Storiesonline.net ------- The Island by Eon Copyright© 2005 by Eon ------- Description: They're both unlikeable: Trinity Russell, who hangs with the popular crowd in an attempt to be popular herself, and Zane Wilson, who dates the shallow, popular blonde, Sheila. A strange occurence on a cruise ship leaves Trinity and Zane stranded together on an island, where it will take all the qualities they never realized they had to survive. Codes: MF slow rom 1st cons het mastrb pett ------- ------- Chapter 1: Cruise Contest Zane Wilson stood with his group of friends in the crowded cafeteria of the community college they attended. All of them waited for the announcement of the contest winners. A Caribbean cruise, he thought, leaning back against the wall with a grin. Now there's a prize I could stand to win. Like everyone else here now (and the other half of the school, which couldn't make it, but hoped to get a call telling them they'd won), he'd put in his entry weeks ago. Zane felt, for some reason, that today was going to be his lucky day. "Hey, Zane, man," His buddy Luke hissed. "Look, it's the Snob Squad!" Sighing, Zane glanced in the direction Luke had pointed. The five girls that made up the group he'd dubbed the "Snob Squad" were indeed there. Two blondes, a brunette, and a raven-haired beauty, and they acted like they still belonged in high school. Usually that didn't bother him; bubble-headed girls were something he was used to. But Zane attended classes with the little dark hair, and he knew how intelligent she was. He just couldn't figure out what her problem was. As if she sensed him watching, she turned suddenly to face him. A truly exotic creature, she was. High cheekbones and large, almond shaped eyes of stinging green made her look slightly cat-like. A luscious, full mouth seemed always curled into a petulant pout. Hair as dark as a night void of stars and moon was a startling contrast to the pale caramel tone of her skin. She was slim and petite, with small, full breasts, sensuously wide hips, and long legs. Her name was Trinity Russell, Snob Squad lackey. Knowing how bright she was, Zane couldn't understand why it was so important to her to fit in with those other girls. "Makes you wanna cry, doesn't it?" Luke joked, leaning against Zane and grinning. "The beautiful ones are always untouchable." "Not for me," Zane shot back, mirroring Luke's grin. His current girlfriend was Sheila O'Connor, Snob Squad leader. She was the leggy blonde who was always in the middle of their small crowd. Blue-eyed, tanned skin, and never a hair out of place. Zane wasn't dating her because he loved her. Heck, he wasn't even dating her because the sex was good (which it was, if he tuned out her constant nagging). It was simply that he'd been dating her since high school and hadn't bothered to break up with her. I let myself get stuck in ruts far too easily, Zane thought, frowning. Maybe it's time for a change. His eyes lingered briefly on Trinity, and he had to give himself a hard shake. Not her! he thought, rolling his eyes at himself. Soon, he felt, he'd be on that cruise, and there would be so many lovely girls in bikinis, he'd have plenty of opportunity to make a change. Zane had no interest in snobby little Trinity; none whatsoever. "Man, when are they going to get to it?" Luke griped, shifting impatiently on his feet. "We've been waiting here for like, an hour or something!" "Fifteen minutes," Zane corrected, chuckling. "Calm down, man. It's in the bag." "You think?" Luke asked, his eyebrows lifting. Zane shrugged. "I just have this feeling." He couldn't explain it. Maybe it's destiny, Zane thought wryly. He had never really believed in things like destiny before. Everything in his life was pretty non-fantastic; simple school, simple family, simple girlfriend. Very simple girlfriend. When he'd seen the flier for this contest, he'd gotten excited, truly excited, for the first time in a long time. Zane wanted to do something fun and thrilling. He wanted a break from an ordinary college life that would no doubt soon become an ordinary married life. He simply had never known or learned anything different. Glancing across the crowd again, he saw Sheila speaking to Trinity. His girlfriend was looking down her perfectly powered nose at the little lackey. Zane watched for a moment, and when Trinity started off through the crowd, he rolled his eyes. I guess you can be intelligent and dumb as a brick at the same time, he thought, settling back against the wall once more. Because she most certainly is. ------- "Fetch this, go get this," Trinity Russell muttered under her breath as she pushed through the crowd. "Go get your own coffee, you primped up valley girl!" It was times like these that she thought she might reconsider her decision. Hanging with Sheila O'Connor and her gang should have made her happy and popular, but Trinity was miserable. I feel like I'm