she going to go in the front door? Hell No! She simply needed to get into one of the rooms and find one of the stashes she left in there. She had hidden a small purse of gold coins in every single room, call it a bad habit of hers to ferret money away, but there it was. She went to the first window she could, seeing the curtains drawn and assuming no one was home. She shifted on her bare heels a bit, biting her lip as she slowly, carefully pulled that window open, finding it unlocked. Once she had that, she had to pick up an abandoned crate to get in that opened portal, damn her short stature. She did it though, pressing her feet to the wall she shimmied up it quick enough, sliding her feet in first so that on the other side, a pair of pretty little feet could be seen peeping out beneath that curtain. A wiggle was needed as her full hips got caught on that little window, causing her to release a silent huff of vexation. Damn Ronnie and these small ass windows! She slid the curtain back a bit and saw someone in the bed and she cursed her thrice damned bad luck!!! Leave it to her to take the fucking only occupied room… She looked heavenwards, raising her hands in a silent what the hell to the heavens.

(02:39:13 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: She slid down then, her feet finding one of those little tabled silently, landing much like a cat would before sliding off of that as well. She had the gold bag stashed inside the bedside table, at the back and held up with a bit of twine she could snap with her fingers. So, on that way she went, silently… She couldn’t see the figure in the bed, male or female, nothing like that, it was too dark for such distinguishing things. When she got to that table though something that had niggled her mind… Something didn’t belong… The smell! She didn’t quite know what it was at first, something kept pricking at her memory the second she opened that window but she couldn’t place it. That cologne…the smell there… She had only gotten soft whiffs of it from time to time, but there was no missing that scent. It was like catnip to her, it made her want to close her eyes and take another deep breath… So much so that she caved in, for just a moment, let that delicious smell twine about her senses, drugging her so sweetly. Too much so, she took too long! She heard the person in the bed gasp, jolting her out of her little sinful pleasure, her gateway to hell… She shot up, abandoning that little bag of gold she was going to need, preferring retreat to confrontation. If Jacob was indeed Ace’s son, she couldn’t be anywhere near him. It was had enough she had fantasized about him…. Even worse that she had enjoyed it so thoroughly, to the point that a part of her, that guilt ridden corner of her soul wouldn’t pass up the chance if it offered itself to her… Yes… She needed to go right to hell and stay there for that fact alone! She wanted Jacob, she was at least honest enough with herself to admit it… She turned to run from him then, only when she looked down…. Oh… Oh fuck me… Someone could have shot her right then and there and she couldn’t have been less surprised. She was close enough to see in that little bit of light the tattoos on his upper body and down his arms… Oh sweet merciful god, her knees buckled a bit… The longer she stood there, every single second made it sooo much harder to pull away. She smelled his cologne mixed with his sweat, heard him gasping, flavoring the air even more. When he moved, pressing his hands to his head he just made the scent all the richer and she felt it hit her worse than any drugs he had given her. NOPE!! NOPE NOPE NOPE! If she stood there a second longer she was going to pounce him, every single nerve in her body was telling her that. She let out a soft groan before she pulled away, her little figure nothing more than golden curls and a soft pink dream to him. She didn’t go for the door, she couldn’t risk being seen. Instead she made her way for that window.*

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. he had woken in that surrounding darkness.. his body was processing the torment his mind just put him through.. he released another exasperated sigh.. raking his fingers back through his hair.. his eyes had not quite adjusted to the dim lighting.. or lack of any real lighting if he were to be honest…his hands slowly slid down his face.. before they’d topple to sit there upon his chest.. the sheet.. the blankets had managed to settle down a little lower.. there upon his waist.. his upper body was.. more or less on display though much couldn’t be seen in the darkness.. his highly tuned hearing had caught her groan.. and it made him sit bolt upright.. - .. is there someone there?.... his voice had taken on a slight sleepy tone.. huskier than is usually was.. his right hand rose.. he lightly rubbed against his temples.. he was sure he’d seen a glimpse of pink and .. was it yellow?.. he couldn’t be sure.. his eyes could have easily played a trick on him.. he twisted his body around.. his bare feet pressing to the rug beside the bed.. he’d bend a little.. to reach the lantern there upon the side table..and just like his Father.. a twitch of a few fingers.. and the wick was engulfed in flame.. flickering there as the glass settled back upon its place.. he’d turn that switch.. and the room would be flooded with that soft orange glow.. she’d be privy then to the tattoos along the back of him.. across those broad shoulders.. she’d not be able to make them out.. not entirely due to the poor lighting.. but she’d be able to see there were quite a few designs.. characters.. wording.. though nothing in English or even remotely recognisable.. he’d twist then to glance over his shoulder.. pausing a moment.. he’d see the figure.. though not entirely.. slowly he’d pull himself from the bedding.. moving to stand as the sheets and blankets drew away.. he was left standing there in little more than those richly coloured cotton shorts.. they sat low on his figure.. low on his hips.. that Adonis belt.. the shadows would easily lick at those curves.. making them all the more prominent.. - .. Don’t move.. .. he called out to the figure.. his voice taking on a deeper.. sterner more.. authorative tone.. like she had heard him use with the nurses in the hospital - .. Look.. mate I don’t have anything.. Ive only been in this room all of.. a few hours.. .. he rounded that bed then.. his hand still rubbing up against his temple.. before it would slide back through his hair..he’d pause then at the end of the bed when he’d finally catch a glimpse of just who it was that was disturbing his slumber.. and he’d almost freeze- .. Rosamund?... he’d blink.. tilting his head and trying to peer a little closer in the darkness- .. What on earth?!....he’d glance back over his shoulder toward the closed door.. the key was still on the table.. it was locked.. and not opened.. so she couldn’t have gotten in that way..he’d look back to her once more.. standing before the window - .. Oh for the love of Hanali did you climb up that?!.... he shook his head- .. hold on.. uhh.. .. he was clearly stumbling then.. shocked as to why she was in his room.. how she got into his room.. how she managed to leave the hospital.. what she was doing there.. it would be then that he’d realise well.. he only had on his boxer shorts and a long silver chain that hung low against his chest.. that’s all.. not a stitch of clothing otherwise.. - .. Oh.. uh.. this isn’t appropriate.... he wondered then just how long she had been there.. and had he said anything?.. he could remember that dream quite vividly indeed.- .. Don’t.. Uh.. just.. .. he paused .. his hands held out before him.. palms outward- .. just stay.. here a moment.. please.. .. his hand rose then.. to rub at the side of his head.. before he’d cross the room.. she’d get a glimpse of his frame in its entirety as he went to enter the bathroom.. though it would be a fleeting glance.. she’d had to have been paying attention.. for when the light from the bathroom flooded the main bedroom she’d be able to drink in all that was Jacob.. his body was lean in its entirety .. his thighs.. his waist.. his hips.. his shoulders were broad.. thankfully because of the shock of her entrance.. any underlying.. remaining erotic thoughts from the dream had been all but quashed.. so any ‘tenting’ that was there when he first drew himself out of that bed.. had indeed quietened down.. he allowed the door to slide.. though not closing completely.. he’d slide back into his slacks.. just leaving his belt to hang loose for the moment.. his shirt thrown about his upper body.. though remaining slightly slack.. open.. he’d re-enter the room whilst he was redoing those few buttons.. still trying to shake off the sleep in his mind- .. What are you doing here?.... he’d lean then against the wall.. his hands sliding down into the pockets of his pants.. he wasn’t angry.. or upset.. curious more so.. than anything else- .. Why are you not in the hospital?.. I am pretty sure I told you you needed to stay.. .. his head tilted a little to the side..- .. not so good at following orders mmm?

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She had barely caught glimpses of him true, she had better sight than most though, able to see much better in the dark than others and as such she had seen the faint markings of tattoo’s on his body. The thing with her… She… Well she found tattoo’s beautiful, and on a man they were worse than any aphrodisiac. From what little she saw, Jacob had more than a few too, all the way down his arms though the details of them were out of her means to really tell. When she had groaned softly, really is was barely above a whisper, a normal human wouldn’t have been able to tell… Jacob seemed to have heard her loud and clear and the second he shot up in that bed, she had shot away towards the window as her little feet could carry her. Shit… Shit fuck shit! She was searing up a storm in her head, something she rarely did and she was trying to get out of there before he could turn on a light or something that would get her revealed to him. She NEVER should have gotten so close to that bed, hell, the second she saw someone in it she should have gone back but she was already in the damn window and it would have been a waste to double back for it. If it had been anyone else in that bed, she would have been in and out in no time, without a sound or movement to give her away to the person sleeping in it. But no… Noooo such luck on that front. It just couldn’t have been some random Joe, it had to be Jacob, the absolute worst person she could have possibly ran into right now. She was just a foot, perhaps two from that window then the light struck and she groaned. Fuck this! She turned to look back, to see if he was anywhere near her, perhaps trying to grapple the intruder to the floor. Yeah... mistake… big…effing…mistake! She shouldn’t have looked!! In that dim light she could see things that she didn’t want to see, didn’t need to know! She had just enough time to reach out, to grab that table and promptly sit her ass down on it before her knees went out on her like pudding. She had to close her eyes, to bite down on the whimper that was clawing its way up her throat like a beast determined for freedom. Too much…Too god damned much! She was instantly hit with that big fat sledgehammer of lust right her core, it made her want to just melt…No… It made her want to pounce him… Closing her eyes didn’t help, instead it made it worse, as if his next to naked image in her mind were seared right behind her eyelids. What in the WORLD was wrong with her?! Seriously, after all she had been through in the last 48 hours, why was this happened to her? She should be a sobbing mess, but mostly she found herself swinging between hate and lust, rage and desire, and both were equally violent in her head and her heart. She couldn’t find time to settle on a stable emotion, some sort of neutral middle ground to stand on, to start to heal on it’s stability. Rage and lust…Rage and Lust… Around him it was primarily lust… She had no reason to hate him after all, no reason to have any negative emotions against him…But the lust she felt… That was pure and carnal, utterly sexual. She couldn’t have moved from that table if she tried, so his command to stay still would at least seem to be obeyed. The more realistic part of it was rather the opposite really… The fact of the mater was her legs were so weak, her heart pounding so hard that she couldn’t have moved if she tried… She had never been floored by lust so hard before, just from the sheer WANTING of something, and for no other reason than that something… had featured a very big part in her dream earlier and seeing him as he was… Well… It certainly didn’t help! If anything, it made it sooo much worse. He saw here then… the game was up so to speak… She certainly wasn’t going to be able to get out of there without him knowing who she was, and Lord only knew what ideas he was conjecting in his mind about her being here. Probably thought her some sick little stalker or something similarly unflattering. A part of her pride was pricked at that though, not because it wasn’t true, but because… well… Never mind. She shook her head, refusing to look at him again, though her lips turned down when he talked about her climbing up. She did turn to look at him then, those jade eyes snapping fire at him.*”Just because I top out at five two doesn’t mean I can’t do anything you can do! Just because I’m short doesn’t mean I am handicapped. Yes, I climbed up, it’s not terribly hard when you know what you’re doing.”*Ok… She just realized she made it out to sound like she was a cat burglar… Oh… Joy… She pressed her hand against her forehead, shaking her head as she realized this was going just peachy… Just… Wonderful. She raised her head, a delicate brow arched on her forehead when he said that it wasn’t appropriate… And what… Seeing her without a stich on was ok because he was a doctor? She however, saw the opportunity and wasn’t about to miss it. Please or not, she wasn’t going to do this, she just wasn’t. When he turned away from her, to make his way into the bathroom she shot up like a rocket and sped towards that drawer, sliding it open and snapping the twine at the back, feeling that heavy purse fall into the palm of her hand. Success! She pulled her hand out, not even bothering to shut that drawer. She Turned when she saw the light…. Saw him…. OH FUCK FUCKS SAKE! She saw every single one of those beautiful, gorgeous, tempting tattoo’s etched on his skin, saw the glory that was his body. Her nipples instantly hardened inside that little bra of hers while she felt her core clench and flutter as desire raced through her body like speed. Noooooo! What the hell!! Why, oh GOD why?! There was no reason why she should have to go through this! Why couldn’t he have been Less appealing?! Why did he have to have the ONE thing in the world that she had found attractive no matter what?! Her knees nearly gave in again but she pushed through it, focusing on the unfairness of it all to fuel her on. She made her way for that window again before he came out. She was up on that table then, on the balls of her feet as she reached up into that open window… Yes… Wonderful! Fucking fantastic! It was easier to fall in than it was to get back out, she was three inches too short to get her arms into the right position on that ceil to get herself up. She had to risk it, jumping up and throwing her weight forward in the hopes she could get high enough.

(04:28:25 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: She had! She knew a brief flare of success, a satisfied little chuckle as she pulled herself through…and got caught on her hips again. ShiiiiT! By the time he came out all he would see would be her ass hanging out the window as she pressed her feet into the wall, trying to give herself enough leverage or weight to either fall out, or fall back in. It resulted in her just making herself more stuck as her dress became caught on one of the hinges of the window. Thank GOD it was dead right now, there were no people in this little alley where she was hanging out at or she would have died from embarrassment before she got to put a hole in Ace’s ass. At his questions, she slapped her hands down on the wall on the outside, trying all over again to pull herself through, the most adorable little grunts and growls as she fought the dress, her hips, and that toney window. Her voice was pitched a bit higher than normal as she was having a bit of a time getting a deep breath, catching every now and then as she struggled.*”I don’t see…. How it’s Any…. Of your Business Jacob! You… Just happened to be…”*She huffed, giving off a soft squeak as she shifted forward a bit more unexpectedly, hearing the tear as a part of her dress ripped.*”Uuuuurg, In a Room… That I used… As a cubby hole!... I… Didn’t even… Know Anyone…. Was in Here… until I was already… In! Oh Lord love a Duck!”*She pressed with the balls of her feet, having had quite enough of giving him a show of her ass there, that skirt hiking up an inch or two every time she wiggled. Thank GOD her ass was still covered, but she couldn’t sat the rest for her legs. In truth, another inch or two would have poor Jacob in full view of her rounded ass and anything else he wanted to peruse. She was well and truly stuck now, she couldn’t get in OR out and she was stuck, dangling there as she huffed and squeaked, trying to get out of this damned bind! She kicked then wall in a fit of temper then, her face beet red and she was well and truly on her way to having a damned tantrum.*”I don’t LIKE hospitals! Ok?! I HATE them! I died in one, and was kept in another one while they did stuff to me there! They’re evil! I KNOW-“*She grunted, pushing her feet into that wall again, revealing just the bottom swells of her ass now, hearing more of that dress rip as she struggled, getting more than a bit light headed.*”I told you that I would leave! You Even… Had them DRUG me!... After I asked you… NOT… To!! So… Don’t.. Tell Me that I’m… Not Good at It! Oh, For the Love Of Pete!! Would you PLEASE Get me out?! I’m STUCK!”

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. his hands rose to her as she got all rather defensive with him when he asked if she climbed up the wall.. she misunderstood.. he wasn’t having a go at her.. no.. nothing of the sort- .. No.. Calm down.. .. he blinked..giving a shake of his head- .. That’s not what I meant.. no.. . he exhaled.. things were becoming further frustrating.. and even more confusing as time wore on- .. noting to do with how short.. or.. er.. how tall you are….. he paused.. taking a breath to centre himself- .. I only mentioned it because.. one.. its no mean feat getting up that wall.. I have seen the drop.. and two.. You are injured Miss.. You shouldn’t be climbing out of bed let alone up the shide of a hotels wall.. .. his hand rose as he went to go back into that bathroom.. his eyes just about bugged out when he got in there on his own.. of all the people to come across.. and then.. it had to be then.. right after he was torn from that rather.. well.. naughty little dream.. his throat was running quite dry at the thought of it.. sliding back into those slacks.. that shirt back upon his person.. he’d manage to get a few of those buttons done up as he re-entered the room.. his shoulders sunk when he noticed she was half way out that window..- .. Good God, What are you doing?!.... he gave the rest of those buttons away for the moment.. his focus was squarely upon her.. he closed the gap between the pair rather quickly.. leaping up onto that table with an unnatural ease.. -..It is my business, you’re in my room.. of course its my business.. ..he watched her as she wriggled and shifted.. she was stuck.. well and truly by this stage but she was being stubborn about it.. completely and utterly stubborn.. that pretty little dress of hers had hiked its way up .. revealing those long shapely legs of hers.. very time she reached that little bit further he was given a small glimpse of that ass of hers.. clad in those silken underwear.. god.. that certainly made things worse.. a lot worse.. he swallowed.. clearing his throat.. her words on hating hospitals store away his attention.. to which he was grateful.. even if it only helped for a short time..- .. Lots of people don’t like hospitals Rosamond.. it’s quite common.. it’s not always good things that occur within those walls.. it certainly isn’t my most favoured place in the world either.. not all the time.. . he frowned a little when she said she had died?.. that didn’t make a lick of sense to him.. what so ever.. and then the testing?.. perhaps she was mistaken.. perhaps she had Nearly died.. and they had worked upon her body to bring her back?.. he wasn’t about to pry it wasn’t his business.. - .. Ok.. OK.. Calm Down.. please.. Ill help you down.. .. he stepped in a little bit closer to her.. one hand came down to rest there upon her hip.. the other snaked around her body.. pressing just above her belly.. - .. I don’t want to tear your dress.. but I fear there may be no other way around it.. .. he anchored his feet there upon the table.. giving the first pull.. it wasn’t harsh.. he didn’t want to hurt her or re-open any of the cuts that were already there upon her body.. and he certainly didn’t want to add to her collection of bruises.. he’d shift her frame a little to the left and then the right.. having to more or less wriggle her out of that small spot.. his hold just beneath her breasts tightened.. his fingers flexing to gip against that sweet dress of hers.. - .. Ok.. one more and I think you will be free.... he would give her one final big pull.. her dress tore in one loud long rip as it caught on the metal hinges that were just outside the cill.. she did however come free.. a little bit more than he was expecting .. a touch on the easier side.. and it cause his balance to waver.. his arms spun her around swiftly so she was facing him.. his expression was.. well.. a little on the shocked side as the table was having trouble dealing with both their weight.. it was wobbling.. the wood was groaning.. before the inevitable would occur and he’d topple backwards off its edge.. the hand he had about her.. snaking around her petite frame had remained.. so.. she went with him.. he landed harshly upon his back.. he groaned.. she landed clean atop him.. gritting his teeth down.. he huffed out a breath.. his concern though was not for himself or his back.. it was for her.. and her already injured body- ..Oh god.. I am so Sorry… .. he groaned.. his head rocking back against the floor.. it’d be a moment before he looked up to her.. only then realising he still had his arm around her.. he’d quickly pull that back- .. Please tell me you are ok?

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *Perhaps she had gotten a bit…puckish when she made the remark about her height and it not being a handicap to her or her ability to get around. In truth she was such a complete and utter mess that anyone who did know her wouldn’t believe who she was right now. They would have called him a flat out liar if he had told them of her jumping in and out if windows and being so plucky. Normally she was so sweet and kind, evenly tempered and just an angel to be around really. Even when people hurt her deeply, she was still kind to them, returning their cruel words with kind ones of her own. She had been so mellow even in the face of adversity, when the world just piled more and more suffering, more pain on her shoulders she had born it with grace and dignity. Somehow over the last 48 hours though, something had changed inside her. Perhaps it was the shock of being beaten within an inch of her life, or the devastation of losing her children, all this coupled with the loss of Ace, the one person she had come to rely on in this world… Or it may have been a combination of all three? She couldn’t have said why, but gone was that sweet mannered woman she had been. In her place was a spunky little thing, all cackling electricity and energy, a blonde spitfire. It might be a defense to keep herself from being hurt again, putting up a wall, a front to keep the world out. Had Ace turned her into a version of himself? Had the pain of his betrayal along with everything else broken her? If so… Would anyone even mourn her loss? Probably not. People knew of her, she interacted with them from time to time, and she was well thought of, but no one really knew her. They might say kind things at her funeral, but no one would truly miss her, no one knew her well enough to ever feel the loss of her passing. No matter how it came about, she was definitely not herself, and it might be perhaps, time to knock her out again until she regained some composure. Sadly, she was fighting tooth and nail against Jacob trying to help her get to that point again. Perhaps it was because of the fact she found herself attracted to him that she fought so hard, wanting to get out of any situation with him in it, to spare herself those confusing lust filled moment and stem the feeling of guilt every time she looked at him. She looked everywhere else but him, finding him in those short trunks of his definitely made her struggle a bit more than she wanted to admit, and hopefully nothing he would ever know. Being angry and puckish at least kept her from feeling things too much.*”It wasn’t too hard… Your room is actually directly across from mine when I lived here. Just on the other side of the building really. The stairs aren’t too far at all from here, so I used them to get on top of the dumpster and brought a crate with me for that extra two feet. It was just a little hop into the window for me at that point… I do know this building in and out very well… As for my injuries… You might want me in that bed Jacob, but you’ll have to fight a lot harder to keep me there…”*Then he had popped off towards that bathroom and she had flown to that little drawer to get her bag of gold. It wasn’t an obscene amount, but it was enough to buy her one of the hunting cabins in the woods. She planned on disappearing out there and existing in harmony without people to hurt her. She didn’t need to eat after all, and so not having to come into town suited her just fine at that point and she would simply enjoy the silence until she died or her parts gave out, whichever came first. She was heading back to that window, gold in her pocket when she had seen him in that light and felt all those conflicting emotions all over again. Just that alone told her how badly she had to high tail it out of there if she ever, ever wanted to gain her life back in any mall measure. She had tried to be human with Ace, tried to do things like a normal girl would, to feel everything life had to give her… She had succeeded… too well. She had known so much sorrow and so little happiness in that time that she didn’t want to do it again. Just shy of three months she had tried and she was learning that sometimes, dreams burned you rather than made you happy. She had been burned quite seriously and only time could heal the wounds but nothing could remove the scars. She had jumped into that window and caused her dress to catch. The fact she had such wonderful rounded hips had done more harm than good when she got stuck and she was unable to get herself out. She was getting more and more lightheaded the more she struggled there to get in or out, anywhere but stuck. When he asked what she was doing she wriggled a bit, trying to get her hips through that window.*” I am Trying to get out the same way I came in! I can’t have my co-workers see me, the amount of hell that would hit the fan would be obscene!”*She struggled a bit more, not realizing how much worse she was making it rather than better. She was huffing softly, groaning and squeaking as she tried so very hard to get out of that compromising position. Her hair was a right mess and her skirt was indeed hiking up more than she realized.*”Surely I’m not the first girl I’ve had in your room Doctor! It can’t be quite that novel of an experience. True… I guess breaking in does merit a bit of a different response I suppose. Still! I just came to get my purse I hid in here, and I planned on being out before you woke up, I didn’t know I was coming in right as you were waking up. A bit of bad timing on my part… So there, now you know why I came in!”*Another huff as she dug her legs against that wall, giving him that final view of her silk clad ass in those innocent white knickers. Really, she was going to pass out if she didn’t get out soon, there was too much pressure on her abdomen now, cutting off her still rather low blood supply and making her very, very dizzy. Because of that she started to panic a bit, her body rocking back hard against him. When he talked about that hospital, how a lot of people didn’t like them and how bad things happened in them she could only shake her head there even if he couldn’t see it.*”Oh you have no idea Jacob, just how much I hate them. I come from a place where magic doesn’t exist, and I know it does. They didn’t believe me, they said I was insane and locked me up in a sanitarium for six months while they performed experiments on me to… cure my insanity. Electric Shock therapy was all the rage at the time and they loved it to death. To this day I can’t handle lightning or thunderstorms, I break down utterly terrified. Tell me Doctor, would YOU want to be in a hospital after that? Would you stay once people were done drugging you?”

(06:50:39 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
: Perhaps she was being a bit cruel there, but she was truly starting to panic there, being stuck and growing more light headed by the second. She hadn’t known he was right behind her or she wouldn’t have pulled back as hard as she did, pressing her ass against his groin temptingly. When he said he would help her get down, she thanked him, expecting a sudden tug perhaps… But not for those hands on her… She suddenly went deer in the headlights, her breath catching in her throat… Delicate… His hands were so soft on her… She shivered once before she got a grip on herself and took a deep breath. When he talked about her dress she shook her head.*”It can be repaired, and if it can’t I can have one made just like it if I wanted to, please don’t worry about my dress… In truth I think I’m going to pass out if I am out here like this for one moment longer.”*She was being brutally honest, she really was ready to faint again and she felt utterly nauseous. When he gave her that first tug, she did slide about an inch down, feeling a light pinch on her hips from the movement but little else. She felt him move her from left to right…and she suddenly erupted in a set of the giggles. They were high and sweet, one of those laughs that was utterly infectious, making people laugh along with her. She had never really laughed… this was in truth the first time someone had made her laugh like this, those adorable little giggles that shook her frame in his hands. That last pull got her free with a surprised squeak from her as she was suddenly freed, her dress torn in more than one spot from the hinges and an unfinished nail. It was no wonder she had been so stuck with two things griping the fabric of her dress and holding her down. She was suddenly spun which did nothing for her light headed feeling or her balance for that matter. She found herself pressed against him in his arms, that ripped open dress front giving him more than ample view to the creamy valley of her full rounded breasts. If he was shocked, so was she. She hadn’t been expecting the contract and the sudden movement caused their own unique, earthy perfumes to collide into a bouquet of scent that was pure heaven. Would he smell it too, or was it just her, all in her head as it were? She didn’t have much of a chance to think about it because all too soon that table began to shift and shake, the groaning of it all too clear that it was going to bust. When he went down, his arm about her waist made sure she went with him. She collided with that muscled chest of his, the breath in her lungs pushed out in a groan, feeling every hard plain of that lean muscled body. Her hands were dug into his shirt as they had fallen and as such she was very close to him, nearly face to face as she was just a mere inch or two down. Her hair was a wild mess, curling about the both of them, locks falling down to caress his cheeks and neck. It took her a moment or two to get a grip on herself before she would look up into his eyes, caught again so utterly unprepared for those beautiful mismatched eyes. She blinked up at him, lids fluttering a bit as she tried to get a grip. When his hand left her body, she rose up a bit, hands pressed down softly on his chest, thighs wrapped about his hips, unaware just how much this was so very reminiscent of their little passionate dreams of earlier. She knew it had definitely been similar for her and as soon as she realized that she blushed and hiccupped, unaware that her breasts were on display in that balcony bra of hers with the front of her dress gaping open as she sat up. She simply sat there, a bit stunned as she looked down at him. She knew she could move….she should move… but for some reason her mind and her body just weren’t behaving as they should.*

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: ..Ohh if only she knew.. If only she knew.. when she commented on that surely she wasn’t the Only girl he’s had in his room his shoulders sunk just a little..her explanation on the reasoning for entering the room was sound.. though it did pose a few more questions- ..You could have just knocked on the door.. I would have let you in to get your coin purse.. .he was being honest with her.. completely.. its exactly what he would have done.. afterall it was her property.. going in through the window was fraught with danger really - ..Honestly you ought to count yourself lucky that it was me in this room and not someone.. well.. larger.. with dark intentions on their mind.. .. he listened to her explanation on why she didn’t like hospitals.. it was detailed and he was impressed with her that she felt able to share such with him.. afterall they had known each other.. what now? Or.. half a day.. maybe a little bit more than that.. he nodded.. listening when she spoke on magic.. he knew she had seen him in that emergency room when he went about repairing her leg.. she didn’t seem to freak out though.. that’s would always be a good sign.. some did.. and he’d learnt early on to have the sedatives close at hand just in case.. it was easy to brush off stories the next day when the patient was hopped up on drugs.. magic.. ha!.. who’d believe such a silly thing.. especially not a Doctor.. no.. not someone with such a high ranked position.. so well respected.. he wouldn’t have his hands in those arts.. surely not..- .. that’s certainly sounds terrible Rose.... he exhaled..horrific really.. more so than terrible.. to be experimented on just because she was.. well different.. that wasn’t fair or just.. and it made no sense.. he’d put that little tid bit of information down for later use.. he wanted to question her.. to ask her in a little more detail if she would be willing to share of course.. he was genuinely interested in her story.. she was quite a character indeed.. lust and desires aside.. she was different enough that she caught his attention.. not many did.. most were just the average general human or elf.. going through the hospital system.. sick.. or dying.. having children or being stitched up.. it was all the same in the end.. going through the motions.. but he did love his job.. he enjoyed it.. he was good at it…he never umm’d or arr’d about anything in his profession.. he kept up to date with technology and medicines.. and when things stumped him.. well.. that’s when his own.. personal gifts would be brought to the table.. he wouldn’t accept defeat so easily.. he would continue trying until it was all figured out.. - .. I’m genuinely sorry you had to go through all of that.. that’s.. completely unjust.. You must understand where I was coming from though.. I didn’t want to hurt you.. .. he shook his head- .. no.. not at all.. when you got out of your bed.. I knew you weren’t ready to be upright.. so I made sure the nurses kept you there.. for at least the night.. I had an inkling you would make a run for it when you woke.. a feeling deep down.. of course I hoped you wouldn’t.. but you seemed to be far to stubborn to be taking directions from just some young doctor.. You appear to be in.. well.. better sprits.. you don’t seem to be quite so pale.. so the rest must have done some good.. I would prefer you were resting further.. I don’t mean within the hospital.. but somewhere.. Anywhere.. and I am hoping you will tell me where so that I can come and check on you.. once.. maybe twice at the most.. I wont infringe on your privacy.. or your personal time.. I’m just concerned for your welfare.. you have been through a great deal in the past 24 hours.. more than a lot of people have been through well.. throughout their Entire lives.. and yet here you are.. trying to climb out my bedroom window.. quite a lot of sass there I’ll bet.. .. her laugher took him a little by surprise.. it was so light.. it was bright and could you say colourful? It certainly sounded it.. and yes.. most definitely infectious..though he didn’t actively laugh a smile had crept across his youthful features.. the corners of his lips twitched and curled.. would have been a sight.. since he didn’t show much emotion really.. he preferred not to.. it was easier that way.. something he had learnt early on.. keep privy on everything.. then no one will know how you’re really feeling.. he’d managed to pull her through that window.. spinning her around.. his arm still resting at the crook of her back.. before the pair would tumble right off that table.. landing quite hard upon the rug.. he bore the brunt of it all.. the pain striking down the length of his back.. curling across his spine causing him to groan.. her weight was so little her landing atop him did nothing to make it worse.. just pushed him a little harder into the plus carpeting.. he rocked his head back.. his eyes clenching closed as he forced a breath through his teeth.. Goddess did that hurt.. his shoulders.. his lower back.. his hips were all aching.. - .. Tell me you are ok!?.... he groaned.. rocking his head to the side.. it would be then that he’d notice that arm around her and it would topple to the floor.. raising up to his head.. he’d rub against his forehead.. his temples a moment.. he’d feel her shifting atop him there..her hands had tangled in his shirt when they fell.. she’d torn through those few buttons leaving his shirt gaping open.. his chest rose and fell with the shorter breaths he took.. he felt her beginning to rise.. her felt her thighs all but straddling his own.. his hand would fall down to rest there nearer his hair as he finally glanced up to her.. oh she looked incredible.. how cruel was that..

(07:52:58 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: . her hair was all tossled about.. those lush golden curls were just.. everywhere.. her dress was torn revealing that balconette styled bra.. forcing him to glimpse at that full and rather supple valley of hers..she seemed to pause there.. she wasn’t getting up.. and he wasn’t telling her to.. nor was he actively trying to get up either.. there was a moment there.. shared between the both of them.. where they just.. well.. looked at one another.. lingering glances.. for a little longer than perhaps they should have.. they both had their own reasons for not allowing this to happen.. he of course wasn’t privy to hers.. he had no idea the woman seated atop him was the fiancé of his Father.. she on the other hand didn’t know he struggled with the idea of becoming to personal with patients of his.. or.. well.. anyone for that matter.. he swallowed.. - .uhh.. .. he blinked.. a couple of times.. slowly rising then up onto his elbows.. which wasn’t the best idea really.. such an innocent action only closed the gap between the pair even further.. her scent hit him then.. properly.. more so than he had noticed in the hospital.. what with all the chemicals and medicines around.. here.. where there was nothing else.. he could smell her.. and it just tore the words right out of his mouth.. he couldn’t will himself to speak for that particular moment.. it was as if the words were there upon the tip of his tongue.. but nothing in the world was going to make them fall forth.. he swallowed again.. this time dragging his tongue across his lower lip..he paused again.. drawing breath to speak- ..Uh.. Are you ok?.... he finally managed to utter..- .. you had better hop up.. I fear your leg wont be entirely healed and leaving it on that angle is only going to aggravate it further.. .. Ohh gods.. his words just came out at break neck speed then.. like his brain had finally caught up and just threw everything out that was waiting to go.. he blinked at himself..- .. sorry.. .. he shook his head.. reaching then for her.. his hands would come down upon her hips.. his muscles would flex just a little as he went to lift her up off his hips.. he’d draw his legs inward.. he’d slowly move to stand.. drawing her up with him.. - .. slowly.. I don’t want you to faint on me

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She huffed softly when he said she should have just knocked on the door, asked for right of entrance, fathered her purse and left. Oh hell, nothing was that easy for her, it had never been before and it wasn’t going to start now. It was so terribly hard too, to sit there with her hind end up in the air, wiggling as she tried to get out from being stuck in that window. How in the world could she sound serious, or be taken as such with herself in such an…interesting predicament. She pressed her feet to that wall again in another effort to tug herself back in before she spoke.*”If anyone at work…Saw me in here… Looking the way I do… I would Lose my Job! Ronnie would toss me out so fast my shadow would get whiplash! It was bad enough….when I got pregnant out of the blue… Unmarried as I am…. Was quite a bad look… And Ronnie does run a respectable business… I was only allowed another month of work…Anyways… because I was starting to show…If he saw me now…. Losing the babies…and looking like I do… He’d never allow me back…No matter how much business I bring in…. The Girls…would talk about it…for MONTHS! I didn’t have a choice! Besides… Even if it was…”*Another groan, a set of pants as she wiggling more and more, those grasps on her dress really sinking in deep.*”If…It were someone bigger… They would still be…Asleep!... It was just…bad timing…when I came in! Great jujubes this is really starting to hurt!”*Her ribs were starting to burn and they weren’t exactly pain free to start with. She wiggled again, though she had stilled when he put his hands on her, trying to help guide her out of that seemingly innocent death trap window. She felt that first tug as she explained her hatred of hospitals. What was worse, was she gave him the g-rated version of what had happened to her, she hadn’t even gone into how they used that therapy to actually drive her insane, to where they could say she was mentally unsalvageable and needed to be put down. They had said she suicides , but she knew better than that, she remembered a lot more than she had ever let one, and with everything that happened she was certainly no longer in the dark about what had happened. She had actually over medicated her to the point where she went into a coma. They claimed she was brain dead and ‘volunteered’ her body for the newest medical rage. Bio-organic androids. Hybrid humans with integrated mechanics, complete with massive processors for data storage and programs of all sorts. The most expensive ones were the love dolls and the military units. Being a female and looking as she did, she was naturally snapped up by the sex industry mechanic line and taken to their labs and….Created. Her bones had been shaved down next to nothing and a super lightweight metal, almost like titanium had been added on, lightening up her frame for about 115 lbs down to 75 soaking wet and holding a brick. Her heart had been engineered and added to, giving it the strength and capabilities to cope with the added stress having a body like hers would cause. Internal batteries were added to keep her system alive if her heart stopped beating for whatever reason, ensuring the ‘product’ wasn’t lost. In truth, when you got past the skin and muscle, there was so much going on that it was almost mind boggling. Being a doctor as he was, so keen in the medical field he would probably have a hay day trying to figure out all her mechanics and how things were put together inside her while still maintaining that delicate human balance. Funny thing was… She had been terrified to tell Ace… But she wasn’t with Jacob… For some reason, she had a feeling he would grip it better, take it in a smoother stride than Ace had. As it stood right now, Jacob actually knew more about her than Ace did… But Jacob actually talked to her…even more, he listened. Ace didn’t want to think about anything serious though, he just wanted to relax and smoke his pipe, do his side dealings that he thought she knew nothing about. Ace never asked… and it was part of what hurt her so much about it all. She shook her head at his apology, her voice a bit softer, less spunky.*”From anyone else, I would tell them to shove it…. But for some reason I trust you Jacob, and for me, that’s rare… Believe me when I tell you that I’ve never told anyone half of the things I’m telling you, and I can’t figure out why… Either way, It honestly has nothing to do with your age or your profession… I don’t like people trying to control me… Lived far too many years without any choice of my own to give it up so lightly to someone else, no matter how much of my best interest he might have… “*She paused a moment then, silent as she thought of…just how to respond to the rest of it… She had been through a lot, quite put through hell honestly, but at the same time she was sadly used to it. Perhaps that was why she was so numb right now, her body knowing all too well how to shut itself down so that the pain didn’t destroy her. The thing about her was that no matter how bad life treated her, she refused to play the poor victim even when she was such a thing. She always responded, never let life knock her down and keep here there. Just look at her now, true she might be ass out stuck in that window, but she had taken the initiative to get her life started over, away from people who had hurt her. Maybe it was a little bit cowardly to run, but for her she knew nothing else. If she stayed, she was hurt even more, it was simple instinct to run as fast as she could. She wanted that cabin in the woods, away from the city and people… She didn’t care if she lost her job at the Nightingale, so much of the joy she had in singing had been utterly spoiled and destroyed, and she didn’t think she could ever sing again without having the images of Ace and their time together, the dreams of her girls all crowding up around her. Besides… She couldn’t go back to her house… some time today there would be a delivery of baby furniture to that house, cribs and basinets, baby blankets and mobiles, little stuffed toys and onesies… Everything she would have needed for two little lives ended before they even got a start… It hurt too much to think about it and she shoved it down inside her once more, keeping that lid on it until she could grieve in private. She took a breath, calming herself as she spoke.*”I’m planning on buying a cottage in the woods, away from all this mess… I don’t want to see or remember anything anymore to be quite frank… I don’t…. I won’t be a victim, I won’t let this destroy me or use it to gain pity from others. I have a good income on the side, I’ve been careful with my money and invested it well so I can live comfortably out there on my own. The thing about life is that you can’t choose what happens in it, can you? You can’t change the events, just how you respond to them.

