Something To Be Thankful For (November 2012)

Natalya wore her thigh pistol holster at nearly all times now. Although Tony had made the request, she had already been planning on keeping herself armed. That was certainly not protocol in the Tower, but this was a special situation. She also had a sharp dagger attached to her holster that she had recently sharpened. If this person tried to get into the Tower she was going to be ready for them.

Logan had suggested that they play some pool to relax a little and she had agreed. They had grabbed some beers and had headed to the game room, which also featured a dart board, pinball machines and other video games. Logan had been the one to teach Natalya pool, but she had become even better at it than him. She won most of the time, like she was now, but Logan seemed determined to distract her. She had lined up a beautiful shot, but just as she went to strike the ball Logan had grabbed her butt and she had jerked and sent the cue ball flying off the table. Logan laughed and Natalya rolled her eyes and turned and looked at Logan with a little smile on her face.

"What is up with you tonight?"

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If Isabella had known that someone was listening in to their conversation she never would have said anything. "No, we didn't mention that to the police. Serena was only defending herself and the rest of us. However, Tony and I didn't want that kind of attention on her."

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Hannah walked in to the room and saw Dax listening to a transmission. She walked over to him and looked at him. "What's being said?"

“What can I say, you have a cute butt,” Logan said though Natalya just looked at him. “I don’t know, I’m just bored I guess,” Logan said. “I don’t like to be holed up like this. If someone is coming for Serena, then let them come. Let them come into our den so we can deal with them,” he said.

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“Well I can understand that. A smart thing to do. And I doubt this woman would think rationally about hurting her if she found out so lets not mention that again, ok?” Frank said. “Where is Serena right now? Don’t let her out of your sight. We all know what Ghost was able to do with that suit. If his daughter can do the same...just keep eyes on her,” Frank said and hung up.

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In the hot tub the pitcher was empty and their glasses were half full with what was left. Both Peter and Serena were giggling and were definitely more than a little tipsy from the rum in the drinks. Peter sat on the tiled seat by one of the jets and Serena sat on his lap. Peter’s head was tilted back and Serena was laid back against him as the bubbles relaxed them. Her bikini top still floated against the far side of the tub and every so often Serena would tilt her head back so Peter could kiss her.

“You make me feel alot younger most of the time,” Peter said. “I mean, I guess physically I am younger but there is so much going on inside my head most of the time,” Peter said as he smiled. His hand rested comfortably low on her stomach to hold her in place.

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“Uh, you know, just everyday, boring crap,” Dax said nervously. “Isabella is talking to some man named Frank,” he said.

Natalya walked over and picked up her beer and took a sip. She put the bottle down and looked at Logan. “So, Steve was asking me how I felt about marriage. Did you put him up to that?”

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Serena was feeling very relaxed and was a little bit drunk. She was happy and didn’t really care at the moment that someone was trying their best to kill her. She relaxed back against Peter in the hot tub. Her bikini top was still off but they hadn’t gone any further than kissing. She heard what Peter said and she looked up at him.

“What’s going on in your head most of the time?”

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Hannah could hear the nervousness in Dax’s voice. She didn’t call him out on it though. She walked over and slid onto his lap and looked at him. “Who’s Frank?”

Logan’s eyebrows drew up at her question. He was about to say that it wasn’t him, and it wasn’t but for some crazy reason he went in another direction. “Why, so you’ve never thought about it? I’ve thought about it. I’ve lived a very long time and I’ve never been married. I’ve thought about it, sometimes I guess but I until now, I never really thought I’d find the right woman,” he said. And let her make of that what she wanted, he thought.

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He spoke without really thinking, rational thought did not come to him easily right then. To much drink in his system. “Losing you, missing our children, wanting it all again right now but realizing how young we actually are, finishing up your suit, all sorts of things,” He said. “And I think about this alot,” he said and lowered his hand to her center and rubbed her there a moment then moved his hand back up to her ribcage. “Its like me sexdrive has gone crazy or something. I remember not feeling this way...as an older man. And now...I think about it all the time,” he said honestly. And he did. Being in this younger body, he had forgotten what being young felt like. And Serena was gorgeous and also ‘her’ younger self.

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Dax didn’t know who this ‘Frank’ was. “I’d have to do some digging. They sound...familiar with one another,” Dax said. He reached around her and tapped on his keyboard. He ‘liked’ Hannah on his lap. She had never done that before.

Natalya looked over at Logan and was surprised by what he said to her. She sighed and looked down. "Logan, I don't think I'm the 'right' woman for anyone. I'm such a mess and I struggle everyday just to function. Why would you want to legally bind yourself to someone like that?"

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Serena still could not imagine what Peter was actually going through. Traveling through timelines like he had must be so confusing for his mind and body. She still couldn't believe that he had done that for her...to be with her again. She gasped slightly when he began to rub her a little. She squirmed a little as she felt herself being turned on, but then Peter moved his hand. She looked up at him. "So, how old was I when I died?"

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Hannah looked at Dax. "Could you play back the recording? I would like to hear what was said."

“I know why you’d think that...I think that too. But you’re here and I’m here and we are so much alike and so different as well. We have a deep understanding of one another. Born by torment and cruelty. Tempered by the death that surrounded us. Now we are here, together. You say you’re not the right woman for anyone. You’re right for me,” Logan said. “It pains me to know that I’ll outlive you,” he said. “I guess for me, marriage would be something I could say. “I did that, once,” he said. “And maybe it evens the score a little bit. Maybe I can belong to you as well,” Logan said.

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“You were 40. Willow and Ben were 14,” He said as he looked at her. He didn’t want her to go there. That thought was a dark place in his head. A painful place where he saw himself drive the knife into her heart. He shifted to touch his forehead to the side of her head. “I don’t want to think about this,” he said trying to keep hold of his emotions. “I just want to feel you, to love you and be loved by you,” he said softly.

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“And I want a repeat of last night,” Dax said. “With a few upgrades,” he said and his look wasn’t bashful any longer. She had created a sex monster. Her hand moved like a snake though before he could stop her and she hit the playback button then grabbed hold of his hand. The audio played back the entire conversation.

Natalya looked at Logan and knew in that moment that there would never be another man for her. No one could possibly understand her the way he did. He took care of her no matter what and seemed willing to sacrifice his own happiness for hers. What other man would do that for a woman as screwed up as she was?

“So, are you saying you want to do this?”

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Serena turned around in the water to face Peter. She took his face into her hands and kissed him. She let her arms wind around his neck and she pressed her body against his.

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Hannah felt her anger grow as she listened to the recording. Serena had killed her father?! In a surge of fury she threw the keyboard off of the desk and stood up. “That bitch! I‘m going to kill her. She’s dead! I’m not messing around anymore Dax. I want to cut out her heart!”

“I’m saying I want you to know that I’m never going to give up on you. I want you to know it...to feel it, to live it,” Logan said. “No matter where you are or what your doing you can look down at your finger and know where home is,” Logan said as he came up to her. He took her hand and put it gently onto his heart. “This is where you belong Natalya. Our lives are not conventional or easy or even palatable most of the time. But we can have this,” he said.

Part of this had to do with everyone else being married as well to a degree. And then there was Malcolm. He was still out there and though he wasn’t concerned about him right now. It doesn’t mean that he couldn’t find a way back into her life. He wanted to protect against that. Natalya ‘was’ his and he would not share her ever again.

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Peter just held Serena tightly against him, with only the sound of the jets and bubbles from the hot tub around them.