back in high school, she thought, sighing. When she had met Sheila and the others, she'd thought it would be the perfect opportunity. Maybe, just maybe, she could recover from her experiences in middle school. But Trinity had found only that she was completely miserable, and even more lonely than before. When she'd seen the flier advertising this contest, she'd been excited. A vacation was exactly what she needed. A Caribbean cruise... well, that was just perfect. It probably won't be me, Trinity thought, stopping at the end of a line forming at the cafeteria's coffee stand. It will be Sheila, no doubt, and her annoying boyfriend. Zane Wilson. The very thought of him made her want to scream. He acts like he doesn't remember me, she thought, her fingers tightening around the dollar bills Sheila had given her. How could he forget? Zane had been her biggest mistake in middle school. To think she'd once thought he could have been her greatest ally in the sixth grade. I was a fool, Trinity thought, shaking her head. A big, stupid, fat, ugly, unwanted idiot! Those were not days she liked remembering. The coffee line seemed to take forever. Still, so was the announcement of the winners. There would be a total of ten, and she was dead certain she wouldn't be one of them. It just simply wasn't her luck. Trinity had the worst luck in the world... proven as she stepped up to the counter of the coffee stand, and the student working it put a sign up. Out of coffee, she thought, just great! Turning, she began to fight the crowd, dreading going back to Sheila. Already this was shaping up to be a lousy day. It just got worse as it went on. Trinity was about half way back to Sheila when someone stepped out in front of her. She balked, backpedaling quickly, and looked up into the smiling eyes of Zane Wilson. He might be cute, if he didn't look like a punk, she thought, then winced. No need to sink to his level, Trinity. Zane wore his dark hair at about chin length, shaggy and streaked with chunks of bright red. His face was narrow and somewhat angular, and although his nose was a bit large for good looks, he had the most sensual mouth she'd ever seen on a man. His eyes were odd, a mix of gray and purple. Trinity had once thought he was so cute. If I'm being honest with myself, I still do, she thought, wrinkling her nose. Zane watching her, and she realized she was staring. "You're in my way!" she snapped, feeling her cheeks heat. "My apologies, Your Highness," Zane murmured cheekily, stepping to the side. "Oh, stow it," Trinity growled. "It's time to grow up." "What is your problem?" Zane demanded, following her as she weaved through the crowd. "Why are you such a bitch to me?" "Why should I be nice?" Trinity asked, not looking back at him. Zane followed her all the way back to Sheila. They kissed when he reached her side, but Trinity thought it lacked affection. He stood with his arm casually around Sheila's shoulders, studying Trinity curiously. She pointedly look straight at Sheila, acting as though he wasn't even there. "Where's my coffee?" Sheila demanded, her eyes narrowing. "They're all out," Trinity explained, sighing inwardly. "Oh, that's just great!" Sheila complained, throwing her hands up. "Geez, Trin, what good are you if you can't even get me some damn coffee?" Trinity flinched. Why the hell am I doing this again? she wondered, gritting her teeth. Zane was watching her with his eyebrows raised, and she got the feeling he was thinking the same thing. She hated that he saw her like this, as a lackey to his Beach Barbie girlfriend. I shouldn't even care what he thinks! Trinity thought, scowling. He's not worth caring about. "Can I get everyone's attention please?" Someone called into the microphone they were using to announce. "We're about to announce the winners." "It's about time," Zane said, sighing in exasperation. "No kidding," Sheila agreed. "I want to go get my nails manicured!" Trinity turned to face the announcer, using the movement to cover the rolling of her eyes. She wanted to just leave, rather than sit here through this, but Sheila would be sure to say something about it. The announcer began rattling off names, not an easy feat with the crowd so noisy and active. He called out a lot of names that Trinity didn't recognize, and before long he was down to just four left. "Luke Newman," The announcer called. From somewhere in the crowd Zane's best friend, Luke, let out a loud whoop. The crowd laughed. Trinity could see him jumping up and down despite the press of the crowd. "Zane Wilson," Shouted the announcer. Oh, of course, Trinity thought, rolling her eyes. That was so obvious. Sometimes she wondered if Zane had connections. He always seemed to get whatever he wanted. She could hear him talking behind her, obviously pleased that he was going. "Sheila O'Connor." Sheila let out an earsplitting shriek and jumped on Zane, hugging him tight. It