Gwen
Gwen awoke the next morning to find her bag next to her. She grabbed the note off the top.
'Dear Gwen,
Hey, didn't want to wake you, but I found your bag at my house. Paige and I dropped it in this morning... hope you're doing well. Go talk to your boy, tell him what you told me. Remember, it's ok to not be ok.
Faith.'
Gwen gave a little smile and got up. She grabbed some clothes and headed for the shower. She showered quickly, only taking time to wash her long hair. Once she was dried and dressed, she went in the direction of Mordred's room. She knocked softly.
Mordred
Mordred struggled up from sleep and staggered to the door, eyes barely opened. "Mmph, wha'?" He opened it, leaning on the frame as he tried to wake up. "'Lo, love." The thought made its way through his brain. "Gwen? You're back!" He enfolded her in a hug. "How are ya?"
Gwen
Gwen kissed Mordred's cheek gently.
"I'm ok, I guess. Come to my room so we don't wake Vort."
Mordred
Mordred chuckled lazily. "Vort's in Spike's room." But he closed the door behind him. "Tav's in there though." They headed off to her room. "So, how's Faith?"
Gwen
Gwen waited until she'd closed the door to her room. She perched on the bed and leant back against the pillows.
"She's ok. Bit of a drama when you were there... Zac went missing, but he turned up again. How were things here?"
Mordred
"Boring without you," Mordred said. "Vort finished off a few more paintings. No pranks were played, no mischief. There was some trouble a few days ago, but nothing major. No earth shattering revelations, no people trying to kill us. Bet that next week is hectic." He grinned at her. "The universe couldn't go this long wthout having something bloody horrible in line. Calm before the storm, ya know."
gwen
Gwen nodded silently.
"I went and saw Gunn," she said quietly, waiting for his reaction.
Mordred
He froze, barely breathing. But she was here, so he slowly relaxed again. "How is he? Didn't bruise him too badly, I hope." He tilted his head and smiled slightly. "Who am I kidding? Did I break anything during our punch up?"
Gwen
"He's alright... we talked for a few hours. Just cleared everything up. Everything is ok between us now. I think we realised that us in love didn't work, but us as friends... I love him but I'm not in love with him. And that's what he feels about me too."
Gwen fidgeted with the corner of her pillow.
Mordred
"As long as you're in love with me, I can deal with that, I guess. And I'm not going to make the mistake of trying to dictate who your friends are." Mordred moved over to her and sat on the floor at her feet, leaning his head back to look at her. "I don't want t' ever be like my stepfather...and I know I've come damn close to doing what he does to me Mam at times. Forgive me?"
gwen
Gwen nodded and lay back on her bed.
"Of course."
She closed her eyes, 'Bring Me To Life' playing in her head.
"I love you."
Mordred
"I love you too, beauty." He took her hand where it lay on the bedsheets and pressed a kiss to her palm. "Beautiful Fey princess that ya are...stolen my heart and my soul, you have. Heaven in your eyes and in your voice. Like an angel..."
Gwen
Gwen pulled Mordred so he was up on the bed next to her. She rested her head on his chest and draped her arm across his body.
"You're amazing... I love you so much. Thank you for being here with me, always."
Mordred
"Tenacious, that's me." He nuzzled at her neck, just breathing in her scent and basking in her warmth. "And I happen to think you're more then amazing. There are no words to decribe you. Everything pales. And I'll always be there, long as you need or want me. I love you, so much it hurts sometimes. But you're worth anything." His quiet exhalation moved her hair a little. "Catch ya when ya fall, tend ya when ya bleed, hold ya when ya need comfort...anything I can do for you, I'll do, love."
Gwen
Gwen smiled.
"I think that's possibly the nicest thing that has ever been said to me. Thank you for making everything hurt less."
Mordred
"Anytime, love, anytime." He held her in his arms and smiled gently. Maybe they could pull through this. He cleared his thoat slightly, and then started to sing softly into her ear.
"Pe cawn i hon yn eiddo i mi
O galon yn fy ngharu;
Ni fynnwn ddim o'i chyfoeth hi
Rhag ofn i'm serch glaearu
Mae rhywbeth yn ei gwisg a'i gwedd
Ac yn ei hadgwedd hygar,
Rhaid iddi fod yn eiddo yn eiddo i mi
Tra byddom ar y ddaear.
