9 comments/ 40925 views/ 45 favorites Operation: Final Fantasy By: Spartan22 I'd like to thank Wolf Vixen for editing this story. It was inspired by an amazing HLD story, and also has inspiration taken from Stangstar06, Slirpuff, and many others. Despite the title, it is not about the Final Fantasy video game. It is also a work of pure fiction. My writing may not be as good as the aforementioned authors, but I had a great idea for a story I wanted to put on paper. With that in mind, feel free to leave comments or critiques, positive or negative. I hope you enjoy the first two chapters of the story! Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 02 Again, I'd like to thank Wolf Vixen for her amazing editing job! Also, I'd like to point out that this story does not revolve around sex, so if that is all you are looking for you may want to skip it. In addition to previous authors I mentioned last chapter, a lot of inspiration was drawn from DQS1, Rehnquist, Frozenhero1, and rpsuch, just to name a few. As for musical inspirations, I probably listened to U2 more than was healthy as I wrote this story, in particular during Chapter III. Please enjoy. Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 02 "Really?" He nodded and smiled, "Yes, really. It was like you rejuvenated me. How else could I have summoned the strength to turn into the Incredible Hulk, throw you over my shoulder and spank your cute little derriere?" Subconsciously he looked down her body, wanting to take a peak. Trixie caught him staring. "Bragger. Kiss me," she said, changing the subject on a whim. Ryan wasn't expecting her to say that. He bent down to kiss her gorgeous red lips without hesitation. His eyes closed, "You'd be a great masseuse. I hope you do get your own business." She wrapped him up in her arms and pulled him down on the bed, kissing him deeper. "Promise me I get to be your first client?" She knew he wasn't talking about prostitution. It was breathtaking to hear him say that. She nodded eagerly and smiled, opening up her bathrobe and seductively spreading her legs, "I promise." Running his fingertips along her arms, he moved down her body until his head ended up in between her legs. Trixie gasped, "W-what are you doing...?" He kissed inside her thighs, soft little kisses, until he reached her dripping wet mound. Before moving his tongue into her, he said, "You told me to kiss you. You didn't tell me to stop, and you without a doubt didn't say where..." --- Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 02 You should have kissed me, she thought. Maybe I didn't deserve it. But was one last kiss so hard to ask for? She turned around and walked slowly to the security gates. After she made it through the security gates and picked up a sweatshirt and a few magazines in the gift shop, she still had an hour until her flight. She didn't take her iPad with her because she didn't need it in Hawaii; her job was entertaining the client, even on the airplane. The batteries had already run out on her iPhone. She tried to read her magazines, but she couldn't focus. All she could think about was Ryan. At least no one is sitting by me, she thought when she sat down on the airplane. She knew that she was grumpy and didn't feel like talking to anyone. At first, she kept thinking about the last few days with Ryan and how magical they were. Then, she remembered the conversation not that long ago on the beach. And then, she remembered the conversation in the airport and their uncomfortable goodbyes to each other. He was going to take a long time to get over, and she knew it. She sighed and threw her head back against the headrest. She kept thinking about everything they had talked about, every conversation, like when she first met him. "And of course, you'll have to be available for me... sexually. When I ask. Is all of this acceptable to you?" She laughed thinking about when Ryan had told her that. He looked so cute saying it; it was like a little boy trying to act all grown up. He didn't fool her one bit. Rookie. "So about this time last week, did you imagine you'd be on the Hawaiian Islands, snorkeling in crystal blue water and swimming with sea turtles?" She squirmed, remembering what happened in the ocean after he said that to her. She missed him already. All of him. "They say the flower up here on the right side means you are still available. If I were to put it on your left side, it would mean you were married. Or, at least, you were taken." Trixie remembered vividly taking that pink flower and switching it from her right side to her left side when Ryan wasn't paying attention. Instinctively she reached up and touched her ringlets on the left side of her head, almost as if she was expecting the flower to still be there. "Promise me I get to be your first client?" The tears started to fall. He was so sincere when he asked to be her first client; not with Trixie the call girl, but with Trixie the licensed massage therapist. She looked out the airplane window and wondered how much longer it would take to get this plane off the ground. They hadn't even pulled out of their parking spot yet and she was already being tortured by her memories of the recent past that she couldn't seem to shake. "I may not be in the majority these days, but I still hold faithfulness extremely important." She bit her lip. How dare you tell me that, Ryan! How DARE you lie to me! Can't you see what you did to me? I miss you already, and it's your fault. That's not fair. She sniffed and wiped away her tears. "I-I'm sorry. I was trying to do something that... I thought I could do." It took everything she had to avoid bawling. Do what, Ryan? What did you think you could do? The heartache was too much. "For what it's worth, I haven't smiled in a long time. Not until I met you." She stopped sniffling. She kept replaying those words in her head. I haven't smiled in a long time. I haven't smiled in a long time. Not until I met you. Something wasn't right. "Darling, oh darling," Her eyes widened. It struck her like a lightning bolt. He kept looking at her like she was someone else; someone he was madly in love with. His wife. It had to be his wife. He said he wasn't divorced. He was even wearing his wedding ring before he met with Trixie. All signs pointed towards a happy marriage. Yet he said he hadn't smiled in a long time, and the pain in his life was clearly evident. There is no way he would have cheated on his wife. He wasn't divorced, and didn't want to be divorced, but he was having sex with an escort. Her hand went to her mouth. It all made sense now. Quickly, she unbuckled her seat and ran up the aisle. Yelling at the stewardess, she said "Ma'am, wait! I have to get off!" But the flight attendant had already closed and latched the door, and the plane was being towed out to the taxiway. Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 03 Once again, I'd like to thank Wolf Vixen for editing this story. I'd also like to use this submission to pay my respects to all United States Armed Forces veterans, in particular the Greatest Generation; if only I had been able to send this out one week earlier on Memorial Day, it would have been much more fitting. See why as you read below. Again, the sex in this story is greatly limited. Please enjoy this submission about Ryan's story, his history, and the potential of his future. Feedback is always appreciated. Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 03 Trixie said, "Don't..." She sniffed a couple times. Turning to Trixie for the first time, he said, "I never did tell her what happened. I don't know why. Maybe I didn't want her to be alarmed or more worried than she needed to be, especially while I was still over there. Maybe I would have told her in person if I had seen her again." Trixie smiled, attempting to be strong for him. But inside she felt very weak, and knew she had to make a serious effort to try and contain her tears. "I don't know how you did it. I mean how you did both. How you survived over there in such a chaotic land. And how you survived when you came back home." Ryan just shrugged. She leaned forward and told him, "You're strong, Ryan. And you're a hero. Just like your grandfather was. Don't forget that." She kissed him on the cheek. You're my hero, Ryan. --- Later that night, Ryan and Trixie went to a luau their resort was hosting. Ryan told her it would be their last big Hawaiian event as they went out with a bang before getting on the plane early the next morning. It was a great contrast to the solemn earlier event. Ryan had almost cancelled their reservations at the luau after they left the USS Arizona Memorial, but when he told Trixie what he was thinking, she wouldn't let him. Trixie explained to him that if anything, he needed to unwind with an exciting experience like the luau after having had such a depressive and mentally draining experience. "There's a time to mourn, and there's a time to play. Besides, I'm putting my foot down." He laughed and said, "Aren't you supposed to be doing what I ask, and not the other way around? Isn't how this works?" She looked into his eyes and said, "The contract becomes null and void when you clearly make poor decisions and aren't thinking rationally. You've forced me to make decisions for you when you think you know what you need, but when you actually have no clue. That's also what you're paying me for. If you want me to give you a little control, mister, then you can tell me what color of thong I should put on or what kind of dress you want me to wear for the luau, but that's it. We are going, tiger, and you are going to eat lots of pig, lots of desert, and you're going to have lots of fun." Ryan looked at her amused, "Why am I so turned on when I should be so offended?" Trixie was right, and they both knew it. There was no use fighting her; besides, after she said he could choose the color of her thong he didn't have the will to argue or the mental capacity to determine a rebuttal. The white sands on the beach and the blossoming tropical gardens were enough by themselves to restore their spirits, but that was just the beginning. The entire banquet spread at the luau could have fed a small country. Trixie and Ryan compared notes as to what they thought their favorite food was; Ryan easily listed the Kalua pig as his top pick. As much as Trixie liked the pork also, her number one pick was the teriyaki chicken. She wasn't a big fan of the poi; it was by far at the bottom of her list. The native Hawaiian singers entertained them the entire night. Trixie and a few other girls were pulled out of the crowd to join the hula girls for a dance. Capping off the show late after the sun went down the fire dancers twirled around their flaming batons, mesmerizing the entire crowd. Ryan pulled Trixie onto his lap as they watched; she curled her legs up and sank into his chest. She was a little tipsy; Ryan snickered thinking she'd spill her pina colada on him at any moment, so he