fateandfortune | Just two vampires, traveling the galaxy... [For Todd the Wraith]

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Just two vampires, traveling the galaxy... [For Todd the Wraith]

[continued from here]

It was a pleasant surprise to glance over and see Todd asleep on the bed, relaxed and peaceful. He can't have gotten much quality rest the night before propped up in the chair as he had been, certainly not when he'd been woken by her nightmare. She hoped that didn't happen again tonight, he had important things to take care of tomorrow; she didn't know all of the details, but with a civil war going on between his people, he needed his wits about him.

To that end, Rogue forced herself to stay awake for hours into the night, eating the dinner he'd brought for her and looking through one of the books from the collection he'd shown her before their sparring session. She didn't recognize anything on the pages, but it gave her a topic for conversation with the voices in her head, providing ample entertainment to pass the time. Eventually she fell asleep herself, the book held carefully to her chest as she curled up in the armchair, her boots set on the floor beside it. It was a fairly deep sleep, and she didn't dream for one of the first times in many weeks, something she was eternally grateful for when she awoke.

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If Rogue had been able to follow the wraith's telepathic conversation, she would have agreed wholeheartedly. Human relationships were complicated and messy and oftentimes more trouble than they were worth. That's why she wanted to keep things simple from now on, to avoid those gut-wrenching, complex emotional ties that left a person completely devastated when those ties were severed. She wasn't sure she could survive that kind of pain again, and she didn't really care to try anytime soon.

"We gave everyone a pretty good show, huh?" Rogue asked with a slightly sheepish look.

Keller glanced over at her and smirked. "It's all anyone's talked about today. And from what I hear, you've earned some admirers for having the guts to even argue with a wraith like that."

That was a little surprising for Rogue, but she'd take it over the potential alternatives.

Said wraith was standing not two yards away and chuckled at that, "Indeed, Rogue is full of surprises." he said, getting a cup of water for one of his crew. "Teaching us how to cook, competently sparring, and now arguing."

"Got quite a resume there" Keller smiled at her "Woolsey still won't let you stay?"

"No, but are you surprised Doctor Keller?" Todd answered

She shrugged, "Guess not."

Rogue just smiled and tilted her head to the side. "I'm kind of okay with it, actually. Not that Atlantis isn't fascinating, but I think this bunch will be more able to keep me on my toes," she told the doctor.

Keller raised her eyebrows at that, glancing between Todd and Rogue. "You're staying on the hive ship?" That part hadn't quite hit the gossip mill yet.

Rogue shrugged one shoulder and nodded to Todd. "Unless my offer's been rescinded for daring to argue with the Commander."

Todd shook his head once, "You are still welcome aboard." Besides, it hadn't been an insulting type of argument. And the pair were better for it he thought.

He looked to Keller. "Woolsey was adamant about not allowing her to permanently stay." he said.

Keller looked to Rogue. "I'm sure if enough of us said otherwise you'd be allowed to...he's head of Atlantis but he's not the president or anything" she said

Todd looked to Rogue again. He could guess she'd still say no, but it was her choice to say it.

Rogue's smile turned incredibly fond at the doctor's words. She was a genuinely good person, just like many people she'd met here at Atlantis, and it was a nice change of pace from what she'd dealt with over the past few years.

"I appreciate the thought," she told Keller. "But I really am okay with this arrangement. I actually kinda like being on the hive. It can be a little dark sometimes, but I manage, and wraith can be surprisingly good company when they're not trying to have you for dinner, so I think I'll be just fine."

Keller looked to Todd then back to her, "Okay, but I got your back if you ever change your mind" she said before leaving the pair to go check up on her other patients.

"And you still have a lot of crew to teach how to cook" Todd chuckled. "You won't be getting away so easily now."

They left the second ward to walk, leaving the sleeping and puzzle-engrossed wraith behind.

"What are you going to tell Sheppard?" he asked.

"The truth," she answered with a self-deprecating smile. "That I'm a broken mess who just can't handle romantic entanglements right now. And that if I didn't have to worry about my powers, I'd have him in my bed in five seconds flat."

She laughed a little then and smirked. "That last bit is mostly to save his pride, but it's not untrue."