Pe cawn i hon yn eiddo i mi,
O fel gwnawn ei mynwesu;
Mae dweud ei henw ar hin oer
Yn gwneud i'm corff gynhesu.
Ond pe bai hi yn eiddo i mi,
A'i serch yn dal yn glaear;
Ni fynnwn i mohoni hi
Ar gyfrif ar y ddaear..."
(If she were mine, and lov'd me well.
Life would be naught but pleasure,
I would not care for sacks of gold,
Nor other earthly treasure.
Her winning ways, her laughing eyes,
Throw such a charm about her,
She must be mine, yes, mine alone,
I cannot live without her.
2. If she were mine, my aim would be,
To make her love me dearly,
That all her heart, and all her thoughts,
Belonged to me sincerely;
But should I find, to my dismay,
I had good cause to doubt her,
Then were she mine, yet loved me not,
I'd rather be without her.)
Gwen
Gwen closed her eyes, getting lost in his song. It was better than being plain lost.
It wasn't going to be easy, but she'd find her way... and while things looked lighter, she was still half in shadows. If only she could get past this all, then everything would be perfect. But there was a large part of her that was never going to be able to fogrive or forget almost killing Mordred. No matter how much he protested. Like Faith said, it was something she was going to have to live with.
"You have the sweetest voice, it sounds like honey..." Gwen said dreamily.
Mordred
"It's just something my Mam used to sing before, before my Da died." Mordred squeezed his eyes shut. "Sometimes I miss him so much...he would have loved ya, you know. God, I miss him...everything changed for the worse once he died. Stupid punk kid...joyriding. Barely got a slap on the wrist." He sighed. "Life is life and no changing. I met you though, so...that makes up for it in some ways..."
gwen
Gwen moved her hand to hold his. She entwined their fingers and she breathed deeply, her other hand absent mindedly tracing circles on his stomach. She glanced down at her arms, the ugly purple cuts, suddenly not seeming so bad. Nothing seemed terrible when she was with him.
There were so many things Gwen wanted to say, but she couldn't form the words out loud. She wanted him to know that she loved him. And she would keep loving him. And that he saved her life... in more ways than one.
Mordred
"You don't need to say nothin', love. Telepath here, ya know." He pressed a kiss to the curve of her neck. "I love you too." He thought for a few moments of another song he could sing. If that soothed her, then he'd sing until he could barely talk.
"Gwenllian fach, fy nghalon dlos,
Rwyt ti yn huno yn ddifraw
Gan ddal dy a fal bach melyngoch yn dy law.
Mae'th ruddiau annwyl fel gwridog ros,
Mae'th fron yn ddedwydd ddydd a nos,
Ym myd y gofid O! gwyn fyd
T'wysoges i fanc yn ei chrud
Yn dal ei hafal bach, ei holl o ofal byd.
Mae gennyt frodyr yn y gad,
Mae'th dad â'i gleddyf wrth ei glun,
A thithau'n cysgu'n drwm, gan wenu trwy dy hun.
Mae trwst y Norman yn crynu'r wlad;
Beth wyr yr engyl am dy dad, engyl am dy dad?
O! am orffwyso'n ddedwydd iach,
Mae breninesau uchel ach
A rônt eu gorseddfainc am gwsg t'wysoges fach..."
(A gentle maid in secret sigh'd,
"Come back, my only love to me
Come back, my only love,
My only love, to me!"
Proud suitors sought her for their bride
With vows of truth and constancy,
But still the maid for ever sigh'd
"My love, I live or die for thee,
My love I live or die for thee!"
In all bright days of summer time,
"Come back my only love to me,
Come back my only love,
Come back my love, to me."
In darkest days of frost and rime,
My love I live or die for thee,
Live or die for thee."
From matin bell to vesper chime,
The maiden's sigh would ever be,
"My love, I live or die,
I live or die for thee!"
She lingered pining long, long years,
"Come back, my only love to me.
Come back my only love,
Come back my love, to me."
None knew her many bitter tears
She shed for one loved faithfully.
At rest now from her hopes and fears
She sleeps beneath the willow tree.
