<USS Avalon> "Newts"

 Newts 

*by Annabelle Chase, Joshua Garrity, Patrick McEntire and Sussanna Jameson*

Anna and Belle meandered down the corridor, their arms wrapped around the 
other's waist. No, meandered was the wrong word. Staggered, lurched, weaved, 
swayed, fell and crawled. The hallway swirled in and out of focus, sometimes 
splitting into two or three definite pathways. As Anna went down again, she 
started her song up.

"Show me the way to go home," she howled, "I'm tired and I want to go to 
bed. I had a little drink about an hour ago and it's gone straight to my 
head."

Annabelle sang along as loudly and as off key as she could get. Then she 
fell to the floor next to Anna and looked up at what she was looking at. "I 
think we should paint the walls a pretty lemon yellow."

Nodding, Anna pointed at a spot about an inch from the ceiling, "With a 
pretty floral freeze along the top."

Josh looked at the chronometer again and frowned, glancing at Mac, who 
suggested, "Maybe she overslept. Did you try comming her?"

Josh nodded. He'd tried that first. And second. And even a third time. She 
wasn't home. "So what do you want to do? Should I call Anna and see if she's 
in sickbay?"

Josh shook his head. He'd tried that to. "She's not there either."

"Did you ask Anna to keep an eye out for her?" Mac asked. Josh shook his 
head, giving Mac a blank look. Had he not just said she wasn't there? 

"Wait...you mean Anna's missing too?" Mac asked, catching Josh's look. Josh 
nodded. "Well hell, let's go find them. Computer, locate Ensign Annabelle 
Chase and Lieutenant Susanna Jameson."

The moment the computer responded, they were off at a run, certain only 
serious injury would keep them from their jobs.

"You know, I think we should paint every corridor a different colour," Anna 
said appraisingly. 

Annabelle snorted again. "Yeah! Blue and red and green and wheat and hot 
pink!" She rattled off a bunch of other colors before picking up on another 
song. "I found my thrill on blueberry hill!"

Josh spotted them on the floor at the other end of the hall away from the 
turbo lift and picked up the pace, leaving Mac lengths behind as he 
approached the fallen women at a dead run. Skidding to a halt, Josh looked 
confusedly from one to the other as they continued to sing from their near 
prone positions. He looked up at Mac, baffled. What was wrong with them?

"Oh no, I have a limeric, my father taught it to me. It's not very pc I'm 
afraid, wanna hear it?" Anna said, not even noticing Josh. 

Annabelle could see Josh, or at least what appeared to be his image, and 
changed her song. "Why do birds suddenly appear everytime you are near! Ooo 
a limeric... Let's here it.."

Mac roared, plopping down next to Anna. "Sure, sweetness, let's hear it, but 
on the way home, okay?" He looked at Josh and shook his head, still 
laughing. "Totally plastered," he mouthed to him, then laughed harder when 
he failed to grasp the reference. 

Grinning evilly, Anna shook her head. "Nope, now! There once was a poof from 
Khartum, who took a lesbian up to his room, as he switched off the light, he 
said 'let's get this right, who should do what and to whom?'"

Mac roared merrily at Anna's poetic genius as he helped her to her feet, 
then almost fell over himself when he saw the look at Josh's face. "It's 
okay, man...they're alright...just a bit toasted. You got Belle?"

Josh nodded, lifting Belle up easily in his arms to cradle her as if she 
were a small and fragile child.

Annabelle wrapped her arms around Josh's neck and smiled. "If I'm Belle does 
that make you the Beast? Can Anna be Mrs. Potts? She has the accent and Mac 
can be the candle stick." She snorted again as she ruffled his hair.

"Hey gorgeous," Anna said as she leaned into him, trying to kiss him on the 
cheek. Staring around at the mention of her name, Anna giggled. "I am not a 
teapot, thank you very much."

"And I think Bean looks more like a candlestick than I do," Mac laughed.