(10:33:10 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
: Jacob)I can let this make me into a victim, to beat me down and change who I am… Or I can take it with grace and humility, take what lessons it has to offer and learn from it. I choose to learn from it, and face it down head on. I might run from places when it gets hard… But I don’t give up. The bird doesn’t put its faith in the branch after all, but in its own wings. I’ve survived worse than this physically, it won’t kill me…. So yes… I guess you could say I have a good bit of sass… But Jacob?.... I’d like it…if you came out to visit me…just to visit… I’m a pretty good cook…. And I don’t really think I can be completely alone for a while… To be honest, I suffer from terrible night terrors… It helps to have someone around…”*She was blushing a bit… It was a completely innocent offer in all honesty, it was an act, an offer of friendship and nothing more. That and to be honest… She was afraid once this numbness wore off, when the deadened emotions of pain and sorrow that had been locked up when she was higher than a kite on those drugs wore off, she would try to kill herself. Yesterday it had been all she wanted to do… Today… Well at least today she had some goals in mind… something to make her think past the next minute, the next hour and into tomorrow. It wasn’t much, but it was better than she had been, it was a start… Then his hands on her as he wiggled her from side to side, tickling her terribly, making her erupt in those giggles. She had never been tickled before, it wasn’t exactly something men wanted to do in bed after all, so it was all really new to her. She had chuckled before, little moments of mirth, but nothing like that. It brightened her up a bit, gave her a bit of a perk… and it was such a new thing she came to think that it was something she wouldn’t mind feeling again. Being tickled was…well…fun. Odd that it took her this long in her life to feel that. Then she was suddenly popped out of that window, her dress ripping quite a bit and finding herself spun there to press against him. His scent, the closeness of him, the heat off of his smooth skin had made her quite a bit drunk. Add to the fact she was more than a bit light headed from all the blood and air being pushed around being stuck in the window like that hadn’t helped all that much either. If anything, it just made it all stronger. The fact her grip on his shirt had popped a few buttons when she landed on him, revealing more of that skin and the hint of the tattoo’s on his shoulders had definitely knocked her for a loop. The intensity of his question finally got her attention as she sat up a bit on that lap of his, startling her out of her little reverie, though her voice was indeed a bit breathless.*”Yes… I’m alright…” *Even that though, couldn’t stir her from her spot. She was straddling him so comfortably, those long legs cradling the outside of his, pushing that skirt out like the petals of a flower over his lap. She had no idea that her top was gaping open like that, she was a bit too lost in the moment for it to even register. Those eyes of his… She had never seen anything like that before, such genetics were completely bred out in the time she had been alive in her later years, and she had never seen them when she was younger. Their uniqueness just added a special charm to them, and the colors themselves were beautiful, that blue and green there so striking, not quite in harmony but so close that they weren’t jarring either. Utterly captivating and more than a bit enchanting. She knew that this was wrong… There was a very real chance that Jacob was Ace’s son, and this was a level of taboo that was just…so very wrong if it was true… Even if he wasn’t though, everyone in town thought she was engaged, she had been proposed to just the other night after all, and quite publically too. The whole city had heard about it by now, but they didn’t know the truth of anything else… If Ace had dared to show his face while she was in the hospital, she might have forgiven him… After all, she had been there a good deal of one night, a whole day, and into another night. More than enough time for him to have come home and seen what had happened, gotten the message from Dravanos as to what had gone on… But he hadn’t… Not once… She couldn’t forgive him because as each hour ticked by, the more Dravanos seemed to be telling her the truth. Why would she stay engaged to a man who had left on the very night he had proposed to go skirt chasing? Still, she shouldn’t be here right now, straddling his lap like she belonged there. She couldn’t for the life of her though, stir even a halfhearted desire to move off of him. He smelled like heaven, he calmed her, soothed her senses and made her feel at peace. In her life that had been nothing but chaos and pain and loss, he seemed like an angel. If she were to be honest with herself, down to her core, he was undeniably attractive and those tattoo’s she had glimpsed… She was attracted to him, she wouldn’t deny it… But she didn’t have to act on it. She was, like him, completely enchanted and neither of them knew quite how to break the moment. God forgive her…she didn’t even want to try despite how hard she was torn on the inside, she wasn’t willing to shatter it. When he made that sound though, that hesitation, it startled her out of her little reverie. It made her blush a bit, just the softest pale pink tint to her cheeks. When he sat up, bringing their upper bodies closer, almost to the point of touching she arched on his lap there, utterly instinctively without a single conscious thought. His smell just wafted up even more, mingling, mixing with her own till she nearly fainted from pleasure. That tongue across his lips nearly undid her, causing her to sway forward, almost close enough to kiss him as her lids slid down to half cover those intensely colored eyes. Then he spoke, shattering the spell and just in time. Another moment or two and she would have kissed him, or perhaps he would have kissed her? Either way, she was all too aware of what was going on, that soft tint darkened to a full on bring peachy pink that just made those eyes of hers stand out even more. She pulled back a bit, taking her full bottom lip between her teeth, nibbling on it before she responded.*”Yes, I didn’t open anything up that I know of, everything feels fine…”*She moved easily at his guidance, doing just what he needed her to do so he could move to stand, bringing her with him. She was glad he gave her the time to move at her own pace, she was a bit light headed, but she had a feeling it wasn’t just from blood loss and injury. She swayed a bit, her hands gripping his a bit tighter as her eyes slid down.*”Jacob… I think I need to sit down…”

[BadInfluence]

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: ..his knees had bent as he drew to his feet.. guiding her up slowly.. he noticed she swayed a little when he first released her.. he’d reach in quickly his hands sliding just beneath her arms to stabilise her.. to make sure she was going to remain upright- . yes.. .. he nodded- .. I do believe you are indeed quite right.. you need to be sitting down.. If not lying down.. give your poor body a break.. .. he lead her across to the bed there.. leaving the chairs.. when they had managed to topple off that table it had split down the center.. taking the wooden chairs with it.. they weren’t completely broken but they wouldn’t have been quite safe and certainly not comfortable.. he stood before her as he sat her down upon the edge of the bed.. his hands removing from beneath her shoulders.. he’d reach down to pull a tattered torn part of that dress.. up over her shoulder to conceal that bra that was well and truly on show.. he didn’t settle down to sit there beside her..- .. you should probably lay down.. at least for a little while.. let your head settle so you don’t faint.. . his head tilted a little to the side.. he’d cross the room then…to stand beside the dresser.. he’d gather up a cup.. pouring her a small glass of water.. before he’d return to her side- .. if you’re up to it.. maybe drink some.. it will help in the long run.. .. he nodded.. lingering there a moment before he’d pull a chair over.. one that was before the desk.. and he’s sink down upon it.. directly before her.. his hands coming down to rest there upon his thighs.. if she did settle to lay down it would be upon the very side he was sleeping on when she decided to make her rather impromptu visit.. his scent would he quite thick and heavy upon that pillow.. and within those soft cotton sheets..- ..what is it you do here?... he leant a little..pressing against the high back of the chair.. he was going to get her talking.. to keep that brain of hers awake.. to keep her conscious.. - .. Im not certain why you would concern yourself with the words of others.. are they so highly ranked that their opinion of you would cause you stress?.. would cause you to lose your financial standing? .. he was curious.. genuinely so.. he never much cared for the opinions of sheep.. he never really gave anyone that gossiped any more than a mere second glance.. his life had been up until now pretty full.. he never had the time for idle chatter about other people.. so why should anyone else? People could think what they wanted.. he was often teased for the colouring in his eyes.. the fault as it were.. but.. he never really let it settle in.. - .. My Aunt.. told me once.. to not worry about those who talk behind your back.. because they’re behind you for a reason.. .. his arms rubbed lightly against the fabric of his slacks.. unconscious gesture.. he didn’t even realise he was doing it..- .. maybe something you might find use of also?.... he had recalled her telling him that she trusted him.. even after them knowing each other for such a short length of time.. it was something that struck him quite deeply.. either.. she meant it as it sounded.. and he was to take it as such.. or she was just one of these people that trusted far to quickly and easily.. and if it were the latter that certainly had him a touch concerned- ..As for trust.. .. he lightly rubbed his lips together.. deciding he himself needed a drink of that water afterall.. so he rose from that seat and crossed the room to pour that second glass- .. I am indeed greatful that you feel you can trust me with your.. personal information.. I can assure you that it would never go any further than I.. .. he nodded.. returning to settle upon that seat.. taking a drink from that cup..his shirt had remained open.. he had actually paid it little attention.. his focus was upon her.. so that chest and the mere glimpses of tattoos were on display.. his stomach was lean.. quite tight.. the muscles rippled across his abs .. his collar bone was quite prominent.. - .. and you should know that.. should you ever want an ear.. Ive been told I’m a pretty good listener.. .. he twisted then to place the cup down upon the small side table.. noticing that the drawer was open.. he’d nudge it closed.. leaving that little thought alone.. - ..a cottage in the woods.. sounds like a sound investment.. if that is the kind of thing you are indeed desiring.. seclusion.. .. he sunk back in that seat.. his arms lifting to cross there about his chest- .. is that what you are looking for?.. separating yourself completely from the world and life around you?.. sure.. you may have the funds to get yourself by and quite comfortably.. but.. how well will you handle the lack of interaction?.. perhaps.. if I may be frank.. .. he paused a moment- .. maybe rent the place in the woods.. and take a short stay.. soak up what is on offer to you.. enjoy the solitude.. but don’t shut the door completely on what is here.. not yet.. everything is still quite raw and open.. its natural for you to feel like running.. the desire.. the need to get away can be so undeniably strong in the beginning.. but.. .. he’d take another drink of the water..- .. don’t burn your bridges.. just yet..just take a holiday.. .. he nodded.. taking another drink, letting the cool liquid coat his somewhat scratchy throat- .. well its up to you.. of course.. simply some offered advice that you can take or dismiss.. .. his head tilted when she mentioned the night terrors.. - .. I’d be happy to pop out for a visit to check on your progress.. of course.. .. he nodded- ..I don’t rest regularly I.. don’t need it.. I could come watch over you for an evening or two.. see if you have any trouble with these.. terrors you speak of.. then perhaps we might be able to get to the bottom of those.. sort those out.. you can’t have that kind of black cloud hanging over you for ever..

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She was indeed having a hard time keeping herself standing, finding that once all of her spunk, that energy burst was gone she was left feeling weak and terribly off balance. She knew about concussions, but she had never really thought one could last this long. Then again, when Ace had his head cracked on that concrete floor in the shop, he had been out of it for over a week. His vision had been gone for some time at that point, little more than dark blurred object before his eyes. It had been a relief, truly, when he said he could see her once more. Nautilous’s blood had worked for him, had helped him heal inside and out till he was essentially himself again. She didn’t think however, that such a thing would help her with what was going on. Ace was a human after all, his system a wee bit….less complex than hers. She was afraid that a chip or circuit board or something had been tossed about or dislodged, something just wasn’t fitting right anymore and her system was forced to try and compensate for it. After all, she had never had problems with her balance before, and as she remembered, she had never even been sick. The only time she ever felt nauseous was with the babies… Now she was still hit with waves of it, either from the hormones that were going absolutely ape in her system, or from whatever else might be wrong. Over all, it was uncomfortable and alien to her, and if she were to be brutally honest, it terrified her a bit. She sat down on that bed with his gentle assistance, his guidance, feeling the much softer mattress of the room dip beneath her gentle weight. At his words, she shook her head just a bit, regretting it when her vision swam right after. She gripped the sheets as she spoke, grounding herself at least in the physical sense.*”How does that saying go?.... The soul is strong, but the flesh is weak?.... I fear my ability to recall anything is a bit…shot. I’m just… I don’t want to stop… To lay down and rest… If I stop, I don’t know if I’ll be caught again… If I stop, reality will catch up to me, and I’ll have to face it in all its gore… If I keep running… it might not catch me… At least for a while.”*There… a bit closer to the truth than perhaps she had been before. She was admitting her fear, her fatigue, the cause for her running. She was afraid Dravanos would find her, not content with her suffering, as if she needed just that extra dose to get her where he wanted her to be. If he found her she feared he would hurt Ace next, make her watch as he killed him… Ace had hurt her, oh yes, she felt betrayed at a soul deep level. She loved him though, through her broken heart and body, she did love him. Those thoughts were passing through her head when Jacob came and pulled the sleeve of her dress up, bringing to fact how much she had on display. She blushed brightly, her hands coming to grasp that fabric closed over her rounded breasts, to try and maintain some modesty of some sort. It was so odd for her at times, she was so used to not having a stich on in her old life, just a pair of knickers at the most. She was comfortable in her own skin, and more often than not unless someone pointed it out to her, she wouldn’t realize she had any…body parts on display. It was that same comfortability that caused her this sort of blushing, this emotional discomfort that made her feel terrible. It wasn’t his fault, Jacob was truly a gentleman down to his toes, and perhaps because of that she didn’t feel quite as bad. The first time Ace had seen her, he hadn’t covered her up, oh no. He had poked fun at her about it, teased her, tormented her. Ace and Jacob… They should just be called Angel and Demon, Michael and Lucifer…. She had never encountered two men so different a single day in her life, but then again she wasn’t exactly the most…social butterfly. She curled up into herself on that bed, an unconscious gesture of trying to protect herself, to ball up and become unnoticed. She let her body rather fall over there, to simply plop over and lay down, her head falling on that pillow… and hitting her with his scent. Well fuck. Her eyes closed suddenly, squinted up really before he came back with that glass of water. She was forced to open her eyes, to look up at him and she nearly wanted to scream. She instead took the glass from him, one hand about her dress to hold it shut, the other around the glass, her fingers lightly brushing across his as she took it. She did try at least, even if she didn’t need it she would attempt to go through the motions to put him at ease. She had never liked water, the taste of it was something she could never really get around, ever grateful that she didn’t really need it. She downed about half the glass for him before she set it down on that nightstand, remaining half up in that bed rather than torment herself with the scent of him that was so strong it made her nearly crawl out of her skin. No, it made her want to run away all over again, remove herself from this odd temptation, to stop reaching out to him like a sinner at the chance of redemption. At his question, she couldn’t help that delicately arched brow from rising, her head tilting a bit. He had come here, obviously talked to Ronnie to be set up in one of the rooms… and no one had told him about her? Curious… She hadn’t expected that, not with how loose the tongues were here. Or… perhaps they had and he was trying to hear what it was from her lips?*”I’m the lead singer here…. Last night… Was it last night? The days are starting to run… Either way… It was the 25th anniversary of the Nightingale opening… I was the opening act and it’s just... what it is I guess… I sound decent enough, and the pay is nice so it works well for both of us…”*She was starting to hesitate a bit, unsure of herself and sinking deeper into the fatigue and the hell that accompanied it now that her little burst of energy was all spent. Then…there it was… She had been wondering, toying, flirting, debating with the idea that Jacob was her Ace’s Jacob… but that word, that turn of phrase was all the proof she needed. The final nail in the coffin as it were. She wanted to laugh at herself, her idiocy, her foolishness… She wanted to cry for what she had done to herself, for the ideas she had entertained even if it were not of her own conscious thoughts. She wanted to run, now more than ever, to flee out of here like a shadow does before the light of a candle. Of course it would be her luck, her fate… Engaged to the father, lusting after the son and the peace he brought her, and damned to have neither. It suited her really… Her life was one big curse, a ball of suffering and pain, why should now be any different, really? She fell back on that bed and let the suffering take her, taking in that scent and memorizing it down to the faintest notes of him…

(12:36:27 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
: She would remember it…but she would never indulge in it again. It was wrong on so many stages it didn’t even bear a full inspection. Hell, if she were to be honest she probably had a nice little nitche in hell carved out with her for this, name plaque and everything on the door. A few days ago this never would have happened, she had been happy in her little corner of life with Ace, her pregnancy, the future she was planning out. Jacob would have been a wonderful doctor, and she would have found him attractive indeed, but nothing more. His scent wouldn’t torment her with its clean bouquet of spice and citrus, her tattoo’s wouldn’t tempt her fingers to trace their intricate scrollwork, to learn of their designs and attempt to translate their images. She wouldn’t wonder at the texture of his unscarred skin, the smoothness of it that was sure to be a rewarding experience. She wouldn’t have wanted to kiss him in a plea to make her forget all that had happened. None of that would have been there…but she didn’t have that option now did she? Things had happened that she could not change, paths and futures were destroyed, and her tomorrow would never be like how she had once dreamed it. There was a sadness in her…a defeat… It allowed too much to come in, and perhaps made her a bit reckless with her words… Revealing perhaps, enough to give someone a kernel into herself, a nugget of gold into the complex individual she was rather than she sweet simple girl she let people believe her to be.*”It is their opinions of me that make me who I am, that guide my next step, the words I choose to speak. I shouldn’t care because deep down, I am not one of them, and I never will be no matter how I dress it up in my head or my heart. They are perfect in that they can never know how blessed they are to have such a simple existence. They can never imagine how much their words or their opinions of me matter, how deeply I take them because to me… If they say something bad or evil, then surely I am bad and evil. I must then strive to be better, to improve on some flaw or shortcoming I have inside me. If they say something good or kind, then I have done something right and the behavior should be repeated and ingrained on my mind because it is good. I never got a chance to live like them, I was controlled and shipped off at a young age, dropped into a land that has nothing, is nothing, no joy nor sorrow…. Only to be spat out in the world once again, unprepared, unsure, unready. The last of my years, up to four month ago, have been spent at the service of others. I lived to be what they wanted, to fulfil the fantasy they spent so much money on. Unwanted, unrecognized, and then unambiguous... How can someone like me know if I am good or bad, right or wrong, kind or cruel, if not for those opinions of me? Someone once told me that same phrase Jacob… that exact same one… And I couldn’t tell him what I told you… I couldn’t now even if he were to ask me. No one is ever behind me Jacob, because no one can be less than I am… A doll has no soul and no worth, isn’t that so? We’re just here to fill a need, an echo of human perfection and when that human has outgrown us, what right have we do bemoan our plight? We are just what we are, subhuman, we have no rights…. Know that this is not a plea for pity or attention, trust me nothing could be farther from the truth. I hate the former and despise the latter, I dislike people who use their lives as a crutch and a reason for people to baby or take care of them. I just felt that perhaps it was time someone knew… The dream has ended after all, what point in clinging to it right?”*In truth… This was the most she had ever said to anyone, at any one time since the first morning with Ace, when she had told him what she was… How funny though… What she was… but never who. She had wanted to keep the dream with Ace… wanted to give it a shot, seeing his strength as perhaps enough to make it happen… They had come close… so close… but some things…. Something can never happen. This was her life… what remained of it, and she had given up on it… Without that spark, a drive even if it was driven by a forbidden lust, she was back to the same mentality she had been there in the room. Just waiting for it to end, and not caring about the outcome of it all. Perhaps if she had a bit more strength she might see it for what it was, a full blown depression. If she were in better control of her mental faculties she might know it was strongly influenced by the hormones in her body that were going absolutely chaotic inside her and playing hell with every sense she had. She watched Jacob there… watched the play of light on his skin, the way the shadows caressed every curve of those lean abs, the delicate flashes of his inked skin, the movements of his chest as he breathed, as he moved. She was going to hell… a few more minutes wouldn’t make her lot any worse than it was. When she could bear it no more, she closed her eyes, shutting off her view of him, only to be hit twice as hard with his scent. Ace had always smelled amazing… sexual, musky, masculine… This scent was softer, healing almost… It would have been just that if she didn’t know what this scent was attached to. Father and Son… Really, she was going to hell… At least she could say that their behavior was innocent… She had no nothing wrong physically…. Both of them had been completely civil and proper… Her mind was a whole different creature and she hated herself for it. That damn dream… She would have been fine if she hadn’t had it, she wouldn’t be feeling these urges as bad as she was if she hadn’t had it, felt the reality of it as strongly with those drugs pumping through her veins. Ever since that though… she couldn’t really look at him properly, not without the image in her mind, seared into the back of her eyelids. She was silent for a bit…too long perhaps, but it was a lot to take in… She had never told anyone anything, not one damn thing about her past. Yet here she was, blabbering on like an insipid school girl to someone who had only been kind to her, as he was surely kind to all of his patients. She shook her head softly, denying herself the right to talk to him after what she had just said…and what she knew.*

(12:36:57 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
: ”You are a good listener…too good… I’ve blabbered on like a silly child around a group of adults. I’ve told you too much, and I know that it raises more questions than answers. I can’t do that to you again, and like I said to you before… Knowing me…is a bad thing Jacob… I shouldn’t even be here… I’d destroy you by association if given half the chance… I see no point in saving bridges when it’s safer to swim the river. I can’t go back to that house…not with everything that’s happened in it. If I go back, it would only be to die if not by my hand, then by his. I can’t stop running Jacob, if I do, I get hurt and if not me, then the people I care about. I lost my children because of who I loved… Their life was taken from them, from me, all because I dared to fall for the wrong person. Call me a coward if you want, you’d be right in doing so. I Am a coward, I hate the cold, I hate pain…. I would rather run until I cease functioning than stop for another moment and allow it to settle on me again. I know you mean well… You’re the nicest person I have ever met Jacob, and I wish you the world and all the joys to be found in it because you at least deserve them.” *She forced herself to sit up then, pushing against the mattress with arms that shook. She was stubborn, she was plucky, more tenacious than a pitbull. All that in such a little body didn’t seem right almost, that she should have so much gumption being as small as she was. Once she was upright she would take a deep breath, letting it out slowly before she pulled her legs up beneath her, knowing any sudden movements would have her blacking out in no time flat.*”I need to leave… You can either do me the kindness of calling me a handsom cab and I can go to that cottage, or I will do it myself and you know I will too… “ *She slid her feet off the opposite side, away from him so he couldn’t see anything but those blond curls and the delicate outline of her back. She stood, forcing herself upright as she gripped that table. The whole room swam and still she held back, gripping it tightly, forcing the room to stop is swaying like a manic tilt a whirl. No…she had to go…. She had to leave NOW… Another minute around Jacob would be too long and she was so internally damaged already she couldn’t be around him when she shattered. It was bad enough when she thought it might be a possibility, but it was pure hell with the fact glaring her in the face. Sydel and Ace’s son… His father the man who had proposed to her and gotten her pregnant, his mother the woman who had made her miscarry her son… There wasn’t a mode of speed she could travel to get away fast enough.*

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. his head tilted a little to the side- .. in theory it sounds like a marvellous plan.. .. he nodded.. his arms rising.. palms cradling against the back of his head.. his elbows extended out.. causing that shirt of his to slide open a touch further.. revealing his sides.. his trim waistline.. the very teasing look of that V or just the top of it.. - .. to be able to outrun your problems.. to be able to just keep going and going.. always that one step ahead.. .. he lightly rubbed his lips together- ..problem is.. it’s not practical Rose.. it’s just.. not.. it means whatever it is that is actually haunting you.. is well.. winning.. .. he paused.. his hands falling back to his lap.. lightly rubbing against his thighs- .. you are willing to put your life on hold? To push anything you might want or need to the back.. just so you don’t have to deal with the problem first?.. .. he sunk back in the chair- .. I’d like to think you’d be a little stronger than that.. If I may offer some advice.. you can of course decide to take it or leave it.. but.. you’d be better to deal with it now.. all of it.. I’m not saying at once.. I’m not saying all in one night.. but.. you do need to deal with it.. you need to put all your cards on the table.. You need to look at what your working with.. you need to find value in yourself enough to think yourself worthy.. Don’t you think you deserve better? .. his duo coloured gaze shifted.. watching her.. catching sight of the blush as it crossed her cheeks when he fixed her dress a little.. he wouldn’t mention it.. not wishing to embarrass her.. though it was undeniably adorable.. the way the colour flushed her facial features..she even had a smile to match it.. - .. Oh!.. yes of course.. naturally.. .. he uttered when she said she was the lead singer in the venue.- .. I simply gathered you must have been a waitress.. or something.. but yes.. that makes much more sense.. I caught a glimpse of that voice back.. at.. .. he paused.. deciding to let that sentence fail to finish.. he didn’t want to remind her of their first meeting.. it was certainly not on the best circumstances.. he listened to her response on what others thought of her.. and it made his shoulders sink a little.. he felt terrible about it.. it wasn’t right that someone allowed others to guide their path entirely.. opinions from others could be constructive.. they could be useful.. but they should never Ever be used as the be-all end-all.. otherwise they’d rule your life.. and if he understood her answer correctly that’s precisely what was happening with her.. he sighed.. shaking his head a little- .. You shouldn’t need others opinions to guide you Rose.. not at all.. you are your own person.. you make your own decisions yes?.. .. his brows furrowed.. he reached his hand to rub against his temples..- ..perhaps you don’t realise the freedom you could ultimately feel.. if you were to simply let.. all of that go.. it’s quite liberating really.. care of course will always be there.. you can’t really go through life without caring.. but.. to not give a damn what others think.. or gossip about you behind your back.. that.. will let you move forward.. that will help you more than I think you realise.... he tilted his head.. watching her closely- .. I don’t know you all that well.. not really.. we have been in contact now..for.. maybe the length of one single day.. and yet I can tell that you are supremely intelligent.. you’re kind.. you’re funny.. you’re talented.. clearly or an establishment such as this one wouldn’t have you as their lead entertainer.. I think.. you’re just a little bit broken.. that’s all.. someone has broken you down.. and you aren’t entirely sure how to get back up .. your hesitant to deal with the pain that Will come from it.. and it will.. it’s not really something you can easily avoid.. You have been through so much.. .. his eyes widened just a little- .. You nearly died.. You’ve suffered a great loss.. You were taken to a place that you hate.. and then some silly young doctor drugged you up which inevitably made you feel worse.. so you escaped.. someone should report him.. really.. .. he shot her a wink.. before he’d move to stand from the chair.. he’d cross the room then.. toward his bags.. his case.. drawing it open.. his back was to her for now as he peeled back that torn short of his.. rolling his shoulders a little as he tossed it into the corner.. it was practically useless.. so he’d replace it when able.. each of those tattoos would be on display to her.. how they spanned down the length of both his arms.. thick and thin black lines, intricate circular designs.. symbols.. wording… languages that weren’t English.. they went up along those broad shoulders.. falling to a point there just between his shoulder blades.. though they would creep up just a little along the back of his neck.. he’d pull out another linen shirt.. sliding his arms into it before he’d go about fastening those buttons.. a black vest.. flipping out the collar.. the cuffs would remain unbuttoned for now.. he’d just roll them back nearer to his elbows.. he’d listen to her when she told him he was a good listener.. and that knowing her would be a bad, bad thing.. he shook his head.. turning then to face her once more.. he’d come up to stand at the end of the bed..- .. I have never cared for the opinions of sheep Rose.. not about to start now.. Knowing you is not a bad thing.. and you need to stop thinking that way.. you keep dragging yourself down and you don’t need to.. You are worthy.. I hope in time you realise that.. .. he leant somewhat against the posts on the bed.. his arms rising to cross about his chest.. causing that fabric to bunch up a little.. he heard her mentioned losing her children because of who she loved.. that caused him to pause.. if for a moment.. Ah.. it made sense really.. she wasn’t single.. he were a fool to have even entertained the thought that she was.. sure she wore no ring but that didn’t really mean a great deal.. perhaps her fingers had swollen during the pregnancy so she chose not to wear it.. plus.. that house was large.. and the first room he glanced into at the top of those stairs was clearly one for a member of the male persuasion .. well.. that nailed that coffin shut.. -

(05:47:26 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: >..I don’t think you’re a coward at all.. so I wont call you such.. .. his head tilted- .. Show me someone who likes the cold.. and likes the pain?.. few and far between I do imagine.. .. he pushed away from the bed when she went to move out of it.. peeling back those covers and standing abrubtly- .. Oh I wouldn’t do that if I were you.. .. he watched her start to waver.. her balance was not 100% that was perfectly clear.. he watched her as she gripped the table.. her knuckles almost white from the hold she had…- .. You wont make it out the door in the condition you are in.. .. he came up behind her then.. his hands falling to her hips to steady her.. to give her a little more balance.. she could use him as an anchor if she so desired it.. that would be her choice- .. You aren’t well.. you need more rest.. I did warn you.. remember?.... he’d lowered his voice.. knowing full well that any and all sounds coming at her would be echoing.. he didn’t want to startle her- .. I’m sorry.. but no.... would be his response to calling her a cab.. his right hand would rise from her hip.. soft.. smooth fingers would find the delicate curves of her neck.. just on the right side.. his head would lean in.. his lips within an inch of her left ear..- .. ilya fume.... whispered.. just enough to vibrate through her entire body.. the power word for sleep.. his fingers having curled inward.. not restricting her throat.. simply cradling it.. the tips warming.. forcing the spell to encapsulate her entirely.. she would fail quickly.. turning into the doll she was trying to hard to tell him about.. he’d act quickly.. swinging her legs up till she was cradled in his arms.. her head to his shoulder.. he’d exhale.. glancing around the room then.. - .. you are trouble Rose.. .. he’d utter.. curious now as to how he would get out of the venue with an unconscious woman in his arms.. he gathered up his coat with one arm.. tossing it about her petite frame.. he was strong enough indeed.. and she certainly weighed very little.. it was just.. awkward.. he knew if he remained here in this room that as soon as she woke she’d run.. Again.. so he stepped out quickly into the corridor.. thankfully due to the time of day most were either asleep.. or down in the bar drunk off their asses.. so he should by all rights be able to leave the venue with little disruption.. he passed through the corridor.. down the small staircase.. he did get a couple of looks.. but her face was covered only her thin shapely legs hung off his arm.. comments would be made on him being a bit too rough eh? And to make sure he got his monies worth.. anyone who noticed simply gathered she was a prostitute that passed out on him.. he managed to get outside.. the cool air colliding with his cheeks quickly.. causing his pointed ears to twitch.. he managed to hail one of the carriages.. with the help of a driver he would have her upon that back seat.. the curtains drawn.. the two of them would be off.. sure.. he should be on his way to his first shift.. but he felt he had.. something a bit more important to deal with first.. they’d travel for a time.. reaching the outskirts of the village.. leaving the lights behind them.. down the track toward the forest.. the thick of trees and brush passed them by.. only lit by the moon light above.. before the carriage would come to a stop.. the driver would call out that they had arrived.. before he would step out.. drawing her lithe body back into his arms.. he’d nod to the driver.. before the carriage would be off.. he knew of a cottage in the woods.. he’d seen it on his way through.. he had actually been eyeing it himself.. but hadn’t been completely sold on the idea due to it being a wee bit out of the town proper.. due to his position and all.. he needed to be able to get into the area quickly when called.. he’d reach down to turn the doorknob.. gifting them entrance.. before letting it close behind him.. the lock slid into place.. a little magic would have the lanterns in the house lit.. flickering one by one as they floated their flames.. the room soon flooded with that soft healthy orange glow.. beside the firesplace he would soon walk.. the same would occur.. a flicker of a flame before it would lick across those logs.. and crackle till it took hold.. he’d carry her across to the couch there.. it was warmer than the bedroom At this point.. laying her down upon the soft cushions.. the lack of a blanket would be a problem.. and he’d have to think for a moment.. before he just decided to leave her with his coat.. it was a larger one.. quite long.. it would do the trick at least for the short term.. he stood there for a moment.. watching her.. watching the way her features just fell into this peaceful state.. all the worry.. all the sadness.. everything was gone.. she just looked.. at ease.. he hesitated.. his fingers twitched a moment.. before he’d reach over.. to slide a couple of those golden curls out of her face.. back behind her ear.. trailing those two fingers along her jawline.. - .. The world is your oyster Rose..I wish you knew this.. .. he exhaled.. his hand falling back to his side .. before he’d reach in and press his lips to her forehead.. his eyes closing over.. he’d back off then.. taking those few steps back toward the firesplace.. he’d settle to sit upon one of the arm chairs.. a book materialising.. medical no less.. studying.. always studying.. he’d fall into those words.. allowing them to consume him .. he did say he would remain with her.. and he would keep with that.. for the moment-
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *Why did he have to make so much sense, honestly it was truly unfair for him to be so right about things when all she wanted was to just get away. She didn’t doubt that he had suffered some sort of pain on his own, she could see it there sometimes, little flashes in his eyes when he talked to her. He wasn’t untouched by that cold, cruel hand that wrought agony when it saw fit to do so. They just handled it very differently, he stood and faced them where she had always, always chosen to run. She didn’t have the strength to face it along, she didn’t think she ever would. Supporting someone thought their pain and anguish was an easy thing, you just needed to be there for that person, but handling it on your own… To be the one who had to feel it all in its full measure, to take the brunt of it… That was quite a different thing indeed, to go from being on the outside looking in versus being on the inside and wishing you were out. Empathy was something she had in spades, she would always be able to mentally put herself in the shoes of others, to sympathize with them, to find a common pain and share it…. But to have the kind of fortitude to face everything that had happened to her face on… It was so much easier to run. In the last 24 or so hours, her whole world had turned upside down and she had no idea how to handle it all. She just needed to gain traction somewhere, a place to dig her toes into the earth, to feel something solid. If she could do that, even if it was just for a moment, she could use it to push herself forward, to shoot into a tomorrow that might be more beautiful than she could dare hope for. Right now though… There was no earth, no sand, not even water. She was stranded in an abyss of nothing that kept her from moving forward or backwards, up or down, locked in that moment. It certainly didn’t help that he was so….temptingly covered yet uncovered. That shirt was playing some sadistic game of peek-a-boo with the tattoo’s she had seen running up and down his arms and to cap his round muscled shoulders. The shift, that pull, making her eyes follow the line of that cloth, to see the movement of the skin and body beneath…. Really, she didn’t know what she could have done in her life to have merited this kind of hell, but she didn’t think any one person should suffer something like this… It tore and the heart, the soul, the mind… It destroyed the insides and all things that couldn’t be healed with hands or medicine, and it effected the body like a drug that hit the system like the finest of opiates. It made her think of that lucid dream, the lover he had turned into the second he said her name while locked in it’s embrace. It made her feel like she should be rotting in hell, one far worse than this sweet torment. If Ace was skirt chasing… she had no right to judge him now did she? Before she met Jacob, perhaps she might have had a leg to stand on… But with the thoughts that kept drifting in and out of her mind as they had been, she was truly guilty of something far worse than just cheating… True, you don’t just…trip and fall into a vagina or onto a cock… But she knew lust very well… She knew how hard it could ride someone, especially when it went on for too long unsatisfied. She was doing something, though innocent, was still making her feel terrible… Yes, she was imagining Jacob in all manner of….very unmedical related positions… And with far less clothes than he was wearing now… She was starting to blush just thinking about it and once more she smashed all those thoughts down into a little box in her head.*”Does survival ever really come down to who wins or loses? Does it matter if Dravanos is winning? He’s taken all I had ever wanted, what does it matter anymore? There are times when strength is needed, when a person needs to face up to the battle ahead and fight for all they’re worth. It is a wise person though, who can recognize a war they cannot win, and chooses to run rather than face utter defeat. If I stay… I will have to face people I don’t think I can bear to see. I’m not ready to face them all, to tell them what happened, to fight… I can’t stand the image… to look at it all, to endure it all… I’m so… I’m just so damn angry… I can’t make heads or tails of anything, and I’d rather run…and run… and run until I can’t run anymore and it all collapses. Someday I know I’ll face it all… someday I’ll have the strength to do… but it won’t be tonight… It won’t be tomorrow… It might not happen for years… If I run now, I won’t hurt anyone with my inability to face up to it… Why do you think I hold some sort of worth Jacob? Can’t you see I’m just a coward? I want the world on a platter and the second that silver might burn my hands, I’ll run from it and leave it all behind. I’ve fought so hard to get what I thought I deserved… and it didn’t end well. If I fought like that with this result, how is running any worse?”*She almost wished he would stop talking, he was dragging things out of her, bit by bit, like poison from her veins. It hurt to be so honest, making her wonder just how long she had been lying to herself about everything. He made her face the reality she was running from, mentally and physically, made her own up to it. It wasn’t brutal or cruel, his hands were soft and gentle as he guided her, even if it was over a bed of coals and she was burning from it. She lay there, being tormented, tortured by his scent there on the sheets and pillow, the simple elegance of it really did harmonize all too well with her own natural scent. Flower and fruit, citrus and sweet, that note of ginger to his adding just the perfect note of complexity to it that kept it all from being too simple. Just a few more moments of guilty pleasure, a few more drops in the bucket of her sin… She heard his voice trail off there, knowing what was going through his head then, she had thought of it herself. He was so kind… She had heard the sayings of people who had hearts of gold but she never thought she would see it for herself one day. Like fairies and unicorns, some things just didn’t exist no matter how fanciful a person might be. Yet if anyone had one, surely it would be Jacob… He had to, there was no other way to explain him or who he was, how he acted.*

