Chapter Twenty-six Bryn sucked in her stomach, as Lindy zipped up her dress, hoping the gown wouldn't bust a seam. It had taken several minutes just to unravel all of the fabric, and it smelled a bit musty. Fortunately the dress would also be cleaned along with any necessary alterations. Tucking her breasts into place in the bodice, hoping she didn't look quite as busty as she felt. Grabbing a handful of fabric, she stepped out of the cramped dressing room and walked towards the platform where the seamstress was waiting. She turned to see Lindy stepping over the train, and laughed. "Guess it's a little long." "Just a bit." Only able to see the back, Lindy asked, "How does it fit?" Bryn turned slightly, allowing her to see the front. "What do you think?" Lindy gave it a clinical once over. "It looks a little tight in the bodice, but if it's done right, there should be no problem altering it." Then she smiled. "And you look absolutely gorgeous in it, Bryn." Bryn blushed a bit. "You don't think it's too fancy?" "Well, it's definitely elaborate, but you're only getting married once, so why not?" Allowing the seamstress to start her work, Bryn lifted her arms. Still looking at Lindy, she said, "So how did things go when you got home yesterday? I noticed Nate didn't look exactly pleased when you left." Lindy nodded, sitting down in a nearby chair. "He just needs some time to work through a few things. He was really hurt to learn that his step-father didn't save his life, like he thought...but at the same time it was a bit of a shock to learn that Anton did." "I can imagine. I just wish they'd talked to each other about this stuff a long time ago." "So do I, but I doubt either of them would have listened before now. Besides, all our intertwining relationships forced the issue." Lindy yawned, still a bit tired from the confrontation and comforting a sleepless Nathaniel afterwards. "I mean, they both can be stubborn, arrogant bastards when they want to be." "Stubborn and arrogant? Surely you don't mean Anton?" Bryn grinned. "Last night he was trying to convince me that I'm the stubborn one." "Typical. I think he prefers to refer to it as 'patience'." "Oh God...I have a feeling I'm never going to win any argument with him. I might as well concede defeat now." She turned a bit more on the platform, facing Lindy. "So how is married life, anyway?" "It's great. I'm just trying to get used to the fact that I am married." She shrugged, grinning. "It's hard to explain. But so far, we've been doing well." Bryn smiled. "I'm very happy for you. Actually, I keep thanking God Anton and I have gotten this far. It just seems like one thing keeps coming up after another. If it's not my insecurities, then it's things in his past, or some other stupid problem." She sighed. "You know, for a while there I wasn't sure I was still going to be here when you got back from Hawaii." "Really, Bryn? What happened?" "He admitted that he had some strong feelings where Natasha was concerned. I almost left him, again. I would have left too if he hadn't chased me down the freeway." "Jeez, Bryn. I had no idea." She tilted her head to one side. "But you stayed?" "Yeah. I think me actually walking out on him shook him up. He actually started realizing that what happened was her fault as well as Nate's. Maybe even more if she's as a manipulative whore as she seems to be." Bryn paused. "I think he cares for Nate more than he'd like to admit and that's why he's had such a hard time moving on." "So that's why the cease-fire?" She nodded. "At least partially. I think knowing that Nate is now a big part of your life has a lot to do with it, too. If he wants to remain friends with you, as well as business partners, he's going to have to be willing to accept your husband, too." Taking the seamstress's cue that she was done, Bryn stepped down from the platform and allowed Lindy to unfasten the dress. "Besides, Nate is his brother in every way that counts. I think finally acknowledging that he still has some family left really helped put things in perspective." While Bryn went into one dressing room and changed out of her dress, Lindy changed into her bridesmaid gown in the other. "I just hope they keep working on it," Bryn said. "It would really be a shame if they got this far and then some little tiff sent them at each other's throats again." Lindy took her place at the podium, and the dressmaker knelt to adjust the seams of the skirt. "I know. But I'm more afraid that Nate's going to provoke a fight just to keep status quo, even though he's not happy. And to be perfectly frank, I'm still surprised that Anton hasn't thrown more of a fit." "Well, I'd like to take credit for that, but I don't think I can. I guess he's just finally grown up. It only took him nine hundred years." Bryn smiled over the top of her dressing room door, especially at the confused look on the tailor's face. "Oh, Lindy, I wanted to ask you...would it be okay with you if I stayed at your place on the third? I wanted to make sure Anton doesn't seem me for twenty-four hours before the wedding." "Um, sure, that's no problem." Lindy snickered. "Are you sure that you want to do that, Bryn? Remember how cranky he got the last time you two went without sex for 24 hours?" "That was eight days, Lindy. And that's why I want to stay at your place. Remove temptation from both of us. Out of sight, out of mind, you know?" "Yeah, right. You didn't see him during that year you were apart." Lindy lifted her arms as the tailor instructed. "Oh, that reminds me. Who's going to be his best man? Mack?" "Um, no...Mack can't make it. His father is in the hospital. I guess my brother is going to have to fill in. Unless we can somehow convince Anton to ask Nate instead." Bryn gave her another conspiratorial grin as she stepped out of the dressing room and hung up her gown. "What was Anton like in the year we were apart, anyway? He told me a little bit about it, but not much." Lindy looked pensive. "He was moody, sullen. Would spend hours staring at that painting you sent him. He rarely smiled, didn't laugh, and lost interest in the business. I ended up running it practically single-handedly for a while. But what really scared me was that I caught him coming in just minutes before the sun came up several times. It took me almost three months to drag out of him what happened." Sitting down in the chair Lindy had vacated, Bryn sighed. "Sometimes it scares me how much I love him. I mean really scares me, like when I run away from him. Did you ever feel like that, with Nate? Like you'd almost give anything to have your old life back...but at the same time you're so overwhelmed with feeling that you're shocked you're still the same person?" "Actually, Bryn, yes and no. I understand the feeling. But I wouldn't go back to my old life, Bryn. I was lonely and miserable, thinking I was in love with a man who could never love me back. Nate changed that. But sometimes I still look back and go 'that was me?'" "I'm sorry, Lindy. I sometimes forget about how hard that had to be on you. Especially during that last year. Not only did you have to deal with your feelings, but you practically had to take care of him, too." She shook her head, feeling her eyes moisten as they did so easily lately. "I'm