Chapter One: Surrender
The hardest thing was keeping her eyes closed. All her life, she had been a woman who needed, desperately, to see what was coming next. Her life had a
habit of spinning out of control every time she tried flying blind. And yet...and yet. Here she was.
It was all about control. Could she give control up, to him? And, if she could, what did that mean? About her? About him? Was there actually power in
giving control away? Skye drew in a breath and let it out again. She didn't know the answer to any of those questions. But, she was both her
fathers' daughter; power was a thing about which she was ready to learn.
The bed shifted slightly under his weight; she managed, with the utmost difficulty, not to move in reaction. He bared her shoulders first, sliding the silken
sheet down, just above the middle of her back. First, his fingers traveled from shoulder to shoulder, caressing, stroking, dancing, and then his lips followed
suit, his tongue tracing a darker, older pattern against the smooth skin of her back.
"It has been said," his lips were suddenly at her ear, his voice a warm, liquid whisper, "that patience is its own reward." His lips
made a detour to her neck, then found their way back to her ear. "Do you begin to see that in waiting until the time," a kiss was pressed against
her neck, "is," higher, "right," against her earlobe, "one finds a very different kind of gratification?"
Skye didn't answer him, just squeezed her eyes tighter, her hands clenching in the sheets at her sides. He lifted her hair from her neck, holding it gently as
his lips trailed down the back of her neck, down her spine, peeling the sheet back further. As her back was bared, his palms slid from her hair down the
pale, candlelit gentle arch of her back. His hands reached the curve of her buttocks, and Skye could wait no longer.
She flipped around, her eyes opening, and lifted her arms to his neck, pulling his lips to hers, her fingers twining in his dark hair. "Stefan,"
Skye murmured, moments later, when she broke the kiss, just enough to breathe, "there's just only so long you can expect a girl to wait."
As her lips sought out his again, Stefan's palms slid to either side of her face, holding her, preventing her from making contact. Dark brown eyes met
sherry colored ones. "What is it that you want, solnyshko moyo?" Stefan murmured. "Fleeting pleasure? The transitory
moment? Or something more?" He ran his thumb over her lips. "And, if it is the latter, you must learn, sooner rather than later, to surrender
your own desires in order to gain," his eyes were intense in the flickering candlelight, "everything."
One of her hands drifted down his chest, circling a nipple lazily, as she smiled slowly, deliberately setting aside his real question. "I want you,
Stefan," Skye said, her voice low and husky, fingers tightening in his hair. "I know that much." This time, when she moved forward, her
lips searching for his, he dislodged his hands from her face, sliding them down her back, pulling her closer to him. Stefan's lips were fierce against hers as
she twined her arms tightly about his neck. "Surrender goes two ways, you know," she murmured against his mouth as she drew him down
with her into the cushions of the bed.
And, for a long space, there were no more words. Not of surrender, nor power, nor anything at all.
*~~*~~*
the Q mansion
"My darlings," Lila held out her hands, grasping one of theirs in each of hers, "it was a lovely ceremony."
AJ leaned forward, brushing a kiss against his grandmother's soft, rose-scented cheek. "Thank you, Grandmother," he said with a smile, then
turned to slide his arm around his wife's waist. "We certainly thought so, didn't we, honey?"
Gia Campbell-Quartermaine returned her brand-new husband's smile brightly before looking down at Lila. "Half the reason the wedding was so
perfect was your beautiful roses everywhere. Thank you so much for that, Miss Lila."
Lila released AJ's hand, squeezing Gia's lightly with both of hers. "Darling, you must call me Grandmother, now. We're family. And, before you
and AJ move out to your new home, I shall give you some cuttings to take with you so that you can start your own garden, if you like."
Gia bent down, her veils falling across her shoulder, to press her own kiss against Lila's cheek. "There's nothing I'd like better,
G-Grandmother," she murmured, softly, blinking back the quick tears.
Alan smiled at the young couple. "If Mother's offering your wife her roses, you've done something right, son," he said, clapping AJ on the
shoulder. "Congratulations, you two."
Edward chimed in from beside Lila. "Yes, yes, congratulations. Alan, a word?" He dragged Alan to the side, scowling. "Where is that
brand-new daughter of yours? I wanted all of the family here, tonight."
Alan shook his father's arm off. "I don't know, father. Skye was at the wedding. The family en masse is still a bit much for her to deal with;
give her time." He narrowed his eyes, warningly. "Do not push her."
Edward watched as Alan stalked off, rejoining his wife, Lila, Emily and the newlyweds. "That's the problem, son," he muttered, under his
breath. "Time is the one thing I can't give her."