(08:13:09 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: ”It’s ok… Really… Thank you for being so kind Jacob, but you can’t hurt me by talking about it… damage is done after all, and no amount of wishing will make that any different, right? I did used to waitress here, I served at the bar until Ronnie heard me sing for the first time and decided to give me a show a night at first… It was so funny in a way… I’ve come such a long way in such a short time from those days… I had no money, nothing, not even the clothes on my back were my own, but borrowed hand me downs… Everything was either too big or too small, but it didn’t matter… I was just so happy to be singing… To be free.” *On her lips was just the softest ghost of a smile, a delicate thing and all too easily broken. She explained her position on people’s opinions of her, why they mattered, why they were important. She was so new to being human, to learning how to act, how to respond, how to feel… She wasn’t sure what was right, what was wrong, if she was doing things properly or if she were bungling them up. She never knew, or more along the lines that it hadn’t come to cross her mind that everything about her had been slander and hate ridden things. She simply thought that she was a bad person, and with everything in her mind right now, she had no reason to doubt them. In a lot of ways perhaps she was a bad person… a terrible person… She was believing the wrong people… She held too much stock in those who were in truth unimportant. If she hadn’t been so masterfully manipulated by Dravanos in that last almost two months, driven that wedge in her mind between her and Ace, she might have had reason to doubt what he said about Ace and where he was, what he was doing. As it was, she had no reason not to believe it and she had no idea what was right or wrong in so many places that she was all up in the air about so many things it made her dizzy. She was a mess mentally and emotionally, a truly screwed fubar little thing that she might take forever to sort out the mess. His words about her made that blush come back again, grateful she wasn’t looking at him because there were things in her eyes that he didn’t need to see. Really, Jacob all in all was worse than anything for her right now… She was hurt on such a deep level, wounded beyond the physical side of it all, and Jacob seemed like a slice of heaven. He was exactly what she needed right now, the kind of person she wanted, craved to have at her side, to help her put all the broken pieces back together and throw out the ones that couldn’t be made to work anymore. The thing is, she had no right to want him there, no right at all to pull him in close, to lean her weight on him, to crave the comfort of his arms. Even now she could remember the sound of his heart beneath her ear when he saved her life and took her out of that hellish place that had been her home, the way he carried her so easily and so delicately, as if she would break if he held her too tightly. No… she had no right to want more than she had already taken, to crave what he could give her. She sighed softly, those sweetly full lips parting just softly on the sound as she opened her eyes once more, to catch him watching her… Closely to boot. She was a bit…unsettled by that… Shy almost, but at the same time…. Rather happy… Flattered.*”I know it’s not the most… sane thing to do… But until I develop a moral compass for living as I am… I can’t really be sure how I will know if something is wrong or right without it. I have no idea, honestly, how to deal with much of what this world throws at me. Even now, at this very moment in time, I’m being thrown a thousand different directions and I can’t decide if it’s right or wrong… I know, deep down, that surely some of this must be because of everything that’s happened… And even so, even so, I can’t decide if it is ok… Is it alright to want something like that? In the situation I am right now, I know that it’s wrong, but a part of me still entertains it. It isn’t just that I’m broken, I’ll admit that I am, it’s that I don’t even know how to not want it… Your opinion of me… It makes it that much harder… When you hear so much bad about yourself… when someone’s kind to you… It’s like a ray of sunshine, and I just…want to curl up in it for a little while and ignore the storms… As for that Doctor… He did what he thought was best to save a life… Well within his rights as being a decent person at the very least…. I think I will let him pass this time… But if he drugs me again, I’ll not be so forgiving… Then again… I hate to give him such a free pass…but with me… He might have to. I’m too tenacious by half I’m afraid…”*She was starting to relax a little bit…just a bit…trying to keep her eyes on those really stunning mismatched ones of his own… Then he got up, to move over to where his bags were. She rolled over, watching him, curious as to what he was doing… That shirt was off his back within a second and she could see everything in a detail she couldn’t before.. She hadn’t seen the ones on his back… Or the sublime lines of his flesh here. She couldn’t help the strangled groan that passed her lips at seeing it all, that beautiful artwork only mirrored by the lines of his muscles, the strength there just under the skin and those fucking amazing shoulders.*”Ó mo Dhia grámhar tú riamh…”*Oh sweet merciful God, if he existed, please, please send a bolt to strike her down! She rolled onto her back, pressing her head into the pillow while she pressed her hands to her face, almost an exact mirror of what he had done after that dream he had with her. She couldn’t even bring herself to respond, to tell him that he had no idea how wrong that was, and just how dangerous it really was to know her. For anyone to get close… They either hurt her, or were hurt by others around her. She didn’t want to bring any of her curse, her darkness, her complications to him. As soon as she could, she had tried to make her way out of that bed, to get the HELL out of that room. That sight… Too much! All the strength of mind and body, of heart and soul, couldn’t fight down that lust that was riding her so hard it might as well be a physical thing with spurs of desire. She had to get out of there, had to, it didn’t matter of she fell a hundred times trying, she would get out of there if she had to crawl! Damn but if the room would stop bucking around her! Her eyes had been snapped closed as she fought the nausea, and she hadn’t seen him approach her.

(08:13:21 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: She could only hear him from a far away place as her head buzzed like a hive of bees lived inside it. She bit her lip bloody then when he put his hands on her hips, felt her knees nearly buckle from that innocent yet not quite innocent touch. Dammit all to fucking hell in a damned hand basket! Her hands found his shoulders against her will, finger gently curling in against that muscled flesh, feeling his heath through shirt and vest. She whimpered low in the back of her throat, wanting to pull away but drawn in all at the same time, like an alcoholic trying to quite the bottle, the release held within his grasp was too much for her to resist. Her voice was a strangled whisper, her eyes still shut, blocking off the view she knew she would have… would be tempted by.*”Stop…Stop being so kind to me, I don’t deserve it, I promise you I don’t… Just let me go… “*His words, telling her no, he wasn’t going to call the cab for her made her want to stamp her foot, and if she had a drop of energy to spare she would have. God bless those of golden hearts…and keep them well away from people like her! She was trying so hard…and he was making it so much worse for her and he had no idea just how much it was killing her, the hell he was putting her through. She felt the void his hand left on her hip, her skin already cold from the loss… When it was placed on her neck, he could feel the sob as it shook her petit little frame, she shiver that raced down her spine. Instinctively she tilted her head to the side, giving him a full show, open access to the long creamy length of her neck. His body’s heat, the smell of him, it all crashed over her like a wave, drowning her. She sobbed again, just that small, heartbroken little mewl.*”Please, Jacob, don’t do this….”*What happened next was not what she expected what so ever. Rather than feeling his lips against her skin where her pulse raced rapidly, his smooth, strong fingers cradling her neck, she had felt the whisper of his warm breath along her ear. She couldn’t make out the words, they were beautiful and soft sounding, but in a language she couldn’t comprehend. She felt that slight tightening on her throat before she knew nothing more. She was out like a light, her whole body collapsing in on itself as she was knocked out. She would remain out through the entire trip, though once or twice she would whimper in that carriage, though from fear or something else couldn’t be determined. Perhaps her body was sensing the movement and unsure of what was going on. It wasn’t until he placed her on that couch, the smell of pine and cotton rich in her nose… Her face wrinkled up just a bit at the change, the unfamiliarity of it. Then that jacket was laid over her and she suddenly seemed to just relax, to sink into soft lines and surfeit curves. She let out a soft, delicate sigh then, burrowing into his jacket then pulling it up to her chin as she curled up into it. She felt warm and safe, as if she were back home before everything had happened… she began to dream…memories really… When he tucked those strands behind her ear, so much like Ace that she couldn’t help the tear that welled up there, fell beneath her lashes to trickle down the side of her nose. She shuddered once, her breath a shaky inhale before she sighed, her voice a bare whisper.*”I love you…”

============================================================


♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She had been asleep there for she had no idea how long…. It had been one of the best sleeps she had had in far too long honestly, even if the way she managed to get into that sleep was a little less than kosher. She could only remember feeling really quite ill, the room was spinning around her and fading out to black in a dangerous warning that she was going to black out. Still, she had to get out of that room, to run away before she really hurt Jacob… There were too many things wrong with her, with who she was, and she didn’t want to taint him with her history. She was summoning up the last bit of her strength to try and get out of there, and Jacob had pretty much put her in her place in that respect. He had been there with her, his hands on her hips, making her own rise to grip his shoulders tightly. Oh she had felt so very bad, being so close to him like that, feeling what she was… She had never considered herself a fickle girl, she had always followed through with her convictions, held firm to her morals as they were. Yet here she was…feeling like the worst sinner because it felt so good to be there like that. She had shivered, closing her eyes as she tried to get the room to stop spinning, to keep her legs beneath her. He had told her he wouldn’t let her go, that he couldn’t….No, he wouldn’t allow it. She had gotten so angry with him, trying to do what was best for the both of them, yet he kept thwarting her at every turn. Honestly, she could take lessons on tenacity with him, learn a thing or two about it. His hand had been moved to her neck then, and she had the oddest thrill of fear and excitement, a dose of heaven and hell all at once. She had thought he was going to kiss her, the way he had touched her, causing her to tilt her neck instinctually. She had forced herself to beg him not to, to try and spare them both, a last ditch effort in a losing battle. His breath had washed over her ear, a soft word had whispered along her ear, and then nothing. She had crumbled and been carried away to here, where ever here was. She had been not quite dreaming, but remembering things on and off, memories of times that had made her feel happy… Her mind couldn’t let her dream right now, when she woke up she would find the reality of it all far too cruel, and she was too delicate to handle such an awakening at this point. Somewhere far off in her mind she could hear the gentle strains of a music box, a song she didn’t know but there was something so poignant in the notes there that she felt her heart swell when she heard it. It was somewhere, lost in that soft gold colored place where she didn’t hurt was when she had thought she heard someone vaguely familiar… She couldn’t place it…but she struggled to wake up, knowing there was a reason for it. Soft words were spoken and the she sunk back down into that soft little place once more. It felt….soooo good to be there… Such a massive change from the darkness that had followed her for what felt like forever… It wouldn’t last forever though, and about ten minutes or so after Nautilous had left she was starting to bubble to wakefulness again. Unlike the medicated sleep that had given her just more of those nightmares, this had been a healing sleep, and it did more for her than any drug could do for her. She had rolled over, bundled up quite comfortably beneath that jacket of his, the collar pulled up to her chin as she slept like a baby. When she did awaken though it was in slow stages, bits and pieces of her starting to come to. Her fingers would twitch softly, her toes curling beneath her, a soft sigh… She yawned then, more kitten like than anything else as she stretched out slowly, toes pointing down as she hunkered down before stretching her arms out, fingertips reaching out to nothing. She would roll over onto her tummy then, pushing up off of that couch, one hand balled up like a paw, rubbing at her eyes with the hell of her hand. She wasn’t sure where she was but for some reason it didn’t bother her, she was unafraid for the first time in months. Another soft yawn before she would open those dreamy green eyes, blinking softly before she saw Jacob there, sitting in his chair and reading a book. Her voice was soft, still a bit sleepy, but much of the music that had been gone since the incident, giving it a sort of lilting melody of sweetness.*”Jacob?...”*She would look around again, brushing back those long gold curls off of her face as she drew her knees in beneath her, sitting on her heels. She smiled at him then, her head tilted just to the side, the bruises paling in comparison to the delicate sweetness of that smile.*”Hullo….”

(06:44:29 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: ..after Nautilous had left.. he had made sure the door was closed.. a lesser ward crept back up over the house slowly.. a faint orange glow.. a shimmer every so often.. that only those with magical means might catch or even scent.. he would glance toward her then.. still curled up upon that couch.. his coat keeping her warm.. keeping her.. comfortable.. she looked peaceful.. she wasn’t stirring.. there didn’t appear to be any night terrors.. or anything of the like so that was certainly promising.. he had moved then to her side.. just watching her for a moment or two.. she’d managed to shift that coat down a little.. so he reached down to draw it back up to rest there about her small rounded shoulders.. before he would turn and settle back down upon his seat.. sinking in against the cushions..grasping a hold upon that book once more.. he’d draw it back open.. his gaze sunk back down to the pages littered with text.. though as much as he wanted to.. he found himself unable to focus upon it.. not.. properly.. not like he usually could.. he caught himself glancing up every so often.. to look upon her resting.. before he would turn his attentions back to the book once more.. his mind was musing over what had been said by Nautilous.. over the horrific details he had explained her having gone through.. such atrocities.. it made his heart sink .. he couldn’t believe someone could have gone through such hell.. and yet.. still be around to tell the tale.. and with.. ultimately high spirits on occasion.. it told him a lot though.. it explained why she felt so worthless.. why she took the opinions of others as gospel.. so many had dragged her down to her base level.. and beyond that.. they’d broken her in all senses of the word.. cruel.. absolutely cruel.. his elbow came down to rest there upon the arm of the chair.. his cheek found the palm of his hand he would hear her then.. starting to stir.. he’d glance across.. watching as she rolled over.. the quiet cat like yawns sounding.. the curling of her toes.. the stretching.. the act as a whole caused the corners of his lips to twitch.. as if a smile were trying in earnest to appear.. though thwarted in time before it was able to spread.. he reached up to remove the hat he still had upon his head.. giving those dark locks of his a bit of a tossle in the process- .. Ahhh.. .. he closed the book he was holding.. letting it fall back down to rest there upon the small side table- .. I see a good morning is in order Rosamund.... he slowly pulled himself out of that chair.. straightening out before he would move to approach her.. - .. how are you feeling?.. . he’d come to stand there before the couch.. reaching across to her as he pressed a few fingers against her brow.. gauging her temperature .. she didn’t feel clammy.. that was a good sign.. - .. Don’t sit up quickly.. take it.. very slow.. .. he turned.. moving away from the couch .. exiting the room they were in.. to step into another.. out of her sight for the moment.. she would have noticed it was indeed the cottage she had been speaking of.. the one she so desired t run away to..the one she wanted to live out her days within.. modestly dressed with furnishings.. nothing remotely fancy but it was comfortable.. the fire was healthy.. though the flames wore blue tips every so often which would have told her magic was indeed at play..- .. how’s your head?.. is it hurting at all?.... he’d call out to her as he re-entered the room a moment later.. an empty cup and a pitcher of water.. he’d place them both down upon the small table nearer her head.. pouring her some water soon there after- .. You are looking.. well.. a lot more colourful in the face.. that’s good.. very good.. .. he nodded.. tilting his head as that duo coloured gaze of his wandered over her facial features- .. not quite so glassy.. or faint.. .. he took a breath and then went to clear his throat- .. look.. .. he went to crouch down before the couch.. so he was more at her level with her laying down like that- .. forgive me.. for.. what I did.. I.... he shook his head.. he was referring to the magic used.. the powerwords and touches to force sleep upon her- .. I don’t ever.. Ever force my skill upon another.. unless it is of course in defence.. and.. that’s clearly not an issue.. no.. .. his head tilted- .. I couldn’t let you go.. you were barely able to stand up.. you were swaying.. you looked terribly uncomfortable.. so I thought it best at the time.. I wont.. again.. .. he shook his head once more- .. promise..

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *If his magic could make her sleep like that nightly, she might just start asking him to do it for her, like a sort of nightcap to ensure good dreams. Or, if not dreams, at least a soft, peaceful sleep. She had really been out of it, babies didn’t even sleep as good as she had, just utterly relaxed and at peace. She almost wanted to go back to sleep, but she wasn’t really used to it, to just spending a full night in bed and recuperating from the world she called life. Because of that her body would naturally wake her up after a few hours because there was always that fear lurking, that something terrible was right around the corner and she had to be awake to face it. Because she hadn’t had her regular night terrors, she had slept amazingly and woken up very sweet tempered and soft, letting it all come in stages without any rush. She had enjoyed the cat like stretch, her body unused to the planes of the couch compared to the big, ultra plush bed she had before, feeling little kinks and tightness but overall rested and relaxed. She was still rubbing the sleep out of her eyes occasionally, yawning softly from time to time. She watched him get up from his chair, to come over and check on her. She had to admit… it was a nice view to wake up to. She smiled for him at his words, still in that little half asleep place, as if the peace from that sleep was loath to release her just yet.*”Mmmhmm… Good Morning Jacob…. “ *Another yawn made her eyes well up, blinking sleepily as she listened to him, watched him move about. She was half debating laying back down, to burrow into those cushions once more…. Cushions? Hmmm…now that was odd. She made herself pay more attention, to chase away the cotton wisps of sleep.*”Sleepy a little bit… I haven’t slept that good in my whole life… It was so warm…soft…. I wasn’t afraid anymore…. It’s strange, it’s never happened before… Jacob…Where are we?... I don’t recognize this place… Wait…”*She began to take a closer inspection of the room, holding his jacket against her chest, refusing to let it go. She made sure she remained sitting still, moving slowly as she took the room in. Her temperature was indeed quite normal, her skin soft and smooth against his fingers. Her hair was a bit unruly, it hadn’t been brushed and was a good bit sleep tossed, making it fall in wide loose curls about her face an shoulders. She kept trying to brush it back off her forehead but it kept falling around her face to the point she just gave up and let it have it’s way. When he left, she got a better look at where they were, and she indeed recognized where she was after a few moments… He had brought her to the cottage she had told him about… But how had he known which one it was? She looked over at the fire there in the hearth, noticed the blue tips and rather than be offset by it, found it utterly enchanting… In truth, this whole place suited her so much more than the house in town. She wasn’t a fancy girl at heart, and though she loved her dresses, loved to dress up in lace and silk and chiffon, she was deep down more of a home body than anyone would expect. She found herself happier in a kitchen with flour on her cheeks than at a ball, happier singing in the garden than on a stage. Out here she wanted to build a new life… Away from the bad memories and nightmares, without all the fine fixtures and big windows… No wonder she had woken up feeling so…peaceful… This place felt more like home to her than anything else had so far. She decided that moment that she had to have it, even if it cost more than it should, she wanted it. She turned to see Jacob coming back with water. Iiick… she couldn’t stop the wrinkling of her nose at it but she doubted they had anything else right now. The whole kitchen would need to be restocked, cupboards filled, ice chest stocked, everything. She took the glass as he offered it, but didn’t drink from it right away, choosing to answer his questions instead.*”No….not hurting exactly… I get a little dizzy still if I move my head too fast… and there is a slight ringing in my ears still… I think something got knocked loose… I can’t… be sure… A lot of stuff is still…weird… inside my head… But no…no pain...”*She paused, tilting her head to the side a bit. She hadn’t realized how pale she had been from the blood loss, she hadn’t even thought that it was part of the reason she was so weak and tired so quickly. She followed his movements as he dropped down on a level with her, causing her to set her glass on that little table as she gave him her undivided attention. When he started to apologize, she would reach out her hand and rest it over the top of his own, a gesture meant to comfort him. She thought perhaps he had felt her objection earlier had been to that, when it was really rather the opposite.*”Jacob, don’t fash yourself about it… You did what you had to do… you were right in what you did. I can be very bull headed sometimes, and I wanted to leave. I knew I wasn’t fit to lift my arm, let alone travel but I wasn’t going to let that stop me. When I asked you to stop… I….”*She blushed softly, so pretty really, the way that sweet delicate pink tinted her cheeks.*”I thought you were going to kiss me… and I wasn’t ready for that at all… in all honesty… I’m glad that you did it… I have never slept that good before in my life… I owe you thanks for it, because for the first time in months I didn’t have a single nightmare… Babies can’t sleep as good as I did… So really Jacob… don’t feel bad. You didn’t do something bad, rather you gave me a sort of present… But I do appreciate your promise to not do it again without asking me first… But I will hold you to your promise… Ok?”

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: ..he was retrieving that water when she asked him where they were.. he sat on that for the moment.. - .. You spoke of a cottage that you desired to run to.. I knew of one that was indeed up for sale.. I had been in talks with it’s owners since I had arrived.. now I can’t be certain this is the same as the one you were .. well.. talking about.. but I knew that if you had woken up in the hospital again you would have ..pratically lost it.. and I wasn’t going to take the chance.. so.. took it upon myself to make that decision.. to bring you out here.. some place quiet.. . he had returned then with the cup and pitcher of water.. crouching down before her there.. looking over her features.. feeling her forehead- .. some place a little more peaceful and out of all those prying eyes that seem to think of you as their daily dose for gossip and entertainment.. .. he nodded to her when she said she was getting a little dizzy from time to time.. if she moved her head to fast- .. try and keep still for a little while longer.. the dizziness will pass when you wake properly.. give your mind a chance to catch up with your body.. then that should go.. as for the ringing.. well.. I’m not surprised really..with the wound you have on the back of your head.. you’ve taken a great deal of damage.. that too will go.. in time.. just try and take things a little more slowly.. .. his gaze dropped to his hand as hers landed delicately atop it.. he did all within his power then to resist.. to hold back from interlacing his fingers with her own.. they twitched just a little.. before he would look up to her once more.. he noticed the blush .. that soft peach colouring crossing her cheeks.. when she did however mention she thought he was going to kiss her.. he blinked and as much as he tried.. as much as he willed away the colouring.. it weren’t possible.. he blushed.. clearing his throat.. he would move to stand.. drawing his hand away from her own.. he would round the couch then.. to look upon the bandages that were there against that healing wound- .. I am glad.. you needed to rest.. and the amount you got will most certainly be.. more than beneficial.. .. when he was behind her out of her line of sight he managed to take that.. awkward breath.. the one he hadn’t realised he had been holding .. - .. yes.. of course.. you can hold me to that promise.. I wont.. I wont do it again without you either asking it of me.. or at least at my suggestion.. .. he glanced at the wound a moment longer.. silently berating himself on the inside.. before he would cross back over the room and sink back down upon the chair.. - .. When you are able.. I would suggest a walk in the sunshine.. not.. too far.. just a short ways around the property.. to get some air in those lungs of yours.. to feel some warmth on your skin.. it will do you wonders.. there is a hot spring.. not too far from here.. if you feel like bathing.. I recommend it in those natural minerals.. the earth itself can deliver on a lot.. and you should partake in all you can.. whilst its offered.. .. he drew that book back onto his lap.. feeling slightly embarrassed, but doing his best to .. quash it.. - .. the house is not stocked.. so if you are hungry.. I could probably get a few things from the garden .. but that would be all that’s available.. for the moment..

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She was struck really, by just how much that mattered to her, the way he paid attention to what she had said. She had never really known what it felt like to have someone…listen to her, honestly hear what she was saying and respond to it. Usually she was the one always listening, always working to help the other out, to make sure they had what they wanted. To be on the receiving end… was nice. It made her happy, lit a little spark inside her, and warmed her with the gentle glow of it. She did feel a little bad at the same time too, for multiple reasons. She settled on the one that was the least…emotionally related, one that she didn’t have to look too deeply in on. All too soon reality would come knocking at her door and she would have to face it again, she would have to think about Ace, and about what was truly going to happen for them. Jacob was like a sieve, he drew out all the bad inside her without even realizing he was doing it, he calmed the turbulent waters of her emotions and gave her the clarity to think past the pain. She owed him more than he would ever realize, and more than she could ever afford to repay…*”Oh no, really Jacob? I had no idea you were looking at the same cottage… I had no idea you were already talking to the owners…”*She sighed softly, feeling a bit dejected about it all. She wouldn’t but it if it was what Jacob had been looking at as well, he needed a place to rest and he had already done so much for her she couldn’t bare the idea of buying a house he was interested out from under him. She would just…have to look somewhere else is all. It might take a bit, but she would find something, surely? If not well, there was always the option to have one made though it would take much longer for her to move in because of it. Still, she would manage somehow, with how well Jacob was taking care of her and his gentle attentions she would be right as rain in no time.*”I can’t thank you enough for that… I really do despise hospitals, more than I can ever say and if I woke up there again… I probably would have gone perhaps a little nutty. Out here though… I know it sounds odd and maybe it’s all in my head, but I feel like this is where I am supposed to be right now… You’re spoiling me by taking such tender care of me, you make me feel safe and at peace… I feel like if I can just rest here, just for a moment, that I can face it all a little better.”*She paused for a moment before she shook her head softly, keeping the movements gentle to spare any sudden spinning of the room. As much as she liked it here, as much as she loved the little cottage, Jacob deserved it more. He took such phenomenally good care of her, he had saved her life more than once, the least she could do was back out gracefully. Besides… Things were complicated enough in her head as it was. She had lusted him early on, her hormones and her body’s desire for escape combined with a drug fueled lust had driven her hard after him. The fact that he was undeniably handsome and had more than a few featured she enjoyed looking at hadn’t helped much either. After that first good night’s sleep though, she felt calmer, a bit more centered. If she were free, she admitted to herself that she would have enjoyed Jacobs attentions had he chosen to given them, and she could see herself falling for someone who treated her like she was a priceless gem to be treasured. She wasn’t though, she was not free to give her heart or any other part of her to someone else. With sanity, clarity of mind, she knew what she had to do. At some point she would have to face Ace, to figure out just what was going to become of them. Dravanos had poisoned her mind for months, and things between she and Ace were much like a child’s rhyme. When they were good, they were very, very good… But when they were bad? They were awful. How much of what she had seen, what she had been told, she couldn’t tell if it were truth or lie. Had Ace cheated on her? Slept with the pretty redhead? She didn’t know, but when she was a bit better, when she stole perhaps a few more days of peace to truly center herself, she would talk to him. Ace rather avoided confrontations, discussions about emotions or anything deeper than carnal pleasure. At first… she had thought that he would warm up, if she gave him enough dedication and love that he would open up to her. She hadn’t been clingy or demanding, she had given him his space while still being there for him without crowding, trying to take it all at his pace. She had even avoided talking about the children, about her dreams for them, names she had liked… She had put a lot of herself and her needs on the back burner, putting him first while still somehow managing to make ends meet inside her heart and her mind. She had been hurt a lot in her time with him, by his ex-lovers, his acquaintances, by he himself. She had managed somehow, to push the pain deep down inside, to keep it from overwhelming her. When he had proposed she had thought, ah, at last he was opening up to her, that they might actually get a chance. After all, love and lust are closely related and though they are wonderful things, they do not make a relationship and that was what she wanted to have with him. She had been so happy, she floated on those little champagne bubbles of joy before they were all ruptured. She had been so wounded by him not being there beside her, by Dravanos being there instead, tormenting her mentally before torturing her. It was all a deep wounding really, all too much to take in stride. To know so much joy in one moment, then lose everything… Was it any wonder she had no idea how to proceed? That she was not only unsure, but terrified of the next step? Jacob was sexually attractive without a doubt, but a pretty face had never been enough to put her through what she was struggling with now. No… This was worse than lust and not so easily defined. He took away her troubles from her as if they were a physical burden he could carry. He made her feel at peace, not just restive but truly calm, like how you feel in those first warm rays of sun after a cold dark winter. He gave her everything she needed right now, and a part of her felt guilty about it because she felt as though she were unfaithful to Ace. They had done nothing wrong, true, but how long could that really last? She shook her head softly, chasing away those thoughts. *”You need this place more than I do though… With how much work you will have at the hospital, and the amount of stress that will come from it, this place will do you so much good. I’ll envy you of it though… It’s lovely here.”

(21:08:45 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
: *She drifted into silence at he spoke, and in truth she was blushing just a bit at it all. From her own thoughts, that mild happy but confusing sensation she got with him… Tenderness was something that she would have to take some time to grow familiar with.*”I can’t sit still for long though, I never could… I tend to move around pretty regularly, but I know that it’s not exactly something I should be doing. I promise I will try at least, but I offer no guarantee…” *She had rested her hand atop his, friendly, open, kind… She hadn’t wanted him to feel embarrassed or guilty for what he had to do. He did nothing without her best interest at heart, or so she was seeing, and how could anyone hold a grudge against someone for caring? She had explained to him why she had said what she did, that soft blush on her cheeks as she admitted the reason for her plea against his actions. She saw the blush on his cheeks and her own grew, an acute embarrassment spreading through her body that was almost painful. She had pulled her hand away, dropping it to her lap where she pressed both there, hiding them as she looked away and to the side, focusing on the carpet at her feet. Had she done something wrong? She had been trying to explain that he had no reason to feel bad, or at fault for it all, and yet she had made him blush. She immediately set about to chewing the side of her tongue, that nervous tick of hers that always hit her hard when she felt she had made a mistake. She shouldn’t have said anything at that point then…leaving out the reasons behind her words, or altered them somehow to make it less… Maybe it was a good thing… If he was uninterested in her, she could cut a clean line in the mental sand of her mind and never cross it. She decided to do just that, after all, it would be easier, better in the long run for her if she set up even firmer, clearer boundaries in her head. The ones she had so far were too flexible, too easily warped for her own wellbeing and she would be better to replace them with something more stable. She went stock still when she felt his hands in her hair, shifting through that thick golden mass to look at the large gash at the base of her skull. It was healing nicely, but unlike all the other wounds on her body, this one would leave a scar. Her reminder of that night as it were, just a long thin band of satin smooth scar tissue, the only mark of imperfection on her whole body. She was silent while he spoke, telling her a walk in the sun, perhaps a dip in that hot spring on the property. Actually… both of those sounded really good, and with the way she was blushing, the way she had seen him blush, perhaps that was for the best. She had embarrassed him somehow, she wasn’t sure what she had done, but the result was there. She didn’t want to make him uncomfortable and perhaps a short break while she took a much needed bath would perhaps be best.*”No need to worry about it Jacob, I nibble at best, I don’t tend to each much at all… I think I am going to go find that hot spring if you don’t mind. I need a bath and my muscles are a bit sore after everything… It would do me a lot of good as it were… I should be back within a half hour to an hour, please feel free to eat without me…”*She would stand then as he sat, pulling that book into his lap and preparing to read. She was much steadier on her feet than she had been before though, he could at least feel confident that she wouldn’t face plant on the way there. She slid out of his jacket then, her back to him to spare him the discomfort of her open dress front as she neatly folded it and set it on the back of that couch. Before he could tell her to wait, or for her to cause him anymore discomfort, she was out the front door and on her way to that hot spring. It was a bit of a walk, but she took it slowly, in no rush to get there in all honesty. For her it was a chance to let her mind wander a bit as she walked, taking in all the gorgeous flower that were in bloom, watching the bumblebees fly about drunk on nectar. When she did reach it, it took her no time at all to slide out of her clothes, dropping the torn dress about her ankles and stepping out of it before hanging it on a low bush. Her silk knickers and that balcony bra came off next to rest on top of her dress before she would slide her lithe little body into that hot water. It was intense at first, the way it hit her open wounds and the sheer heat of it made her gasp. She soldiered on though, walking into the very center of it where it was just deep enough for her to swim in, kicking her legs in the water to tread it while her arms gentle shifted on the surface. She needed to move her muscles, to get the blood flowing without putting strain on her figure and swimming like this was the best way to do it. Her body did well to naturally absorb all the beneficial properties, using it to boost her blood count with the aid of the nanobots that were doing well to reproduce and build anew inside her. They were doing well, working from the inside out to heal her from the superficial things. As she floated there, her hair floating about her like a million strands of sunlight she couldn’t help but relax. She wasn’t drugged, she wasn’t seriously sleep deprived, she wasn’t hurting. She felt…better… something she had thought to feel ever again. She just melted in the heat, luxuriating in it for a good half hour while she lightly rubbed down her body, removing the useless scabs and revealing the flawless skin underneath. When it got a shade too hot she went back to the edge, finding a large flat rock to lay out on in the sun. She was a bit of a sucker for being warm and this was everything she needed right now. Pressed flat against her belly her arms crossed under her head she decided to steal a bit of a cat nap, far too warm and relaxed to keep the urge to nap away for long. Besides, the more she rested, the better she was going to be in the long run. So there she lay with nothing but her hair to cover her as she dried in the sun… Just fifteen minutes she told herself…just a little catnap…*


…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: .. he waved his hand a little- .. Oh no.. really.. it’s more than fine.. .. he responded to her being concerned that he was going to purchase the property before her.. - .. Originally yes.. I had thought it.. well rather idyllic .. it’s quiet.. the gardens surrounding it have already been established.. it’s very private and out of the way.. but.. I can’t really be this far out of the village proper.. not with my chosen profession.. it just wouldn’t be practical.. I simply had approached the owners.. about renting it for.. the week.. so ..this was just one of those moments where things managed to fall nicely into place.. as it were.. You are more than welcome to purchase it.. of course.. .. he nodded- .. I think.. a place like this would suit you.. extraordinarily well.. You’d have all the free time in the world without the prying eyes of others.. you could choose the times you wish to head into town.. to do your business.. and when to leave again.. everything would be up to you.. .. he tilted his head.. when she said he was spoiling her.. treating her with such care..- .. nonsense.. .. he lightly rubbed his lips together..- .. You deserve to be treated with care…I wouldn’t say I was spoiling you.. not at all.. .. he had sunk back down into that chair there.. reaching to place that book upon his lap.. his finger sliding along the spine to capture the bright red ribbon.. that was doing second duty as a bookmark- .. simply.. a more.. personalised care.. that’s all.. it would be quite.. bad of me.. to know as much as I do.. about you.. to then go and do the opposite when it comes to helping you.. I have learnt you aren’t comfortable in the hospital atmosphere.. putting you there knowing that would be cruel.. Just know.. that I am happy to help .. .. his duo coloured gaze left her.. falling then to the page that was resting upon his thighs.. a single finger slowly slid down over the paragraphs there until he had found the place he was up to..- .. I know.. all about the inability to settle and sit still.. with there being so much in the world to do and experience.. but.. .. he drew a breath- .. now and then the world deals you a bad hand.. and you need to sit back .. and settle.. just until you have recovered.. now I know you are itching to go.. and get moving.. and I wont stop you.. .. he shook his head.. his gaze lifting to look to her once more- .. after the rest you just received I am content knowing that your body is working as it should be.. and will be in full working form within the matter of the week.. I just ask.. if I may.. .. he cleared his throat- .. please.. go easy.. for the next few days.. don’t go running any marathons.. don’t go climbing any mountains.. just.. relax.. enjoy your surroundings.. enjoy the finer things that life has to offer without the pressure.. just like your mind.. your body needs it’s chance to repair.. .. he nodded.. the corners of his lips twitched just a little.. a smile was trying to form there.. to flood his features though he did well to.. reign it in.. to hold it back.. when she spoke about going to that hot spring.. he had been going over the lines in the book.. his attention upon her.. but his eyes upon those pages.. by the time he looked up she had already gone.. he blinked.. his brows furrowed..- .. well that was.. a little faster than I expected.. .. he sunk back in the chair a little.. his right hand having come down to rest there upon the arm of the seat.. fingers lightly tapping against the wood and furnishing.. he was trying to decide then.. trying to make up his mind.. there was a desire there to follow her.. but for all the wrong reasons.. he wasn’t wanting to go to make sure she was ok.. though that thought would always remain in the back of his mind.. he wanted to go to see her.. to watch her.. to .. he’d snap out of it.. that hand upon the arm of the chair rose and he rubbed it against his forehead.. he was letting his mind wander.. and it frankly wasn’t healthy.. to have such a strong attraction for a young woman.. that he had only met a day and a half before.. he rolled his neck a little.. - .. Focus Jacob.. focus.. .. he blinked.. rubbing across his eyes before his attention would fall back down to those pages once more..he had managed to get through perhaps two lines before once more his imagination would take a strangle hold upon his attention.. images.. of a rather petite young woman thigh deep in that heated steamy pool.. his brows furrowed.. he shook his head- .. Hanali help me.. .. he almost whined.. the book sliding down from his lap to tumble onto the floor.. his elbows coming down to rest upon his thighs.. his head in his hands.. - .. I.. .. he uttered quietly.. his voice little more than a whisper- .. I don’t know what to do about this.. I need assistance.. I beg for assistance.. .. he lightly rubbed his lips together.. - .. I.. it’s clear.. she’s beautiful.. she has such a delicate soul.. stubborn.. and yet admirable.. Why can’t I stop thinking about her?.. Why can’t I stop the thoughts.. the dreams.. both during the day time and in the evening?.. .. his brows furrowed and he pushed himself to his feet- .. is it simply a infatuation that I will grow past?.. I.. .. he hesitated.. exhaling a long breath..- .. I don’t even know if she is available or.. if she even remotely feels the same way.. I couldn’t dare ask her.. Good heavens no.. simply.. no.. .. he shifted.. coming to rest against the opened window frame.. his arms lifting to cross about his chest..his gaze wandered out over the scene playing out before him.. the front yard.. the gardens.. the trees and long grasses..- ..This is ridiculous.. I feel.. incredibly silly.. for even entertaining the thoughts and.. for asking.. for assistance.. .. he shook his head.. his right hand lifting to reach back behind him.. to rub there against the back of his neck- .. I have no right to ask of such.. please disregard.. .. he nodded.. feeling quite selfish for asking his god for assistance in such.. well.. a trivial matter.. he would have to deal with this on his own.. he would have to either put a stop to it.. or .. well.. he wasn’t even entirely certain what the other option was yet.. but it would come to him in time.. maybe.. he’d noted that she had been gone for.. quite a length of time indeed.. one doesn’t bathe that long in hot pools.. especially in her condition

