Sorting Through Life's Puzzle Pieces

Chapter 9

                "We have to put the candles out before we set this place on fire."

"I'll help you clean up. Come one," Maeve pulled out of his embrace, missing his look of disappointment as she started picking up.

Walking back, Tom held her hand, with her silently wishing he would hold it tighter. He stopped at her door and pulled her close. He couldn't get enough of the feel of her in his arms. She would never admit that she didn't want him to let go.

"I have to go back to work when we leave. Would it be to forward of me to ask to take you out once I'm back in London? Would that be okay?"

"I don't know the answer to that." Her coy smile nearly stopping his heart. "You will just have to ask me when you get back."

"Does this mean you're going to make this hard for me? I'm wondering how difficult you could possibly get."

"If I was easy, I wouldn't be me." Kissing his cheek gently she opened her door. "Good night, Tom. Bust day tomorrow, you should get some rest." She left him staring at her door and didn't see the longing on his face. Oh, how I wish I was in there with you, my Angel.

Where the bloody hell is she? There are only so many places she could be, why haven't I found her. Tom had figured he would find Maeve in the kitchen that morning, even though he was running late. Already irked at his own tardiness, he was getting frustrated at his woman going missing. His attention was drawn to the school where all the children were gathered at the door. What Really got his attention was the teacher was also at the door with the children.

"What's going on," he asked. The children all started responding at once and while his French had improved, he really had a hard time piecing it together from the myriad voices he was hearing. As he was listening, they started pushing him forward to see.

"Story lady is chasing what...I'm sorry, slower... a sn-!" He didn't even finish speaking he just burst for the door. Oh god! Was the only thought he had as the teacher grabbed his arm to stop him from entering.

There in the middle of the room was a large, venomous snake. Hovering nearby with a basket in one hand and a water ladle in the other was Maeve. Circling the creature, making some kind of noise at it, she carefully lowered the basket over its body, scooping it all the way in before it could react to its' tail end having been caught. She snapped the lid in place to prevent it from escaping.

"I've got him, guys. You can come back in now." The children cheered around him and filed past. He felt the tension leave his body while she walked past him, seeming to ignore his presence. He followed, hearing her speak to the basket, which he found curious.

"Now I know the buildings look like a nice place to nest, but really it's a very bad idea. Not everyone is as understanding as me. Now, I'm going to take you over to this nice field and let you out. You have two choices, be on your way and live longer, or come back into the human areas and get yourself killed."

Maeve crouched down, setting to basket arm's length away. As soon as she had the ladle under the lid it was pushed of by the snake coming over the top. Neither of them looked away as it brought the rest of its body out of the basket, looking menacing. Then the snake seemed to deflate in its anger and slithered off though the grasses and rocks in the field.

Maeve turned then, he just watched her as she started back towards the school. When she passed he stopped her gently. "Wait...please." She gave him a puzzled look, as if she was just seeing him there. "What's wrong sir?" He grimaced at the return of the formality and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Don't ever scare me like that again, Angel. I beg you." She pulled away, seeing his eyes glisten as she looked up into them.

"Hey...hey..." He closed his eyes when her hands met his cheeks. "Look at me, Tom." His name from her lips had his heart pounding. "I'm fine. No harm done. The children are safe, the snake is gone. Everything is fine." She gave him a small hug of reassurance as she walked back, and he sighed in resignation. Nodding his head, he realized that she was nowhere near where he was as far as their feelings went. It wasn't the kids I was worried about.

"Maeve, would you please talk to me?" He had been trying to get her to interact with him for a couple of days now and it was beginning to irritate him. Vaccinations had slowed so he was starting to not see her as much. The past week, he could count on less than one hand how many times they had even been in the same room together.

"What are we supposed to talk about, Mr. Hiddleston? I really don't see what the cook and ambassador could converse about." Are we really back to that? The sarcasm in her voice made him feel challenged and his eyebrows rose.

"You drive me mad, Angel" He didn't expect her to turn at his whisper. She had a slight frown on her face.

"I don't see how, sir. My little life is of no consequence to yours. As yours is of no consequence to mine. You have what, a week left at most? I am sure once we are no longer velcro-ed together, you can find someone else to bother besides me."

His face darkened at what he thought was a low opinion of herself. "DO not, for one second, think your life does not affect mine. I care what happens to you. I am trying to be your friend, if you would let me. Honestly, I thought we had gotten somewhere the other night. Apparently, I was wrong because we went from a first name basis back to this ridiculous title nonsense. Dammit, Maeve! You could have died catching that snake and I wouldn't have been able to stop it!" She was shocked at his raised voice and backed up a little. He advanced anyway, "Why is it so hard for you to let me in?" His chest was heaving at the emotions he had released and just when he thought she would respond, she turned and ran. He tried to follow, hollering for her to wait, but a hand stopped him.

"Whoa, lover boy. Let her be." Shawna reached into her pocket and pulled out a phone. "If she catches you with this, I didn't give it to you. Girl code and all. She doesn't lock it and if you get it back to me by morning, I can say I found it in the laundry. She's done that before."

"I wasn't even aware she had a phone. Why are you giving me this?"

"Come have a cup of coffee with me and I will explain a little." Tom looked unsure. "I promise it will be worth your time. Might even help a little bit. I can not explain it nearly as much as what she hides of herself in there.