by Mj Fields
Brody���s eyes never left the television, ���Water���s fine.���
Emma returned and handed him the glass and sat down. ���Thank you, Emma.���
���You���re very welcome, Brody.���
���So I definitely went all out for the honeymoon, The Today Show huh?��� Brody smiled.
Emma laughed, ���It was perfect.���
The next videos were the holidays and he laughed when he watched London���s expression as she opened every gift, ���She���s beautiful Emma, and funny.���
���London adores you, Brody. You���ve been so good for her.���
They watched the video of their trip to London and the trip to the cabin he had bought in New Hampshire.
Emma fell asleep on the floor wrapped in a ball. Brody looked at her and watched her sleep. Her body quivered like Lexington���s had and he smiled. He bent down and picked her up and carried her up the stairs and gently laid her in their bed. He brushed his teeth and looked in the mirror. He took his shirt off and saw the scar���s across his chest and cringed, remembering the beatings. He turned and looked at his back and saw the scar from the stab wound and took a deep breath. Brody put his shirt back on. He walked out and slipped into bed next to this woman who loved him enough to not give up on him. To wait for him…and he knew she���d gone looking for him. He admired her and loved how she was with his child that she had for him. He reflected on the videos, or the holidays. He smiled when he thought of her laying on their bed as she taped him kissing her belly and giving her injections while she was undergoing fertility treatments so that he could be a father, and London could have a sibling. He laid on his side and watched her sleep. He was fighting to stay awake when she sat up quickly and screamed out his name, and cried.
���Emma?��� he said looking at her, ���Emma, are you awake?���
���You���re here, God I���ve missed you,��� she cried and held him tightly, ���Don���t leave me again please.��� She begged. Brody closed his eyes and something flashed through his mind. It was like D��j�� vu.
She was in a bed and she had an IV, there was another man in the room. He gasped causing her to sit up quickly.
���Oh I���m so sorry, I ���how did I get in here, are you okay? What time…��� Emma began.
���It���s two in the morning,��� Brody breathed out. Emma smiled, ���What���s so funny?���
���I ask the time a lot, and you used to call me…��� Emma started.
���Little white rabbit?��� Brody asked.
���Yes, Brody,��� she grabbed his face and kissed him.
���Emma,��� he moaned and slowly pulled away.
���Oh I���m so sorry,��� Emma covered her mouth.
���No, you told me no earlier and no means no,��� Brody shifted uncomfortably.
���I said no to a threesome Brody,��� she snapped and he laughed, ���It���s really not funny.���
���It���s kind of funny, I was trying to make Lila uncomfortable,��� Brody smiled.
���Have you ever told me no Emma?��� Brody asked curiously.
Emma smiled, ���Yes.���
���And that���s funny?���
���Well yes, it was.��� Emma giggled and he smiled.
���I like your laugh,��� he looked in her eyes. ���How did I react to that?���
���Well it was after two weeks of us knowing one another������ she started.
���Two weeks,��� he gasped, ���You made me wait two weeks?���
���Yes, well almost,��� she scowled and looked down.
���And after that did you tell me ���no��� a lot?���
���Oh no, I wouldn���t dare,��� she smiled.
���What does that mean?��� Brody asked nervously.
���You���re going to have to figure that out on your own.���
���You fell asleep downstairs, I brought you up here. By the way, you do shake like Lexington. Well, I remembered something I think,��� Brody said concentrating. ���Did you tell me not to leave you ever again and did you have an IV in your arm and a man who I don���t think I liked was there?��� Emma nodded her head quickly yes, and tears started filling her eyes, ���Emma, do you cry a lot?���
Emma laughed as she wiped them, ���Sorry.���
���Those videos Emma, I know I loved you that couldn���t have been faked, but I don���t remember you,��� Brody was frustrated.
���You just got here and you remembered two things Brody, the white rabbit and the cancer,��� Emma took his hand.
���The what?!��� He gasped.
���Oh, well I had breast cancer. You were in London when I found out, and that���s why I pushed you away. Well…part of it. I wanted more for you than I had to offer. You have a hard time taking no for an answer. You showed up a week early and I was at Lila���s. I did a very intensive radiation treatment and well, you didn���t leave. Your memory, you went to get a drink and I woke up when Mark was putting in the IV and freaked because you weren���t there. Mark���s a doctor, and since you���ve been gone, he and Lila have married. And they have a baby on the way, but that���s a secret,��� Emma laughed.
