DISCLAIMER: CSI Miami and its characters are the property of Jerry Bruckheimer and CBS. No infringement intended.
WARNING: This story contains scenes of bloody violence. Reader discretion is advised.
ARCHIVING: Only with the permission of the author.
Choices
By sinjenkai
Part 12
Grayson's eyes slipped closed just to be waken what seemed like moments later by Dr. O'Connor. "Cerano, wake up.. the nurses are beginning to make rounds. Go home and shower, I'll have them ready to check out in about two hours. Go get changed, and I'll see you soon." Grayson nodded groggily and kissed Sonia's cheek softly. Standing up she straightened her clothes and shook hands with the doctor. "Thank you for everything you've done... " He smiled and nodded as she left silently through the door he had come through.
Sonia looked up as Grayson slipped out the door, straightening up, she looked over to Dr.. O'Conner. "Where is she going?"
"To take a shower, and retrieve a vehicle to take you all home." Dr. O'Conner examined her wrist, and then looked over her chart quietly.
"Have you know her long?" the Latina asked timidly.
"For as long as she has been in town, which is only a few months, but yes I know her. You seem to be quite taken with our beautiful friend.." He smiled over the top of the clipboard at her warmly.
Looking the doctor in his eyes, Sonia gathered her courage. "If I may ask, what your impression of her is, you see, I've only known her for about a week, but I think that she's really special.... but dangerous."
"Your thoughts would be correct then. She's incredibly special and yes, she is very, very dangerous. Grayson is the single most determined person I've ever met, she has a good heart, even though she can be quite blunt, she means well." Dr. O'Conner set the chart down and begin unhooking the monitors from Sonia's body.
Giving the doctor a smile, Sonia straightened her hair as she let him work.
Grunting, as his eyes were forced open by the sunlight streaming into the hospital room, Jordan groaned and opened his eyes, rubbing his face. "I hate sleeping in hospitals." he growled. The bear of a man stretched his enormous body with a satisfying pop, he settled back into his chair.
"Well, at least you can get up and leave. I on the other hand have to wait to be discharged. "Calleigh's voice sounded a bit rough in the morning light.
"Which will be very soon DuVista's..." Dr. O'Conner pushed the door open with a large smile, setting a laptop down next to Natalia's thigh. "Calleigh, you'll be able to walk, but for the most part, I would prefer if you stayed off of it for at least a week..." His eyes moved to Natalia's, his smile widening. "And for you, no talking for weeks... give your throat a chance to relax, even though I'm sure the rest of you won't want to relax." He laughed to himself while Jordan chuckled.
Natalia wiped the sleep from her eyes, while looking around for Calleigh. Smiling, she leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss. Grabbing the board, she quickly wrote. 'Morning Sunshine.'
Jordan moved quietly to talk with Dr. O'Conner, thanking him for being discreet about Grayson being in the hospital. The doctor smile at the massive young man, placing a hand on his large bicep. "Anytime Jordan..." The doctor smiled at Natalia, checking her vitals and making sure her discharge would go smoothly. "You ladies are free to leave. Grayson will be up in a minute with some clothes for you."
As if on some silent cue, Grayson pushed the door to the hospital room and set down a duffel bag near the door, full of clothes for Natalia and Calleigh. Running a hand through her hair, she smiled tightly and kept her sunglasses on in the bright room. Careful not to let her cousins see her torn knuckles from teaching Eric some manners, Grayson tugged on Jordan's shirt motioning for them to leave their family alone to their own privacy while they changed.
Writing on the dry erase board, Natalia picked it up to show her wife 'Let me help you dress and then I need to speak to the doctor alone about your condition without you interrupting us with your stubbornness'. Natalia smiled and kissed Calleigh softly before standing up out of the hospital bed while Dr. O'Conner left them alone for a moment, the brunette opened the duffel bag pulling out clothes for the blonde.
"Why do you call me stubborn?" Calleigh leaned forward to capture the very enticing berry lips of her wife once more. "Just because I know what I like."
Shaking her head, Natalia smiled and wrote on the board again. 'Fine, then we'll just call you spoiled.' She helped her wife into a pair of shorts and a soft white t-shirt with crocs while she herself dressed in faded blue jeans, a blouse, and flip-flops.
Smiling, Calleigh took the moment that they had alone and wrapped her arms around the brunette from Behind, placing her chin of Natalia's shoulder. "I can't believe that this is almost over."
Turning in her wife's arms, Natalia brought their lips together in a passionate kiss. Indulging herself in the way Calleigh openly submitted to her hungry kisses, finally backing down from the urge to take her wife right there on the hospital bed.
"I really hate that these doors don't have any locks." Calleigh groaned. "Let's get out of here cause I really need to touch you."
Writing on the board that she wanted the same thing, she made the signal for Grayson, which was Natalia crossing her arms and looking stern and brooding. It was clear Natalia was imitating her cousin, and she wanted Calleigh to ask her to come into the room so they could go home. She needed a moment with the doctor alone to receive the instructions for both of their outpatient care.
Letting a bark of a laugh escape, Calleigh tried to keep the amusement from her face as she stuck her head out of the door and beckoned everyone in.
Rolling her eyes, Natalia sat on the bed while Grayson re-entered the room with Dr. O'Conner on her heels. "Jordan is bringing the car around and Grayson will take you downstairs Calleigh, I need a few moments with Natalia." Dr. O'Conner smiled warmly at the trio of women. The assassin waited by the door patiently for the blonde to allow her near enough to help her.
As Calleigh left the room, Natalia turned to boot up the laptop, waiting she wrote on the board, 'Is Calleigh really alright?'
"Actually for the most part, she's very resilient Natalia... the artery was barely nicked, however after being thrown and lifted the way she was, then the way that she was sitting almost caused her to bleed out. Be thankful Grayson was so close..." The doctor smiled down at her. "No walking for at least a week or so, until the stitches completely dissolves and then we'll worry about anything else." Dr. O'Conner signed the release forms, handing them to Natalia. "Ready to get home Mrs. DuVista?"
