Blacklight - R [COMPLETED]

[laura]

{name:Emma#|#picture:18}

A few days of being in a …was it even a relationship? Could Emma even call it that? She wasn’t entirely sure, but it was definitely something she’d never experienced before. They acted the same as always in front of company, but once they were alone… everything changed. Elijah changed, and oddly enough, so did she; but what interested her the most was how he changed. He was trying, really trying, and she knew it was all for her.

Only once they’d sat down at the kitchen counter to eat, did the memories of their last meal flush into her mind, coaxing the dark thoughts forward once more.
“Why are you doing this?” Emma murmured, looking up from her plate to him.
"What are you talking about?" Elijah questioned softly, eyebrow arching.
“About this,” She waved her hand between them. “This isn’t who you are – staying in and making dinner, or watching movies or working out, just because it’s what I want to do. Like you’ve said a hundred times before…you like having fun.”
And he couldn’t possibly be having fun doing the things Emma enjoyed. Why would he even subject himself to it?
He shot her a side glance. "I like having fun with you, Emma. Plus, when you really like someone, it's not only about you anymore."
Emma smiled, despite herself. “You don’t have girlfriends, you don’t try to make an effort for anyone, hell you don’t like sticking to the same girl for two nights in a row. What makes me so different from anyone else?”
He smiled slightly to himself. "Do I have to answer that?"
“I wouldn’t have asked otherwise.”
"Well...because you're the only girl I've taken an interest in for reasons other than their breasts or ass," he responded with a tiny shrug, taking the easy way out.
Her auburn brows rose up to meet her hair line, “That’s interesting to know, and to think I thought you liked my breasts and ass.”

Emma bit her bottom lip, trying to fight back the smirk dying to escape her. She had to admit, that flirting with Elijah was definitely a fun past time; the gleam in his eyes when he looked at her made her feel all kinds of things.
"Well, that's a bonus," he responded with a small wink.
She shook her head, “You’re such a mystery sometimes, Elijah.”
“I’m sure you’ll have fun figuring me out, sweetheart.” And there was that gleam, sending a shot through her stomach.

Emma watched him closely before nodding. She was relatively happy with that response, for now at least.
Elijah was trying for her, more than anyone else had done for her in her lifetime.
Leaning across the small space between them, Emma pressed her lips to the side of his neck, lingering there for a second to take in his pure Elijah-style scent. “What the hell are you doing to me?”
He had the capacity to leave her in knots, her brain foggy and turn her stomach into a bats cave. That couldn’t be normal.

Elijah turned slightly in his seat, directing himself toward her. "I could ask the same question," he breathed, running a hand lightly through her hair.
Their knees knocked together as they turned to each other, their meals forgotten. Lips brushed over jaws, chins and cheeks before they found each others mouths, where they quickly luxuriated in another one of their off the scales kisses.
When his tongue danced with hers, Emma couldn’t help but groan against his lips, her arms winding around his neck to hold him to her.

Oh, yes, Elijah definitely had an effect on her, one that she wasn’t sure she had any control over – one she wasn’t sure she wanted to control.

[/blockquote][/font]

[Ange Keating]

{name:Elijah #|#picture:17}

__

“Agents – I called you all here today to disclose some news with you. We have been presented with the largest case in the history of our firm, and all of D-79. We thought he or she was dead, but after a tragic accident at our very own Christmas Party, we have decided to barricade the agency. No one can leave, no one can enter. All missions have been put on hold, and crime in the city has been turned over solely to the police department until we get things straightened out. We have special heat detecting and video software in each vent…each hallway…each boiler room…every single crevice of this building. We’ve lost over three hundred agents due to panic in the last month and a half, not including the ones that were murdered, so we thoroughly thank the remainder of you for remaining brave in a situation as detrimental as this. We will continue to protect you all with every fiber of our being, and make sure not another family is obstructed—that not another agent is lost.”

Elijah swigged a cup of coffee from his seat amongst hundreds, Emma at his side as she looked up at Landry with stern eyes. Early morning meetings on equally as dreary Mondays didn’t exactly appease him, but the older man had made it blatantly clear any and all decisions of what he could and couldn’t do, were out of his hands. He was just thankful he hadn’t told Emma about their discussion in the office – they were doing too good for another road bump to be placed in their path. Elijah had been—God forbid he say the word—emotional during that time, and was prone to make irrational decisions.

“What are we supposed to do until this case is finished?” An agent piped up, tendrils of thin brunette hair oiled back. “Just sit around and do…nothing?”
Landry clasped his fingers together. “Think of it as a paid vacation. We’re only doing this to maintain the safety and integrity of our corporation.”
“I’m all for a paid vacation,” Elijah murmured, sipping his coffee. Landry picked this up, brows raised, although his face remained grave.
Emma jabbed him in the rib with her elbow, an ‘oomph’ sound escaping his lips.

“Are there any other questions?” Landry asked.

But before all the agents could respond, the large television behind their boss cut on, a masked face sat behind a camera. Shocked gasps soon filled the room, even Landry spinning around in appall at the incognito person, now screened before them.

“Who are you?” Their boss seethed, although he tried to keep his voice level.
Surprisingly, the person chuckled, the tone of his or her voice masked by a special machine. “I suppose I’m most commonly referred to as ‘The Ghost’ around your establishment.”

If Elijah hadn’t sensed it at first, he most definitely sensed the hearts of two thousand agents stopping.

Landry paled a few shades, but remained firm. Assertive. “What do you want?”
Again, another nonchalant snicker. “Nothing you could give me, Landry. Because what I want is revenge. Sweet revenge. I will continue to drop every single one of you like houseflies. And I will not stop until I am satisfied. Until I get what I want."
The words managed to chill him to the core but before anyone could react, the screen shut off once more, only leaving behind the thick air of insatiable fear.

[/blockquote][/size]

[laura]

{name:Emma#|#picture:18}

Two days after the chilled, cryptic message, the agency was still in a dazed panic. The building was still on lock-down, which didn’t help matters – some people were actually trying to escape. It was ridiculous.
Elijah was his cool and collected self; hell, did anything faze him!?
Emma was wound tighter than a spring. She found herself walking around in a constant tense state, watching each and every shadow with a sense of suspicion.
Trust no-one, was quickly becoming her mental motto.

