When last we left, Maggie was in the lab tending to Lija’s wounds and Luna had gone down the hallway to catch Noah. We pick up the action there.
**********************
Reaching up to cup his cheek, Luna told her pard mate. “Superman, we really do need to talk about all this, why you've gone security Nazi on us. You're killing us.” Her voice dropped down to a bear whisper. “Why don't you wanna tell Mags and I that you’re the Key?”
Noah put his hand over Luna’s still on his cheek. “I have to keep you safe.” He looked up in shock at her last statement. “Who told you… Who said I was?”
Smiling up at him and running my thumb over his cheek the female guard chided. “Superman. You didn't have to say a thing. Mags and I were thinking about it the other day. We were speculating about what would happen if you happened to be the Key. It sort of fell into place.”
The man grimaced, uttering a low growl. “And I just confirmed it. Wonder Woman I have been flying in the dark for nearly two weeks. Why didn’t you say something before now?”
Reaching up, she kissed Noah's chin. “I was hoping that if I gave you some space that you would come to me. We have to figure this out and how it affects us all. We can't do that if you don't talk to us.”
He pulled her close, rubbing his chin on her head. “I know Luna but the prophecy… I’m so scared something is going to happen to her.” Looking toward the lab door down the hall, he added, “I'm so afraid of losing her.”
Wrapping her arms around his waist and tucking her head under his chin, she whispered, “Superman, we're all in the dark here. We can't solve anything if don't talk to each other.”
The man held his ex tight in his arms. “I know Wonder Woman. Maybe we can put all our head together later today and see what we can figure out.”
Running her hands over his back and purring slightly, she softly admits, “I didn't realize how much I missed this.”
The tall guard answered the woman’s purr with one of his own, lost in the moment. “Yeah, there are things I miss too Luna.”
Pulling back just enough to look up at him a small smile played around her lips. “Like what Superman?”
Noah smiled down at her. “Fishing for compliments Wonder Woman?”
“Always.”
***********************
Meanwhile back in the lab:
Lija sighed as he added, “I just need a good night’s sleep Doc.”
Smiling down at her friend, she told him, “You need a few things I would like to give you but for now, I'll have to settle for patching you up and sending back to the hotel to sleep.”
“You know Doc talk like that doesn't help.” He chastised, grinning.
Winking the young blonde removed a bloody glove and ran a bare finger down the man’s cheek. “It distracted you from the first set of stitches didn’t it?” Grabbing a new pair of gloves she proceeded with her work.
“You are tricky. Maybe that's why you can put up with us.”
Smiling, she leaned close and whispered, “Of course I am. How else would I survive around here? But this is my area of expertise so you have to trust me now.” Moving back to treat his wounds, she added, “Just don’t think I use that tactic on any handsome were though.”
“Oh so it only works on me huh?” He smiled despite his obvious pain.
The doctor giggled, “You do seem to have a somewhat unique lack of immunity where I am concerned.” She blushed when she realized what she had said.
“I don't mind at all.” Closing his eyes he tried to figure out what he missed.
“ Me either.” She looked at the druid in mock seriousness, “Of course this horrible immunity others have to my cuteness does interfere with my plans for world domination.”
Opening his eyes at her last comment, he couldn't help but laugh. “Ow that hurts. Laughing not good.”
Smiling at his laughter, she grimaced when in sympathy when he complained. “Sorry, but if you are hurting at least we know you are alive and all your nerve endings are working.”
“Oh I think that's a safe bet.”
Moving up, she continued cleaning and stitching where needed. “Glad to hear it. So I can trust you not to get in any fights the next few days until your wounds heal?”
“I won't start any.” He assured her.
The young woman sighed. “I guess that's all I can ask for. You're all patched up my druidic friend.”
He nodded his thanks and she watched him get up and head for the door. She thought about following to make sure he didn’t have another run in with Noah but decided not being seen with him might prevent more fights, so the doctor stayed behind to clean her equipment.
*************
Noah smiled at Luna’s ready admission that she wanted compliments. “I miss hearing you purr when let yourself relax in my arms. I miss the way your green eyes sparkle when you are surprised. I miss not having to worry about whether some small chance accident will hurt you.”