carefully took her drink from her hand and set it on the table. Flames spun around and around creating a circle of fire dancing against the backdrop of the nighttime darkness. The dance was hypnotic. Trixie leaned her head against Ryan's shoulder. Ryan quietly whispered in her ear, "Tell me who I'm with." Trixie didn't understand what he meant, "What do you mean, tiger?" She heard Ryan swallow, "I know I'm not with Amanda right now. I'm with you. For the rest of the time you're with me – for the rest of tonight and through Tuesday – I want you to be you. Don't think about the money; don't think that you have to simply do your job by entertaining me. You probably hear this all the time, but I just want you to be you." Oh my, she thought to herself. On the contrary, it was rare for a client to ask for the call girl to act like herself. It hardly ever happened but when it did, it was the client's gateway to falling into a jealous state of love; Madeline warned her girls to be careful any time the client wanted to know personal details about them. The types of men that did that had the potential to be extremely unstable and jealous at best – or dangerous at worst. Sometimes if an escort did her job so well by making the client think he was the only one, it could turn into a deadly obsession. Only one person before had ever fallen into the trap of thinking that he had won Trixie over, and that he was her only one; it wasn't a pleasant experience for either of them in the end. Since then, she had been more careful. But with Ryan, it felt different; she knew she wasn't in danger. He just wanted her to be her; he accepted her for who she was. Maybe she was in danger. Not physical danger, but danger of the heart. She had already unknowingly let him break so many rules; she had cried for him, she let him cum in her, she had truly enjoyed his company, and she had feelings for him in his greatest moments of pain. The most dangerous part of all was that she genuinely felt like a princess when she was around him. No one had ever exposed her like that before. "So," he asked her again, "Tell me who I'm with." She wasn't exactly sure how to answer, or what he wanted her to say. She leaned her head back and looked up into his eyes. Maybe that was her mistake. His eyes were so sincere, and seemed so loving. Trixie almost squeaked her real name out with a cracking voice. But instead she said nothing and only gave him a bashful smile. Leaning up to give him a kiss, she simply whispered, "I'll never tell." He held the back of her head and kissed her back deeper; his tongue found her tongue. The kiss felt like it would last until the morning light broke across the island. Neither of them wanted to stop. When he finally came up for air, Ryan gave her a smile and said, "Nice distraction technique. I'll let you off the hook this time, baby. But don't count on it happening again." VIII "Can I ask you something," Ryan asked as the airplane flew some thirty thousand feet above the Pacific Ocean. "Of course," she said, breaking her gaze from the window view of the ocean waves below. "Are you upset you didn't get to swim with the dolphins?" Trixie laughed, "It would have been nice, but we were able to swim with the sea turtles at least, weren't we?" Ryan smiled. He looked upwards, as if thinking, "If we ever came back, we'll have to check out the dolphins, won't we?" "Of course!" She returned his smile with one of her own, "There's still Diamond Head, too. We'll also have to do the Dole plant; I love pineapples. And of course that's just Oahu. We still have Maui and all the other islands to discover, don't we?" "Ambitious girl, aren't you? I do like your thinking, though." Trixie giggled, "Maybe next time, I'll hire you to be my escort and take you to Maui. You never know." Instantly after she said that, she practically bit her tongue off in anger while maintaining a straight face. Normally, she avoided talking about her profession when actively with a client; it killed the fantasy. This time, it slipped out; it was easy to do that when she was around Ryan. He made it easy to be herself. "Does that mean you get to choose what I wear? Because I hung up my cowboy stripper outfit a long time ago. I just don't do that anymore," he said teasingly, winking at her. She couldn't help but laugh, relieved that Ryan snickered at her escort joke. "I was a little worried about the trip, and even more worried about coming back. I think, all things considered, it went alright. Did you have a good time?" Trixie smiled and said, "Absolutely. You sure know how to make this girl feel special." She reached up behind his head to playfully run her fingers through his hair. After less than a week in Hawaii, she already knew his most sensitive spots. It was easy to tell he was in heaven at her slightest touch. If they weren't in an airplane, she would have expected him to roll over on his back with his legs in the air, nuzzling at her hand like a submissive puppy. She asked him, "Why were you worried about the 'coming back' part?" Pausing, he turned to her and said, "All good things have to end eventually. Besides, I knew eventually you'd figure out why I wanted to be with you." He shrugged sheepishly, "I really thought after we returned from Hawaii you'd be done with me and my crazy fantasy. I didn't really expect you to stay with me until Tuesday night." He laughed a little and said, "Well, I guess I am being presumptuous." He slowly started to fumble with his words, "I mean – I assume y-you'll still stay with me until Tuesday night? If not, I do understand. I know I did some false advertising, but if you want to stay, that'll give us a couple more days together..." Ryan trailed off and gave up as he tripped on his words, hoping Trixie would take over the conversation. She did, and replied with an amused smile, lightly touching his nose, "Until Tuesday night, you own me. Midnight to be precise. Nothing will make me go away." Ryan grinned and closed his eyes. His questions started to make her think. The trip had been wonderful; much more than she wanted to let on. While it was clearly disappointing to leave Hawaii on one level, on another level she was looking forward to seeing Ryan in the real world. But then again, it wasn't her real world, it was Ryan's. She was nothing more than a provocative actress – an actress with benefits. Part of her would be relieved to end the charade, but another part of her dreaded the prospect of Tuesday night. It will be good to stay away from Ryan for a while, she thought. Let's have our fun right now, satisfy the customer, and then I'll take a break from him, simple as that. He'll want me again; I can see it in his eyes. He'll ask for me again. Maybe in a few months. That'll give us both plenty of time to settle down. Trixie looked at Ryan as he had officially dozed off. She thought, I wonder if he'll be able to afford me, though? He's been dropping money on this entire trip like its Monopoly money. His house was nice and all, but it wasn't expensive like he was rich. His car was nice, but didn't he say he just bought it? And on a military salary? He couldn't have possibly made that much money, could he? Where is he getting it all? She started to feel a little guilty. It started to bother her. She leaned her head back on the headrest as much as she possibly could have while pondering her thoughts, still stroking Ryan's hair as he slept. She closed her eyes to focus deeper on her thoughts, attempting to sort everything out. Every single detail about Ryan was complex – figuring him out would be like solving a difficult Sudoku puzzle. Before she knew it, her thoughts drifted as if swept away by the wind. Trixie fell asleep. --- "I can't believe you've never had a Chipotle burrito. And you call me a nerd," Ryan snickered as he paid for Trixie and himself. He grabbed the tray went to find a spot to sit. "Hey! I've never called you a nerd before," Trixie said, defending herself. Ryan replied with a playful grin, "Maybe, but I know you've thought it." Trixie laughed while taking the drink cups to the fountain, "That's not fair. Even if you are, you're like...like... one of the cool nerds. The kind that the other nerds look up to. By the way, what do you want to drink?" Ryan thought for a moment, "I guess I can live with that. I think you're just being nice to me though. I'll take Coke Zero please." She sat down and stretched her legs out, "That was a long flight. I'm glad we dropped the bags off at your place and came straight here. I'm starving. But I need to take a walk after this. I've been sitting way too long. My tushie is starting to cramp up." "Sure, I'd love to take a walk with you. There's a nice little trail around that little pond right outside. Or, I could give your tushie a massage if you like," he said with his best attempt at a seductive smile. She laughed, "Food now, but definitely tushie massage later." "Good call on getting something to eat, by the way; I'm hungry enough to eat the ass off of a skunk." Trixie laughed, "Eww! Hey, wait, wasn't that line in a movie?" Ryan pretended to be insulted, "A movie? That was my own line. I have my own original material. I'm not all just movie quotes! "By the way, give me your foot." Trixie looked at him strangely, but raised her leg underneath the table. He gently took it and placed it in his lap, rubbing it with one hand. With his free hand, he used his fork to eat his Mexican from the bowl. She felt like moaning but kept a straight face. "Thank you, Ryan. That's sweet of you." Getting ready to take a bite out of her burrito, the size of it finally sunk in, "Dear Lord, I don't think I can eat all of this. This is huge!" "I know. It's like a miniature sleeping bag. They're big, but just look at it as a challenge." The task seemed daunting, but she gave it a shot. After her first bite, she said, "This is really good! How have I not heard about this place before?" I know why, she thought to herself answering her own question. Because your "dates" either take you to fancy, snobby dinner parties, or they never leave the bedroom because all they want to do is fuck. When is the last time that you've ever had a client, let alone a boyfriend, rub your foot? That's right – never. Winking at her as he took his own big bite, he said, "I would have thought you would have lived off of it in college, like most normal human beings. Didn't they have one near your college, near...what was its name again...?" "Ooh, that was smooth. Nice try though, charmer. I never told you which college." "You might as well have told me. I already did a name search on you before we left and have that information back home." "You did a name search under Trixie? You don't even know my last name." "I didn't search Trixie; I searched your real name. Which is a beautiful name, by the way. You know, it's incredible what you can find these days online. It was amazing what I found on you." He raised his eyebrow slightly. Trixie looked at him