Well, almost no-one.
As Emma stretched her muscles out, she side glanced to the only shadow she didn’t watch with growing suspicion. “And you followed me down here, because…?”
Elijah walked out in front of her, stepping onto the bright blue mat, wearing his usual work out gear of navy sweats and matching tee. Looking at him when her muscles clench in an unexpected anticipation.
“I told you already. I like having fun with you, and this is sure as hell going to be fun.”
She’d needed a thorough work out, to burn off steam and unwanted tension; a trip to the underbelly gym was just what she needed. So, she’d pulled on gear and headed out. Apparently Elijah had thought the same thing, because he wasn’t far behind her.

He cocked a brow at her, “Stop looking at me like that, sweetheart.”
Emma blinked, “Like what?”
His blue eyes narrowed on her, “In the way that makes me want to throw you down on this mat and do a different kind of wrestling.”
What way had she been looking at him? Emma frowned to herself – she’d been thinking sexy thoughts, but they hadn’t come out in her expression…had they?

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.
“Stop that,” She chastised, stepping onto the mat. “Now is not the time to flirt. Since we’re locked in a building with a killer, I’m hardly in the mood for what you have in mind. Get your head in the game.”
A true Elijah-style smirk tugged at the corner of his lips and she knew she’d unleashed something that was better off left hidden away. Or was it?
Was that actual excitement brewing in the pit of her stomach?
Good grief. This man was doing things to her she couldn’t comprehend.

With slow, attentive steps, he closed the distance between them. Emma stayed solid and still as he towered over her, looking all the more delicious up close.
There it was again! God damn it.
Elijah snickered softly, draping an arm around her shoulder. "You should know by now I'm a fantastic multi-tasker, sweetheart."
“Really?” Emma pondered aloud. “We’ll soon see about that.”

She moved then, swiftly bending her knees and swinging her right leg out, knocking his sexy legs right out from under him. She’d won the element of surprise, because he landed with a satisfying ‘hmph’, a millisecond before Emma was one him, straddling his waist and pinning his arms above his head, trapping him between her and the soft exercise mat below.
A triumphant smile curved at her lips, “Like I said, Walker, get your head in the-“
Suddenly –and way too easily for her liking- his left hand slid out from her grasp and wrapped around her right leg, flipping it up and off him. He was rolling them over in a flash, their positions reversed as now, instead, Elijah had her pinned to the mat, her own hands restrained above her head and her legs still gripping at his hips as he settled between her thighs.
In just the right spot.
Emma felt her whole freaking body light up like a Christmas tree again – how many times had that happened now? Too many, that’s what.

Elijah moved his hips, forcing a gasp from her throat.
“Mmmm, I like this kind of workout,” He drawled, his fingers lacing through hers as he moved to cage her body completely with his own. Abruptly, there wasn’t a part of her skin that didn’t feel him pressed against her.
Emma could feel his heart beat against her chest, just as surely as he could feel hers.
“Elijah…” She murmured, trying weakly to wriggle free from under him. “…someone might see us.”
"Who cares?" he whispered with a tiny smirk, his eyes practically burning into hers.
“I thought it was a silent agreement. We have images to…protect.” Why did she suddenly sound so breathy?
Elijah shrugged and gently rocked against her once more. "I doubt anyone's coming in around this time."
Her fingers squeezed his, and slowly Emma could feel her solid walls evaporating.

Elijah nipped gently at her chin, coaxing her further away from her guard. “I’m going to show you my multi-tasking skills now, Emma, sweetheart,” He whispered against her skin. “I’m going to maintain my hold on you, keep my head in the game and kiss you, all at the same time.”
“Wow…” She breathed as his lips moved to hover over her own. “That’s something I’ll need to see to believe.”
That was all the goading he needed before he proceeded to show her just that.

It was the single most hottest experience of her life (well, apart from his cell phone jabbing at her through his pants pocket), but like everything else in her life, it was quickly torn out from under her.
The sound of the gym doors slamming shut made her jump, forcing Elijah to cut their kiss short; only when they looked to the large double doors, there wasn’t a soul to be seen. Not a whisper of movement.

[/blockquote][/font]

[Ange Keating]

{name:Elijah #|#picture:17}{name:Elijah #|#picture:17}

After they had finished working out, the pair returned to their apartment to start on the shitload of desk work Landry had assigned them. If there was one thing Elijah absolutely despised, it was actually having to read over cases and putting together large write-ups on it afterwards. Of course Landry wouldn’t let them have a whole lot of down time like the other agents, believing in keeping his two ‘most prized possessions’ busy.
Needless to say, they had spent most of the afternoon alternating between the main case, and smaller ones, while trying to stay awake with coffee and chocolate bars. By the time nine o’ clock rolled around, Elijah rubbed at his lids tiredly, before glancing over to see Emma resting against his shoulder, half asleep.

“Em,” he murmured, shaking her softly.
“Whaaa,” she groaned, slapping his hand away.
Elijah snickered before slinging her in his arms unexpectedly and shooting up from the couch.
“Elijahhh! You make the floor seem so far away.” In spite of her obvious irritation for being woken up, a tiny smile tugged at her lips.
“Is that supposed to be another tall crack?” Elijah shook his head, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. “That deserves punishment.”
She paused, raising her brows slightly. “What kind of punishment?”

He took the time to think it over before looking down at her with a smirk. “Tomorrow night you meet me here at eight after your meeting, or whatever you said you had going on, and I’ll surprise you.”

In spite of their relationship, Elijah still felt the slightest bit nervous asking Emma to join him in something that could end up being potentially romantic. And even if his ego didn’t want to admit it, he wasn’t experienced in the slightest when it came to the big world of dating and treating a girl properly with candles, dinner, and all that ridiculously mushy shit. The most extravagant he’d ever gone for a girl was a burger and some fries before screwing around in his car. But…a true dinner? Where he’d practically have to put his heart on the line? It terrified him.

Elijah was surprised he had even gotten the courage to suggest something like that to Emma, and he attempted to mask his flurried thoughts with another easy grin.

"What is it? I'm not a big fan of surprises."
“Well, I’ll make it worth your while,” he murmured against her lips. “Just meet me at eight.”
She groaned, "Fine. It better be something good."
He lightly dropped her by her door. “What kind of statement is that? Anything with Elijah Walker’s name on it is fucking out of this world.”

Hell, even when he had absolutely no idea how to do something, his confidence shined through like a reflex. Elijah still hadn’t decided whether that was good or bad.