Holding up her hand for a moment, Natalia quickly got on line and found the website that she was looking for. After talking with an associate through instant messaging, she placed her order and then logged off. Turning off the computer, the brunette walked over to the doctor and gave him a hard hug.
Smiling and hugging back, the Doctor gave her a knowing look while Grayson pushed the door open, waiting quietly for Natalia with a wheel chair just outside.
Getting into the chair, Natalia pointed forward and pretended like she had a whip.
Suppressing a small smile, Grayson pushed her cousin towards the elevator, waiting patiently while it descended to the garage level. As the doors opened, Jordan was waiting behind the wheel of a blacked out Cadillac DeVille; Calleigh was in the backseat with the windows rolled down so she could see Natalia coming back. Pushing Natalia to the back of the vehicle she helped her into the backseat, before taking the wheel chair back to triage and returning to take her place in the front seat. She silently directed Jordan to take them back to the Complex.
After an incredibly quiet drive in which Grayson flat out refused to speak to anyone; brushing off all attempts at conversation, Jordan pulled the Cadillac into the garage, Grayson got out and opened Calleigh's back door, lifting her into her arms, while Jordan did the same to Natalia. Both twins taking the women upstairs silently and placing them on the same couch together. Grayson left Jordan to talk to them while she quietly made a few well-placed phone calls.
Calleigh looked over to her wife. "I wonder what the heck is going on."
Jordan sat down across from them and rested his chin on his strong hands. "She left Eric gift wrapped and handcuffed to Horatio's front porch."
Writing on the dry erase board, Natalia asked. 'Why is Grayson been quiet?'
Shaking his head at Natalia, Jordan turned to stare at his sister, who was talking quietly on the phone to Sonia, promising she would see her soon and that she was sorry for everything. "Judas is still alive... she's worried."
Sighing, Calleigh offered. "Would it help her if I was able to give her a physical description?"
Turning to look at Calleigh very slowly, Jordan gave the blonde a once over. "Yes... it would." His eyebrows knitted together, standing he approached Grayson, who covered the phone, listening intently for a few moments. Nodding, she ended the phone call with Sonia and the twins returned to the living room. Jordan sat close to the couple, offering his simple support that seemed to comfort them so easily. Grayson on the other hand sat directly across from them, her feet flat on the floor, she put her elbows on her knees and rested her chin on torn knuckles regarding Calleigh in a way that could only be described as enraptured. Calleigh for once had Grayson's full attention.
Clearing her throat, Calleigh intoned. "He stands about six foot, one. Weighs about two hundred five pounds, shallow skin, ice blue eyes, slicked back blond hair, but perfectly straight white even teeth. Long pointed nose, high bleach blonde eyebrows, sunken cheeks, and a prominent chin with a cleft. Expensive clothes and shoes. Has very long, slender fingers with a C shaped scar over his right thumb. H was wearing a white gold pinkie ring on his left hand with the initials D C in diamonds."
The assassin swallowed and stared deep into Calleigh's eyes for a long moment, looking like she had seen a ghost, Grayson shook her head as the color came back into her face. "He's had more surgery then..." She traced the scar under her chin without a thought, her jaw tightened and she looked at the couple for a long moment. She closed her eyes, looking down at the floor, covering her eyes with her hand, thinking quietly to herself.
Jordan rose from his seat next to Natalia to kneel next to his sister, putting his massive hand on her shoulder; he brought their heads together for long silent moments, offering his unspoken support.
Natalia leaned forward, placing her hands on her cousin's shoulders and placed her mouth close to Grayson's ear. "We're family. We'll get through." She whispered.
Faster than anyone thought possible, Grayson snatched Natalia's hand in her own vice like grip, lifting her head; wet lashes framed pained chocolate eyes. "NO. It started with us, it ends with us... I've already lost my parents to him; I won't lose you as well." Jordan separated their hands, and pulled Grayson away from her cousin by her shirt, forcing her towards the kitchen where they could talk alone and maybe he could calm her down.
Carefully Calleigh got up from the sofa, and went over to Natalia. "Babe, I know that you didn't mean it the way that she took it, and so does she. It's just there's too much history in all of this. We can just hope that what I told her will be able to help her." Tugging her to a standing position, she nodded towards Grayson's bedroom. "Let's go lie down."
Natalia nodded her head, but before she moved away, she scribbled a message on the board and when they walked by the kitchen, she handed it to Jordan. 'Need you to do favor after lunch please.'
Knitting his eyebrows together, he pushed his sister hard against the steel of the refrigerator after reading Natalia's message. "Gray stop... calm down... Natalia only meant she wanted to be here for us. She wants us to be a family. Grayson, I want us to be a family."
Grayson struggled against his hands, trying to get away from him, the tears streaming down her face. "HE HAS TO DIE." She roared.
Jordan slammed her hard into the refrigerator, stunning her into submission with his strength. "Stop and think. I know he has to die. I know that you have to be the one to do it, but calm down, you're scaring them. And you're scaring me..." he finished, letting her go. She slumped to the floor, sitting there with her head in her hands; Jordan knelt beside her, pulling her tiny form into his arms. They stayed that way for several hours until Jordan heard Grayson's stomach grumble and began making sandwiches for lunch.
Lying down in bed with Calleigh, Natalia kissed her softly, drawing her wife into her arms. She didn't need words or a dry erase board to explain her feelings to Calleigh. Everything she needed to tell her was easily said with her hands, her lips, just her touch in general. Pinning her wife beneath her, their kisses becoming more coiled with passion.
Calleigh had to break away from Natalia's lips breathing heavily. "Darlin'... I love you so much." Calleigh ran her fingertips over Natalia's bruised throat, kissing it softly. "Just lay here with me and remind me that we're both still alive." Calleigh kissed her wife again, pulling the brunette into her arms, her eyes fluttering closed. Natalia nodded and laid her head on Calleigh's chest, both of them slipping into a light sleep.
