The Last Time We First Met - Part Twelve
by: Denise Underwood
c. 2001
This time when Triona awoke, it was LaCroix who cradled her in his arms.
The blood of their would-be murderers and her blood once more had been
enough to affect a cure for the ancient vampire.
"Lucien," she said softly, as if it might be a dream that she could scare
away. "You're better." She squeezed his hand as tight as she could, pulling
herself around to look him in the eyes. "I thought..." her voice trembled
with unshed tears and days of stress. "I thought you were going to die."
LaCroix smiled, brushing her lips with his thumb. "You should know better
than that by now, mon amour."
Triona smiled back. "Yeah, I guess I should." She looked over to where
Methos was sprawled against a large chunk of broken cement, looking nothing
more like he was sitting comfortably in his own chair at home. Somehow, he
always managed to blend in wherever he was. "If it's any defense, Methos
had his doubts too."
Quirking a brow, LaCroix also looked over at his oldest friend. "Indeed? So
sorry to disappoint you, Methos."
"Oh, I'm sure there'll be another time," Methos replied jauntily as he got
himself to his feet. He looked at the vampire with a wicked smile on his
face. "You do realize that I saved your life yet again, Lucius. It's
becoming a habit. What forfeit do you think you owe me this time?"
Triona took Methos' hand, drawing him down to where she and LaCroix sat.
"You had to save his life because he saved mine! If you think you're going
to get *another* woman out of this..." she let the mock threat hang.
Looking at her deliberately, Methos placed one warm hand on her upper
thigh. "Then I guess it's *you* that owes me a forfeit then, isn't it?" he
asked, his voice a husky rasp.
"Oh, I suppose," she replied, attempting a tone of bored nonchalance, while
at the same time swaying closer to the distracting heat of her husband.
"She doesn't seem very interested in paying her debt, does she?" LaCroix
commented to Methos.
"Not at all," he replied in mock disapproval. Placing a hand on either side
of her head, he pulled her sharply towards him. "I'll have to collect
regardless."
As Methos kissed her, she could feel LaCroix with her, their bond
strengthened by the last few days. Triona reveled in the feeling. Methos'
flesh against her, his warm lips rediscovering her. And as intimate as any
kiss, Lucien in her thoughts, at one with the feelings of love and desire
that swept through her. Here in the middle of hell was everything that she
was, everything she had ever loved. A small measure of peace in war. A
moment of contentment when all worries and doubts were cast out, leaving
only love and belonging. No matter what had happened in their past, or what
would happen in their future, they would always be bound together....
***************
Triona felt a gentle touch against her cheek. In surprise, she realized
that Jean-Luc was wiping away the tears that streaked her face. "It was a
terrible time," she said in a voice so soft that it was barely a whisper.
Pressing his hand against her face, she closed her eyes. "You have no idea
the feeling of pure joy I felt when I realized you were from our future.
I'd almost despaired of our people ever leaving Earth, for all my faith. We
were so close before the war came."
"How hard has it been?" he asked. "All these years, waiting for this moment."
"You have no idea! I never knew when it would come, just someday. There
were times, when you were in some terrible danger, that I'd make myself
insane with the conundrum of temporal anomalies."
Triona got to her feet, seeing that the eastern sky was beginning the
gradual paling that signaled the approaching dawn. Picard followed suit as
they began back down the path that would take them to the Keep. "I've been
worrying about you for so many years, Jean-Luc -- you haven't made it
easy," she said wryly.
Picard stopped dead, looking down at her, suddenly remembering. "You were
there, in the Starfleet HQ sickbay! After the Borg..." he trailed off in
remembered pain.
She squeezed his hand. "Yes, I was there. I couldn't let you remember. But
I wanted to try and ease your torment. I sat with you all through the
night, wondering when I would ever have the opportunity to actually *know*
you. I knew though, that I could never adequately explain my concern for
you, so I blurred the memories of the visit."
"And shortly after we did finally meet."
"My hero," she said, smiling. "I should have known our first true meeting
would be memorable. There was the Enterprise, swooping down to rescue our
hapless party from our enemies."
"You've always been memorable, Triona," he said gallantly, smiling at the
memory. Then the smile disappeared, his eyes pained and hard. "And then you
were there, after I'd been captured by the Cardassians. Once more soothing
my demons. I never had the chance to tell you how your presence after the
debriefing sessions helped me to heal."
"After our experience with the alien probe, I felt such a strong connection
to you. When I received the report that you'd been taken, I was frantic
with worry." Triona shook her head, sighing deeply. "I harangued Fleet
intelligence incessantly, demanding they get you out of there. I think I
called in every favor I was ever owed. I was ready to send my own people in
after you if need be and treaties be damned!" Her tone was flinty as she
recalled the worry and fear.
"I never knew," Picard said, obviously totally surprised by her revelation.
"I didn't want you to," she said, shrugging her shoulders. "I still had so
many mixed feelings from the effects of the probe. Added to the knowledge I
held of our eventual meeting in my past and your future.... I just wanted
to be there for you in some fashion -- even if you never knew of it." She
leaned her back against a towering pine wrapping her arms behind her around
the trunk. "It was all very confusing," she finally said, tilting her head
and peering up at him.
Picard laughed, the sound lightening the pre-dawn of the woods surrounding
them as much as the coming sun. "And it isn't confusing now?" Hastily he
added, seeing her eyes flash in annoyance, "I wasn't laughing at you. It's
just that I feel like a blindfold has been ripped from my eyes, allowing me
to see what's been right in front of me all these years."
Mollified, she pushed away from the tree, looking back at the
ever-lightening sky. "That's better," she said, laughing. "But, I'll be a
crispy critter if we don't get indoors before the sun rises!" Setting off
at a quick walk, Triona started once more for the Keep.
Picard looking startled at her turn of phrase, nevertheless quickened his
pace, following her down towards home.
********************
Denise * ithildin@ondragonswing.com* Ith
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