Fast Fingers...

[LittleRedDevil]

It was different the second time, but Mac loved it just as much. His hips moved with a fever, and hers were right there to meet him. The explosion burst in her head like a bomb, and she cried out with the pleasure of it. She heard his heavy breathing, and felt his release.

Her body was heavy with exhaustion, and limp with satisfaction. "I don't think I can move anymore Tom."

He chuckled at her. The sun was setting, taking the light with it, and the temprature was dropping. She shivered as the cold touched the light sheen of sweat that covered her body. "As much as I would love to keep you out here and make love to you all night, I think we should get back to the house. It gets awfully cold out here, and I don't want you to catch a cold."

Mac pulled his mouth to hers, "I could always use you as a blanket."

He groaned, "I think I've created a monster. Come on, let's get dressed. Mom is probably worried sick about us. We've been gone almost all day."

It took them almost twenty minutes to get dressed and back on the horses. They were to busy stealing kisses and caresses. "Do you think we could take a walk later? You can show me around the property."

"Now I know I've created a monster, but," he smiled at her, "I think that can be arranged, little lady."

Mac wished she had something to throw at the legendary John Wayne.

 

[Isolde]

Desiree sat in the chair in the living room looking at the telephone, her fingers drumming on the arm of the couch. Marcus was still sleeping and she wasnt going to disturb him as he needed his sleep to get well.

Barton would be on his shift in less than 20 minutes and she was going to give him a little bit longer than that before she called so as not to arouse his suspicions but she was nervous. It wasnt like she had never done this, she had gone into these situations more times than she cared to count and many times it was wired. The problem came when she thought that she was going up against one of their own. He was a raging bastard-true-but he was a cop and he knew all of the tricks. It made this just that much more dangerous.

She wasnt going to tell Marcus or Tom how nervous she was. They would both want her to pull out of this and there was no way that was going to happen. She wanted to nail Barton and she wanted to nail him good. And she wasnt going to stop til she did. Getting up from the chair, she glanced once again at the wall clock and grimaced at how slow time was passing. She went to the window and looked out trying to get her jumbled thoughts in order.

 

[willywanker]

Tom and Mac rode back to the house with many a quick glance and hot looks exchanged. Both were feeling things they had never felt before. The love they shared had just been expressed in the most personal way possible and they both knew they wanted more, and soon. The ride back seemed to take only minutes, the time passed so quickly. Tom sent Mac in to let everyone know they were back and to help his mother clean up the picnic containers they had brought back. As Tom got the gear off the horses and rubbed them down, his mind tried to comprehend all that had happened the last couple of days. Finished, he headed to the house.

Walking up the walk, he could see thru the window, Des on the phone. His steps hurried as he headed in, wondering if this was the call to set things in motion. He had forgotten he was to be a part of this sting in the passion he had felt today. Now, his big brother instincts returned as he entered the room just as Des hung up the phone. "Was that him?" he asked. "Do you think he bought it?" he added as his siter nodded. Tom waited to hear his sister, his partner tell him how it went.

 

[Isolde]

Desiree looked up as Tom came in. "Yeah that was him and I think I pulled it off." She tried to look confident and up so that Tom wouldnt think she was getting cold feet on this. Truth be told, she was scared to death about how this thing was going to go.

"I dropped a hint that I was going to be in tomorrow to clean out Marcus' desk. I acted all torn up about his death and let it slip that we had been a couple-like the whole force doesnt know. I found that out today!"

She didnt let anything slip about Marcus' proposal. She had seen how Tom and Mac had come into the house. Something had happened between them and she wasnt going to upstage the moment.

Desiree begin pacing and then stopped herself. That was going to give away her nervousness. She better not do that when Marcus was around or he wouldnt let her go at all. "I played on the fact that everyone thinks I am a grieving girlfriend and he offered to be my shoulder to cry on. Uggh!"

I shivered at the thought of crying on Barton's shoulder, of having his arm around me....I had to stop with the mental picture or I would have gotten physically sick. "So I told him that I could use a friendly ear and that I would meet him at Marcus' and mine's coffee shop after I was done cleaning out my partner's desk. If I know Barton, he will jump the gun and meet me at the station. I dont think he will be stupid enough to try anything there," Then my mind went back to the time that Barton had me cornered at work and Marcus had to pull him off. It was before we got together and right before Barton started becoming a royal pain in the ass. "But then again I am not sure about anything with him."