���Are you okay now?���
���Yes, I���m fine.���
���Did you have your breasts removed?���
���You saw me in a towel earlier, you tell me?���
Brody smiled, ���Alright then.���
Emma smiled and looked down, ���I wouldn���t let you see them for a while,��� she whispered.
���Are you whispering because you don���t want them to hear?��� Brody whispered back at her with a silly grin.
���Maybe I am,��� Emma looked at him with a smug look on her face.
���Emma, I think they heard you,��� Brody looked down biting his lip.
���No it was you they heard,��� she said embarrassed and started to get up.
Brody grabbed her waist and pulled her back to him, ���I wasn���t done talking to them Emma,��� he whispered in her ear and she moaned as she felt her nipples peak even more.
���Please,��� she said softly.
���You���re frustrating,��� he loosened his grip, ���Did we play games Emma?���
Emma rolled her eyes, ���Again, I can���t give you everything.���
���Okay so I know you must have a lot of questions, God knows I do, but it seems the closer I get to you the more I remember,��� he said with a smile in his voice.
���Right now I know you���re smiling, and I know by saying that you have a bigger smile that makes me���well let���s say you don���t play fair,��� Emma pouted.
���Turn around and look at me,��� he said with that smile plastered across his face.
���Nope,��� she said quickly.
���I want to play a game Emma and no means no so you have the power here������ he started.
���Oh no I don���t,��� Emma said in a deep voice.
���Turn and look at me. Please, Emma,��� he asked nicely, ���I promise I won���t make this any more uncomfortable for you than it will be for me.���
His voice now sounded pained and Emma turned around, ���Thank you Em���ma.��� He said confused.
Emma smiled, ���Em, tha
t���s what you always called me.���
���Okay Em,��� he winked and her eyes widened, ���What winks do it for you too?���
���No!��� her voice cracked.
���Okay fine. I want to see your breasts, and if you show me yours I���ll show you mine,��� he winked and took a deep breath.
���Brody?���
���It���s not pretty,��� he said and reached over and turned on the bedside light without looking. Emma���s eyes were closed, ���You okay?���
���I am but you just turned on that light without even looking, like you knew exactly how without thinking, Brody we���re going to be okay, aren���t we?��� She opened her eyes and looked into his.
���That���s the plan, right?��� Brody asked, ���But if you can���t handle what I���ve done you can walk away from me and I won���t even ask why. Alright take it off Em, on three, two, one.���
Emma closed her eyes and lifted her shirt and he did the same.
���God you���re beautiful,��� Brody sighed.
Emma opened her eyes, and looked at him, ���Were you hostage at a gym? You���re���ripped Brody.���
���I���m scarred Emma, far worse than this little thing,��� Brody traced his finger curiously over it.
���I hate whoever did this to you Brody, but you���re here and alive, and half naked in our bed. Our daughter fell asleep on your lap for the first time, and all of what happened to you is my fault, if you never met me you wouldn���t be…oh God, I���m SO sorry,��� Emma cried.
���Shh,��� he pulled her on his lap.
���I love you so much,��� Emma cried into his shoulder.
���Emma I know I���ll get there and I know there���s no way possible that I didn���t feel the same way. Give me time; don���t be angry if I don���t say it back right away, it���s all coming back fast though. Everyone told me it may not happen but it will, I want it to,��� Brody held her tightly.
Emma sat back and looked at him, ���Promise?���
���Emma, I promise to try,��� Brody said sincerely.
���Then that���s all I can ask,��� Emma said. ���May I kiss you, Mr. Hines?���
He smiled, ���Yeah.���
Emma kissed him softly pulling back she smiled, and moved down his chest kissing each scar across his chest and moved back up to kiss his lips, she looked in his eyes and they were wild and wanting. She smiled and kissed him again. He sat back and let her, she pulled at his lip and he slowly opened his mouth and she lightly touched his tongue with hers and he gripped the bed tightly and shifted. She sat back and looked at him. She smiled and wiggled her bottom against him and he groaned, ���I remember this.���
���Emma you���FUCK!!��� He yelled and kissed her hard on the mouth, she gasped and he flipped her over and kissed her. His hand moved to her breast and she held her breath.
There was a knock on the door, ���Everything alright in there?��� Clive asked.
���Yes, go away!��� Brody snapped.
���Mrs. Hines, are you alright?��� Clive asked.
Emma breathed out, ���Yes.���
���Alright if you need anything,��� Clive started.
���Goodnight, Clive,��� Brody snapped and Emma laughed, ���They think I���ll hurt you Emma, it���s not funny.��� Brody sat up.
���Where do you think you���re going?��� Emma asked giggling.