was all just an act, Trinity knew. She couldn't stand to stick around here any longer. Glancing around quickly, she tried to find a clear path through the crowd. None presented itself, which would mean she'd have to make her own. "Trinity Russell." What!? Trinity thought, turning to stare in amazement at the announcer. She couldn't possibly have heard that right. After all, she'd never won anything in her life. People like Sheila and Zane won things like this. I must have heard wrong, she thought, shaking her head. Trinity felt a hand come down on her shoulder, and warm breath on her ear. "Congratulations," Zane murmured. Trinity turned to look at him, her eyes wide. For a moment she could have sworn he was being nice to her. Then Sheila pulled him away, and she realized that she must have been wrong. Zane Wilson has never been nice to me, she thought, following them reluctantly as they headed toward the front of the cafeteria to collect their tickets. Why would he start now? ------- Zane stuffed a few more t-shirts in his duffle bag and took a step back, glancing around his room. Going away for the winter... what a pleasant thought. They would fly down to Florida and take a cruise from there. Warmth and sunshine, he thought, dropping down onto his bed. I simply can't wait. Except that Sheila was going to be there. And Trinity. How was Zane supposed to enjoy himself with them around? Then again, I've never seen Trinity in a bathing suit, he thought, grinning. She would probably look fantastic in a little string bikini. Zane rolled over onto his stomach. Nice to see I matured past fifteen, he thought sarcastically. So maybe his hormones were acting up a bit. He just needed something different from Sheila, that was all. Something like exotic little Trinity. The phone rang. Zane had a very good feeling he knew who it was. He reached out, his hand hovering above the phone on his night table. Someone downstairs picked it up. A moment later his mother called up the stairs. "It's Sheila!" Right on the money, Zane thought, picking up the phone. It was going to be a long night, then. Sheila would go on and on about stupid things until she was ready to go to bed. Cradling the phone against his ear, he picked up a pen he used to doodle on the pad on his bedside table, and settled in for a long evening. ------- Trinity paused, staring at the bikini she had never worn before. It was dark green, a halter style top and a high cut bottom that tied on the sides. She'd bought it for the summer, but couldn't bring herself to wear it. Well, why not? she thought, stuffing it into her suitcase. Cruise ships are huge. I probably won't even see anyone I know. Trinity was hoping, at least, that she could avoid Sheila and Zane. It would make the trip so much more peaceful. She still couldn't believe she had won. This was not the sort of thing that happened to her. Trinity dropped down onto her bed with a sigh of delight. This tiny little dorm she rented usually seemed so depressing, but right now she didn't care. Right now it was the most wonderful place in the world, simply because she would be leaving it for so long. A whole month away from the miserable hell that was her life. Oh, she knew a lot of it was of her own making. Insisting that she live separate from her parents, hanging out with Sheila and her gang; these were choices she had made. Trinity realized she was doing a rather poor job of making choices for her life. I don't know what to do or where to go, she thought, curling up on her side. Maybe this vacation will help me set my head straight. Time away from this dreary life of hers might be just what she needed. ------- Chapter 2: All Aboard Airplane rides were, decidedly, the worse thing anyone could possibly do. Trinity was still feeling ill hours later, while they were waiting to board the ship. It seemed unbelievably hot to her, although it was only in the mid-seventies. I can't believe I'm wearing shorts in January, she thought, shifting anxiously from foot to foot. The warm Florida sun felt great on her skin. Trinity found herself actually looking forward to a bit of tanning. The boat was absolutely huge. There was so many people boarding that she was jostled around as she walked up the ramp. She shifted her suitcase against her hip and tried to keep from bumping into too many people. Someone, a man much larger than she was, bumped her hard, nearly sending her over the railing. Trinity staggered, losing her grip on her suitcase, and grappling for the railing. She felt someone grab her from behind and pull her back. "You all right?" Trinity turned to thank her rescuer and found herself scowling. It was Zane. He picked up her suitcase and handed it back to her; she snatched it away with a snarl. Why did it have to be him? she wondered, turning on her heel and stomping up the ramp. I can't thank him! "You're welcome," Zane called after her. Trinity's heart