"My love, I live or die,
I live or die for thee!")
Gwen
Gwen's eyes felt heavy and she started to drift off while Mordred sang. When he was over, she woke up slightly and looked at him through heavy lidded eyes.
"I'm not ok. Faith told me that I should tell you everything that I'm hiding. And that's it. The secret is that I'm not ok. But she also told me that it's ok to NOT be ok. Because everyone needs time like this... so that's the secret. I'm not ok."
Mordred
"I know, love, I know." He brushed her cheek with his fingers. "Sleep now. As long as ya want, I'm here for ya. Until you feel ok. I want you to feel ok, to be better...and I want to help you reach that." He struggled for the words, knowing he wasn't explaining himself very well. "I love you, ahestele..."
Gwen
Gwen settled herself back on Mordred's chest. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, enjoying just listening to Mordred's heartbeat.
The heartbeat she almost stopped.
Gwen sat up, hyperventilating.
Mordred
"What's wrong, love?" Mordred sat up, looking at her with concern. "Talk to me, please." He ran his hands over her back, massaging gently. "Ya can tell me, whatever it is."
Gwen
Gwen was struggling for air.
"I... heard... your... heart... I... almost... stopped... it."
She gasped a few times, trying to calm herself down.
Mordred
"You and Vortigern are the reasons it keeps beating." Mordred leant forward and pulled her back in towards him, strong arms holding her close. "You make my heart skip when you enter a room, when ya smile, when ya say ya love me...all very normal for a person in love. You gonna stop doing that cos of my heart?" He rubbed her shoulders, trying to calm her down. "I like to see ya smile..."
Gwen
"I almost stopped it beating."
Gwen calmed down and looked towards the window, staring out, wondering if she jumped out how hurt she'd get.
Mordred
"Do you know what a telepath could do if they really wanted?" He delcuately ran his fingers over the back of her skull. "I could tear your mind into pieces...ya only need to take a look at the poor sod in the Medlab to see that. And I'm not in Xavier's league by a long shot. I'm just as dangerous as you are in my own way. You were hurting. You didn't know it was me. I've forgiven you. Now what needs to happen is that ya need to realise that it was an accident."
Gwen
Gwen shivered, remembering the ordeal. She started to cry.
"You were lying there all hurt and it was my fault. I don't understand how you could forgive me..."
Mordred
"Love conquers all. And I would go through fire if I thought I could see you for an instant on the other side. I love you. You're my girl. Nothin' gonna change that. 'Sides, Vort's come close to killing me once or twice. Just usual harebrained boy stuff. S'easy to forgive the ones ya love." He brushed away her tears with his hand and then kissed them from her face.
Gwen
Gwen leaned against Mordred. She turned and kissed him properly for the first time in awhile.
"When I'm with you, you make me feel like I can fly."
Mordred
"I can do freefall, but I'm not so sure about actual flying." Mordred grinned, glad to see some return of the old Gwen. And yes, slightly uncomfortable with all the soft fuzzies that had been flying around. Words weren't his thing, really. "I think I see heaven in your eyes...I love you so much."
Gwen
Gwen lay back on the bed and closed her eyes. It was early morning and she was still kinda tired, even though she'd been up for a bit.
"Should we do something today?" I need to get out of the mansion or do something before I cut myself to shreds, She added in her mind, but pushed the thought aside quickly.
Mordred
"Why not? Anything but art galleries, please. Seen enough of them to last me a lifetime." Mordred rolled his eyes. "Vort is more then slightly obsessed with his art. And he just wants to share it round. Lucky, lucky me who really doesn't care, but treks round to them anyway cos he just has to see them."
Gwen
" I don't know... anything, I need to get out. I'm not comfortable here right now unless I'm doing something. So we can go out or..." Gwen took a deep breath. "We could stay in..."
Gwen fidgeted with her pillow again.
Mordred
"They have a zoo, don't they? Zoo could be fun." Mordred flopped back on the bed next to her and tilted his head slightly so he could look at her face. "Ever been? I went like once, when I was really young, Liked it though. Always meant to take Siobhan and Mary to the one in London, but that got ballsed up when my Da died. Or we could just steal Nyx's bike, grab a picanic lunch and disappear. She'll kill me afterwards but it would be worth it."
