| "Consumption" | ||
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June 6, 2008 Paige's Place 0300 hours "Hey sweetness." "Hey," Paige mumbled looking for the alarm clock. "It's three o'clock in the morning Joshua," she grumbled curling up under the blankies again. "It's not 3 in the morning here...matter of fact...it's kind of bright and sunny." "I'm so not liking you right now," she mumbled. "I have a surprise for you," he said quietly. "You're really calling me from my closet and any second now you're gonna jump in my bed and have your way with me?" "Ha, you'd like that wouldn't you?" "Oh yeah, just love getting woken up at this ungodly hour in the morning by you without getting any sex." "That's all you care about anymore...the sex. Is that all I am to you? Something to toy around with and have sex with at will?" "Yes," she replied evenly. "What about my feelings? What I want? Where's my romance?" "The romantic type so does not suit you, so don't try it." He laughed softly. "I can't get anything over you anymore." "What's up?" she asked now waking up a little bit. "Well, the Oversight investigation into Madeline's death is done." "Oh, so Maddy's officially dead, now?" "Yeah, so to speak. You remember Tara? From Section Four?" It took Paige a moment to call up the woman's face. Tara was one of the level fives on that mission in Switzerland...the night Operations died at Eric's hands, Kihn, back then. "Yeah, I remember her." "Well, she's taking over Section Four." "Good for her, she's good material." Material? She shivered. Had she just referred to an operative as material? Joshua laughed again, this time not so softly. "Yeah, good material. I'm happy for her, she'll do well. I have some more things to sort out here..." "Where are you now?" "Back at Section One." "Oh, hanging with Michael?" she said the name contemptuously. "What exactly is your problem with him?" "Besides the fact that he's a complete prick? Nothing. He's had it out for me since day one." "He has not..." "Whatever, I'm not getting into this with you now." "I just don't see why you can't just get along..." "I'll get along with him when he's dead and buried, how's that for starters?" "You know you're pretty bold when I'm a couple thousand miles away." "Well, you are less intimidating over the phone." "We'll see about that next time I see you. Speaking of which, I still owe you for that little bondage job you pulled on me the other night." "You loved every minute of it and you know it," Paige shot back. "That may be so, but I still owe you." "Fine," she said. "So, I've got a surprise for you." Paige scowled in the darkness. "You know I don't like surprises." "You'll like this one," Joshua teased. "What is it?" "You'll see in a couple days." Paige could picture him smirking. "A couple days? You call me at 3 in the morning to tell me about a surprise that's going to happen in a couple days? Could you possibly be any more vague?" "I could, but that would probably piss you off." "I'm already pissed off." "I miss you," he said suddenly. So that was it. Those few words cutting right through her. "That's not like you to admit you miss someone." "I don't miss someone...I miss you. I always do when you're not around. I miss being with you. I miss being there to watch you sleep. That's why I called you...I was thinking of you sleeping." Why did he do things like this? How did you respond to Joshua's comments without leaving yourself wide open for him to dive right back into your soul? "You don't miss me?" he asked. "Yeah, I miss things...I miss the sex." Joshua snorted, "bitch." Paige grinned in the darkness. "How's Saf doing?" "Good. She's staying with me a couple days. We've talked a little but, you know, these things take time." "You tell her about the chemical?" "Hasn't come up." "But you've made your decision?" he pressed. "Not yet. I'm still thinking about it." "Okay, that's fair. I'm confident you'll make the right decision. How's Brian doing?" Joshua thankfully changed the subject off Safara. "Good. Rebecca hooked him up with a school on the island and he seems pleased with it." "And dinner with Jordy?" There was something wrong with him calling her Jordy. That was something the Alpha team called her, not outsiders. And Joshua was an outsider...wasn't he? "It was really good, she's a great cook." "Yeah, so I've heard. I hope to be back soon, couple days. I was wondering if you'd like to spend some time at my place." "Your place?" "Yeah. I'm up in Hoboken. I have a beautiful view of the river, you'll love it." "I don't see why not. As long as you don't mind Brian." "Mind? I'd love to have him. Hey, have you talked to Baz?" "No, not really. He's working a surveillance case. I'm guessing we'll be on it soon enough." "I'll give him a call when I get back." "Aren't you guys just all buddy buddy." "Pfft, have you ever been partying with him? That guy is a chick magnet!" "Okay, I have been partying with him, and that's a little too much info then I'd care to know," Paige snorted her reply. "C'mon, you know how it is, you're a guy magnet." "I so am not." "No, you are. And...you know...if you're out and you meet someone and you want something? I don't want you to think that you can't...because of me or anything." What was he getting at? "You mean I'm not your exclusive property?" she asked half jokingly. "Oh, no, don't get me wrong, you still belong to me, but if you need to fulfill some needs elsewhere, I don't want you to think I'd have a problem with that." "And this, I presume, works both ways?" Just how the hell could this...whatever they had...possibly get any more twisted? "Considering I'm sitting here, in a drab gray office, all by myself, a shit load of work to do and not a pretty girl in sight? I'd have to say no. Maybe at some point in the future but...I don't have anything you can't take care of." "You're amusing," Paige said evenly. He obviously meant something with his statements. Joshua always meant something in everything he said. Still, she knew he wasn't going any further with them. "I try to be. I just wanted to lay that out there," he said finally confirming her thoughts. "I'll consider myself informed," Paige said quietly closing her eyes in the darkness. "I'll let you go get back to your pretty dreams." "Should I expect to see you soon?" Paige asked. "Yeah, couple days. I'll call you as soon as I know anything definite. Maybe you and Brian can come pick me up at the airport." "Yeah, no problem. Oh, and by the way, thanks for talking to him�about what to say in regards to Capricorn." Joshua laughed softly. "Yeah, well, you'll get those little details soon enough, but you're welcome, it's the least I could do." Maybe not the least, she thought. "Alright, well, have a good day or whatever you're up to." "I will. Talk to you soon." He hung up and Paige closed her phone and put it on the dresser back in its charger. It had been na�ve on her part, she thought, to think their relationship had moved on from games and innuendoes. And Joshua may have changed with regards to the openness between them, bringing into the light that which prior to Capricorn would never have been. But he was still Joshua. He was still a fireball of intensity, a dangerous enemy and a cherished ally. He was still Him and she still had to watch out for herself. He was driving home a point somewhere in that conversation, probably more than one, most likely more than one. She curled herself up on her side, but she would ponder those points in the morning. She had a couple days, or so he said, one could never be totally sure with him, so it would do her good to settle this as early as possible. "In the morning," she promised herself. In the morning she would once again have her thoughts consumed by Joshua... Return |
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