sorry you had to go through that. And I'm very grateful to Nate for making you happy." "Thanks Bryn. If I hadn't gone through it though, I wouldn't have met Nate." She stepped down from the platform when the seamstress nodded she was done. She stepped into the changing room and began to undress. "I hope you and Anton are as happy as Nate and I are." She began pulling on her jeans and T- shirt. "So, what do you have left to do before the wedding?" "Um, tuxedo fittings. Confirmation for the flowers, caterer and photographer. Anton needs to definitely decide who is going to be his best man, because he'll need to be fitted as well." She thought for a moment. "And I suppose I'm going to have to find some way to tell my family about Anton. That may be able to wait though. Oh! Would you mind watching Petunia until Mack and Chandra get back from Florida? Hopefully it'll only be a few days and I don't want to leave her alone. She's so sweet. Despite Anton's claim that he'd make her sleep in the bathroom, she spent last night laying on his legs." Lindy grinned. "I knew the moment I saw you bring in that doggie bed that she'd be sleeping with the two of you. And yes, I'll take care of her until Mack and Chandra coming back." She stepped out of the changing room and grabbed her purse. "I forget how lucky I am that my family accepted Nate for what he was no questions asked. They had a harder time accepting the fact that I was dating him. And how are you going to tell your family?" "You think it would work to get them really drunk first?" Lindy laughed. "It might." "I'll keep that in mind. Otherwise, I was just planning on telling my brother only. If my parents really need to know, they'll find out for themselves." Checking her watch, Bryn quickly made the last minute arrangements with the seamstress and headed for the door. "Come on, we need to hurry." "Where are we going?" "Uh...back to my place." "And why are we hurrying?" "Um...I need to let Petunia outside. Anton was busy and so she's in the bathroom." Lindy cocked an eyebrow. She could smell that Bryn wasn't being quite truthful, but she had to admit she was curious to see what she was cooking up. "All right. Let's go." Bryn had insisted on driving to the dress shop, so Lindy sat back in the passenger seat. She knew that something was up from the way Bryn was acting, let alone the excited and slightly nervous smells she was giving off. There was no way that Anton would be busy in the early afternoon, unless it was an emergency. More likely he would still be sound asleep. But she decided to play along and act if she was completely surprised. When they pulled into the warehouse, she noticed more cars than usual in the parking lot. [Almost as if everyone on and off shift is here.] There were relatively few employees, a total of 25, but the parking lot looked comparatively crowded. Bryn cleared her throat as she parked the car, rubbing her nose a bit. "Uh...must be a lot of people doing overtime today." Lindy bit her lip to hide a smile and nodded. Getting out of the car, she followed Bryn into the back entrance of the building and into the elevator. Once they got to the third floor, Bryn made more noise than necessary, jingling her keys, 'accidentally' kicking the door with her foot, talking as if they were both either half-deaf or just back from a rock concert. Unlocking the door, she opened it and stepped inside, before quickly walking off to the side to let Lindy enter. "Surprise!" Although she'd smelled the crowd in the room long before she entered, Lindy gave a start and put her hand to her chest. She grinned back at Sabryn, who looked more than pleased with herself. "What's going on?" "This is your wedding shower...a little late, but better late than never." She gave Bryn a hug. She knew *something* was up, but hadn't had a clue that it would be a wedding shower. She had been so intent on getting Anton to just accept her marriage to Nate, she hadn't considered any of the traditional festivities. She smiled as she saw Anton walk towards her. He pulled her into a hug as well. "Thanks for acting surprised, Lindy," he whispered so only she could hear. He straightened up and spoke in a louder voice for everyone to hear. "Now I'll leave you ladies to your party, and be down in my office if I'm needed." After kissing Bryn on the forehead, he ducked out the door, shutting it behind him. "Chicken," Bryn muttered. Picking up Petunia from the floor, she headed towards the other women in the living room. "Looks like all of the snacks and drinks are out...shall we do presents?" The women cheered excitedly, leading Lindy towards a seat on the couch. She felt a little overwhelmed as she looked at all of the presents sitting on the coffee- table in front of her. Holding the dog to her chest, Bryn said, "Open the blue one first. That's from me." "Just you?" "Uh huh. Anton doesn't know about this one, believe me." The crowd murmured, giggles erupting as they wondered what was in the package. Pulling it into her lap, a little nervous, Lindy started ripping off the shiny blue paper to reveal a plain white box below. Releasing the tape on the sides, she pulled off the top. A fancy gold sticker held the white tissue inside together, and she ripped it apart to reveal what was underneath. The women hooted as she exposed the white lace. Blushing furiously, she pulled the negligee out of the box. Made up of filmy lace, underwire cups, and chiffon, the tiny babydoll looked barely big enough to cover the necessities. With the matching thong underwear and garter, there wasn't even a yard of fabric. One of the girls whistled. "Wow, Lindy...you can either wear that or floss with it!" "I'm not even sure that flossing is an option. Jeez, Bryn. I don't think there's enough fabric here to cover a Barbie doll decently." Michelle, the company receptionist, grinned at Bryn. "Don't worry, Bryn, hon. If Lindy doesn't thank you for that, her husband certainly will." "Yeah," called out Janice. At fifty, she was one of the oldest employees (excluding Anton) and could work wonders with a set of cleaning brushes and buffing cloths. "When are we going to meet this mystery man, Lindy?" She snorted. "And subject him to all of you? I don't think so!" "Ooh!" Bryn hurried over to the side table, Petunia bouncing in her arms. She grabbed the photograph Lindy and Nate had given them the day before, and handed it over to Janice. "You may not be able to meet him yet, but you can see what he looks like." The woman raised her eyebrows before fanning her face. "And look at that expression...that boy is smitten!" "Let me see!" another woman said. Soon they were passing the picture around, making Lindy blush even more than she already was. Determined to keep the party moving, she reached for the other blue-wrapped present, which had been hidden by Bryn's gift. "That one is from both of us," Bryn said. Suddenly more than a little curious, Lindy ripped open the package. It was a small box, little bigger than a woman's wallet. When she opened it, there was a gift certificate inside. Reading it, she looked up suddenly. "A portrait package?" Bryn nodded. "You get several poses taken with Nate, which you get to keep, and then you choose your favorite one, which gets blown up and framed for either