By the time that Calleigh and Natalia woke up and made their way out of the bedroom, Jordan was just finishing the sandwiches.
Laying the sandwiches in front of his family, Jordan smiled, wiping his hands. "Turkey, Swiss cheese, bacon, guacamole, whole wheat with mayo, mustard, and relish." He patted the empty barstools for the women to sit on.
Natalia once against stood like Grayson and arched an eyebrow towards her cousin.
"What?" Jordan was unnerved by how similar Natalia and Grayson were becoming. Now his cousin was adopting his sister's mannerisms. Staring at her with a strange look, he held up his hands. "What?" he asked again.
Taking a bite out of her sandwich, Calleigh chewed, and then swallowed before she answered for her wife. "She wants to know where Gray is."
"Oh, downstairs with Adonis and Echo. She needed some time to calm down and collect her thoughts..." he answered relieved that's all Natalia wanted out of him.
Quietly taking the last few steps Natalia peered around the corner looking for Grayson. The woman in question was sitting on a stool, seeming lost in thought.
Going over, Natalia knelt down beside the quiet woman. Reaching over, she took her hand in hers, and placed it over her heart.
It took a few moments before Grayson turned to look at her. Instead of the strong capable dangerous woman Natalia had come to know, in her place was a lost scared little girl. Grayson looked down at her hand over Natalia's heart, confused she looked back up at Natalia.
Patting Grayson's chest over her heart, Natalia rubbed Grayson's hand over her own heart again. Rising up on her knees, she gently kissed her on the cheek.
Before she realized what she was doing, Grayson had wrapped her arms around Natalia's waist burying her face in her shoulder, hugging her tight, her body shaking with barely controlled sobs. She was crying out right, not even trying to hide beneath the mask of indifference anymore.
Holding the young woman tight in her arms, Natalia made shushing noises and smoothed her hair while placed a kiss every now and again against her head.
After what seemed like forever, Grayson eased her grip on Natalia, she hid her face, wiping away the tears that were still wet on her cheeks. "I didn't mean to lose control like that. My apologies. So I take it lunch is ready?" Grayson kept her head down, backing away from Natalia and heading towards the stairs.
Picking up a ball that the dogs chewed on, Natalia threw it and hit Grayson in the back.
Stopping dead in her steps, the brooding woman turned around to stare at Natalia. "You did not just hit me with a slobber infested dog toy?" She arched an eyebrow.
Nodding her head, the brunette held her arms out to her sides like to say, 'So what are you going to do about it?'
Crossing her arms across her chest, Grayson stood to her full height in front of Natalia. "You are one brave soul..." she growled playfully with an adorable smile.
Copying her cousin's stance, Natalia looked at her sternly with twinkling eyes. Then relaxing her stance, she reached up to caress Grayson's cheek before grabbing her hand and leading her over to the elevator.
Allowing her cousin to lead her, Grayson never tried to reclaim her hand back from Natalia's grasp. However, for the most part she stayed silent only gracing Natalia with the smallest of smiles.
Calleigh's eyes went wide as the gate went up and Natalia walked out of the elevator with Grayson holding onto her hand. She started to say something, but one look from her wife had her reaching for her glass of tea instead.
Jordan's expression was similar to Calleigh's, but at that moment he was thankful for Natalia and her enormous heart that seemed big enough to replace the lack of one inside his sisters chest. "Ladies, if you'll excuse me, I have a few errands to run. I will be back in an hour, keep each other company." Jordan walked over; patting his sister's arm, he jogged down the stairs.
Clearing her throat and rubbing it absently, Grayson looked at Calleigh try to gauge her reaction to what she was about to say. "My retrieval has been finished." She let go of Natalia's hand and sat quietly on the barstool. "Eric Delko is officially been taken care of. I'm sorry however, that it took me so long to finish this engagement, normally it would have been taken care of quicker, but I allowed my emotions to impair my judgment." Scratching her eyebrow in the disguise that it itched, she hid her wet lashes from view.
"How did you allow your emotions impair your judgment? Finding out that you had a family... that doesn't count." Calleigh put down her tea, prepared to argue her case.
Taking a deep breath, she looked up at the blonde and then at Natalia. "It doesn't work that way, both of you almost got killed. The same happened to Jordan. Your families were in danger..." Biting her bottom lip, she pushed her plate back away from her, no longer hungry.
Standing beside her cousin, Natalia pushed the plate back at her cousin and motioned that she should eat half, then she put her hands in the prayer position and smiled sweetly.
Sighing and looking down at the food, she easily devoured it without enthusiasm at all, draining her glass. She pushed the plate back and stared at it silently.
Shaking her head, Natalia went to sit beside her wife, bumping shoulders with her as she passed. "Talia says that you're one stubborn woman. I say... that's the pot calling the kettle black."
All Calleigh received in turn was a tight smile while Grayson cleaned the kitchen silently. Adonis and Echo trailing behind Natalia like they were drawn to her by some magnetic force. Turning around, the assassin looked at Calleigh. "I'm just worried. I can't be everywhere at once." She looked back out the window over the sink. She started to count the ships in the channel moving silently amongst the barges in the distance.
Natalia looked at Grayson for a moment before she started to eat her sandwich. She wanted to help bring her cousin out of her blue funk, but couldn't think of a way. Suddenly she stopped mid chew and smiled. Putting down her sandwich, she wiped her hands on a napkin and got up to look through the refrigerator and the cabinets.
Going over to Grayson, she mimicked a phone until the woman handed over hers. Thumbing through the phone book, Natalia texted Jordan some instructions and waited for his response. Back and forth for about ten minutes, this went on with both Grayson and Calleigh shooting her glances. Finally, she closed the phone and handed it back to Grayson with a smile.