Josh just shook his head and sighed, well past lost by now. "What deck are 
your quarters on?" he asked Belle, figuring to just take her home.

"True, though you're hardly a beast," Anna slurred slightly.

"I can be," Mac winked, "Especially when it's...well...hard and 
beastly...but we'll save that for another discussion..maybe one you'll 
actually remember the next morning."

"I'm a little tea pot short and stout here is my handle here is my spout." 
Annabelle tried to do the motions while being carried. "When I get all 
steamed up then I shout! Tip me over and pour me out!" Looking into Josh's 
eyes she added. "You baby can tip me over any time you want."

Josh looked uncertain whether to continue carrying her or drop her and run. 
"Um..yeah...your quarters are..where?" 

Annabelle looked at him oddly. "I don't have any change. I left it in my 
other pants!" Then she roared, and then of course snorted.

"Hey! I'm not that pissed. I will remember everything." Suddenly something 
occured to her and she glanced over at Belle. "Hard and beastly, eh? Now 
Belle and I were having a discussion earlier and I'm quite interested in 
seeing if our assessments play out. What d'you think, Belle?"

It took a moment but then it dawned on her what Anna was talking about. "Oh 
yeah! We have to solve this." She nodded and then looked at Josh. "Drop your 
pants baby boy. We gotta see who's more blessed. Anna's man or mine."

Josh's eyes went wide and looked as though he might choke. "Do...what?"

Mac couldn't stop laughing.

"Uh-uh," Anna said to the giggling McEntire, "you don't get out of it that 
easily. You too, gorgeous, off with the trousers. This is a scientific 
experiment, we must compare."

Annabelle struggled until Josh put her down. She was a little dizzy on her 
feet so she grabbed onto him to steady herself. "We have to see.. See," She 
giggled. "I said you were blessed even though you're all skinny and stuff 
but see you're not all skinny everywhere.. But then Anna said that Mac was 
bigger cause he's well bugger.. Burger.. Uh.. Bigger! Yeah.. Bigger." She 
looked at Mac. "He's shouldes are broads."

"Exactly," Anna said, still grinning at Mac. "So come on, show."

"Right here right now pretty boys." Annabelle added with a smile that looked 
like it could hurt her face.

Mac couldn't stop laughing. Josh looked completely lost. "They don't 
mean...." He looked at Mac, who only laughed harder. 

"Yup...'fraid so, man," Mac confirmed, roaring. "Tell you what. Let's get 
you home first, and then I'll let you measure whatever you want." he told 
them. Laughing harder, he added, just to see his friends reaction, "So will 
he." 

Josh looked at Mac, eyes wide with disbelief and shook his head. 

When it was clear that Josh wasn't going to do it himself, Annabelle reached 
for the zipper on his uniform pants. "Why wait?"

"No! Not going home until you show us, right now." Anna shook her head 
stubburnly, almost stamping her feet. 

Josh took both of Annabelle's wrists in one of his hands, his long slender 
fingers easily encompassing them both, the expression on his face easily 
conveying both disbelief and disapproval. 

Annabelle frowned. "Uh oh that's the daddy's mad face." She whined. "Come on 
sugar don't be mad.. Trust me you're much BIGGER!"

"Now, sweetness, we go flopping the johnsons out here in the hall who knows 
what kind of trouble we'll see. You know you already get jealous and the 
kid's beating them off with a stick already."

Josh looked at Mac like he'd lost his mind. He wasn't beating anyone, and he 
didn't own a stick.

"The minute we're in the room, though, okay?" Mac promised. "Come on, Belle, 
you don't want them coming out of the deck at him, do you?"

"Those tramps better stand back. He's mine!" She swung at the air, spun, and 
fell on her ass.. "Ouch."

Josh shook his head and sighed, picking her back up and nodding to Mac to do 
the same with Anna. He was missing valuable work time for ...this. 