(02:28:09 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: .. he slid his hat back onto his head.. tugging it forward before he slipped out.. letting the door close behind him.. through the front yard.. weaving in and around the garden beds.. the air smelt sweet with spring.. it wasn’t cool or chilly.. it was fresh and warm.. quite inviting.. he adored the outdoors.. he loved the feeling of the sun on his skin.. the wind in his hair.. it was when he felt most at peace.. he’d move into the forest proper.. taking the small track he had taken in the day prior.. he knew where the pond was.. he’d been there once already.. and had done well to partake in it’s heated embrace.. he’d come up to that final oversized tree.. skirting around it.. before he’d be upon the sandy bank of the pool.. the steam floated up from it.. the surface was slightly milky from the minerals it contained.. he glanced around a little.. the water was far to still for there to be someone in it.. perhaps she had already.. and it would be then that he’d notice her…resting atop that large flat rock.. completely naked.. his heart seized in his chest.. his lips parted as if his jaw had become quite slack.. and his breath caught.. his lids half closed.. this just made things.. a lot harder to deal with.. he rolled his neck.. his hand rose to rub against his temples.. how could he not look at her? How exquisite was she? The way the sunlight caressed those precious golden curls of hers.. that flawless skin of hers.. her.. generous proportions..that adorable little dip in her lower back…he exhaled.. turning to glance off to the side for the moment ..should he perhaps turn and go.. before she even realises he was there.. she’d never need to know.. he certainly didn’t want to come across as some kind of perverted peeping tom.. conflicted.. he couldn’t leave her there like that.. what if someone else came across her.. someone with a lot poorer morals and ideals.. he glanced around for her clothing.. there was a few remnants of it.. the bra was there.. but the rest appeared to have been taken by an animal.. or the wind?.. just skerricks of floral fabric here.. and there.. caught in bushes and the bark of the tree.. he began to unbutton that shirt of his.. removing the vest before the short would soon follow.. his approach was as quiet as he could possibly make it.. he could tell she was breathing.. her body was indeed moving.. he came up beside the rock there.. up to his ankles in that heated water.. his hand coming down upon her shoulder- .. Rosamond.. .. he’d whisper..- .. wake up.. you can’t stay here.. it’s not.. safe to be here like this.... he would have placed that shirt about her shoulders-

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *So then, he was passing up on the property? She couldn’t really believe it, the way he was talking about it was much the same she had loved it too, and then to give it over so easily? Was it because she had wanted it too, or was it really because of the distance between the cottage and the city proper? Was it only because of his work that he was thinking of giving over this little slice of heaven? Or did he realize that she needed something like this, that she needed to be away from all the drama and rumors, to be alone until she chose to face the world again? She worried her bottom lip a shade, just nibbling in the inside of it as he spoke before she returned.*”It’s really a beautiful place… I rather fell in love with it when I walked up that little stone path to the door and saw all the flowers growing there, all the colors were just the most beautiful thing I ever saw really… In a few more weeks the humming birds will be out and I can just imagine the flashes of crimson and ruby as they flit about like the bees and butterflies. The gardens are an added bonus for me though, I won’t have to worry about setting out the plots and treating the earth before planting. So you’re right… I really do want this place. I…. Still stand by my offer… Perhaps on the days you aren’t working you can come stay? It’s really a large cabin and it would be a waste for the rooms to be unused. Besides, as my Doctor it’s quite within the bounds of propriety so you won’t have to worry about any of the gossips getting on about you… And I really am a good cook.” *She was too, and she adored cooking and baking, making breads and everything else. Before the accidents, one could find her more often than not in the kitchen, surrounded by kids who were stuffing their faces with a fresh hot meal while she waiting for the cookies to finish in the oven. If it was too early or too late for the children to be there, she was more often than not singing in there as she got the dough ready for the next days bread, singing to herself for the sheer pleasure of it. For someone who had been made for sex and carnal pleasure in just about every form, she certainly enjoyed being a home body. She had enjoyed work too, if one separated the drama and divas from it, she enjoyed interacting with the clients who came. She was easily accommodating to both areas of life, but it was clear which one she preferred. She was a bit surprised though, he thought he wasn’t spoiling her? How wasn’t he? Had he not carried her when she couldn’t stand on her own? Hadn’t he bandaged her gently, treating her as if she might break while he stopped her bleeding? She knew he had used his own magic to fuse her broken leg, sparing her the agony of the other doctors desire to simply cut it off. He had saved her, life and limb, and he thought he hadn’t been spoiling her? Maybe he didn’t see, didn’t realize everything he was doing for her, or how she knew it was more than he would be doing for someone else. She’d never been spoiled like this, never had so much tenderness shown on her in such a small time and she truly was feeling quite special, quite spoiled for it. She was listening to him though, and she knew he was right. She had admitted as much to herself really, and she knew she was going to need to force herself to take that time too. She was so used to nothing ever bring wrong with her, of everything sorting itself out without her having to do anything, just watching her body heal despite the abuse. Things were so different now that she was struggling to adjust to the fact that, though she could repair, it wasn’t nearly the way it used to be. She had to adjust….to a whole lot of changed in her life right now really… and it might take her longer than she would be willing to admit. She looked over at him before she headed out that door, a small smile on her face as she watched those corners of his lips twich.*”Jacob… you know… You give me a lot of sound advice, and you look out for me as though I were a wee kitten, and in a lot of ways I am right now. I won’t pretend to be strong anymore, not for a while anyways, and just like a kitten I really am defenseless. You have no idea how much strength you give me, or the peace that comes with it… But… Don’t be afraid to smile… You’re beautiful… Absolutely beautiful inside and out, and I am sure that smile of yours will be even more so… I’d like to see it some day…”*With that she was out the door whip fast, not wanting to see his face, or have him see hers. She knew she was pushing that wall inside her head, moving the line a bit as it were, despite the fact she had told herself they needed to be there with good reason. She couldn’t help herself though, if she didn’t say something it was going to pop right out of her mouth like a bubble and she wouldn’t be able to pick the time or place when it came forth. She had said the truth though, he really was beautiful inside and out, she hadn’t ever thought she would meet anyone who was so wonderful like he was. She needed to drag herself out of that situation though, to pull away from those walls before she pushed them out another inch in her mind. She was unable to help it though, and she was trying so very hard to do it too. Broken circuits might be to blame, after all she knew she was damaged there, parts of her system were definitely misfiring but the extent of it she could say for sure at this point in time. When her body healed she would take the time to take a look at her parts that were less than human, but for now she had her heart set on that hot spring. If Jacob really was backing out, this place was hers in a heart beat, she simply had to set up the papers and transfer the funds to the owners before she would have it for her own. Honestly it was all too perfect, like nature and man had gathered together to make this little place just for her. That dip in the spring had done her a world of good though, she had lounged about in it, swimming for a bit and removing all the old skin, the useless patches and revealing all that creamy skin beneath. She had even floated on her back a bit, looking up at the first clear blue sky she had seen in months really. It was that deep blue too, almost a sapphire without a single cloud to mar it, the sun hanging fat and happy there in that lovely arch. She could hear the bees in the flowers around her, the scurry of a rabbit through the bush, and she had even seen a herd of deer off in the woods led by a great stag there. Truly, this was heaven.*

(06:57:10 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She had fallen asleep longer than she had intended, but the sun was so warm on her skin, her muscles relaxed from the springs that she couldn’t have woken up in fifteen minutes if her life depended on it. She was quite deep asleep in truth, her hair slowly drying on her skin before breaking out into those big curls as they were released from the weight of the water. Her skin did so well in that sunlight too, growing a soft pink around her shoulders and other delicate swells but she didn’t burn, rather she seemed to be dusted with a pale honey coloring. She could have slept there for several hours at least, so long as the sun was warm and the gentle breeze of the wind against her hair and skin. She had slept through the destruction of her clothes there, completely unaware of the fact that she would only have bits of fabric left. She would have been quite distressed at that, knowing that except for the other dresses at the hospital, she didn’t have a stich. The fact that she had nothing here what so ever didn’t help the matters what so ever either. Still, she was unaware, sleeping like an angel on that rock while the world settled around her, framing her delicate beauty. She had heard her name then, softly spoken in combination with a hand on her shoulder. She was blissfully warm against his hand, a sign she had been napping there for quite a bit indeed. She didn’t open her eyes, she simply burrowed in deeper, thinking it was a dream as she whispered back to him.*”No… you come lay down with me… the sun’s amazing today… The fit will be a bit tight but you’ll manage… And for gods take you’re wearing too many clothes again…”*Oh she was indeed dreaming and once more, his voice had brought him into that little world inside her head where she indulged in little harmless fantasies that tortured no one but her. She sighed softly, stretching out, each one of those long, lovely shaped limbs stretched out as she moved over on her rock, indeed giving him enough space to lay down before she would once more place her head on her arms, still dread asleep. The unruly little kitten refusing to wake up from her nap, no matter the petting or prodding from the owner. She had no idea that he was really there, or that he was once more privy to her naked body… At least this time she was at her best once more, without a scar to be seen, free from any blood or damage. There was just the faintest bruises now, soft grey marks against her skin that would be gone by tomorrow. She smiled in her sleep, a soft little thing really, the tilting up of the corners.*”You’re beautiful Jacob…. Why don’t you smile?.... Don’t you see the power you could wield…with something as beautiful as that?....”*She continued on sleeping…dreaming…at least for a few more minutes before her mind pulled her up out of that soft golden world inside her head. Perhaps her mind was trying to keep her from saying anything else, to spare them both? Either way, after several more moments she would wake up, blinking her eyes sleepily up at him. She saw him after a few more blinks, clearing her vision… in nothing but that vest…. Her breath stopped in her chest as she was slapped with the sight of him. Oh…. My… God… WHY?! She was trying SO hard to be good, fighting it all, keeping those lines clear…. But he was so beautiful inside and out he made it hard…so hard… And then to see him in nothing but that vest, that beautiful body on his display and for the first time, she could clearly see each of those beautiful tattoos, the way they ran down his arms… She whimpered softly, shutting her eyes against it, fighting the pull. It was then she would feel his shirt on her skin, seeing it as the reason for his gloriously displayed arms. Well FUCK. She had overslept and he had come to look for her. Once more he found her naked, and he was being kind all over again, covering her up at the cost of displaying himself… She’d have rather he kept his shirt on! Why did he do that anyways, her dress wasn’t even three feet away. She turned away from him, looking and….not finding her dress… anywhere… Rather, just shreds of it. She groaned and pressed her hand to her face, cheeks flaming as she sat up, giving him a view of more bits than she ever intended to. It was innocently naked really, he could see the entire valey of her breasts and stomach, half of her breasts covered, just barely hiding those dusky pink nipples, threatening to pop out if she moved too much.*”What in ALL that is holy happened to my dress?! I swear I left it on that bush, how in the word did it end up spread from here to hades? Oh my god, Jacob I am SO sorry! I swear I left it up too high for any critters to get it, on my honor I did… Oh my gosh this is just my luck, I swear I’m cursed…” *She groaned and just laid back down on that rock, burring her head in her arms, hiding her face from him. Yep, she was cursed… Cursed to the nines in fact.*

(07:28:23 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: ..his hand had softly graced the round of her bare shoulder.. giving it a light nudge.. his words were whispered.. close to her right ear.. not wishing to startle her..though he’d blink when she began to speak..inviting him to come lay down with her.. and that he was wearing far to many clothes again.. a slight confused frown crossed his features as he glanced down over himself.. that didn’t seem to make a whole lot of sense.. before realisation would strike.. she was still asleep.. were it possible he was playing upon her thoughts as much as she did upon his?.. nonsense.. he would berate himself.. she hadn’t even mentioned a name.. it could have been anyone.. perhaps a partner.. a boyfriend.. a fiancé.. a husband.. the lack of a ring meant little.. considering how badly assaulted she was..though when she did called out to him again.. using his name.. telling him he was beautiful and that he should smile.. well you could have knocked him down with a feather.. his cheeks rook on that soft rose hue.. he glanced back over his shoulder.. to try and will away that slightly bashful glance.. that glimmer that was within those duo coloured eyes.. he would have then drawn his hand away from her shoulder.. watching as she was slowly coming to.. being roused from her afternoon slumber.. oh the look of shock and horror on her face..he blinked.. holding his hands out to her.. palms upward- .. It’s alright.. It’s ok.. calm down.. .. his brows furrowed somewhat.. he went to draw breath to.. say .. well.. something.. anything.. he didn’t want her to run.. the last thing he wanted to do was embarrass her.. or make her feel terribly uncomfortable.. however when she moved to sit up.. such an innocent little gesture.. he was then privy to a lot more of that body.. from an appraising sense.. he wasn’t in Doctor mode.. he wasn’t viewing her as a clinical entity.. he wasn’t there to save her life.. to make sure her bleeding stopped.. he was there.. as Jacob.. the young elven male.. who had a clear attraction to the very.. Very beautiful creature seated just inches across from him.. and here she was.. completely naked.. those tear drop shaped breasts were perfect.. they way they complimented her shape.. her figure.. she was quite petite.. but everything about her just made his heart sieze.. his breath catch.. and he went to take a step backward.. forgetting just where he was.. ankle deep in that heated water.. standing upon a slight ledge.. and he’d topple backwards.. losing his footing quite rapidly as he landed down into the milky hot depths.. it wasn’t terribly deep.. he’d shift around a little till he forced himself into a standing position.. the water licking against his stomach.. his hips.. his hands rose.. he wiped across his eyes with the tips of his fingers.. before slicking them back through his now saturated hair.. he coughed.. spluttered a little- .. well.. that was.. mildly unpleasant.. .. he coughed again.. the droplets of water just trickled down over his chest.. down those well coloured arms of his.. those designs.. all of it.. he just glistened in that sunlight..- .. I don’t know what happened to your dress.. it was like that when I got here.. I sware it.. .. he blinked.. his words were starting to run into one another and he hadn’t taken a breath in some time.. he appeared slightly nervous.. - .. Ill turn around.. of course.. .. and he did.. he turned away from her.. revealing the broadness of those shoulders.. the muscles that lined his back.. the intricate designs that crossed his shoulder blades and went up the back of his neck.. - .. I can wait here.. until you get back to the house if it will make you more comfortable.. I.. .. he hesitated- .. I wasn’t.. I didn’t.. .. his hands rose and he rubbed at his forehead- .. I didn’t come here for anything other than to check on you.. to make sure you were ok.. I sware

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She had been entirely surprised, not expecting him to come looking for her. She had not realized how much time had passed between her swim and her intended cat nap, thinking only of how good the sun felt on her skin, how warm and relaxed she was as she drifted off. Naturally he would have come to look for her, she was still unwell, and she had told him she wouldn’t be gone long at all. He had probably thought she had passed out from the heat or something else that was just as unfavorable that could have happened. She hadn’t really thought about him coming to find her, if she had she probably would have at least worn her underwear and bra. Something to keep from being in nothing more than her birthday suit at least, some measure of at least proper clothing, even if it was something as scanty as her underpinnings alone. Ah well, there was nothing she could do about it right now, and in truth she hadn’t honestly meant to oversleep. She hadn’t thought about any of it, and that was probably why she was in such a catatonic dream state when he found her, open but closed all at once. She had no idea she talked in her sleep after all, and what’s worse was that her responses were perfectly cognitive as well, not bits and pieces of confused garble. It was as if she were speaking things he was holding inside, being true to what she was feeling and thinking deep down where she was trying to keep it bottled up. She knew she wasn’t free to give herself, and she was ashamed of how she was feeling, and how much of it was there. She wanted to blame everything that had happened for the reason she was so torn, that she wasn’t in full possession of her emotions or her mind, that she was still unbalanced. That wasn’t the case though, and though her hormones were still running rampant, they weren’t the sole cause for her feelings. It didn’t help that she was feeling all of this so soon, so quickly, and with such ferocity. Was she such a bad person that she would fall for anyone who showed her attention? No, she knew that wasn’t the case, she had had several men proposition her, declaring they loved her, wanted to marry her. She’d had several just the first month working at the Nightingale and she had never had an issue turning them down, albeit politely without injuring feelings. If she was what she was afraid of, that she was fickle, she would have taken up one of those handsome men’s proposals and been married clean off, set up in a house somewhere with the adoration a husband has when smitten with his wife. No, she wasn’t fickle to a pretty face, it wasn’t something as easy as that at all. She perhaps had a bit of hero worship for Jacob, seeing him as a knight in shining armor when he had saved her, whisked her away out of that house with its blood and memories. It was more than that too though, she was genuinely attracted to him and it went beyond skin deep. He was an amazing person, a bit shy at times, but so kind and such a princely figure that she often found herself feeling like quite the little princess. It was too easy with him to forget the world that waited outside for her, out of the little bubble he had made for her, protecting her from the reality of it all. Would she dare ask what was on her mind? She knew all too soon the reality of the world would come crashing down on her, shattering this fairy tale like a delicate snow globe, shattering in a thousand sparks of glitter and joy. Would he be willing to follow along though, in her desire to live in that world for just a little longer? She would treasure it if he did, store it up like drops of sunshine to use on days when her life was dark and she didn’t think she could face it alone. There was only one way to find out, and perhaps it would do them both good… Fate was a strange thing after all, and it worked in very mysterious ways. She watched his put his palms up, a flash of confusion across her own face at the motion. She wasn’t…uncalm… He hadn’t scared her… Well, no that wasn’t quite right. She was afraid of what he brought out in her, what he made her feel… But it had nothing to do with the moment. She was just…completely floored by what she saw, and how hard it was for her not to stare, not to feel everything she was feeling explode inside her chest, inside her mind. Why did he have to make it so easy, yet so hard all at the same time? She sat up, trying to figure out just what to do, how to get dressed when she saw just shreds of her dress left, not even a pair of knickers for her modesty left. She was apologizing profusely, knowing that the situation was equally embarrassing for both parties, but perhaps for different reasons. She had no idea that he fantasied about her as much as she did him, the fact they were both rather quite enchanted with each other, and both fighting it as hard as they were able. She caught him moving to take a step back, watched him start to topple.*”Jacob!”*She reached out her hand to him but it was too late, he had fallen ass into that hot spring. It was deep for her because of her size, but for him at his current location, it came up at hip level…. And that was exactly where her eyes were looking right now. She wanted to look away, to break the hypnotic siren call of his body, the way those drops of water clung to his skin… How stupid she felt to envy that water? To wish she could switch spots with it for just a moment, to be there against him and not make him uncomfortable at her presence. Her eyes roved over his entire body, every slick, wet drop of it that was on display for her gaze, caressing him with those jade colored eyes of hers. She wanted him…there was no denying it…. The way her body was tense, the hunger in her eyes, the passion that tinted her cheeks and caught her breath. She couldn’t bring herself to speak, though she did try to best to not be so…obvious about looking at him. When he turned around she caught those broad shoulders, the tattoos that came up along it to tip up into his neck area. Surely… Surely there was a God to create something as magnificent as this… And a devil too, to torment her with it. She stood, sliding her feet off that rock, slipping silently into the water while his back was turned. Just a few minutes, please God, just a few… Let her have this before sending her to hell, just a few more moments… She came up behind him, just a bare few inches away before she would reach out to him. Her hands would slide along his ribs, feather light caresses along his flesh before they would join together, to cross about his waist. She was pressed flush against his back at this point, pressing her cheek into that wonderful, sun warmed skin of his. His scent hit her so hard, mixed with the steam and the clean, warm air that carried with it the scent of the woods and flowers.*

(08:35:07 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She would release him if he moved, but if not, she would remain pressed up against him, taking in his warmth, his smell, the strength he carried so easily, so gracefully… She sighed softly, her breath a warm caress along his flesh, her lips… Did she press a kiss to his back? Or was he imagining it? Either way, her voice was sweet sounding, low, an intimate whisper as if shared with a lover.*”I know you didn’t do anything to my clothes… You’re far too much a gentleman to have ever done something like that, knowing it was all I had… I’m sorry for making you worry, to have to come out here and wake me up…. I hadn’t realized I would be sleeping so soundly, or that time would pass me up so much that I worried you… I didn’t mean to cause you any discomfort, especially when I didn’t have a stich on for modesty’s sake…”*Her fingers would curl in against his abs, her nails lightly scratching along that smooth skin of his, teasing along the rippling muscles there. She bit back a sob, her arms tightening just a bit about him as she held onto him… Just a few more moments…. Just another minute…*”I’m sorry Jacob… I can’t help myself right now… I know it’s wrong… but I can’t see you and not want to do this… I know it’s wrong, I do… I have no right to touch you like this, but I want to… I want to steal away just a few more second like this… If I could, I would steal away the whole week we have like this, just like this as I pretend the world doesn’t exist outside the bubble you’ve put around me with your protection… Just a week of heaven, where I can here inside and out, put the pieces of my broken heart back together so I don’t have to face the world so shattered… I’m not a shallow, flighty girl Jacob… I don’t give my attentions so easily… But I want to stay here…Please… Just a few more minutes… I promise I won’t make you awkward for a moment longer after, I’ll respect your privacy and your distance… I won’t ever mention this again, I’ll act as though it never happened and you won’t have to worry about me being clingy or strange… Just let me hold you…let you hold me… just a moment…”

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: ..he had risen out of that water.. stumbling a step or two.. the base of the hot spring was quite slippering indeed and the rocks were slick under his boots.. his slacks hung low upon his hips now that they had the added weight of water.. he had turned away from her.. his head dipped forward he was giving her that out .. a way to get up off that rock.. to use his shirt and to head back to the house.. to cover herself.. he didn’t want her to feel uncomfortable.. he didn’t want her to feel embarrassed around him.. inside he was again berating himself for deciding to even follow her.. he should have just stayed back at the house and studied.. he could have put his head down and forced himself to focus.. he could have shut out the rest of the world and learned a new chapter of that medical journal..but no.. he was worried.. he was concerned especially with her being gone for as long as she had been.. he had to make sure she was ok.. the last thing he would have liked is if she had fallen.. or collapsed in the water.. he would have never.. ever forgiven himself if something had happened to her.. so there he was.. within the grasp of that heated water.. waiting the sounds of her movement.. those sharply pointed ears of his drank in the sound around the pair.. everything from the wind whistling through the trees.. to the long grasses moving.. the birds in the distance.. everything.. his brow rose just a little though when he heard the water shift.. he heard what he thought to be her slipping back into that pond- .. Rosamund?.... he’d question.. going to turn his head to the side though thinking better of it immediately after.. he would remain still.. facing the opposite direction.. perhaps she had kicked a few loose stones into the pond.. and those along were causing the ripples.. the movement and the sound.. but no.. it was her and he figured that pretty quickly when she came up behind him.. his body as a whole stiffened considerably in response to her touch.. to those soft wandering hands of hers snaking around his frame.. his heart once again seized so tightly there in his chest.. almost hurting.. that ache was quite substantial indeed.. her touch across his robs.. down his chest to settle there against the flat planes of his stomach.. a shattered breath would sound when she pulled in that little bit closer.. till she was flush.. pressed to his back.. her cheek there.. he could feel her breathing.. cooling against his damp flesh..he didn’t pull away.. he didn’t move from that position.. so she would have no need to release him.. slowly his hands would lift.. his arms drawing away from his sides.. his fingers would come down to rest there upon her own.. curling inward just enough to grasp.. to hold.. he was certain he felt that kiss.. those lips pressing to his back.. though his imagination was running pretty wild at this point.. was he dreaming this perhaps?.. had he actually not left the house?.. - . no.. .. he whispered in response to her worrying she made him uncomfortable..- .. you have no need to apologise.. please.. don’t.. .. his words mirrored her own.. soft.. barely a whisper.. he couldn’t hold back the breathy moan that surfaced when those nails scratched against his skin.. the fingers upon the hand over hers curled in that little bit tighter.. as if he were holding on for dear life.. when she began to apologise again.. telling him she couldn’t help herself.. that she knew it was wrong.. that she desired to hold him.. for just a moment he’d slowly turn in her hold.. guiding her hands away from his chest.. till he was facing her.. his gaze remained there upon her features.. those duo coloured orbs wandered over her face.. till they locked onto those emerald orbs.. his hands had since risen.. sliding fingers along her jawline till his palms were cradling her cheeks.. - .. don’t apologise.. .. he’d whisper.. his chin would lift a little.. his lips would then collide with her forehead.. just a flutter of a kiss.. barely there.. barely felt.. - .. I have wanted… .. he whispered against her skin.. though the sentence would fall short.. he was unable to finish it.. though if she were smart she would have been easily able to pick up on what he was trying to say.. before if he was able.. if she would indulge him.. he’d move in for that kiss.. his goal to claim those soft.. plump lips of hers the ones he had had his eyes on for.. well.. quite some time.. it took all his power to not kiss her in that hospital.. but now.. he was as weak as a kitten.. and he couldn’t fight it any longer.. -

[BadInfluence]

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She was half hoping he would move away from her… To slip out of her light embrace, to gently pull her fingers away from his skin where they lightly traced the patterns of his abs. She couldn’t hold back anymore, even with all the guilt, all the pain of what it would bring, she hadn’t been able to stop herself. She had just wanted to hold him, to feel him against her skin, that warm strength that was gentle and protective. He gave her so much without knowing it, showed her how kindness could be in a way she had never seen before, never knew she was missing. He drew all of it out of her, all the pain of yesterday, that poison that had flooded her heart and mind for more years than she would admit to. She had come to this land a broken thing already, her head on the chopping block, moments before her execution as it were. She had no idea how to live in this world, what was expected of her technological self in this ancient world. When Ace had taken her attention he was different from anyone she had known before, cocky, arrogant, slick… Yet there was somewhere, deep down inside of him that she had thought held tenderness, something he hid from the world. He had fascinated her, the way he drug out the passions in her, made her feel on fire with the way he tormented and teased her. He had seduced her and she had gone along with him willingly, abandoning much in order to learn him and all he might have to offer. From the start it had been cursed, if not one thing than another would happen, pain and pain and pain. It wasn’t her fault what had happened, nor was it Aces, it was simply that life with them together had been a constant round of battles and fights. Ace had clammed up so often she felt as though she would get whiplash sometimes, and then when she had gotten pregnant, it had all crumbled. He had pulled away from her, and she had pulled away from him, having seen how he felt about children when he had thought he had gotten one of his lovers with child. She had been terrified and alone, and it had nearly undone her to be under that constant stress day in and day out, all while struggling to maintain her work life and the hell there as well. She had thought she and Ace had hit a turning point a day or two before she had the grand show at the Nightingale. They were starting to get in close, trying to become a unit, a couple. She had still held onto the hope that they could make it work, that they would be able to make a life together… Then he had proposed and though he hadn’t said he loved her, she knew it was a step in the right direction, a chance to try and make it work. Then all hell had broken lose… And he wasn’t there… Even on that night, he couldn’t be there for her, couldn’t be selfless and just hold her through that one special night. Ace had brought out all her passions…. He was all fire, reckless, courageous, proud… And he had burned her so badly that she wasn’t even sure she wanted to go near those flames again. Right now, she wasn’t ready to face it, wasn’t even sure what she wanted to do in that regard of her life. After all… the children were gone, he had no reason to stick around anymore, and she refused to be another Sydel to him. She wouldn’t be a cross for him to carry, another weight to his shoulders, another burden to bear. That was what made Jacob so attractive to her in a way… He was simple and honest, sweet and kind to her, he talked to her and listened to her as well. They had only been together just shy of two days, yet they clicked in a way that she and Ace never had… There was a fundamental compassion between the both of them, a genuine tenderness that went beyond the doctor patient relationship, down to something inside the both of them that defied any real explanation between them. She wanted him in a way that wasn’t sexual exactly though that was definitely there, she wanted him for who he was, for that kindness she saw in his eyes whenever she looked into them. Ace’s were always stormy and fierce, that grey that dared the world to disagree with him… Jacobs were a beautifully mismatched green and blue, like heaven and earth all rolled into one. She found them utterly beautiful, enchanting, something to be seen for the wonder they were and not a flaw…. Everything about him drew her in like a gentle light, encompassing her in that warmth, a soft golden glow that made her feel at home. Was it any wonder she wanted to be close to him? Even now, her arms sliding around his torso, pulling herself against him with her cheek against his back… She knew she had no right to do it… She knew that unless Jacob was stronger than Ace, she would hurt him too… She was bad for anyone she was around, she was starting to see this as a pattern in her life here, and she couldn’t ever bring herself to hurt him… But no more could she fight the urge to hold onto him, just like this, letting herself rest on his strength. He cared for her so much, and even if it was just as a patient, she was greedy enough to take everything he gave in that way. She knew that she was probably going to embarrass him, the way she was blatantly disregarding his stance as her doctor… Still, even knowing that she wasn’t going to stop this, she wasn’t going to keep herself from holding him like this. It was all she could allow herself to do, the only way she could have what she wanted without hurting anyone… She felt him stiffen when she embraced him, she almost pulled away, not wishing to cause him any stress or discomfort. She had been about to pull back, to run, to flee before he saw her face, saw all the emotions there… But that thought had skipped right out the window in a matter of a heart beat when his hands had come down to rest atop her own, such a delicate thing really, his way of telling her to stay perhaps? He hadn’t pulled her hands away after all, hadn’t asked her in his kind, sweet way to disengage from him… No…he was holding her hands there… She had pressed that soft, delicate kiss against his spine, that back which he had used to carry her when she couldn’t carry herself… Just a few more second and she would move, she promised herself she would… If she stayed much longer those lines in the sand inside her head would all be washed away and she would be far too open, too receptive of things she had no right to have, to indulge in. She was apologizing for making him come out, she knew he had to have been worried about her and she had been the one to cause it. His words here so much like hers… soft…delicate…whispered little things like a magic incantation of the moment. He was telling her not to apologize for it, once more being that sweet gentleman she was coming to regard with a great deal of compassion and respect.

(21:17:53 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: When she lightly traced the outline of one of his abs, learning the shape of it beneath her fingers, knowing the strength held there…She was enraptured with the smoothness of his skin, that such softness covered such lean, hard muscles… Touching him was more of a reward than she had ever thought to have, but when he moaned at such a delicate, innocent touch it nearly undid her. She felt herself blush hotly, her cheek pressed against that broad, wonderful back turning that delicate shade of pink she was known for… Dare she admit what that moan did to her? The way it made her hear her own heartbeat inside her head, stole her breath, made her knees weak… It was gentle…it was soft… delicate… This was not a burning fire of lust, but something warmer, kinder, a stirring that made her crave more of that sweet fluttering inside. She felt his fingers tighten around her own, her hands disappearing inside his, curling against his skin as he held her. Oh please God…. Just a few more seconds… Just let her have this for a few more seconds, then give her the strength she would need to run, to escape before things got to a point she couldn’t take back. She savored every second of this guilty pleasure, storing it up inside her head where she would hold into it, keep it safe and untainted by her life in darker days. She wasn’t expecting him to turn around though, she had thought she would be able to remain still as she was, to endure this little slice of tormented heaven without fear of seeing his beautiful face, those stunning eyes… No… She wasn’t allowed that, she wasn’t going to be given an easy road, a chance to back out gracefully… He had lowered her hands, pulling them away as he turned, releasing them as she pulled them in against her chest, pulling that shirt closed a bit tighter over her chest. That fabric was soaking wet by now, clinging to her like a second skin, showing more than it hid and she was trying to spare him any discomfort she could. She thought he was going to tell her it was quite enough now, that it was time to go back to the house, that she needed to rest and eat something for her to finish healing… Oh all the Saints in heaven, she couldn’t have been more wrong. She had asked for a few moments, just to hold him, to indulge in an innocent embrace that wouldn’t hurt either of them…. What she got was so much more… She looked up at him, confusion dancing in those green eyes along with lust, fear, hope… Her soul was on display there, all its tenderness and strength, the fear that haunted her but the courage to keep dreaming too… She was drawn into those mismatched eyes, to her more beautiful than others because of their color, the way they were so rare, so unique… She was surprised when his hands came up to cradle her face, to feel the delicateness of her jawline and the sweet lines of her face… She was blushing all over again, that pink making her eyes spark all the more brightly for it, almost glowing as she looked up at him, hearing his words, telling her not to be sorry for it. Oh please…please stop, she was begging him not to do this in her mind, not to make it so easy to do something so bad… he had no idea how much pain she was in right now, how much she hated herself for this… She had tried so very hard to keep it all clean and simple, the lines drawn in her mind, her boundaries to be respected… But he was like a clean spring rain, washing away those lines while leaving her feeling healed for it… She wanted to cry when his lips pressed so softly against her forehead, that feather light kiss of his lips against her skin, just that gentle brush of warmth… his words after though… He undid her… She had been clinging to that little sliver of restraint, that thin thread of self possession, of strength… She didn’t want to hurt him… She didn’t want to involve him in the mess that was her life, the hell it would be once this little week was over, the nightmare she would have to face alone… But those words… He had wanted her… Oh God… Oh sweet God and All the Saints and Angels… He should have been here earlier… He should have come first, the pain she would have been spared, the joy she might have known… She was trembling there in that water, her bottom lip shaking ever so softly, tears welling in her eyes, threatening to spill over. When he moved in to kiss her that thread just snapped… She was going to hell anyways, she might as well go in grand style as it were… The world outside of this moment was cruel and harsh, it had shown her no love nor compassion, not a drop of kindness… Here… With him… It was as if he were a shield, he protected her from it all, made it all just…vanish… A week… Please God… Just give her this week…. Her silent prayer over and over again, begging him for his mercy, his compassion, a little love to a person who’s been broken too much, too often. Just a week here, like this, and she would face what ever happened, whatever repercussions… Even if she lost Jacob from all this, she wouldn’t regret this kiss… or the week they had together, stolen as it was. Her voice was a mare whisper against his lips before he kissed her, stealing her lips and her willpower along with it.*”Me too….”*She sighed softly, sweetly, falling under the magic that was Jacob… The kiss was tender and sweet, delicate at first… She would let him set it all, decide just how far he wanted to go, how he wanted the kiss to unfold… She would follow his lead, let him set the pace of their first kiss.*

