Days of Darkness

Chapter 42

"Not now, you i***t," Natalie snickered, rotating her hips to grind into me, "I need my lover at the moment. My husband has to wait until we're done." It was hard to make love and laugh at the same time. Somehow, love conquered our laughter. We found that rhythm that tantalized us both, sending those fabulous sensations circling through our bodies. I cradled my arms around my love when her back stiffened, and her body spasmed. The beauty of it was too much. I lost myself in her warmth, erupting between her legs. Heaven might as well be hell if it didn't contain that moment.

"You know I'll say yes, don't you?" Natalie asked. She was laying on my chest, her fingers playing with the small hairs that grew on my belly. I don't know why she found it enticing to pull lightly on them. The attention was welcome, so I never asked her.

"Are you removing the mystery?" I asked in response.

"We've been husband and wife for a while," Natalie replied, "I can't imagine anyone else n***d in my bed, and you are so in love with me." She pinched some hairs and pulled them hard.

"Ouch!"

"See, I can t*****e you and still you don't throw me out of bed," Natalie said as she caressed the spot she had aggravated. Her lips found the spot as well.

"I didn't think I was worthy of you before," I admitted.

"I used to like that," Natalie said, "it was stupid, but I liked feeling superior." I ran my fingers through her hair, marveling at what she was admitting. "Love has no rank and to be real; it has to flow both ways. We're lucky that Teegan allows us to feel each other without interpretation." I kissed the top of her head. "you own my love and worth has nothing to do with it."

"I am yours," I said quietly.

"And I am yours," Natalie replied. Marriage wasn't necessary for us. We were already joined with a bond that was more powerful than any piece of paper could provide. I would ask her to marry me, and she would say yes. We would do it for the world and not for us. Our children deserved an unhindered legal connection and social acceptance.

We laid in each other's arms for a long time. It was so comfortable to hold her after our physical time apart. The discussion turned toward our unborn son. She was throwing names at me, and I vetoed a few. I could tell it was the only power I had in my child's naming. The final choice would be hers. She would choose a name that embodied the character of the boy she desired. I threw out some comical ones for consideration which earned me a smack in the belly followed by a kiss when she thought she slapped it too hard. A knock on the door stopped our play.

"Teegan is asking for you," Betty said from behind the door, "you guys decent?" Natalie shushed me when I was about to say we weren't. She pulled the sheet and blanket over us.

"Send her in," Natalie called when we were covered. The door cracked and in ran my little girl. I knew instantly what was going on when I heard muted laughter and the door closed quickly.

"Oh! Stinky," I said, holding my nose. Natalie laughed, lifting our smiling child onto the bed. Teegan ignored the odor and flung herself into my arms, between Natalie and myself. "potty training is my new goal," I said, kissing Teegan's cheek. Teegan laughed and wiggled like the bed was the best place in the world. I grabbed her feet and lifted them high and blew raspberries into her belly. She was a ticklish thing, trying desperately to struggle away with a wide mouth laugh.

"We don't have any clean diapers," Natalie laughed, trying hard not to breathe through her nose.

"Of all the things to forget," I said, rolling my eyes, "where's the bathroom?"

"Just outside the door," Natalie said. We donned our dirty clothes and took our girl for a bath. It was a gross bath though Teegan found our attempts at getting her grimy butt under the running faucet hilarious. She kept pushing away with her feet thinking it was a game. It took both of us to secure her enough to get her cleaned enough to fill the tub for a real bath.

Natalie took the soiled diaper to a garbage can away from any noses. Teegan and I had fun playing in water while she was away. She thought it would be best if I was as wet as her so we had a small water war. Natalie declared Teegan the winner when she returned.

"Betty and Abigal are out getting diapers," Natalie said, "Hank and Todd thought the whole thing was hilarious. Todd is the one who dreamt up the idea of sending her into our room."

