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A Fooled Heart
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Gerard woke to late morning sun filtering through the mini-blinds and warming his legs, and no Sarah. It took him a few seconds to recall her alternate sleeping location which immediately recalled memories of their frantically passionate coupling and his confession. Bloody hell, he told her he loved her. Thank God he remembered to call his frigid bint of a currently ex-fiancée a few days ago, and hadn't that gone well...like a giant Band-aid being ripped off, hair included. The initial pain quickly being replace by relief. Panic quickly succumbed to giddiness once he recalled Sarah accepting his proposal. She had accepted, right? Not his imagination? What of his declaration...he didn't remember her returning it, but he did remember her father interrupting them.
"Bloody hell..." He tossed the covers off and sat up, still nude having fallen asleep post-coital awaiting Sarah's return. "We'll remedy that bit of confusion today, then," he said aloud eager to see his love and fiancée apparent, and determined to put his worst nightmare yet out of his mind for the present. All the disturbing questions stirred up by the dream he buried. He wanted nothing to spoil their weekend; certain things would keep until New York.
Perhaps they might shop for jewelry today, he briefly considered while dressing. He grinned. In love...he...Gerard Scott was well and truly in love for the first time in his life. Without doubt this time, he knew he loved Sarah Williams and wished to spend his remaining years with her. Sparing a thought for Dee, he wished he might thank her again for her invaluable advice. Rushing through his morning routine, he held back from skipping downstairs only to discover Sarah still abed.
"Gerard, morning!" Karen greeted him cheerfully. Toby glared with hostile eyes, turned and walked out the back door. Robert scowled at his retreating son's back but refrained from speaking.
"Morning, Karen, Robert." He nodded to each; his gaze sliding to Toby as he left. "Have I offended your son in some manner?"
"I apologize for his rude behavior, please don't mind him. He acted eager to meet you after Sarah's phone call," Robert said his eyes downcast, "teenagers, I just can't figure'm out."
"Indeed..."
"Would you like breakfast, Gerard?" Karen asked, "I've made eggs, bacon, and homemade biscuits."
"Yes, thank you," he replied taking a seat at the breakfast nook table. "Is Sarah still asleep?" Her parents laughed pleasantly and Robert shook his head before answering.
"You're going to have to get used to our sleepy head if you plan on hanging around her very long. She hates getting up early." Her father explained around his morning paper and coffee.
"I see. I confess we've only known each other a short time, but I first met her quite early in the morning."
"Necessary evil, I assure you. Sarah would sleep 'til noon every day if given the option."
"Ah...well...perhaps I might encourage reasons for her to wake earlier," Gerard said with a wink.
"Oh my, I bet you could," Karen said giggling and served his plate. "Coffee?"
"Please." They chatted pleasantly during breakfast. Karen asked of their plans for the day. Gerard admitted they had none, and she suggested they all attend a festival being held at a nearby park all weekend.
"I'm sure Sarah will love it. She always did enjoy these types of things."
"Sounds brilliant, Karen. I'm sure she'll agree." Gerard smiled and polished off the last of his meal. Taking the dishes from him before he could offer to clean them, Karen shooed Gerard off.
"Go enjoy yourself until Sarah wakes up. We have a back porch with a delightful view."
"Good idea, hon," Robert said, taking a sip of his coffee, "really, Gerard, just relax and make yourself at home."
"Thank you." He stood, strolling through the same back door Toby ducked out earlier; the screen door lightly slamming behind him. A classic Victorian, wrapped-style porch greeted him, and overlooked a lovely floral garden reminiscent of an English manor. Gerard inhaled deeply of the perfumed air reminding him so much of home.
"Ah, Sarah...your family could be British quite easily," he mused aloud standing at ease on the quaint porch with clichéd wicker furnishings.
"I know who you really are." Toby's sullen voice said close beside him. Startled, Gerard jumped a step to the side away from the teen.
"Pardon?"
Toby's head cocked to one side and his lips pursed, "I said: I know who you really are. I remember you."
"Is that so?" One brow arched, Gerard faced his accuser. "That's fascinating considering I've never met you before, Toby."