Finishing the chore of cleaning the kitchen up, Grayson turned to look at her cousins. "Want to go lie on the couch and pretend to be potatoes?"
"Sounds good to me." Calleigh quipped. "What do you think Talia?"
Going over to the dry board, the brunette printed. 'Can I use one of your computers for a little bit please?'
"Sure, upstairs in the music room, past the sound mixer is a huge super computer I built just for making music, but it is internet capable if that's what you're looking for." Grayson offered; her head nodded towards the ceiling.
Taking Calleigh's arm gently in her calloused hand, the assassin helped the blonde towards the couch, handing her an extra pillow. Grayson herself lay down on the couch parallel to Calleigh's, her eyes staring up at the ceiling, her hands reflexively sliding behind her head.
Natalia followed behind the two women and after Calleigh was situated, she leaned down to give her a tender kiss, and then patted her arm. Calleigh smiled and said. "I'll be good while you're playing on the 'puter, dear."
"If she doesn't, it's not I'm not capable of making her be quiet." Grayson quipped.
Shaking her head at her two favorite women, Natalia walked upstairs to the music room and started working on her project.
Calleigh took the silence for a full five minutes before she turned to the younger woman. "Ya gotta a deck of cards in this joint?"
"In the drawer under the coffee maker, Sheriff DuVista." Grayson laughed lightly nodding her head towards the kitchen.
"Would you mind getting them, pretty please?"
"Cripple... "Quickly disappearing into the kitchen and returning moments later with a deck of cards, she sat on the floor in front of the blonde, Indian style barefoot and began to shuffle the cards before handing them to Calleigh.
Nodding in the direction of the coffee table, Calleigh suggested. "Why don't you pull that over here, and we can get a game of Texas hold 'em started... unless you're afraid that you'll lose your shirt." A golden eyebrow arched in challenge.
Lifting her shirt to reveal washboard abs, Grayson scoffed at her. "Please... would you be afraid to look this good underneath clothes...?" Grayson laughed and pulled the coffee table between them with one hand, even though the coffee table was made of solid oak.
"Darlin', it's not your clothes that I want. I'll be very happy with just some of your money." Calleigh teased right back. "Besides, you have nothing that I want. Everything that matters to me is up on the third floor."
"Oh, you want some of this?" Grayson pulled out a carefully rolled wad of hundred dollar bills, wrapped tight in a rubber band. "Sugar, Darlin, Cupcake, Baby Girl, whatever it is you want me to call you... Money I have... endless amounts of it actually." She smiled laying the cash down on the table with a cocky eyebrow arched in response.
Angling so that she could keep her leg elevated and play, Calleigh dealt out the cards and for the next couple of hours the only sounds on the second floor was the shuffling of card and light swearing.
Turning her head sharply to the side, Grayson was on her feet in a moment as she heard her brother coming up the elevator. Coming into the kitchen, she tried to peer into the several bags he was carrying but he pushed her away. "No, back off nosey pants... these are for Natalia." He ran into the bedroom locking the door while Grayson crossed her arms like a petulant child.
"Don't you just hate it when that happens?" Calleigh teased from the sofa. She was counting the money in front of her as Natalia came down the stairs. Quickly she tried to put the money in her pocket, but the brunette caught her. Walking over, she held out her hand until the blonde placed the small bundle of bills in it. "Talia, I won it fair and square."
Smiling at her cousin's stare down of her wife, Grayson couldn't help herself. "Poker face I have, poker skills I am without." She patted Calleigh on the shoulder while she went to grab a bottle of water out of the kitchen. Jordan joined her moments later, locking his bedroom door behind him; both of the twins were in the kitchen whispering quietly. Jordan trying to dissuade his sister and her millions of questions.
Counting the money, Natalia's eyebrows rose in the amount that she added up. "Yeah, she's really a lousy player." Calleigh shook her head. Going over to her cousins, Natalia touched Grayson on her shoulder and when she turned around, handed her back the money.
"No please, keep it, it's not often someone can best me in something... it's yours." She pushed the money back to Natalia's hands.
Shaking her head, Natalia just placed it on the counter and then tugged on Jordan's arm.
Plucking the cash off the counter, Grayson quietly dropped it into Natalia's purse, smiling to herself while Jordan came to stand closer to Natalia, looking down at her. "Yes beautiful?" he smiled.
Grabbing the board, she scribbled. 'Where is it?' Holding it where only he could see, she then erased it quickly.
Leaning down, he whispered in here that everything was in his bedroom and he took her hand, leading her to the room. Grayson stared at them hard, wondering what they were up to as she looked at Calleigh. "I feel like we're being had." she commented, hands on her hip.
After leading his cousin into the room, Jordan left her to her things and came to sit in the kitchen with Calleigh and his sister.
Both of the women looked at the young man until he began to get nervous under their gaze.
"Look I never left the car... all the sales people brought everything out to me; I wasn't allowed to look in the bags. I SWEAR." He held up his hands in defense.
When his sister tried to peer into the grocery bags on the counter, Jordan grabbed her by the back of the neck, lifting her off the ground. "Slick..." She growled at him from her helpless position. "The last time you held me like this, someone wound up crying... and it wasn't me." She warned. "I want it to be a surprise; she went to a lot of effort Gray..." Jordan shot back, and his sister held up her hands, showing she submitted to his words, so he let her go and she rubbed the back of her neck.
Not knowing what curiosity was doing to two people in the outer rooms, Natalia opened the boxes and placed them on the bed one by one. Looking at them all, she began to get teary eyed. Swiftly wiping her eyes, she closed them all and placed them inside a drawer that was close to the door, before she walked back out to her family.
Grayson was sitting on the countertop, swinging her legs, yawning while Jordan was putting away groceries behind his sister's back; it seemed that Grayson would abide by her word and not look.