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: ..his right hand remained there upon the delicate curve of her jaw.. the heat could be felt rising from the softness of her cheek..his fear wasn’t realised when she didn’t pull away.. it would be there in the back of his mind that.. should he go in for that kiss.. should he take that leaping jump that she’d shoot him down and he’d just crumble.. quite unsure if he’d be able to take that kind of rejection.. but such thoughts were fleeting when she responded.. when that kiss only furthered on.. his lips had claimed hers.. soft.. tender.. there was no lust filled desire there.. there was no force.. or hardened need, he wasn’t practically eating her face off.. it was something else entirely.. it was perhaps a little humble.. a lot more caring..delicate.. and even a little bashful if it could be said .. his head tilted a little to the side.. the tip of his soft slick tongue slid across her lower lip.. willing access into that heated mouth of hers.. to explore its sweet tasting depths.. a murmur would sound.. his breath would audibly catch.. that left hand slid back through her hair.. tangling itself within those golden locks of hers.. fingers curling inward to hold.. not tug or grip.. just cradle.. this is where the differences laid between him and Ace.. where Ace would be all over her like a rash by this stage.. he.. was a lot calmer.. much preferring to enjoy every experience.. wether it large or small.. and this kiss was no different.. he wanted to draw from it everything he could.. from her scent.. her taste.. her bodies proximity.. any sounds she made.. his own senses were alert.. he could hear his heart beating so loudly within his clouded mind.. his right hand there against her jaw soon fell away.. landing down in the heated depths.. before it would rise a little.. sliding just beneath that thin soaked layer of cotton.. to press against the delicate dip of her lower back.. to stroke.. so caress.. just light barely there touches.. small circular designs made with the tips of his fingers… once granted access to her mouth that kiss would deepen just a little.. his tongue mingling along side hers.. dancing.. tasting.. before inevitably.. it would break.. his lips though remaining close would part from hers.. his breath.. a little shakey would brush across her chin.. - .. oh wow.. .. he’d whisper almost breathless.. his lids remaining closed.. he’d lightly nudge the tip of her nose with his own.. a small.. subtle sign of affection.. before his lips would brush just barely across hers once more.. he’d release the hold he had in her hair.. terribly slowly.. before he would slide her hair back over her shoulder.. his fingers coming back to trace the swan like curves of her neck.. her throat.. before he’d lean in.. his lips colliding with the sweet spot where her neck met her shoulder.. just a single elegant kiss.. before his breath would blow across it.. causing the heated skin to chill.. just a touch- .. I.... he’d whisper.. there was a smile playing about his lips.. you could hear it in his voice.. in his words as he spoke.. and try as he might he wasn’t able to fight it.. he wasn’t able to hide it.. it was bright and really quite adorable the way it had settled.. causing his cheeks to dimply just a touch..- .. I shouldn’t be.. .. he exhaled.. those blue and green eyes searched hers.. - .. I.. can’t help myself.. Forgive me.. ..he’d utter.. as if he were berating himself within.. though he would lean in once more.. to capture those sweet lips of hers.. to draw her in for yet another little kiss.. if of course she would allow it.. -

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
: *Soft… so soft… They were both taking a step towards each other, hesitant and shy, neither one quite sure where the path would go… Oh but it was tender and sweet… A delicate unfolding of gentle stirrings, decadent little tugs on the strings of emotions, the light notes of a music box… Oh she had never thought that something could be so succulent, so fragile and yet powerful, sweeping away any thoughts that this could ever be wrong… His lips were so gentle against hers, there was no force, no mastery…. There was equality there, a compassionate nature, the desire to be met because of mutual desire… And oh, she desired him… She had never felt anything so wonderfully soft, or so delicate… She leaned up into him, her hands sliding up his ribs to rest against his heart, to feel the solidity of his body as he swept her off her feet with that kiss. When he tilted his head, she felt that hot velvet tongue slide along her lower lip, begging entrance. She opened for him, a bit shyly but without hesitation, unfurling for him like the flowers around them. She always tasted like spring, fresh granny smith apples and honey, a bit of cinnamon and vanilla with mint. Oh my…. She had never thought a kiss could be anything like this at all… She knew he had a delicate nature, that he would be sweet with her, tender and soft…. It showed through in that kiss but rather than it seem bland in comparison to the ones she had had, this one rather rose above it… She wasn’t consumed by fire, rather she was lifted up on high by gentle wings he set fluttering somewhere inside her. His hand in her hair was a little bit of heaven, that cradling of her head as if she would break if he held her too tightly… Oh she was melting, simply melting against him as her tongue slipped out to meet his, to join alongside, to dance and stroke against it. She couldn’t help the little moans, the soft sighs his kiss wrung from her, the way she arched up into him, on the balls of her feet as she moved in, flush against his body. His hand at the small of her back felt wonderful, I teased her, made her aware of her whole body rather than just her lips, the places where her body pressed close into him. Oh she couldn’t help her melting against him, he was so sweet, so gentle with her she couldn’t resist. She leaned in closer to him, her arms moving up to wrap about his neck, her lips parted so softly.*”I never knew…” She hadn’t wanted to end the kiss, she wanted more, so much more, but that little action, there at the end… That little bump to her nose… Her heart did the oddest little turn over there, a fluttering, much like a butterfly. Oh no….he was so sweet… so terribly sweet…. Did he have to be so wonderful? Her lips met his at that delicate after kiss, a ghost, a soft reminder… He pulled her hair over her shoulder, those curls caressing his fingers, as reluctant to let go of those soft digits as she was. She wasn’t sure what he was doing, like him her eyes were closed in a sweet little bliss, floating somewhere with the angels and refusing to come down just yet. That kiss had been unexpected though, the way he pressed his lips to that delicate joining of her neck to her shoulder, it shocked her… She had been trying to keep her body on somewhat good behavior, but there was no denying the hard little buds of flesh pressed into his chest, a sign that he was indeed effecting her quite strongly indeed. She couldn’t have choked down that moan of hers, sweet and soft as it was, more whimper than anything else. Her fingers slid up into his hair at that, nails lightly scraping along his scalp, to tease and play with the hollow at the base of his skull. Her eyes fluttered open when he started to speak, and what she saw when she did… stole her heart. That smile was more beautiful than she had thought it could have ever been… The sweetness there, that glow as if it were lit from within, the dimples flashing in his cheeks… Women would fall in love with that smile alone, she knew it… No wonder he kept it under wraps, it would be such a heart breaker.*”You’re beautiful Jacob…”*Oh she would do anything to make him smile like that again… it was quite possibly the most beautiful thing she had ever seen before in her life. When he started to ask her to forgive him, that he shouldn’t be, she thought he was daft… Utterly daft… She would take the blame for all of this, and carry the punishment gleefully, much as the cat does when they get into the cream. She shook her head, leaning up into him once more, her eyes catching his, holding them… Surely if be bothered to look he would see that she was happy…blissfully so really, and quite content and more than a little aroused.*”Never Jacob… I will never forgive you… You did nothing wrong…just right…”*Oh she would gladly, gleefully go in for that second kiss, as the first it started out delicately, sweetly, tender… She sighed against his lips once more before she would break that kiss… He should be warned… She wasn’t….sure of his experience… She doubted he was a virgin, not with his looks…not with the way he held her surely… but that didn’t mean he was the skilled seducer either. She held him close, their bodies flush, pressed into one another as she looked up into that handsome face.*”Jacob… if you keep kissing me like this… I won’t be able to stop myself…from want to take it farther… I’ve…never had anyone be this gentle with me before….to be this kind or compassionate… I’ve never felt so….cherished before… I would spend hours here, kissing you like this…. But at some point Jacob… I will want you to touch me… I want to touch you… I’m not sure if that’s something you are ready for… I want this week to be heaven….for both of us… I want to take things at a pace that….Your comfortable with… “*It was true…if he kept kissing her like this, holding her, caressing the small of her back like that and kissing her neck, she would become aroused to the point that no reminders to herself to take it at his pace would spare him from her desires. As it was, she was already delightfully warm about her breasts and her thighs, and she couldn’t blame that on the hot springs entirely. She pressed in even closer to him, her hands shifting to lightly caress, to stroke the tops of those lovely pointed ears before she would slip in and steal a kiss this time, lightly flicking her tongue over his bottom lip before pulling it between her teeth to nibble on it lightly before releasing it once more. Another flick of her tongue, a melding of her lip to his before pulling back just so.*

(03:49:02 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
: ”You’re truly beautiful Jacob…inside and out…. Say you’ll stay the week with me?... We’ll steal this little slice of heaven for ourselves, just you and I… We’ll nap in the sun and feed each other berries from the woods… We’ll lay in the long sweet grass and talk about everything and nothing… We’ll take long walks through the flowers and hedges, watching the deer eat and the rabbits play… We’ll spend each night wrapped up in each others arms, just taking comfort in each other as we fall sleep… I want to spend this time with you Jacob…and no one else in the entire world… Just you and I and our little cottage…” *She knew it was all a dream, knew that even if he accepted that it would only be for that week and it would all be over, just like a falling star. She was asking for a lot, but for the first time in her life she was actually asking for something… Wanting to be a little greedy, to have something for herself, that she truly wanted. She was always giving, building others up at the cost of herself… If Jacob was willing, she would take all he had to offer her in this week, building herself up bit by bit as he gave her the strength she desperately needed to be whole again. She wouldn’t think about the world outside…she refused to. She wanted only this right now, these moments… After she was done, she would stand on the very tips of her toes, to press a kiss against the lobe of his ear before sliding her tongue up along the shell of that lovely little elfin ear before nibbling oh so softly on the delicate cartilage.*
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. he soaked up all the little noises she made.. those moans of hers were just divine.. soul melting.. he was certain if it continued at this pace his knees would buckle.. feeling her body lean in that little bit closer.. her compliment was responded to with a slight colouring of his otherwise pale cheeks.. - .. You are beautiful.. .. he whispered softly.. - .. I’ve never seen anyone quite as radiant.. quite as gorgeous.. you are.. undeniably a true honest beauty.... words spoken as his fingers lightly brushed against her right cheek.. barely touching.. the second kiss was just as smooth.. soothing and soft.. a gentle meeting of lips.. a dance..a mingle of tongues.. murmurs and moans shared.. before it broke.. audible breaths all round.. you’d swear the pair of them were more than ready for that next step.. but so far as he was concerned.. no.. he wasn’t.. not just yet.. he drew a quiet breath when she spoke.. - .. You deserve it all and more Rose.. .. his right hand would slide down the length of her arm from her shoulder.. all the way down to her wrist.. he would lift that.. upward.. his lips soon gracing the back of her palm..- .. gentleness.. adoration.. you deserve to be treated like a princess.. .. he lightly rubbed his lips together when she mentioned the desire to touch him.. and for him to touch her.. that if they continued on this path.. here.. in this pond that things would inevitably progress.. his lips had parted.. breath drawn to speak.. to explain something to her in the most subtle way possible .. though his efforts with something as simple as speech were soon thwarted.. her touch upon the points of his ears nearly made him crumble.. his lids fluttered closed.. a shakey breath was forced through his gritted down teeth .. her lips upon his.. her teeth nibbling. Tugging upon that plump soft flesh.. it caused the hold he had against her lower back to tighten.. to draw her that little bit harder.. tighter against him…she asked of him to remain with her.. to stay with her for the week.. to steal away the time in each others arms.. a romantic little interlude as it were.. napping in the sunshine.. berries from the woods.. resting in the long grasses.. sounded simply heavenly to him.. he was a creature of the land afterall.. he revelled in nature and what it had to offer.. he was certain he could show her a thing or two when it came to the land and its gifts.. but he was worried.. there was that niggly thought in the back of his mind.. when she mentioned in the evenings.. being wrapped up in each others arms.. taking comfort in one another.. he knew that wasn’t as innocent as it sounded.. and it wasn’t something he had a great deal of experience in.. if.. well.. really any at all.. just how was he going to tell her that?.. it’s not something you could.. fake.. or.. well sure someone could try and they might succeed but.. he couldn’t be so deceptive to her.. he desired honesty from her.. so why would or could he Ever lie.. he nodded slowly- .. sounds perfect.. .. he’d whisper.. offering her a ‘yes’ in his round-a-bout way.. he would broach the subject soon enough.. perhaps later on that evening.. they had plenty of time to sort things out.. to learn so much more about one another.. afterall.. what had it been.. two days ?.. if even that.. and in that time they had progressed quite.. quickly.. he’d seen her naked on more than one occasion.. though the finale.. there in this very pond was certainly something that would remain in his mind for quite a time to come.. he had to admire her form.. she had the most luscious curves.. her skin was supremely soft and so pliable beneath his touch.. her scent was as addicting as her taste.. her smile made his heart seize .. those golden curls.. long.. sparkling in the sunshine were sublime.. the emerald colouring in her eyes was just brilliant.. impressive.. how could anyone not be in awe of the young woman that stood before him?.. how lucky did he count himself for her choosing to return those affections?.. to allow him to kiss her.. to see a glimpse of that vulnerability.. the trust.. it meant a great deal to him.. his brows furrowed a little when she moved up onto her toes.. his head tilting.. figuring that she was going to whisper something in his ear.. though when he felt the heat coming from those lips he stiffened.. his lips parted and another audible moan sounded.. his eyes fell.. heavy lidded until they closed over completely.. his body trembled.. something she had to have felt being as close as she was..- .. Rosamund .. he almost whined.. swallowing down the breath that had caught in the back of his throat.. she was tormenting him in that very moment.. the sensations he received from her heated lips and tongue were driving him insane.. making a shiver snake down the length of his spine.. his breath caught before he tilted his head away from her taunts.. away from those cheeky little lips of hers.. his right hand slid down along the curve of her back.. his left reaching before he would have lifted her up out of that water.. swinging her legs over one arm.. cradling her small petite frame in against his almost completely bared chest.. - .. I think it might be time we returned to the homestead.. .. he nodded.. drawing his lower lip inward.. to lightly chew upon it.. his duo coloured gaze would glance out ahead of him.. he wouldn’t allow those eyes to wander.. no.. heavens no.. all she had on was his shirt.. and that light coloured cotton was saturated.. it may as well have been a second skin against her.. it left little to nothing to the imagination.. the soft planes of her stomach.. the rise and fall of the swell of her breasts.. no.. he wouldn’t.. he.. he couldn’t.. he looked intently ahead as he moved through the forest proper.. not relenting.. he was not going to put her down.. not at least until he got closer to the cottage.. through the field.. the sunshine upon their damp bodies was heavenly.. it was warm.. soothing.. not too hot.. the breeze was nice.. it dried out his hair.. causing it to curl just a little.. through the front gate- Ah! I feel quite rude for not enquiring before..did the water help?.. the heated pool did it help with your aches and pains?.. the goddesses often speak of the natural minerals within the earth having all manner of healing properties..

(05:03:26 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ♪Ŧŗį: .. .. coming up those wooden steps before he would inevitably place her down.. letting her tiny bare feet press to the wooden step.. the door would be opened and he would allow her entrance first- .. ladies first.. .. he’d nod.. before he would follow in after her- .. now.. I am going to go back into the village.. just for an hour or so.. I need to pick up my belongings from the Inn.. I need to also gather up your clothing from the hospital.. is there anything else you require?.. .. he knew he could go by her house.. of course not knowing at this stage that it was little more than a pile of ashes.. he would gather up some food..wine.. and a few others odds and ends whilst he was there.. giving her some time on her own.. to do as she pleased.. he knew that when left alone people could easy get lonely.. but in short bursts sometimes it did wonders for the soul..- .. now I am only going to be gone.. for those hours.. if I come back and you aren’t here.. well.. I wont quite know what to think.. .. he peeled off that vest of his.. leaving his upper body bared for a moment.. he couldn’t and wouldn’t take the shirt from her.. so he simply gathered up his blazer.. throwing it about his shoulders.. fastening each button.. it wasn’t ideal.. but it was better than going without a shirt into town.. the nurses would be insufferable enough.. half nakedness would only make it worse.. he slid his feet down into his boots.. his slacks though slightly damp were getting better.. not hanging quite as low as they were.. nor as tightly- ..I will try not to be long.. but you have to do something for me.. .. he came up to her there.. guiding her over to the fires place to keep warm and to dry off completely- .. I will ward the house.. no one will be able to get in.. .. his fingers rose.. he slid a few of her wayward curls over her ear- .. Unless you let them in.. please.. don’t.. .. he was serious.. and she would have been able to tell by the look he had on his face.. deadly serious.. he didn’t want to come back to her dead upon the floor.. he’d seen enough of her insides.. he didn’t want to be privy to the rest.. he leant up.. pressing his lips to her forehead before he would go to step out.. closing that door behind him.. she’d feel the magical vibration as the ward went up.. the slight shimmer across the glass window panes.. if she moved toward the window to watch him leave she’d see him go through that garden.. stopping a moment nearer the higher poppy blooms.. his fingers dancing just lightly across the few that were open.. the soft petals felt beneath his fingers.. before he would coax the remaining 5 that were up until that point still tightly wound in their buds.. to open.. and flourish in the sunlight.. before he took off down the path and was soon enough out of sight-

♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She was flushing pink from those tender kisses, innocent little explorations of each other, learning their likes and what made them sigh and moan with each little caress. She was learning him, his gentleness, the sweet taste of his mouth that was as addictive as his scent. She was discovering that he had sweet, wandering hands on her skin, or that he enjoyed it when she ran her tongue across his as they kissed. It was like drinking elderberry wine, sweet and light on her tongue and as golden as sunshine, flooding her with light. She was quite content right now in truth, she could go on kissing him like this for hours and consider the time more than well spent. When he called her beautiful though, she flushed a deeper shade of pink, suddenly shy at his compliments. She had never considered herself beautiful, she was too short, too curvy to lay claim to such a title. Her eyes were too bright and too large, her lips full but delicately shaped on her face, her cheekbones a little too small… She had seen beautiful women, those tall, whimsical figures with strikingly perfect features and she was not one of them. She was pretty at best, something that got your attention but never held it for long. Like a semi-precious stone on a table of diamonds, she was just second rate, pretty but not priceless. She couldn’t chase the blush away, his touch on her cheek made her look up at him again, shy but flattered, a little stunned that he saw her like that. He, an Elf, the most beautiful race ever in existence, flawless… Though she was beautiful… Her voice was a soft sigh, a caress of his name, feeling a little bit of magic rub off on her from speaking it.*”Oh Jacob…”*She followed him into that kiss, another heavenly meeting of lips, the warmth of his mouth on hers was simply divine. She was so at peace right now…just the gentle stirrings of lust, a tender thing, enjoyable rather than painful in its intensity. When he said she deserved it all and more, that she deserved the gentleness, the adoration… to be treated like a princess… She felt her throat constrict, a tightness there that burned as though she held a little fire in her mouth. Tears started in her eyes but did not fall, they simply sat there, luminous in those large long lashed eyes. She couldn’t speak, and when his hand came to life hers up, to kiss the back of her hand… Oh surely there would be so much hell to pay for this, so much pain at the end of this week… She wanted to have it, greedy little thing she was, she craved it like a fat kid does cake… But she knew with all the joy she was feeling right now, with all of his care, the way he lavished all the kindness on her…. She would pay for it later… Dravanos would find her and kill her for sure this time, he would rip her into nothing more than a bloody, mangled mess of wires and muscle and broken bones… If not him, then Ace, and when he found out all that had happened, even though it was no more than kissing, he would rage at her and there would be no wall to take his fury… She would prefer to have Dravanos kill her, than see the hatred on Ace’s face…. She pushed the thoughts back, focusing on him and only him, pulling into him and caressing his ears, teasing his lips with her tongue and teeth… She heard that shakey breath, the way he pushed it out between clamped teeth, pulling her closer to him… His arm felt so good there, pressing her into him, closing what precious space had been between their bodies till there was nothing. She simply molded to him, her lithe little frame melting against his firm chest and abs, soft to hard in a lovely little melding of flesh. She knew she was asking a lot when she requested he steal the week away with her, to spend his days and nights with her, as if she had any right to request such a thing. She wanted it though, she wanted to learn what ever he had to teach her, and she would show him what ever he wanted to learn from her. She wanted to soak up everything, his laugh, his smile, the way he made her feel. He had no idea he was doing it, but he was giving her the strength, the material to forge her own armor, to give her a defense against the world out there. She wasn’t going to rush to bed with him, she wouldn’t do that, she wasn’t like that at all. She didn’t want his feelings to become complicated by something like that, to have them taint the way he felt about her, the words he spoke to her. He was giving her so much before she had succumbed to his kiss, she knew he was genuine with his words, his compassion. If they made love, she wasn’t sure if those words would stay the same…if he would remain as such… No…she was content with this, and if it went beyond kissing she would only give it so much room. She could please him with her hands, show him how to please her if he desired, but she wouldn’t make love to him and destroy what she was hoping would be heaven for them both. No… even if she had to bleed to do it, she wouldn’t tempt him into her bed in that fashion, he deserved so much more than that. She was prepared for his refusal, for the fact that no matter how innocent it would be, she was still asking a great deal from him after all… She was not prepared for his acceptance… Even more so the way he whispered it, a gentle little fluttering of words to her ears… She smiled up at him, radiant as the dawn, and all for him. She had leaned up as far as she could, almost on the tips of her toes to get at that ear of his. She had been dreadfully curious about them after all, and she had heard his breathing change just form stoking them with the delicate pads of her fingers, what would he do if she kissed and nibbled on them? She found out quickly enough. She felt him stiffen against her before he moaned and that alone made her shiver against him, utterly enthralled by the sounds he made for her with such simple little gestures. She wondered if he was just keen on his ears being shown a little attention, or if it was more than that? Were perhaps, his ears more sensitive than other parts of him? She wanted to find out but before she could he had whined out her name, pulling his head away from her lips, her nibbling little teeth. Well, she wouldn’t push…but she was really very curious about it. She felt his hands slide down her back, expecting him to pull her in closer, perhaps for another one of those truffle decadent kisses… Not what happened. Rather than a kiss, a tight embrace, she found her legs swept out clean under her, a surprised squeak her answer to such a sudden movement. She was held there against his chest, a little bundle of blond hair and green eyes, her long legs draped over his arm prettily as he made his way out of the water. He was right though… There were too many parts of him she wanted to explore after all.

(06:39:25 )
♪Ŧŗįņįţŷ♪

°Dh'aindeoin Co Theireadh °
°My Hope Is Constant In Thee°
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: Going home right now would probably be the best for both of them really. She nodded her head before she would rest it against his chest there, completely trusting of him and utterly comfortable against him, held in his arms as she was.*”I think you are quite right… Once we get home, I really should set about getting one of the rooms ready, I’m not sure when the last time they were changed and I’ll get the worst sneezes if there’s too much dust…”*She watched him begin to chew on that bottom lip of his, the way he stared ahead and avoided looking at her… Oh, God bless who ever raised him… She did a fantastic job… If she ever got to meet the woman, she would definitely thank her for the blessing she had been given in the form of Jacob, no matter how short or temporary. He was so sweet, so princely, always putting her first. When he asked about the springs, she nodded her head, burrowing in closer to him.*”Indeed it did… my muscles aren’t sore at all anymore, and most of the bruises are gone that I can see… I don’t know about my face, but the ones on my arms and legs are gone…”*She wouldn’t mention the one over her tomach though, for some reason that one was still quite dark, fading into an ugly green around the edges of it. For some reason that one was taking a lot longer to heal and she wasn’t going to talk about it. To do so, to even think about it, would be admitting the past had happened and she was determined to not think about it at all during this week. She tilted her head a bit though, when he talked about goddesses.*”Do you talk to Goddesses Jacob?... In my time, there is only one God, and not many people talk about it. I have never heard of Goddesses… Are there many? Oh, forget that… We can talk about it later if you like, or I can get a book on it. I’m quite astute at figuring things out, and I’m a fast study, I am sure I can get to the bottom of it in no time.” *There were before the cabin in no time, his stride much longer than hers and he just ate up the earth with each step. When he sat her down there, her bare feet on the warm oaken logs she smiled and would have curtsied if she had on anything else. AS it was, she was buttoning up the front of his shirt for his sake. When he said he would have to leave, she had figured on as much, and as she had said, she wasn’t the clingy type. More often than not she was used to being alone for weeks on end, a few hours wouldn’t kill her, surely. She nodded her head, and when he asked if there was anything else she needed, she would speak.*” A few things from my house, if you can tolerate going back there? I would really love to have all my clothes here, but just a few extra dresses and some ah…underpinnings would be appreciated. I have a music box in my room too, if you wouldn’t mind getting that for me as well? Aside from that, whatever food you want from the kitchen and that should be it? I have bags and baskets there, so it shouldn’t be too much trouble I hope? You may need to get a cab though, I’m not sure if mine was ever brought back.” *She paused… She could hear the concern in his voice when he said he wouldn’t know what to think if he came back and she was gone… He cared… She knew it shouldn’t be surprising, but it was still such a new thing to her, such a novel experience. She followed his guide, to stand in front of the fire there, letting it dry out his shirt and warm her skin as he spoke. He was asking something of her then? Her head tilted to the side, sending all those curls spilling over her shoulder as she listened… Oh…. His words gave her heart another little tumble, a little backflip.. He wasn’t jesting either, he was indeed deadly serious, she could see it on his face as clear as daylight. She nodded her head softly.*”I promise, I won’t let anyone in… I’ll be here, snug as a bug when you get home.” *She watched him finish getting as neat as he could, getting ready to go into town for a while. His lips on her forehead was such a tender thing, it made her heart swell, made her smile sweetly for him. Before he would go, just as his hand was on the handle, She would sprint to his side, grabbing his hand softly in both of hers before she would press a soft kiss to his lips.*”Please be safe Jacob… “*She would release him then, watching him go out the door. She stood there, her fingers holding back the curtains of one of the windows as she watched him leave. She felt that barrier go up, like an electric shock on her skin, but mild and not exactly unpleasant. What he did with the flowers though… that made her smile… Leave it to him… to heal what needed his touch to grow… Two days… it had almost been two days…but she had come farther with him than she could have alone in months… He was healing her from the inside out and he didn’t even realize it… She would wait until he was out of sight before she would drop the curtain and go to lay back down on the sofa once more. A little nap… just a wee wone… The fire was wonderfully warm after all, and it wouldn’t hurt for her to catch up on the sleep she had been missing out on for months.*


=======================================================
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ‡Ţŗĭņ: .. he had left that house.. keeping in the back of his mind that he Hoped she would remain indoors.. that she would do as he asked of her.. to not go outside.. to remain safely inside… about three quarters of the way into town he was alerted that she had indeed opened one of the windows.. that act alone wouldn’t disrupt the ward in its current form.. but if she opened another it would naturally weaken the houses defences.. he berated himself for her action though as he had not been more specific with her.. all he had told her was to remain indoors.. and.. she had done just that.. he reached the village surrounds and with a surefooted speed managed to get to the steps of the first tavern he had a room within.. dropping a few coin upon the counter he’d have access to his room .. his bloodied shirt and slacks still in a pile near the corner.. it was her blood on those clothes.. he wouldn’t even attempt to clean it off.. he just disposed of them the quickest way he knew.. an that was to throw them into the awaiting flames the hearth contained.. he watched them a moment.. making sure the fire took every single inch of that fabric.. before he would gather up his bags.. and he’d step back out.. he had since hired a carriage with a cart upon its back.. he knew he’d need the extra space to carry the goods required.. including the food she needed and her personal belongings.. he turned back up there at the Nightingale.. the driver pulling the cart to the side.. he wandered back within.. heading back up those stairs.. he’d go to re-enter that room.. picking up the few belongings that remained in there before he would head back down.. pausing a moment near the keep.. a short discussion commenced.. nothing of any grand importance.. just weather and things related.. before he handed over the coin and he was once more on his way.. settling back inside that carriage seat.. his back pressed to the rough leather.. the driver took off once more in the direction of her house.. though it took a little longer than he would have expected.. he went to exit the carriage when it came to a stop.. a short chat with the driver would have his eyes falling upon the large pile of ash.. he blinked.. several times.. glancing to the house on the left.. and then the right making sure he was indeed in the right place.. and yes.. he was.. his hand rose and he rubbed it lightly against his forehead..- .. This doesn’t make any sense.. .. he exclaimed.. turning to look back toward the carriage driver.. watching as the young man shrugged his shoulders.. before he would turn back to look upon the ashy pile once more.. moving to approach it slowly.. crouching down near where the start of those white pickets were only days prior.. before he heard a voice coming up behind him..
It’s certainly a shame isn’t it? . it was a young woman.. her brunette curls tied up in a fancy little bonnet there on her head.. she looked like a right proper lady really.. her posture spoke volumes to him.. telling him she must be of high standing.. either that or she was quite an actor.. he moved to stand.. removing his hat.. dipping his head a little toward her- .. Ma’am.. .. his hat would find its place back there upon his head.. before his hands would slide down into his pockets- .. What happened here?.. if I may ask of course.. I have a friend who .. well.. used to reside here.. in this very house.. and not it’s.. just gone.. he frowned.. quite confused.. the young woman nodded.. turning to look upon the ashes herself a moment- They appeared so happy really.. I can only fathom it was an accident, perhaps the fire was built a little to high.. I honestly can’t say I have seen either of them since the Nightingale.. .. she tutted.. shaking her head a little.. - What a way to start a life.. an engagement.. a beautiful home.. a public profession of ones love for another.. and then.. disappearing without a trace.. I do sincerely hope they managed to get out and are hauled up somewhere privately.. .... the woman nodded.. he paused.. listening to what she had to say.. the appearance of ‘theys’ of ‘being happy together’ and then ‘engaged’ struck him like a knife through butter.. his brows furrowed.. - .. I.. .. he hesitated a moment.. turning to glance back upon the charred remains- .. I didn’t realise she was engaged.. I have only just happened upon this town.. haven’t been here long enough to be privy to the who’s and why’s.. .. he nodded.. she tilted her head.. drawing out the paper from the basket she held.. handing it over to him.. You may as well keep it.. I’m done with it.. I don’t pay much attention to the nonsense in those gossip rags most of the time.. though they can be mildly entertaining at times.. I do however know the front page is correct.. as I saw it with my own eyes.. I do hope you get the chance to catch up with your friend soon.. and get some answers.. God Bless.. .. she nodded her head.

(20:46:37 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ‡Ţŗĭņ: .. giving a faint ladies curtsey before she would be on her way.. walking down the street .. he offered her a nod of his head and a quiet thanks.. before he turned his attention to the paper.. unfolding it.. there were no photographs.. but an artist had managed to draw a picture of the happy couple.. his head tilted to the side.. it was unmistakable really.. it was most definitely her.. the gentleman he didn’t recognise.. it was just.. some guy.. and the paper only listed him as the towns most eligible Batchelor .. snared by the beauty of the Nightingale.. his hand rose.. reaching around to rub against the back of his neck.. it was his fault really.. he had ample opportunity to ask her if she was single.. the lack of a ring meant nothing.. whoever had beaten her to a bloody pulp could have stolen it.. he felt cold suddenly.. drawing a breath before he’d turn back to the carriage.. entering it and closing the door.. the driver would take off back toward the hospital.. he’d enter.. many looks upon him from those nurses.. giggles.. whispers.. he was nothing but polite.. he made sure to let the director know he would be returning soon.. he was simply needing to get settled.. once he had purchased property and become a little further comfortable he would be back in.. but to call upon him.. if he was needed in an emergency.. he left an address.. or more so a location.. before he would gather up her belongings.. or what was left.. just a couple of dresses and a few pairs of underwear.. a single bra and a pair of slippered ballet style flats.. he’d tip his to those blushing nurses.. before he would be back out in the carriage.. his mind was.. away with the fairies really.. he was not his usual.. alert self.. he’d managed to get the food.. a various array of fruits.. vegetables.. grains and milk.. bread..meats.. sugar.. he lingered outfront one of the smaller giftware stores.. watching as the storeboys filled up the cart behind the carriage with his purchases.. before he would go inside.. it was a petite little store.. held all manner of interesting trinkets.. jewellery ..clothing.. gifts.. he had his eye upon an old polished wooden music box.. he had seen it in the window.. it had caught his eye.. the keep placed it upon the counter for him to look closely at it.. he ran his fingers over the smooth wood.. the intricate patterns.. it was handcrafted.. and it was breath takingly beautiful.. the keep assured him it was made from old wood.. no new tree died to make it come to life.. that it had a story.. one that she told him as he stood there.. of the dancer and the toy soldier.. the Stedfast toy soldier.. he’d open the box.. the gentle tune played.. and there inside.. no dancer… no tin soldier.. just the small tin heart.. and the charred remains of a glittering metallic rose.. he offered a nod.. it was pricey.. but he felt.. worth the pennies of its asking price.. the keeper placed it into a box.. tied with a scarlet red ribbon.. before he would tip his hat to her and he’d be back within that carriage.. his direction the little cabin.. away from the hustle and bustle of the city proper.. he’d been gone, all of about three hours.. the evening had come.. it was growing darker and cooler as each moment passed.. she’d be able to hear the whistle of the driver as he approached.. the ward would shatter.. she’d feel that energy shift.. the carriage would be draw to the side of the house.. he’d move to exit the cabin.. making sure the driver was well paid for his services.. he’d be running short of coin now.. but work in the future would help with that.. the jockey would hop down from his place next to the driver.. taking a hold of the baskets of fruit and grains.. taking them into the house.. the breads.. the boxes of meats.. the bottles of milk.. he himself would take his bags in.. along with her belogings.. that box.. that ribboned box would be hidden away in one of his bags for the moment.. before the driver would be away.. soon there-after gone.. along with a coin to keep his mouth closed on where this place was.. the only other that knew was the director in the hospital.. and that of Nautilous.. he placed the gossip paper down upon the kitchen counter.. she’d be able to find it there.. whilst he took his bags into the bedrooms down the hall-

‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She had no idea that opening a window would have set off the alarms, any more than she would have known it could make the ward less stable, able to defend as it was intended. Much and more of magic was unknown to her, honestly it would probably remain just one big void to her for the entirety of her existence. Rather hard to know what flying feels like to the bird when you have no wings of your own sort of thing. All she knew was that the room needed a little bit of tender loving care, a few swipes with a dust rag, and some airing out and it would be just fine. She had settle down after it was all done, a bit more tired than she would have liked to admit really, she shouldn’t have done all of that so soon, but she had wanted to get some sort of normalcy.. It had felt good while she did it, it just wore her out, made her a little dizzy and short of breath. She had moved over into the living room after she was done, curling up on that couch to that nap she had been debating for a while. After all, she was sure Jacob would be back really quit fast, after all he had said he wouldn’t be gone long. Surely he would be back any minute now and a little cat nap was just what she needed. She had drifted off in no time really, her body exhausted more than she would ever confess to by something as getting the room ready. She had been out for well over an hour, drifting in and out of a half sleep as she kept subconsciously kept herself from a full on sleep, wanting to be awake when Jacob got back. What woke her first was the cold… It was spring but the nights were far from warm yet and the air coming in from the bedroom window wasn’t the most pleasant thing in the world. She pulled herself out of that little half doze, stretching her hands over her head before placing her feet on that cool wood floor and making her way to what she had decided would be her bedroom. She was there, shutting that window when she heard the whistle almost in perfect time with the ward dropping. She almost yelped, drawing her hand back quickly from the shock of it. She was latching the window and drawing the blinds closed when she heard him move through the house and into another room… Her brow rose and she tilted her head a bit, a little curious about that. Had something happened in town that had him needing to look at something in private perhaps? She couldn’t be sure. She padded out of that room then, on her way to the kitchen down the hall to fetch him a pitcher of water and a glass. She would leave him to his work in private, bringing him the water so he wouldn’t have to be interrupted to get a glass or such a thing down the road. She was pulling a glass down to set on the table when she saw it…. She knew it hadn’t been there before… Her fingers grasped the tabloid, unfolding it at the bend to see the picture there… Of her and Ace, there on the stage where he had proposed to her, the same night her whole life went to hell. Her fingers were shaking without her realizing it, the paper fairly vibrating in her hands before she set it back down on the table, her hands pressed to her mouth. She had wanted to run from all of this… She had told him multiple times that if he was smart, he would keep away from her… That she was bad… That she would hurt him… He had never asked if she was engaged, and she had never said anything about it because she wasn’t even sure if she wanted to be anymore… She wasn’t even sure if it was even valid when Dravanos attacked her and killed her girls… when he had tried to kill her… He would have too, if Jacob hadn’t saved her… She strangled back a broken sob, that fragile little wall she had put around herself, pushing the past and the future away from her… She had tried to encapsulate her body and her mind inside that protective little bubble…. She had managed it too, with Jacob’s help, to keep herself from breaking all over again like she had in the carriage… But this had shattered it, burst it like the fragile thing it was…. She really wasn’t ever allowed to be happy, was she? Stolen or fought for, bargained or begged… She wasn’t allowed a single inch, a drop of joy in her life… It was all taken from her, turned to ash and blood in her mouth. She felt the tears start to fall as she simply looked at it, remembering those brief, happy moments… so short in the span of time she had endured so much misery…. Just a flare… She should have known it was the last bright flash of light before it all goes dark, sinking into the void. If she was never to have any happiness, than she was simply never meant to have it, and if that was the case she should release Jacob now… It had been a mad gamble, a risk she had taken, a hope to fix herself before it all came crumbling down…. She hadn’t even been given a day…not a single day… Her fingers nearly ripped that paper in two but she didn’t…. No… Instead she wiped her eyes on Jacob’s shirt sleeves, tried to take a deep breath, to stop the sobs that were building in her chest, the burning in her throat. She made her way to the room she had heard him enter. She didn’t bother knocking, it wouldn’t matter if she used proper manners now or not. She had lost her hand, she was all out of wishes to gamble on, she was broke and the world had everything she had left to give and she was empty, inside and out. She would stand there in the doorway, not coming in, not invading his space… That light that had been coming back to her eyes, that glow he was coming to recognize was gone, leaving them that dull dark algae green color, almost lifeless. There was no smile flirting around her lips anymore, no happiness or laughter, no will to see any hope in the world anymore. Was it so easy to break her? Yes… She was already so broken before, but Jacob had been helping her gain the strength to put the pieces back, but this… Jacob knew, and the one person that she had really and truly liked… The one person who talked to her, listened to her… thought she was beautiful… What reason would he stay now? She had wanted to tell him herself, when the time was right, when he got to know her a bit more… No such luck…but there was never any luck in her life, was there? Her voice was broken when she started, making several false goes at it before she did finally manage to get sound around the lump in her throat.*