"Anyway, it is all set up. All we have to do is start this,"
'And get it over with quick' I added to myself. I was not looking forward to this at all. All I wanted was for it to be over.

 

[willywanker]

"Alright, Des, if your sure your ready. Just know that your big brother is right behind you and nobody messes with my kid sister." Tom tussled her hair like he had done when they were kids. Picking up the phone, Tom called his friend with the detective agency and arranged to borrow his best wire and a couple of other gadgets that the police were not allowed to use. He would do anything to keep his sister safe. They sat down at the kitchen table and went over the route Desiree would take, picking out spots for Tom to wait.

They spent almost an hour working out as many details as possible, each knowing a hundred things could happen to change everything they had planned, trying to cover as many possibilites as they could. When they felt they had done all that they could tonight, Tom leaned back, a smile covering his face.

"So, tell already" Des said, "You look like you just swallowed a canary." Tom gulped and looked around to make sure they were alone before spilling his guts. "Mac is willing to give everything back, Des. I think this is going to work. When I pick up that gear tomorrow, I'm going to talk to him about going into a security business with him. Mac will be a great source of information on how to get around security systems and its something we can do together. And Des, I, uhhhh, I, ummmm, I'm in love."

 

[Isolde]

Desiree laughed outright at that. "So tell me something that's new," I said to him, laughing still,"Everyone but you has known that for a long time. About time you got a clue. Some cop you are!"

Tom picked up one of their mother's dishclothes and threw it at her but he still wore a grin on his face. Desiree simmered down and got up to hug him.

"It's great though, big brother. I wish you two all the best. The force is going to lose a great cop though. And when it comes time to put everything back I will be right with you. The Ashfords stick together, remember?"

 

[willywanker]

Tom moved across the room and pulled his sister into a tight bear hug. "Yeah, sis and you know it will always be like that. Of course, its looks like this family is going to be adding some new members soon. Tell me more about Marcus, I like him, seems like a good guy. Do we share any interest or hobbies? I hope he likes to hunt. I need a new hunting partner."

Des thought carefully before answering. She loved her brother but knew he sometimes formed opionions before he had all the facts and she wanted very much for Tom and Marcus to be friends.

Dad came in before she could start and gave them a heads up on what he had found out. Nothing really new, but it helped to confirm what they had already figured out. They had to go back thru the whole plan with him, it was getting late when they finished so Dad said goodnight and headed for bed.
Tom turned to Des saying, "Probably a good idea for us too. Need any help getting Marcus back to the Guest House?" When she said no, Tom started up the stairs. Des couldn't help teasing him just a little. "Make sure you go to the right bedroom, big brother" she whispered and quickly ducked around the corner.

 

[Isolde]

Desiree smiled and followed Tom upstairs. Opening the door to her room gently, she tiptoed in and looked down on Marcus' sleeping figure. Pulling the covers back up over him where they had fallen due to some tossing and turning in his sleep, she bent down to kiss him on the forehead before snagging the blanket off of the foot of the bed.

Tiptoing out again, she took one last look at him before slipping from the room. Her bed was not big enough for her to lay next to him without unintentionally causing him pain. She sighed a bit knowing it was going to be lonely night but wanting his comfort abover hers.

Getting down to the living room, she slipped off her shoes and lay down on the couch covering up with the blanket and closing her eyes, trying to go to sleep.

 

[Angelus]

Marcus opened his eyes and looked around the room, wondering just how long he had been asleep. He moved to the edge of the bed and instantly regretted it as pain shot through him. He sat up with a groan and grabbed his walking stick before he slowly walked out of the room. The first thing that he noticed was that everything was quiet and tried to move as quietly as he could.

As soon as he was in the hall he walked down the steps and into the kitchen. He looked around for a glass as he needed a glass of water and wondered where the hell they were. He opened a couple of cupboard doors, trying to make as little noise as possible before he found a glass. As soon as Marcus had his glass of water he walked to the couch and was about to sit down on it but it was then that he saw Desiree's sleeping form on it.

With a smile he leaned down and kissed her on the forehead before he walked to the door to the back porch and opened it slowly and quietly. As soon as he was outside Marcus walked over to the swinging chair and sat down, listening to the every sound that was coming to his ears.