Jordan went downstairs under the excuse that he had left something in the car, moments later he returned with Sonia in tow, who smiled nervously at Grayson. The assassin smiled and jumped up off the kitchen counter, looking at Jordan strangely. "I just thought you would miss her..." he smiled and pushed his sister towards her girlfriend. They met together, hands instantly sliding into one another's.
For a moment, Sonia just stared at Grayson and then she kissed her softly before turning to smile at Natalia and Calleigh. "So it's all over?"
Natalia nodded while Calleigh agreed. "Yeah, we finally get to relax and have a real family dinner. The first of many I hope.... Aw, man." Turning to her wife, she explained. "We need to call our families and tell them that they can come home now. I should have called them this morning."
"It is safe for them to come home now..." Jordan smiled patting his sister on the head. "I think my sister is scary enough to frighten everything out of town." Grayson looked away for a moment, deep in thought she smiled in response to cover up the lapse in her words.
Natalia took Jordan by the hand and led him over to the counter where the dry erase board was, and started to write out how she wanted them to prepare dinner.
Stopping her, he smiled. "I know sign language. A few years ago, a cousin of ours was backing up Gray on an engagement, things went terribly wrong, and he was injured. His voice box was crushed in the process." He put his hand over hers.
Sighing, Natalia immediately started signing and Jordan smiled back at her.
Nodding at her instructions he followed them verbatim, dinner flowing easily between since they could sign back and forth, the dry erase board was left forgotten.
Grayson had lead the other two women back to the living room and helped Calleigh onto a sofa where Sonia then curled up in Grayson's lap on the other end of the couch, the three of them chatting conversationally.
While Jordan was frying the last of the egg rolls, Natalia disappeared into his bedroom for a few moments to continue with her project. When she came back out, everything was just finishing up so her and Jordan placed the food on the table and called everyone else over.
Picking up Calleigh in her arms, with Sonia following her, Grayson brought the women back to the kitchen, setting Calleigh down on a barstool and then retrieving an extra one out of a side closet so that everyone could sit. Jordan served dinner up across the bar top with steaming piles of food making Grayson's stomach grumble loudly.
Dinner conversation was lively with talk of the upcoming Fourth of July celebrations that usually happened in the area and all the different things that they could do.
Grayson stayed as animated as she could, but she couldn't keep up with the other four, talking excitedly about the upcoming weekend soon. Finally just going quiet, she sat and watched the little makeshift family she'd grown so comfortable with lately; she couldn't keep the tiny smile from her face.
As the dinner came to a close, Natalia got up to get everyone fortune cookie, but before she gave them out she signed. "I have a request. I want everyone to open these at the same time, but not say anything until I give you the signal. Is that okay?"
Jordan smiled widely while Calleigh did the same, Sonia nodded as well, but Grayson looked cautious, but agreed anyway.
One by one, Natalia placed a fortune cooking in front of each person, and when everyone had one, she nodded her head. The only noise for a moment was the cracking of the cookies and then there was silence.
Natalia was watching Calleigh closely, her eyes went wide, and her head snapped up so that she was staring into Natalia's eyes.
"Really? You are?" Nodding her head, Natalia wasn't ready when Calleigh bolted from her chair to take her into her arms. "You are going to make a fantastic mother."
Sonia screamed and almost fell out of her chair; she grabbed Grayson in a crushing bear hug, jumping up and down. Jordan stared at the paper for a long moment, and then tears began to leak out of his eyes. The only person who had showed no emotion whatsoever was Grayson, but a moment later she smiled warmly and tears streaming down her face as she hugged Sonia back, resting her head on her shoulder.
"You're both going to make fantastic parents!" Jordan wrapped his arms around them smiling thickly through his tears.
Calleigh was staring up at her wife with tears in her eyes. "Dr.. O'Conner said that you're okay? That nothing happened to the baby because of Eric?"
Signing to her wife slowly, she shook her head that Eric hadn't done anything to jeopardize the baby at all. Natalia gently kissed her wife softly again and again while Grayson stared at them over Sonia's shoulders, unseen by the couple. Jordan let the couple go and grabbed his sister by the front of her shirt, lifting her over his head he smiled. "Diaper duty is all yours as is the, if you don't bring my nephew or niece home by a certain hour I will kill you speech." He laughed while Grayson just smiled, letting her brother pick her up.
Sonia turned to stare at her girlfriend and her face transformed into a face of confusion. Turning to look at Calleigh, she raised her eyebrows. "Niece or Nephew? Did I miss something here?" She asked.
Barely even turning away from her wife, Calleigh answered the young Latina. "Oh yeah, they're cousins. Hard to believe huh?"
Natalia leaned down to kiss her wife and then signed, "I'll be right back." Quickly going into Jordan's room, she retrieved the boxes out of the drawers and went back. Handing one to Grayson, Jordan and then to Sonia, Natalia signed. "I just wanted to give the each of you something from me."
Opening his box, Jordan found a gold tie tack in the shape of a bear, while Sonia got a pair of earrings. Grayson on the other hand was slow to open her box, this was becoming almost more than she could take, but there was no way that she was going to ruin tonight for her cousins. Slowly opening the box, she found a white gold chain with a heart pendant.
Lifting it by the chain out of the small box, Grayson let it dangle from her fingertips, closing her eyes, slowly she pushed down every emotion she was feeling at the moment, and pasted on a warm smile, she was even good enough to start letting tears slip down her cheeks as she hugged Natalia, thanking her quietly. Jordan smiled at his sister, thinking she was truly happy for their cousins, why wouldn't she be. Sonia smiled and took her girlfriend's hands, she pulled her back towards her to kiss her and look into her eyes. "I knew those looked familiar..." She looked at Natalia's own chocolate eyes, and then back to Grayson's smiling again.
Calleigh glanced over to Jordan. "Hey Bear! Can we borrow your bedroom for a little bit?"
