Compassion (Part 3 of the "C" series)
by Astra <astraplain@yahoo.com 

They were together in her quarters, drawn to each 
other by pain and anger and confusion.  It hurt so 
very, very much.

He had been in bed, tossing and turning.  Pretending 
the demons weren't there.  But they were.  They 
mocked him; leering at him from darkened corners as 
he tried to sleep tied in sweat dampened sheets.  
When he closed his eyes to block them out he faced 
the crueler demons in his mind.  The ones who tore 
him from slumber screaming.

She answered the door on the first chime, her voice a 
little too controlled. Her face a little too pale.  
The fair skin under her eyes tinted dark with 
fatigue.  She hadn't been sleeping either he knew.  

She offered him tea.  He shook his head mutely.  He 
almost made a joke.  Tea keeps him awake.  She knew 
what he was thinking and quirked a watery smile at 
the unspoken words.

He stood, hands draped loosely at his sides, unable 
to think what to do next.  His mind was too full to 
leave room for things like movement and conscious 
thought.  She saved him, as she had so often before, 
her strength his lifeline.

"Come sit with me." She urged, shifting so that her 
legs slid off the sofa and she was wedged into the 
corner, letting the armrest and the sofaback keep her 
upright.  She seemed small somehow, dwarfed by her 
own furniture. It made him swallow hard.  

"I need you." he said, surprised to hear himself 
speak.

"I know." She answered, unable to make herself admit 
more.

Not the words, but her gaze, the liquid sky of her 
eyes, made him strong. He went to her, offering his 
hand, then pulling her gently up and off the sofa 
into his embrace.  They clung together until their 
pulses matched.

It hurt so much.  To be betrayed, used, assaulted.  
To have one's very memories stripped away and played 
with.  It was a violation without compare. It left 
them shrouded in anger and pain, strangers within 
their own minds.

"I trust you." he said at last, his voice ragged, 
"Even though I can not trust myself."

She said nothing, just reached up to him and kissed 
his lips.  They were dry and chapped.  She soothed 
and moistened them with her own.

His arms tightened around her, his body pressing 
against the length of hers, his fingers tangling in 
her hair.  

She felt his desire pressing against her and 
faltered.  Breaking the kiss she tried to back away.  

"No."  It was a frightened whisper.

"Did he hurt you like this?" he demanded, releasing 
her.  Watching as she backed away another step. She 
moved carefully, cautiously, as if she might take a 
wrong step and fall.

"No."  She shook her head.  "He didn't hurt me that 
way."

He knew she was lying.  

She backed away another step, her eyes darkened by 
the shadows in the dimly lit room.  He hesitated a 
moment, then followed, covering the distance between 
them quickly and catching her arm.  She gasped.

He drove her back until the she was pressed against 
the wall.  Her face went deathly pale.

He brought his lips down to hers and pressed her back 
harder, his hands pinning her wrists.  She started to 
gasp for breath.

He rubbed himself against her.  Her knees buckled, 
her eyes stared, unfocused, at something beyond him.

"Fight me."  He whispered.  She didn't move.  He 
pressed her harder against the wall and snarled at 
her.  "Fight me."

She flinched but still didn't try to resist.  He 
pinned both wrists with one hand and ran the other 
down her body.  Placing his mouth against her ear he 
repeated his command.  Nothing.  

His hand found her breast.  She cried out, shrieking 
in a way he had never heard before.  Then she 
attacked.

She might have done some real damage, but the sound 
of him hitting the floor seemed to jolt her back to 
reality.  She threw herself down beside him half 
crying her apologies.

He smiled at her, catching her in a hug and pulling 
her down on top of him. She lay there on the floor, 
tears streaming from her eyes and wetting his shirt.  
He petted her until she quieted.

"I'm sorry." She repeated over and over until he 
silenced her with a kiss. She returned it, running 
her hand over his ribs where he had jabbed him with 
her elbow.  He winced.  She leaned down and kissed 
it.

"Let me see." She insisted, unfastening his shirt and 
inspecting his wound. "No bruise." She informed him, 
then kissed the sore spot.  He shuddered in pleasure.  
She kissed his ribs again.

He returned the kiss, catching her on the neck.  This 
time she shuddered. She placed a kiss on his bare 
chest.  He nibbled her ear.  They traded kisses, 
slowly undressing each other until they lay pressed 
skin to skin with nothing, not even fear between 
them.

They made love on the floor twice, then moved into 
the bedroom to continue. When sleep finally claimed 
them, their demons had been driven far far away.

::: end :::