Mac picked up Anna as well. "Our place," he directed her, nodding toward the 
turbo lift. 

"Mine's closer," Josh told him quietly, wishing he didn't have to admit that 
but not sure they really wanted to try carrying two drunken women clear 
across the ship. 

"I don't get jealous, I just don't see why I have to share you with a load 
of sex-mad nymphomaniacs." Anna was impressed that her tongue had managed 
that word but it didn't dislodge her frown. Looking around blearily at the 
passing scenery, she laid her head on his shoulder. "I don't have to share, 
do I?"

Mac shook his head. "Of course not, sweetness, I'm all yours," he told her 
with a smile. "Got a ring and everything, remember."

"Yeah, pretty ring. It sparkles, like your eyes." Anna felt her hand trail 
through his hair, not quite sure she had control of it anymore.

"They're getting married Josh!" Annabelle informed him a little louder then 
she needed to. "We should have a double wedding!"

"With doves and bridesmaids and pageboys and lots of people in hats." Anna 
giggled at the thought of her father in a frilly purple bonnet. "And you can 
be his best man and he can be yours. I'll be Belle's maid of honour and she 
mine. What d'you think?"

Mac grinned. "Sounds like a plan to me." he agreed, glancing at Josh. 

Annabelle nodded her approvel. "We cut the togetherness short at the 
hornymoons. Right love bug?" She meant to kiss Josh's lips but ended up 
kissing his nose.

Josh didn't answer as they approached his quarters. He glanced at Mac, 
wondering if they were serious. "Why not?" Mac asked, grinning. Sounded like 
a great idea to him.

"YAY! Mactrick agrees!" She ruffled Josh's hair. "You'll be safe on your 
mission and you'll come home to me and we'll get married and we'll have lots 
of babies who can play with Anna's and Mactrick's loads and loads and loads 
and loads and loads and loads and loads of babies." 

"ONE! We are having one, not loads." Anna glared over at Belle, then she 
glared at Mac's shoulder for getting in the way of her glaring at Belle, 
then she glared at the wall for suddenly being there when she'd been sure 
that it hadn't been there before. "We are only having one, aren't we Mac?"

Mac laughed. "That's still open to debate, I thought." he answered, daring 
her to argue.

"No debate. We are having one. A little girl. Called Victoria. And she'll 
have your pretty eyes and corn coloured hair and be talented and intellegent 
and loved." Nodding, Anna stopped glaring and smiled whistfully instead.

"Mmmmm corn," Annabelle added to the conversation.

"Okay...we'll have her...and ten others. To be named later," Mac agreed, 
laughing.

"Not ten!" Anna tried to get him into focus so she could goggle at him 
properly. "One. Please, Mac, promise me?"

"No more than five," Mac conceded. "Come on, gotta meet me in the middle 
somewhere."

"Five. I can live with that. Admittedly, you're the one that's giving up 
your career to bring them up," Anna said with a wink.

"Deal," Mac agreed easily. For his family, anything. 

Annabelle looked into Josh's eyes before resting her head on his shoulder. 
"And we'll have four. Two girls and two boys and a dog and cat and a tank of 
fish and horeses and tomatoes."

Josh looked at her, totally baffled. Did she just say tomatoes?

"To-ma-toes," Anna annunciated. "Why you gonna have tomatoes?" 

"Because Bean's a vegetarian, right Belle?" Mac said seriously, as though it 
made perfect sense.

"You say to-ma-toes, I sat tomatoes lets call the whole thing off." 
Annabelle sang then looked over at her friend. "To make tomatoe sandwichs 
for the boys' lunches of course. Josh likes fresh veggietales." She looked 
at Mac and grinned. "He gets it!"

"Ah, I see said the blind man." Anna slipped from Mac's arms, just about 
managing to stay upright on her own. "You know, you two are just too sober 
for your own good."