"Don't pretend like you don't remember me," Toby snapped, his fists clenched at his flanks, "Like you don't remember what you did."
"Sorry, young man," he shrugged, "no need to pretend; I've
really never met you before."
With scowl, Toby turned from him, stomped away then stopped. He looked over his shoulder and spoke resolutely, "If you hurt my sister I'll figure out a way to hurt you back, Goblin King."
Gerard gasped not at Toby's threat, but at his usage of the title...Goblin King? As in Jareth the Goblin King...the same assumption Sarah made upon their first meeting, the man from his nightmare? But according to Sarah, Toby had been only a toddler at the time, yet he remembered his abduction? Did Sarah know? Had she spoken of it to Toby, discussed his eerie resemblance which initially confused her? But when...last night after he fell asleep? Did Toby play the part of a protective brother using whatever means available to intimidate a suitor? Or was this an honest attack by a resentful boy? Too many questions cluttered his thoughts, and his face must've reflected his shocked confusion because Toby nodded as if satisfied and left him standing alone.
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Sarah found Gerard sitting quietly on the back porch a bit later. Her pj's traded for jeans and a t-shirt; she munched a slice of jammed toast. The light slamming of the screen door caused him to jump in his wicker seat and Sarah smirked, he looked adorably flustered in the late morning sun.
"There you are! You weren't upstairs and Toby said he hadn't seen you."
"Indeed?" He quirked a brow; his hand curled under and supporting his chin, his face mysteriously impassive.
"Yeah," she used the toast-holding hand to point at the back door as she walked to him, "I just saw him in the kitchen."
"And your parents?"
"Don't know...I think they went on an errand." Sarah sat next to him on the love seat, "But Karen left a note about some festival in the park today...you interested?" She took another bite of toast and chewed, watching him closely.
"If you are, luv, she mentioned it earlier."
"Hey," she bumped her shoulder into his, "what's up with you? You're acting all depressed. This is supposed to be a nice getaway."
He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, "Not depressed...just thinking."
"Well, I hope you're thinking about our wedding," she said teasing, her green eyes glinting with love and humor.
"Of course and last night..."
And a great deal more things I prefer didn't exist... "Mmmm..."
"I missed you, Sarah." Snuggling her closer, he kissed her temple and inhaled her scent, "I hardly know you, and I've already become addicted to your presence in my life and in my bed."
"Hope so...me, too..." she murmured turning her face into his chest, her toast forgotten in her dangling grasp. "Should we tell my family today?"
...And talk about the other elephant in the room...which they both studiously avoided for happier topics.
"Perhaps wait a bit while they get accustom to me."
"You think so?" She sounded sadden to him and he rushed to console her.
"I think..." he tipped her head back, "I think it's a big change for all, especially us..."
"But—"
"And while I'd love nothing more than shout it from the town square, I think some discretion for now might be wise, hmm?"
"Yeah, okay...but I can't believe we can't tell anyone." What seemed like wisdom to her twelve hours ago now looked silly in the light of day. She understood his view rationally, but her inner girly girl wanted to tell everyone suddenly.
"How about we shop for a ring instead, luv?"
Smiling, Sarah giggled softly, "That might make up for it, maybe later this weekend?"
"For you, precious, anytime is perfect and price is no object. You see the one you adore, it's yours."
Blushing, Sarah tucked back into Gerard's chest, "Wow...I'm not really materialistic, but...wow...thank you and Jer..."
"Hmm?
"Umm...I...wanted to tell you..."
"Sarah? Gerard?" Karen stepped through the back door with a squeak. "Oh, excuse me!"
"Hey, Mom," said Sarah sitting up from their intimate position, "it's alright, we're just talking."
"Okay, then...We're back from the store, needed a few things for dinner tonight. Did you two want to attend that festival I mentioned?" Sarah and Gerard exchanged a silent, inquiring look and Karen added, "I've heard lovely things about it, even Toby's interested."
Gerard stood, extending a helping hand to Sarah, "We'd love to join you, Karen."
"Sure, Mom, sounds great...only..." she glanced out at the sky, "it looks overcast, is it supposed to rain today?"