(22:30:44 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
: ”My Birthname is Rosamund MacDonald, my Father was the first Chieftain of the MacDonald clan and King of Scotland. My name for the last twenty years has been Trinity Trillian, Model Number 3.5. I am as you see before you, A sex doll. I haven’t been human for more than half my lifetime, and I have spent my entire adult life being nothing more than a perfect lover to whoever had the money to buy me. I have had men tell me what to do, who do be, what to say… I have been forced to endure sick, sadistic fantasies while my curse made it so that I LIKED it, no matter how much my soul screamed in agony. I have been tortured and beaten, my body mutilated beyond what you saw in that room when you found me, I have been raped because never once did I have a choice of who slept with me. I am just sub-human, a doll that mimics those around me, a pale and watered down illusion of the real thing. Now that you know What I am, let me tell you WHO I am…”*She paused there, her voice shaking far too much to continue on in a single vein like that, her control slipping farther and farther down from her as she tried to speak. She took another deep breath, struggling with it all, fighting with herself to not run… No… It was all a bit too late for that right now, wasn’t it?*”I wasn’t born here, I am sure you know that by now… I come from a world…very different from here… The minutes I had in my old world were spent in a white van, a sort of fancy carriage if you will, on my way to be killed… Decommissioned is what it’s called for my kind… I had broken the rules of my world, I had stopped being a slave… I became self-aware, no longer adhering to the orders given to me by my owners. I spent years breaking myself down into parts, destroying the pieces of me that made me a slave to men to whom I would never be anything more than an object to trade when a new toy came out. What I did is absolutely FORBIDDEN… and I needed to be destroyed before others learned of the…mechanical flaw as they saw it… The next thing I know, moments before I am to be wiped from the face of that planet, I arrive here… I was taken out of the ocean where I landed and put on the slave blocks, just another nameless, family less female. I made my escape and hid in the snow covered woods for two weeks before I stole clothes off a line to get myself into town. When I did, I took the first job I could… I worked as a bartender and waitress for the Nightingale… When I got to sing that first night…was when he came in for the first time. He called me to his table after my song ended, we ended up talking, trading words back and forth… He was poisoned by someone during our talk…. I couldn’t just let him die, I went out into the rain and took him to my room there… I saved his life. He was charming… witty, intelligent… So passionate, like he could order the world to suit his needs and his whims as he saw fit. He was strong and I was drawn to him, I won’t lie. I told him what I wanted, that I wasn’t looking for a lover, I wanted a lifemate. I wanted someone who would want me for me… who could love me. He told me he couldn’t do that, and we left it there… He invited me to stay with him, to get out of the Nightingale and away from the women who did nothing but make my life hell as often as they could. He simply….didn’t take no for an answer, and in the end, I caved in… The funny thing about him… He attracts women like bees to honey, and I had no idea he was living with three women… Something happened, one of them got hit by lightning… And he saved her life… and I lost mine. He saved a common prostitute… a woman who wouldn’t have spared a thought for another person… and I had to die for her… My soul got taken to a place I can’t remember… only the screams… I’ve had night terrors ever since…. He made a deal with a devil to get my soul back to my body… He SOLD my child… Any first born that I might have, to this bastard… This Nautilous… It was that same night that he seduced me… that very same night I got pregnant… I was never supposed to have children… I’ve had enough lovers in my life to know that I was unable to conceive, it was simply a part of my existence…”*God this was tearing her up so badly…all the old wounds were being ripped open, bleeding her out from the inside, choking her, weighing her down. It felt so much like she were trapped in one of her nightmares, drawn down into that bloodied blackness, knowing she was going to be consumed and destroyed by it. She paused once more, shaking her head, a broken sob passing her lips before she was in control once more.*I was….so happy… I had wanted children my whole life, I never….ever thought I would get to be a mother… It was later that day when I was first attacked… Cut up like someone’s personal holiday ham. It was because of that attack when I was told I was pregnant in the first place really… so my one little bit of good, was tainted…. The father… the man in this picture?... Never wanted them… Ever…. He NEVER talked about them, or about the fact that I was pregnant, or anything!! It was ALWAYS about him…”*She was starting to lose her grip on it… Talking about them…her children… it hurt too much, was cutting into her far too deeply, destroying her soul. She started to sob there, a delicate, shaking hand pressed to her mouth, stifling them until she had them under as much control as she could.*”I gave his space… I kept working… Taking care of the house, trying to keep my pregnancy a secret, suffering in silence… One of the few times we actually talked… when he told me something about himself… I told him… He should let the past go… That if he kept holding onto it… He said I didn’t have a heart,… that I couldn’t understand… The only time he ever said he loved me…was when he said it terrified him and he punched the panel of the wall out by my face… I ran from that house then…and that was when I got attacked again… His ex….. She wanted him to suffer and used me as the tool to do it… As if I ever mattered enough… She broke my ribs before she made me miscarry what I found out would have been my son… My Fiancé almost didn’t survive the attack… I was stronger than him like that, being what I am… I can take more abuse and not die… We got home somehow, to that house you found me at….I spent over a week taking care of him, nursing him back to health as best I could… I loved him… I loved him as much as I knew how… and I kept hoping… Through ALL this hell, that if I just…

(22:30:59 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
: ”If I just… love him enough… then he might have some love to spend on me… It was a couple of days later when I had my last show, the anniversary… The night this drawing was made…. I couldn’t work there anymore, Ronnie knew I was pregnant and it wasn’t kosher for me to work there anymore without being married… Yes, Jacob… I was engaged… I say was for a reason…. The same night this was done, we went home… I thought that, even though he didn’t say he loved me… At least it was a start… a chance to make things work… I fell asleep in his arms…”*She shook her head, starting to back away, one step, then the other, distancing herself from him…from everything.*”When I woke up he was Gone… And Dravanos was there… He was the one who made me lose my children… who beat me to near death…. He LEFT me on the NIGHT he proposed to Go After another WOMAN!”*She tossed the paper down then, slamming it against the floor, the drawn picture staring up at her from just in front of her feet, mocking her.*”If he could have just once….just once thought about me instead of himself… just…. Once…. I never would have lost my girls… I never would have suffered…. I wouldn’t be so BROKEN! Everything that has happened to me is because of him… I gave him everything I had to give… I cared for him when he was ill, I bathed him when he was fevered, I fed him when he couldn’t do it himself…. I even went to that same god damned devil to beg him to give me something to save his life! I gave EVERYTHING… and he couldn’t even…. He couldn’t even stay one night with me…. That night… Dravanos took the engagement ring from my fingers before he left me the mess you found me as… He took a keen delight in torturing me… begging me to call out to him… and I didn’t… I didn’t want to be another cross for him… I wanted this week with you Jacob…. To forget… I am greedy… a horrible, Horrible person… but I wanted just once… for just once….to be happy and not at the cost of myself… but because someone cared enough to see me for who I am…not what they wanted to see… Please, don’t bother with me anymore Jacob… I told you… I told you I was bad for you, and that you should run… you should have just left me to die… The world, and me, would have been better for it…” *she gave a hollow, pained laugh, a short, sudden burst that ended on another broken sob. She backed up against the wall opposite her, her hands wrapped about her chest, trying to hold it all in but failing so miserably.*”The truth of it all too Jacob? The thing that makes all of this far too cruel? I care about you… God help me I do… I didn’t plan on it, and when I figured out who you were, I knew I shouldn’t! I can’t! I tried so hard not to, I’m still trying…. But I can’t…. That man in the paper? I’m pretty sure he’s your father… and the woman who made me lose my son… was your mother. His name is Ace… her name is Sydel… and giving life to you… was the only decent thing they have ever done…. It’s been my honor to know you, Dr. Anakin… My supreme…wonderful…heart breaking honor to know that somewhere in this hell, people like you really do exist…” *With that, unless he stopped her, she would turn on the balls of her feet and run. She was fast… the one thing she had to her benefit, her favor, was her speed. She could tear up the turf like a gazelle, and she would be out of that house and into the little meadow of flowers that was the front yard. She would make her way to the woods then, heading for that tree line to disappear. She had no where to go…and that was ok… She had no where she wanted to be…*


…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ‡Ţŗĭņ: ..he had placed a few of his bags down in the hallway corridor.. he wasn’t actively choosing a room and didn’t even know she had picked already.. his desire to put those bags down quickly was growing as he held their weight that little bit longer.. dumping a few upon a dusty bed covering.. he began to pull out a few things..a couple of her dresses.. those tiny ballet styled flats.. and a small more.. private bag he had managed to get his hands on that held her underwear…he held onto them for a moment.. trying to decide what to do with them as he didn’t want to put them down upon the dust laiden covers.. it would be then that she’d come rushing into the room.. he’d spin around.. his brow risen there high upon his features.. that duo coloured gaze of his was searching hers.. wandering over her features.. his head then tilted.. his brow then fell.. he noted that she wasn’t going to come in.. that she was lingering in the doorway there.. he twisted his frame.. placing her clothing back atop his bags there.. her tiny shoes placed ontop delicately indeed as if they were made of glass..he didn’t look upset.. he wasn’t angry.. or shocked.. he would allow her to speak of course.. to let it all out because it looked as though she’d burst if she wasn’t given the opportunity ..he leant there against the beds frame.. one of the tall wooden posts pressing against his spine.. his hands had fallen to slide down into his pockets.. he would watch her intently.. watching as her expressions changed.. he had indeed noticed the colouring had gone from her eyes.. and from her cheeks.. she was fading.. back into that dull.. lifeless figure she was when she was in the hospital.. her story was horrific..in a manner of places.. in its entirety if he were to be completely honest with himself.. she spoke of being a sex doll .. that confused him.. she had a model number? Again.. there was confusion there upon his features.. he knew nothing of robots.. Nothing what so ever.. modern technology was not something he would probably ever understand.. but.. it answered one of his questions.. he recalled back in the hospital when he repaired her leg.. that there was something else there.. something against her bones..almost intertwined.. her body was not entirely organic.. not being human didn’t phase him.. not many people around were.. they were certainly not the largest race in this time period.. he listened to her speak about this man.. the one that was in the picture on the front page of the paper.. from his understanding this other man.. managed to capture her when she was stuck within a vulnerable time of her life..she went on to talk about gods.. and death.. of prostitutes and seduction.. his brows furrowed..god he couldn’t have been more confused if he tried.. he understood that sometimes sacrifices were made in the names of gods and goddesses.. willingly and sometimes not.. and then sometimes without warning.. the whole placing the life of a child on the line.. that caught his attention.. he had to think about that one for a moment.. if he were placed in a similar position.. the life of a love.. or the life of an unborn child..if the child was saved and the mother was not.. then it made the whole agreement void.. so he would give this gent that one.. it made sense to him.. though the way he went about it was not kosher.. not at all.. being upfront and honest with people is what mattered most of all.. at least to him it did.. he could see she was breaking.. he could see she was fighting internally with this.. she was growing angry, agitated and stressed.. he pushed away from the end of the bed then.. his hands raising.. palms upward to make sure she understood he wasn’t going to rush at her.. he wasn’t going to call her out on anything she had said.. he continued to listen to her speak on the guy not caring about the children.. not offering his love to her .. getting angry when he did to hit the wall beside her.. inside he was none to happy to hear of a woman being treated this way.. especially one he knew.. one he was growing to care for.. but he was far to much of a gentleman to lose it infront of her.. he remained calm.. centered.. he would be her anchor should she need it.. or want it.. he had approached her.. coming to stand there before her.. his boots came to rest upon the paper down upon the floor.. completely covering that drawn picture.. he had drawn breath to speak.. his arms had risen then.. to land just lightly upon her shoulders.. he had a look of concern there upon his face.. it was clear.. he was saddened for her.. for all that she had gone through..she’d had more than her fair share of bad luck.. and it needed to stop.. he was going to reassure her of that.. until she continued.. until she mentioned his Father.. and then his mother.. he just froze.. managing a blink.. and then another.. he felt his heart sink there in his chest.. taking little more than deep shallow beats.. enough to take his breath away.. her words from that point were echoed to him.. he heard them but they didn’t sink in..not properly.. his hands fell away from her shoulders.. tumbling back to his sides.. and he seemingly just stared at the wall behind her head.. he said nothing.. he just.. was there.. what just happened?.. how was any of this making any sense.. was the woman he had grown to care for.. engaged to his own Father?.. and she had just spoken of him seducing her.. oh he felt a touch on the ill side.. that was not something anyone wanted to think about.. he knew very little of his Mother.. only that she had died around the time of his birth.. but.. perhaps she was mistaken? Perhaps the woman that caused her to lose her children was someone else..this was like an information overload.. so much flying at him so quickly.. all her sorrow.. her abuse.. the neglect.. the rape.. the hurtful words.. the sheer lack of love.. the engagement.. the fighting..

(23:55:44 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ‡Ţŗĭņ: .. she was given her chance then to run.. and he didn’t stop her.. he turned.. glancing down at the paper beneath his boot.. before he’d move to crouch.. picking it up.. his boot print made it a little harder to see.. but the man.. the man in that picture was his Father.. he’d never Seen his father.. not to recognise him.. his brows furrowed before he’d move to right himself.. straightening out.. he lingered there a moment.. before realisation would strike him.. that she’d taken off.. and he’d heard that door opening.. he tossed the paper aside and darted back down those steps.. out the front door and down through the garden.. the darkness had not fallen completely but wouldn’t be far away.. it was growing dimmer as each minute passed.. he caught sight of her in the distance- .. ROSE.. .. he called out to her.. speeding off through the meadow.. she had speed yes.. but so did he.. nimble footed indeed.. before she did however get to the tree line she’d be met with an invisible wall.. the only sign of it being a gentle emerald hue that seemed to float.. he couldn’t let her get away.. he couldn’t allow her to run.. not before they had spoken.. not before everything was put down on the table.. if she was met with that wall.. if she was unable to get through it he would have caught up with her.. his arms wrapping around her quickly.. forcing her to curl in against his chest.. and she could fight all she wanted.. she could hit him.. wriggle and thrash about.. but he would use the strength in those arms to hold her against him- .. Rose.. Stop.. Stop this now.. .. his voice would come out.. not angry.. not loud or upset.. there was concern there..- .. Please.. Stop.. look.. listen to me.. It’s my turn to talk now.. MY turn.. please give me that at least.. then Ill let you go and you can run.. I promise I wont follow you.. cross my heart.. .. he tilted his head.. not trying to look down to her.. allowing her to look elsewhere.. he knew she was cut up by all of this- ..I went to your house.. the one I came across to you in and it was gone.. it had been burnt down.. ..his muscles flexed as he held her firmly- .. a young woman was there.. she told me about the engagement and gave me the paper to read.. I’m not upset.. I’m not angry with you.. I’m not.. you must believe me.. .. he pulled her away a little.. holding her at arms length so she could look to him and vise/versa - .. I’m a little embarrassed more so than anything else.. I should have asked you.. it was on the tip of my tongue to ask if you were married.. or at the very least not available.. I just.. .. he hesitated- .. I.. Hoped youw eren’t.. and like a fool I decided.. well.. if I didn’t know.. then that must be the truth.. if My uncle knew he would have tore into me for such foolishness.. .. his head tilted to the side- .. I am.. So unbelievably sorry you have gone through such a terrible time.. it’s horrific.. and it’s not fair.. You deserve so much better.. you deserve to be happy.. you have had you fair share of utter nonsense.. of people playing your heart.. your mind.. of neglecting your body.. your soul.. and that’s undeniably cruel.. and I am sorry you have had to go through all of it.. .. he exhaled- .. as for.. the .. well.. .. his brows furrowed trying to figure out a way to deal with it.. - .. My Father.. and.. the rest.. .. he shook his head- .. I.. uhh.. .. he finally released his hold on her.. she could run if she desired.. this was her chance- .. That’s a little.. awkward.. just.. give me time to.. digest that..

‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She knew she was dropping…. An awful lot of information there on him, a lot of things that she knew he couldn’t understand, might never really grasp. It was part of why it was so hard being who she was sometimes, or rather, what she was. In this world there were wonders and magic, beauty beyond anything she had ever thought she might see, a sweetness to nature that she had never thought to know. There were so many amazing things here… But she wasn’t a part of it… She was just off to the left as it were, on the fringes of it, never really able to step all the way in. It made letting people in so hard, made explaining her life, her story so much harder when things about her were so far advanced that it would be literally thousands of years before they even got close to being able to do what had been done to her. Still, after she saw that paper there… She knew Jacob had to have read it, to understand that her situation was a tangled mess, why she had told him to run… She hadn’t lied to him, but she hadn’t told him the truth either… She just wanted a chance to recoup, to gather herself and her shattered pieces, to try and put them in some sort of semblance of wholeness. She wasn’t sure if she was cursed, or if she just had the most…miserable luck in existence. She had to get it all out though… She held too much in for too long, and she knew some day it was going to come out, she had just hoped it wouldn’t have been like this. She wanted to have her week with him before trying to explain everything to him, to think of a way to explain it all without sounding like… Like she was now. Ace wasn’t…bad… but she still had so much anger at the situation she had been forced to endure because he had ran off. It didn’t even really matter if it had been with another woman or not, he hadn’t been there for her… It was just so much worse because she could handle herself being hurt, but losing the babies just made it a horrible mess of emotions that she couldn’t spare a thought to how badly she was painting him. This breaking…was going to happen sooner or later… There was no way to avoid it really, after all she had been through, all she had done was throw layers and layers of band aids on it and hoped it would stick. That paper on the table and ripped them all off, leaving her feeling more than a little raw and exposed, bleeding out emotionally. Perhaps this was fate, telling her it was wrong to drag someone as kind as Jacob into her mess. She had already known she should, and she had run, oh she had run from him to try and avoid it. It just seemed that…no matter where she ran to, he was there… She caught his moment, those palms up as he approached her and honestly, she couldn’t take it. Each act of kindness on his part was like another dagger, another stab clean through to her already shattered heart, broking those pieces up into even finer chunks. She didn’t want it right now… She deserved this pain and everything that came with it. His hands on her shoulders made her want to fall into his arms while at the same time to run as hard and fast as she could away from him before she hurt him. He had done it for her though, when she talked about his father, about Ace and how she was tied to him… His hands had fallen there, and it was then that she had run… To her… that was the sign… the proof that what she had felt was right, that he couldn’t stand being around her once he knew. Who could blame him really? She certainly couldn’t, not with how wrong it all was, how absolutely twisted the story was. Who in their right mind would want a woman who was with their father? Especially when it came down to the fact that she had been pregnant with his children who would have, in turn, been his brother and sisters. Oh yes, this whole story that was so rocky at first was entirely a tangled net now, and she was drowning in it, pulled under by it all and unable to swim to the top. She did the one thing she could do, like she always did… She ran. It was the only thing she knew how to do, the only way she could escape the pain, the reality of her life… Just run… Run and run and run… Never look back, never stop, never hesitate…. She tore through that cabin and out into the yard, every fiber of her being focused, demanding her body to reach that tree line and disappear. She was so small it would be no trouble for her to find a hollowed out log to burrow into and let the world just close up around her. No one would find her, and within a few weeks the world would forget her, just passing her by as it was meant to do. The desire for it all to just become inconsequential, to hide from it all pushed her feet that much deeper, that much stronger into the ground. It was then she heard him calling her name… She didn’t look back, she didn’t hesitate, instead she put even more power into those long legs of hers, willing, pushing, demanding she go faster. She nearly collided with that wall, the only thing that saved her was that soft green color, something that didn’t belong there at all. She hit the brakes, turning on a time almost, pushing that body of hers hard. She was about to run along the curve of that wall, sure there was an open spot, some way to get out. She couldn’t believe he would do that, to trap her there, to make her face him. She had told him she was a runner, the one thing she had to escape the pain, and he was denying her that. That hesitation, that stopping before she hit the wall was when he would grab her. She did thrash about, digging her heels into the earth, inherent little screams of rage as she pushed against him. NO no no no no! This was NOT fair! This was crap, bullshit, a dirty trick! Why did he do this?! He was stronger than her though, she couldn’t fight him, not in the state she was. That little body of hers had been put through too much, bio-organic or not, she couldn’t pretend that she wasn’t breaking down no matter how hard she tried. Her fists drummed against his chest before she just collapsed against him, those fists curling in his shirt as she just cried. She heard him…there was no way she couldn’t, but she couldn’t respond right now either. She buried her face inside his vest, against his chest as she used the cloth to muffle her cries, to let him speak as uninterrupted as she could manage. If he hadn’t been holding her, she would have fallen right then and there, hitting the ground in nothing more than a pile of flesh and bone. She hated that he had trapped her, made her stuck here, unable to get out and keep heading into the woods… But he was so solid when she broke… Those arms were the only thing keeping her from falling apart.

(01:17:38 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *Her voice was shattered…completely and utterly shattered, her breath catching in her throat so much she wasn’t sure she would ever get a deep breath again. She tried to stand on her own two legs when he pulled her back, her knees shaking as she just wanted to collapse.*”Don’t…please just don’t…. I knew damn good and well what I was doing… I knew I was engaged and I didn’t… I couldn’t…. I wasn’t sure about anything… I’m….still not sure… All I know… Is that you give me….something I need…. And I crave…. And I wanted it…. And I… I wanted to….to pretend that….none of this….none of what had happened….was real…. I was…..Just a normal girl…..and you were….a normal boy… Just…pretending…. Just for a week….and I…. I would….I would face it all… Later…. I knew… I knew that I was doing….something horrible! I should…have told you before we kissed… I should….have just…..found the strength….somewhere….to let you go….. But…. I Can’t!..... Even….if I ran forever…. Everything around me….would remind me of your eyes…..”*When he released her, let her go, she would just crumble there, her knees striking the earth before she would just fold into herself, her face in her hands as she shook like tender leaf in a brisk winter wind.*”I don’t care….what hell my life is….it’s just a repeat….always the same loop…. I can’t…. I’m not ever going….to be allowed… anything…. Everything with Ace…. Everything, I went into willingly….. I knew… what I could be getting into….and I still went…. I had such….high hopes…for everything…. I wanted….something so badly… fought so hard… Ace isn’t the evil one…. I am…. Because I blame him…. But….no matter what it is…it’s my burden too… Just like….what ever you’re feeling now…. Is my fault as well…. I kissed you in that hot spring…. Because like you…. I couldn’t help myself either… I wanted to kiss you…. God forgive me, though I deserve no mercy, I still do… and…. That just makes me…. The most HORRIBLE person in the world!.... I can’t… I can’t….”*She shook her head, curling up even smaller, sobbing, just losing it, really and truly hurt, deep down. Her voice was so much softer, he would have to truly listen to hear it.* ”I have nowhere to go…. No where I can run…. I’m out of ideas…. I’m out of buffers…out of Band-Aid’s… I can’t…keep pretending….that everything’s going to be ok… if I just keep hoping….keep believing that it will…. There’s no fairy godmother… no pumpkin turned into a coach…. No happily ever after…. We don’t get fairy tales, not people like me… We don’t even get a mention… we’re insignificant…cursed…damned.”*She would move to rise, sliding a foot forward to get up, slipping, failing, her hands digging into the earth, into the soft tender tuft of new grass. Her second attempt got her on her feet even though she swayed when she did get up. She couldn’t look at him, her head was bent as she stood at the edge of where that ward was, unsure if it was still there.*”Take…what ever time you need…. You owe me nothing after all… I’ll give you your peace… It’s better if I don’t poison you….”*Ask me to stay, her heart was begging him to say… Give me a reason to remain, to know it meant something… Proof that it wasn’t just her, in her head… Tell me you want me to remain, even as you sort things out… Her heart was begging, pleading in silent agony, screaming out to him and to the gods and goddesses or just God, she didn’t care… Some just…please…for once…answer her prayer… They had taken everything else…don’t take this too… Her mind was another story, preparing her body to run, to vanish, to disappear into the gloaming, the darkness spreading over the world and her soul. Her mind knew that this was wrong even if her heart cried out for him. Her logic knew that she should just cut her losses and run, to save what little shred of sanity and self-respect she had left. He didn’t deserve to be tangled up in her mess, and if Ace had even just the slightest whiff of this, Jacob might suffer. Jacob who was innocent and kind, sweet and wonderful, tempting and salvation… He deserved better than her… a normal girl without the scars, without her flaws, her broken parts… Even so….even so…her heart was begging… her heart wanted him to ask her to stay… to keep her close because he wanted her too… The heart wants what the heart wants… Even if it goes against the mind and all the intelligence she had, all the good reasons to leave him be, let him be happy or at least content in his life…. If he didn’t stop her, after she gave him the silence, the full minute to answer, to stop her… She would make her way into those woods bravely, a fallen angel facing her purgatory with as much solemnity and strength as she could muster. He had seen her cry enough… he would see her break…*

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ‡Ţŗĭņ: .. he felt her thrashing against him.. bashing her fists against his chest.. against that firm muscle.. he didn’t budge.. he refused to move.. like a stone statue he held onto her.. held her close as she all but crumbled against him.. he could feel her body tremble as the sadness began to take its toll.. he could hear her breath catching.. the faint sobbing as she dealt with that inner turmoil.. his heart was breaking for her.. his shoulders sunk and he exhaled long and low.. his lids half closed when he held her out at arms length and she seemed to buckle he drew her back in closer.. though there was enough of a gap that he could look to her.. and if she so chose she could look up to him.. he shook his head as she tried in earnest to shoulder the blame entirely herself..- .. no.. no.. I wont accept that.. not at all.. You can’t possibly say this was entirely one sided.. .. his right hand lifted from her side.. his left taking on double duty to hold up her weight.. negligible as it was.. his fingers would find her cheek.. brushing away the trail of her tears- .. to be you are just a normal girl.. you an every day normal girl.. with an extraordinary talent.. all the rest.. doesn’t bare mention..I didn’t ask you.. and you never told.. we are both at fault in that regard.. don’t take it all on your shoulders.. please.. don’t.. .. he had released her and she just dropped like a rag doll.. his duo coloured gaze widened considerably and he crouched down to pick her right back up.. not allowing her to curl up in that tight little ball.. not allowing her to break into a million pieces like she was about to.. or so he figured.. one arm slid beneath her right arm.. the other about her middle and he’d steady her there.. until he felt she had enough footing to remain standing on her own.. - ..I can’t comment onto what has occurred between you and .. he paused..- .. Ace.. .. choosing then not to refer to him as his father.. it took it to an uncomfortable level it didn’t need to be at- .. I don’t know who is to blame.. I don’t know who said what or who did what.. all I know is.. that you are here.. and you are clearly upset.. You’re angry.. your hormones will still be racking all manner of hell on that mind and body of yours.. you can blame whomever you like.. for whatever you like.. and in the light of a new day.. you may well see things a little differently.. shouldering burdens like this is not healthy.. because this.. this right here is what happens.. .. he would motion to her- .. It’s like you have forced all of this down into a bottle.. deep down inside you and inevitably it is going to flow over.. and all come out at once.. .. his head tilted..when she mentioned kissing him in that hot springs..- .. I seem to remember it was I.. that kissed you Rose.. you just returned my advance.. as awkward and.. a little inexperienced as it was..I wanted to kiss you.. I’ve wanted to kiss you since that hospital.. even when it was highly inappropriate. .. he nodded.. his gaze sought out her own.. trying to get her to look to him.. before he would just resign to the fact she didn’t want to look up to him.. not just now.. he would cradle her close.. letting her bury her head close to his shoulder.. in against his chest.. his hands would lightly rub her back- ..you need to stop running.. it’s not helping you .... he’d whisper - .. have you ever thought.. maybe.. just once that.. maybe if you stopped running things would turn out ok?.... his fingers on his right hand would lift to stroke through her golden curls.. the pair were now surrounded by darkness.. the sun having long since set.. the sky above littered with a million tiny stars..- ..You speak of fairy tales.. .. he drew her in that little bit tighter.. wondering if she was indeed quite cold.. she was wearing very little afterall- .. and you think you don’t deserve it.. that you shouldn’t want it.. because you’ve never had it.. and it frightens you.. But let me tell you this.. .. he whispered.. his lips pressing to just the side of her head..- .. You deserve your fairy tale.... he just held her for a time .. standing there quietly.. allowing everything they both said to sink in.. to make some kind of sense.. though the fact it was his father still floated around in his mind.. that was something he would have to come to terms with on his own time.. not here with her breaking .. shattering into a million pieces.. this… right here was a lot more important.. than feeling a little awkward.. perhaps a little embarrassed about the rest of it.. she was hurting.. and he had the power to stop that.. he had the power to comfort her.. - . Stay.. .. he whispered softly against those golden locks- ..I won’t make you.. I won’t force you.. .. he’d draw a quiet breath.. his lids closing over to conceal those coloured orbs a moment- .. but I want you to stay.... his hands would slowly draw away from her then.. allowing her that chance to remain upright.. to decide what it is she most wanted to do.. this would be her chance .. the walls were gone.. the surroundings were dark.. he’d never find her if she ran now.. - .. Please say you’l stay with me.. we will sort this all out.. .. his arm would outstretch.. his fingers awaiting hers-

‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *No matter how much spunk she had, how much gumption and strength she could lay claim to, even herculean as she pretended to be, even she had a breaking point. She had been flirting with the edges of it for days, long before she met Jacob, her toes skirting the edge of it as she trembled at the edge of that abyss. She had drawn herself back by sheer will alone many times, dancing away from that cliff, putting as much distance between herself and that break. She could never fully push back from it as much as she had tried, it was always there, just a few feet, sometimes mere inches away from consuming her whole. All of this had pushed her too close to the edge, she had never been so close before, just a hairs breath from falling in…. Just one little push… A simple puff of wind, and she would find herself gone over that invisible ledge and into the abyss of something she couldn’t begin to fathom…. A part of her craved that break, to just let her mind shatter, to go blank… She almost regarded it as something like a vacation, when she wouldn’t have to think about everything and everyone around her. No worries, no fears, no heartbreak just waiting for her to blink, to lose her sight of it so could attack… Her whole life was a mess… If she went into that void, would her life sort itself out for her? Would it all be cleaned up and neat? Would all her problems resolve themselves, making her world right for her for once? Most likely not… She had that strength, that pluck because she could handle hell… Life doesn’t send you burdens and pain because it hates you, but rather because you have the strength to carry more than others…. She would have to face that reality of hers, take up the weight on her shoulders once more, carry that burden… She had struggled against Jacob when he had caught her, the panic mode of fight or flight had been pushing her hard, and since she couldn’t run with his arms around her, she had fought. Precious little good it did, she might as well been held against a granite statue, her blows just fell on that hard flesh ineffectually. She exhausted herself in such a short order, she was so much weaker than she would let on, her little bursts of energy all she could afford to have. His arms were the only thing holding her upright, she felt as though her bones were as substantial as spun sugar, the slightest weight and they would crack and fall apart. She hadn’t expected him to chase her… She thought that… With it all having been said, the truth in all it’s gory bluntness, that he would have left… Or that he would have allowed her to leave, after all, she was the runner and she had no right to the cabin after what she had said… Still…he had followed her, captured her like a skilled hunter, ensnaring her against that strong chest… His words fell on her ears, a sweet sting on the open wounds of her heart and her mind. Anyone else… anyone else would have told her she was right, that because she had allowed it to happen rather than lay it out at the first, that she had let it progress too far and she was deserving of that hell. Only Jacob would be kind enough… That golden heart of his wouldn’t let her torture herself, to take on the mantle of blame alone… Oh he was too sweet to be around her, she really and truly didn’t deserve to be around someone like him, to allow herself to lean on his strength… His hand on her cheek was one of the kindest things she had ever thought to feel, that soft caress, wiping her tears as she crumbled.*”Even… of it wasn’t entirely one sided…. I was still… the one who….ignored what I knew… I’ve….never been so dishonest before…..with myself…with anyone… I was afraid…if I told you… I wouldn’t know… I just…”*She wasn’t even sure how to finish that line of thought, if she should even admit she was having it in the first place… She had a genuine respect for Jacob, for his intellect, his calm and kind demeanor… He had that gift of empathy that so many people never even realize exists in the world, that ability to put himself in the position of another person, to see a different reason beside the obvious for what happened. He was a true, down to earth good person, someone that everyone dreams of knowing and getting to know… She had been afraid that if she told him, he would treat her differently, to close up a part of himself because she was engaged. Her relationship status had been the last thing on her mind when he found her, and she had focused on him, used him as a spot to keep her eyes on and stall the drifting to darkness. He had kept her alive, bandaged her up, patching her like a beloved doll with thread and fabric over the holes spilling out her emotional stuffing. He had been unlike anyone she had ever known, selfless in a way she didn’t think people were possible of being, kind in a way she had never seen. He had fascinated her, and in her mental, her emotional state, that might have been the best thing to happen to her. He gave her a reason to focus and stay in the now of the moment, not to let it all drown her. She developed a desire, an urge to watch him, to see how he responded and reacted to life and the things it threw at him. He was like a diamond, brilliant and sparkling to her pain fevered eyes, multifaceted and utterly fascinating as he glittered and shone to her. When he had released her she had fallen, her body exhausted in that moment, the emotional weight of it all just dropping her like a stone. She had just wanted to stay there, standing just took so much strength, so much energy she didn’t think she had left to spare. She was just so much putty in his hands when he lifted her, her fingers gripping his arms lightly, whether to pull away or draw close she couldn’t say. She did try to stand though, somewhere she found some sort of sliver, a drop of strength to spend on her legs to keep her from falling again. A soft, hallow little laugh passed her lips when he told her she shouldn’t shoulder things like this, that it wasn’t healthy. He was right of course, but at the same time she had never felt she had someone who would share them with her, and if not her shoulders, than who? She didn’t know how to share the burden with someone, she was even less sure how to not carry it herself. She had always done it like this, and though she could change, she had to be shown how to do so first and she had yet to have learned how.*”Jacob…. I wouldn’t… I don’t even…. I can’t share this… I don’t know how…how to not do it…. Who can… who am I supposed to….to share it with? How am I…supposed to not carry it?.... To not force it down?.... They are always….my problems….my issues….my mistakes… I can’t…. pass them off or….or blame them on someone else… I have to own up to them…..and carry them myself… or I am worthless…. Or I am a coward…”*She had a lot of strength of character at least.*