"Are we?" Mac asked, looking at Josh as though daring him to play along. It 
had been over a week since either had taken a day off, and he knew they were 
both technically scheduled one tonight, despite Josh's best efforts to 
ignore that fact. "Maybe we'll have to fix that."

"Where's my owl!" Annabelle yelled. "Lets get the boys drunk off their 
asses! Such nice asses!"

"Yeah! Get the owl!" Anna beamed at Mac, draping her arms around his neck. 
"It's got alcohol in it," she said as if he hadn't been able to work that 
out for himself. 

Josh shook his head, opening the door to his quarters and letting them all 
in. He'd get them settled, he promised himself, then get back to work. 

"Is there really?" Mac feigned surprise. "Imagine that."

"We've been robbed!" Annabelle yelled. She liked to yell. "We've been 
burrgled! We've been nicked! We've been... Hey where's all the stuff?"

Josh looked at her, confused. What stuff?

Mac laughed, "This is it. All of Bean's stuff. Come on in and pull up 
a...piece of floor."

Josh set Annabelle down in the center of the room and went to get some 
coffee for her and for himself as well.

"Can I pull up a Mac?" Anna said as she dragged him down onto the floor and 
plopped herself in his lap. 

"Oh, hell yeah," Mac laughed, flopping backwards on the carpet, taking her 
with him. Spying what Josh was up to, he added, "No, Bean, no coffee. Not 
until you try this first."

Annabelle laid down and looked up. "Cotten Candy Pink!" She announced. 
"That's what color we'll paint Josh's house."

Josh looked at them all as if they'd lost their minds. He shook his head in 
response to Annabelle's announcement. Pink?

"And then we'll do Mac's in purple." Sitting up, she looked over at Mac and 
Anna and then at Josh. "How come I don't get a Josh to lay on?" she whined. 

"Damn good question,"Mac laughed. "Joshua, you freaking beanpole, get over 
here and sit down so Belle has something...bony...to sit on. Can't have a 
lady sitting on the floor, man!"

Josh looked at Mac as though he'd gone as mad as the women clearly had, 
sighed, shook his head, and walked over to where they were, sitting in stony 
silence upon the floor, deciding that complying was probably smarter than 
arguing at this point.

"Hey, Belle, where did the bottles go? I just know that we didn't finish 
them. We need to get our men drunk," Anna grinned as she kissed Mac deeply.

Returning her kiss, Mac grinned and told her quietly, "Do that and you might 
get the chance for those measurements you wanted after all."

"Well damn, that's a good reason all on its own." Anna's eyes glittered as 
she tried to restrain herself from kissing him again.

Josh sighed and shook his head again. Suddenly he had the feeling this was 
going to be a very very long night. He couldn't help but wish, at that 
point, that they'd gone ahead and carried them all the way back to Mac and 
Anna's place after all.

Annabelle twisted so that her head on in Josh's lap. "I think we left them 
in the hallway."

"Bugger. How are we gonna get them drunk without?" Pouting, Anna laid her 
head on Mac's chest, feeling unreasonably disappointed. 

Mac eased her off and stood up, knowing that if Josh went for them he'd 
likely not come back. "I'll go get them. Either that, or I'll bring my 
stash. Maybe both. Be right back." Without waiting for Josh to argue, he 
bolted out.

Josh tried to ease from beneath Annabelle as well, thinking perhaps to work 
on the new upgrade schematics as long as he was here.

Annabelle looked up at Josh and frown. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Um..I was just...going...to..." He gestured toward his console, the only 
piece of furniture in the entire room, where his computer, PADDs and 
sketchbook lay. "I thought....." he signed, shaking his head. "Never mind."

"Good." Annabelle made herself comfortable. "I like having you close."

After considering that statement, he settled a bit more and put his arms 
around her. Oddly enough, he liked having her close as well.

Pulling herself up, Anna drew her knees up under her chin into her favourite 
sitting position. She glanced at Belle and Josh, a joyful smile brightening 
her eyes. *Everyone's happy*, she thought, *even me*.