“Night,” he finally concluded, cupping her cheek and pressing a firm kiss to the crown of her head before turning on his heel in the direction of his room.

Elijah most definitely had a lot of thinking to do.

[/blockquote][/size]

[laura]

{name:Emma#|#picture:18}

It was 7:48 by the time Emma was done with Landry; his continuous ranting and raving felt like it was going to go on forever, cursing the masked man and his threats. The man was close to losing his mind over the whole thing and if Emma wasn’t mistaken, his hair looked a few shades greyer than the last time she’d seen him.
“I just don’t understand why this is happening – who is his man!? What does he want? Yes, I know he said some shit about revenge, but that hardly shrinks it down, does it? We’ve pissed more than our fair share of people off; each and every agent in this entire building has!”
“Sir, I-“
“When I get my hands on him and I’m to wrap my hands around his fucking neck and strangle the bastard! Little, gutless worm. Are you carrying a gun on you at all times, Emma?”
She nodded, “Yes, Sir, but really I-“
“Good, don’t hesitate to shoot the bastard if you see him.”
“And how will I do that if I don’t know what he looks like?” She enquired, cocking one auburn brow.
Landry’s jaw hardened, “I don’t know!”

“Sir,” Emma placed her hand onto his shoulder when he hutched over his desk. “The entire building is on lock down, this guy is trapped here, just like the rest of us. We will catch him.”
“When!? After he kills more of our employees? This is getting out of control, Emma, and honestly, I feel like I’m losing my feet here.”
“You need to stay strong, sir, don’t let this guy wear you down,” Emma was about to say anything that would get her out of there – now. “I have things to do, but if there’s anything you need me to do-“
“Actually, there is, take this down to Rosie at vehicle distribution,” he slid a slim card key across the desk to her, “Security won’t let her out without it.”
Emma picked up the card. “She gets to leave…?”
“Family emergency. Don’t worry, I’ve called her relations and it checks out, hell, I’ve even had the doctor treating her mother email me her records. I’m not leaving anything to chance.”

She sighed. Taking the darn card all the way down to the base level would take time Emma didn’t have, and if she was late… Elijah had already warned her to be there on time.
Emma nodded and left her fuming boss to his own ramblings.

As she stepped into the elevator, Emma tapped her pockets in search for her phone – only to remember she’d left it on the kitchen counter before leaving the apartment hours earlier.
“Just great,” She muttered to herself. So much for calling Elijah and letting him know she may be just a little late.

The lift moved painfully slow down the length of the exceedingly large building, stopping every now and then with a gentle ‘ping’ as someone else got in with her. Emma glanced impatiently down at her watch – 7:57PM. Perfect. Three minutes to toss a card at the car girl and catch the lift back up to the 18th floor.
Maybe Elijah wouldn’t complain too much if she was a few minutes late. After all, Emma still had no idea what he had in store for her, even when she’d asked again that morning he’d still refused to tell her.

The doors slid open and she was out before the ping sounded, jogging her way through the wide car park to the small booth located on the other side. It was unusually quiet in there, which probably had something to do with the fact that no-one could drive anywhere…
She burst through the doorway, eager to unload the damn card and get back in the lift.
Too bad there was no-one in there. No Rosie, no sign of anyone.
“Hello?” Emma left the small room and peered out into the car park. “Hellooooo!”
Excellent. Just excellent!
“Christ, Rosie, what the hell!?”
Too impatient to wait around, Emma dumped the key onto the keyboard of the computer, happy to leave the thing there for the woman to find.

A creak suddenly sounded behind her, a second before the door slammed shut. She just about made out the sound of a key turning in a lock.

[/blockquote][/font]

[Ange Keating]

{name:Elijah #|#picture:17}

Elijah smoothed his shirt, an anxious sigh escaping his lips. In two hours, he had managed to transform the apartment into what resembled one of those extremely ritzy French restaurants with the long, complicated titles that translated to the most simplest words in English. It wasn’t particularly his style (fuck, it wasn’t his style at all), but his goal was to make Emma happy, and if that involved Paté and ridiculously expensive wine, he’d oblige.
Thankfully, the agency still received deliveries and he was able to buy several boxes of food that embodied the romantic Parisian experience. Christ – Elijah had even cleaned that day, making sure every ounce of dirt was scrubbed away and replaced with glimmering metal. And by eight o’ clock, when the food had been moved to glistening white plates, candles lit, a jazz record humming from the foyer, and the wine chilling, Elijah flopped onto the chair, running a hand through his hair exhaustedly.

When the wariness had eventually worn down, feelings of restlessness had ensued. Elijah’s heart was actually on the line for her – he was stripping away his guards and revealing a person beyond his usual playboy demeanor. There was no turning back at this point; he promised himself he wouldn’t close himself off to her anymore. That after this night, they could officially consider themselves ‘dating’, not just rolling around in the sheets, or working out, or cuddling to some movie. They were actually…becoming something, and the thought sent a mix of shivers down his spine.

A part of him was ready, but the other part was scared shitless he’d screw something up. Elijah always did. He was selfish, greedy, generally uncaring, and detached. How the hell could he translate that into anniversaries, and Valentines days? How could he care about someone other than himself, even when it hurt to? How could he pass by so many women on the street each day, and stay loyal to one? Wake up to that same woman each day, without make up, or sexy clothing or neat hair and still think of her as the most beautiful chick on the planet?

Elijah had troubles admitting to himself he already had, with Emma. Fuck – he had run back into a burning building for her! He comforted her on the veranda! He…had no desires for any other woman, after she had become his.

Elijah cracked open the bottle of wine, pouring himself a tall glass before glancing down at his watch. Eight twenty? Where the hell was she? Maybe the meeting was running late. Landry had become a long-winded guy as of recent, so it was only likely that was it.

…Until several glasses and an hour later soon elapsed, the candles dying down and the food growing cold.

Elijah’s jaw clenched, fingers tapping at the table spread by the time a light rap on the door lulled him out of his budding anger. In a sharp movement, he rose from the table, hoping it was Emma so she could quickly redeem herself. But even as time wore on, Elijah felt his wall rising again. There was no way she’d knock if she had the card to the apartment – she never left without it.

And of course he was right, not a soul standing before him. Instead there was a letter on the ground with Emma’s name signed across the front.
Elijah felt his lips purse as he stooped to pick it up, the ink fresh on the paper.