Looking at his sister who had her hand out waiting impatiently with a stern look on his face, Jordan pulled out a large wad of cash and slapped it into her hand. "Alright as always you are right ONCE AGAIN... it's like your psychic..." He grumbled at her. Looking at his cousins, he shook his head. "No please, feel free..."
Natalia quickly reached out and grabbed Grayson by the arm. Knowing that her cousin didn't like that, she quickly signed. 'Please drive careful. I have plans for you in the future.'
The look on Grayson's face was haunted for a moment, but she nodded and left silently with Sonia trailing behind her.
Slowly Calleigh and Natalia made their way into Grayson's bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Natalia led Calleigh over to the bed and helped her sit down. Signing, she said. 'I have something for you, but I wanted to give it to you privately.'
Sitting down as silently instructed, the blonde smiled warmly. "Talia Darlin'... I don't need anything else, I have you, and we're going to have a baby..." She whispered, tears streaming happily down her face.
Going back to the drawer one last time, Natalia took out the remaining box and handed it to her wife. Inside was a platinum bracelet with a mother and child charm.
Calleigh opened her mouth to say so many things, but nothing she could think of would even be able to do her feelings justice. Instead, she pulled Natalia by the belt loop on her jeans and kissed her passionately, her arms winding around her waist, her kisses dripped love, compassion, and hope.
Natalia couldn't help herself as she whispered. "I love you so very much Calleigh. You have given me more than I ever dreamed that I would have."
Whispering back just as softly, Calleigh tucked caramel curls behind the bronze ears she loved to kiss and bite. "I love you too Darlin'... I want us to build a life together." She held Natalia's hands in her own, the bracelet held between their intertwined fingertips.
"We are building a life together; a family together to show our love to the world."
Calleigh slipped her hands underneath her wife's blouse to slowly pull it over her head. Dropping it to the floor, the blonde unclipped the front clasp of her white lace bra, freeing her breasts.
Resting her hands on her wife's hips, Natalia pulled their bodies together to just barely enough to touch, her forehead resting against Calleigh's. Deep chocolate gazed into sparkling jade, the love pouring from both women seemed to fill the physical space between them.
Never taking her eyes of Natalia's, Calleigh reached down to undo the button on the brunette's jeans, unzipping them before pushing them and her underwear to the floor. Pulling Natalia to her, Calleigh drew her down to the bed, still fully clothed and then switched their positions so that she was on top. Carefully positioning herself, Calleigh put her head near Natalia's stomach and softly spoke. "Hello baby DuVista. I'm your momma. You might want to get used to hearing me talk to you because I'm gonna do this every day until I can hold you in my arms." Looking up, she saw the tears in Natalia's eyes were threatening to fall. "Your mom has brought such love into my life that I can't imagine my life without her any more. And I want you to know that you will be loved every day of your life by both me and your mom."
Natalia ran her hands through Calleigh's hair admiring the way the golden tresses shimmered against her bronze skin; everything she could ever hope for, could ever begin to wish for, she had found in this woman's arms. Tears ran unchecked down her face as she smiled at her wife softly in the dying light of the day that shone through the Complex windows.
Laying her head on Natalia's soft stomach, Calleigh kept her ear to the tiny life fluttering within her wife. Sighing, she watched her fingers trace over the bronze skin, sometimes the designs were intricate nothings, others were traces of the muscles and the baby soft hair she found while kissing the stomach softly with her lips.
Resting her upper body against her cousin's soft pillows, she hooked one leg around Calleigh's back to sit more comfortably. Every whisper, every soft touch that the woman gave her made her heart feel like it was on emotional overload that she could not physically feel anymore than what she was already feeling at that one moment.
Looking at Natalia's stomach, Calleigh knew in her mind that it was too early for her wife to be showing, but she could swear that she could see a little baby bump, and couldn't believe that a little more than a month ago they were in a doctor's office getting ready to expand their family.
The doctor had explained that they were there at exactly the right time as Natalia was ovulating, that her cervix was perfectly positioned and that the eggs that they had harvested from Calleigh were ready to be implanted. Calleigh had held Natalia's hand as she gazed into her eyes while the doctor had impregnated Natalia and afterwards, she had to lie there for about a half hour. The doctor had given them both instructions on what to expect. They had already decided not to tell anyone what they were doing, in case the pregnancy didn't take, but it did.
Twirling her hands through blonde tresses that trailed over her skin, Natalia couldn't help, but talk once again. "We are a family. No one can take this from us..." She whispered, the love and adoration evident in her voice.
Looking her wife in her eyes, Calleigh swore. "I will protect you and our child with every beat of my heart from now until the end of time. You will never want for anything, and I shall never give you a reason to doubt my love for you."
Sliding down underneath her wife, Natalia pulled the blonde up to undress her, slowly taking her time. Finally when there was nothing separating their bodies, only then did Natalia kiss every inch of Calleigh's beautiful face, her neck, finally over her heart she laid the most gentle of kisses, showing her trust in her wife would never falter.
Walking hand in hand with Sonia down the steps to the garage, Grayson tugged the keys to her Mercedes off the wall. She realized that Sonia had driven here. "I'll follow you..." She looked down at the ground and then up at her girlfriend.
Wrapping her arms around Grayson's neck, Sonia nuzzled her neck. "I can't wait to get you alone."
"You just have to wait long enough to walk in your front door." She smiled thinly, kissing Sonia softly on the cheek and stepping out of her arms and into her expensive luxury coupe.
Frowning as she looked at Grayson, Sonia turned and walked over to her Jeep. Getting inside, she started it up and headed towards her apartment.
Heading towards Sonia's apartment, Grayson made a quick phone call.
"Raines." Tucker answered, she could hear the sounds of Puerto Rico over the phone, the gentle breeze, the sand between his toes, event the caw of the tropical birds and waves was obvious.
"Cerano." Grayson shot back, smiling to herself a little bit.
"Boss. Time to come home?" His disappointment evident, seemed her friend was enjoying his dangerous vacation.