your home or your office. And there's no expiration, so you can either get it done now, or several years from now." "Thanks, Bryn." She leaned over to give her a quick hug. "I'm sure Nate and I will enjoy having it done." "Yeah," called out one of the gals. "Especially if you're wearing her other present at the time." That set off another round of comments from her friends, making her blush even brighter. Moving on through the packages, she received a few more nightgowns...although none of the others were quite as risqué. She'd yet to register anywhere, so the remaining gifts were slightly more generic. Photo frames and a blender, vases, towels, bathroom accessories, a personal massager that made her blush even more than before, a membership in a fruit-of-the-month club, plush bath robes embroidered 'his' and 'hers', a set of satin sheets, and a few assorted cookbooks. She had to admit the gift that embarrassed her the most was the deluxe version of The Joy of Sex, which was gleefully passed around by the shower guests and commented upon at length. When they started comparing the drawn couple in the book to her and Nate, Lindy was sure her face was about to burst into flames. She turned to Bryn, who was clearly enjoying herself. Too much in Lindy's opinion. "You know I'm obligated to get you back for this, Bryn. Remember, your shower is yet to come." Bryn giggled. "The only difference is, I'll be enjoying myself then too. This stuff doesn't embarrass me." "Oh really? We'll see about that." Letting Petunia down on the floor to charm the guests, Bryn said, "I guess it's about time for cake." By the time Bryn carried out the cake box, its lid propped open for everyone to see, Lindy already suspected what she was going to see there. But when she actually caught sight of the frosting-created naked man, his sugary-pink penis pointing straight up at her, she buried her face in her hands and swore she was going to kill Bryn. Unfortunately, her friend, who was giggling along with everyone else, didn't seem to notice. She didn't think she had ever been so embarrassed in her life. It was even worse than the time at the public pool she had dived in and her bikini top had come undone, and she didn't realize it until after she had broken the surface of the water. She had driven home with her car packed with all the gifts from the shower. She didn't know how she was going to show half the gifts to her husband. Deciding to leave the packages in the car for the moment, she noticed the lights in the living room were on, and the curtains fall back into place. [Odd,] she thought. [I thought he'd be out feeding now.] Walking up to the door, she pulled out her keys and unlocked the door. She started talking as she opened it. "Nate? I'm home." "Where've you been?" His voice was barely a whisper next to her ear, making her jump and drop her keys. "God, Nate, you scared me." She tried to turn and see him behind the door, but he grabbed hold of her upper arm, holding her in place. "What are you--" "I've been worried." "I'm sorry, I thought you would've been asleep." "And you think I give a damn?" He was starting to worry her. His voice was shaky, low and deep, very different from the gentleness she was used to. "Nate, I didn't know I'd be out so late--" "You should've called, damn it." He yanked her back against him, making her lose her grip on her purse, and as it fell with a thud to the floor she felt the unmistakable bulge of his erection against her lower back. She gasped at the tightness of his grip, especially as he began walking her swiftly across the room, nearly tripping over her feet. She stumbled, but he kept right on going, nearly shoving her across the table in the foyer where she usually set her keys. She gasped, the heels of her hands hitting the table surface hard, and for a moment she wasn't quite sure this was really Nate holding her. But as he reached around and tore open the button on her jeans, she knew the excitement she was feeling could only be caused by him. He practically ripped the zipper as he yanked it down, shoving at her jeans and panties until they tangled around her thighs. With a few more hasty movements behind her, she felt him stab into her from behind and winced as the top of her head hit the wall. She growled low in her throat, feeling his balls slap against her. Spreading her legs a bit wider, she grabbed onto the far edge of the table, and pushed back against him. Nate shoved her against the table harder and pushed her T-shirt up, exposing her bra. Lindy felt his fingers jerk at the hook and eye, and the catch tear. [So much for that bra,] the detached corner of her mind thought as he flipped the fabric out of the way and twisted at one nipple. The mirror on the wall above her rattled violently and he grunted with each thrust inside of her, furiously and mindlessly fucking her. She heard the engine of a car passing outside and glanced at the door, shocked to see it standing open for all the world to see. Yet somehow she couldn't bring herself to make him stop. Even though someone could walk by at any minute, the feeling of him slamming inside of her to was too sweet to give up. He gripped her hip tightly, yanking her back against him, leaning heavily upon her until she was nearly supporting his weight. And as she felt his orgasm approaching, it was too soon, too damn soon, and made her want to scream. Snarling, she grabbed at the hand still pawing at her nipple and moved it between her legs. There was no finesse or gentleness to his touch, just a rapid fumbling. She rocked her hips back and forth in a counter rhythm, holding his hand in place when he tried to pull it away. This wasn't making love, this was rutting - fucking reduced to its basic animal instincts. And she was surprised to find out how much she was enjoying it. Her breathing became harsher as his thrusts became more erratic. Lindy threw her head back and half-screamed, half-howled her orgasm as she felt him flood her and his fangs pierce her neck. She sank down against the table under his weight, eyes shut. Her head turned to one side, exposing her neck, instinctively submitting to her mate as her breathing slowed. He was still for a long time, not moving, not drinking. His hand clenched around the edge of the table, his knuckles turning white, before eventually releasing it. She felt him pull out of her in both places at once...grabbing her around the waist to haul her back against him. A little wet trickle ran down the side of her neck, and she caught glimpse of the line of blood in the mirror as he pulled her pants back into place. Her underwear stuck to her nastily as he grabbed her arm and towed her behind him. A rebellious part of her wanted to yank out of his grip, but the rest of her saw the raw determination in his eyes and followed willingly. He kicked her purse and keys into the hallway, closing and locking the front door before walking up the stairs. He looked loomingly large in the shadowy hallway, dangerous, and she felt a little shiver run through her in anticipation. He wouldn't look at her. Every time she tried to get his attention or meet his gaze he quickly looked away. Entering the bedroom, he turned on the bedside lamp and practically tossed her onto the bed. She bounced