(12:17:27 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
: *She owned up to her mistakes, and even if she did run as far as she could when things got too hard, she never once shirked her responsibility in something. If she make a mistake, she stood up to it, took responsibility for it. Perhaps in doing so, she had developed the habit of taking up other peoples mistakes as well, of carrying their burdens as well. She had never had much choice not to develop that habit, it was very much a part of her nature, formed at a very young age. When you’re a bastard, an unwanted and unknown of child, people aren’t exactly the nicest in the world to you. She had been told it was her fault that things went wrong, because she carried the taint of being born out of wedlock. If her mother had stuck around chances would have been that she would have been left with her and never acknowledged, just a chunk of money paid out to care for her and that would have been the end of it. Being left on the doorstep as she was though, well, there wasn’t much chance of that. Much of who she was now had been crafted and instilled in her from those years, the later ones only serving to refine it, give it an edge and a cemented foundation in her. Maybe someday, she might learn how to crack that foundation, to release some of the negative things sunk deep within it, to put better, kinder things in its place. Maybe… she might try…She had never thought that it was worth changing….but maybe… For the right reasons… She was looking up at him, watching those beautiful, special eyes with their mismatched colors… When his head tilted, the words he spoke… wait…. Inexperienced?.... Wait….wait…. Surely that…. No, she wasn’t…. Was she? No…. not looking the way he did….being as sweet as he was surely…. Surely not… Oh… Oh no…. Then he said he had wanted to kiss her since the hospital… When? That time when she had been locked within that dream? It made her cheeks flush just remembering it, made everything else just blanch out a bit when her mind was all too capable of recalling the details. Oh she had started that downward, slippery, slick slope after that dream happened… She had wanted him so badly in those moments, yearned for him in a way that had nearly consumed her, setting her blood on fire. Oh Lord in Heaven, if he had even the slightest idea of what her dream had been about, what he had been doing to her and how she had been responded… Oh what brought on a whole different level of inappropriate. Oh God… if he knew how often those images came back to haunt her, or how they just got sharper, more refined as she saw more and more of his body… How such a big part of it made her weak in the knees because of those tempting tattoos, or knowing what a kind heart he had… Making love to him had been in more than one or two of her dreams, and it had definitely tripped and danced through her mind more often than she would have admitted to. When they had shared the kiss in the pool… That tenderness, that sweetness… There had been such delicacy to it…a shyness perhaps… but all of that together had made her knees go weak and her heart flutter, filling her head with soft little champagne bubbles. His hands had felt wonderful, buried in her hair and the small of her back, cradling her to him…. If she had been his first kiss…. She would have been utterly honored…and feeling entirely undeserving of such a special, momentous thing… And deep down, in that greedy little corner of her nature that she tried to subdue as often as she could… that grasping part of herself… Oh… Oh how her toes curled with pleasure, in knowing that she had been his first, to be the first woman he pressed his lips against… If she was though…he certainly kissed with a deal of fineness, a natural in the way his tongue had slid across her full bottom lip and begging entry before sliding along her own in an intimate, velvet dance… Oh…. If she was his first, then heaven help her…. She wouldn’t even let the other thought form. She found herself closer against him, shaking her head softly.*”I’ve wanted to kiss you….for just as long…. Since that dream… but let me say this Jacob… I haven’t had many kisses…but… Yours wasn’t…..inexperienced or…awkward…. It was….wonderful…”*Wonderful and addictive… Too much so for her own sanity, her own good… She felt like a flower left too long in the shade and Jacob was the sun to her and gave her something she needed to survive… She couldn’t think about anything but him sometimes… He was in her dreams and her waking moments, striking her with desire at the most improper moments… Like now for instance, when she was crying, crumbling against him… If he decided to lay her back in that grass, to love her beneath the stars, she could find a single reason, not a miniscule drop of hesitation… She knew he wouldn’t, he was too much of a gentleman, too kind and wonderful to take advantage of her like that when she was so utterly broken… Oh but she certainly fantasized about it… A great deal. Like probing a cut in your mouth with your tongue, knowing it won’t heal if you keep playing with it but unable to stop yourself from doing it, probing it for the bitter sweet pain. She moved in tighter again, resting her head against his shoulder, breathing in his scent mixed with the cool sweetness of the night air closing around them. She had never thought that it would get this late…that the day would turn out like this… Held in his arms while she cried, shattered, finally released everything she had been holding in for months… His hands down her back was the most soothing thing in the world right now, she sagged against him, her cries dying down, the sobs quieting till they were nothing but soft, shuddering little hiccups. She was listening to him, her eyes sliding closed, covering those burning orbs… She hurt all over, so much so, her body was utterly and completely spent… Her mind wasn’t much better, and her heart was perhaps the worst of all, bruised battered and broken as it was… Or perhaps…not as broken as she might think…. She knew he was right, that she would never know if things could change if she kept running from place to place, from situation to situation… After all, look at her now… Jacob had stopped her from running, a bit by force yes, but he had stopped her… and the situation wasn’t as dire as she had thought it would be… No, he didn’t hate her, didn’t blame her for what she had done and not done… Rather he held her in his arms like this, soothing her with his hands, holding her against his heart and letting it lull her into peace with its steady, sweet beating. That bit about the fairy tale… He had heard her when she had said it so softly, just a whisper…. He listened to her… Unlike anyone else, he listened to her….*

(12:17:44 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
: ”If I do… If I ever did get a fairy tale Jacob… My Prince would have to be an Angel with the strength of Hercules… He’s have to love me through all my faults and flaws, hold me when I want to run away, and carry me when it gets to be too much…. ”*She shook her head softly, resting it back against his chest, listening to the thrumming of his heart. Her Prince, if ever such a man existed, would have to see everything she tried to hide deep down inside her. He would have to have the strength to not only fight whatever came after her, but her as well, to keep her from closing it all up inside. He’s have to love her unconditionally, love her past her fears and her doubts, her self-hatred and the feeling she had of being worthless. He would have to be a god among men to be her Prince… But if she ever did find him… If he ever found her… She would give him a new reason to love her, every single day… Then that word….that one word whispered there against her hair… It was sweeter than any melody… He wanted her to stay… Even as he stepped back, giving her the choice to run if she still wanted to… She looked at him… Then at the woods… A part of her still wanted to run… He had calmed her…stilled her tears, silenced her sobs… But there was still the problem waiting there like the big, silent elephant in the room… She looked up at the sky then… To see all those glittering, bright white lights, diamonds across black velvet… The moon was almost gone, a delicate crescent hanging there among her paler companions… Did she run?... Should she?... Jacob was right… If she didn’t stop and face them, she would never know if perhaps things might turn out differently… She was afraid to stay though, terrified of facing it all, knowing what might well happen. She couldn’t say she knew what tomorrow could bring, she could only guess and use her history as a rule to go by… But… She had something different now… something had changed… Ace had defended her, against Amber and later on against Sydel…. He had threatened to kill both of them to protect her… Ace was still in her heart…she still loved him even as it broke her heart to do so… But Jacob was here too… Jacob not only protected her, but he supported her too… With one hand Jacob held a sword to slice down anyone who might try to hurt her, while the other one held her close to him… He didn’t push her behind him, he held her close to him, secure against his chest… She had decided then, when she realized that fact… She turned to look at Jacob once more, seeing his hand held out to her… Waiting for her to take it… He had taken a leap towards her in that hot spring… he had stirred things inside her she didn’t think she could feel… He had been there for her when he had no reason to be, held her when she broke, and picked up the pieces… She would return his faith… she would make that leap for him then… and see just where he would take her… She laid her hand gently in his then, her fingers curling about his as she closed the space between them. She would link her fingers with his, her free hand finding his own, curling there as well, their fingers on both hands interlinked. She rested her head against his chest then, soaking up his warmth against her icy cold skin, his smell twining about like green and gold threads in her mind.*”I will stay…. But you have to promise me something Jacob… Things can…get very bad because I stay… You could get hurt because of me…. I want you to promise me that you won’t risk your life for me… I don’t care what happens, even if I might be put in danger of losing my life… promise you won’t do anything to risk your own….”*She would look up at him then, her face serious, those eyes of hers capturing his, holding his gaze. She wasn’t worrying about dying, it had never been something that scared her, just another stage of life for her… But Jacob… She worried about him dying… of him getting hurt because of her… She didn’t care about her, but she was coming to see that she cared a great deal about him… She was too raw to look at it deeper than that, she couldn’t tolerate scrutinizing what was inside herself no matter how much it might be needed… She only knew that Jacob must not die… No matter what, he must not be hurt… No one must ever harm the wonder that he was, not even herself… She stood on her toes then, her eye sliding closed, her lips just a breath away from his… If he allowed it, she would press her lips softly against the corner of his mouth, a tender, delicate kiss before she would pull away unless he stopped her. Her words were soft, tired as she was exhausted, hungry, and utterly worn out from the day.*”Let’s go home Jacob… I’m tired, cold, and hungry… I think a nice little dinner in front of the fireplace is just what the Doctor ordered, don’t you?

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ‡Ţŗĭņ: ..he could feel just how cold she was.. how her skin trembled beneath his touch.. she had to be almost frozen to the core he was certain.. - .. I think that sounds like very sound advice.. .. he offered in a reply to her Doctors orders of dinner in front of the firesplace.. his hands slid along her arms.. lightly rubbing against the thin fabric of his shirt.. before he unbuttoned his own blazer.. it was quite thick.. and warmed considerably by his own body.. he still had no shirt beneath it but his vest was there.. so he wasn’t completely bare chested.. he swung it around her shoulders .. reaching his arms around her from behind.. to fasten those first two buttons before she would refuse it.. before he would take her hand and he would lead her back to the small dimly lit cabin.. the doors were open.. but the fire within the hearth had done well to keep it considerably warmer once they had re-entered.. he allowed the door to come to a close.. the soft crackle of energy would lift.. the ward being replaced..- .. thankyou.. by the way.. .. he would utter in a slightly bashful way .. a response to her compliments on his kiss.. that she thought it wasn’t awkward or.. inexperienced..as he made his way through the lounge proper.. into the small kitchen area..- .. I was indeed hopeful you enjoyed it.. as much as I did.. .. he busied himself then.. deciding it was easier to throw himself into putting those goods from the general store away.. then to allow her to see the soft colouring that had settled upon the apples of his cheeks..- .. I have placed what little clothing I could find upon your bed.. You might be more comfortable in something of your own.. perhaps go change.. and ill sort something out for us to eat yes?.... he nodded.. he himself wasn’t terribly hungry.. but he would conjure something up that was indeed quite edible.. if she did go back to the bedroom she herself had settled within.. she would find upon the bed those two dresses he had chosen.. the ones that were in the hospital.. her tiny ballet style flats.. the small zippered bag with her underwear contained privately within it.. upon the bedside table however was the box.. with the scarlet coloured ribbon.. he would give her a moment before he would ignite those candles for her.. the ones upon her dresser.. he didn’t have to be in the room with her.. he was still down within that kitchen.. but he did not want her to be stuck in the darkness.. and if she was anything like him.. candle light was incredibly soothing to the soul.. almost hypnotic the way it flickered.. if she were to open the box she would find the music box contained within.. wooden.. carved with intricate patterns.. swirls.. pictures.. someone had spent a lot of time on it.. no doubt many years.. and within.. a ruby red velvet lining.. resting upon the plush fabric the small silver heart.. and the slightly charred remains of the metallic glittering rose.. - .. I don’t know if you know of the story of the tin soldier and the dancer.. .. his voice would call out to her.. softly from the doorway of her bedroom.. he had been standing there.. for perhaps little more than a moment.. just enough to capture her reaction if there was one..- . about a tin soldiers love for the vulnerable and easily broken paper ballerina .... his head tilted a little.. watching her for the moment.. a smile tugged upon the corners of his lips.. just a small one.. just light- ..it’s a gift.. from me to you Rose.. I.. went to find your own music box.. .. his arms rose.. crossing there about his chest as he leant against the doorsframe- .. I went to your home.. your little house with the white picket fence.. and everything was gone.. .. he nodded slowly- .. perhaps an untended fire.. I.. can’t be certain.. but.. I saw this beautiful box in the window as I was packing the carriage to return.. and when I heard the story it held.. that it contained.. well.. .. his arms fell from their crossed position about his chest to slide back down into his pockets- .. I think of you as that.. vulnerable.. paper dancer at the moment.. who just needs a little more support.. I want to be able to promise you that I will not risk my life.. to help you.. to save yours.. .. he shook his head- .. I can’t make that kind of promise Rose.. I.. just can’t.. it’s not in my nature.. Its not how I was brought up.. I have been placed upon this surface world for a purpose.. one that I have yet to find.. to figure out.. and maybe something I wont ever truly understand.. but.. if it is to defend.. then it is to defend.. if I lose my life whilst in the service of another..than that is the hand that fate has dealt me.. .. he would offer her a smile then.. he wasn’t upset or angry.. he was just being completely honest with her.. he was a chivalrous gentleman.. he would fight.. he would push till he took his last breath if it was for the greater good- .. regret is not something I wish to ever entertain.. and If I were to stand back.. and let someone.. say.. for example.. hurt you whilst I knew it was happening.. I would regret such an action.. and it would weigh upon me greatly for the remainder of my life.. I hope you can understand.. .. he lingered there in the doorway a moment.. his duo coloured gaze upon her.. watching her.. before he would turn then and head back into the kitchen-

[BadInfluence]

‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She was cold indeed, she hadn’t been moving for a bit and without that activity her body wasn’t generating as much heat, and even with how warm the day had been the nights still had the bite of a winter not too keen on releasing the world just yet. She was exhausted, her bones felt like butter, her muscles were on fire…. Mentally and physically she was just utterly spent and right now, all she wanted was a glass of sweet wine and something to nibble on before she crawled into bed and dropped into sleep like a rock. She had planned to sleep with Jacob there, not in the sexual way but just next to him, even if their bodies never touched. She wanted him to stay with her, to feel his heat, smell his cologne as she fell asleep… She knew she had no right to ask him to do that though, not with what he knew of her situation as it were… But she wanted to ask him anyway honestly… There was something about being around him… What was it…. She couldn’t define it really, there was just a sense of…. Not belonging no… That was more like an ownership… This was deeper than that…yet somehow so much simpler too… She wished she could explain it, to put a word to how he made her feel but there wasn’t a single word in all the languages she knew that she could use to describe it… She knew that when she needed to lean, his chest would be there for her to press upon without ever needing to ask… When she felt like breaking he would hold her, when she needed to cry, he would give her his shoulder… It was almost like a dream… People like him just didn’t exist… Or if they did, they could only be found in the pages of her romance novels, black and white words on the page that described a man that could never really exist, no such perfection possible… But he wasn’t just a man though… She knew he was so much more… Jacob was as she had first thought, and would probably always think... He was special… She nodded his head when he agreed to dinner before the fire… In truth she didn’t think she would make it half way through the meal before she fell asleep, most likely she would nod off without realizing it, simply drift off into dreams with a piece of toast hanging from her lips if her curse of luck held. She felt him release her hands as they got ready to walk to the house. She hadn’t been expecting him to take his jacket off, to feel its warmth against her skin, chasing a bit of that chill away from her. She had started to protest while he did it, his fingers fastening the buttons before she could argue.*”Really Jacob I’m quite-“ *She stopped, shaking her head when those buttons were done. Jacob was such a sweetheart, but he was no push over either… She was learning rather quickly that it didn’t matter if she objected, if he knew she needed something, he would do it even if she argued. Her hand slipped into his, her free hand coming to clutch the neck of his blazer closed, dipping her head down, closing her eyes in the guilty pleasure of losing herself in his scent. It was so simple and clean smelling, the notes weren’t overtly complicated but their simplicity made it so much more enjoyable… She wouldn’t lie… She had never smelled anything that matched her own scent so well, rather than clash or one overwhelm the other, they made a harmony that was just…so wonderful… She fell in step with his easily, their silence companionable rather than awkward, a comfortable quietness among each other as the night enfolded them in the soft sounds of the dark. The walk was… she didn’t want it to end… Even though she was exhausted, she wanted to walk like this with him for hours, just the sound of their footsteps and nature… She was almost sad to see the cabin so close already, the soft glow from the open door the only light there, a little golden square in the night. She made her way up the steps with him, entering the cabin proper and feeling the warmth from the fire wash over her, eyes sliding closed in pleasure…. Just heavenly… She heard him close the door behind them, felt that ward come back down, a little static charge that made her eyes snap open. She had to admit, she was so grateful he did these things… everything he did was for her it seemed… Keeping her safe…. His words of thanks though… She tilted her head, hearting that little pitch change, that slight, sweet awkward shift… She turned to look at him over her shoulder, pulling a few strands of her hair over her ear, getting a better view of him. She felt as if she were nailed to the floor a bit, unable to move, only to listen to him and his words… Was he really thanking her for that kiss? Goodness, but it had been a gift to her… She had wanted it but knew better than to ask for it… When he had kissed her he had shown her a world she didn’t know existed, that tenderness like that existed outside of the world of dreams and fantasies… He had started such a delicate fluttering in her chest, made her have such an odd, gentle tingling all over her skin… He had made her more than a bit weak in the knees as well, and yes, he had aroused her but in the most sweet, soft way she had ever known… She was rather startled just a bit by it, a soft flush on her cheeks, tinting them that peachy pink.*”Jacob… I… I would… “*That blush on her cheeks got even darker, more vivid there as that color sparked in her eyes, flashing bright gold and jade… She wasn’t a virgin, they both knew that…but for some reason with him she felt like she was… She was shy in a way she had never been before, not exactly uncertain but… With Jacob it was all new again… A world she didn’t know about… *”I would like…very much…to kiss you again… “*Oh you could just knock her over with a single puff of wind… She had never really been shy like this before, normally she was quite direct and forward about things in this area, but… She felt like a young woman with her first beaux… He made her blush and for something as simple as a thank you for a kiss she had enjoyed…enjoyed too much for her own sanity really, but who needed sanity anyways? She certainly took the opening he gave her, gave them both really. She had planned on cooking honestly, it was something she always did before but they were both a bit shy for some reason, and they would do well to get a chance to collect their own thoughts perhaps. She nodded to him, that blush still high on her cheeks as she made her way towards her bedroom.*”Yes… Thank you Jacob…”*She opened the door to find everything set up so neatly on her bed, her two remaining dresses and from what he had said to her, the only ones she had until she could get more made. She couldn’t see which ones they were in the soft darkness there, her door still open and the pale light from the hallway coming in… Her hands were on the hem of his shirt, ready to pull it off over her head when something caused her to stop.

(22:48:28 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: There was something on the dresser, but she couldn’t really make out anything other than the splash of color and its general shape. Her hands dropped that shirt hem as she padded over to the bedside dresser. She was almost there when one…two…three candles flickered on as she got close.*”What in the world?...”*Her voice was a bare whisper, more shocked than anything… It was a present… the first present anyone had ever gotten her… She reached out her hand slowly, pulling back just a bit before she would allow her fingers to touch that lovely colored ribbon around the box… With delicate fingers, she slid the bow free, releasing it to let it settle upon the wood there as she opened the present… What she saw inside stole her breath away from her, caught there in her chest, her eyes wide….*”Oh…Jacob…”*She reached into that box then, to pull that priceless treasure out of it’s blank white prison. She sat down on the end of the bed, that beautiful little box held on her lap as her fingers traced the patterns that must have taken years to carve out, one by one in such delicate scrollwork… The little pictures painted on the sides, telling the story of the little tin soldier… She slid the lid open, starting the first few soft tinkling notes of the melody within it… Her heart seized there in her chest, the pain inside was so acute, so sharp and poignant… She felt the tears start, but these weren’t from sadness… No… something much more tender…softer… much deeper and more powerful than something as simple as sorrow. That little silver heart there inside, surrounded by the slightly blackened petals of the rose, that ruby velvet lining… Oh…. She smiled then… her lips shaking as she did so, her hands coming up to wipe away at the tears there, unable to stem them, only try to erase their tracks. Never had she received anything so lovely…so personal… How did Jacob know? She had no idea he was there in the doorway, she had been so consumed with the priceless treasure in her lap, the way it made her feel… Jacob would have seen her more open in those moments than anyone had before… She was so delicate, little more than a broken girl who had tried too hard to be stronger than she was… She was startled a bit when she heard his voice, yet somehow she knew he was there, to be the one to see her like that… With tears in her eyes, that vibrant, bright coloring framed by long dark lashes; her hair a riot of soft golden curls about her face and arms, and that delicate, fragile little smile on her lips that was a direct correlation to her soul. She looked up at him as he spoke, seeing that little smile on the corner of his lips… Oh… She felt that same, gentle stirring in her heart as she had in the pool with him when he kissed her…when she kissed him… Her voice was just as soft, straight from the heart, everything she was feeling was so easy to hear in the way she spoke.*”I do… it’s one of my favorite stories… I always loved it…but it broke my heart too… They loved each other so much... rather than be separated, the ballerina goes to join him in death and all that’s left over is the tin heart with her little sequin from her dress…”*She looked down at that little tin heart there, running a delicate fingertip over it with a tender reverence as he spoke… He had gotten it for her… to replace the one she had lost in the fire… He saw it, learned it’s story… gotten it for her just because of that… She was trying so hard not to cry, but there was no way she could hold it all back… It was just… *”It’s my first present…”*She whispered softly, looking down at it once more before she gently slid the lid closed over it, keeping that heart safe inside it’s wooden home…. Jacob was breaking her heart…or maybe he was putting it back together… It just felt so tight there, it hurt so much…. She was sure that he could see it there, seizing up there, growing, swelling, changing… When he said that she reminded him of that paper ballerina… Her eyes slid closed, tears sliding down to fall on the wood there, two small round dark marks on that beautiful wood… He stole her ability to respond, stunned her into silence with all of it… She had been afraid that he wouldn’t make her that promise… That he would fight for her, even if she wasn’t worth defending, when her life mattered so very little in comparison to the value she put on his… How much would the world mourn her death, compared to his? If he died, such a wonderful, fantastic light would be snuffed out and the world would be so much darker for it… Even if she was the only one to see the darkness… She opened her eyes just as he smiled at her, she was just so open, so vulnerable right now… No one had ever stripped so many layers off of her, removed her delicate protections, the gauze she wrapped around herself to hide just how fragile she was under it all. No matter how often she said she was just a doll, no matter how much she said she wasn’t human, undeserving of anything good… Jacob had taken it all from her and shattered it, leaving her as who she was really, deep down… Just a beautiful woman who’s delicate shoulders wasn’t meant to bear the weight of the world alone, who life had left many scars on, marks of survival on her soul and her heart… When he turned to go, his back to her… She set that beautiful little box on the bed and ran to him, her hand reaching out, grasping his own, halting his leaving. She threw her arms around his neck, rising on her toes before her eyes slid closed and she pressed her lips to his. She wasn’t going to ask… She couldn’t have forced the request from her lips if her life had depended on it…. This… This was beyond words, long and away from the capability of language to encompass, to explain. She simply held onto him, her body pressed flush against his in a delicate embrace, tender and sweet. She kissed him, not pushing, not demanding… There was no rush in the kiss, no force… Everything she was feeling in that moment was in that kiss, infinitely delicate and soft, gentle… If she was paper ballerina, he was her tin solder… And she would change the ending of the story… If he wouldn’t promise not to risk his life for her, then she wouldn’t promise not to risk hers for his… If she had to throw herself into the fray she would… She wanted a happy ending for her tin soldier, where he didn’t have to suffer and be put through hell for the paper dancer because the world wanted to keep them apart… She would break the kiss the second he wanted to… But if he wanted to take it somewhere, she would follow gladly… She just had to kiss him, as simple as breathing… She was riding the wave, and not running anymore… She was just Rose… fragile and flawed… his paper dancer.*

…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: .. he had heard her.. when she spoke about wanting to kiss him again.. it had in fact caused the blush there upon his cheeks to only deepen.. so he was supremely thankful she decided to take him up on his offer.. and go get changed.. slip into something a little more comfortable.. something a little more.. familiar.. he busied himself in that kitchen for a time longer.. giving her that bit of space.. to allow her the chance to collect her thoughts should she require it.. to look upon what belongings she had.. there wasn’t much at all.. she would need to seek out a tailor soon.. he placed some bread into the oven.. to warm it.. not to hot.. just enough to cause the crust to become crispier.. some soup filled with fresh vegetables upon the stove to simmer gently..before he would make his way back toward that room.. his boots near to silent upon that carpeted corridor and he would wait there.. in the doorway to observe.. his duo coloured gaze catching her every movement.. her outwardly shown emotions.. the ways she choked up.. the ways she smiled.. it sated his heart.. he wasn’t sure if he were to be completely honest with himself how she would take it.. if she would even want it.. he had hoped deep down she would love it.. and he was lucky enough for that to be granted.. the tears spoke volumes to him.. it said so much.. he watched as her fingers traced over the engraved pictures.. the designs before opening it.. his smile grew just a little more when she told him she knew of the fable.. Oh that was wonderful it meant to him at least that the images upon that tiny music box held a little more ..value to her.. - .. Well.. I am honoured to be the one to give you.. your first gift.. .. he bowed his head a little to her.. before he would straighten up soon after.. it was nonsense really that this was her first gift.. utter nonsense.. how could a beautiful young woman go this long without that feeling.. the only one that came from receiving a gift from someone who was special to them.. no feeling in the world could replicate it.. it saddened him a little knowing that it was her first gift.. that she had missed out up until now.. and he made a note of it.. that it would be rectified.. in the future.. - .. it’s a beautiful story with such a haunted tragic ending.. yet..still so very complete.. .. he nodded.. he remembered being told the story as a young child by his Aunt.. it was one of his favourites.. he lingered there a moment longer .. I have some soup and bread on the stove.. it should be almost ready if not..actually read now.. so.. whenever you are ready.. pop on out and it will do wonders to warm you up… before he would go to turn.. to head back into the main section of the house.. to check upon their tea.. the bread.. the soup.. and the fire.. he wanted to be sure it had enough wood to sustain it.. he did not want the chill to weasel its way in.. before he felt her fingers clasping around his hand.. the tugging there.. stopping him in his tracks.. stopping his advance before he’d turn..his brow risen.. a questioning expression there upon his features before he felt her arms wrapping around his neck.. her petite frame lifting up upon the tips of her toes.. her lips colliding quickly with his own.. he kind of froze at first.. not quite expecting this.. it having taken him a touch by surprise.. his heart fluttered there within his chest.. it would take a moment.. though not long at all before his arms would lift and slide about her lithe waistline.. fingers drumming lightly against her lower back.. his lips responded.. he returned that tender kiss.. just as delicately.. just as soft.. it was slow.. the epitome of romantic.. he could feel her damp cheeks.. the tears that had trickled down.. her body as it trembled.. her scent was as fragile as she was.. her taste was much the same.. yet.. he desired it all the more..the tip of his tongue slid just lightly along her lower lip.. as if requesting access to the heated depths of her mouth.. to explore.. to dip and mingle..his right hand rose from its place there against her lower back.. lifting to brush fingers across her cheek.. only moving then to cradle against it..this kiss.. seemed to go on.. for a grand length of time indeed..there was no desire for either party to pull away..yet it didn’t seem to progress either.. there was no tearing of clothes.. there was no backing into the bedroom.. they both remained there in the doorway of her room.. just allowing such a small gesture..that so many others took for granted..to become perfectly intimate... he’d be a fool if he were to say he didn’t want this.. he’d be a fool to think he could let this go.. he simply had to come to terms with the fact he had fallen for this little paper dancer.. all thoughts from earlier.. their discussions.. the needs for her to run.. the paper.. the engagement.. everything was just washed away for now..it didn’t seem important.. and he certainly wasn’t going to make it settle there at the forefront of his mind.. the kiss would inevitably break.. his lips slowly leaving hers.. his breath expelled a little shuddered.. she would have been able to feel the heat coming from his cheeks.. - .. I better go check on that tea.. .. he’d whisper.. his blue/green gaze lifting to look to her for just a moment.. a little bashful gesture before he would turn.. leaving releasing her hand till the very last minute before he would duck off into the kitchen.. placing the two bowls upon the tray.. the bread sliced and buttered.. the coup ladled in .. not a great amount of it.. just enough to sate a hunger that would have developed.. well.. for food anyway before he would move into the main lounge.. placing the tray upon the small coffee table.. the rug before the fireplace was plush.. comfortable.. there was no need for a table.. not tonight.. no need for proper manners and etiquette-


‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *There were both having such a hard time with it all, both of them so much like young lovers, falling for the first time and not quite sure how to go about it. For her it was such a strange thing, to be so shy, so hesitant and unsure. She hadn’t blushed so often in such a short time in her entire life, and something about it all just made her smile inside, despite the flush on her cheeks it just felt like it belonged there. She hadn’t meant to embarrass him though, it was never her intent to cause him discomfort… She just… She had to let him know that the kiss… was as wonderful to her as she was sure it had to have been for him…. That she would enjoy more if he chose to give them to her… She couldn’t be sure really, but the way he talked about it was as if he had little to perhaps…no experience with kisses… That he had chosen her to be his first if that was a case…had left her feeling….special... She enjoyed their kisses very much honestly, the way they were a gentle unfolding of passions, a warm glow about each little meeting of their lips… It always left her feeling warm and cherished, wanted…desired but not in a way she was familiar with. It wasn’t a prequel to four play, to sex and the gratification that came with it… Rather it was an act in and of itself, something that needed no follow up, but that was complete in itself. There in that pool, he had warmed her, sexually and emotionally… She wanted him and she would be an absolute idiot and the biggest liar in the world if she said she didn’t, Jacob was something every girl dreams about as a child, and every woman longs for. She wouldn’t claim him, she wouldn’t tie him to her by tricks or underhanded means, she wasn’t that kind of person… But who ever he chose to spend his life with? She would have to admit she would envy that woman, deep down in her soul she would wish she was in her spot, and so would every other woman who ever bothered to get to know him. He was so much more than a pretty face and a broad set of shoulders. He was smart and compassionate, brave and strong, and her hero if she were honest. She had taken the opening to go to her room, to look at what clothes she had left to her, to find that beautiful music box… The emotions it had pulled from the very core of who she was, her soul dragged out of that darkness and the oppressive weight she had placed on it, her heart exposed to it all… It had moved her, exposed her, removed every lock and bar she had put there against herself… She didn’t realize how much she hated herself and what she was until she opened that present… She hadn’t realized that so many of the lashes life had given her, she had doubled with her own upon her soul until she couldn’t even remember she was doing it. How was it that he had a key to every secret door inside herself? That he had somehow found every hidden lock and released the latch in each one? He exposed parts of her so long in the shadow she had forgotten was the light was, brought her out of herself, and yet into her own being all at the same time. Is that what it was supposed to be like?... She couldn’t be sure… She didn’t dare label it… But whatever it was…. It was the gentlest thing she had ever known… She couldn’t even begin to put into words just what this gift meant to her, it was so much more than it being her first gift, but all the meaning behind it, the thought he had put into it… Even the story behind it was a romantic one, poignant and sweet even if the ending rent at the heart strings. She looked up at him, catching the little bow of his head when he said he was honored to be the first to ever give her a gift… She blushed softly… Perhaps she shouldn’t have admitted that… She wasn’t trying to make herself look as if she was neglected, or that she put any stock in material things… But she couldn’t help the words as they slipped out of her mouth. They were true… And the fact he had been the one to give it to her… Just made it that much more priceless, more precious to her…. No matter how long she lived, no matter how this all panned out, she would treasure this music box and guard it fervently. He was right about the story though, because the dancer and the tin soldier couldn’t be together in life, they were together in death… It had a poignant essence to it, it made a person’s heart break and swell at the same time, a bitter sweetness to it that made it stand out all the more for it.*”Yes… still, so very sad… I always wanted to save them both…”*She nodded her head when he talked about their dinner. He was quite the wonder indeed… He even cooked… How had he not been snapped up yet? How was he even still single? He was so perfect… She had set the box down on the side of the bed, catching him, grabbing a hold of his hand…. She wanted to kiss him… She wanted to kiss him so badly it had hurt… He had drawn so much out of her, the anger and the hate, the pain and the loss, the sorrow of everything… He just drug it out of her, pulling it form her vein like a poison… Yet he pulled out other things as well, more dangerous, less obvious, more fragile… She had twined her arms about his neck, rising on her toes, bringing her lips to his in a delicate kiss. She had felt his shock the way he froze and she was ready to pull away, not wanting to make him uncomfortable… After all, she was the one kissing him now, and she would respect his desires and his wishes. She had almost broken it, to step away when she felt him move. His arms slid about her waist then, holding her as she held him, his fingers dancing along her lower back. Oh… She sighed against his lips, her heart singing inside her chest, sure she would sprout wings at any moment from the kiss. It was so gentle and sweet, and when his tongue slid across her lower lip, she couldn’t help the shudder of pleasure that danced along her nerves. His hand brushing across her cheek only made her sigh again, a soft little moan as she parted her lips for him. He tasted so good, better than she had thought he would, better than any man had a right to taste… She had wondered if his taste would match his scent but if it was possible that taste exceeded that gentle harmony of his cologne. Her arms wound that much tighter about him, closing whatever distance had been between them, her tongue dancing along his in a slow, sweet waltz of their lips. There was no rush…no pressure… no demanding need to take it to that next place… He wasn’t ripping his shirt off of her, wasn’t letting his hands wander to more intimate places, wasn’t guiding her back into her room.*

(01:30:36 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *There was no need for it, they were both so lost in the perfection that each kiss brought that there was no urgency, no rush to get to the deed as it were… For her it was such a strange, wonderful chance of pace from what she was used to. He wasn’t demanding sex, he wasn’t trying to seduce her into the act, there wasn’t a need…. He kissed her with his heart…and she returned it with her own. She wanted him in all the ways he was willing to give her, and because of that she was utterly, completely content. This was romance, this was tenderness, this was everything she had ever dreamed about and so much more…. A fairy tale, something she was beginning to think would never happen to her. If there was ever a princess in need of rescuing it was her, and if anyone could ever be a prince, Jacob was the only one who could ever fill such big shoes…He was showing her he wanted her for more than just her body, and that meant more to her than she could have said, or ever explained. Oh, he made it so easy…too easy to fall for him… It was as if….as if he were perfect for her… in every single way… When the kiss broke, and indeed it would have to at some point, it was with a soft, happy sigh from her. She was blushing, a small smile on her lips, her eyes soft and dreamy as she looked up at him. He was right, they needed to get to dinner before it burned on the stove and it would have been such a waste. She unwound her arms from his neck, clasping his hand, her fingers softly wrapped around three of his fingers, holding him as he held hers… When they did finally separate albeit reluctantly, she had gone into her room to get dressed. His shit was wonderful, it smelled just like him and was soft against her skin, but far too thin to be decent. She opened that little zipper bag first, grateful she had at least a few changes of those underpinnings inside it. A slight, crooked little smile curled her lips as she looked at what she had… Jacob hadn’t looked at all at what he was grabbing… These were her new ones, just gotten from the tailor no more than a week ago, and not exactly her most innocent ones. She had a thing for certain styles of underwear, and her tailor was at least open enough to follow her designs. She pulled out one of the more…modest pairs she had in there, made entirely of a tissue thin white lace. They were as delicate as they looked, made from silk with little ribbons up the side to hold them on her frame, far too easily ripped to tolerate her usual button style. She slid them on, one leg at a time before lacing up the sides and topping them off with a bow at the end, little bits of silk ribbon hanging down the front of her thighs. The nightgown…now that would take some ingenuity. She bit her lip, and decided to tear into one of her dresses. It had a built in slip that was attached by only a few darts of thread she could snap with her fingers. At least it would do in a pinch and she began to separate it from the dress until she had it free. It wasn’t made of thick lawn or anything, but a soft pink cotton with a foot of lace around the hem, soft layers that filled out the bottom of her skirt when the dress was on. There were no sleves though, just some thin straps to hold it up on her. She shook her head and slid it over her head easily, the weight from the lace caused the cotton to slip down her frame, hugging every dip and curve she had before flaring out about her hips. It was a bit short as it was only a shift, the lace started right around the feminine swell of her belly, the lace falling only a foot after that, a good six inches above her knees. It was decadently feminine and sweet, making her look like a decadent sort of dessert. She looked over to the counter, that crimson ribbon still there under the box. She picked it up and closed it, sliding it under the bed as she placed her most valued possession down on the counter there. The ribbon she tied in her hair, a half pony tail that swooped her hair softly off of her fore head and off her face, making her eyes stand out even more, as well as the delicate shape of her ears and cheekbones. The rest of it all fell down her back in those thick, dreamy blond curls well to her waist. Bare feet padded down the carpeted hallway, right in time to see him setting up dinner in the living room, right in front of the fire. She smiled as she joined him there, taking the side next to him, moaning softly with how good the food smelled.*”Thank you Jacob, it smells delicious… Is there a prayer for Hanali that you do before you eat? Or is that not something you do? I’m not a religious person really, but if you have a preference please let me know?”*If there was, she would remain silent as he did so. If not, she would settle down to eat, tearing the bread into smaller, more manageable chunks and dipping them into the soup before eating them. She couldn’t stop the happy, appreciative sounds she made as she ate, thoroughly enjoying the food. They would share that companionable silence, all the while she was sneaking glances at him from time to time, covert little things that she hoped wouldn’t get noticed. She broke the silence with a question, her voice soft as they enjoyed the warmth of the fire and the soup.*”Jacob… If you don’t mind me asking… What made you decide to get your tattoo’s? I’ve never seen anything like them, they’re really very beautiful to me… quite appealing… You don’t have to answer me, but I’d like to know, if you’re willing to talk about it.”