"The weather forecast didn't say anything about rain, but we can take a couple of umbrellas just in case."
"Not to worry," Gerard said confidently, "as a Brit dealing with rainy weather is as natural as breathing to me."
Karen laughed as she ushered them inside, "Well then, we're off to the festival come hell or high water!"
"Mom!"
"What?"
Chuckling, Gerard affectionately watched his love interact with her stepmother, and filed Toby's accusation away with last night's dream. His mind recalled no details supporting a connection other than irrationality. Surely it was another mistaken identity, a strange case of two persons looking exceedingly similar, nothing more. Nothing sinister...
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They packed for the afternoon, all the necessities for a day of fun and frolicking while keeping it light and mobile. Robert drove the family over; Gerard riding shotgun so they might talk and they ladies and Toby in the back. Only a couple of miles by car, Sarah and Karen chatted non-stop for ten minutes, Toby not at all. At first Sarah attributed Toby's grouchiness to typical teenaged hormones, however, he never acted this morose whenever she visited before and she decided to pry him out of his shell sometime today.
Shuffling out of the car, the family strolled from the packed parking lot to the joyous celebration occurring in the park. Sounds of calliope mixed with rock music drifted in the air, accented by the shrieking and laughter of children who ran to and fro. Gerard slipped Sarah's hand into his admiring how stunning she looked in this bright environment of primary colors, helium balloons, and decorations. His fiancée...the love of his life...his wife-to-be...
"What?" she asked at his funny look.
"Just admiring you, luv."
Blushing, she hip checked him, "Well, stop it; you're making me self-conscious."
"I can't look at you?" Gerard raised their hands and kissed the back of hers.
"I didn't mean that..."
Karen watched the two pathetically obvious love-birds flirt as they walked ahead of her and Robert. She smiled, happy for her stepdaughter. They didn't know this Gerard well and apparently neither did Sarah, but his love for her emanated from every pore of his body, as did Sarah's. It wouldn't be long before they married Karen realized and worried how Robert might react to the news. He tended to be a bit overprotective after Sarah's previous false start engagements. Ah...well...she'd deal with him at the appropriate time, and he did seem to genuinely like Gerard. For now Karen focused on enjoying the day with her family and working her son out of his sudden funk.
An hour, a tub of popcorn, three sno-cones, two corn dogs, and several over-priced-impossible-to-win games later, the five of them meandered their way from one end towards the other. A craft fair was located on the opposite end and the ladies begged the men to indulge them. Toby rolled his eyes and shrugged, Robert groaned, and Gerard chuckled saying something like 'of course my love' which promoted Toby to fake vomit. Karen swatted him on the back of his head. Toby yelped and scowled but kept silent.
En route to the craft fair, they passed an area for performers and stopped to enjoy the shows. Robert and Toby ogled the belly-dancers, Karen and Sarah watched the ground acrobats, but Gerard's attention was captured by a very unusual juggler surrounded by a small crowd. Gerard separated from Sarah to gain a closer inspection of the man manipulating several clear, round crystals. The orbs rolled up the man's forearms and back, over his hands and around as if in defiance of gravity.
"That's bloody amazing!" Gerard told the juggler, remembering the orb of his hallucination with a shiver. They looked incredibly similar; he wondered if he might learn.
"Thanks," the man answered without breaking concentration, the orbs rolling about.
"How is that possible?"
"It's called contact juggling."
"Indeed?"
"See, the balls never actually stop touching my skin, I maneuver my hands and arms around them."
"Just bloody amazing!"
"You wanna try?"
"May I?"
"Sure," the juggler said coming to a halt and handing Gerard a single orb on the tip of his fingers. Gerard accepted the orb, grinning, and after a few basic instructions from the juggler, had the crystal sliding over the back of his hand as if born to it.
"Holy shit, man, you're a natural!" The juggler exclaimed.
` "Am I?" Said Gerard, his eyes focused solely on the glass orb flipping back and forth over his fingers as easily if he'd been contact juggling for years.
"Yeah, that trick alone takes months to perfect,
damn!"
A strangled gasp beside him shattered Gerard's concentration and the orb dropped to the grass. Looking to his left, he saw Toby staring at him, eyes wide and fearful. His chest rose and fell rapidly.