slightly, giving him an angry glare he didn't even see. He crawled on the bed after her, yanking off her shoes, pulling down her jeans and panties behind them. Then, surprisingly, kneeling between her legs, he bent down and took her mouth in a deep, passionate kiss. She felt his tongue gently lap at hers, tracing over her teeth. She started to lift her head to move against him, but he tangled his hand in her hair, holding her immobile. She let out a soft whimper as he pulled back, opening her eyes. He wouldn't meet her gaze, but instead looked at her neck, and bent to lap at the dried blood on the already healed spot he had pierced earlier. She lifted her hands to touch his chest, running her fingers under the unbuttoned edges of his shirt. His jeans were still unfastened, his reawakening cock still exposed. She wanted to touch him there but feared he might be too sensitive still. Instead she lifted for him as he pulled her T-shirt free, and pulled her torn bra out of the way. She would've asked him what had gotten into him downstairs, but she had a feeling she wouldn't get an answer. Bending down to lick and suck her nipples, he gripped her ankles and pushed her legs back against her chest. It was more than an awkward position, but it also opened and exposed her sex, letting her feel the length of his cock as he rubbed against her, her ass pressed firmly against his denim-covered balls. She gave a soft moan as he continued to explore her chest with his mouth. He reached for her arms, and hooked them around her knees, keeping her open to him as he lifted up to free himself from his jeans. He pulled off his shirt as well, eyes darting from her erect nipples to her glistening sex. Crawling back onto the bed, his erect cock bobbing eagerly as he lifted upright onto his knees, he settled between her legs once more and scooted close. Tracing his hand over her belly, he dipped his thumb downwards, moving deep between the folds of her sex, rolling around her clit once before sinking inside of her. She gasped, arching beneath him, only to have him pull his hand away. He brought it up to cup her breast, rolling his wet thumb around her nipple, before moving on to the other side. She moaned as he lowered his mouth to her, thoroughly lapping and sucking at her, dragging her own juices off of her perked nipples. She could feel herself throbbing as his cock pressed against her and she rocked her hips, trying to get him inside of her. He placed his hand on her belly once more, thumbing her clit, letting her feel herself get wet as the digit passed slowly back and forth across her sex. He watched in concentration, as if fascinated at the sight of her spread legs. Then, slower than she had expected, he pushed his cock into her. He thrust deeply and firmly, almost forcefully, moving her in tiny scoots across the comforter, watching with avid interest as her breasts bounced with each jolt. Her hands went to his hips, pulling in time to his thrusts. She moaned, arching her chest and digging her shoulders back into the comforter. Her breath came in short pants. She was puzzled as to why he wouldn't kiss her, wouldn't look her in the eyes. Something was going on, but she wasn't sure exactly what. But now wasn't exactly the best time to ask what was wrong, especially when he leaned forward on his hands, rubbing against her clit. Bracing himself on one hand, he lifted her ankles up to his shoulders, nearly bending her in half, speeding up his thrusts. She felt completely spread open before him, dominated, literally bending to his will. With his pubic bone pressing against her clit, his arms bracing him, he was free to cup and squeeze her breasts, pinching her nipples, rolling them beneath his thumbs. He added a bit of a swiveling motion to his hips, grinding against her. She gasped, gripping his ass, wanting so badly to thrust back against him. Unable to do so, she gripped him tightly inside of her, making him groan, a mask of almost painful pleasure coming to his face. She trembled beneath him, close to cumming herself. "Nate, please...." He thrust harder into her, hitting that one sweet spot. Lindy arched her head back and squealed beginning to contract around him. She heard him grunt louder, tightening his grip on her. He threw his head back and gave a sharp cry and then collapsed against her. When he realized he was practically crushing her, he rolled to the side, and lowered her legs, turning her so her back was to him. He wrapped a hand around her waist but otherwise stayed unconnected, allowing both of them some time to cool off. Still twitching with release, Lindy swallowed heavily and stared at the wall. She wanted to turn and confront him, but decided it was best to wait. At least until he wasn't quite so high-strung. When she started getting cold, she scooted back against him. Relieved to feel him tighten his grip on her. As he silently pressed his face against her shoulder, she tangled her fingers together with his. "Nate...what's going on?" He was silent for a long time, only the sound of his breathing filling the room. Finally, he muttered, "Just wanted you." "That wasn't just simple want, Nate." She squeezed his fingers. "Please, don't go silent on me." She twisted around so she could see his face out of the corner of her eye. "Tell me what's wrong." He didn't look at her, kept his forehead pressed against her shoulder. "You weren't here when I woke up." "And that causes you to go a little nuts?" He sighed heavily. "I thought you had left." "Left?" She shook her head. "Left...as in, left you?" "Yes. After what happened with Anton." "Why would that make me leave?" "Because I was angry and upset...look, I know it sounds stupid now, but it worried me. More than that. I almost expected you to be gone when I woke up, and when you were...I guess I lost it a little." She turned over completely, facing him. "Why? Why would you even think that?" "Because it's what I'm used to, damn it! He didn't want anything to do with me, why would you?" "He--your father?" "Don't call him that. The bastard doesn't deserve to be associated with my father. My own father may have died, but he never rejected me." "And neither will I." She reached up to wipe away the tear that was threatening to spill out of the corner of his eye. "You're right, you know. If Ivan ignored you for Anton, then that's his loss. He missed out on having a great son, and frankly, he didn't deserve to have a son like you. But you know, you could look at it another way." "How?" The syllable came out with a harder edge than he intended. "You have a brother who loved you enough that he saved your life." "Yeah, and then I threw it all away." Annoyed, Lindy sat up on one elbow. "Would you stop that?" "Stop what?" "Blaming yourself for everything." She stroked his hair back from his forehead. "Yes, you made mistakes, but you can keep dwelling on that, or you can move on. But let's get one thing clear right now. I'm not leaving you." When Nate looked unconvinced, she started to push lightly at his chest. "Roll onto your back." "What?" "On your back. Well, actually your right side." She waited until he was in the position she wanted. "Now, what's this?" she said, running a finger along his tattoo. He blinked at her confused. "My tattoo." "No," she