"Oh? Is it my own spy network? Or did you get the Assassins Guild?"
For half a second he wondered if she had a listening device on him, but then got that she was trying to be playful, since he'd turned her down for sex.
"Both, actually." He realized that she might not believe him so he shrugged. "Seriously. I asked, and the Count is sending over some information about both for us. We won't have to take over immediately, but he isn't fighting us on it, or making it hard. I think he's ready for someone else to do the work for him, to tell the truth."
"Really? That's..." She moved in and kissed him on the lips, a real, fully adult thing that took his breath away. He started to panic, but pulled back from that, carefully not letting Nora invade his mind. "Oh, um, sorry, I didn't mean-"
He kissed her back, repeating what she'd just done. It wasn't perfect, but it was a start. When he finished she let a smile curl on her lips.
"So, cookies. Then maybe we can do some other things?"
Timon had to look away, feeling a bit of a blush crawling up his face, warming his cheeks.
"I think... maybe we can try?"
They worked in silence for a while, neither one of them wanting to break the mood or make things too hard for the other. The place was still filled with smoke, but that didn't matter.
What did was that, for the first time since he'd been tortured, he felt like he had a small chance to begin healing. The wounds were gone from his body, and the ones in his mind would be around for a while, maybe forever. But possibly not.
With that bit of hope in mind, he stood next to his wife and showed her more than just how to make cookies. Timon showed her that they weren't alone, not if they had each other.
It was a place to begin, wasn't it?
Looking over into her big blue eyes, he nodded slightly and got back to work.
It would take time, but they had that. It would be enough.
It had to be.
Because if it didn't work, he didn't know what else to do. Life had to go on, and it would, if they made it.
Smiling he focused on the task in front of him and decided to just try and take things as they came, it might not be enough, but it was a place to start.
By
P.S. Power
Young Ancients:
(Tor)
The Builder
Knight Esquire
Knight of the Realm
Ambassador
Counselor
Slave Line
Ancient Kings
(Timon)
The Dark Half of the Sun
Lord of the Sky
(Tiera)
A Simple Darkness
Proxy
Gabriel
Cast Iron
Proxy: Reunions
Cellophane
Dead End:
A Very Good Man
A Very Good Neighbor
A Very Good Thing
A Very Dark Place
Gwen Farris:
Abominations
Monsters
Strangers and Lies
Keeley Thomson:
Demon Girl
Mistress of Souls
Demon Trap
Related works:
Christmas of the Vampire
Other Places:
Shortcuts
The Lament:
Without Rhythm
Stand Alone Novels:
Crayons
An Unrelenting Terror