was pounding, and she wasn't sure if it was from her near dunking. I am such a loser, she thought. She pulled her ticket from the pocket of her shorts and studied it carefully, finding the number of her cabin. At least she would be able to avoid Zane and Sheila on this trip. And maybe I should get a tan, Trinity thought, glancing at her arm as she stuck the key into the lock of the cabin. I've never been pale, but a little extra color couldn't hurt. The cabin was a dream. The floor was carpeted in dark blue, that matched the bedspread on the queen sized bed. The bed frame and the dressers were of a pale wood, and there was even a seachest at the foot of the bed. Hanging and potted plants gave the cabin a sort of jungle quality. Ooo, Trinity thought, one of those little fridges. So cool! She dropped her suitcase and bag and flopped down on the bed, sighing in delight. Rolling onto her stomach, she grabbed her bag and pulled her wallet from it. Trinity kept a good nest egg in her bank account and she dipped into it to have money for this trip. She hadn't had a vacation in years, and she was planning on taking advantage of this luxury. And no Sheila or Zane, she thought, grinning. They won't even remember I exist on this trip, and that's just fine with me. ------- Zane had had every intention of enjoying himself on this cruise. Except that by noon on the second day he was going out of his mind. Every time he so much as glanced in the direction of another girl, Sheila freaked out. But if he said anything when he caught her looking at other guys, which she did often, she freaked out. He couldn't get rid of her, either. I need a break before I break her neck, Zane thought, running his fingers roughly through his hair in frustration. "I can't believe none of my other friends got to come along," Sheila complained. "Trinity is here, you know," Zane reminded her. Sheila scowled. "That little skank? Zane, she's not a friend. She just uses me to be popular." Zane eyebrows shot up. Not that I totally disagree with that, he thought, but she shouldn't really be talking about using people. If Trinity used Sheila to be popular, Sheila used Trinity for just about everything else. She bad-mouthed her constantly, saying she was stuck-up, that she was a liar, that she stole money from people. Sheila would talk about how Trinity was a slut one day, and then laugh over the fact that she'd never had a boyfriend the next. Zane might have felt sorry for Trinity if she hadn't brought it on herself. "Really, you should hear what she says about you," Sheila went on. "Oh, look, there's a great spot, right there by the pool." "Wait, what does she say about me?" Zane asked, trailing after Sheila as she wended her way to a chair by the pool. "That you're stupid," Sheila said casually, dropping gracefully onto the chair. "And she says you're ugly, too. She tries to spread rumors about how you sleep around, you know." Zane opened his mouth to respond but never got the chance. Luke had approached, and he dropped onto the end of Sheila's chair, grinning broadly. "Lookin' good, Sheila," Luke said, winking at her. "Need some help with that suntan lotion?" "Sure," Sheila said, smiling. Zane stared at her and Luke but neither of them paid much attention to him. Sheila laughed and batted her eyelashes at Luke. Maybe I am stupid, he thought, turning away from them. But ugly? That's not fair. He ran his fingers through his hair, trying futilely to straighten it. Sheila's giggles were grinding on his nerves. Zane dropped into a seat of his own, hoping at least that he would have the chance to see some eye candy. Sharp whistles and catcalls caught his attention. He glanced up and caught sight of what, or more accurately who, was causing the commotion. A dark-haired beauty had approach the pool. Sunglasses were perched on her nose, but he wasn't really paying attention to that. The dark green bikini she was wearing was more to Zane's tastes. A small, sheer sarong of the same green was tied around her hips, not hiding all that much of the high cut bottom of her bikini. Now this is more like it, he thought, leaning forward. "Oh my god," Sheila exclaimed, sitting up. "No way! There's just no way!" "What?" Zane asked, glancing briefly at her. "Someone you know?' Sheila huffed, shooting him a look, then waved. "Trin! Get over here!" The dark-haired beauty stiffened, her shoulders going rigid. No way, Zane thought, staring. I mean, I've always known she was hot but I didn't realize she was... Well, there wasn't a word for it. He watched the sway of her hips as she headed reluctantly over to them. Damn, he thought, who cares if she said I was ugly and stupid? Zane knew he was staring, but he couldn't help it. "Trin, what are you doing?" Sheila demanded, her voice growing more and more agitated. Trinity pushed her sunglasses down and peered at Sheila, her brows lifting. "Tanning. I would have thought