Reaching up to kiss the corner of Noah's mouth, the woman grinned. “You still worried though. You always made sure I came home in one piece.”
The man turned to give her a gentle kiss then pulled away. “Yeah I worried. I still worry about you but it's not the same. She's human and so fragile. I couldn’t live with myself if she was ever hurt because of me.”
Tucking her head back under his chin, the female leopard reasoned with him. “We can't always protect her. We're not always going to be there. All we can do is give her the tools she needs to handle any give situation. We need to sit down, all of us, and talk about this. What does it mean? How does it affect us? We can't do much of anything if we're always trying to shield one of the participants.”
He held her close and ran his hands down her back. “I know that on some level but she doesn’t deserve to have to face another challenge. I don’t know what all she has faced before but judging by the haunted look in her eyes when she thinks no one is looking, it wasn’t good.”
Swallowing hard and shaking her head, tears gathered in her eyes. “No it wasn't good at all. She endured things no ten year old should ever have to. It's not only amazing the type of woman she is now, it's a freaking miracle. She has come a long way from the child she was to the woman she is now.”
The man reached to grab her chin. He lifted her face up to his and wiped the tears away. “We've obviously all been keeping secrets from one another. It pains me to admit it,” Making an exaggerated grimace face he continued, “but maybe we do need to sit down and come clean with each other.”
Her eyes lit up with a wicked gleam. “Couldn't we just clean each other?” she asked, wiggling her eyebrows.
The leopard chuckled at his ex. “Sure Wonder Woman.” Holding her face in place, he licked her cheek then noticed Maggie standing in the corridor watching.
Laughing the Luna turned to see Maggie standing there at the end of the hall. “Hey Kitten. I think I may have been able to do it. I may have actually been able to talk Superman outta the babysitters.”
The doctor eyed them both suspiciously given the close way they were standing and tongue lick she just witnessed. “Makes sense. You can defend yourself and if I'm taken out you two can get back together.”
The woman raised an eyebrow at her human sister. “Excuse me? Did I miss something?”
“That's what I'm wondering?” The blonde pouted with tears in her eyes. “Lija went back to the hotel. Should I leave too?”
“I thought you thought this was a good idea. What exactly do you think is going on here?” The female guard asked.
Her sister shook her head. “I don’t know except you two getting friendly. I don’t know why he even made a show of fighting for me with the Tore. Was it just an act?” Getting dizzy, she leaned back against wall and slid to the floor.
Breaking away from Noah and going down the hall towards Maggie, Luna called, “Kitten, kitten? Can you hear me? Sweetie, give me some kind of sign.” She looked back at Noah helplessly.
The male guard, momentarily shocked, went running down the hall toward Maggie. He fell to his knees and slid the last few feet. “Angel, are you okay?” Looking up at Luna, he asked, “Who the hell told her about us?”
Her mouth was set in thin angry lines. “I did. She wouldn't let it go. I told her she wouldn't like the answer. But she was like a dog with a bone she wouldn't let it go. I got so angry I told her.”
The man growled, running his fingers through his hair. “Fine. She was bound to find out sooner or later. Luna, do know what's wrong with her? Can’t you tell with that link you two have? Anita called Marianne for me and she said if I'm the key I should be able to tap in too but I don’t know how.”
The female leopard shook her head. “Noah, I don't know magic; you're talking to the wrong person. The only thing I know about tapping into our link is that usually it's accompanied by touch and sometimes slightly sexual overtones. If you're looking for an exact way to reach her I can't help you.”
The taller guard looked a bit shocked at her remark about sexual overtones. “Just how slight?” Pulling unconsciously at the collar of his tee shirt, he added, “I guess I don’t want to know.” He reached out to touch the human’s face. “Come on baby. Wake up for us and tell us what's wrong.”
Luna rolled her eyes, followed quickly by a snort. “You always were a prude, Superman. Try this.” Reaching up, she pulled her own tank top off over her head and threw it away. Then she ripped Maggie's shirt pulling the doctor flush against her. Before Noah has time to register what his pard mate had just done she ripped the front of his shirt and grabbed the back of his neck, pulling him to them.