(06:12:03 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: .. he had sunk down to sit there upon the rug.. having long since removed his boots.. placing them nearer the front door.. he was simply left on those long black slacks and that similar coloured vest.. his arms on display.. he was upon his knees there.. nearer the small wooden coffee table.. he was drawing from that tray her bowl, then his.. the plate of bread and the silver cutlery.. he’d catch sight of her movement out of the corner of his eye.. turning then to look to her.. to watch her as she made her way into the room.. the make shift nightgown made his throat run dry.. enough that he had to clear it quite audibly..before he would force his gaze back to work.. busying himself as he placed her spoon beside her bowl- . no.. .. he spoke softly.. settling back to sit properly.. cradling that bowl of his with one hand whilst he held the spoon gently in the other- .. I am not one to give prayer before a meal.. .. he lightly rubbed his lips together.. his gaze lifting to look to her there.. tilting his head then.. he’d notice the ribbon..- .. Ah.. very creative.. ..he’d motion toward the bow in her hair before offering her a small smile.. it twitched there against the corners of his lips..before he’d take a spoon full of that vegetable broth..letting the flavour coat his tongue and the inside of his mouth- .. I give thanks when the plants grow.. when the flowers bloom.. when the rain falls and the sun shines.. .. he took another spoonful.. before he’d place the bowl down to reach for some of that bread..his gaze would fall to the lace hemline of that slip she was wearing.. it settled high there upon her thighs.. revealing those long perfectly pale legs of hers.. he caught himself chewing upon the inside of his cheek.. the bread in his fingers little more than crumbs by this stage.. before he took a breath and turned his attention back to his soup.. he listened to the sounds she made.. it was quite clear she was appreciative.. and for that he was indeed thankful ..he wanted to make her as comfortable as he could.. she’d had a hellish few days.. and him bringing home that paper without thinking certainly didn’t help matters.. he could have handled that situation a lot better.. he simply wasn’t thinking when he left it on the kitchen counter.. he was going to just ask her about it.. not throw it in her face.. - ..I’m glad you like it.. it’s nothing special.. just something simple.. but warming.. and I think that’s what we both need on a cool night like tonight.. something filling and warm.... he placed another small piece of bread between his lips.. and just like she he threw small glances at her.. just every so often.. always in hopes that she wouldn’t notice..though it could be said that on more than one occasion their eyes did meet.. the question about his tattoos couldn’t have come at a better time..he drank down another spoonful of that soup before he placed the bowl down beside him- ..I don’t mind you asking at all.. . he held his right arm out..sliding his fingers down the length.. just over the patterns.. just over the pictures and wording- .. I have a passion for art.. I have from a very young age.. I’ve been told I got the creativity from my Mothers side.. .. he rubbed his lips together lightly before taking another small piece of bread- .. I.. I don’t know.. anyway.. I designed these.. myself…drew them on paper and had a very talented friend painstakingly ink them onto the skin.. they all mean something different.. and are all held quite dear.. to me.. ..he tilted his head.. motioning to the elvish wording on his upper right arm.. it was circled by swirls of dark ink and what looked like a heart shaped locket- .. It’s elvish.. my language.. it reads ‘Each day is a gift, and not a given right’.. it was something I learnt very early on in my life..I didn’t fit in closely with my Aunt and Uncle though I will forever be in debt to them for raising me as they did.. I am confused with something you had spoken.. about my Mother.. this.. Sydel.. as you called of her.. I had always been told she died.. . his brows furrowed- .. so that was the reason she was never there.. but.. I.. honestly I wont entertain the thought because I don’t know all the sides.. something I will look into.. anyway.. I was told my Father dumped me on their doorstep without so much as a word.. .. he cringed a little.. clearly speaking before thinking- .. I apologise.. I am speaking out of turn.. .. he nodded- .. forgive me.. .. he didn’t want to speak ill of the man she was going to marry and could still marry if she so chose to.. he didn’t know Ace from a bar of soap.. so really didn’t like to make assumptions.. - .. So I learnt to cherish the time I had.. to make sure it was full .. .. he shook his head a little.. realising he was rambling.. he shifted in a little bit closer to her.. the lighting in the room wasn’t perfect.. it was a little bit dim.. but she should have still been able to make out the basics of what was there.. especially as he settled in beside her.. he held his arm out and ran down each of the designs.. each of the drawings.. explaining the intricate lettering.. the waves.. the swirls and line work.. before he would move to unbutton his vest.. turning then so as his back was to her.. he’d draw it off his body completely.. his back then on display.. the designs continued up over his shoulder.. capping there perfectly.. before along his shoulder blades was some more elvish script.. so clean and crisp there upon those muscles- ..it says.. ‘You must be the change you wish to see in the world’.. call it.. a personal philosophy .... he nodded.. it would make sense if she really thought about it.. this was why he was the way he is.. there was so much darkness.. so much hate and evil.. that he wanted to buck the trend.. so he was in essence the complete opposite..-

(06:12:16 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: >.. my own mantra.. ..the rest are.. important yes.. but .. not really worthy of a story to be told.. I don’t wish to bore you afterall.. but there is one more.. that means the world to me.. . he tilted his head..reaching around to pull his ear to the side just a little.. there upon the pale skin was a glittering golden heart..- .. for my Lady Goldheart.. .. he uttered softly..- .. She who will always hold such a grand importance in my life.. she has lead me safely thus far.. without worry or concern.. a heart of gold.. for Hanali Celanil.. she is my chosen goddess.. the diety of romance and love.. a being of timeless beauty and such benign nature.. quick to forgive for minor transgressions.. it’s said she delights in rewarding her followers with the bliss of unexpected love and affection.. .. he would glance toward her then for a moment.. lingering before he would reach for his vest once more.. - ..We are able to to marry others.. we have the ability in her eyes to aid in the joining of couples.. though marriage ourselves is not a prerequisite.. a choice.. if we decide to go down that path….. he took another small piece of that bread before placing his bowl and spoon back upon the empty tray- ..A lot of Hanali’s clerics tend to gardens.. beauty is a big part of this religion.. beauty in all forms.. from dance.. to singing.. from art to gemstones.. we are to dress well often and always.. my body art to me.. is beautiful so.. I fell into good favour with my goddess.. .. he nodded.. -.. If I have my calculations right.. the moon will be at it’s highest in a couple of days.. I will have to be away for the evening .. to uphold my part in the revel.. or.. what you might call.. a celebration in her loving honour.. you of course are more than welcome to attend along with me.. if you like.. .. he held his hands up to her..palms outward- .. no pressure.. it can be a lot to take in for an outsider.. it can be quite loud.. it’s a holy celebration.. known as the Secrets of the Heart.. if any of the followers that attend are lucky enough to be romatically involved.. well.. it is said that they will experience the full natural bloom of their affection on such a night, allowing them to evaluate the strength of their feelings.. The inner beauty also shines for days after such a revel.. usually manifesting in the colouring of the cheeks of the participants.. such a heavenly rosy glow.. .. he nodded.. settling back a little so his back was pressed to the base of the couch.. his arms rose.. his hands coming to rest against the back of his head as he reclined.. just allowing the heat from the hearth to caress his bared chest.. his feet as his legs stretched out before him- .. just let me know if you would like to come.. I of course think it would be wonderful for you.. if you are able to.. let loose.. and just enjoy nature at its finest

‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *Jacob was beautiful… That was all there was to it really, that’s all she could think of when she came out into the living room, seeing him sitting here bathed in firelight like some pagan god fallen from Olympus… What made it so much harder to handle was the fact that the inside…was even more beautiful than the outside was, deep inside he was as golden as the sun and just as warm and nurturing. She knew her legs were on display there in the shift, that there was pretty much nothing to the imagination in that cotton and lace slip that hung on her curves like a drowning victim. It was just that she had only those two dresses and she didn’t want to eat dinner in them only take it off when she went to sleep. Plus she had to have something to wear, she really did want Jacob to lay in bed with her, to guard her as she went to sleep and if she was naked as her name day under the sheets, he probably wouldn’t come within a foot of the bed. She was rounding the sofa to sit down when she heard him clear his throat loud enough for her to hear. Had she done something wrong? Or was it just that he was thirsty? She pulled the hem down as much as she could, but she knew that when she pulled that lace down it pulled the cotton taut over her breasts and that revealed every curve and swell of them and she knew that was a whole lot worse than simply her legs being on display. She sat down before her plate, asking him if there was a sort of prayer or grace that he wanted to say for his goddess or anything else. She was respectful of other peoples religions, even if she wasn’t sure what her own was. She wasn’t quite sure she believed in God and the angels and saints, a heaven or a hell… Religion as a whole wasn’t something she had ever had the time to look into, and now that she was free, she wasn’t even sure how to start or if it mattered. In her time, God had been silent for a long, long while after all, why would anything now be any different really? When he said such things weren’t needed she smiled and set into dinner. It was simple and good, nothing complex or heavy, exactly what she needed really. She hadn’t eaten in days and though her body didn’t need it, once she had started for the children, she found that her body was often hungry even without them. She nibbled on the bread, enjoying the crispy edges as she cleared the crust off first before tearing into the heart of it to dip into the soup. She blushed when he noted the ribbon in her hair, quite a bright blush really, her bottom lip disappearing as she nibbled on it. Subconsciously her hand went to her curls, patting down that pretty crimson bow in her hair, nestled lovely against that golden hair of hers. She had a hard time with it being a bit unruly as all curly hair is, and she hadn’t wanted to be constantly pushing her hair out of her face while she tried to eat. She hadn’t thought he would notice, it was just a ribbon in her hair after all, men didn’t notice things like that… Or rather, so she had thought, but she was learning that Jacob was unlike anyone she had ever thought to exist. *”Thank you…”*She listened as he said he gave thanks for the plants, the flowers, the rain and the sun… Good things really, she often found herself happiest tending the garden at her little house when it had existed, and in the kitchen when she was cooking or baking.”Don’t sell yourself Jacob, just because something isn’t complex doesn’t mean it isn’t its own special kind of wonderful. You are exactly right, this is precisely what we needed.” *This place here had so many flowers that she could see herself spending hundreds of hours learning all their names, what their uses were if there were any, the way each petal was unique compared to their brother or sister flowers. She wanted to see what plants were in the gardens, what herbs she could grow there and which ones were already established. All these things and more dancing about in her head as she tried to not look at Jacob sitting there just a short distance away, painted amber like a statue and those stunning tattoos seeming to dance as the fire loved his every curve. More than once their eyes had caught, each of them sneaking such covert, secretive little glances of one another. Each time her eyes caught his, she flushed just that little bit, a pink stain on her cheeks as she was quite thoroughly caught out. She couldn’t stop herself from looking at him again, even when he caught her in the act as it were. If anything, it made it even strong, that desire to look at him while she ate. She was more of a….textile eater really. She savored food, enjoyed it and all it had to offer. She felt the grain of the bread between her fingers, tasted the change as she dipped it in the soup, letting the two flavors dance on her tongue. The vegetables were lovely, not over or undercooked, firm without being raw and that itself had its own special texture. When she asked about his tattoos, she hadn’t expected him to answer really, people’s artwork was a private thing after all and usually it did have a meaning. Some were more important that others, they all were unique and sometimes those meanings were much more…personal than others. She forgot all about her soup when he said he would tell her though, her eyes lit up like Christmas as she turned there on the rug, facing him then, her hands in her lap as he had her undivided attention. She couldn’t look away, not if the world exploded behind her she would be utterly enraptured. When he started talking, revealing things to her… She was utterly floored… Not just because of what he was saying…but because he was so open about it all. She had so used to Ace who kept everything under so many layers that it felt like an archeological excavation to try to find something out about him. This openness was much more appealing to her really, and in truth, it suited her temperament just the same, she herself was open if someone just asked her the questions. She blinked in stunned silence when he said he drew each and every tattoo there on his skin, that he had created each line with his own hands, and someone had inked them into his body for him. She wondered what it was like, to see each day as a gift rather than something to simply be lived through… She didn’t age after all, she wasn’t even sure she could die really, and if she could, it would take a long time before the act itself would be completed. It tended to jade someone a bit, especially when you had to live your life at the service of others all the time. She felt her heart break a little bit when he said he didn’t fit in at home…

(09:13:25 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: That might be why at first he was so closed up, his words always polite but without depth, not revealing anything… It was quite different now, they were taking those baby steps towards one another, and his opening up to her was a gift she saw for its pricelessness. She didn’t stop herself from reaching out, her hand resting atop his thigh when he started to talk about Sydel and Ace. She held up her free hand, asking him to give her just a moment to interrupt him.*”Jacob… Your mother did die, I know this for a fact. Sometimes, we die and we come back, I am living proof of that after all. I see a lot of her features in you, she’s a beautiful woman on the outside, but I can’t…say anything for the inside. I would say my first meeting with her wasn’t one that encourages succor or kindness…. Your father, Ace, left you with his sister because he didn’t know how to raise you himself… Ace has good things in him Jacob, he had to because he made you… He did what he thought was best, and I am glad he did… If you had stayed with Ace, if he had raised you…”*She shook her head softly, her fingers curling in to softly grip his thigh, a soft, gentle squeeze. For some reason…. It didn’t hurt to talk about it like it had before… like something had closed, a door shut on the pain.*”If Ace had raised you, you wouldn’t be the man who you are today, someone who is very, very special to me even if I haven’t known him very long… Ace has a lot of…demons in his past, something in his history broke him very, very badly… I wanted to help him overcome them, but I wasn’t strong enough, and I probably never could be… I can’t fight that darkness on my own, I’m just not able to… I can see that now at last, and that’s a good thing… It doesn’t…hurt to talk about it… I am sorry that I have to be the one to tell you about your past, your beginnings… But I am happy too honestly… I’d rather be the one to tell you than, say, either of them. They would have more of the details than I do, but I… I care about you, and I won’t hurt you like it might hurt from someone else… So don’t fash yourself about it Jacob… I promise I won’t break down again…You are a very good Doctor, you put me back better than I was before, a much better version of me…”*She smiled for him then, a soft curling of the corners of her mouth, giving his thigh another delicate squeeze before letting it return to her own lap. She let him explain more of that fantastic artwork, in awe and perhaps a little jealous of his artistic skill… She could draw a bit, a little bit of a doodler here and there, but nothing like what he had done… His tattoos were really beautiful, she knew that for a fact. When he moved in closer to him, she herself shifted on her knees, sliding to her side so they were just inches apart, her hair falling over her shoulder to pool on the ground between them. When he took off his vest, it was her time to feel her throat go dry, her whole little frame getting a bit of a shiver as she started, fascinated. All of it, the artwork, the places they were on his skin, the meanings behind it…. The way his muscles bunched and flexed as he moved, showing her, pointing everything out to her. Oh God… don’t pounce, don’t pounce…. But she wanted to… Oh she wanted to very, very badly… She took a deep breath, letting it slip silently out her nose as she tried to ground herself… A hard thing really when one took into account that he was just inches away from her, half naked, bathed in firelight and showing off each bit of artwork… Really, someone couldn’t have moved her if they tried. His personal mantra though… Yes, that suited him to a T… He was certainly a being of light, and he had chased away many of her own shadows by just letting her be around him, enjoying the simply pleasure of his presence. Then that little gold heart behind his ear… She listened with rapt attention to his story, the Goddess he worshiped… She had heard him use her name a few times, it was beautiful when he said it, but she was coming to learn that the elvish world itself was a beautiful thing from the little glimpses she was getting of it. This goddess sounded like a dream really, someone who could be kind and forgiving but beautiful too. She envied him and his being half elf, or really any measure of elf at all. To be so in tune with ones self, to be a being of such beauty, inside and out, and have your deities be much of the same… Oh woe to be an android… Being an elf was looking to be a whole lot better choice… When he said that his goddess rewarded her followed with unexpected love and affection, well, she doubted anything could knock her over quite so fast. She flushed brightly when he looked at her, his eyes lingering on her which made her blush even brighter though she didn’t look away. Was Hanali here right now, helping to orchestrate all this? Was his goddess there with them, guiding them together, knowing there was something about them that belonged with the other? Oh no, she couldn’t even entertain such a thought, really, that was just not right. Surely if Hanali were to take a part in Jacobs love life, surely it would be for someone elvish and a whole lot better than her. She was a no body after all, just a human with some more than human parts and a less that pretty past. For someone was wonderful as Jacob, oh she was sure this goddess, this Hanali had to have someone picked out for him already. She was just a passerby in his life, surely… Or she was just deluding herself and what she was feeling, trying to hide it all deep down, to keep it from being revealed to her. The more he talked, the more she blushed, unable to hide it all. It wasn’t until he started to talk about the gardens, how beauty was a big part of the religion, that she was able to turn down the heat of her cheeks and subdue a part of that blush. She sagged a bit when he said he would have go to in a few days, to carry out his part of the celebration. She would be lonely without him, she had to admit that to herself at least… Then he invited her along… Her head tilted to the side.*”I would like to go… but I’m not an elf… Technically I’m not even a human… Wouldn’t they turn me away at the door?”*When he talked about that last bit though, oh that blush came back full force, even tinting the tops of her ears pink. Damn it all, even her hiccups came back and she had been doing SO good and keeping those little bastards under control.

(09:13:34 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: Oh for the love of all things, really, it was too hard sometimes, the temptations were so strong! What was she supposed to do when he was saying what he was, then stretching out against the couch like that, arms behind his head so she could see every curve and hard line of his muscles, his long legs relaxed infront of him. Really?! REALLY?! Whyyyy?! She wrapped her arms about her chest, struggling with temptations and propriety… Of what she wanted to do, and what Jacob might do if she did. Ugh… She closed her eyes, shaking her head, forcing the image of him there from her mind. There was a note there in her voice, one that Jacob had heard but once, there in that hospital when she had been locked in that room.*”I would very much like to go if they will accept me… I would like to see such a thing, thank you very much for inviting me… I’ll be sure to have something made to wear before we go of course… Something beautiful to honor Hanali Celanil…”


…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
says to ‡Ţŗĭņ: ..he had nodded in response to her words on his Mother.. he still wasn’t entirely sure what to think.. he would look into it.. of that he was certain.. but everything else was still so much up in the air.. he held a form of respect for his Mother.. and would continue to do so until he was proven otherwise.. his Father however.. left him .. far to easily so far as he was concerned.. regardless on wether his upbringing would have been better with the Uncle and Aunt.. there was still something to be said for being brought up by your own father.. your own flesh and blood…- .. I haven’t really known anything of my Father.. .. he shook his head- .. I was brought up.. by my Mothers sister and her husband.. .. the meal was soon finished.. he would reach across to take her bowl.. the plate with the remains of the crusty bread.. the cutlery and he’d move to stand.. his legs were quaking just a little.. a mild tremble.. the only rest he had now had in.. almost 4 days was that short cat nap in the Inn.. the one that was disturbed by the.. visitor.. he took the tray back into the kitchen.. placing it down upon the bench.. he would deal with the clean up of it later.. returning to the room there.. though he wouldn’t sit upon the floor.. he settled to sit upon the edge of the couch there.. still quite close to her - ..It wouldn’t matter that you weren’t an elf.. .. his head tilted.. it would be something he would have to.. think further on but he was sure there would be a way.. it was something he wanted to share with her.. Did Hanali have her fingers in this though? Or was it something a bit deeper?.. - .. Oh.. good.. .. a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.. he was growing a little concerned that she was not wanting to go.. it was a big event afterall.. she could be forgiven for being a little warey about it all- .. I am glad you would like to come.. as for having something made to wear.. no.. it’s not necessary.. .. he gave another shake of his head- .. our celebration garb is made for us.. before the event..It might not be to your liking.. .. he had only ever really seen her in florals and lace.. and it was neither of those..- .. but I can say it is.. well.. comfortable.. I.. .. his brows furrowed- .. I think.. well I can’t really say since I am not a female.. The mens version is.. comfortable.. the women there don’t seem to mind what they wear.... he reached back around and began to rub at the back of his neck.. clearly something was awkward about the subject- .. in any rate we will need to start travelling .. he paused.. a thoughtful look crossing his features- .. tomorrow evening..so a good deal of rest will need to be had before we leave.. You need to tell me though.. if you are up to the journey.. it will take a good day to get there.. and if you aren’t feeling yourself.. or are uncomfortable with it at any point you need to let me know.. no harm.. no foul.. I will not think any less of you if you decide even at the last minute that you don’t want to go.. .. his lids were growing a little heavier.. his hands reached to rub at his temples.. his voice.. his words were coming a little slower.. a little.. huskier.. sleep was well and truly going to rip him from the surface world and soon- .. please forgive me.. if I don’t place my head upon a pillow this couch will be my bed for the evening.. I can withstand a few days without rest.. it’s how my body works.. but many more than that.. along with the mental exertion of magical use.. and I am exhausted.. if I may.. and if it is not to forward.. . he bowed his head a little- . since I haven’t the chance to sort out a bed for myself.. and I did indeed notice you had.. may I share your bedding for the evening? In a completely innocent sense Rose.. I will understand if you say no.. .. he slowly pulled himself up from the couch.. his arms reaching high above his head as he stretched.. he pulled the wire screen before the fire place.. securing the logs in place if any decided it was time for a wander..he crouched to grab that vest before he would hold his hand out to her.. if she would take it he would use himself as her anchor.. drawing her to her feet.. before he would head toward the bedrooms down the thin corridor.. the candles at their sides snuffing out as they passed them.. leaving nothing but darkness behind them… where the darkness belonged-

‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *She sat back, silent, letting him talk about it… She could understand a whole lot more about his situation than he really knew, but that didn’t mean she would force him to talk about it, even if she could be entirely empathetic about it. She knew it was hard, growing up and feeling unwanted, like no one cared enough about you to keep you. She’d lived her whole life like that, being traded from one house to another, then one man to another. It was just a part of her life, just as his history was a part of his. It both left their mark on them, but Jacob… He had done something wonderful with his, and she… She had just run. He was helping her face it though, giving her the courage to turn around and stare at it head on, even if it was a lot harder. She would have gladly taken the dishes and such to the kitchen, she was just a bit lost in her own world, inside her own head as it were. She dabbled far too much inside her own imagination honestly, and all it did was torment her with the pictures and scenarios she allowed herself to have. Because she was off gathering wool as it were, she hadn’t really noticed he had taken her plate and was cleaning the table. It was when he moved to stand that she noticed he was a bit…not unsteady, but his legs were shaking just a bit. That or she was seeing things? She stood up behind him, taking the crumbs from the table and sweeping them into her hand and placing them in a little bit of cloth. She would give them to the birds in the morning, planning on making several little bird feeders and such along with a little birdbath. She loved animals, and this place was just begging for a couple of cute little bird houses and feeders with a little stone bath for them in the front yard. She turned to him as he sat back on the couch, resting her hand on his knee lightly, ready to pull it back if he was uncomfortable. She sighed a bit with relief when he said she didn’t have to be an elf. Honestly, she was still unsure as to a whole lot of it, but she always enjoyed something new and different. From food to places, everything deserved a chance to be explored to the fullest before one decided if it was something good or bad.*”Oh good, I was worried that maybe you might get into a bit of trouble bringing someone like me with you. I really look forward to this, I want to learn more about the world you come from Jacob.”*She smiled up at him, catching the curling of his own lips as well. He had…such an amazing smile… Really, it made her feel lit from the inside out, the way it just curled there, shy and a little hesitant. Her head tilted when he said that their garb was made for them there. Well, how in the world did that happen? She was so short and had such an odd figure that she honestly had to be tailored for everything, she wasn’t quite sure they would have anything that would fit her curves and dips. Unless it was something more loose and flow? That might work, but she was just a little vain enough that she wanted to look beautiful too… Not because she cared what she looked like or that she was shallow… She just wanted Jacob to think she was beautiful in the type of dress his race wore. It shouldn’t matter to her really, but it did. Her finger came up to run along the bridge of her nose as she thought about it, a cute, endearing little action when something had her a little baffled. Why wouldn’t she like it? The dressmaker chose what looked best on her, the only thing that she took a direct hand in was her underpinnings. She liked her underwear and bras to project a certain image and style, quite personalized to her. It was really the only thing that had her mark all over it, and she knew she looked utterly divine in it too. *”I don’t think I would dislike it? My tailor here makes everything, I give her free reign to dress me as she sees fit. Since I am so small and blond, she tends to make me dresses that are…ultra-feminine. I tend to look like… a doll. It suits me fine, they are just clothes after all, they fit and I don’t look like a glaring fashion massacre. So long as I can move around, and they can find something that fits me, that’s all that matters right? I’m really not picky… Well no… I refuse to wear red… But that’s about it.”*She smiled up at him, making a little bit of a silly face to make him smile a bit more and put him at ease about it. That rubbing of his hand behind his neck… that was his father all over it… and if it was the same thing that caused it?.... Hmmm… What was Jacob not telling her? Something that made him a bit uncomfortable, definitely, but Jacob was such a sweetheart that something perfectly ok to her would make him blush… So she couldn’t really tell if it was something she would need to be worried about or not. Well, she found find out once they got there, that was all there was to it. She was a bit surprised when he told her they had to leave tomorrow night. She would have to pack some food then, set up little travel packs for them and she had thought she might have a bit more time to get things together. She would have to trust Jacob would have had that in mind when he went shopping. Aside from that though, she was fine. She was nearly at 100% top shape, and travel wouldn’t upset her any. She shook her head, a soft giggle passing her lips as she reached up to take his hands in hers softly.*”Jacob Anakin, you sir, are an angel… But I promise you, I will be just fine. I’m really excited to go, I swear it, and a pack of wild horses couldn’t keep me from accompanying you. This will be a little adventure for us, you can show me things you know about the woods, teach me what you know as we walk. It will be so much fun.”*She was indeed noticing that he was starting to hit the level pretty hard. She hadn’t known he was sleeping so little, if she had she would have packed his butt off to bed hours ago if she did. She didn’t want him to sleep on the couch though, not that it wasn’t comfortable because in all honesty, it was and she knew it too… But she had every intention of them sharing a bed, and just like him, in an innocent sense of all things. Her mind though… Well thank God that was locked up nice and neat between her ears and he wasn’t privy to what went on in there. She put her hands on her hips and lowered a look on him though, she wasn’t too peachy on him denying himself sleep, probably the entire time he was taking care of her and not telling her a whit of it.*

(19:11:54 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: ”You, Sir, just lost some brownie points mister! Why in the world didn’t you tell me?! Goodness, I should have taken you to bed hours ago!”*She stopped, her hand covering her mouth as her eyes widened in shock with just how bad that sounded. She waved her hand, as if she could erase the words she had just spoken.*”Not that… I mean, ah! I just would have sent you to bed a long time ago is all. I honestly planned on asking you to share the bed with me, it’s more than big enough for both of us to be quite comfortable. I just… I sleep really, really badly when I’m on my own, and it’s better if someone is with me I have learned. Plus the nights here are still rather cold, and I wouldn’t mind the extra warmth, I’m a big of a bug with the cold, I just don’t like it.”*She smiled again, trying to remove the pink from her cheeks from earlier. Really, he brought out the best in her, but at the same time it just made her blush almost all the time it seemed. She took his hand he offered her, pulling herself up in one fluid motion to she stood next to him. She followed him down that hallway and entered her room. She walked to the bed, taking off the dresses and everything else there, setting them on a chair before pulling down the bedding for him. She would step out, giving him a bit of privacy to strip down…and give her a shred of sanity to hold onto. If she saw him strip down any more than she already had, her poor little mind would just turn to mush and she would try to temp him to take things a bit beyond kissing. She shook her head, slapping her cheeks lightly as she grounded herself. She would knock on the door then, asking entry before she would pop back in. Beside the bed was that music box he had given her and she gently wound it up before setting it down, lid open, a soft melody for them to drift off to sleep. She would slide in next to him, just a small shape under the blankets as she burrowed down into them, pulling them up to her chin and making sure she was tucked all the way in so not a drop of her skin aside from her head was showing.*”Goodnight Jacob…..”

(19:34:58 )
…The..Curse..Ends..Here…

Dr. Jacob Anikin
..Stop trying to fix yourself, you’re not broken..
..You are perfectly imperfect, and powerful beyond measure..
: Oh!.. no I wouldn’t get into any kind of trouble.. my chosen goddess is not so fickle to be concerned with the purity of race and kind.. she’s a bit more open minded.. due to the unpredictable nature of the heart.. .. he nodded- .. you can never be entirely certain just when that desire.. that attraction will strike.. it could be simple and somewhat expected.. and then it could also completely take you by surprise.. I guess a lot of it depends on wether or not you believe in fate .his hands fell back to his lap there.. he had indeed noticed her fingers.. that soft and gentle touch upon his knee.. but he didn’t move.. or make her feel like she had to.. this was all.. a bit odd to him.. inside he was terribly conflicted.. and unsure of his actions.. she was for all intents and purposes engaged.. to be married.. and not just that.. it was to his Father.. and yet here he was.. quite comfortable with her.. sharing a meal.. some polite conversation.. they had kissed on more than one occasion.. it was clear the attraction was most definitely there.. and yet.. it was quite complicated indeed.. - .. Oh I didn’t mean you wouldn’t like the garb given at the event.. just that it might well be quite different.. not.. quite as tailored.. and doll like.. not to say your chosen clothing isn’t good.. it is.. yes.. .. he felt as though he was digging himself in a hold that he really.. really didn’t mean to..- .. ugh.. I apologise.. I am getting tired and when I do I tend to run on and ramble.. .his head tilted a little to the side when she tried to scold him in the most utterly adorable way possible.. he couldn’t help but chuckle.. nodding soon after- .. yes Miss.. of course.. .. he had moved to his feet.. a little warey on those legs of his but he would wander down that short hallway.. the darkness following them closely.. before he would move to enter her bedroom.. his eyes would catch the sight of the music box there.. upon her small bedside table.. it would cause the corners of his lips to twitch a little.. he was still quite pleased she liked the gift.. she left then soon after.. giving him a little privacy.. he sunk down to sit there upon the edge of the bed.. settling into the soft plush comforter.. it was quite lush really.. he had a feeling he’d sleep quite well.. and be quite rested when he woke.. he placed his vest upon the chair beside the bed.. fingers would toy with the buttons on his slacks.. the zipper before he’d peel that fabric down his legs.. leaving him in little more than those thin cotton shorts.. the slacks were placed neatly.. folded near his vest before he himself would slide between those soft sheets.. drawing the covers up.. it was simply cotton yes.. but it was almost like a brushed cotton.. so it was supremely soft against the skin.. he murmured a little when his head came to rest upon the pillow.. he heard her knocking.. - .. yes.. yes of course.. come in.. .. he’d utter though it was quite softly.. little more than a whisper .. he’d catch sight of her re-entering the room.. her silhouette guided by the flickering candle light behind it.. those golden curls.. the petite nature of her frame as a whole.. he heard the music start.. the gentle tune sounding out.. - .. beautiful.. .. he would whisper.. before those eyes of his would close over completely.. to what was his compliment.. the music? Or to the young woman sliding in between those covers beside him.. the bed was big yes.. but not overtly large.. there was no huge gap between them.. sleep had taken him.. that soft gentle slumber.. his features became peaceful.. his breathing falling into that regular rhythm -
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: *Unpredictability of the heart huh… She had never really known that for such a steady organ, that it could wreak such havoc on a life, no matter how hard that person tried to keep it placid. Everything in her life since she got here had been something she had taken part in, made the choices, performed the actions… She had no one to blame but herself for everything that happened, no matter what Jacob said to the contrary, no matter what others might think. The night she had met Ace, she had tried to pull back from him, she knew he was too slick and far too skilled at seduction for her own wellbeing. She had tried but in the end, the lust won out and she had toppled into bed with Ace like a ripe peach. They had gone about it all backwards, never really gotten to know each other, or to even really talk. Their passions were fierce and hot, matched wonderfully in bed, each one bringing the other to that place of pleasure in a hot, hard rush. But… Relationships, healthy ones, they don’t work like that… Ace had told her he wasn’t sure he could love her, and at first she had been ok with that, thinking that if she tried hard enough he would. Love didn’t happen like that, it wasn’t something you had to work for, or something you could force. She loved Ace… But she wasn’t sure she wanted to marry him anymore… She wasn’t sure she ever wanted to be with someone who could just leave her in the middle of the night like that. It wasn’t even about the fact it had been their engagement night, or the fact of all that had happened afterwards, it was the fact that he had just left. Without a single note, a word, nothing… It hadn’t been the first time she had woken up without him beside her, as if he couldn’t be in bed with her for a whole night. She knew that she might be painting it all with a dark brush, but she was being more honest with herself now than she had been before… Ace had fine qualities, he’d fought for her in his own way, he had tried to make it work… and so had she… And it just…didn’t work. Their sex life was fantastic, it would always be that way be that way… but there had to be more than that. She hadn’t realized she had been missing that tenderness, or that she needed something as gentle as that, that she craved kind words and understanding. Jacob had shown her that in such a short time, that she had been needing something like that without even knowing that she was suffering without it. She wanted it all…. She was greedy enough to admit it, to want the whole of a relationship, not just good parts of one. Ace had… a lot of things he had to learn to let go and move past, a lot of not quite growing up, but perhaps coming to see all the sides of him that were there. She couldn’t marry Ace…not as they were now. It had nothing to do with Jacob, though his being here made things a little harder on her heart as it was… She just didn’t think she could commit herself for life to a man who only wanted parts of her, at his convenience, when he wanted to have them of her. It wasn’t that he was cruel, but she couldn’t see him wanting to know her the way Jacob seemed to show a genuine interest in her. Ace never asked her about who she was…. Never really asked her anything about herself, and when she had tried to ask him…well, it certainly hadn’t gone too smoothly. She knew she would need to talk to Ace about all of this, and she would have to go into alone and with as much grace and love for him as she could muster. She loved him…but she loved herself more, for the first time in her life, she loved herself enough to know she deserved better, even if she had to fight for it. Her life had been just layers of hell, ending with the loss of her children and wrenching her heart out of her chest, leaving her more than a little broken. Deep down, she still was… But she could still face tomorrow, and only time could really fix the rest of it. At the end of all this, with a little help from Jacob, she had come to a lot of realizations about herself. This was her stolen week… and she would use it all to figure out what she wanted, and what she could do to get it. In that soft candle light she watched Jacob in front of her, the way his face softened in sleep, every worry, ever tired strain on his face was gone… He was handsome, not the heart wrencher his father was, but she found him all the more charming for it. What made him so lethal, so potent was that his beauty was so much more than skin deep… He was amazing, inside and out, a rare man, a king among men. People like him…. Were one in a million… And she wanted him… She wanted him all to herself, to be held by his side, to be the one he chose… She knew her chances of that though… next to nothing. She had told him everything, and when she did she knew that she had destroyed any chance she might have ever had of him wanting to be with her. She kissed him…he kissed her… They were such tender things, full of so much romance that they made her books pale in comparison. Each time their lips met, a little part of her broke somewhere deep inside where she had hoped for something better… Once this week was over, she would well and truly vanish… She would talk to Ace, to settle things between them, to release him… Ace wasn’t truly ready to be married…deep down she knew no matter how much she had hoped for it to be different, Ace wasn’t ready for it… He cared for her, she knew that, but he wouldn’t want to spend his whole life with someone like her, no matter how good the sex was. He wouldn’t be as thrilled as she was if she ever got pregnant again, their dreams of their future….were quite different. She was letting go of Ace inside her heart, stepping back for his own happiness, his own wellbeing… She wouldn’t be used against him, and he could live his life as uncomplicated as he had before she entered it… And she would let go of Jacob, no matter how good he was for her… Her fingers slid outside of the fine cotton sheets, under the comforter to lightly brush her fingers through his hair, just a gentle caress. The fact of all of this… Hanali or Not… Her heart was far too susceptible to everything Jacob was… Falling in love with him would be as easy as breathing and just as natural to her… She was afraid she was already falling for him… And it broke her heart even more to know it too… He had come months too late… But even so, she was so happy to know him, even so….even so… Her fingers slid from his hair to gently trace down the side of his face, along his cheekbone and jaw, as light as a whispered breeze. When she knew he was deep asleep, she whispered to him, hardly heard.*

(20:31:49 )
‡Ţŗĭņįţŷ‡

§Say Something, I'm Giving Up On You§
§I'm Sorry I Couldn't Get To You§
§Anywhere I would've Followed You§
§Say Something I'm Giving Up To You§
≠Self Sustaining AI Chassis≠
”Say Something I'm Giving Up On You”
says to …The..Curse..Ends..Here…: ”Why couldn’t you have been here three months ago Jacob… I wish you knew how easy it is to fall in love with you… I think I’m falling even now, and it scares me…. I have so little of my heart left to give… It’s broken and battered and bruised, rough around the edges, and the song on it has faded and warped… I don’t have a clear melody anymore, and the key I would have given you has been broken and bent beyond my ken to fix it… Even with all that… I’d give it to you, if only you wanted it of me… You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen in my life, inside and out, and I feel so much brighter for just…being around you… It’s like my life has just been a perpetual darkness, and when I met you… when I got to know you… It was like I got to see the dawn for the first time… It’s just…..better when you’re around… So much so that I don’t know how I’m going to find the strength to say goodbye… I won’t be able to stay your friend… Every day I spend with you….every kiss…every touch… it’s another death knoll to any chances I might have had to keep a distance between us…and I can’t summon a single atom of regret about it… I can’t look at you and not want to kiss you… I can’t feel your hands on my skin and not want to love you Jacob… you’re… the best part of who I am today… you’ll be the best part of me tomorrow… And for the rest of my life… I will never forget everything you’ve taught me, everything you will show me…. You’ve left tattoos of yourself on my soul… Permanent and immutable letters there, of the things that you left inside me, things that I will always carry with me… I can’t tell you this when you’re awake… It wouldn’t be fair…but when you dream… When you dream you’re in a place I can’t reach you, but you’re here next to me and I can smell you and feel you against me… I can tell you what’s in my heart without worry that you won’t accept it… I wanted to tell you because I want you to know…but I’s such a coward that I can’t tell you when you can see me…when I might see regret in your eyes…when I might have to face rejection… I’m afraid of falling Jacob… I don’t want to get hurt again…but I can’t help myself…”*She sighed softly, her hand coming to rest over his heart, to feel that steady beat beneath her fingers, each thump a match to her own. She leaned in, and ever so softly, so carefully, pressed her lips over his in a ghost of a kiss before resting her head on his shoulder. She wrapped her arm about his chest, her leg over his own as she curled up against him as he slept, drifting off herself at last, the final notes of the music box fading in the distance.*