"Toby, what's wrong?" Gerard asked but before he could move to assist him, Toby ran off nearly running down his sister who exchanged a concerned look with Gerard before chasing after Toby. Remaining behind, Gerard stood about uncertain what to do while he waited for Sarah's return while feeling weirdly responsible for Toby's frightened response, but to what?
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"Okay, squirt," Sarah said putting her little brother in a loose arm lock around his neck, "what's the deal with you and the moodiness?" Squirming, Toby shoved Sarah off of him.
"It's nothing, leave me alone."
"I'm sorry; I'm just worried about you."
Her brother gave her a sharp look of recrimination, "yeah right," then studied the concrete again as they walked the festival grounds. A deep rumbling of an oncoming thunderstorm roiled overhead, and Sarah felt a sudden blast of cool air from a downdraft. Rain not in the forecast, hmm?
"What's
that supposed to mean?" Sarah asked.
"Nothing..."
"Hey, I can't help if I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't worry about it. You're obviously happier with
him anyway." Toby spoke with vehemence previously unknown from him as he nodded in Gerard's direction. Her face a confused mask, Sarah looked back and forth at her brother and her secret fiancé who stood, bewildered, a large distance away and getting farther.
"You don't like Gerard?"
"Sheesh, Sarah!" Toby stopped walking and faced her, "You really think I'd buy that his name is Gerard? You really must think I'm stupid."
"No, I don't—"
"Well, I'm not! I remember what he did! What you did! How you tried to get rid of me."
"Toby, oh God..." Sarah reached out for his shoulders but he stepped back, "it's not what you think." The first fat raindrops splattered on the concrete at her feet, upon her head.
"Isn't it? You didn't want me gone?"
"I made a mistake. I was young and stupid, but I won you back. I rescued you!"
"Whatever! So why is he here?" Toby pointed back to Gerard watching them.
"He's not who you think. He's someone else, someone who doesn't have anything to do with that!"
"I don't believe you! He looks and sounds just like
him!"
"Oh my God...oh my God..." Sarah shook her head incessantly, how was this possible after all this time? "You were just a baby. How can you know that, Toby?"
He dropped his gaze to his feet and mumbled, "I dreamed about him."
"Gerard?"
"No...The Goblin King," he whispered as if fearful to say his title to loudly.
Her hands flew to cover her mouth. He knew! Her brother really knew what she'd done to him, but how? More rain fell; Sarah's hair and clothing absorbing the large drops, hiding her tears. What could she say to him? He was never supposed to find out.
"Sarah? Toby? What's going on? Is something wrong?" Their father asked walking up to them with Karen following close behind.
"Oh Dad..." Sarah said with a deep moan. How to tell her father what she did? What would he say?
"Yeah, Sarah," Toby said sarcastically, "Is something wrong?"
"Tobias Christian Williams!" His father snapped. He might not understand what transpired between the siblings, but he refused to allow either to speak so disrespectfully to the other.
"That's right, yell at the teenager! Don't yell at Sarah! She's perfect! She never does anything wrong!" Toby shouted then ran from his family in the rapidly increasing downpour, his direction the exact opposite of their home.
"Toby! Damn it!" Robert faced his remaining family, saw how distraught his daughter appeared and decided. Whatever occurred he needed to see at least one of his children safe immediately, and was grateful to see Gerard approach to comfort her.
"Sarah, are you alright?" Gerard asked her wrapping his arms around her shivering body.
"I...I..."
"Drat...the umbrellas are in the car...," Karen said as she observed the festival breaking up due to inclement weather, people yelling and running about. Thunder and lightning marked the darkening sky, winds whipped and tugged at anything loose.
"Sarah, will you and Gerard be able to make it home alone? You look shaken and I want one of my children home." Robert said loudly, insistent.
"Um...I guess..."
"Robert?" Karen gave her husband a quizzical look.
"I'm going after Toby, Karen."
"Well, not alone you're not."
"Fine..."
"Sarah, you and Gerard take the car..."
"No, Dad, we can walk. I know a short cut. You keep the car, find Toby."