Dear Elijah

I thought I could handle this, the thought of us being together. But I can’t do this right now. I tried waiting it out to see if we would ever work, but the more and more I think about it, the more I realize we’re destined for failure. I don’t want to hurt you, I really don’t, but things between us can’t continue like this. I do thank you for giving me the confidence to try new things, though. I’ve been speaking with another man as of late, and now I have the courage to take things further. I’ll be home later tonight. Please don’t be mad.

Emma.


Elijah’s fingers were shaking with raw fury by the time he finished the letter, quickly tearing it into bits before tossing it into a trash can and kicking it over. He knew he shouldn’t have done this, shouldn’t have let Emma get to him. But he had, and that was a mistake on his part. A mistake he definitely wouldn’t be making again.
In a flurry of rage, he tore the spread from the table, sending the glass bottle, utensils, and plates flying, before soon shattering all over the floor. Fuck her. Elijah was done.

It was her loss if she even thought for a second another guy was better than him. He had never heard such bull shit in his life! Girls usually pined for his attention, fought over it sometimes, but here she was, blowing off her only window into his heart for some lousy scrub that he could probably beat the crap out of.

He grabbed the whiskey from the cupboard, before stalking down the hallway and slamming the door behind him. This was exactly why his only interest in women resided with their bodies. This was why it was so much easier to be single, to not be attached. Elijah hated himself for giving into her so easily.

If this was her idea of sweet revenge, applauds to her -- she had waited long enough to catch him off guard, strip away his usual careless demeanor to screw around with what laid underneath.

But Elijah Walker definitely wasn't the person anyone wanted to cross. He always delivered the perfect retribution.

[/blockquote][/size]

[laura]

{name:Emma#|#picture:18}

Someone had locked her in the tiny fucking office. Had actually had the nerve to follow her, wait until she was in the room then shut the door, lock the damn thing and leave her there. At first, Emma had gone with shouting for help, hoping the elusive Rosie would hear her, but after an hour of nothing, her anger swiftly took over and the door became her target.
With the help of anything she could find in the room – the computer, the chair, the filling cabinet and a shelf she’d pulled off the wall – Emma made a messy hole in the thing, big enough so she could push herself through it.
“Whoever fucking did this is going to pay!” She called at the empty car park as she scrambled to her feet. “Severely. Just you wait!”

With a muttered curse, Emma glanced down at her watch – 9:46PM.
Shit! She was almost two hours late for Elijah’s surprise meeting, all thanks to the idiot jokester. He wasn’t going to be happy with her, hell, she could practically see his pissed off face now – but once she explained the situation to him, he’d understand. Emma had no doubt of that, since, hell, it’s not like anything else would have kept her from him.

On the way back up in the elevator, Emma dusted herself off and tidied her hair up as best she could in the mirrored walls. Despite how peeved she was after her mess of an evening, there was no denying the excitement that was overtaking it.
This was gradually becoming a natural feeling for Emma when she was about to enter the apartment.

The moment she opened the door, however, the excitement quickly vanished.

Food, glasses, plates and a wine bottle were scattered over the floor beside the table, candles almost burned out were flickering wildly from various places around the room and the soft sound of music echoed through the apartment. It looked so…romantic, even in its messy state.

What the hell had happened?
Emma closed the door dubiously behind her, searching for any sign of her partner.
“Elijah?”
Silence greeted her.
She stepped over the mess, dropping her bag on the chair as she passed and headed for his room.

“Elijah…?” Emma knocked on his door lightly before pushing it open and peering around it. “There you are.”
He was laid out across his bed, starring hard at the ceiling.
"Don't fucking come in," he hissed. "I'm trying to sleep."
Emma walked in anyway, only stopping when she reached the side of the bed. “Are you angry with me? I’m sorry I was late, Elijah, but you won’t believe what happened. I had to go down to the car park on a mini mission for Landry and someone locked me in the damn office!”
He narrowed his eyes at her. "Who the hell would lock you in a parking lot, and we're on lock down. No one can leave." He paused, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Y'know what, Emma? We were both fucking kidding ourselves in this ever working. Like you said."
A slight frown creased her brows, “The underground car park, Elijah, it’s in the building…and I don’t know who did it. You know what people are like with me, it could have been one of many.” Then, the second part of his sentence hit her. “What do you mean? We are working…I think. I am sorry for not getting here for eight, honestly I am. Let’s do it now – the surprise.”
"Just...get out, Emma. I don't take someone's leftovers."
“I’m sorry?” She asked, folding her arms tightly across her chest. Had he just called her ‘leftovers?’
Elijah looked away and returned to starring at the ceiling. "I don't want to talk about it, Emma."

There was something not right about the way he had looked at her; something haunting. Elijah had never looked at her in that way before, even when they’d first met. It was the same look most other agents gave her – one of pure, undiluted hate.

Emma sighed and moved onto the bed beside him. “What’s wrong? Has something happened?”
He moved away from her. "We're through. That's it. Go to bed."
“You’re being ridiculous. All this because I’m a little late?”
“Go. Away.”
She pushed up from the bed, frustrated with his tone. “Fine. I’ll go away, whatever the hell you want, Elijah. You’re dumping me over something that I had no control over – someone locked me in a fucking room! I broke out using a computer, because all I could think about was getting back to be with you, and now you can’t even look at me.”

Emma made sure to slam the door shut behind her when she left him to wallow alone.
“Bastard,” She cursed, storming through the apartment, kicking plates and anything else that got into her path.

Had she surely just been dumped?
Wow, he’d really given her and them a chance, hadn’t he? What was Emma kidding; he’d probably met someone else or gotten bored of her already. That was Elijah all over.
She kicked the fallen bin – and paused. With her kick, pieces of ripped paper had rolled out onto the carpet, enticing her attention. She picked up the nearest and biggest piece and frowned at the word that looked up at her.
’Emma’.

[/blockquote][/font]

[Ange Keating]

{name:Elijah #|#picture:17}

Elijah’s grip tightened on his pillow as he continued to glare up at the ceiling. Why couldn’t she come clean about what the letter had obviously said? He tried to convince himself it didn’t matter – that regardless of her lies, he still wouldn’t care. That it was over. But after a full hour of trying to stay mad, a foreign feeling settled in the pit of his stomach, one that made him completely disgusted with himself – pain. Was this what it felt like whenever he crushed another girl’s feelings with little to no remorse? Elijah felt like a monster for being able to easily inflict such emotions on other people, without ever experiencing it for himself…until now.

