Hunted

Chapter 22- Coming back to life and doing the unexpected.

PG-13 version. Adult version of this chapter is in the R rated book.

The Australian Embassy didn't move slowly after the call was made. When they heard that the funerals were just a few days away  things were rushed. Identity proven with specific questions, as I had no ID anymore, contact with the bank I used to bank with, with the centerlink system for Australia. It took only two hours, with Jeremy's smooth talking, and my input when needed, before they'd agreed to meet me at the airport with a replacement passport to replace the one that'd been stolen.

When I mentioned that it seemed surprisingly fast, Jeremy smiled. Apparently Elena, Hope and Paige's husband had some contacts in the media and got it to break fast. Not just that but Paige's husband could put pressure on the right people, apparently, and was happy to help. Jeremy wanted to get me into Australia as quickly as possible. 

We headed back to Stonehaven once it was confirmed, as Jeremy wasn't yet comfortable with how secure the new house was, and after a quick big dinner we were shooed upstairs.

I started to pack and it was really only now, with a suggestion from Nick to take it all, that I looked at the clothing that I'd gotten for Christmas. It hadn't been a high priority. It was clothing, a lot of it from Nick, and I'd left it in boxes, figuring that I didn't need to worry about it.

"Open this one first. Very important to take these. I'll go get my bag while you look." He vanished before I could blink.

I lifted the box, moving tissue paper out of the way, finding myself lifting up something short. It had ruffles, lace, and in a color it described as 'bali blue'. I held it up as Nick came into the room, raising an eyebrow. The matching panties were pieces of string held together with the occasional scrap of fabric. Not exactly the kind of thing I'd pack to wear home.

"It matches your eyes. Going to wear it?"

I shook my head. Threw it onto the bed, going back into the box, finding something else. This was also lacy, silky, with a tie between the breasts. Some kind of pastal babydoll. The panties were at least half there, I thought, but it'd apparently forgotten the part that covered the rest of the stomach. Below that was another babydoll thing, silk and lace, which at least seemed to cover most of the stomach and hips. Sort of. But when I held it out, I could see Nick through the fabric, so I could guess how much it really covered.

He looked very pleased with himself. He moved over, yanking it out of my hands, holding it up. Nick held it to his face, peering at me through the sheer silk, winking.

"How about this one?"

"I don't think so."

"You'd look pretty sexy in it."

"I don't think I could sleep in it. It doesn't look comfortable." I held it up. There were underwires under the breasts, I could picture them digging into my skin. A curvy body meant that my chest wasn't light, it wasn't floating around, it had weight to it and that weight pressing those wires into me, while I tried to sleep...

"It's not meant to stay on for sleep. I'm meant to take it off again." He grinned. A hand moved to sneak across my top, yanking at it, fingers grazing the bottom of my bra underneath. "Like this. Keep looking in the box."

I bent down and tugged the last thing out. It was, to my relief, just plain PJ boxers and tank top. This was also apparently this 'Victoria's Secret' brand but without any frills, lace or underwire to cause me annoyance. Something fell out of it as I picked it up, a pair of boxers covered in kangaroos, clearly not apart of the set. They looked like something a tacky gift store would sell.

"Thankyou." I stood up, wrapping my arms around his neck, and he nuzzled into it. "I'll take one of your ...silk things... with me. I guess you can pick it." I didn't think I could decide, not out of passion for the three things, but because I just didn't care that much. It also distracted him for a good ten minutes while he tried to decide, holding them up, yanking my hair out of the ponytail for 'a better idea'. When he decided, I didn't bother turning around, just let him stick it in the suitcase. If I would wear it, now that was a whole other question. With the anxious anticipation at what we'd have to face in Australia I didn't really want to bother giving it any more energy.