"He'll appreciate your honesty, I think." he chuffed, heading down the hallway towards his room.

"I'd ask if you'd like to spar and kill some time but..." he glanced to her ribs. "Guess not." he went over to his growing bookshelf and found a title called "The Once and Future King". Having finished his previous book last night, he decided on a new one. A book on chess would be appreciated but perhaps next time they were here on Atlantis.

"I wish," she grumbled, glaring down at her pesky injury. It had only been a few days and she was already sick of it. In another week, it would take real effort to not be completely insufferable to everyone around her.

She noted the book he'd chosen and grinned. "T.H. White. It's a wonderful novel, a favorite for both Charles and Erik." It was incredibly comforting to know that book existed in this dimension as well; it was like having a tiny bit of home.

He looked to it then her. "You know it" he stated, then held it out to her to take. "Care to read aloud?"

He elaborated before she could ask. "When things are slow on a hive, wraith sometimes read to one another. Its calming and gives both parties something to do."

True the titles were often just the stolen written histories of human civilizations or the like, but it was something.

She was now even more certain that she'd made the right decision to accept Todd's offer to stay on the hive. Taking the book, she smiled softly and stroked a hand lovingly over the slightly worn cover.

Settling onto the couch, she removed her gloves, the feeling of the pages on her fingertips a soothing balm on her soul, and opened to the first page. "On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays it was Court Hand and Summulae Logicales, while the rest of the week it was the Organon, Repetition and Astrology..." The words came easily and the story unfolded around her, embracing her like an old friend. She wouldn't stop reading unless Todd made her, either with a question or some other means of getting her attention.

His favorite saying, went without saying it; there was far more to wraith than humans knew.

Todd sat down beside her and listened quietly, taking in her voice, the southern drawl, and the story itself, only interrupting when she finished a chapter to ask about it.

After the fifth chapter, he had her stop, mark her place, and shooed her off to dinner, and to talk to Sheppard. While she was gone, he quickly gave his crew another check-in before coming back and skimming through the chapters Rogue had already read to ensure he'd not missed anything.

Dinner was a comfortable affair, no one bringing up the content of her argument with Todd the night before, just a few comments about how the incident had been built up by the rumor mill to now include a full on screaming match and punches being thrown. She'd nearly choked on her water at that revelation, and had quickly set the record straight. There had been no punches, but her temper had definitely shown.

After dinner, as everyone was beginning to disperse and go their separate ways for the night, Rogue had cornered Sheppard, pulling him aside for the thing she'd been dreading for hours. It was one of the most awkward conversations she'd ever had, honestly. There was no easy way of turning someone down before they'd even professed feelings for her, and she'd floundered over an explanation of what she'd felt in the brief emotional feedback and how she'd interpreted it. He'd looked completely shocked, and then embarrassed, and had finally settled on trying to turn the whole thing into a joke to make her laugh. It had worked in the end; he was good at making her laugh.

He already knew about how she'd lost Remy, and it hadn't taken much more for him to assure her that he understood, and that he'd be there if she should ever change her mind. Again, it was all about her as a person, her ability not even factoring into the conversation, and it made her adore him even more than she already did.

By the time they parted ways, she was practically floating through the halls, buoyed by the feeling of acceptance and friendship that Sheppard had offered her so easily. She rang the not doorbell for Todd's room with a silly grin plastered on her face, and she was sure it wouldn't fade anytime soon.

She'd been gone a long time so he'd taken the time to enjoy the luxury of a shower, which he'd have to discuss with his engineers to try and replicate for the hive ship as they were far more conservative of water. And were quicker to get in and out of.

He'd just finished pulling his undershirt back on when the doorbell rang and he answered it.

"I take it by your expression, things went well" he said, stepping aside for her and closing the door. He sat down on the couch, rubbing his hair with a small towel. "So? Elaborate" he said.

He was such a nosy wraith, but she had to admit it was something she quite liked about him. Better to be curious than apathetic, after all. And it did make for fantastic conversation.