Eventually Elijah found the energy to get out of bed, leaving his fingers on the door knob for two whole minutes before slowly opening it and trudging down the hallway. He had no idea in hell what he was doing, but at this point his brain was sick and tired of fighting with his heart.

Elijah soon spotted Emma in the kitchen sweeping the floor of the mess he had made, seemingly unaware of the new presence until he was staring at the ceiling in silence, hands shoved in the pockets of his sweat pants. It probably would have been smarter to come up with what the hell he would say first.

“Did you come here to bash me again?” she finally said, her eyes flashing up to his momentarily before falling towards the floor.

See, Elijah could have ended things for good that night. Return to dignified strangers that simply had a job to do together. It would have been a hell of a lot easier on him, but at that very second he realized taking the easy way out would never assuage him. After years had passed and they had moved on, it would still bother him, that he had pushed all his feelings under a mat and let the greatest thing that had ever happened to him go.

Elijah wasn’t even thinking of the fact that she could have stood him up, that she could have been with another guy. All that mattered was getting to touch her again, and by fucking hell, he always got what he wanted.

After staring at each other for several seconds, they had both broken the space between them, lips crushing together as he cupped her jaw. Anger was still apparent in his movements, by the way his teeth grazed her bottom lip so hard a copper taste soon enveloped his tongue, but he continued regardless.

“E-Elijah,” she whispered, “I didn’t write whatever letter you received. I swear.”
He shut her up with another fervent kiss before murmuring, “I don’t care.” Elijah knew how vulnerable he was, but refused to let that bother him.
She ran a finger along the collar of his t-shirt. “I mean it. D-Don’t you still wonder about the gym? How the door slammed without a word?”
Elijah paused, although he still kept his firm body against hers. In a flurry of anger, hurt, and confusion, he hadn’t considered it at all. “I guess--“
“Whoever saw us did this, Elijah. I would never do this to you. Ever.”

His jaw tightened slightly, eyes falling to the floor. She gripped his jaw, forcing it back up to look at her. “Don’t you trust me?”
Elijah grabbed her wrists, dropping it to her sides. “It would make sense that you were doing all this to get back at me – for what I did to you.”

Of course his brain couldn’t let his heart hold reign for that long. Elijah kneaded his temples before walking away from her. “I just need sleep.”

With that, he started down the corridor, barely making it three yards before a body jumped on his back, legs circling around his waist.
“You will stop running away from me!” Emma commanded angrily, jerking him back before maneuvering her body off of him and forcing him onto the couch. She then mounted him, her elbow pressing into his throat with frenzied anger. “You cannot just waltz in here, kiss me, and then pretend it didn’t happen! You know I didn’t stand you up, Elijah. You know it, but you’re afraid of getting your heart involved. Afraid that one day I might not like you. Well, guess what? I’m in this for the long haul, baby. Regardless of you being a naturally-bred jackass, I still have feelings for you! And that will never go away. So, you either accept that or quit now. Choose.”

Elijah blinked up at her, surprised when a tiny snicker escaped his lips. “I think you just turned me on.”

Emma slapped his chest, before grabbing the collar of his shirt. “Christ, shut up and kiss me properly.” With that, she forced him upwards so their lips joined once again, and this time, Elijah poured every ounce of emotion he had into it.

No turning back.

[/blockquote][/size]

[laura]

{name:Emma#|#picture:18}

Emma stirred early the following morning, even by her standards. The room was still black dark and a glance at the digital clock beside the bed told her it was just passed 3AM. Thoughts of the letter and Elijah’s reaction to it wouldn’t leave her be, it plagued her dreams for answers he hadn’t given her yet.
She sighed and turned to Elijah in the bed beside her, sprawled out with his face buried into the pillow and his right arm hung loosely over her back. The man slept like a baby.

Emma nudged him lightly, urging him from sleep. “Elijah…wake up.”
He groaned and buried his face deeper into his pillow.
“Elijah…” She shuffled across the small space between them and nudged him once more. “Stop being so lazy. I can’t sleep.”
A muffled curse sounded a second before he turned his face to look at her. “So, just because you can’t sleep, I’m not supposed to either?”
She nodded, “Exactly.”
“That seems fair.”

With a content smile, Emma closed in on him, sharing his pillow. There was one thing she wanted to know above all else. “I have questions.”
Elijah sighed, “And waiting until the morning isn’t an option?”
“I’ve already told you…I can’t sleep.”
He peered at her through half opened eyes, a slight smirk tugging lazily at his lips. “Fine. Ask away.”

Her fingers stroked gently at his chin. “Tell me about what you had planned last night. It kind of looked like a…date.”
Elijah smirked lightly. "It was. I wanted to surprise you with the ultimate romantic experience."
Her brows rose up. How intriguing. “Which was what…?”
"Dinner, wine...good music. Hopefully cuddling."
“Definitely cuddling,” Emma breathed, moving her fingers up and down his jaw. “You’re being vague. What food was it, and wine? I saw candles too.”
He paused for a brief second before answering her. "French food, from downtown. Candles, yeah. And I even dressed up. You missed a good sight."
The mental imagine flashed through her mind, making Emma grin harder than she ever had before. “All of this sounds intense, Elijah. I’m not sure I could have handled it…you weren’t by chance trying to seduce me, were you?”
"Oh you missed your chance on finding out," he teased, brushing his lips against hers before pulling away.
“Will I get another chance?” She murmured as her fingers curled around the collar of his tee.
He paused, pretending to think about it. "Well I suppose I could make an exception - only for you."
No other words in the world could have made her happier then they did just then. Brushing the tip of her nose against his, Emma asked, “Tomorrow night? We can try again, but without the posh and fancy French food. You can still dress up, though, that would be nice to see.”
Memories of how he’d looked in his suit at the Christmas party slipped into her mind, sending a quiver of excitement through her stomach.
Elijah snickered, but nodded nonetheless. "Deal ."
They kissed on it.

“Can we go back to sleep now?” Elijah asked, his arm wrapping tightly around her waist and tugging her tightly against him. Emma went without protest.
She shook her head, “Not yet. There’s one more thing I want to know. What did the letter say to make you so angry? When I came into the room, you looked at me like…well, like you hated me. I couldn’t make it out when I was cleaning because you’d ripped it up.”
Elijah bit his tongue. "Basically all this shit about you saying we would never 'work out', and how I gave you the confidence to pursue another guy you'd met."