As he listened Marcus sat back and wondered about how things would go when Desiree rang Barton and if he would take the bait. He really wished that he was fit again so that he could go with her but he knew that that was not possible as he was a dead man, technically speaking. He looked out at the area in the moonlight and knew that there was no way that he would be able to get back to sleep.

 

[Isolde]

Desiree stirred and opened her eyes. Something was not right. Then she realized that she could hear the steady swinging of the porch swing and she knew that someone was up and restless. She wondered if it was Dad. Sometimes he would waken in the middle of the night and sit out there thinking.

She threw back the covers and walked over to the door. The least she could do was to go and talk to him. It was probably the fact that he was worrying about her and Tom that he was up. Getting to the back screen and peering out she was surprised to see not her father but Marcus.

Pushing open the door, she stepped out and cleared her throat so as not to disturb him. "Hey, handsome," She said as she walked over and sat down beside him, curling her legs up under her and laying her head back on the cushioned back of the seat.

"So, what has you up in the middle of the night?," She asked, her voice sounding harsh in the silence around them,"You slept a long time. Do you need a midnight snack?"

Shaking her head she laughed,"Now I am starting to sound like my mother!" Looking up at him and the worried look on his face she sobered and leaned in to kiss him tenderly before saying,"Talk to me, handsome. What is troubling you?"

 

[Angelus]

Marcus looked over at Desiree and knew that he had done the right thing by asking her to marry him. He leaned his head back and said, "There is nothing wrong with me. I just couldn't sleep so I decided to come out here and look at everything."

He then looked at her again and saw the look on his face before she said, "I know you better than you think I do and something is bugging you."

"Okay. I just wish that I was fit enough to go with you when you go to meet with Barton. I know that I can't and I know that you will be safe with your brother there but I just have this feeling that something is going to go wrong."

 

[Isolde]

Desiree looked out at the night, her brow furrowed in thought. She didnt want to let Marcus know that she was feeling the same way. He didnt need to worry anymore than he already was. She wanted him to get better and he was not going to be able to if he was worrying himself sick about her.

After a long silence she turned back to him and said,"I wont lie to you, Marcus. I dont know how this is going to go but I do know that there is nothing in this world including Barton that is going to keep me from coming back to you."

She kissed him again, this time long and tenderly. Breaking off the kiss, she looked up at him and said,"You are not going to get out of this marriage proposal that easily. I am going to come back and then we are going to sit down and make plans for exactly when we are going to officially drag you into this crazy family of mine."

 

[Angelus]

"I don't wish to get out of the proposal at all. I just want you to come back to me safe and sound. I know that Tom is going to go with you to keep you safe but I wish that I was going there with you as I am your partner. I know that isn't possible whatsoever but I just wish that it were."

He placed one arm over Desiree's shoulders and looked at her, hoping that this wouldn't be the last time that he looked into her eyes and saw her beautiful smile. He leaned forward and kissed her- making it linger. As soon as he finished kissing her he said, "Promise me that you are going to come back to me in one piece."

 

[Isolde]

Desiree sighed and leaned gently against Marcus. "Handsome, I know you are worried when you dont even realize I am teasing you."

She nods and says,"I am going to come back. There is nothing that could ever keep me away. Nothing kept me away when you were trying to drive your new partner away and nothing is going to keep me away now that I know that you love me."

Snuggling close to him, she said,"Its all set up. I called Barton and he knows that I am coming to empty out your desk. He also thinks I am distraught about your death. The captain was right...we are lousy at keeping something like this a secret. The whole precinct knows so they are not going to be surprised that I am beside myself with greif."

"Which I would be,"She thought to herself,"If the murderer had achieved his goal." Shaking away the thought she said,"Tom is going to go and get the stuff from his friend and then we are going to set up HQ here and be on our way."

Suddenly she felt a twisting in the pit of her stomache. This would be the first time she went into danger without him and, though she loved Tom and trusted him with all her heart, she desperately wanted Marcus to be there. She always felt safe and secure when he was around either in her personal or work life. Scolding herself for being so selfish, she changed the subject.