that was obvious." "In that?" Sheila pointed to Trinity's bikini. "Oh, sweetie, that... well, it just screams trashy, doesn't it, boys?" Trinity's eyebrows rose further and Zane could just see the thoughts running behind her bright green eyes. Sheila's pink bikini was even skimpier than Trinity's; the top barely covered her nipples and the bottom was a thong. Most of the guys on the cruise had thought that Sheila looked hot, but Zane disagreed. She's the one who looks trashy, he thought. "Actually, that's a cute bathing suit," Luke said, flashing a flirtatious grin in Trinity's direction. "And it looks fantastic on you." Sheila sniffed. "It looks all right." "If you don't mind, I'll be going now," Trinity said. "Of course I mind!" Sheila said, smiling brightly. "Trin, you can't just ditch on your friends." "I'm getting a drink," Trinity muttered, turning away quickly. She headed towards the bar near the pool. Little early for alcohol, Zane thought, raising his eyebrows. Then again... A glance at Sheila, who was leaning close to Luke to keep his attention on her, made him grit his teeth. He stood up and started to follow Trinity, but he could practically feel Sheila's blue eyes boring into his back. "Thirsty," Zane muttered. "I'm allowed that, aren't I, Your Majesty?" "Don't get testy with me," Sheila snapped. "Go get a drink if you want, I don't care." Zane grumbled to himself as he headed to the bar. This trip is turning out to be hell, he thought, coming to lean up against the bar. I need to get some sex. Alcohol would do for now, at least. He glanced at Trinity, watching her sip at her drink. Would she? he wondered, studying her. Probably not... although she seems to be intent on enjoying herself for this trip. He knew she wouldn't be dressed like that, otherwise. "What's the matter?" Trinity asked, not looking at him. "Girlfriend send you to fetch something to drink?" Zane frowned. "No." "You must be fetching things left and right," Trinity said, turning to look at him. "Since I haven't been around." "Yeah, she's helpless without her lackey," Zane growled. Trinity set her glass down with a snarl and turned away from the bar. As she stomped away, Zane turned to follow her. She is stuck-up, he thought, dodging an old lady as he trailed Trinity down the deck. Where the hell does she get off, starting shit with me? She knew he was following her and picked up her pace. Zane saw the large, fat man coming towards her but she didn't. Trinity collided with the fat man and bounced sideways, towards the railing. Zane jumped forward, catching her around the waist and pulling her away from the rail before she fell over it. He held her close, glaring at the fat man who was grumbling loudly. One hand rested on her bare back, and he fought to keep himself from stroking her soft skin. Trinity stirred, pushing against him, but Zane didn't loosen his grip. "You should be more careful," he admonished softly. "Let me go," Trinity growled, her voice muffled against his chest. "Only if you promise to stop trying to throw yourself over railings," Zane teased. Trinity jerked out of his hold. "Just leave me alone!" Zane watched her stomp off and sighed. Still... Maybe it was my imagination, he thought, but I think she was blushing. He wasn't that far from it himself. She was really beautiful... far more so than Sheila, who had to wear make-up. He'd never seen Trinity wear the amount of make-up that Sheila did. Well, I'm gonna go get that drink, Zane thought, heading back towards the pool. I'm gonna need it. ------- Trinity tossed restlessly in bed, her sheets tangled around her bare legs. She hadn't slept well once on this trip. The bed was comfortable, the ship didn't rock, and it was never too hot. It was Zane that was bothering her. He'd been in her thoughts and dreams for days now. I hate this, Trinity thought, rolling onto her stomach and grasping her pillow. This is so stupid... I don't even like him! Tonight, though, it was remembering his hands on her bare skin that kept her up. He had strong hands, slightly calloused roughened, but warm. It was driving her crazy. This is insane! Trinity thought, striking the mattress with her first. She squeezed her eyes closed and tried to force herself to sleep. For a bare second after the explosion rocked the cruise ship, she thought she'd been dreaming. But screaming and the sounds of doors slamming open and running feet told her that she was very much awake. Trinity threw back her blankets and grabbed her shorts from where she'd dropped them on the floor, yanking them on. She stumbled to the door and threw it open, peering out into the panic. "Everyone remain calm," a voice blared over the spears strewn throughout the ship. "Gather your belongings and proceed in an orderly fashion to the nearest life boats." Oh, that'll work, Trinity thought, rolling her eyes. Her sarcasm was the only way to fight off the panic that was