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Why didn’t we coan smiled "Because you didn’t want to be forced to cohabit withthem to be"

"Oh, yeah, that"

The fire was stoked He rose, going for the hot chocolate He handed Megan a cup, and took his on by the foot of the bed, before the hearth The room was carpeted in deep blue except for the tile that immediately surrounded the hearth There was a thick, plush white foot rug there as well, ht her chocolate and joined Finn He sat against the bed, and slipped an arainst his shoulder and chest, feeling the sense of being cherished and secure that she had first knoith him, and which had seemed to so abandon her lately

He stroked her hair, absently staring at the flao, and yet…

She was afraid to fall asleep with hi for hi inside her as well, soht drift…

"Finn"

"H? Is one of us… crazy? Or worse--psychotic?"

"No," he said flatly, and with determination "I wish there weren’t soup to touch his chin "There’s a phone on the bedside stand Hit one, and it dials the police Hit two--and it dials your cell phone I programmed it in today"

"Did you?" he said huskily "Hm… would have been nice if you’d picked up when I dialed you this "

"Finn… you don’t understand"

"You’re right, I don’t, but never mind I believe that you are really terrified of me, and as painful as that is… I’ll cope November first, we’re out of here Back home And you can lock yourself in a different roohts I can be patient"

"I’m not so sure that I can," she whispered softly

He started to shift, as if he were going to rise

"I have to get back to Huntington House," he said

She hesitated "Can you wait just a few more minutes? I wanted to hop in and out of the shower, really quick I feel like I have food, fog, smoke, and the smell of booze all over me"

"Sure I can wait Go ahead"

She rose He didn’t take the bait Maybe he figured she really just wanted a shower, or that she was being a real bitch, walking out on hiames as well

She left him on the floor and walked into the bathroom

Martha, always a restless sleeper, awoke, not sure what caused her to do so, rather than the fact that her bones were old and creaked when she turned, and almost any little noise startled her

She lay awake for a moment, paused, then rose, inched her feet into her slippers, and walked to the

She snly, pleased to see that Finn’s car was in the driveway

"Those perfect, char people!" she murmured aloud There were the problems, of course

Serious, and she knew that she had to keep a wary eye on Finn But really, they were like an Adonis and Venus, and so very beautiful together

She was very proud of herself for having left the hot chocolate It was a way for her to let Finn know that, whatever the problems, he could come to her at any time Much better her than Morwenna or Joseph!

The yard was richly illuht, with the full ether, as it should be As it would be

Martha laughed softly aloud "Why, old wo yourself on the back--if you could still reach it easily enough," she told herself in a whisper