Emma stared at him, dumfounded. “And you believed that? I don’t even like men touching me, Elijah. That doesn’t make sense.”
“I know.” He murmured.
“You didn’t answer me when I asked you if you trusted me either.”
"Do you trust me?" He asked.
“Will my answer influence yours?”
"Nah, just curious."
Of course she trusted him. He was one of the only two people in the world that she did. How could she not? He’d saved her from a burning building, seen her at her worst on the veranda and hadn’t told a soul about it or the truths of her past. And now he was being romantic for her.

Emma moved back onto her own pillow. She knew what he was doing, hell, she’d done it a hundred times before – shooting the question back so she didn’t have to answer it.
“I’ve given you no reason to trust me, so it’s only natural that you don’t.” She murmured, rolling onto her back to stare at the ceiling.
"I do," he murmured, trying to tug her back across the space to him.
Emma stayed firmly in her place. “Don’t say things that you don’t mean.”
When she wouldn’t budge, Elijah decided to come to her instead, eating the space up between them with ease. “I’m not. I do trust you, Emma, more than I trust anyone else. Now, can we go back to sleep, please?”

[/blockquote][/font]

[Ange Keating]

{name:Elijah #|#picture:17}

___

I can do this, Elijah coaxed himself as he stood before the mirror for the second time, fixing the cuffs on his shirt. In spite of it being their first true date, he felt…different now. Like their relationship was indestructible, and no matter what he did, she’d still continue to have feelings for him. Elijah no longer felt the urge to try and impress her with Parisian dinners and expensive wine, knowing that she liked him for him, and not some cheap imitation.

The idea was exhilarating, and as Elijah sprayed cologne on his wrists and neck, a tiny smirk pulled at his lips before he was stepping out of the bathroom and strolling over to Emma’s door. Christ – she had been in there for at least half an hour! He wasn’t particularly used to her taking so long to get dressed, but it was obvious why today was the exception.

…And Elijah was far from disappointed by the time her door pushed open, clad in the dressiest outfit he had seen her in since the ball, red curls sweeping over her chest effortlessly.
He opened his mouth to speak, but the words swirled around in his thoughts, leaving him to shut his jaw abruptly.
Emma’s eyebrows rose slightly before hooking her fingers with his. “What? Do I look weird?”
“Completely the opposite,” he murmured, lifting her hand to press a tender kiss to it.
Elijah liked to believe he was smooth around all types of women, no matter what, but the things Emma had managed to do to him lately entirely changed him. He was still deciding whether that had the potential to be a good thing or not.

Blood flooded to her cheeks, but she played it off with a grin. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”
Elijah shrugged with a tiny snicker. “Eh, it’s natural.”
She slapped his shoulder slightly, before trailing down the hallway. “So what do you have planned for me? The living room looks pretty normal still.”

Elijah had decided their date wouldn’t be inside the agency, lock down or not. He craved air, and space from the same walls they woke up to everyday. Plus, if Emma wanted a better look into his world, it didn’t comprise of fancy dinners and candles. Nah, he was thinking soda and a corn dog on the boardwalk, above The Underground. That’s where the lakes weren’t artificial, and the air stale. Where the sunset wasn’t virtual, and nature overwhelmed.

It was the perfect place to be on a first date, for the both of them.

“Well,” Elijah trailed to the balcony, sliding the door open. “That’s because our date isn’t here.”
"It isn't?" She asked dubiously. "Okaay...where else can we have it? We're not allowed to leave the building remember?"
He chuckled. “Since when do I follow the rules? We’re sneaking out, sweetheart.” Elijah was already hotwiring the window that locked around the railing, so that the protective glass slid open, the noises of the city below them entering the small space.
An excited glint shone in her eyes. "And how do you suggest we do that?"

Elijah swung his legs over the railing to the balcony before dropping onto the landing below that lead to the bottom floor of the agency, He then held out his arms with a devilish smirk, “By using the emergency exit. Probably not the most glamorous way down, but what the hell?”

[/blockquote][/size]

[laura]

{name:Emma#|#picture:18}

It still seemed unbelievable to her that Elijah was actually doing this in the first place, let alone actually doing it for her. Not only did he want to date her, but he was willing to risk his job to do it.
Why? The immortal word poked at her every time he touched her, kissed her, or so much as looked at her.

When they were firmly on the ground, Elijah led her towards the garage, or at least the side street beside the entrance, where a guy Emma had seen working in the garage office a few times, stood beside a motorcycle. He glanced down at his watch impatiently before he spotted them.
“About time,” He groaned, dropping a set of keys into Elijah’s open palm. “Security is riding my ass hard.”
Elijah pushed something in to the mans hand – money, Emma guessed – and nodded his appreciation. “Thanks again, Milo.”
“Sure, whatever,” His eyes skimmed to Emma for a brief second and there was no missing the surprise that showed. “Are you picking up your chick or…?”

Elijah picked the only helmet up from the seat of his sleek black Concours ABS and turned to her. She knew before he raised it up that he had no intension of wearing it himself. “No need. Thankfully, I live with my chick, so I don’t have to worry about picking her up.”
What Milo said next was muffled by the thick, plush helmet he’d pushed over her head. It couldn’t have been important though, since Elijah didn’t bother to reply. Instead, he got onto the bike and waved her to get on behind him. She did without protest, claiming the small seat positioned behind him and wrapped her arms tightly around Elijah’s waist.

“What about you?” Emma asked when he started the engine up. “You don’t have a helmet.”
“I’ve rode this thing enough times, Em. I’ll be fine. You, on the other hand…” She could have sworn she felt him shudder before he pulled away, leaving the unfinished sentence hanging.

She squeezed him tightly when the wheels lifted off the ground, and soon they were joining with the main stream traffic on the way out of The Underground.
As he directed them through the busy traffic, Emma wondered why it was he only had one helmet, since, hell, the man had definitely had his fill of female attention, and he must have taken them on his bike (since the thing was sexy as hell, not to mention even sexier when he sat on it). It wasn’t like she’d been the first.
Why would he save something like that for her?