"It went amazingly well," she informed him, taking her usual place on the couch and watching him dry his hair. "It was embarrassing at first, for the both of us, but then he just laughed it off. He said he'd been turned down by a lot of women in the past, but I'm officially the best story in that arsenal now."

Humans were very emotional beings, going from one to the next in the blink of an eye. Rogue, while a special human, was no exception, so he had to catch each as they came.

Good to know Sheppard had no hard feelings about it, he knew from personal experience the guy could hold a grudge. Further proof that she'd be welcome here in the event she ever changed her mind or something happened.

He finished rubbing his hair out and got up to hang the towel in the bathroom, returning to the sofa after pulling his coat back on.

"What will it be tonight? Training or reading?" he asked, sitting down beside her as usual. Outside, the rain had intensified, sheets of water blurring everything out, though as it was after sunset there wasn't much to see anyway.

Rogue enjoyed listening to the rain while he was gone, and a small, contented smile was in place when he returned. Overall, the day had really been quite... nice, wonderful even, and she felt calm and at peace with herself.

So there was the answer.

"Training," she announced, tugging off her gloves and setting them aside. "I think I'm a bit more stable than I was last time. We should take advantage of it."

Todd gave single nod and held out his hand, palm down this time so that he didn't slash her own. He stayed with his left though, the feeding organs in his right arm were far more sensitive to the abuse of her ability.

Perhaps tonight she'd be able to get to that place she'd been before, and hold it there longer, cutting it off when she wanted and not thanks to a distraction.

"Ready when you are." he said, relaxed, but ready to pull away should that yank of pain happen again.

Rogue focused on her breathing, keeping it steady and even despite the ever-present ache of her sore ribs. She could do this. She would do it. All she needed to do was concentrate, get back to that same place she'd been before...

As with the last time, her first touch was brief, a tentative brush of skin on skin as she acclimated to that trickle of energy, tracing it back to the center of her ability. She paused for a few moments, her hand hovering over his, and then resumed the touch, raising the mental gate she'd created, slowing that exchange of energy, and then...

Stopping the exchange completely.

Holding onto that concentration, she glanced up at Todd, wanting to make sure he wasn't feeling anything either.

Todd was silent, the fuzzy feeling in his hand returning, and then...

He gave her the hint of a smile to let her know she was doing it.

He felt nothing in her touch save for her warm fingertips. No tingle, no ache, and especially, no pain.

She'd succeeded.

Rogue felt tears stinging her eyes, but still she concentrated, determined to hold onto the feeling of control for as long as possible. She slid her hand more fully against his, her fingers wrapping around the back of his hand to touch his palm.

"I haven't been able to touch someone like this in... a very long time." The sensation would become overwhelming if she let it, so she pushed it aside, only thinking of that particular moment and not what had come before.

"Good..." he praised quietly as she moved onto holding his hand-admittedly a very strange sight out of context-and continued to maintain control.

Even more impressive, she spoke, likely recalling memories of her time before her ability completely changed everything. But still, she held her grip on that metaphorical faucet handle.

"Hold on, as long as possible." he prompted. "Allow nothing else to interfere."

Rogue did just that, and for four glorious minutes she was able to feel his skin against her own. It was only when she felt her control begin to waver that she released his hand and leaned back into the couch.

"I did it," she murmured in disbelief. Glancing over at Todd, she added, "Thank you."

Two minutes...three...four...

And then she began to waver and let go. Far more impressive than the previous time.

He nodded. "Better and better each time." he said

But they were still a long way from it becoming an effortless endeavor, or to make it so that she had to be able to turn her power on for it to work, not turn it off when she was in no danger.

Not bad for the night and they decided to leave it at that than push it further tonight. It was still fairly early though so he had her read a little before sending her off to bed.

It was an amazing day. The best she'd had since Remy died, certainly, and probably long before that. After a stop to get her nightly dose of medication, she'd slept soundly in that elegantly strange borrowed room, dreaming of absolutely nothing. If only every night could be like that.

The next morning had her up bright and early, grabbing a cup of coffee and then wandering out onto a balcony to enjoy the calm that had settled after the previous day's storm. The sky was clear, the smell of the ocean crisp, and she felt wonderfully alive and full of possibility.

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