Mac burst back into the room with a grin, holding Belle's bottles and three 
more of his own. "Got 'em," he announced, sitting down next to Anna and 
drawing her to him, and smiling at his friend. "They look good together, 
don't they," he murmured to Anna of their two companions, smiling at the 
thought of his friend being happy at last. 

Annabelle smiled. She loved how being held by Josh made her feel. She sighed 
happily. "You're so wonderful."

"Yeah, it's beautiful." The alcohol was just beginning to wear off as Anna 
gazed at them wistfully. "Do we look that good?"

"Better," Mac said quietly, kissing her gently. "So, who wants what first? 
Bean?"

Josh looked at Annabelle and shook his head. Wonderful? Him? He held her 
tighter, but remained silent until Mac offered him a choice of bottles of 
...something. "What is it?" he asked dubiously.

Annabelle giggled. "It's boobs.. No wait.. Booze.." She snorted again.

Mac roared. "Boobs, that's good, Belle." He opened a bottle and offered it 
to Josh, "Seriously, guy, try it."

Josh sniffed it tentatively, then looked at the others as if they'd lost 
their minds. It smelled as though it'd been setting out too long, like fruit 
does when left in the sun. Shaking his head, he handed it back. 

Annabelle took the drink from Mac and downed it. "See it's good." She 
hiccuped.

"Pass us the owl then," Anna said as she set out four glasses on the floor, 
pouring from the bird into each. She stuck one in front of Josh, saying 
nothing, one for Belle and one for her and Mac each.

Mac smiled at Anna. "What's in the owl, my love?" he asked as she poured. 

"Jack Daniels," she said simply.

"Oh, hell yeah, the good stuff!" Mac announced. "You gotta try this, Bean. 
Seriously. No turning this one down. We all drink together."

"Chin chin," Anna said as she raised her glass to everyone, waiting to 
drink.

Annabelle sat up but leaned against Josh. "This one isn't so fruitlicious." 
She giggled.

Mac raised his and waited for the others to do the same. "Come on Josh," he 
prodded, "wouldn't want to insult the ladies, refusing to drink with them, 
would you?" he asked.

Josh sighed and reluctantly raised the glass. "On three," Mac called out. 
"One...two...three..." and drained his glass, making certian Josh followed 
suit.

Downing her own, Anna coughed lightly as the burning hit her throat again. 
"God, still not used to that," she choked. "Fosters, I miss Fosters. No one 
drinks the stuff here." 

Annabelle smacked her lips after downing hers and then leaned over and 
kissed Josh's. "Mmm.. Tastes better on your lips."

Josh nearly choked as the fiery liquid burned all the way down, shaking his 
head. How could they drink that? He had to admit, though, that it tasted 
better on Annabelle's lips as well. 

"We'll have to get Anna's some Fosters." Annabelle said as she smiled at 
Josh's watery eyes.

"You like Fosters?" Mac grinned, pulling out one of his bottles. "How about 
this," he grinned, showing it to her.

Josh looked dubiously at the bottle from which Mac now poured. "Again?" he 
asked, wondering if this was a ritual everyone was actually required to take 
part in. 

"Yup," Mac answered, grinning from ear to ear. "A lot more."

"Oh you beautiful, handsome, intellegent, wonderful man." Kissing him twice 
as deeply as before, Anna took up her glass. "This time on my count..." she 
said as she waited for everyone to lift their glasses. When she saw them 
ready, she counted to three and downed it.

Annabelle downed hers as well and then once again smacked her lips and 
kissed Josh. She could start to like this game. 

Mac downed his then and nudged Josh to do the same, keeping silent count, 
curious to see how much the kid could drink with that hyper metabolism of 
his, and grinning like a cheshire cat when Belle kissed him again.

This time Josh managed to down it without coughing, and was more prepared 
for Annabelle's way of finishing the ritual, returning her kiss gently, then 
waiting to see what came next. 