"Basically. Have the families on a planes as soon as possible, I want it to be a surprise for the DuVista's. They've been through enough this week and we all know I don't take payment for honest jobs. Is it possible that you could do this for me?" Her voice grew soft at the end of her request, this week had gotten to her as well. More than she cared to admit.
"Hey, Grayson are you okay?" Tucker dropped his voice, they were friends first.
"I'm fine, I just have to leave town for a little while. We can finish this discussion tomorrow morning." Grayson hated the way her voice grew cold at the worry in her friend's voice.
"Alright Chilly, see you then." Tucker answered back sarcastically ending the call.
After hanging up with Tucker, the assassin then called her and Jordan's' friend in Tennessee that had been keeping an eye on Chase and Anya.
"I was waiting for you to call." Came the gravelly voice.
"Good, then you know that I'm done and they can return home to their families." Grayson answered back smoothly. Leigh Corners was an fifty seven year old ex marine who ran a hunting lodge she and Jordan used during the winter to hunt occasionally. He was a tough man, she didn't trust anyone else to watch Natalia and Calleigh's family in that kind of rough country.
Chase and Anya apparently liked Tennessee from what she could gather, and had plans to return. Grayson made sure it would always be on the house for the family in the future. Another perk of being a Cerano, everything was always on the house.
"I will deliver the message right now if you want, their eating dinner out on the balcony.
Everything go the way you wanted, honey?" His voice softened a tiny bit, what the hell was with everyone trying to encroach on her personal boundaries?
"Nothing ever does, Leigh. You of all people should know that." She sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. "I'll see you soon, thanks again. For everything." She finished the call and pushed the phone back into her pocket.
After a relatively short drive, Grayson parked the gunmetal couple and locked the door. She leaned against it waiting for Sonia, her sunglasses in place, she scrolled through her phone book, texting the people who needed to be contacted. Sighing, she bit her thumbnail, finishing a text message to Dominique about when he should be ready.
Pulling up beside Grayson, Sonia turned off her jeep and jumped out, almost rushing up to the door to get it unlocked.
Following her girlfriend in almost trance like state, the sound of her steps were much slower than Sonia's, but then again, patience was high on her list of most haves for her career choice. Smiling as she passed by Sonia into her apartment, it occurred to her she'd never been inside really. "I feel like an asshole... I haven't even been inside your apartment really." Grayson scratched behind her right ear.
"It's alright babe. You will be from now on." Sonia closed the door and reached for Grayson.
Her eyebrows knitted together, but she let Sonia say those things, because as long as she believed them, she couldn't get hurt. Taking Sonia's hand in her own, she brought her lips to the woman's palm, kissing it softly with berry pink lips. Looking up, she gently took the woman in her arms, picking her up softly and carrying her in the general direction of her bedroom where she laid her down amongst soft sheets, laying next to her, tracing over her facial features as if trying commit them to memory.
Looking up, Sonia peered into Grayson's eyes; they looked so sad. Reaching up with a gentle hand, she traced her lips with her finger, marveling in the softness and the difference in between the woman and the silkiness underneath her finger.
The assassin's hands traced down Sonia's throat, her lips soon followed, she silently undressed her girlfriend and then stood back peeling off her own layers of clothing. Crawling back into bed, she kissed Sonia softly, so much difference in between their previous encounters and the one between them now. She needed to feel something different other than lust, something real.
This touch was so different from what she was used to from Grayson; this was gentle, giving and very sensuous. It was taking the young Latina down a different path to the spiraling heights than she was used to.
Never breaking eye contact with Sonia, the deadly brunettes hands traced down the magnificent body next to her own. As soon as her hands and fingertips would caress a particular spot, her lips would soon follow, but never once did she look away from Sonia. The entire time she kissed down her stomach and further down beautiful legs, she smiled. Her hands gently parted the Latina's thighs and she kissed her over and over not being able to stop herself from these emotions she was starting to have for Sonia against her better judgment.
Letting out a content sigh, Sonia watched. From the way the brunette handled her, to how she handled her own body, watching muscles flex and soften as she placed her kisses. She watched her making a blueprint of her and she couldn't help, but be in awe. She blinked a few smiling -this- was what she dreamt of when she was away from her girlfriend. And -this- was more than the dream come true...
The way Sonia was looking at her made Grayson feel like the only thing that mattered in life was the way she could make Sonia feel. Curling two fingers forward and gently rolling them over and over, she began to tenderly make love to the woman. Sonia deserved better than what Grayson had done to her in the past, she deserved to feel something more than her aggression and her anger. Smiling down shyly at her girlfriend, Grayson laid her entire body on top and against Sonia's, making their bodies melt together. The pace the darker woman set for the Latina was making her back burn in the most satisfying of ways.
Grayson's thumb slid down to tease Sonia's clit as she kissed her girlfriend again. The kisses they had shared in the past were nothing more than lustful ones, full of desire and possession. Now they were full of almost yearning, begging to be closer to one another. Rolling her hips softly behind her hand, Grayson never closed her eyes, trying to imprint every detail in her photographic memory.
Her body gave in, shutting her eyes, meeting the soft rolls of Grayson's hips, trembling at each touch of her clit, gasping into the kiss. Her hand spread across the small of the Italian's back, keeping herself attached. Her heels dug into the mattress as her fingers gripped Grayson's hand, her heart started racing. Kissing her back passionately, letting a tear roll down the side of her face, she opened her eyes slightly to make sure this was still really happening. She couldn't help, but grin and embrace it, kissing her lovingly, pressing her hand to the small of Gray's back a little to press them together.
Bringing their joined hands over Sonia's head, Grayson's other hand sped up slightly between Sonia's legs. She wanted the Latina to feel all the passion that she herself felt when her girlfriend looked at her or just simply touched her. Sweat began to bead and roll down the assassin's muscled back as she kissed Sonia's bottom lip before smiling and biting it gently in a playful manner.