said with a slight shake of her head. "It's a declaration of love, Nate. Your love for me, and my love for you. You were right to put the words 'Forever Lindy' on it. It doesn't matter to me that you were Transformed by Anton instead of Ivan. You shouldn't give Ivan a second thought. I love you, and that's what matters." She gently pressed her lips to his bicep. He closed his eyes and sucked in a shuddering breath. Scooting closer, Lindy wrapped her arm around him and kissed his back. She could feel him shaking against her, and knew he likely wouldn't say anything else while he was upset. Pressing her forehead against his back, she said, "I don't care if you get upset, Nate. I don't care if you scream at the top of your lungs or cry like a baby. None of it makes you any less of a man in my opinion. If anything it makes you even more of one. It shows me how much stronger you are to have held all of this in for so long. But you don't have to hold it in anymore. If you're angry at Ivan for not loving you, or if it makes you sad, then let it out, Nathaniel. You have every right to be human...even if you are a vampire." She felt him let out a weak laugh, and couldn't help but smile. He lazily turned to face her, pulling her tight against him, burying his face in her hair as he cried. And she held on to him just as tightly, determined to let him know, in any way possible, that she wasn't ever going to let him go. It didn't seem so long ago to Anton that he and Bryn had been in Dr. Leahs' office. And then they also were having an ultrasound done. Then they heard their baby's heartbeat for the first time. Now they were here to perform an amniocentesis, as well as to find out if Bryn was carrying a boy or a girl. To say he was nervous was an understatement. They would find out shortly if their child was normal and healthy or if... [No, I'm not going to worry about it until I know there's something to worry about.] To hide his unease, he patted Bryn's arm. "Nervous, my dear?" She nodded a little frantically. Instead of the normal hospital gown, this time the doctor have given her a pair of soft scrubs. She would need to stay immobile during the procedure and for a while afterwards, to make sure she didn't have any problems with leaking fluid. She closed her eyes, shivering a bit. She was about to willingly let someone shove a two-foot needle into her. All right, so she was exaggerating a bit, but she probably wasn't off by much. She could literally see her entire stomach shaking in anticipation. She leaned back on the table, pulling up her top when Dr. Anne told her to. Instead of placing a napkin over her pants, as she'd done before, the doctor unfolded a sterile green draping, with a rectangle cut out of the middle. She positioned it on Bryn's stomach, looking up to meet her gaze as she flinched at the touch. "Relax, Sabryn. We're just going to take a look inside right now. It's not time to get started just yet." Bryn didn't feel any better as she watched Anne fill a syringe. "I'm going to use a local to numb the area, so you'll be ready to go." She closed her eyes, turning her head away from both Anton and the doctor. Hoping neither of them knew just how terrified she was. She'd seen the words as she signed the consent form. Possible risk of spontaneous abortion. If something went wrong, she could miscarry. And there wasn't a damned thing she could do about it. Sitting up near her head, Anton squeezed her shoulder. He knew she was scared, and now he was becoming more edgy as Dr. Leah's squeezed the gel onto Bryn's belly. He was slightly reassured as the doctor picked up the ultrasound wand and began scanning Bryn's stomach. She paused to listen a moment. "The heartbeat is good and strong. Now let's see if we can find out if you need to paint the baby's room pink or blue." She moved the wand around a bit. To tell the truth, Anton couldn't make heads or tails of the image on the ultrasound screen. She held the wand in one spot, and studied the image. "And... congratulations, it appears you're having a boy." "A boy," Anton repeated softly. "A son." A thrill that was part pure joy, part terror ran through him. He was overjoyed that he was going to have a son, although he would have been just as overjoyed to have a daughter. But part of him was worried that he wouldn't be up to the task of being a father. He squeezed Bryn again, overwhelmed. She turned her head towards him, smiling even if her lips were quivering. She reached up with her opposite hand and pulled him closer to kiss his mouth. When she pulled away, she blinked a bit of moisture out of her eyes. "Can you feel this, Sabryn?" Dr. Anne asked. She had to look back down to her stomach to see what the doctor was talking about. She hadn't felt the tongue depressor that the doctor was poking her with at all. "No." "All right. I'm going to get one of my nurses to assist me, and then we'll get started." They both watched the doctor walk out of the room before reaching for each other. Bryn held on to Anton tightly, her face pressed against his neck. "I love you so much. I'm glad she told us that now. I don't think it would've been quite as nice to hear with a big needle protruding from my stomach." "Yeah, that wouldn't exactly be the best time to hear it." He gently stroked her hair. "Bryn, no matter what we find out next, we will get through this together." He gently pressed his lips to her forehead. They stayed in that pose until Dr. Leahs returned with her assistant. "Are you ready to begin?" she asked. Anton pulled away and took one of Bryn's hands. After sharing a long look, Bryn nodded. She took a deep breath, settling onto her back once more. She pulled Anton's hand tight against her, holding it in place just over her chest. She gave a slight smile when he wrapped his other arm around her head from above, stroking her cheek with his fingers. As her assistant got everything ready, Dr. Anne stood next to Bryn and looked down at her. "I'm going to need you to stay as still as possible for this procedure, Sabryn. I realize you're scared and you're shaking, but this is really very painless for both you and the baby. There is always a risk of something going wrong in any procedure, but I honestly don't think you have anything to worry about. I'll go in, take what I need, and get you resting comfortably. Later, we'll bring in a wheelchair to take you out to the car. It would be best if you didn't walk today, if you can avoid it at all. I just want you to take it easy. As long as you avoid too much movement, everything will be fine." Bryn nodded, but that didn't stop her from shaking. She closed her eyes as the doctor got seated and ready to begin. She had a hard enough time getting shots from a doctor. Seeing a needle that big was more than she could handle. "All right, we're going to use the wand first to check for positioning. You might feel a little bit of pressure, but nothing more. Let's get started." Anton tightened his grip on Bryn, gently stroking her hair to try to ease her shaking as Dr. Anne positioned the needle, consulting the ultrasound. He wasn't sure how long the procedure would take, but hoped it wouldn't be long for Bryn's sake. "Keep your eyes on me, Bryn, he said softly. Cautiously, the doctor punctured Bryn's