And there it was again, the niggling word that popped up every chance it got.
Why was he taking her out of the city?
Emma had little experience with life outside of D-79 Underground, and the experience she did have she didn’t like to think about.

Once they were finally on the road leading up to the surface, Emma squeezed him hard and called, “Where are we going?”
She could see his grin in the small circular mirror to her left. “On a date.”
“Where on a date?”
“Why do you always have to know everything? Sit back and wait for the surprise, sweetheart.”

Waiting? Ugh. Surprises? Double ugh.
They were certainly two words she didn’t like; along with her new favourite why.
Sighing in defeat, Emma pressed herself into his back and watched the view as they flew up into the clear and crisp air of Upper D-79, silently hoping Landry wouldn’t find out they were gone. The man would probably have a heart attack if he knew.

[/blockquote][/font]

[Ange Keating]

{name:Elijah #|#picture:17}

Elijah hadn’t really considered how Landry would react, nor did he care. He had already managed to get away with so many things due to his sheer talent alone, so why stop now? Besides, the man hadn’t called or visited their suite in days, only electronically transferring their paper work. He wasn’t concerned.

Upper D-79 soon greeted them, and after Elijah broke away from the main traffic and turned through a few auxiliary roads, a network of small, compact houses spanned before them, the very essence of what the rural counterpart of the Underground looked like. Life up here was simple, less-complicated, exactly why Elijah chose to live below.

But if he was in the mood for appreciating beauty, the suburbs was a great place to be.

“I’m soo confused,” she whispered, still gripping his torso tightly.
Elijah snickered, shaking his head slightly. “I knew I should have blindfolded you!”
He could practically feel the eye roll before she rested her head against his shoulder, the bike flying through a few more roads until the scent of sea salt overwhelmed their senses, birds crying from afar.

Elijah hadn’t been to the boardwalk since he was a kid, when his parents would take him there for his birthday each year until adolescence came along, and he traded out his folks for friends and girls. Given this one wasn’t as nice as back home, it was still plagued with nostalgia, and as they approached the parking lot, Elijah quickly parked the bike, a grin pulling at his lips.

Emma raised her brows, although excitement glimmered in her eyes at the sight of the wooden dock that stretched on for miles, vendors full of popcorn and candy attracting people from young to old. A ferris wheel shot up from afar, the sunset already initiating as the sky transformed from a bright blue, to smoky lavender.

He bumped into her side playfully, before tangling his fingers with hers.

“Boardwalks were my favorite place growing up,” he mused, paying for their bracelets.
“It’s beautiful, Elijah. I…never expected you’d take me here.”
It was his turn to arch his eyebrows, quickly helping her with the pink band. “Why not?”
“Well, your idea of a good time usually consists of clubs and raves.”

Elijah scoffed, before sliding on his own. “That’s not the only thing I like, Emma.”
She grinned slightly. “I’m still trying to figure you out – it’s like your two different people.”
He glanced up at the sky. “Which side do you like better?”
“I refuse to answer that!” she exclaimed, almost laughing.
“Why?”
“Because I’m not indulging in the fact that my boyfriend might be schizophrenic.”
Elijah paused, snickering lightly. “So I’m your boyfriend now?” Of course he was just teasing her.
She glanced over at the cotton candy stand, hiding the slight red tinge in her cheeks. “I—I thought since we were dating—“
He grabbed her close, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. “Christ! I’m messin’ with ya’, Em. Now, what do you wanna do first?”

The possibilities were pretty much endless here.

[/blockquote][/size]

[laura]

{name:Emma#|#picture:18}

Boyfriend? Where on earth had that come from? Perhaps her confounded brain was moving her on faster than it should have been. Emma was so pathetically inexperienced with this type of thing, how was she supposed to know what was right and what wasn’t?
It was reasons like these that Emma didn’t do relationships.

With his question, she looked around at the passing people. Not one person looked unhappy – children ran from vendor to vendor, laughing and dragging their parents behind them, couples young and old walked hand in hand or arms linked as they walked along the length of the wooden dock.
“What’s that?” Emma pointed to a vendor next to the candyfloss stand, where a young couple were stood.
Elijah smiled, “It’s a shooting game.”
Interested, Emma moved toward it, watching as the man tried in vain to shoot down all the fast moving targets. It reminded her of the first time she’d met Elijah and taken him to the shooting range. The owner passed over a small, stuffed white rabbit to the man’s girlfriend, who hardly looked happy with her prize.
“Haven’t you been to one of these places before, Em?”

“No,” She answered, shaking her head and watching as the man paid for another round of bullets. “Have you ever played this?”
“Yea, loads of times, it was a great way to impress…” Elijah trailed off, his last word coming out in a quick murmur, “Girls.”
“Mhmm,” Emma quickly shook that off. “This guy doesn’t look like he’s impressing his lady too well, though.”

When the man failed to hit all the targets again, the blonde girl pouted and pointed to the giant panda bear hanging on the back wall, murmuring to her boyfriend, “That’s the one I want, Colin, not this silly rabbit!”
Elijah chuckled against her ear, “Want the panda, sweetheart?”
“You hardly have to impress me, Elijah.”
“I know. I’m not doing it to impress you, Em.”
A smirk tugged at the corner of her lips, “I don’t want the bear.”
“I don’t care. I want to win it for you.”

With a quick brush of his lips against her ear, Elijah swooped in to take the place of the murmuring couple. “Sorry, man, my turn now,” He grinned down at the man, his ‘polite’ way of saying get out the damn way.
He paid the owner for one round of bullets, loaded the gun and fired.

Of course, Elijah hit every single target without evening blinking, leaving the owner and the couple in a stunned silence. Emma shook her head at his arrogant expression. He’d done it to show off in front of the audience, not because he’d wanted to win her the damn panda.
The elderly owner unhooked the giant bear and dropped it onto the top in front of Elijah. He hardly looked happy with having to part with the thing, which only made Elijah grin harder.
“He won the bear, Colin!” The blonde fumed. “Why couldn’t you do that? I want it. Get it.”
“How the hell am I supposed to do that?”
“I don’t know; be creative!”
With a deep sigh, the man turned to Elijah and cleared his throat. “Um…dude, how much do you want for the panda?”
Without giving him the time of day, Elijah lifted the ball of black and white fluff and tucked it under his arm. “It’s not for sale.”
“Ahh, man, come on, my girlfriend really wants the stupid thing. What are you going to do with it?”