"Speaking of my brother...it seems he and Mac are an item. He is planning on opening a security place with her when this is over with. I am betting that they are going be swamped. They make a good couple." Smiling up at him, she added,"Almost as good a couple as we do." With a chuckle, she kissed him yet again, somehow needing to let him know how much she loved him before all hell could break loose.

 

[Angelus]

Marcus returned the kiss with a intensity that he didn't know that he had. He wrapped his arms around Desiree's waist and held her as close as he could; not wanting to let her go. He then looked into her eyes.

"No couple can be in love as much as we are beautiful. Just please come back to me in one piece because if I hear that you have been injured I will return from the dead to find out who hurt you. And watch Barton- he is more crafty that you give him credit for and he thinks that you should be his. Now, with me out of the way he will try to make a pass at you, even with you in the station."

 

[Isolde]

Desiree looked up at Marcus, her eyes sparkling from his kisses. Laying her head against his shoulder, she simply enjoyed being in his arms.

"I know," She said in a quiet voice,"I have been thinking about it...alot. But we have to go through with this and I am the only one he will halfway let down his guard for. But if he thinks that he can get anywhere with me he has another lesson coming."

Lifting her head once more to gaze into his eyes, she said,"There is only one man in this world for me and he is right here with me now. Nothing is going to happen except that Barton is going to find himself facing alot of charges for murder and accessory to murder. Mac's family will be revenged and we can get on with our life toghether."

She laughed softly,"That is until you find your next obsession." Standing, she held her hands out to him. "Come on, I am putting you to bed again and I have every intention of being there with you. I want to spend tonight with you and you need to get some sleep if you are going to be alert tomorrow and I am going to need you alert and listening when I go into this. It is going to make me feel better that you are listening and ready to send help."

 

[LittleRedDevil]

Mac stood at the window of her bedroom, staring out into the night. Moonlight lit the night and the stars shined bright in the sky. Tomorrow their plan would begin. Tom and Desiree would leave and she and Marcus would be left behind to worry.

Soon she would know who killed her family, and they would finally rest in peace. She had been spared that night, and now it was time to put the past to rest and look forward to the future.

Her future with Tom. A smile came to her face. It had been so long since she had trusted anyone. He had opened himself to her, and she couldn't help but do the same. She hadd finally found her place in the world.

 

[willywanker]

Tom grabbed a couple of hours sleep, his dreams returning again and again to the gazebo and what had happened there. He awoke with a hard-on but for once it wasn't because he needed to piss. He considered sneeking into Mac's room. Toms was pretty sure she wouldn't mind but he just couldn't do that in his parents home. He chuckled to himself, but realized Mac would probably feel the same way. She already seemed to be part of the family and he was sure she wouldn't allow him to show disrespect to his parents, sneeking around inside their home.

Tom slipped out of the house and headed out toward his SUV. He thought he would get an early start on the trip into town to pick up the equipment and be back for a late breakfast. That would give them a little time to try everything out before Des had to do her little acting bit.
Tom knew that Des could handle most anything that came her way, but he would still feel responsible if anything went wrong. He was her partner today, not just a big brother, but a partner into whos hands Des was intrusting her life.

As he started the engine and backed the vehicle up, he looked up to see Mac watching him from the window of her room. He wished he could take her along, to talk on the ride, but the safest place for Mac was right where she was at. Putting it in first gear, Tom took off, his headlights cutting the darkness as he headed in to meet his friend.

 

[Angelus]

As soon as Marcus's head hit the pillow he felt Desiree move closer to him and looked over at her a smile on his face. He moved to kiss her but she moved away with a mischevious grin and he looked at her in shock. He was about to say something but before he could she moved forward and kissed him deep on the lips at the same time that he placed one arm underneath her. She sighed when she felt him move closer but then told him that all they were going to do was sleep.

He let out a sigh and knew that it was the best thing for him to do as he was still wounded and he didn't want to aggrevate his injuries. He leaned forward and kissed Desiree before he felt her head go onto his shoulder. As soon as he felt that he let out a deep breath, closed his eyes and went slowly to sleep.

 

[Isolde]

Desiree woke a few hours later as dawn was just breaking and she slipped out of the bed trying her best to not wake Marcus. She didnt want him up too soon. He needed his sleep and she knew the minute that he was awake he would start to worry about her again. Let him have a few more hours of peace.