"I remember someone else doing the same thing awhile back," I said with a sly smile. Natalie knelt behind me and kissed the side of my neck.

"But I did that out of love," Natalie lied, her smiling kisses felt to good to stop and debate. I just chuckled and accepted the caresses. Life with Natalie held no drawbacks.

Natalie and I traded off Teegan and took turns taking showers. When the three of us were clean, we found everyone in a large rec room. Betty and Todd were the only vets that remained. Natalie assured me she had thanked the rest. Hank's wife was out of town.

"What have I missed?" I asked as I sat down with Teegan in my lap. She was happy for a moment then struggled to be let go. I put her down, and she began exploring the room.

"Silence in the news," Hank said, "then again, I didn't expect Corbett would allow it publicized."

"He may not be aware," I sighed, "I was at the boiling point when I got to him. I projected anger into his mind. I'm not sure how, but I did. If it wasn't for my son, I think I would have killed him." Everyone's eyes widened. Natalie moved closer to me and put her hand in mine.

"We're pregnant," Natalie said, smiling.

"And you're sure it's a boy?" Hank asked as if he knew how we knew.

"Very sure," I said, looking in Natalie's eyes, "we've felt him, and he feels us." I loved how Natalie looked at me. Our looks held secrets only we understood.

"I understand you went Rambo," Hank said to me. I could almost hear the gears running in his head. He was analyzing everything. It wasn't to form a judgement; it was purely scientific.

"I could feel Corbett hitting Natalie," I said, "something snapped and all I could think of was getting to her. I'm not sure if I could have been stopped by anyone but Natalie and the kids." I paused and squeezed Natalie's hand and felt her squeeze in return. "I dropped three guards just because they were in my way. It was sheer anger that disabled them." Hank's body stopped moving, and he stared back at me. I could tell he wanted me to continue, but I was interrupted.

"I couldn't feel Corbett hitting me," Natalie added, "it infuriated him. He started punching me, and I felt Sam become some kind of monster. I was so scared it would ruin him."

"Your pain was projected?" Hank asked.

"Through Teegan," Natalie replied, nodding.

"Seems I'm the families pincushion," I chuckled, "even morning sickness." Natalie blushed, so I put my arm around her.

"All this without physical contact?" Hank questioned.

"Distance no longer matters," I replied, "I traveled across the country knowing exactly where they were. Not an address, but more like an unerring compass."

"That's because she loves you so much," Abigal said. Betty nodded in agreement. Hank looked around the room running through some internal calculations.

"People like Corbett will see great power in this bond," Hank commented, "are you sure you're not being warped by it as well?" It wasn't an acquisition. It was simply a question he needed to be answered.

"Corbett is insane," Natalie replied.

"Surging anger is not something you want to repeat," I added, "you become useless afterward and have to fight for consciousness. It's more of a survival thing."

"A family survival thing," Natalie clarified, "Teegan refused to bond with Corbett, that's what made him so angry."

"She is selective now?" Hank asked with surprise.

"She knew I didn't trust Corbett, so she didn't bond with him," Natalie replied, "she's getting older and deferred to my judgement."

"Her mother's judgement," I clarified. All eyes turned to Teegan, who was struggling to get her fingers around the handle of a drawer in an end table. She was pulling down on it, instead of out. I moved to her and showed her how it opened. She copied my movement, opening and closing the drawer a few times then moved on, strangely ignoring the contents.

"She'll grow to control it," Hank surmised.

"I think she will," Natalie agreed.

"Right now it's a cannon. Shooting out strong emotions to those she loves," I said, "somehow, when we're in desperate need an all access port opens, fear is abolished, and we know exactly what we need to guarantee our safety, the families safety." Natalie nodded in agreement.

"He's right," Abigal said, "all I could think about was making sure she and I were safe. I knew exactly what it would take to do that, and my body moved without hesitation."

"Why did she help me then?" Betty asked, "I had never bonded with her, yet she helped get me free of Gerard."