surprised, unsure if he was bluffing or not. After taking a moment to read him, her eyes narrowed, "Oh you're good. You are good. But not good enough, you big liar! That was just a ploy to get me to tell you what my real name is! Well, it's not gonna happen, buster." A sad look crossed his face, "What happened to "tiger"? Buster is something grandparents say; it's a bit old fashioned. Wait..." An even stranger look crossed his face and he looked down at her legs, pretending to try and look up her skirt, "You're not wearing granny panties are you? I didn't approve of that!" She almost spit out her drink across the table as she tried not to laugh, "First of all, no. I am not wearing granny panties. And if you don't change your attitude, you might not get to see the pretty pink g-string I'm wearing under my skirt. Secondly, my question is finally answered. I wasn't sure about you at first, but now I am positive: You are a pig, just like the rest of the male population. And here I thought you were Mr. Perfect." Ryan couldn't stop laughing. Both he and Trixie were drawing strange looks from everyone else in the restaurant, but either they didn't notice, or didn't care. Ryan tried to guess her real name a few more times, but she either ignored him or told him she wasn't going to tell him. They were so wrapped up in conversation that they didn't realize almost two hours had passed while they were in the restaurant. After they took a short walk around the pond, they drove back to the house. After he opened the door for Trixie, she stepped out of the Challenger. She mockingly batted her eyes, rubbed a finger along the side of Ryan's Challenger and said, "Charlene was adorable." Either Ryan missed her sarcasm or he didn't seem to care enough to acknowledge it, "What did you think of her, by the way? You can't tell me you didn't like the ride." "Ok, I do admit it was fun. She's not as good as my Mustang, of course, but she wasn't bad." He locked the Challenger with his keychain remote, closed the garage door, and opened the door to the house for Trixie, "So, you're seriously going to tell me after Charlene that the best ride you've ever had is your Mustang?" Trixie giggled as she stepped into the house. With her back still towards him, she turned her head around facing Ryan and lifted her skirt just enough to grab her hot pink thong with her fingers, wiggling her ass and sliding it down her legs to her ankles. Stepping out of them one leg at a time, she seductively told Ryan, "No, it's not the best ride I've had." Running a finger from his chest to his stomach, she leaned in – close enough for him to feel her breath, and said, "You're the best ride I've had, and I want more." Snickering at the sight of Ryan, she took his hand and simply said, "Just follow me, tiger. Oh, and close your jaw before you let any flies in." --- Time flew by like it was standing still. Trixie and Ryan hardly left his bedroom from Saturday afternoon through all of Sunday. In between sessions, as Trixie graciously let Ryan recharge, he would either run out of the house to pick up takeout for the two of them or else he'd get her favorite coffee from the local coffee house. He even talked her into working out with him in his home gym; he lifted weights while she hit the treadmill. It wasn't his usual grueling workout session. It was more of a social scene; they spent most of the time talking instead of working. During the afternoon, after Ryan returned with her coffee, he heard Trixie talking to someone down in the bedroom on her cell phone. "Uh huh. Yes. Oh, he's back, I have to go... thank you so much; I owe you, hun." She quickly hung up the phone and slid out of bed. "I'm sorry, baby, something just came up. I have to run off real quick." Ryan looked perplexed, "Is everything ok," he asked, nodding over to the phone in her hand. "I just have to pick up a few things, tiger. I'll be back in a couple hours." He clearly looked disappointed. She giggled, "I went through most of my clothes and outfits in Hawaii. A girl has to restock, you know? I promise I'll be thinking of you the whole time while I'm away." She gave him a kiss on the cheek, and just like that she was out the door. And, she thought, I really do mean it. I'll keep that promise, baby. Even if I didn't want to, I'm not sure I could help it. Ryan felt uneasy as he heard the roar of her Mustang. He wasn't sure who she was talking to on the phone, or why she had to run out like that. He liked the thought of her thinking about him while she was out, but deep down he knew it was just part of the fantasy. He groaned. --- True to her word, she returned after a few hours away, new bags and suitcases in hand. "I'm back," she said, dropping everything so she could throw her arms around his neck and kiss him. She noticed he seemed a little reluctant when she walked through the door, but if he had any reluctance, his own lips betrayed him. He kissed her back just as passionately. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something on the counter that made her freeze; it looked like a small hand gun. Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 03 Ryan noticed her body tense up and saw where her wide eyes were looking. With a guilty look, he said, "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't think you'd be back this soon. I was just cleaning my nine mil." Ryan shrugged with a boyish smile. Letting go of her, he grabbed the gun off the counter and headed back to his bedroom. Looking down the hall and through the bedroom, it looked to her like he was putting it in a safe. She slowly unfroze and took a few steps towards the hall, cautiously peering into the room, "Is everything ok, Ryan? I told you I would be back in a few hours; did you think I was going to be later than that?" Ryan spoke from the other room, "I guess I just lost track of time. I was thinking about going to the firing range later, but I'm guessing by your reaction you're not a big fan of firearms?" "Not really. Why do you have a gun?" "I'm a military guy, remember? It's in my blood. Going to the range is a hobby of mine, I guess you could say. It's also a great source of stress relief." "I guess it makes sense you'd have one, being in the military and all. Of course if you want to go, we can...," She tried not to sound too reluctant. She heard the safe close and lock, and Ryan came out of the bedroom. He smiled at her and said, "Don't worry about it. Plenty of other things we can do." Running a hand up the side of her face, he kissed her lips softly. As their eyes locked, he leaned in again and kissed her deeper. That kiss turned into a full blown, passionate, French kiss. With one quick motion, he swept her legs out from under her. Trixie yelped and grabbed on to his shoulders with both hands, but Ryan held her tightly and wasn't going to let her go. Within seconds, they were both on the couch and yet again Trixie's panties were on the floor... Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 04 As always, big thanks to Wolf Vixen for a great editing job. Chapter X below was probably the most challenging chapter to write and she helped tremendously. While writing about him and plotting out his story, I listened to a lot of Johnny Cash's "Hurt". While writing about her, I listened to a lot of Miranda Lambert's "Over You". I'd recommend it while reading the chapter, and as always, I hope you enjoy... IX Settling down in the couch in a bluish-silver nighty with her feet tucked underneath her, Trixie looked outside at the quiet, peaceful night, now that the sun had gone down. It was movie night, and Ryan was plugged Iron Man in the Blu-ray player while the popcorn popped in the microwave. He was candidly surprised that she was open to watching the movie; at the very least, he expected her to roll her eyes. He questioned her, "Is my nerdiness rubbing off on you? Before you know it, you'll be reading the Iron Man comics. Or, better yet, I'll have you playing Call of Duty with me. Maybe you'll be dressing up as a Lord of the Rings character, precious?" Trixie giggled, "Well, no. First of all, it has Robert Downy Jr. in it, so how could I pass that up? Secondly, I even considered dressing up as a super heroine for you after this movie, like Supergirl, or maybe Catwoman. But if you're going to complain and call me a nerd, maybe I'll take those outfits back to the store." Ryan looked stunned and said, "Um, technically I never called you a nerd. Still, is it too late to take back what I said?" He looked her up and down with elevator eyes; Trixie didn't know if he was imagining her as Supergirl or Catwoman, but she was sure it was one or the other. She really enjoyed tormenting him. There was something about watching him squirm that she found simply irresistible. Trixie said, "As for comic books, maybe I do wanna read one with you." He shook his head and laughed, closing his eyes and telling her, "Now I know you're just teasing me." "Hold on," she said, reaching down and opening one of the bags next to the couch. "I was waiting for the right moment, and I think I just found it. Close your eyes and hold your hands out." With an amused smile, Ryan obeyed. Giving Ryan one last look, making sure that his eyes were really closed, Trixie carefully opened the bag and pulled out a comic book protected by a white cardboard back and tucked inside a clear plastic sleeve. She couldn't hold back her smile any longer, beaming from ear to ear. She stood up and carefully placed it in his hands. "Open your eyes. You can read this one to me!" Carefully opening his eyes, he just about fell over when he saw he was holding a copy of The Avengers #1. It was the original, 1963 Avengers #1 -- Earth's Mightiest Super-Heroes. Trixie took in every moment of Ryan's surprise; to say that he was speechless was an understatement. The smile of a little boy on the face of this full grown man was absolutely charming. It was possible that she may have been even more excited than he was. "T-Trixie, I..." Ryan leaned in and gave her a huge hug, kissing her fully on the lips in the process. It was hard to say the last time she had been embraced like this. It wasn't the hug and kiss of a horny male, but rather the hug of someone truly grateful and appreciative of her thoughtful gift. She couldn't have been any happier, mostly because he couldn't have been any happier. Ryan swallowed and finally spoke, "Someday, someone is going to be lucky to have you. Thank you." "Aww, thank you sweetie," she choked out. "I hope I didn't overstep my bounds, intruding on your Christmas memories with your parents and all, but I figured if you had The Avengers two through five, you might as well have the first one, too. Call it an early Christmas present from me." It was obvious he was still in shock. "How did you find it?" Trixie looked at him deviously, "That's my secret. All I will say is it involved at lot of Googling behind your back when we were in Hawaii, finding the right semi-local