The man uttered a low growl in surprise as he was grabbed, which turned to a purr as his bare skin contacted Maggie. His hand reached around to grab Luna. He buried his face in Maggie’s neck, nuzzling her, begging her silently to give him some sort of contact. Luna’s fingers dug into Noah's shoulder and she began nuzzling the other side of Maggie's neck. Calling to that part of the doctor that is connected to her and her beast, the female leopard began to chuff like calling a hiding cub.
Noah, unsure of what Luna hoped to accomplish by her call when Maggie was human, none the less lent his support and was surprised to sense another presence, lurking afraid to come to the surface. Wondering where he was seeing that presence, he realized it was in depths of Maggie's mind.
Licking the doctor’s cheek a couple of times, Luna looked down at her and noticed her eyes were still closed. The leopard chuffed again, like she was calling a hiding cub. Unsure how to help the male guard mirrored his pard mate’s actions. Licking Maggie's cheek, he tried to send all the love he felt for her out to the presence he sensed peaking out from her mind. Reaching out his hand towards it, a metaphysical hand grazed his and he was rewarded with a whimper before she pulled away again.
Another presence is sensed on the metaphysical plane where the three souls were trying to join. She felt ancient and wise. Communicating with both leopards in their minds, her voice sounded like Maggie yet not Maggie at the same time. “Greetings my champions. I don’t have much time to explain. I am Arianna. Perhaps my old Druid friend will tell you more of our shared past when next you meet. We are pleased you have found the connection, Gate, Gatekeeper and Key. I would grant you all the knowledge at my disposal but you are set on your path. You have begun well. The Druid will help you along the way, but you must find how he fits on your own. I am only stepping forward to say time is growing short. Our vessel, our Gate, needs support and training now before it is too late. Even now the voices overwhelm and confuse her. I brought her back to you this time; I don’t know that I will be able to do it again. Seek knowledge while you may.”
The guide placed one of Maggie’s metaphysical hands in Luna's then the other in Noah's and stepped back in the depths of Maggie's mind.
Meeting Noah's eyes across Maggie's face, the female guard slowly lowered her head and watched him do the same. They mirrored each other almost perfectly. Luna’s tongue made slow sure strokes along Maggie's cheek. Then looking down into her face, the leopard began to chuff again, hoping that this time they could finally bring her back.
Whimpering, the doctor was unsure what the noise she heard was but somehow knew she should follow it to the surface. She slowly came around to find herself shirtless and sandwiched between the two leopards, unsure of what was going on. “Looney? Noah?”
The man was unable to stop himself though he usually avoided cat gestures around humans. He licked Maggie's check one more time and purred a greeting. “Welcome back Angel. You want to go home or sleep here?”
Relaxing a bit, Luna nuzzled her sister’s neck. “You gave us quite a scare, Kitten. You just slid down the wall. I was freaking. I thought perhaps you'd gone over the edge.”
Still a bit confused, the human replied. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I don’t feel so good, maybe too much excitement?”
Rubbing her sister’s arms, the cat reassured her, “I'm sure that's all it was, Kitten. Now did you wanna go home to sleep or are we going to take one of the spare rooms here?”
Relaxing as she’s enveloped by the warmth of both cats, the doctor was not sure what happened right before the black out. She did remember the fright of the last car ride though. “Here. Here is good. No more cars tonight.”
Nuzzling Maggie’s neck, Luna smiled. “Oh, I like that plan. Okay Superman, carry us!”
Noah chuckled. “What do I look like? A pack mule? I will carry Maggie in my arms. If you want to be carried, you know where my back is, Wonder Woman.”
The female guard pouted. “But I don't wanna let the Kitten go.”
Her sister looked at her lover with sad eyes. “It helps us to be close, really.”
The man sighed, knowing the pair’s combined pleas could make him move mountains. “Okay but if I drop you, I get to say I told you so.”
The female cat smiled up at him. “After you say I told you so I get to shoot you in any body part I wish.”
Noah chuckled. “I don’t think my Angel would like that too well.” He picked up both girls in his arms and headed off to the nearest spare room. He kicked the door in and set them both on the bed. “Well we are half naked already.” Smiling down at Maggie he added, “And the kitten is half asleep already. So good night you two.”
The woman muttered good night back at him as Noah shut the door and locked it. Snuggling against Maggie with Luna safely curled against her from the other side, Noah joined the pair for some much needed rest.