The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 14

Brooklyn tucked Juliana in bed, smoothing the stray hairs from her face. "All snug, Little One?"

Her sister nodded, shifting on the pillow. "Yup."

"Good." Brooklyn leaned over and turned on the night light on the bedside table, the one that threw up shifting shapes along the walls and ceiling. "No story tonight."

"Please?" Juliana begged. "Just one? One short one?"

"I don't know any short stories about Papa, Little One." She shook her head.

The little girl accepted this, sighing, before perking up. "Maybe Cap'n knows one. Since he knew Papa."

Brooklyn shook her head again. "Not tonight, Juliana. He and I have a lot to talk about. And we need you in bed, asleep, to do that."

"Is it about him becoming part of our family?"

Frowning, Brooklyn adjusted the sheets around her sister's shoulders. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because he said he was going to take care of you." Juliana replied, pushing down the sheets a bit. "And you said you were going to take care of me, before Papa went away. Because we are family. So, if Cap'n is going to take care of you, it must be because he's going to be family."

Sighing, Brooklyn sat down on the edge of the bed, taking her sister's hand in hers. "That's not how that works, Little One. Rogers is saying he's going to take care of me, because he cares so deeply for Papa, that he doesn't want anything to happen to his girls. And he wants to..." She paused, trying to think of how to explain the complexities of the human mating dance to her sister. "He wants to date me. Take me out, see if we work well together. Like choosing a partner."

"Partner for what?" Juliana's face scrunched up.

"Oh, a partner for many things. That's one of the things he and I have to discuss." Brooklyn smiled, rubbing her sister's hand. "It's something that you won't have to worry about, for a very long time."

A very long time, indeed, if Brooklyn had anything to say about it. Hopefully Papa would be back, and he would be able to handle this particular line of questioning.

"Do you want to be his partner?" plucking at the sheet with her free hand, Juliana peered up at her older sister.

"I don't know. But he asked me out, to take me out on a date, and he asked me to be his girl. And I said yes to both." Brooklyn shrugged. "Where we go from there, it's yet to be decided."
"But-" Brooklyn cut her off.

"Enough. Bedtime, for you, Little One." Brooklyn readjusted the sheets, over her sister's shoulders, before bending down and pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Sleep."

Standing up, she made her way to the door, hooking the handle with one hand, while she slid her hand down the wall, catching the light switch with the other. Sending the room into darkness, save for the nightlight that rotated the colorful shapes along the walls and ceiling, she began to close the door.

"G'night, Lyn." Juliana called out softly.

"Good night, Little One." Brooklyn called back, shutting the door completely.

Standing in the hall, she pressed her forehead against the door, taking several deep breaths. The evening had been a rollercoaster of emotions and physical feelings. Rogers desire to touch her, while not unwelcome, was interesting, if one looked at it objectively. His hands, large as they were, calloused by his use of them in battle, were gentle. Very different from the way most men touched her. He touched her, not with an intent to hurt, but to soothe, to comfort, and apparently, to arouse.