"Gerard, you'll get her home safe?
"Yes, of course."
"Go, hurry! This rain is going to get worse fast!" Sarah nodded and clasped Gerard's hand, pulling him from her parents while Karen and Robert chased after Toby. Her feet remembered the path she ran as a teenager. Having neglected his jogging, Gerard pushed himself to keep pace with Sarah through the hilly, forested park. At least she ran with him this time. Her glance over at him inspired lusty thoughts, the rain matting her hair and soaking her clothes.
'I finally understand why American men love wet t-shirt contests,' he thought, hercotton shirt clinging, revealing every curve and cranny.
"Not far now!" she shouted over the downpour. When had the rain switched from a heavy sprinkle to a full out deluge? Lost in admiring Sarah he hadn't noticed the change. She tugged his hand a new direction and they ran towards a small, stone obelisk sitting near a pond. How peculiar...
"What is that?" He pointed to the obelisk as they ran closer. Sarah stopped a few feet from it then stared at him.
"Why do you ask?"
"I..." he shrugged, "I don't know, luv, just looks familiar." He dropped her hand, walked up to the stone monument, and laid his palm flat against the smooth marble surface, rain cascading down around his digits.
"Don't!" She grabbed his hand yanking him from the obelisk, "We have to go!" Reluctantly, Gerard allowed Sarah to pull him from the monument which inspired such interesting feelings of yearning within him.
"But Sarah..."
"Just leave it alone, Jer, please..." He obeyed, running behind her the remaining distance to her parents' home; intrusive thoughts of the obelisk fading as they pulled away from it. Stumbling up the front porch steps out of the rain, Sarah flipped over a particular potted plant exposing a hidden key to the front door and let them inside.
"Geez, I'm so cold!" Watching Sarah shiver snapped Gerard from his daze inspired by the obelisk. Honestly, he'd felt off the entire day, ever since the dream last night he wanted so desperately to forget.
"You're shivering," he said running his hands briskly up and down her arms to warm her up. "We've got to get out of this wet clothes, luv." She nodded suddenly feeling warmer as he moved into her personal space, his hands moving from her arms to her shoulders and upper chest.
"We should go upstairs..."
"We should..." Smiling, Sarah lead Gerard upstairs to her old room, his hands caressing whatever in reachable distance until he pushed her against her closed bedroom door with a dull thump.
"Everyone might be home soon."
"Or they might be chasing your brother for hours..." he suggested moving his hands up her sodden shirt from her waist to her breasts; the thin cotton of both her shirt and bra molding to her form. Suddenly being cold was the last thing on her mind as his fingers found her harden nipples through the two layers of cloth.
"True..." She let her eyes fall shut and her head bang to the door.
God...his deft fingers tweaked and teased her so well; the sensation of the wet, cold clothing heightening his touch. His only touch... for he held himself back from anywhere else.
"You are so fucking gorgeous, Sarah," he said in her ear, his voice hoarse and guttural as his hands continued to twist and fondle her incredibly sensitive peaks. Involuntarily she moaned. She'd never been so insanely attracted to anyone before...that he could barely touch her, making her molten only for him.
"Jer, hurry..." she twisted the doorknob blindly and her bedroom door unlatched, dumping them into her childhood room. They laughed softly. Few things changed since high school after her labyrinth adventure. Sure, she put toys away, but most of her favorite decorations remained out; difficult to completely break with one's childhood, afterall.
Closing his eyes, Gerard smashed his lips to hers and guided her through the door, eager to strip the wet clothes from their bodies. With a single look she unraveled him internally, never had he desired a woman as he wanted Sarah. They ended up against the nearest wall, Sarah bracketed by Gerard's hands and arms while his body pressed fully to hers. Her hands quested lower and cupped his erection through his soaked jeans, he groaned and thrust into her grip. She would never tire of discovering him...how could she when he constantly surprised her?
"Jer, oh...oh please..." Sarah fumbled with his shirt buttons. He opened his eyes to feast on her, but instead his eyes zoomed in on the image behind her. Splayed wide and flat on the wall, his hands lay upon a searing illustration. His fingers curled inward, clawing at the poster; the paper puckered and tore. Deep within him a part of his soul flamed and Gerard pushed Sarah from him as he ripped the poster from the wall.