stomach, slowly pressing the needle down. "So have you two discussed baby names?" she asked, sensing the need for distraction. "Yes we have," Anton answered, not taking his eyes off Bryn's. "Do you want to tell her or shall I?" "You," she said, her teeth chattering slightly. Even though she tried to control her response, it felt like her body was on automatic pilot. She tried to focus on Anton's gaze, but in the back of her mind the same image played over and over again. A brilliant white room, blinding lights, her stomach bare, and a seemingly enormous needle puncturing her skin. It wasn't Dr. Anne and her nurse. She couldn't even see what they were doing. This was something different, a vision created by her mind. Or maybe just recalled. Anton's face blurred in watery waves, like great sheets of rain pouring over a window. She closed her eyes, pushing the moisture away. The rest wasn't so easy to escape. Anton had looked up to talk to Dr. Leahs. "We've decided on Maxim, Max for short." "That's lovely--" "Dr. Leahs," the nurse interrupted. "Her blood pressure is up." Anton looked back down at Bryn. Something was clearly wrong from the scared expression on her face. "Bryn? What's wrong?" he asked, stroking her hair and forehead. "I'm right here with you, Bryn. You're safe." Her eyes were clenched tightly closed, little tremors wracking her entire body. "Should we stop the procedure?" the nurse asked, looking alarmed as she glanced between the doctor and the heart monitor. "We're too far in now," Dr. Anne said, shaking her head. She reached for the syringe, getting ready to start the fluid extraction. Looking over at Anton, she said, "Try to keep her with you. I'll get out as soon as I can, but if she moves much more she'll displace the needle." "Bryn, open your eyes, my dear," Anton urged, squeezing her shoulders lightly. "I'm here with you, and no one's going to hurt you. I won't let them, Bryn. It's okay," he soothed. "Come back to me, Bryn." He gently kissed her forehead. "You're safe with me, Bryn. You're safe." She took a deep, albeit shaky breath and tightened her grip on his hand. She opened her eyes slowly, wincing at the brightness in the room, turning her head to meet Anton's gaze. Although she still looked petrified, she wasn't shaking nearly as much. She opened her mouth to say something but her words were inaudible. It took him a moment to realize she'd said, "Is she almost done?" He nodded, stroking her cheek. "Just a few more minutes." She cleared her throat. "Can you see him? Is he moving?" Anton glanced at the screen and back to her. "Yeah, he's moving." "I'm extracting the fluid right now," Dr. Anne said, carefully eyeing the syringe. "He's doing fine. Just hold still for a few more minutes." Anton gently patted Bryn's hand. "Hang in there, Bryn. It's almost done." She gave him a slight nod, concentrating on her breathing until everything was done. After the doctor had removed the needle and bandaged the area to prevent infection, she told Bryn she'd have to stay resting for a while before moving to go home. She made sure Bryn was comfortable, cleaned up her instruments, and left the room to get the fluid analyzed, saying she'd return in a while with a wheel chair. Once she'd gone, Bryn patted the spot next to her on the bed and waited for Anton to sit down. "Thank you for being here," she said, still holding his hand. "I guess I was more scared than I thought I'd be. But it looks like Max is okay." "Yeah, it does." Anton gently kissed her forehead gently. "But are you okay? You seemed to be somewhere else for a while." "It was nothing, Anton." "No, it was something, Bryn. What happened?" "I was...I started remembering. Things that had happened before. Nothing really scary, but I always get scared anyway because I can't control it. I probably would've gotten even deeper into the memory if you weren't here." She sighed. "Sometimes I wish I could just forget all of it. It only ever causes problems. I would've been so angry at myself if something went wrong today." "If something had happened, it wouldn't have been your fault." He took her hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. "I know you may not be ready to talk about your memories yet, but when you are, I'm willing to listen." She closed her eyes briefly. "Thank you." She got a little smirk on her face. "Since I'm stuck on bed rest until tomorrow, would you mind stopping by McDonald's on the way home? I think Max would really like a hot fudge sundae." He chuckled softly. "All right. I'm sure you and I wouldn't mind one, either." Three days before the wedding, Anton sat eyeing the pile of RSVPs. Since she had written them, Bryn had announced, he was in charge of sorting them. He had three piles going at the moment - attendees, declines, and not-yet-open. The attendee stack was the largest one, followed by the not-yet-open and then the declines. [Another half hour and I'm done,] he guessed. He picked up one off the stack, frowning slightly. There was something off about the envelope. The paper dye didn't quite match the others and the return address script looked a bit smaller than the others. Suspicious, he set it to the side and continued on the rest of the pile, glancing at it from time to time. He was still puzzling over why he had such a bad feeling about the envelope when his intercom buzzed. "Yes?" "Sorry to bother you, boss," came Michelle's voice. "But there's a John Pruitt here insisting to see you?" "John?" he repeated, surprised. He wasn't expecting John to arrive for at least another two days "Send him up right away." While he was waiting, he decided to open the suspicious envelope. He had it in his hand, the letter opener poised, when he suddenly realized what the problem was. That handwriting. Natasha's handwriting. Dropping the letter opener back onto the desk, he turned the envelope in his hand and gazed at the writing. There was no telling what was inside, and although he was curious, he wasn't stupid. With an irritable sigh, he pulled open the top drawer on his desk and grabbed his fountain pen, quickly scribbling three short words across the envelope, before setting it aside. Just as he'd placed the cap back on the pen, John opened the door to his office. "This a bad time?" Anton smiled, standing up and extending his hand. "No, not at all. It's good to see you, John." Sabryn's brother returned his handshake, before sitting down in the chair across from him. "Something wrong? You looked a little irritated when I walked in." "Uh, no, just business. So what are you doing here so early?" "Carly and the kids decided to ride over with my parents, so I got to spend a few days at home without them...let's just say I got bored, so I decided to fly out early. Hope you don't mind." "Of course not, John. I know Bryn will be thrilled to see you. She's upstairs now if you'd like to go see her." He noticed Lindy standing in the office doorway. "John, you remember Lindy, right?" John stood up and shook her hand. "It's good to see you again, Ms. Leahs." Lindy grinned. "Actually, its Mrs. Adrik now." She still wasn't used to correcting people about her last name. She looked past John to Anton. "Anything you need handled, Anton? Otherwise, I'm heading home." "Um... yeah." He reached into the desk