Stretching out her body as long as she could, Sonia bared everything to her lover; heart, mind, body, even her soul was starting to pour into their kisses, into their joined movements. She smiled, capturing her own bottom lip, arching her neck, feeling just the right spot being hit, she gasped, arching her body, trying capture the feeling and hang on for dear life. Letting her lip go, her body snaked through another arch, raising her chin exposing her neck to the assassin.
Taking the open invitation to heart, Grayson began to trail soft delicate kisses over the soft flesh of Sonia's neck. If she wasn't kissing, she was running her lips and nose just trying to feel as much of her girlfriend as she could. "Let go... Let go baby..." She whispered when she heard Sonia gasp in her arms, she knew she was holding back, trying to preserve their time together. Her heart clenched painfully knowing it would be in vain, her eyes gathered with tears kissing around Sonia's ear gently whispering soft things about how beautiful Sonia was at that moment.
Sonia's free hand moved to the base of Grayson's neck, trying to hang onto her with feather like grasps. Her breathing paused, her heart skipped beats and her body jerked as she moaned, whimpered, and hung onto the buildup of the orgasm. Adoring tears rolled down her own cheeks, no one had ever been this tender with her, this able to touch her spirit. She managed to whispered "I love you..." as her world soared. She gasped in a deep breath, letting the orgasm roll through her body continuously. Her body arched up hard into Grayson's, clenching the sweetly offending fingers. Her hand tugging at the Italian's hand as if it were a bind, keeping her grounded.
Her heart clenched painfully at the way Sonia was trying to keep a hold of her, it was like the woman was drowning and Grayson's body was the only safe harbor she could find. Kissing the tears that rolled down her girlfriends' cheeks, her own tears began to mingle with Sonia's after hearing the woman confess her love to the assassin. She rubbed their noses together affectingly, her lips continuously kissing Sonia's, her fingertips fluttering gently inside of her, teasing and calming at the same time.
Her hand lightly gripped the side of Grayson's neck, holding on for dear life, trembling like crazy, as her body tried desperately to calm beneath the muscular body. Sonia ripped her hand away from Grayson's and wrapped it around her upper back, pulling her in close. She hid her face in Grayson's neck, feeling so exposed and so happy, so free and open, a few more tears rolled down her cheeks. She nuzzled in tighter, pulling even closer, needing protection from the world through her orgasms.
Sonia immediately curled in tighter, hanging onto her lovers side, calming down the longer they laid there. She shivered once before looking up into Grayson's eyes, then kissing her lovingly, pressing her forehead to Grayson's lips. Her voice trembled slightly as she whispered "Thank you..." Snuggling back in, closing her eyes once more.
Listening to Sonia's breathing deepen, Grayson waited several moments before slipping out from underneath her. Dressing slowly and quietly, keeping her eyes on the wall in front of her, the assassin kept her head clear from all the wrong's she was about to do to the people in her life. Turning around, Grayson pulled the folded letter out of her pocket and laid the envelope next to Sonia's gently slumbering form, tracing the woman's curls and beautiful face, the kissing her softly on the forehead before leaving through the front door. After exiting Sonia's parking lot, Grayson headed for the Complex.
She nuzzled into the sheets realizing the lack of warmth underneath her. Her heart immediately started racing. She pressed her eyes tighter shut then took a deep breath. The lingering sent of her lover and their lovemaking was gone from the air though it was faint in the sheets and pillow. She buried her head against the mattress then looked up, gulping and gasping somehow all in one when all she saw was a note. She closed her eyes drawing herself up, sitting Indian style facing the head of the bed; she curled a pillow in her arms and took a deep jagged breath picking up the note.
My dearest Sonia,
I have to leave. I promised myself that as long as I could be truthful to you, I could continue to be with you. I have now lost the ability to be truthful with you, not because I don't want too, but because it's for your own safety. The less you know the better. I will tell you this though, you made me feel something that I haven't felt in a long time. You made me feel normal, like just a regular person. It doesn't sound like much, but to me it means everything. If I ever get the chance to make this up to you, leaving like this, I will. Please don't hate me, but I'll understand if you do.
Grayson
As she read word for word, her eyes swelled up with tears until she was forced to blink to keep reading. "Damn you...." Her jaw set as tears rolled down her face staying that way for a solid 30 minutes. She set the note down and just stared, trembling for another 15. Slowly she slid off the bed, walking to the small makeshift office, trying to pull out the chair that seemed it wouldn't budge until she nearly threw it across the room. She looked at it, pained somehow by the action. Pulling out a paper and pen.
Grayson
I would rather have been tortured and murdered by your worst enemy then pretend sleep each night remembering every look, touch, word spoken; alone. I know your life is a whirlwind if it ever finds its way back to me... I'd feel most blessed and I won't ask questions. I can't hate you for being protective, mad, yes.
I trusted you with everything I had Grayson. I never expected to, I probably should not feel this way but I love you. You freed part of my soul and in turn shattered my spirit. All you had to do was ask if I was willing to be put through hell.
Please be careful Grayson, I know I'll never see you again but please be careful.
Love Always...
Sonia
She folded the shaky handwritten note into an envelope, walked into her bedroom and pulled out a large duffle bag, packing only what deemed necessary. She pulled the paperwork for the diner and signed it over to Calleigh and Natalia, a note thanking them for everything they'd done for her attached. She pulled a roll of cash out of the safe with her passport, doing a once over of the home she'd created she walked away. Slipping into her jeep with a manila envelope with "DuVista's" written on it, the other "Grayson" on her lap and started the vehicle. Driving to the complex, she rang the doorbell once and drove off as fast as possible, top down, in tears, letting the sunglasses she wore shield her from the world now.
Moving to Spain was the only thing she could manage to do. She looked at her Jeep for the last time and patted it before walking away, trying to control all of her broken spirit. She never looked out of her window as she waited for her plane to take off.