"What're you doing?" She said, distressed and shaking. He appeared a man possessed holding her M.C. Escher "House of Stairs" poster in his fists, his eyes bright and burning. "Jer?" She touched his forearm cautiously. His head jerked upright and he stared at her, mismatched eyes boring.
"Everything that you wanted I have done!" He shouted tearing the poster further, stalking toward her.
"
What?" She said aghast. No, no, no, no...This couldn't be happening!
"You asked that the child be taken. I took him."
"Gerard! Stop it! You're not him!"
"You cowered before me; I was frightening." He crumpled the paper further.
"Please! Please, stop!" Sarah backed away shaking her head, her entire body shaking with anxiety and shock.
"I have reordered time," he said with a sneer.
"No..
NO!" She covered her ears, refusing to believe he spoke her thusly. It couldn't be happening, not again! NOT AGAIN!
"I have turned the world
upside down and I have done it all for
you!" He dropped the poster remnants and grabbed her shoulders roughly, "I am exhausted from living up to your expectations of me." Sarah sobbed; her frightened eyes meeting his, Gerard blinked and realized he held Sarah threateningly. Blinking again he loosened his grip on her shoulders.
"Sarah? What happened? I..." Gerard shook his head and grimaced. A fresh migraine engulfed him when he attempted to remember what passed after arriving in her room. He looked at her fearful eyes again. What became of him that he terrified her so? Releasing her he stepped away.
"I'm sorry...I don't remember..." He turned from Sarah, ran from her bedroom, locked himself in the hall bathroom, and leaned his back to the door. Several minutes passed before he heard Sarah calling him through the door. Ignoring her and shaking, he eventually braved facing the mirror. As he expected, the face of his tormenter greeted him; the same pale, long haired otherworldly man from his dream...the Goblin King.
"What do you want from me?" Gerard shouted. "Leave me alone! I fucking hate you!" He threw himself at the mirror, pounding his fists into the glass until it shattered.
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"Gerard? Who are you talking to?" Sarah asked through the door. He scared her in her bedroom, but now he worried and absolutely freaked her out. She heard him shouting at someone, himself? The sound of the front door opening and closing brought a tidal wave of relief...her parents!
"Dad! Mom! Upstairs!" She yelled and heard her father call her name then heavy footsteps on the stairs.
"What happened?"
"I'm not sure, Dad, Gerard went berserk and locked himself in the bathroom!"
"
What?" Robert's brows rose in shock then he heard Gerard shouting and the crash of breaking glass. "We need to get inside." A loud sob and scream reverberated from the bathroom followed by a heavy thud. This door knob didn't have the safety released on the outside; they needed to break in.
"Oh shit, what's he doing?"
"Sarah, on three, with our shoulders we break the door down."
"Okay, yeah..." She stood next to her father shoulder-to-shoulder and once his count reached three they reared back and slammed their bodies into the door at full impact. The jamb partially destroyed, it dangled from the frame. Thank God for shoddy, modern buildings. The door flew wide open exposing the scene. Gerard lie on the floor curled in the foetal position. Shards of the mirror scattered around him with blood...lots of blood.
"
Jer!" She leapt inside passed her stunned father and knelt at Gerard's side. His eyes fluttered open.
"Dad, call 911!" Hurry, Dad, hurry! Sarah vaguely noticed her father nod and leave at a run to find a phone; her attention all for Gerard's shivering form.
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A/N: Yes, it's a another cliffy, but it's the big one. Shit will hit the fan next chapter (which is long) then the next few chapter will be shorter (sorry) but the pacing and reveals demanded it as to not overwhelm and confuse everyone. I've found that too much all at once brain freezes people. But don't worry, what they lack in length they make up for in fun and revealing dialogue and info. LOTS. Sooooooo, it's all with the good. Sort of...you'll see.
I've posted chapter seven of 'Dreams of the Queen' on this site for those of you interested. Thanks!
As always me lurves the amazing and awesome reviews! Seriously they make my day! :o)