~*~
Ned watched the gathering from across the room, an eyebrow raised cynically as the family oohed and ahhed over AJ and his new bride. He took a long
sip from the quickly flattening champagne in his hand, trying to wash the bitterness from his mouth.
"Well, darling, think of it this way," the voice at his ear was as warm, smooth, pointed and welcome as a bumblebee, "the score's now
three to five. So, you're still winning. Or -- losing. Depending on how you look at it."
"Mother." Ned turned around, lifting his glass to Tracy. "Your support and love, as always, overwhelms me."
Tracy regarded him for a moment, and shook her head. "Ned, my dear, I've been away too long. Sarcasm does not become you." A
figure sidling beside them caught her eye, and Tracy's arm shot out. She grabbed the young man by the arm, turning him to face her and straightening his
tie. "Dillon, my sweetheart, have you spoken to your grandfather today?"
Dillon squirmed away. "Jesus, Ma, yes. I sat with the old man at breakfast this morning, okay?" He jerked his arm out of her grasp, glaring
at both Tracy and his brother, just for good measure. "Get off my back!" He stalked away, veering as far away from the wedding party as he
could manage.
Tracy followed him with her eyes, and then turned to Ned. "Darling, I do wish you'd talk to your brother. He's been in such a surly mood of late.
I'm starting to worry."
"Don't worry, Mother." Ned took another long draught, and raised a cynical eyebrow. "Dillon's a teenager and a Quartermaine. If he
weren't surly, then I'd worry."
"You were never like this, bent towards sarcasm notwithstanding." Tracy sniffed, sounding wounded. "'Ma',
indeed."
Ned looked at her incredulously. "How in the hell would you know what I was like as a teenager, Mother? If you'll recall, I spent those years in
boarding school. You wouldn't have even known what I looked like, much less how I was acting."
Tracy carefully disengaged her hand from the loop of her son's arm where it was resting. "Ned, darling, I can only hear that particular sad song so
many times, and I'm afraid I've just reached my quota. Face it, kiddo, the 'Mummy Left Me' refrain is just worn out and tired. Find a new one." She
reached up to pat his cheek. "Ned, you've pouted and whined and smirked about the place since I got here, and, I'm suspecting, since that little Alana
Whoever ran out on your wedding. Suck it up, darling, and move on. You're starting to become boring." Tracy adjusted his collar with a last twitch
of her fingers and moved away.
She nodded cordially to Justus as she left the living room; gazing around the gatherings, he came thisclose to following her out. Edward had
browbeaten him into attending the wedding, and he had agreed mostly to get the old man off his back. But, partly -- partly because he wanted to find out if
it were possible to be part of his family again. Though, as he regarded the gatherings around the room, he wasn't quite sure why.
Justus considered joining Ned, standing alone in the center of the room. However, the glowering expression on his cousin's face dissuaded him of that
notion fairly quickly. The grouping around the bride and groom seemed far too exuberant for his taste, and there was no way in hell he was going
anywhere near Taggert and Dara, whispering in a corner. He started out into the foyer, only to be stopped by the sound of Auntie Tracy's voice haranguing
Reginald. With a muffled exclamation, Justus Ward set his drink down on the mantle and made a quick escape out onto the terrace.
The sun had just set; the last few red fingers were slowly disappearing in the west. Justus turned to the east. The sky was already darkening to blue-black
at the horizon, and he could see the first scattering of stars flickering faintly. The old, familiar childhood rhyme ran briefly through his mind. I wish I
may, I wish I might... He shook his head, clearing it. He didn't indulge in wishing very often.
Justus focused on the brightest one, glanced to make sure no one was around, and began speaking softly. "I haven't done this in a while, but I'm
feeling you tonight, Granny Mae. I guess it's just being here," he gestured at his grandfather's house. "It brings back a lot of
memories." Justus rubbed his temples tiredly, his voice very soft. "You know, I don't think any of us knew what we lost when we lost
you."
He looked up. "It was more than just the woman who'd loved me long as I can remember, and it was more than just a fierce heart and soul and
spirit. In a way, I think you guided all of us. Held us to earth and gave us wings, all at the same time. And, now that you're gone, Gran' Mae, I can't seem
to find my path. You used to tell me I had this grand destiny," Justus spread his hands wide, looking up at the heavens. "Where is it, now,
huh? I can't see anything without you to guide me!"