Gwen
"The Zoo and a picnic both sound good. We could do both, right? I'm in no hurry to come back here."
Gwen looked over at Mordred and smiled.
Mordred
"Whatever you desire, love." Morded smiled back, and then got up off the bed. "So, do you want to go and get some food together, while I steal Nyx's bike?"
Gwen
Gwen nodded and they left the room. She padded from the room and went down to the kitchen and grabbed a bunch of food, putting it into a basket, then heading outside to wait for Mordred.
Mordred
Mordred teleported into Nyx's room, grabbed the keys from their place on the wall and 'ported to the garage. Soon, the motorbike was purring between his legs and he frove it out to the front, shades hiding his eyes. "Hop on!" He called out to Gwen over the sounds of the motor. "Grab the helmet and put it on, love."
Gwen
Gwen did as she was told and hopped onto the bike. She wrapped her arms around Mordred's waist and held tight. They reached the zoo in record time on account of Mordred opening it up and letting the bike do it's thing. Once they reached the Zoo, Gwen hopped off the bike.
"Fun."
Mordred
"Bloody hell, yeah. She's a beautiful lady, this one." Mordred turned off the bike as he dismounted gracefully. "Be safe." With those words, the wards on the bike sprang up and Mordred turned to Gwen. "Let's go look around, sparks."
Gwen
Gwen reached over and held Mordred's hand. They walked into the zoo, pausing only to pay admission. They continued to walk hand in hand around, cooing over the animals and such. Gwen looked nervously over her shoulder every few seconds, still not liking being around so many people.
MOrdred
Mordred was slightly on guard. He wouldn't let anything happen to Gwen. "So, love, what do you think?" He caught up her hand and pressed it to his lips lovingly. "Doesn't that panther just remind you of Nyx?" The cat in question eyed them regally, then yawned, displaying startling white teeth against its black coat.
Gwen
Gwen smiled. "Yeah... so pretty and sleek."
She looked around again and took a deep breath. "Wanna see the monkeys?"
Mordred
"Ok, love," Mordred said agreeably and they set off. There wasn't that many people there and they wandered through the zoo, getting lost at points.
Gwen
They reached the monkeys and Gwen smiled as she watched them. They were so cute, so carefree... she looked away bitterly for a second, then returned her gaze to the monkeys.
"Monkeys are cute."
Mordred
"Yeah." Mordred smiled at Gwen, and then he was jostled by someone. "Hey, just watch yerself, mate." The guy who'd bumped into him strode off with no sign he'd heard. "Well, that was rude..." Mordred shrugged the incident off easily, not wanting to get bothered about it.
Once out of sight the man met up with two others. "It's done."
"Filthy mutie." The faces of the three distorted slightly with sneers of hatred and contempt. "So, did it suspect anything?"
"Not a thing. He'll take the bug in with him."
"And then we can listen in easily. See ya later, Friend." The three members of the Friends of Humanity Society, and anti-mutant league, shook hands, then split up.
Gwen
Gwen leaned against Mordred and then smiled up at him.
"Feel like lunch?"
Mordred
"Yeah. Do you want to wait out here while I go get our lunch, and we can eat somewhere in here?" Teleportation can be very handy at avoiding paying for things. Mordred smiled back at Gwen. "And then I need to buy a disposable camera. I want some photos of you."
Gwen
Gwen paused. "Photos... of me." She'd never had any photos of herself before. Her parents hadn't wanted to remember the freak daughter they'd had, so they'd never bothered with photos. Or contact. Or... anything really.
"Yeah... we'll do that. I'll find some sort of private park thing... you'll know where to find me, will you?"
Mordred
"Yeah, love." Mordred kissed her cheek. "Back in a few minutes." He 'ported to the giftshop and bought a disposable camera, then to the bike to get their lunch and a blanket to sit down on. He 'ported back to Gwen's side and looked around. A nice grassy space, with very few people around. "Where do you want to sit?"
Gwen
"Here looks good?" Gwen shrugged and started to pull the blanket out of the basket. She lay it out and straightened the creases from it before sitting down and pulling food from the basket.