"Okokok my turn!" Annabelle grabbed her bottle of crown and poured the 
drinks. "One, two, three!"

All downed them together, though Josh seemed less than impressed. "What's 
wrong Bean?" Mac asked his friend once Belle was done kissing him yet again. 
"Not your poison?" 

Josh looked at him quizzically. Poison? "Um...no..." he answered quietly. 
"Too sweet..."

"Take another shot or two and you won't even notice," Mac told him, 
grinning. 

"You pick this time Josh." Annabelle said as she pulled the bottles into a 
row.

Josh looked from her to them, then examined the bottles silently, supposing 
these were the rules for such things. He looked them over until he spotted 
one that read "Starbucks Coffee Liqueur." Picking that one up, he looked to 
the others for dissent. "Ask me how I knew he'd pick that one," Mac laughed. 
"Okay, Bean, pour 'em."

Josh poured four equal measures of the dark colored liqueur and picked up 
his glass, looking to the others to do the same. Once all had them in hand, 
he counted quietly as they had done..."One...two...three..." 

It had the taste of strong espresso and burned as the first had done, but 
somehow he didn't seem to mind so much this time. 

"You know, I do believe we've found the drink of choice, Sport. What do you 
say? Another one?" Anna said, beaming. 

Annabelle laughed. "Should have known he'd pick the one with coffee in it."

Josh blushed slightly, pouring another round. "Go on and count us down, 
Bean," Mac grinned, starting to feel a bit on the tipped side himself and 
wondering if the kid was feeling it too. 

Josh nodded slightly and counted again, "One....two...three..." wondering as 
he drank the shot how many they were supposed to imbibe before the ritual 
was considered complete. After downing the drink and kissing Annabelle, as 
they'd been doing with each round, Josh shifted back a bit and shook his 
head. "No more..." he said quietly, blushing.

"What do you mean 'no more,'" Mac asked, trying hard not to laugh. 
"Something wrong?"

"She's....," Josh began, blushing brighter, then shook his head again. Even 
more quietly, he tried again, answering, "She's...too distracting...."

Annabelle giggled. "I think he's buzzed!" She announced. "Go with it 
sweetcheeks! It's gooooddd!"

"Distracting?" Mac laughed. "Well, that's good, Bean. That's the point. It's 
called a break, you're supposed to be distracted." Winking at Annabelle, he 
added, "She's right. Just go with it."

Beaming, the world doing a pirouette around her head, Anna felt herself 
slide lower against Mac. She wrapped her arm around his waist, trying to use 
him to pull herself up. The buzzing in her head prevented her from truly 
following the conversation but she was getting the gist of it.

"She's?" Annabelle asked. "The booze is a..." She stopped, blinked, then 
looked up at Josh. "You mean me?"

Josh blushed brighter still, nodding. "The drinks...they're not...." He 
shrugged. "They don't matter. But you..." He looked at her, then looked away 
quickly, smiling shyly, " I...I can't think...when you do that." He looked 
at her and shrugged again, then continued, almost inaudibly. "Not about 
work...or the mission...or...well...anything...except you..."

"When I do what?" she asked. She wasn't aware she was doing anything. Then 
she frowned. "I'm sorry. I don't mean to distract you."

Mac grinned broadly. "Don't apologize!" He laughed, pouring them all another 
round. "It's official! That, my dear Bean, is called love. Face it, you're 
hooked, she's caught you."

Josh looked at Mac surprised. "She has?"

Annabelle looked at Mac too. "I have?" 

Mac laughed harder, "In any given day...in any given hour...how much time do 
you think of her?" he asked, already pretty sure he knew the answer.

Josh paused, uncertain whether or not he should answer that. "Most of it..." 
He admitted at last, unable to look Annabelle in the eye as he did so.