comic book shop, and calling in a favor from Madeline to pick it up for me." "Trixie, honey, I have no idea how much it cost but I know it was too much. I...I can't accept this." With reluctance, Ryan held the comic book out for her. "You're the sweetest thing ever, but you really should take this back. I..." Trixie interrupted him by holding her hands up, rejecting him, "I have no intentions of taking it back, and never mind what it cost. The smile on your face when you saw it was irreplaceable and you can't put a price tag on that." Ryan lowered his hands; they both knew it was impossible to argue against her. He became quiet and a solemn look passed over his face, "You do remind me of Amanda in so many ways." There were not any words she could say to reply to that. The comparison to Amanda took her breath away, but at the same time, it felt like she was making a mistake and shouldn't even be here with him. She felt so out of place. He continued, "I mean, I know you two are different. You like different things. But I didn't mean you're like her only on the outside. You have a lot of the same virtues that made me fall in love with her in the first place. You have her compassion, her joy for life, and her gift for sacrifice and pleasing others." Her heart stopped when he said she had the same virtues that made him fall in love with Amanda. Initially, she felt like swooning. But the more she thought about it, his comparison and mere mention of the L-word scared the life out of her. Surprisingly, she noticed that he said it innocently enough that he didn't seem to make the same correlation that she did. She also noticed that he didn't mean she bent over backwards for others because her job required pleasing them, or because she was getting paid for it. He meant that making people genuinely cheerful was in her nature; Trixie knew exactly what he meant. "And no, you didn't overstep your boundaries. I'm sure my parents would have loved what you did for me. I wish you could have met my parents. I think they would have loved you." Her eyes began misting up. She wasn't worthy of being compared to Amanda and dragging down someone as gentle and loving as Ryan. Ryan looked at the comic book again and started to say something, but no words came out. Instead, he grabbed her and gave her a tight, loving hug again. The feeling of his big, strong arms around her made everything worth it. In reality, Trixie felt like she was the one receiving a gift. She couldn't remember the last time she went to such great lengths to do something this special for someone, and she certainly couldn't recall ever having a feeling this warm after giving anyone a heartfelt present like this. It was impossible to hold back her tears. "Jessica," she whispered in his ear, as he continued holding her tightly. "What?" She looked up at him with her big blue eyes, "You wanted to know the real me. My real name. It's Jessica. Jessica Kelly." He held her tighter. She could feel his strong arms wrapped tightly around her, and heard him taking in her scent as his head rested next to hers. Oh my. What have I done? --- It was hard to believe it was already noon on Tuesday. There were only twelve hours left until Jessica and Ryan went their separate ways. It was like a whirlwind for both of them; as quickly as the time flew by, both of them knew they had just lived out an amazing adventure with memories that would last a lifetime. The mood turned somber; an uneasy feeling hung in the air. The funny part was Jessica had never felt this way with a client before. Up until she met Ryan, it was all business. She wondered if he felt the same way. She knew they would have to make every moment count and focus on each second throughout the day and avoid focusing on what would happen when the clock struck midnight. The unspoken tension of the minutes ticking away was driving her crazy; she knew he felt it too. Ryan made the mistake of calling her Trixie on one occasion, but he quickly corrected it, calling her by her real name. She giggled at his mistake, but he made sure he didn't repeat it. "I guess I can't call you 'Wicked Trixie' anymore, can I?" "For you, Ryan, I'll let you call me whatever you like," she purred. Even when Ryan briefly left the to pick up Chinese for lunch, promising he'd be back in twenty minutes -- he swore it was the best Chinese food she'd ever have, but the problem was they didn't deliver -- Jessica wanted to tidy up and straighten up the house. She could get a lot done in twenty minutes. She planned on starting a load of laundry first; she could always switch it after he came home. Sorting the laundry was the time consuming part, not switching loads. Ryan had a pile of dirty clothes thrown in the hamper left over from his Hawaii trip that he hadn't gotten around to washing. She had a few articles of clothing she'd throw in with his; Ryan had done an excellent job trying to stain her undergarments, after all. Then, while it was washing, she'd vacuum the living room and dining room -- all before Ryan came home. After grabbing a pile of clothes destined for the washing machine, she noticed something sticking out of one of his pockets. It looked like a napkin. She pulled it out and went to set it on the dryer when she noticed he had scribbled down a few words on it. They were written down sequentially; "Amanda", "North Shore", "Arizona", "Return", and "OFF -- Complete". The first four words were lined out. It appeared to be a checklist he spontaneously jotted down, and only the last one wasn't scratched out. Sorrow was the first thing she felt when she saw Amanda's name. "Ryan, you poor thing," she quietly said aloud to herself. It reminded her of how she ended up in Ryan's life in the first place. She shook her head, unable to shake that nagging feeling that she was making a mistake. That this was all a mistake, and she shouldn't even be here. The next three line items, "North Shore", "Arizona", and "Return" all brought smiles to her face. North Shore and Arizona were easy to interpret, and she had a memorable experience at both places with Ryan. Return must have meant returning from Hawaii; as nervous as she was to leave the tropical island and join Ryan at his home, everything had been going even better than she could have initially imagined. "Off complete?" Jessica pondered the last item on the list. "What does that mean... what are you up to, Ryan?" She couldn't figure out what it meant, but it sounded cryptic. There was an unsettling feeling in the back of her mind that wouldn't leave her alone. --- "You're gonna love this, baby. The best Chinese you'll find anywhere. Well, except maybe for China." Holding two large bags in each hand, Ryan stepped inside and closed the door with his foot. Jessica looked like she didn't even hear what he said. Instead she asked, "What does 'off complete' mean?" Ryan at first looked confused. Then his smile faded and his eyes narrowed. "Not sure what you mean. Do you want to set the table or get the drinks?" He put the food on the table and went to the kitchen. "Look at me, Ryan," Jessica said sternly -- almost coldly. Ryan turned around briefly while opening up the cupboards. The flash of anger that crossed her face was enough to make him cringe for a split second. "You're lying! I can see it in your eyes. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Did you forget what I do for a living? Did you forget how well I am at reading men? "I started washing some of our clothes and I found this in your pocket." She handed him the napkin. Her face turned from anger to sadness. "Ryan, just don't lie to me anymore. You promised me back in Hawaii you wouldn't lie to me anymore." His shoulders sagged and he stopped moving around in the kitchen. He tried his hardest to fake a smile, which Jessica didn't buy, and said, "It's nothing; it's not a big deal. I like order and structure; I just jotted down some of the things I wanted to do with you." The heartbroken look on her face told Ryan she didn't believe him. "So then tell me what it means. I don't have any more secrets from you. I-I know what we have isn't exactly orthodox, but you wanted me to be myself and I've done that for you. And I'm glad I've done that for you and have no regrets. But after everything we've been through together over this last week, despite me being a call girl, I think you owe it to me to tell me the truth." Ryan was exasperated and threw his arms up in the air, "Why is this such a big deal to you?" She countered with a raised voice, "First of all, you lied to me. And you're hiding something. I understand you lying about Amanda, and I forgave you; I even understand it wasn't my place to have to forgive you. Secondly, I don't know what you're hiding, but I've learned enough about you this last week to tell it's something significant. Maybe even painful to you. I can tell by the look in your eyes." She lowered her voice and said, "That's what scares me the most." All he could do was sigh, "Look, I said it's nothing. Can we just get past this and pretend it never happened?" Jessica's emotions surprised her. A single tear rolled from her eyes down her cheek. "If you lie to me again, I'm leaving. If you don't want to tell me, fine. But don't you dare lie to me again." Ryan sighed, allowing himself a shred of relief, "Ok, ok. We won't talk about it then. Let's just sit down and enjoy the rest of the day. Midnight will be here before we know it." She settled back down, relaxing her shoulders and leaning back, like a cobra that was no longer being threatened. But before he realized it, the words were out of his mouth, and the damage was done; "It's not a big deal, you're just overreacting." He lied to her again. The hurt in her eyes was unlike anything he had ever seen before. Ryan realized he screwed up and it was too late to fix it. Her jaw practically dropped. It looked like she wanted to say something, but only a soft squeak came out. The hurt in her eyes quickly turned into anger. It was a big deal. She wasn't overreacting. And he lied to her again. She stormed down the hall to his bedroom and grabbed her suitcases. Frantically, she threw clothes, beauty products, and shoes in, zipping them up as fast as she could. Ryan chased her down the hall, "Jessica, I-I'm sorry. I..." He was at a loss for words. She ignored him like he wasn't even standing there, except to walk around him when she needed to grab something for the suitcase. Jessica probably forgot a few things -- she had three full-sized suitcases, after all -- but she didn't care. She just wanted to get out of there as soon as she could. Off balance, she rolled and dragged her suitcases behind her, down the hallway and to the door. "I'm not going to listen to you lie to me, anymore. And I'm not going to watch you hurt yourself. Amanda is gone, and...," she could barely finish her sentence through her tears and sniffling, "and I'm not her. I never can be her." She couldn't help thinking to herself that it was