���I don���t know that I won���t,��� Brody grabbed his hair in anger.
���I know you won���t,��� Emma said taking his hands. He looked at her and scowled, ���This is ���tormented rock star���.��� Emma smiled, ���He���s cute and very interesting but I like ���hot and all over me rock star���.���
���Emma,��� he said still scowling.
���Are you telling me no Brody?���
���No, I���m saying not yet.���
���Okay,��� Emma said, ���There���s a door behind your clothes with a couple more videos; you���re the only one with the key. Do you think you could figure out where it is?���
He looked confused, ���I guess I could try, do you need it now?���
���Uh huh.���
Brody walked in the closet and pushed the clothes aside, ���Will you come help me out?���
���Sure,��� Emma answered and walked into the closet with just her panties on.
���Do you walk around like that all the time?��� Brody asked as if it pained him.
Emma smiled, ���No, just on special occasions,��� she grabbed one of his shirts and slipped it on, ���Sorry if that offended you.���
���Look what I found,��� Brody took the key and unlocked the door.
���Brody just so you know third drawer���s a no go, you���ve said so, I���ve never been in here alone and I just want the videos please,��� Emma asked shyly.
���Wow, that���s unexpected,��� Brody said and walked out, ���You into all that Emma?���
���I have to say no based on the fact that I���ve never used toys and I don���t know what���s in the third drawer.���
���Have you had a lot of sexual partners Emma?��� Brody asked.
���Well you already know this but Troy, London���s father, was my first and then you,��� Emma said and looked down.
���You���ve only been with two people?��� he asked shocked.
���Yes Brody, and I know you had sex when you were way too young���you���ve had lots of sex, at least twenty people, and Jemma until her death. I know you moved here and had seven partners in seven years, one would be Ariel who somehow found her way on a plane next to you the first time you left for London, which by the way I still wonder how that happened. And then me.���
���How did you get all that information?��� Brody gasped.
���Well my husband or fianc��e at that time, trusted and loved me enough to tell me everything. Which made me fall even more deeply in love with him and trust him with everything. It was a beautiful, perfect marriage. We trusted each other, and there were no secrets until he left me and went to London to find my sister. Imagine my surprise when my husband and father withheld information from me and it resulted in eight months of hell,��� Emma frowned and looked down, she looked up at him and saw the hurt in his eyes, ���Please don���t look like that, I didn���t mean to hurt you, sorry.���
���I���m very tired, do you want to watch the videos?���
���No, we can sleep. We were going to watch these on our anniversary, never before seen footage,��� she laughed.
���Emma was one on our honeymoon?���
���Yes, Brody.��� Emma smiled.
���Today Show?��� He asked. She nodded her head yes and smiled, ���Em, could we watch it?���
���Yes,��� she put it in and jumped on the bed and sat at the end with her legs crossed.
They watched the video and Emma���s face was red by the end, ���Well, that was nice,��� Brody laughed.
���Yes, it was,��� Emma got up and went to the bathroom and brushed her teeth.
She came out and climbed into the bed and under the covers, ���Goodnight Brody.���
���Hey Em, could you sleep next to me?��� Brody asked quietly.
���That���s because it is,��� Emma pulled his arms tighter around her.
* * *
Emma woke to Brody thrashing and crying out, ���No damn it no, Emma!���
���Brody wake up,��� Emma sat up and turned on the light.
���Get the fuck away!��� He screamed, ���No fucking more, get the fuck away!���
���Brody wake up please, it���s Emma, wake up please,��� Emma grabbed his hands and he pushed her way.
���Don���t fucking touch me!���
Clive busted through the door and grabbed him, ���Wake up, Brody!���
Brody swung and hit him hard in the face, and sat up, ���I will fucking kill you!���
Emma stood in terror, and Lila ran in, ���Emma come on, Clive has him come on.���
���No!��� She snapped.
���Emma?��� Brody yelled and looked at her.
���I���m here,��� she ran back to him and held him.
���Don���t you fucking leave me!��� He snapped and grabbed her face, his eyes glazed from sleep and anger, ���Do you understand?���
���Yes, I won���t Brody, I won���t,��� she hugged him and he pulled her tightly to him.
���I love you Em, don���t leave me,��� Brody said clinging to her.
Emma looked behind her, ���Good night.���
Clive and Lila left.
���God…I���m so sorry,��� Brody squeezed her tightly to him.
���No don���t you dare be sorry,��� Emma said and held him.
They fell asleep wrapped tightly in each other���s arms. Emma woke and heard Lexi babbling on the monitor. She reached over and turned it off and slid out from under Brody.
