VoyForums

[ VoyUser Login optional ] [ Main index ] [ Post a new message ] [ Search | Check update time | Archives: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, [9], 10 ]

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Date Posted: 22:38:17 10/26/06 Thu
Author: Mary
Author Host/IP: 70-33-152-247.agstme.adelphia.net / 70.33.152.247
Subject: Just Knowing - Chapter 22
In reply to: Mary 's message, "Just Knowing - Cont. Chapter 20+" on 15:16:57 10/22/06 Sun

Chapter 22

Velaney was not a stupid man. You couldn’t be stupid and run Center, not in this organization. Mr. Jones had said that many, many times over the years as he worked by his side. This organization required your soul. That was really the only way to stay sane, if such a thing as sanity truly existed at all.

It also demanded that you be able to withstand the isolation of the position. He had watched as Phillip buffered that isolation with Michelle, and his surveillance of Nikita. Of course the later being the cause of Phillip’s demise. There was no room in this job for vulnerability of any kind, not ever.

Yet, sitting her now, Velaney felt an almost yearning for those days prior to his appointment as Head of Center. He enjoyed watching and learning as Phillip strategized over the organization like a multi-dimensional chess board, ever protecting his queen.

His musings took him back to the first time that he ever met with Phillip. They were in Europe together. Hostilities were high, as they always seemed to be, even if the rest of the world knew nothing of it. They had both been British officers, served together, were both dismayed at the state that the world and its governments seemed to be in with no resolution in sight. When Phillip approached him, Velaney was ready for something new, something exciting, something that could really make a change. That was back in his earlier days when he still believed in principles, in good and bad.

Then he had met her, and everything changed. He fell in love with her from the moment she entered the room with Phillip. She was brilliant, gorgeous, eloquent, and ethereal. He was totally engrossed with this stunning creature from that moment on. She was why he stayed, she was why he fought, she was why he was still here today.

Adrian.

*****

<i>“I’m…here. I…I...just. What’s going on?”</i>

Michael stared at her as she asked a question he wasn’t sure how to answer. But he desperately wanted to keep her talking, to know that she was here. “Slowly Nikita.”

Her eyes darted around trying to take in where she was and what was happening, “You’re here?”

“Yes.” He kept his arms down at his sides, not moving, not wanting to scare her away.

“No,” she shook her head, her hair moving into her face and she pushed it back impatiently.

He kept his tone even, soft, caring, “I came to help you.”

She froze. He wasn’t even sure she was breathing for a long moment, scared out of his mind that she had left him again. “I wanted to Nikita.”

The way he said her name reached out a part of her that she had tried to forget existed. She couldn’t stop it and it scared her. “Again,” she pleaded.

He didn’t understand. He so desperately wanted to, but he didn’t know what she was asking until her blue eyes turned and looked at him. Her eyes sought him, ask him and he knew, “Nikita.”

She reached out a hand and touched his cheek once again. Just looking at him, studying him, and he knew that she was trying to read him.

She dropped her hand and then looked around the room. She knew it was an observation room. “How long?”

“Not long.”

She hung her head, she didn’t believe him, didn’t know what to believe. He wanted to comfort her but he knew that he couldn’t right now. Soon, but not yet.

“Section?”

“Brianna has control.”

Nikita nodded her head and took a deep breath. She scooted away from Michael toward the edge of the bed, never taking her eyes from the door. They would not be alone for long. She sat at the edge trying to figure out how she got here, what had happened and why Michael was really here. But her thoughts were foggy, she was unable to navigate them and this brought out anger in her that she felt rush through her body.

She pushed herself to her feet, determined that she was going to figure it all out. But her body betrayed her and her knees buckled as her head swam. Michael grabbed her before she could hit the floor and she struggled against him, fighting him, as she crawled away from him. “What is going on? What?” she squeezed her eyes tight and tried to will it all away.

Simon saw her move and knew that she could instantly regress, he left observation and opened the door and Nikita moved back against the wall, afraid of this intruder that she wasn’t sure she knew.

Simon knew that he needed to help Michael at this moment. He stood where he was making no threat to either of the pair. His eyes told Michael to intervene, “Nikita, this is Simon. He’s safe. He’s a doctor that has been helping you.”

She pushed tighter back against the wall and away from Simon, “I…I don’t know you.”

“Yes you do. Just listen to my voice for moment,” Simon spoke lightly trying to ground her thoughts.

“I have talked with you for many long hours. Trying to reach you, letting you know that I was here to help. We have talked about all the people that you have helped, I have played the cello music for you that you like so much. Do you remember Nikita? Just try.”

He saw the reaction in her, the recognition in her eyes as she processed what he had just told her. Her eyes moved back and forth between himself and Michael. Assessing her safety and their intentions.

She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes, Michael wanted to move to her but he didn’t dare until she was ready. His heart pained for her, but she had to decide. They sat in silence for long moments, then her eyes opened. She looked directly at Michael with full trust in her eyes, “Help me. Please.”

*****

Brianna watched from the observation room and took in every movement. Nikita was back, it wouldn’t be long until she would return to the Perch and Brianna would be back to the job she had done for so long. And Michael, that was an unknown variable – at least to her anyway.

She sighed, now there was no turning back. The tides of change were not to be stopped now. She wondered if she should be afraid or excited. Instead she just felt nauseous and an ominous feeling of what was to come for all of them.

[ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]

Replies:

Forum timezone: GMT-5
VF Version: 2.94, ConfDB:
Before posting please read our privacy policy.
VoyForums(tm) is a Free Service from Voyager Info-Systems.
Copyright © 1998-2008 Voyager Info-Systems. All Rights Reserved.