best for her to leave, even if he never lied to her in the first place. She was living in a fantasy world; she should have never accepted him as a client. This whole thing was a mistake -- everything was a mistake. As she stepped out the door, she turned around and without looking into his eyes she told Ryan, "Don't call Madeline again and ask for me. Don't you ever even think of calling me, either!" She ran out to her mustang and threw her bags in the back. For a moment, she wondered if she was overreacting. Her thoughts and emotions quickly overrode that feeling, No! I most certainly am not! She turned around discreetly, looking for Ryan. She expected to see him chasing after her, or at the very least standing in the doorway. He wasn't anywhere in sight. Jessica wiped away her tears and sat in the mustang. With one last desperate look, she looked for signs of him anywhere; he wasn't standing in the doorway, and he wasn't peering through the windows. The engine of the mustang roared and the car screamed down the road. Within moments, the house had vanished from her rearview mirror. X The wind blowing through her hair felt relaxing as she cruised down the highway on her trip to nowhere, especially after she exploded on Ryan. Replaying the recent events over and over in her head, she tried to figure out what had just gone wrong. It could have been more than just the lie; it might have been because the stress of everything she had experienced this weekend had finally boiled over. Ryan forced her to question who she was, what she wanted, and what she cared about. Maybe she expected too much from him; maybe she put too much trust in him. One thing was for sure; she opened her heart to him and allowed herself to be vulnerable. She placed her heart of glass carefully, gently in his hands. And what did he do? He dropped it on the floor, allowing it to shatter into a thousand pieces. And she had no one to blame but herself. Everything was so surreal and confusing; she wasn't even sure if she was being rational or not. Either way, Jessica snapped, and she knew it. Some escort you are, she thought to herself, walking out on the client before his time was even up. What the fuck happened to you, girl? Her mind began to race. You shouldn't have stormed out on him like that; he didn't deserve your wrath. You left him while he was in pain. Yes you should have! You should have left days ago; it'll never work between you two. This was one big mistake from the beginning. He's no different than any other man. He lied to your face more times than you can count. If he was honorable he'd never have hired a hooker like you. You only have feelings for him because of his sad story. You're a sucker for wounded men. Grow up and move on. No; Ryan is special. He's your soul mate, and he's your hero. But you just blew it. Jessica accelerated to ninety miles per hour, fifteen over the speed limit on Interstate Five. She kept heading north on the interstate without a destination in mind, at least until the bars opened later. --- "Madeline, how could you not tell me I looked like his wife," Jessica shouted through the cell phone, signaling to the bartender for another strawberry margarita. The voice on the other end told her, "You know how it works, Trixie. Despite our profession, we do have a certain degree of client confidentiality. My job was to make sure he wasn't dangerous. Was he a little off his rocker? Maybe a little, but he certainly wasn't dangerous." She shook her head, "I still can't believe you knew and didn't tell me! Or at least give me some kind of warning. I walked into his world without a clue." "I understand your feelings, Trixie. I'm sure you can forgive me given the amount he was willing to pay you, not to mention the little tryst you two kids took to Hawaii? Am I really not forgiven?" Madeline always had a way with words; maybe that was why she was the boss. "Thanks," Jessica whispered to the bartender as the margarita arrived, covering the phone. She took a big sip through the straw. Breaking through the silence, Madeline asked, "Is that why you called, honey? To vent? Or is something else going on?" Jessica sighed, "No; well, yes and no. I also have a little confession to make which might not be so great for business. Um... has Ryan called you?" "No. Should I expect his call?" "Maybe. It's a little after midnight right now, but I bolted around noon. I just got up and left. Long story. I didn't know if he had called complaining or not. I'll give him back his money for the half-day I skipped out, maybe a little more to smooth things over, if he makes a big deal out of it. But I'd like you to be the one to deliver it, if you don't mind?" Jessica was nervous and not sure how Madeline would take the information. Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 04 The phone was quiet. Jessica took another big sip. "Trixie, this isn't like you. What exactly happened? Did he do something to chase you away? Tell me my judgment wasn't wrong." "N-no, no. He was a perfect gentleman. We just had a few... issues. You had to have seen that coming with the entire Amanda situation, though. This was never meant to work out," Jessica choked out the last part. She couldn't believe what she was saying, but she knew it was true. Madeline sounded a little irritated, "If you're sure about this, I'll call Ryan tomorrow and smooth things over." Madeline asked her point blank, "Tell me something. Did he get to you?" Her flush face betrayed her, and she shook her head. Jessica was just glad Madeline wasn't there in person to read her expression. "Oh, Madeline. Don't make me answer that." "Mmm-hmm. I thought as much. After all the good service you've given us, I won't hold this one against you. Just keep your head on straight, honey. It's probably best you left when you did since tomorrow is his anniversary. Actually, I guess I mean today, since it's after midnight." Jessica froze. "What did you say?" Madeline didn't quite follow her, "Say about what?" "His anniversary." "It's today, December 12th. At least that's what he told me. It would have been their five year anniversary today. He didn't come out and say it, but I'm fairly certain that was why he hired you all the way up until yesterday, December 11th. I can only guess he wanted private mourning time." There was a pause; Madeline heard no response. "Trixie, are you there? Trixie? Hello?" Jessica threw a twenty on the bar, hung up her cell phone, and ran out of the bar as fast as she could while trying not to trip over her high heeled sandals. --- The mustang tore out of the parking lot. "OhGodohGodohGod, please let him be there still," she said, praying as hard as she could. She hadn't prayed very much in her life, but she was now, and could only hope that she would be heard. She cursed herself, "How could I be so stupid?" Shifting into sixth gear, she hit excess of one-hundred miles per hour. The clock said it was fourteen minutes after midnight. She pulled out her cell phone and tried to call Ryan. "Pick up, pick up," she quietly mumbled to herself. It went straight to voicemail. Jessica desperately tried calling several more times, but he never picked up. "Don't let me be too late. Please, God..." --- Her mustang came to a screeching halt. Jessica threw it in park, pulled the keys out, and jumped out of the car so fast that she didn't even bother closing the door. Frantically ringing the doorbell and knocking at the same time, she bounced up and down with a bend to her knees, crossing her arms as she waited for him to answer. It took everything she had to remain still and try not to knock the door down with all of her pent up energy and impatience. She rang the doorbell again, refusing to wait any longer. Ryan cracked open the door. "Jessica?" He was genuinely surprised to see her, asking, "What are you doing here?" She pushed her way inside, forcing Ryan to take a step backwards. "Um, come in," he said facetiously, even though she didn't appear to detect his dry semi-humorous comment. Jessica wanted to pounce on him -- hug him, kiss him, slap him, or punch him, she didn't know -- but she tried to remain calm. At least on the outside. He asked in earnest, "Are you ok? Is everything alright?" She ran her hands up her arms, "Yes, it... no, actually. It's not alright. Why didn't you tell me today was your anniversary?" A sigh escaped his lips, "My anniversary? That's what you came over for?" "Just answer me, please, Ryan." "You've been talking to Madeline, haven't you? I wish I had never told her. I let it slip out when I first sat down with her. I knew that was going to come back to bite me in the ass." The look on his face changed from apprehensiveness to frustration, "What are you doing here? You made it clear when you left earlier you wanted nothing to do with me. And it's past midnight, so our time's up." He waited for her to respond. She couldn't shake the nagging feeling that something was wrong, but he seemed remarkably calm. He seemed especially calm for his fifth anniversary, or his first anniversary without Amanda. Jessica didn't know what to expect when she showed up, but she didn't expect this. She wasn't sure what to say. She half expected his alcohol level to be three times the legal limit, or at least crying his head off. A dark thought even crossed her mind that she might have found him dead. But here he was, and he was incredibly calm. He shook his head and sighed, trying to find the right words to say, "Look, Trixie. I had a blast with you. I think you even had a great time with me, too. I wouldn't have traded those memories with you for anything. You made my life have a purpose again. You're an amazing girl, and someday you're going to make someone happy. I have no doubts about that." She was shocked -- he called her Trixie, not Jessica. She wanted to say, "Why didn't you call me by my real name, you big jerk?" but she held her tongue. Barely. She wasn't sure if his smile was cynical or genuine, but he said, "You won't be in the escort business forever. You're too smart for that." Reaching out, he lightly touched her cheek sending shivers down her spine but prolonging her confusion. "I appreciate your checking up on me, but you don't need to. I'll be fine." There was something about the way he said that unsettled her. She believed him, but her instincts were telling her there was more to the story. He was acting different. "Ryan," she started, taking a deep breath. "I'm so sorry I bailed on you. That's twice now." The guilty look on her face told him she meant her apology. "I shouldn't have been so hard on you about lying to me; I could have handled it differently." "Hon, I...," Ryan tried to speak but she cut him off. "Please, just let me finish." He nodded for her to go on. Calmly, she continued, "I know it's not exactly our business policy, but I want to stay with you. Just one more day. You don't have to give me a dime, it's not about that. You shouldn't be alone on your anniversary." Again