and handed her the envelope from Natasha. "Would you see this is put in the mail?" Lindy nodded, taking her envelope. She almost asked why he was returning an RSVP, but then she caught its scent and almost dropped it. "My pleasure," she said, making a bit of a face. "See you tomorrow night?" Anton nodded before turning back to John. "Shall we head upstairs?" "Sure." John followed him to the elevator. "What was that anyway? She looked about as thrilled as you did when she saw it." Anton pushed the call elevator button. "Oh that? Just a piece of junk mail." "OK." John was quiet as they took the elevator up to the third floor, viewing his surroundings with interest. "Nice place you got here. Big." "Thank you. We like it. Did you have any trouble finding the place?" "Not too much." As the elevator stopped, Anton opened the gate and allowed John to pass before closing it behind him. He used his key to open the front door, stooping down to pick up Petunia almost automatically. He'd gotten used to her greeting him at the door. Somewhat surprised, John gave the puppy a quick pat on the head before following Anton inside. "Someone's here to see you," Anton called out, closing the door behind them. Bryn walked out of the baby's room, looking more than a little tired but she perked up immediately once she saw who he was with. "John," she whispered, staring at him for a moment. Finally breaking out of her shock she hurried towards him with a little squeal, hugging him tightly, laughing as her brother swung her around in a circle. She pulled back to look at his face for a moment before hugging him once again. "Oh my God, I can't believe you're here!" Grinning, John stepped back to look at her, taking in her growing stomach for the first time, and shook his head. "Jeez, look at you." He cast a feigned glare in Anton's direction. "What's he been doing to you?" She giggled. "Don't blame him. Blame the ice cream. This is all fat!" "Oh yeah, Bryn. Sure." Anton put down the squirming puppy, who immediately ran over to make friends with John. Anton placed an arm around her. "So do you have a place to stay, John?" "Yeah, I've got a motel over by the airport." "Well, why don't you cancel it and stay here? We've got more than enough room, if you can put up with my odd hours." Anton raised his hand to cut off John's protest. "You were gracious enough to let me stay in your home when I was in Baltimore. Let me return the favor." "All right, but just until my family gets here. I've got a feeling you'll have more than enough to deal with then, anyway." He scratched his chin. "Only two more days. You guys getting excited?" "Nervous is more like it," Bryn said. "I keep thinking we're forgetting something. I'm pretty sure we've got everything covered, but I worry anyway." "I'd be worrying if you didn't worry, Bryn. It's what you live for." She glared at him. "Anyway...why don't you get your stuff and get settled. Then maybe we can get something to eat." "Sounds good to me. Airline food sure hasn't gotten any better." Following him out of the room, Bryn grabbed Anton's hand and mouthed the words 'thank you' to him. Anton slipped into bed next to Bryn, ready to settle in for the day. She was reviewing a hand written list, chewing on her pencil. "What are you doing, my dear?" "Oh just some last minute preparations." She scratched off an item or two. "We're just about set, except for a few things." "Such as?" "Finishing packing. One last transfusion. Getting my nails and hair done." She glanced at him. "There is the matter of your best man." Anton nodded. "I'll ask John tomorrow night." She set down her pencil, looking pensive. "Well, whatever you do, you'd better do it soon. Whomever you choose needs to get fitted." "What do you mean 'whomever I choose'?" She put her pencil and paper on the floor, turning to face him. "Well, there is an alternative." He stared at her for a minute. "You mean Nathaniel." "He said he wanted you at his wedding, Anton. Standing beside him. I think you mean a lot more to him than he'll readily admit. And I think he means more to you than my brother does." "You're right, my dear." Anton leaned his cheek against the top of Bryn's head. He hadn't heard from Nathaniel since the evening they discussed their relationship. He had the distinct feeling that Nathaniel was avoiding him deliberately. But this might be a way to reassure him that the feud was truly over. "Do you think he'd say yes, Bryn?" "I hope so." She rubbed her hand over his stomach, pressing her lips to his chest. "Speaking of Nathaniel...I asked Lindy if it would be okay if I spent the twenty-four hours before the wedding over at their home." She looked up at his face. "Which means tomorrow will be the last time we'll see each other as an unmarried couple. I'll leave to go to her place tomorrow night, before midnight." He gave a quiet sigh. "Taking the tradition that the groom's not to see his bride the day before the wedding seriously?" Bryn nodded. "Yup." "Well, I know better than try to argue with you once you've made up your mind, my dear." She narrowed her eyes. "Are you calling me stubborn again?" "No, determined." He stroked her hair. "So should I call Nathaniel now? Or wait until tonight?" "Why don't you wait until tonight and ask him in person? It might be better received if he can see I'm not twisting your arm." She grinned. "Besides, he's probably busy right now...like we should be." "Are you saying that I'm slacking off on my duties, my dear?" He rested a hand on her stomach and rubbed. "Well, I am in bed, we're both naked, and you haven't done anything yet." Anton frowned. "You're right, my dear. I am slacking off." He rolled onto his side, pulling her closer. "Can't have that, my dear." He leaned over and kissed her, licking at her lips. "I can't believe in 48 hours, you'll be my wife." Bryn smiled as he rolled on top of her, taking her mouth in a deeper kiss. He was right. In 48 hours she would be his wife. He left Bryn at home, packing for both the honeymoon and her stay at Lindy's, to drive the short distance to Nathaniel's townhouse. Part of him dreaded the discussion ahead, hoping this wouldn't become another arduous dilemma. He understood why Nathaniel was still upset...but that didn't mean he had to like it. Under so much stress already, with last minute wedding details, Anton wasn't in any mood for an argument. He just hoped his brother was feeling the same. Pulling the car to a stop and turning the wheels to the curb, he got out and locked the door behind him. He knew Lindy would no doubt be working, although he'd taken the next two days before the honeymoon off...so he'd be speaking to Nathaniel alone. Yet he wasn't expecting the door to open before he ever got a chance to knock. "What are you doing here?" Nathaniel asked, sounding vaguely suspicious. "I need to talk to you. It's important." After a long assessing stare, his brother opened the door and stepped aside. "Come in." Anton looked around the foyer and living room as he stepped in. He noted that the furniture was mostly modern and angular and clearly to Nathaniel's taste, but he could see little touches of Lindy's personality in the accessories and decorations. "Nice place, Nathaniel." Nathaniel crossed his arms. "Cut to the chase, Anton. You