"And after all you've downed here, you're still more shaken by her kisses 
than the alcohol? Seriously?" Mac pushed, knowing the answer to that one 
too, having known Josh long enough to see that the alcohol hadn't brought on 
any significant changes yet...but her attention had. 

Josh nodded slightly, studiously examining the floor on the side opposite 
where Annabelle sat. 

Annabelle was confused and she wasn't so sure it was all becasue she was 
drunk. "But then how come you push me away?"

Josh's gaze remained fixed on the floor as he considered how to answer that. 
"You....you just...you're so..." He sighed. "I don't want...you to..." He 
looked at her, helpless to explain. "You just..you deserve...." Realizing 
he'd never be able to explain, he turned to Mac desperately for help. 

"You think she deserves better?" Mac asked, shaking his head. Damn kid, he 
thought. You really are clueless as hell about some things, aren't you.

"But there isn't anyone better." Annabelle replied.

Slowly but surely, Anna slid down Mac's side, her head ending up in his lap. 
She pulled herself into a ball, her eyes closing and the world exploding in 
a vortex of sound. "I don't want to be here anymore," she whispered so that 
only Mac could hear her. 

Mac leaned down and kissed her, smiling. "Whatever you say, sleeping 
beauty," he answered her, then looked at the other two. He smiled at 
Annabelle's answer. "And there you have it, Bean. You have no excuses left. 
It's not up to you who the lady loves, and you know what? It's not up to you 
who you love either. Life sucks like that." He winked again at Annabelle. 
"So you're stuck. Deal with it." He rose and picked up Anna carefully. "My 
love and I are going home. Feel free to continue this discussion amongst 
yourselves once we're gone." Snickering, he gathered up the bottles, leaving 
only Belle's and the coffee liqueur. "I'll leave that in case you need to a 
little more courage to...you know...handle her..." he winked again, grinning 
then nodded to them both and carried Anna out the door. 

Annabelle looked around the empty room and then at Josh. "Hi."

Josh almost laughed. Smiling shyly, he answered, looking up at her from 
beneath a cascade of dark curls. "Hi."

Sitting there, Annabelle just took in every part of him. God she wanted him. 
The room started to feel really warm and her head was swimming. "So."

He blushed again, his smiled widening, and he really did laugh at the 
awkwardness of it all. "Um...yeah....so? Do you...uh....do you 
want....anything?" he asked, looking at the bottles that remained between 
them.

Annabelle shook her head when he looked at the bottles. "Those aren't what I 
want."

He looked up at her, his eyes registering first surprised, then 
embarrassment. He laughed again, shaking his head. "Me either," He admitted, 
very nearly inaudibly.

"Really?!" She asked in surprise. "Then why.. I mean.. If we both want..." 
She growled lightly. "Kiss me."

He looked at her, the doubt lingering in his eyes a moment longer before 
drawing her to him and kissing her, first gently, tenderly, then more 
deeply, as the desires continued building despite all efforts at control.

Pushing him down to the floor, Annabelle broke their kiss and looked down 
into his eyes. "I want you." She kissed him again, pushing all her emotion, 
her need, her want into the kiss and then broke away again. 

He caught her arm as she moved away, drawing her gently back to him. He 
kissed her again, allowing there to be no doubt how very much he wanted and 
needed her too. Pulling back then, he smoothed her hair back from her face 
and looked into her eyes. At long last, he answered, his eyes not wavering 
from her own. "I want you, too." 

Annabelle no longer felt drunk. Her mind was clear as she kissed him, her 
hands making quick work of his layers of clothes. She went slowly, allowing 
him to adjust to her touches.

He couldn't seem to think of anything at all except her, her touch, her 
taste, her scent as he slowly carressed her bare skin with shaking hands.

She wasn't sure this was really happening. Was it just another dream? God 
she hoped not. After shedding the rest of her clothes and his, she rolled 
them so he was on top. Looking up into his eyes, she smiled, and then once 
again drew him to her.

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