Justus stood staring fiercely up a long moment, then let his hands drop to his sides, deflating visibly. "I'm sorry; I know better than to blame you
for the mistakes I've made. I just wish--" A twisted smile crossed the good planes of his face briefly. "Faith believes in guardian angels, that
you're up there, watching us. I wish I had half the faith of my baby sister. I wish there were such things as guardian angels. I wish you could send me
one." He laughed, looking up at the bright star with shining eyes. "First star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might--"
"You're wishin' on a planet." Dillon Quartermaine stepped out of the shadows behind his cousin, hands in his pockets. He looked at Justus
with a small smirk. "That's Saturn, genius. Stars twinkle; planets don't." He rolled his eyes and sauntered back towards the house, never
removing his hands from his pockets.
Justus watched him go then looked back up at -- well, at Saturn. "If that's your idea of a joke, Granny Mae," he said, darkly, "it wasn't
very funny."
*~~*~~*
Sonny's PH
"No, no, no, Benny! It's just not gonna happen," Sonny snapped impatiently into the phone. He looked up at the light tap on his open door,
and waved Alexis in as he continued to talk. "This expansion is not gonna be delayed anymore....Just do what you have to do and get back to
me." He closed his phone sharply and poured himself a brandy before turning to Alexis. "Hey," he greeted her, with a small nod.
"Hay is for horses," Alexis muttered under her breath. "Nothing," she said, louder, when Sonny looked at her questioningly.
"Should I come back?" she indicated the phone.
"No, no," he poured a second glass and held it out to her. "Benny and I are just havin' a disagreement on the schedule of operations for
the new warehouse. He's gettin' cautious in his old age." Sonny flashed a dimpled grin. "Come on in, counselor. No," he held up a
hand as she made a move to close the door, "leave it open."
Alexis regarded him levelly for a long moment, then moved forward, leaving the door as it stood, and took the offered drink from his hand. She took a sip,
walking over to the couch and sitting down. "So, are you planning any more trips out of town?" she asked, after a moment.
Sonny looked at her sharply, then moved around the couch to perch across from her. "No," he said, bluntly. "Reason you're askin',
Alexis?"
"No," she shook her head quickly, "none in particular. I mean, I live across the hall, we eat dinner together a couple times a week, I've
just -- noticed that you've been out of town off and on for a while. I figured I could, you know, water your plants. Or something."
Sonny's eyes narrowed to small points, and then, suddenly, he burst into a laugh. "You know, counselor, the one thing I've never gotten about you is
how you can be such a damn fine attorney and such a rotten liar." The laughter faded, as she neglected to join in. "Somethin' you wanna ask
me?"
"Is there something you want to tell me?" Alexis countered.
"No," Sonny said flatly, his eyes cold.
"Fine, then," Alexis leaned forward, not daunted in the least, "I guess I do want to ask you something. Did you find her?"
Sonny's eyes completely shut off, and Alexis bit her lip, but pressed on. "I know," her voice was gentle, "I know you've been going out
of town, periodically, to look for Carly. And, I'm guessing, if you're not taking any more trips, that you've found her. Am I right?"
Sonny stood up, walking over to the mini-bar without answering her question. "Can I get you another drink?"
"No." Alexis leaned back against the couch cushions, determined to wait him out.
Sonny was silent, turned away from her, for a very long moment. "I found her," his voice was gruff and low; he didn't turn to face her.
"End of story, Alexis. Drop it."
"I'm not a dog, Sonny; don't give me orders," Alexis snapped back, irritated at his constant presumptuous tone. "Since you found her, is
your wife coming home?" she asked, her perverse stubborn streak responsible for her deliberately continuing.
"Dammit, Alexis!" He slammed his glass down hard against the bar; it sloshed over onto the mahogany wood. Sonny ignored it, and turned
to face her. "No, my whore of an ex-wife is not coming here. This," he gestured sharply to his living room, "is not her home! Not now,
not ever again!"
Alexis stood up slowly, placing her own still full glass down with great precision. "You know," she said, her eyes locked on his, "you
use that word a whole lot, Sonny. The next time you decide to throw it around indiscriminately, you might want to think a little bit harder about what it
means. And, in who's company you're choosing to use it."
Sonny gave a small shrug. "You asked the question, Alexis."
"Yes," she nodded, "I guess I did." Alexis crossed to the door, then turned, her hand resting against the doorframe. "I can
be your friend, Sonny. I can hold your hand, let you cry on my shoulder, even leave you alone. Whatever you need. But, I can't help you if you don't
know what you want."
"I never asked for your help, Counselor," his voice was bitter; his eyes were dark. "And, I know what I want."
"Do you?" Alexis glanced significantly at the open door, then back at him. "Carly's not coming back, Sonny. You made sure of that.
And, you can't have it both ways. There's no creature born that can walk in two directions at once. Either go to her, and bring her home, or close the
door." She paused, a moment. "Just a little advice from a friend."