didn't come here to assay my furniture." "No, I didn't." This was harder for him than he thought it would be. Better just to say it and see his reaction. "I was wondering if you're willing to be the best man in my wedding, Nathaniel." The way he was staring made Anton shift a bit nervously. "What happened to the other guy?" "Mack had a family emergency and had to cancel." "Ah. So I'm the replacement. What's wrong, everyone else say no?" He sighed. "I haven't asked anyone else, Nathaniel." His brother was silent at that, his head cocked slightly to the side. For a minute, he reminded Anton of Petunia. "I'm asking you because I'd like you to be there." "Bryn put you up to this, didn't she?" "She made the suggestion, yes...but the decision was mine." Walking over to the couch, Nathaniel sat down and stretched his arms across the back...a blatantly territorial move that Anton didn't react to. "And why should I believe that?" "Because I may love her, but she doesn't run my life. I make my own decisions. And I've decided that I'd like my brother to stand beside me when I get married...just as you stated in your own wedding vows. If you've changed your mind, Nathaniel, then say so. Otherwise, I'd appreciate it if you said yes." "What's the catch?" "Catch?" "Yeah, Anton. What's in it for you if I say yes?" Anton shrugged. "I get to have my brother stand beside me as I marry the woman I love. We start acting like a family." Nate stared at him if as if he was trying to see straight into his soul, his face expressionless. So Anton was surprised when Nathaniel answered. "Yes." "Yes?" He sounded baffled even to his own ears. "You mean that?" "Yes, Anton." He couldn't fight the smile that crept across his face. "Good. Then let's go." "Go? Where?" "We need to get you a tux, and fast. There isn't much time left." Although hesitant, Nathaniel grabbed his keys and followed Anton to the door. "Fine. But I'm driving." "I don't think so, Nathaniel. I've seen you drive." Nathaniel frowned. "But my car is so much cooler than yours, Anton." "Whatever, Nathaniel." As he followed Nathaniel out the door, Anton couldn't suppress a small grin. They were already arguing like brothers. Bryn zipped up the suitcase. This was the smaller one containing what she'd need for her short stay at Lindy's and Nate's. She'd be picking up her wedding dress from the seamstress on the way. Then it would just be a waiting game until it was time to go to the church. She heard a knock on the door and turned around as Lindy stuck her head in the room. "Ready to go, Bryn?" She let out a nervous sigh, nearly bouncing in agitation. "Yes, but Anton's not back yet." Lindy grinned. "Uh oh. Can't have that. I guess he'd better hurry up," she said, glancing at her watch. "It's almost time to get out of here, Cinderella." "Funny." She handed over her suitcase and walked out into the living room. John was sitting on the couch, watching television with Petunia in his lap. Bryn shook her head. That dog was overpowering everyone she came in contact with. Picking her up, she held the puppy against her chest. Since Lindy would be watching the dog anyway, she might as well get her used to the new surroundings while she was there herself. "Did Anton say when he'd be back?" John shook his head. "He didn't even know if his brother would say yes." "Yes to what?" Lindy asked. Bryn smiled. "Anton's going to ask Nathaniel to be his best man." "What?" Lindy couldn't help but smile. "How did that happen?" "We talked about what he said at your wedding, and decided to give him that opportunity. We're hoping he says yes." "If he does, it won't be such a scandal if the best man gets lucky with the maid of honor," John snorted. "I still find it weird that neither of you knew they were brothers when you started dating him, Lindy." "Step-brothers, and estranged at that," Lindy corrected. "It's a long story." Bryn snickered. "A *very* long story." Glancing at the clock, she shook her head. "Do you think we should wait? I don't want to keep you here if you need to get home...but I do want to see him if it's possible." "See who, my dear?" Anton, followed by a still wary Nathaniel, entered the apartment in time to hear her last comment. Bryn hugged Anton, as Lindy went to greet Nate. "Well, what did he say?" she whispered in his ear. Anton kissed her ear. "He said yes." She smiled at him. "We were just getting ready to leave. I wasn't sure if I was going to see you or not." She readjusted her grip on Petunia, who was whimpering softly at being pressed between them and yet not paid attention to. The puppy immediately turned and started licking Anton's hand as he petted her. "Was there anything else you needed me to do before we go?" "I don't think so. The caterer's confirmed?" "Yes. And I'm getting my dress in a few minutes. We'll also stop by the church tomorrow and make sure the flowers and everything are set up." She couldn't seem to let go of him. Even though Lindy looked ready to leave and Petunia was squirming to get down, Bryn had somewhat of a vice grip on Anton's arm. "Um, I guess that's everything." Anton smiled, hesitant to let go himself. "Then I'll see you tomorrow night then, my dear." He leaned forward a bit and pressed his lips to her forehead. They stood that way for a long time until Lindy cleared her throat. Her tone was apologetic when they broke apart. "I'm sorry, but we've got a lot to get done, and not too much time to do it." Bryn nodded, sliding her grip down until she was holding his hand. She squeezed briefly before silently heading for the door, not looking back. She grabbed Petunia's leash before opening the door and stepping into the elevator, leaving Lindy and Nate to follow her. She bent down and set the puppy on the floor, clipping on her leash, rubbing her soft ears before standing back up. [Damn pregnancy hormones,] she though, blinking rapidly to clear her eyes. Just 24 more hours. And yet it felt like an eternity. She lay stretched out in bed next to her latest conquest. This one had been almost too easy to seduce - just a few double entendres and he had been practically begging her to take him home from the bar she found him at. The sex had been admittedly lackluster, but there had been blood. And plenty of it. Natasha slipped out of bed and into a deep red silk robe, leaving the cool corpse to deal with later. Sated from feeding, she walked over to the end table where she had placed the day's mail before leaving for the bar. However her contented mood evaporated as she began sorting through it. There, between a magazine subscription advertisement and a letter proclaiming she might have already won a million dollars was the letter she had sent to Anton not two days before. She could feel the envelope digging into her skin as she clutched it tightly. [Damn him!] She threw the rest of the mail to the floor, staring at the words written across her letter. Return to sender. So polite and impersonal. And although she wanted to throw a tantrum, tearing up the room like the Tasmanian devil, she stayed calm. "So, you don't want to acknowledge me, Anton?" she said, quietly, setting the envelope on the table. "Maybe it's time I give you something you cannot so readily ignore." 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