Hurrying into the house, the smell of breakfast cooking assaulted her nose and her stomache begin to rumble. Stepping into the kitchen, she smiled at her mother who smiled back and said nothing of the fact that she had not been in her own bed.

Without saying a word, she went to work fixing Marcus a tray and, when she had it loaded with food, she took it back out to the guest house.

Opening the door carefully she looked in to see him awake and getting dressed. Putting the tray down, she went over to him and kissed him deeply wanting to take this moment with her as she embarked on this task.

Finally stepping back, she smiled at him and said,"Well, handsome, you look much better today. I guess good food and fresh air really did do the trick.

 

[Angelus]

"There is that but there is also the fact that I have had you with me a lot of the time and you could cure any ailments that I have."

Desiree looked at Marcus with a smile but he moved forward and kissed her deeply. He felt her arms wrap around his neck as he kissed her and as soon as he stopped he said, "Hmmm- is that breakfast that I smell. I am starved."

Desiree punched him lightly in the arm and looked at him with an amused expression on her face. He waited until she sat down on the bed before he sat down as well and picked up a piece of toast. He was about to bite into the toast but before he could he heard the sound of a vehicle pull up and grabbed his walking stick then moved to the front door.

"It's Tom. He must be back from whatever it was that he was doing last night," he said before he felt Desiree move up behind him and hug him lightly.

"If it's what I think it is then we can get this thing started tonight and we can find out what Barton knows, even though I would really love to be there to back you up."

 

[Isolde]

Desiree's arms hugged Marcus as tight as she could without hurting him. "I know, handsome," She said as she kissed him through the fabric of his shirt,"But now you have to trust me to know what I am doing. I promise my first priority is to come back to you."

Reluctantly standing away from him, she said,"Go eat breakfast, I will go talk to my brother." With a last kiss, she walked out the door and toward's Tom who was unpacking gear.

"Hey," She said as she neared him, hoping that her voice did not betray her nervousness,"I see you were as good as your word. As always. Lets get this stuff into the house and then we can discuss our plan after breakfast."

 

[LittleRedDevil]

Mac pried her eyes open and quickly closed them again, as the bright sunlight streamed through her window. She had laid in bed for hours thinking about what would start today. Tom and Desiree would leave, and she and Marcus would be left here to worry. She knew she wouldn't rest easy until they were back safe. Mac had just lost to many people in her life to not worry.

She moved slowly to the bathroom. Maybe a shower would wake her up. She could hear Desiree and Tom downstairs. She couldn't be to long. The steam rose, fogging the mirror. Mac stepped beneath and couldn't help but sigh. But the hot water did little to erase the worries that weighed down her shoulders.

 

[willywanker]

Tom turned as Des called out. "Awww come on, little sis, did you really doubt me?" They laughed as they carried all the gear into the house. "Whats for breakfast, I'm starved" he asked. Desiree chuckled, "How can you eat at a time like this? My stomach is in knots."

"Exactly why you need to eat" responded Tom, "Give those stomach juices something to work on. Besides, I'm going to be stuck in the observation vehicle, no telling when I get to eat next. I'm not leaving that truck except to help you."
Tom had just started down the hall when Mom called out that breakfast was ready. He looked for Mac as the family sat down. Dad caught his look and said he had heard the shower running when he went by. A quick prayer for a safe day and blessing on the food and everyone dug in.

 

[Isolde]

Desiree sat at the table, picking at her food her stomach churning too much to eat anything. Soon Mac came down and joined them for breakfast. Desiree knew from the looks she and Tom gave each other and the blushes that colored her cheeks when their hands accidently met that Tom was in even deeper than he had admitted. Good! He had been needing someone steady in his life for quite awhile and she was glad that he had found it.

Desiree's mother saw her pushing her food around on her plate but kept quiet. She knew all the things that must be going on in her daughter's mind and was not surprised that Desiree excused herself upon hearing Marcus coming into the house by the back door.

Sarah sighed and watched Desiree leave the dining room and said,"I will be glad when this is all over. I am worried about both of you. I say get this over with and get on with happier things. Like Ray's wedding and maybe we can make it a double one."

Jack cleared his throat and Sarah shot him a look,"What? I am just calling a spade a spade. If no one else can see what is going on around here, I certaintly can."