Stopping in front of her, Elijah presented her with the silly giant bear, and said without glancing over his shoulder. “Give it to my girl, perhaps?”
The gleam of triumph in his eyes made it hard to refuse him or the panda. Biting the inside of her cheek, Emma took the bear from him and raised her face up to him (even on tip toes she had no hopes of reaching his lips herself, freakishly tall giant that he was). “Thank you.”
He bent down to meet her and murmured softly against her lips, “You’re welcome.”

[/blockquote][/font]

[Ange Keating]

{name:Elijah #|#picture:17}

In an hour they had managed to explore the crazy mirror house, get cotton candy, watch street performers, get on a few rides, and go through the ferris wheel a few times. So by the time the sun was officially disappearing behind the mountains, a smoky night taking over, they strolled over to their final destination before the railing that overlooked a wide expanse of ocean, the water sloshing around the support beams.
Elijah glanced up at the stars, which resembled a plethora of diamonds sprayed across a dark blanket, the flashy lights of the fair long behind them casting an array of colors on the dark shores.

“Thanks for everything, Elijah,” Emma finally murmured, leaning against his shoulder.
He draped his arm over her shoulder, pressing a firm kiss to the crown of her head. “I’m glad you had a good time.”
She tangled their fingers together, pausing several seconds before asking, “So what now?”
Elijah scanned the water once more before a mischievous smirk tugged at the corners of his lips. “The night isn’t officially over until we jump.”
Emma broke away abruptly, trying to conceal a shocked gasp. “Jump where?”
“Off a building,” he responded sarcastically, before shaking his head towards the water. “The water. Where else?”

She backed away, lifting her hands in disapproval, although a massive grin was fighting to take over. “Oh no, no, no, no, no, I’m not jumping. No.”
Elijah laughed, slowly closing the gap between them. “Why not? I used to do it all the time when I was kid. Is the big, bad Emma scared? Christ, this is ironic. Fearless behind the barrel of a gun yet a chicken for water that’s just a smidge on the deep side.”
“I’m not!” she retorted. “I just…don’t feel like it.”
He held out his hands. “C’mon Emma, sweetheart. Time to face your fears. Rest assured I won’t let you drown – I would’ve two months ago but that’s beside the point.”
“You’re delightful.”

Elijah gripped her wrist, dragging her body against his and effortlessly lifting it up. “I know I am. Ready?”
Emma hit his chest, wriggling against his hold. “No---Elijah! Put me down!”
“Too late.”

In one motion, he tossed her over the railing, quickly climbing over and diving in behind her. They dropped towards the dark pit before water was overwhelming his senses and forcing him back towards the surface. Elijah gasped out, running a hand through his hair and quickly swimming over to a splashing Emma with an amused smirk. She clung to him for dear life, her next reaction shocking him completely---

Emma Ward laughed. She wholeheartedly burst out into an explosion of giggles, red hair (now dark) clumped to her neck and chest.

Elijah widened his eyes slightly, supporting both of their bodies. “I can’t believe I’d see the day,” he breathed.

[/blockquote][/size]

[laura]

{name:Emma#|#picture:18}

With her laugh, came relief. Twenty-nine years of suppressed laughter rushed out all at once, bringing with it a wave of warmth that stemmed straight from the pit of her stomach. Every part of her abruptly felt lighter than it did before; her lips tingled from the strength of her smile, her cheeks prickled. Life felt… nice. Tension she didn’t know she had vanished like a veil had been lifted.

Her laugh faded gradually. “You made me laugh!” She said, amazed. “I can’t believe it. That’s another first for me.” All of which were thanks to him.
Elijah raised his brows, a grin spreading across his lips. "Of course I made you laugh. I'm Elijah Walker, sweetheart." He paused, before adding in a slightly more sincere tone, "I'm glad I did though."
“There it is again,” She splashed him. “One minute you’re this cocky, arrogant guy, then it’s like…you remember who you’re with, and you change.” His cocky side made her just want to laugh at him some more, while the other side never failed to make her feel wanted. The look in his eye when he looked at her always made her stomach quiver.
"Does it bother you?" he teased softly, dragging his lips briefly against hers.
Her arm snaked around his neck. “No. It’s interesting actually, since I’ve never seen you do it with anyone but me.”
"Guess there's still a lot you don't know about me," he responded, with another grin. "I'm complex."
“Yea, guess you are,” She mused, her fingers teasing the hairs at the back of his neck.

There was a lot about Elijah that Emma didn’t know, and didn’t understand. She still didn’t know about the nightmare he’d had, and she didn’t want to ask again. Emma knew what it was like to have a shadowy past and she hated people that pried.

“I don’t think I’ll ever understand the workings of your mind, Elijah,” Emma sighed when his lips brushed across hers once more, his hot breath blowing out across her wet, chilled skin. “Were you two different people with Sadie, too?”
His brows creased slightly before he asked, “Who?”
Emma blinked, “Sadie. She was your…fuck buddy when you were a teenager.”
Elijah continued to look at her with a confused frown. “Em, I honestly don’t know who you’re talking about. I had a lot of buddies at that age. It’s impossible to keep track.”
“Oh, okay.”

A part of her was smiling on the inside, content with the fact that he didn’t remember the only girl who’d gotten close enough to almost have a relationship with him. According to his mother, that was the closest he’d come to girlfriend, and even then it was miles off. He’d run for the hills.
Then, there was a tiny part of her that wondered what that meant for her.

She would be like all the others before her; another nameless face in the back of his mind, forgotten with time and other women.

Emma looked down into the dark water and untangled herself from him, putting some much needed space between them and pushing back to tread water alone.
Shrugging the topic off, she looked to the shore. “Maybe we should get out, otherwise we’ll never dry in time for the drive home.”
She barely made a stroke when something locked around her ankle, stopping her from moving another inch. Emma glanced over her shoulder, just as Elijah was dragging her back through the water towards him, his hand only releasing the hold on her ankle when she was firmly against him.
“I don’t remember them, Emma, because they aren’t worth remembering. They were all one night stands or there just for the sex.” Elijah cocked his head to one side, inspecting her closely. “Do you think I’d forget you as easily as I’ve forgotten them?”
“I don’t think anything.” She answered simply.
Elijah’s eyed widened, “You do, don’t you? Christ, Em. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be able to.”
“Geez, thanks, that’s great to know.”

[/blockquote][/font]