he started to shake his head and speak, but Jessica put a finger to his lips and gave a subtle grin. "I won't be here to replace Amanda. We don't even have to be intimate." She put her arms around his shoulders, looking him in the eyes, "Just two friends together, Ryan and Jessica." She stressed her own name and gave him a playful-yet-dirty look, as if to say "not Trixie." He smiled bashfully and looked to the floor; she knew that he fully understood he was in trouble for intentionally calling her by the wrong name. She could tell by the look on his face that she wasn't getting through to him. "Jessica, I'm sorry. I'd love that, I would. Just now isn't the right time." "Ryan, I know you're in pain, and I can't bear to watch you like this. You can't do this yourself. Please... will you at least consider it?" A certain look flashed in his eyes. At first, she thought he would agree. Ryan put his hands gently on her arms, and carefully took them off of his shoulders. His soft eyes had moistened, and he barely croaked out, "I don't think so, Jessica. I really don't think we should see each other again." Her heart skipped a beat. She tried her hardest not to cry, but it was inevitable. Streams of tears ran down her face. Rejection was something she didn't have much experience with. Still, even common rejection from anyone else wouldn't have been so bad, but coming from Ryan, it hurt badly. It flat out stung. Would he even miss her? He said it so easily... "I really don't think we should see each other again." Those words echoed in her head; it was obvious he had come a long way from being wrapped around her finger. He clearly wasn't anymore. Ryan walked over to the door and held it open for Jessica. He avoided looking into her eyes. He whispered, "I'm sorry." She stood motionless. Maybe she deserved it; after all, she was the one who bailed on him in the first place. She knew he wanted her out of the house, but she could barely move her legs. The best she could do was give him a tiny nod. Turning around behind her, Jessica desperately wanted to take one last look at the house she had come to feel so comfortable in. She glanced at the couch; so many wonderful memories were made on that couch. Even the dining room table; memories as simple as having breakfast or lunch with him was now over. It was hard to believe everything was ending this way, but she had no one to blame except herself. Even if he was stubborn. Taking a couple of steps backwards towards the door, she looked down the hallway and into the bedroom. The bedroom where she felt so loved, so happy. Jessica stopped. While her initial attention was on the bed, she noticed the safe next to the bed out of the corner of her eye. It was the same safe Ryan put his gun in earlier when he told her he was cleaning it. The safe was open. She whirled around with wide eyes, staring down Ryan. He knew exactly what she was going to say. "Dammit Jessica, please. Just go. Get out." "Oh my God, Ryan!! No, you're not going to...to...." Ryan put his hands up towards her in a defensive position, trying to get her to calm down. Jessica could finally see a chink in the armor of the man of steel. His calm demeanor was deteriorating; his body remained motionless but tears were starting to surface. Jessica screamed, "You've had this planned since the beginning, haven't you? Y-you, you're going to try and kill yourself? Ryan, how can you stand here and even think of doing something like that?" The look he gave Jessica told her everything, "Jessica, please..." "I get it now; you wanted one last time to be with someone who looked exactly like Amanda, so you could pretend it was her. That's why you chose me. I'm guessing you even emptied your entire bank account to make it all happen, spending it on me and our trip in Hawaii. But that final memory wasn't enough; you wanted to wait for me to go, for your anniversary to come, and then you'd go out with a bang. You're hurting so badly you want to end it all." His gaze was empty; it was as if he was looking at something from afar with dull eyes. "You're wrong about the last part," Ryan said. "It's not about ending everything or going down in a blaze of glory; it's simply about seeing them again. I want to see my Amanda and my boy." His head hung, "I'm tired. I want to be with them on the other side. May God forgive me, but it's the only way to see them again." "Ryan...," she barely squeaked out. Ryan's once beautiful eyes were now filled with rage. The red blood vessels in his eyes looked like a burning fire. The more he talked, the more his anger began to surface. "You... you just don't get it. You can't possibly understand the pain I'm feeling!" She was becoming scared. He started yelling, "I should have DIED in fucking Afghanistan. I should be with them right now! That IED should have hit us. Instead... death passed right over me. Instead, they died. I thought just missing that mine was a blessing, but it was a fucking curse. Even that fucking drunk driver died in the crash, so I can't even get revenge on him, even if I wanted to!" The passion and anger in his voice was unlike anything she had seen from him. "I can't wait any longer. I will NOT wait any longer! I refuse to go through life anymore without them. The pain... don't you understand? It's overwhelming. I miss them. I miss...," His lip quivered and he couldn't speak, but he looked directly at her. It was like he was looking into her soul, begging for her to leave. "Ryan," she said, trying her hardest not to shake. "It doesn't have to be this way! I know you love her. I know you love them both, but it will get easier." She desperately wanted to help him, but couldn't think of what to say to convince him. Bravely, she stepped closer to him and whimpered, "Don't do this, Ryan." Ryan held up a hand for her to stop. He reached behind his back and pulled out the nine millimeter which had been tucked in the back of his pants. Jessica froze in her tracks. "It's too late, Jessica. We're past the point of no return." Ryan's face was red, but he wasn't crying anymore, "I'm so, so sorry. I wish things had turned out differently." He looked her in the eyes and said, "But that doesn't matter anymore. It's time for you to go." She was quivering, and the fear made it almost impossible for her to think rationally. Her legs were shaking. The fear on her face was evident. Half of her was convinced she couldn't move, while the other half was ready to run out of the house as fast as she could. Maybe it was because she looked him back in his dull, lifeless eyes; she didn't know why she said what she did. Jessica softly squeaked out a "no", shaking her head slowly. Despite his lifeless eyes, she noticed a small spark somewhere deep within; it was a brief look of surprise. He sharply said in a deep voice, "It's not an option, Jessica. Go." With a little more boldness, she shook her head again and said, "No. I'm not leaving." "Jessica!" Deep down she knew she should have ran, or maybe even tried to convince him into giving up his gun, but her anger at his stupid stubbornness started to overcome her fear. She was still terrified, but she managed to cross her arms in defiance. She screamed, "If you want to blow your brains out, you'll have to do it in front of me! I'm NOT leaving!" His eyes narrowed, "Oh yes you are." "No I am NOT!" She could tell by the look on his face that he meant business, and he was about ready to charge her. "Don't you dare...," was all she got out. Ryan lurched forward with his weapon pointed downward and away from her. She backed up but wasn't quick enough; before she knew it, Ryan built up enough steam to squat down and lift her over his shoulder with one quick motion, holding her with one hand as if she weighed nothing. "Oh. Yes. You. ARE." Jessica screamed and kicked, flailing her legs as hard as she could; she made fists with both hands and hit his back, but he wouldn't let her go. She struggled as if her life depended on it. He grunted a few times after she hammered a few good hits on his back but he turned around and walked towards the door. She shrieked at the top of her lungs, "No! You asshole, put me down! Let me go! Let me GO!" It was obvious she was losing the battle; she still kept flailing and kicking although it was becoming futile. Once they were outside his house, Ryan said, "Jessica, listen to me very carefully." He tucked his gun back behind him in his jeans. He carefully set her down and firmly held her shoulders. She tried to break away, but he grabbed her wrists, trying his hardest not to hurt her. "I don't blame you for any of this. This is NOT your fault. In fact, you have no idea how grateful I am to you. I meant what I said earlier; you are an amazing girl and you made these last few weeks so much better. Someday, you're going to make someone extremely happy. Don't blame yourself for what's going to happen. Just remember its better this way, better for everyone." Her words were barely intelligible through her hysteric crying, "Ryan, don't... DON'T DO THIS...!" All she could think of was that it wasn't going to be better for everyone. It wouldn't be better for him. It especially wouldn't be better for her. How could he not see that? She saw a smile of relief crossed his face, but there was something about that smile that made her sick to her stomach. "Thank you, Jessica..." Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. She read his face and knew exactly what he was going to do, but she just wasn't ready for it. He let go of her wrists as she was tugging backwards in an attempt to free herself from his grasp. She could feel herself falling towards the damp grass, but it was so surreal; it was almost as if she defied gravity and fell as gently as a feather. She couldn't stop herself from falling, and she couldn't stop Ryan from turning around, letting her fall. It was all a blur when Ryan stepped back inside the house and slowly closed the door behind him. The click of the lock echoed; her heart felt like it had stopped beating. She barely remembered getting up and charging at the door, and had no recollection of what she said. Jessica only remembered screaming and yanking on the door handle as hard as she could, but it wasn't hard enough. Unaware of the concept of time, she had no idea how long she stood there. A deafening gunshot rang out inside the house. One single shot. As quickly as it went off, it was over. Her heart stopped. She couldn't breathe. Jessica sobbed uncontrollably as she slumped to the ground, leaning against the door. Ryan was gone. Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 05 Once again, edited by Wolf Vixen with much thanks Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 05 The second time he called her, the conversation was more abrupt. There was something different he couldn't put his finger on. Jessica seemed a little more distant, and even the phone call ended after no more than fifteen minutes; she said she had to go but he felt like he was getting the brush-off. Ryan hadn't talked to her since then. He received a text from her every once in a while; he texted her back of course, but it was more of the basic "how are you/good to hear" type conversations -- if you could call it a conversation. All of his "we should catch up" texts were met with an "I'd love to but..." The "but" meant she was either busy with something she wouldn't elaborate on, or she was sick, or a family member was in town. Then the cycle would repeat. It bothered him that she seemed to be avoiding him; more than that, it bothered him that she wouldn't open up and tell him what was going on. Maybe she was back at work and in the full swing of things; after all, it wasn't his right to expect her to tell him about the customers she was seeing. He squirmed at that thought. Maybe she was traveling all over the country -- or even the world. He couldn't have been the only client to take a beauty like that to an exotic setting. It turned his stomach to think about that. As if things weren't bad enough in his life right now. Still, he would take what he could get. His heart always fluttered when she texted him even though he knew it wouldn't be more than a few words -- he at least cherished those few words. It was better than nothing. It was depressing, but it was better than nothing. And despite everything he had been through, a simple meaningless text from her was the highlight of his day. --- "I'm so sorry, Trixie, I had no idea he was so unstable, otherwise I would have never sent him to you," Madeline told Jessica sympathetically while taking a sip from her espresso, referring to her by her business name as she did with all of her girls. She continued, "Normally, like you, I'm a good judge of character. I consider myself an intelligent woman. But I keep looking over his file, trying to figure out where I went wrong. I'm trying to figure out how I confused all the signs so easy. I mean, he almost killed himself, and I had no idea he was even about to." Jessica sighed, nursing her iced latte. "Just remember, I'm telling you this in confidence. And don't blame him; it's easy to see why he snapped. I can't imagine losing anyone that close. He lost the two closest people to him. Who knows what any of us would have done in that situation." "Well, what about you? Are you going to be ok?" Crossing her leg over her knee, rhythmically bouncing it, she gave Madeline a delayed nod. "I will. I just feel so sorry for him. It was strange, though. We talked only yesterday, and even despite everything that had happened, we carried on the phone call like the best of friends. It was the best part of my day, easily." Madeline gave Jessica a thoughtful look. "Are you sure you don't feel something more for him, like maybe you started to fall for him? That might explain how you confused the signs and misread him, as you pointed out, and why you still feel so crazy about him." Tilting her head to the side and giving her a frustrated look, Jessica said, "Don't you analyze me, Madeline. My head is off limits. And I never said I was crazy about him." Madeline laughed, "I've trained you too well, it seems. You'd think I forgot about your own analyzing skills and what you do for a living." She smiled and shook her head, "You'd think so." "Well, in that case, I'll just come right out and say it," Madeline started. "If you really do care for him even the slightest amount -- actually, especially if you care for him -- then you might want to think about giving him some distance." She gave Madeline a puzzled look, "What?" "Oh, come on, Trixie. I can read you like a book. You know, he isn't your client anymore. Which means you're technically done with him, and out of his life." "I know he isn't, Maddie. It doesn't mean we aren't -- can't be -- friends. Besides, I told him I'd help him get through this. I'm not just going to sit on the sidelines." "Trixie, think of all your past clients. Other than repeat customers, have you actually seen any of them? Are you friends with any of them? I'm not the bad guy for saying this, but you got too close to him. Do you really think you can do your job and still be there for him, as a friend or otherwise?" Jessica gave her a blank look, but her eyes were starting to smolder with intensity. "Look, hon. You know I love you." Madeline shifted, and tried to take another angle to get her to understand, "Look at it this way. If you really do look so much like Amanda, do you really think your presence is going to help him get over her? Or do you think it just might possibly make it worse?" Jessica glared at her, although she knew Madeline made a good point. "Maddie, no. He said he sees me for me now; separate from her." Madeline told her, "You know you have doubts in your voice when you say that." Jessica frowned while Madeline continued, "You really should give him space. He needs time to heal. I think you know that." She put her head in her hands. "Oh, Madeline!" She threw her hands up in the air, exasperated. "I just don't think I can do that," she said. Madeline nodded in understanding, but said, "Ultimately, if you care about him, you have to decide what is not just best for you, but what is best for him." Madeline left it at that, allowing the uncomfortable silence to weigh down on her friend. Breaking the silence, Jessica sighed, "Ok, maybe you're right." She shook her head as if she immediately regretted saying that. "I-I can't just write him off, though. You know that! I told him I would be by his side, and I don't want to deceive him by disappearing off the radar. And if I tell him why I can't talk to him, well... he'd never go for it. And I don't blame him." "Well," Madeline added, taking a sip from her espresso, "Maybe you can slow down a little, though. I'd stick to texting, maybe a few phone calls. Give him a chance to purge himself of you so he can do this without thinking about you, as much as you might hate that. Seeing him in person could be dangerous for him; it could remind him of Amanda. "At least for now, hon. And remember, you're doing this for his sake." She gave up, but the pain was evident in her eyes. She clearly didn't want to agree with Madeline, but saw wisdom in her words. With an exasperated sigh, she said, "This might be best for him, but I'm still not sure it's a good idea. I'll try to give him his space. That doesn't mean I won't see him in person, though. At least periodically. I just... I don't want to hurt him any more than I already have. This is going to crush him. And it's going to be torture on me." She narrowed her eyes at Madeline, "You better be right!" Madeline laughed again, "If I was wrong, you wouldn't be listening to me." "I know," she said, trying unsuccessfully to give her a smile. "I have to leave, but before I go there is something else we need to talk about, Maddie..." Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 06 Here is my final submission of Operation: Final Fantasy. Edited by Wolf Vixen, with much thanks. And again, thanks to HLD for inspiration through his masterpiece "Impersonating Brianne". Also thanks to Sidney43; because of his insightful comments left in earlier chapters, I actually changed quite a bit of this chapter in an attempt to capture the characters more clearly. Hopefully I succeeded. Operation: Final Fantasy Ch. 06 Amused, Jessica asked him, "What are you giggling about?" Ryan couldn't help laughing, "I was just thinking something you said recently. You're like the complete opposite of Forrest Gump. You're a smart woman, but you don't know what love is." Jessica rolled her eyes. "Ok, funny man, keep laughing." For good measure, he added, "Now that I think about it, you're not really good at football or ping pong, either." Jessica raised her eyebrow at him, "This coming from a guy who came up with a master plan and called it an "Operation"? It figures you'd name it after a video game." She snickered, "You're such a male." Ryan smirked while looking at her inquisitively, "How did you know Final Fantasy was a video game?" Laughing and shaking her head, Jessica told him, "Ok, so you caught me. Maybe some of your nerdiness has rubbed off on me. I remember vividly playing the first Final Fantasy back when it first came out. Final Fantasy three or four, I think?" "What were you, like two when it came out? I didn't know you played video games." Her eyes opened wide, "Hey! I'm not that much younger than you. And it was my older brother's. He loved that game. I mostly just played it to bother him. He would get so mad." "It sounds like you were a little terror." She shook her head, "Not hardly; it was the other way around. He was merciless to me. Did you know that once, he tied my hands up, tied the rope off to his motorcycle, and tried to drag me along behind him?" Ryan bit his lip, trying not to laugh, "That's awful!" Narrowing her eyes at him, she said, "Yea, I can tell it's tearing you up inside, you jerk." "How old were you when he did that?" "Fourteen." Ryan busted up laughing, "Fourteen? I thought you were going to say five or six. How did he even pull that off?" She crossed her arms, trying not to spill her own hot chocolate, while pouting, "He was always doing stuff like that to me." He slid closer to her, resting his hand carefully on the inside of her thigh, "Well, presents will make you feel better. Are you ready to open yours?" Jessica smiled. He was just like a big kid. It was actually breathtaking to see this side of him after the near-disastrous event that happened only a few weeks earlier. His smile seemed to light up the room day after day; he was slowly starting to embrace life again. Most of all, his love for life was infectious and she always found herself drawn to him like a moth around a bonfire. It wasn't just the way that he treated her, but it was the way he treated everyone, even those who didn't deserve it. Only a few days ago, she had just found a shirt that really looked good on him and she wanted to purchase it. The line was slow, the store was crowded, the people were pushy, and most of all, the checkout girl was a snot. After she made a snide comment about Ryan to his face, Jessica was ready to tear her head off. Ryan calmly took Jessica by the arm and kissed her cheek, breaking down her defenses. When she looked at Ryan, he simply smiled at her and whispered that it wasn't a big deal. After they bought his shirt, Ryan told the cashier thank you, took Jessica by the hand and tranquilly walked out of the store. At first, she thought Ryan was being a pushover. Eventually she realized he simply had a peaceful nature and only wanted to make people happy. He would avoid a confrontation if he could; not because he was weak, but because he was strong enough to know it was a waste of time. Once they were out of the store, he told her that most people who walk through life angry and irritable are hurting from something, and there's no point in making them feel worse. She loved that about