Mordred
Mordred sat down beside her and helped. "You done good, love. This looks absolutely delicous." He grinned at her, and then brought the camera up and snapped a shot of her smiling. "And you look good enough to eat yourself."
Gwen
Gwen looked away, blushing, and staring out at the view.
"Nice place..." she said, almost to herself. She turned and kissed Mordred gently on the cheek.
Mordred
"Yeah. Gotta bring the girls up, I think. Siobhan would have a ball." Mordred smiled, and looked around at the grassy space and picked up a sandwich and then started to eat it. He rummaged in the basket and got out a can of Coke. "So, eat the fruits of your labour, love," he prompted teasingly, grinning wickedly.
Gwen
Gwen stuck her tongue out at him, taking some food from the basket.
"Yeah... the whole looking in the fridge and grabbing anything... real labour."
She scanned the horizon again. "Vort would probably like this place to paint..."
Mordred
"Vort would paint anything if it held still long enough," Mordred said fondly. They ate in easy silence for a while, making inconseqeuntial conversation. "What do ya want to do now? Want to go for a ride, or go back to the mansion, stay here for a bit longer?" He asked as they packed up the picnic basket.
Gwen
"I guess go for a ride? I'm not quite ready to go back yet."
Gwen stood and brushed her jeans off, then bending down to fold the picnic blanket. She handed it to Mordred and stood up again.
Mordred
Mordred nodded and put a hand on her arm as he held the basket and blanket carefully. He 'ported them to the bike. "Your chariot awaits, milady." He packed their things onto the back of the motorbike.
Gwen
Gwen put her helmet on and perched on the bike behind Mordred, wrapping her arms around his waist tightly. Perhaps more tightly than was necessary, but she was still feeling a bit nervous about... well everything. Being on a bike, being around people... all that.
"Where to?"
Mordred
"Anyplace?" Mordred shrugged as he gunned the engine and peeled out of the parking lot, narrowly sliding between two buses. God, he loved this bike. "Wanna head over to Manhatten, or go shopping or something?"
Gwen
"It's up to you... just make it a long drive."
Gwen let her eyes wander around at the passing scenery, which was becoming a blur around her.
Mordred
Mordred did as she asked and just drove around. He clipped a few corners, bike dangerously close to the ground at points. Cabbies in particular seemed to see him with scorn and yelled at him. He cheerfully cursed back, Gwen clinging to his back. Oh, Nyx's bike was a beauty alright. Fast, and so responsive to every touch on her steering. Mordred whipped the bike around another corner, blue eyes glowing with pleasure and system humming with adrenaline.
Gwen
Gwen gave a small smile, loving the freedom of the bike. It was like flying away from everything. She hugged Mordred tightly and let her smile get a bit bigger.
Mordred
"Fun, yeah?" Mordred yelled back over the roar of the bike as he headed out from the city onto the highways where he could really let loose and let the bike fly. He made the motor scream as he weaved his way up the road, dodging between cars and riding the flow of the traffic with ease.
Gwen
"Rockin!" Gwen yelled back, still amazed at how being on the bike seemed to take her worries away. She looked around, noting the sky darkening. They should get back to the school soon. Damn.
Mordred
Mordred sighed as he noticed the sky. Bloody hell. He reluctantly turned the bike back towards the school. They were a couple of hours out still though. Well, less if he kept driving the way he was driving. He grinned slightly, the wind ruffling through his hair. "Better start heading back."
Gwen
"Yeah. Ok." Gwen was disappointed, but she knew that they had to get back. It wasn't so much the school that bothered her, it was the time alone that did.
"Drive slow."
MOrdred
"I'll take the long way round," Mordred promised. He didn't want this day to end either. He liked being out of the mansion for a change, and spending time with Gwen was always high on the list of his favourite things to do. He slowed the bike down so it glided along, moving into the slow lane.
Gwen
They reached the mansion when it was fairly dark and Gwen reluctantly hopped off the bike. She took the helmet off and shook her long hair out. She waited for Mordred then took his hand.
"Thank you for today."
Mordred
"Anytime, love, anytime." Mordred lifted her hand to his lips. "I better put away Nyx's baby, otherwise she'll kill me."
Gwen
Gwen nodded.
"I'm just gonna go to my room... come when you're done?"
