The Academy: Discovery

Ferocious Redhead

A/N: This one is for BamaRose because you're always racing Jellybean262 to be my first vote or comment and in case you can't tell those make me happy :)

"You wanted to see me?" Nathan ask coming into the room only a minute or two later. I still haven't looked away from the file on the desk.

Mr. Blackbourne once again uses a hand on my arm to move me toward Nathan. "I believe Miss Cathcart could use your assistance."

I shake my head. "I'm fine. We haven't even gotten to my parents office. I don't need anything." I insist but even as I say it I feel the sweat starting to break out over my skin. I pull my shirt from my skin at the collar and kind of fan myself. "I lied. Somethings wrong. I'm really hot all of a sudden."

"I gotcha." Nathan says with a chuckle. "She's fired up?"

"I believe so. Yes. I would've tried to help but I need to handle something of extreme importance as soon as possible." Mr. Blackbourne says.

Nathan holds a hand out for me to take. "Come on Els I'll help you. We're just going to need more room than this." Willing to try anything to not feel as heated or tense as I do right now I practically leap for his hand.

As he leads me through the kitchen into the dining area I ask "You know whats wrong with me?"

Again he chuckles. "Yeah Els, you're pissed off."

I pause not understanding. "What?"

"I guess it hitting you this hard is a redhead thing. I get the same way. I'm actually surprised you haven't went ape shit before. I've been doing it for as long as I can remember. Anytime I get pissed or feel anything too strongly really."

"So I'm having some kind of redhead melt down?" he shrugs. "How do I stop it?"

He bites the inside of his lip considering. "I guess I haven't figured that out. I just deal with it as it comes."

"Is that what we're doing now? Dealing with my anger? I thought we were going outside so I could cool off."

"Not outside. You're going to beat me up."

I snort. "So we're trying to replace anger with sadness and guilt?"

This makes him laugh loudly. "Els if you actually manage to beat me up feel proud not guilty. Now hit me."

We're standing in the center of the dining room with plenty of room to spare like we do at home for my self defense lessons but I feel different than I usually do during our sparing. "Nate I can't. Sort of because I can't breath but also It feels different now. Like I'd be taking out my anger on you. I'm not mad at you."

He sighs. "So you need to be mad at me?"

"Thats not really what I..."

"I could call you coppertop." I shrug. That nickname doesn't really bother me. Does it him? "Or carrot top. I bet you love that one as much as I do." I glare at him but its not enough to make me truly angry at him. "Alright but you've forced me to bring out these big guns don't forget that later." He opens his mouth but looks around the room to where Kota, Silas, and Victor are sifting through old trash. He blows out a breath and walks closer to me mumbling something I don't catch. Seeing I've missed his latest attempt to anger me he leans closer and very clearly, very deliberately calls me "firecrotch".

I deck him. Right in his nose. "Nathan Griffin! How dare you!" I hiss as I keep hitting him. "Is this what you wanted? You wanted me to hit you? Well you've got it buster!" The hitting seems to be helping but his smile even as I hit him as hard as I can in his chest and arms angers me more. "You. Don't. Call. People. Names. That. Talk. About. Private. Areas." By now he's full on smiling and laughing. "And. You. Don't. Laugh. At. Someone. Trying. To. Beat. You. Up."

"So Ferocious. Is it working?" he gets out before ducking his head out of my reach again.

"I don't know. I still want to hit you." I huff continuing my assault.

In the blink of an eye my hands are pinned to the floor and I'm sprawled out under Nathan. More than that, his lips are pressed to mine and he's kissing me. I swear fireworks shoot from my body at the sensation his lips bring to mine and when each firework shoots off my skin it takes with it the anger I felt toward both Nathan and Tom my parents manager in the restaurant. "Still want to hit me?" Nathan ask still close enough for our lips to brush with each word.

"If I say no are you going to release me and stop kissing me?"

He smirks. "Yeah"

"Then yes."

He looks over his shoulder with a sigh. "I doubt thats a show the others want to watch Els."

"Oh God." I whisper horrified that I didn't even think of them seeing our actions.

"Relax my arm was in the way. They didn't see." I breath out relieved.

"Let me up." I tell him feeling a little drained from our fighting. He stands and helps me do the same. As I dust myself off I ask "Did I hurt you at all?"

"Uh..."

"Don't answer that." I tell him doubting I really want the answer. "I'm sorry I got so angry. And thank you for helping me move passed it. I swear its like it consumed me so much I was..."

"Paralyzed with it. I understand. If you have another you can come to me and we'll duke it out. Can I ask what set you off this time?"

"We were searching the managers office and I found a file with my name on it. It had...private pictures inside."

"How private?"

"I didn't look through them but the first one I saw was of me in the shower." the words come out choked and unsteady. "I'm probably being a baby but nobody has ever seen me like that. At least I didn't think they had. I feel like he stole something special from me."

He pulls me into his arms and squeezes me tightly. Maybe a bit too tightly. "Jeez and I called you that name to try and make you mad. No wonder it worked so well. I'm so sorry he had no right to do that. Please believe that we will find him if he's still out there and he'll pay for what he's taken from you. I'll bet Mr. B is already on it."

I actually chuckle thinking about Mr. Blackbourne. "He knew what was happening to me before I even knew something was wrong."

"I guess he's seen me like that enough he's learned to spot it right away. He's not psychic if thats what your thinking. Your face was just lite up like a cherry bomb."

"Are we still trying to make me mad?" I shove his waist playfully.

He smiles at me warmly "You should probably get back to Mr. B."

"Your not coming?"

"After what you just told me that asshole had in his filing cabinet? No. I need a fight of my own. I'm going to beat up Silas" I wonder if statements like that warm others girls hearts or if its just mine?