him. "Open mine first," she said, grabbing his present from underneath the tree and handing it to him. Carefully, Ryan tore off the sunny beach wrapping paper and opened it. His eyes misted as he saw a small wooden photo album with a picture of him, Amanda, and Adam on the front, titled "Ryan's Memories". A single pewter cross sat underneath the title and above the picture. Jessica sat on the floor with her legs tucked underneath, carefully watching him with darting eyes while nervously wondering if he would like it or if her gift would set him back. She couldn't tell which, but it had a huge emotional impact on him. Opening the album, the very first picture was a worn down photograph of Amanda and Adam, the same one he held in his hands on the beaches of Hawaii. He smiled and gave her a inquisitive look, as if to ask where she got the picture from. "I knew where you kept it; it was getting ratty, so I thought we'd give that picture a new home." Slowly, he turned page after page, looking at each photo and reading the hand-written comments accompanying each one. Unable to remain quiet, she had to break the silence. "It's not just for the past, but the present and future. I made sure there were many blank pages in the back that w-we... I mean you, can fill out. This book is all about you, Ryan." He turned to her with tears streaming down his face. Without a word, he dragged her closer to him and tenderly kissed her. Setting down the book, he took her into his arms and squeezed her tightly. She sniffed and asked, "I take it you like it, then?" Ryan chuckled. Jessica told him, "Well, I wasn't sure how to top The Avengers #1. I guess I did ok, though, if I left my tiger speechless." She leaned in to kiss him on the lips. She wondered if Ryan would put at least one picture of them in his memory book. After all, she was a small part of his life, too. Even if he didn't, the feeling of knowing she had given him something he had liked so much was exhilarating. Much more than if she had bought something ten times as expensive for herself. Gently reaching up, she stroked his face. Ryan touched her hand, "You have no idea, baby. Thank you. "Well, I'm hoping I can top both the comic book and the photo album, but you've set the bar pretty high." He grabbed the large box wrapped in shiny green paper and a red bow with both hands and set it on her lap. "I'm sure I'll love it, no matter what it is," she told him reassuringly. He shrugged, but the smile he gave her was quite devious. Ryan wasn't good at bluffing; he had the look of a man holding a straight flush. Ryan winked, "Here you go. Mine's bigger than yours." "It's not about the size, you perv," she snickered, tearing into the wrapping paper. "At least in this case." She looked puzzled after she opened the large box, finding nothing inside except a tiny, palm-sized box wrapped in red paper with a green bow. Carefully she removed the bow and unwrapped the paper, revealing a black velvet box. Her mouth opened as she simply stared at it, trying to mentally process the gift. Ryan scooted closer. He placed one hand underneath hers while his other hand opened the box. Already on his knees, he looked Jessica in the eyes and pulled the diamond ring out of the box. She placed her hand on her chest, looking at Ryan, then back to the ring, then at Ryan again. Ryan took a moment to think and carefully choose his words. He was worried it was too early, but he knew what he wanted, and finally, he knew Amanda would understand. "Jessica, before you say anything, I...," Jessica pounced on him and he was on his back before he knew it. "Yes, yes, yes!" Straddling her lover and holding his face in her hands, she kissed him over and over and over again, saturating him with her tears. Ryan laughed and held her as tightly as he ever had. He quietly asked her a belated "Will you marry me?" but her string of yes's was already flowing out. Throughout all of her overwhelming kisses, he skillfully managed to slide the ring on her finger. They held each other for hours during that Christmas morning. Except to make dinner -- although even then he was with her in the kitchen the entire time, offering his assistance as she prepared their ham dinner -- she never left his side the entire day. Ryan wouldn't have let her even if she tried. The snow kept falling slowly and the music still played while the two lovers consummated their love and commitment to each other by the glowing Christmas tree, not thinking for a second about tomorrow, nor the future. There would be time for that later. Operation: Final Fantasy "Here, try some of my mahi-mahi," she said, holding up her fork. "Wow. That is really good! I think I ordered the wrong thing," Ryan chuckled. Trixie smiled, "We still have plenty of time; we just got here. There's always next time." "I suppose it's too late to add into our contract that you have to trade me your food if I ask for it?" She playfully looked into his eyes while taking another bite, "Yep, too late. Besides I said nothing kinky. That would infer you're my Master. We can't have that, now can we, tiger?" Ryan stifled a laugh, "I have a feeling you're gonna keep me on my toes." Trixie seductively looked at him, moving her straw up and down in her tequila sunrise, "More than you know. But I guarantee, you'll love it." On their way back to the hotel, Trixie could tell he was anxious. She could read men like a book, and knew Ryan was ready for her. In a way, she was relieved. She was in new territory; it was the first time she'd been with a client who went this long without having sex with her. Just before they reached the hotel, Ryan did something unexpected, "Wait right here." He briskly walked off and stopped at one of the local vendors. Trixie stayed put but he was still within her sight; she could see him buying something but couldn't tell what it was. Something pink, it looked like. Ryan came back to her holding a small pink flower. He smiled at her, lifting up the flower. "Hold still. You know," he said while putting the flower on her right side of her hair, "they say the flower up here on the right side means you are still available. If I were to put it on your left side, it would mean you were married. Or, at least, you were taken." Trixie beamed a radiant smile. Her eyes were misting up; she kept blinking, hoping Ryan wouldn't notice. If he did notice, he didn't say anything to her. As he placed it in her hair, she noticed he had that far away look in his eyes, even though he was looking right at her. It was the most passionate look she had ever seen from any man, and it was directly at her... but in a way, it seemed to go right through her. She couldn't figure out why. "That is so sweet, Ryan," She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him, slowly and passionately. She smiled inwardly as she heard a soft groan of satisfaction escape his lips and felt his body relax. Ryan took her by the hand and practically dragged her to the resort. "Ryan!" she laughed. "Slow down! You're going to make my flip flops fall off!" As quickly as he had her into the hotel and on the bed, he began to work slowly on her body. He began by kissing her on the lips, but slowly worked his way down to her chest. Every few inches he kissed her body, working down to her stomach. She caressed his head and opened her legs. Her mouth was open, eyes closed, and her breathing quickened. His soft lips were all over her body. She was aching for him. After what felt like an eternity, he crawled up on her, lifting her hula skirt up and sliding her panties off and down her legs. Trixie had his shorts off of his waist in no time. Propping her legs up, she reached behind him and grabbed his ass, pulling him closer to her. Ryan was breathing hard. She could practically feel him shaking while he hovered over her. "I need it, please. Give it to me," she whispered. He slowly slid himself inside, gazing into her beautiful eyes the entire time. She gasped. It was amazing at how well he fit inside her. Her hands ran up the side of his body. Gently, she held the side of his face as he pumped her back and forth. "Darling, oh darling," he whispered. Shivers ran down her spine. She almost felt lost in his eyes. But she could see the way he was looking back at her was different. He had that look again. It was more than just a look of desire and adoration. He looked at her with love. Absolute pure love. But somehow, she knew it wasn't for her. Not exactly. She couldn't explain it. She wrapped her legs around him tighter which was just enough to set him off; he thrust hard and deep, moaning as he exploded deep inside her. Trixie almost had an orgasm, but even though she didn't, the experience was still unbelievable. She was at a loss for words. Oh shit, she thought, biting her lower lip. How on earth did I forget to make him wear a condom? She felt like she was losing her mind. She had never, EVER forgotten something so important. Madeline had confirmed that he had a clean bill of health, and Trixie was on birth control, but making a mistake that significant wasn't something she had done before with a client. Ever. Then again Ryan wasn't like anyone else she had ever been with -- client or otherwise. Even though he had just cum in her, she still had him wrapped up with her legs and arms and didn't want to let him go. Part of her didn't care that his cum had been fired deep inside her. Even after realizing the mistake she made. What's happening to me? Ryan was content laying on top of her, without smashing her of course, his head on her chest between her breasts. She could hear him breathing deeply as he recovered. Trixie stroked his hair and held him tight, but she was afraid. As amazing as that was, how could she have done something so, so stupid? How did she let one guy get in her head so easily and why was she only realizing this now? And most importantly, who was the girl Ryan thinking about when he was with her? Who was the fortunate girl that captured his heart, and where was she? --- When Ryan went to the bathroom to clean up, she lay on her back and looked up at the twirling ceiling fan. She felt peaceful as her body slowly continued to recover. "With or Without You" by U2 was playing in the background. Trixie took the flower out of her hair. She took a moment to admire every single petal, observing how the light pink color made a subtle transition into a darker shade of pink. Even the fragrant smell of the flower was breathtaking. With the pink flower in her hand, she looked up to make sure Ryan was still in the bathroom, and he was. She bit her lower lip, putting the flower carefully back in her hair, on the left side. She smiled to herself. She was a little nervous but figured he wouldn't notice. He was very smart, but she had already deduced that he was not an overly observant person. Besides, the flower in her hair only meant that she was taken just until the following Tuesday, and not one minute later. And then she'd turn into a pumpkin.