Gwen headed off to her room, tired from the day, but feeling better than she had been before.
Mordred and Nyx
Mordred wheeled Nyx's bike into the garage, and then went to give back the keys. On the way, a black missile hit him, sending him arse over tip. He wound up on his back with Nyx on top of him with a very foreboding expression on her face. "Um. Sorry?"
"Sorry don't quite cut it, sweetie." Ok, he was still sweetie, so he wasn't in that much trouble. He yelped under his breath as her claws sprang out and encircled his wrists, pricking the skin lightly and she leant down further.
"Really, really sorry, but Gwen wanted to get out, so she's happy for a bit and next time I'll ask you first?" Mordred looked at Nyx hopefully.
"Still mad at you."
"Massage?"
"You're on." Nyx got up. "Five."
"Ok." Mordred slowly got back onto his fist, and 'ported in shock as Nyx's fist headed towards his face.
"You're getting quicker," Nyx noted proudly. "Go and snuggle with your honey, sweet boy."
"K, Nyx." Morded headed to Gwen's room.
"I cooked tonight," Nyx called after him. "Make sure she eats something, even if the two of you eat in her room."
"Ok, mum."
"Pssht. Away with you." Nyx smiled slightly and walked away. Mordred opened Gwen's door and went in.
"Hello, love." He was examining his wrists, clicking his tongue as he looked at the circlet of red around them. Nyx played rough.
Gwen
Gwen looked away from the window and glanced at Mordred. She held her hand up in greeting, and then continued to talk on the phone.
"Next Friday? Yeah... I don't know. How much? Alright... look, I'll call you back later. Thanks. Bye."
Gwen hung up and tossed the phone on the table.
"Sorry about that... client wants me to do a job."
MOrdred
"Need any help?" He inquired as he came inside and went to her side. He put his hands on her hips and bent down to kiss her neck. "I'm the man to call when ya need transportation."
Gwen
Gwen turned her head to the side and kissed him on the lips.
"Mmm, I'll just need someone to get me to LA. The rest, I can do myself. It's been ages since I properly snuck into a place. I miss it."
Mordred
"You sound like Nyx," Mordred said, grinning slightly. "Or maybe Sabre. Very amoral, the lot of you. I can take you to LA, if you want. Be easy. Your house?"
Gwen
"Hey, part of the burgular deal is actually doing the breaking and entering myself, plus I'm out of practice. I'll need to practice again for when I go back permanently. And I happen to be an excellent thief."
Gwen leaned closer into Mordred and smiled. "Yeah... don't have to go till next Friday."
Mordred
"Whatever shall we do till then, cariad?" Mordred smiled back at her. Inwardly he wondered what he had done to get this second chance.
Gwen
Gwen went and sat on her bed. She turned and smiled at Mordred.
"I can think of a few things..."
Mordred
Mordred's eyes burned. "Oh, really?" He stalked over to her. "What type of things, love?" His smile was lazy and predatory as he inwardly jumped up and down cheering. This was the Gwen he'd fallen in love with. Confident and sparky, always ready with a quick rejoinder and oh so hot.
Gwen
Alone with Mordred, Gwen no longer felt the fear she'd been feeling before. She was no longer worried about being hurt, because she trusted Mordred, inside and out. She stood up, reached over and brushed some hair from his face, then kissed him gently. Gwen sat down on her bed again and leaned back against her pillows.
"What type of things? Hmm... maybe you'll have to come down here and find out."
Mordred
"Maybe I should..." Mordred got onto the bed beside her. "What, something like this?" He nuzzled at her neck, tongue licking and teeth nipping lightly. "You are so beautiful, mo cariad. So beautiful..." Mordred undressed her carefully, like a precious gift. "Love you..." he whispered adoringly into her ear as his hands worshipped her body.
Gwen
Gwen lifted Mordred's shirt over his head and kissed his chest lightly. She moved back up and kissed his neck.
"I love you right back. You're so... so amazing, and I can't believe I have you here with me..."
Mordred
"As long as you want or need me, love," Mordred promised and they made love slowly and tenderly.
Gwen
Once they'd finished, Gwen smiled contentedly, kissed Mordred's cheek gently and rolled over and went to sleep.