Before the Battle

Family name 5/17

Outside, a huge snowstorm was raging.

The wind was blowing in the windows and there were white drifts as far as the eye could see. The whole yard, the driveway, our cars, everything disappeared under a thick blanket of snow.

The mobile phone signal, which even under normal circumstances could only be picked up in a few places and with a lot of luck, went out completely during the blizzard. The display of my phone flashed "no signal" and I enjoyed the sight.

No one could reach me, not even Maya, Erica or anyone at HQ to remind me of my missed meetings.

I found myself in this remote location, completely cut off from the outside world by snowdrifts and an unusable mobile phone, with the only person I needed to be with me.

Shira sat down next to me and put a tray of food next to me.

And I got breakfast in bed to go with it. What more could I ask for?

"Now that's what I call romance," I said with a smile before looking out through the window. "But if the power goes out, we'll freeze to death in here."

We weren't really in danger of freezing, but there was no denying that there wasn't much warmth inside.

"Well, you're certainly earlier than I am," Shira remarked with mockery as he watched me shiver under two blankets while he sat next to me in nothing but his jeans.

"You mean you wouldn't warm me up with your own body?" I teased, running my fingers teasingly over his bare chest.

He rolled me onto my back, bowls and plates sliding dangerously to the edge of the bed, and placed his mouth on mine.

"Don't worry, I'll warm you right now," he said with a wild gleam in his eyes, then kissed me.

Laughing, I pushed him away. "At least wait until I eat."

He reluctantly released me from his arms, and I arranged the scattered oatmeal cookies back on the plate. Then I eagerly reached for the steaming hot cup of coffee that Shira had set aside for safety on the nightstand, and took a sip.

Only the strong taste of the bitter liquid was able to wake me up fully in the morning. I was now absolutely happy.

I took one of the round biscuits and bit into it.

"They're really good," I cooed with my mouth full. "Where did you get them?"

"One of the girls brought them yesterday," he said, taking one too. "Sometimes they gave me something. I can't talk them out of it."

The morsel turned bitter on my tongue. I put the unfinished piece back on the plate.

"I see you already have your fan club," I said sarcastically.

"I have to keep myself busy when you're at the Council all day."

"So you're doing this to me on purpose."

"No," he shook his head dismissively, finishing his cookie and reaching for another. "Maya asked me to, I wanted to oblige. I thought it might be fun."

I remembered how all the girls couldn't take their eyes off him, how they touched him and flirted with him.

"Yeah, you looked like you were having a really good time,' I snapped, irritated.

"You really don't believe me?" He looked at me indulgently, probably not taking it seriously and thinking I was exaggerating.

"I do believe you, that's not the point. But you said yourself you didn't want to share me," I reminded him of his own words. "It bothers me too, Shira. I don't want anyone else to touch you."