rising in her throat. She could hear high, frightened voices all around her. Slipping back into her cabin, she slammed her suitcase shut and hefted it up. Her carry-one, which was a backpack, went over her shoulders. Gripping the handle of her suitcase tight, Trinity stepped out onto the deck. The ship rolled suddenly. She shrieked, almost losing her feet. Following the line of people and trying her best not to be trampled, she made her way to the lifeboats. Her heart pounded loudly in her ears. People around her shouted and whimpered, wondering what was going on. Good question, Trinity thought, biting at her lower lip fretfully. What was that explosion? Just as she was nearing the lifeboats, another explosion rocked the ship. People screamed; some fell over board. A loud snap, followed by a whirring sound, was a lifeboat breaking free of the rigging and falling into the water below. Trinity tried desperately to stay on her feet, to stay away from the railing, but the boat swayed violently. She stumbled, skidding across the deck, and hit the rail at stomach level. Her breath knocked out of her, she fell over the side of the boat and down into the water. ------- Zane didn't realize what he was doing at first. He heard Sheila shrieking, but hardly noticed. Everything else had faded from his mind as he watched Trinity fall overboard. Still holding onto his duffle bag and backpack, he sped across the deck and launched himself over the railing. Zane hit the water hard enough to knock his belongings from his hands, but he didn't care. He forced himself quickly to the surface and glanced around, trying to find Trinity. She was in the water a few yards from him, clinging desperately to her suitcase. She can't swim, he thought. Her nails were already broken and bleeding from trying to hold on. Zane swam quickly across the distance between them; he'd been captain of the swim team in high school, after all. He grabbed Trinity as she slipped weakly off her suitcase and held her up as he treaded water. Glancing around, he spotted the lifeboat that had gotten knocked free. Holding tight to Trinity, he swam over to the lifeboat. It took longer with only one arm, but he got there, and lifted her up into it. While she coughed up sea water, he headed back to get their luggage. Zane wasn't sure what possessed him to do it, but he did. Hauling her suitcase and his own bags, he brought them back to the lifeboat and tossed them in. Then he pulled himself up and in as well. He was exhausted and out of breath from swimming in the churning water. "You all right?" Zane asked. Trinity stared at him from behind a curtain of wet hair. "Not really, no." Zane laughed and sat back in the boat. Now that she was safe the world came back into focus, and he could hear screams and splashes. Looking back at the ship, he saw one large hole in the hull further down, and saw flames spouting up here and there. He'd left Sheila up there without a second thought. Glancing over at Trinity, Zane smiled slightly. I ditched one snob for another, he thought, so I must be out of my mind. Maybe it was a sixth sense, but somehow he knew the third explosion was coming. As the side of the ship exploded outward, he launched himself forward, knocking Trinity to the floor of the lifeboat. Splinters of wood sprayed over them and dust rained down into the boat. Zane kept her pinned down, waiting for the cloud of dust to clear. She groaned softly, and he shifted his weight to the side. She's trembling, he realized. Looking up at her face, he saw tears sliding down her cheeks. In honesty, he'd probably be crying too if he wasn't so busy protecting her. They had no idea what was going on, really. Explosions on a cruise ship... Zane thought. This is crazy. He closed his arms tightly around Trinity, dragging her close. This time, he noticed, she didn't protest too much. The rocking waves were carrying them away from the ship, and the roar of the water against the bottom of the lifeboat blocked some of the sounds from the ship. Zane did the best he could to tune out the noises and he could tell Trinity did as well. Her hands gripped his wet shirt tightly, as though she was afraid he might disappear. Her trembled intensified, and he hugged her tighter. "Don't worry," Zane murmured. "Everything will be fine." "Why are you being so nice to me?" Trinity asked. "For that matter, why did you save me? What about your girlfriend?" "I... don't know," Zane admitted. "Just... I had to save you. And I'm being nice because... well, look at the situation." He lifted his head to look at her and was startled. The flames from the ship reflected in her bright green eyes, yet somehow it was only enchanting. Zane forgot to think. He pressed his mouth softly to hers. Trinity went still beneath him, but she didn't push him away. She sighed softly against his mouth. He felt her hands travel up to grasp his hair, holding onto him. Zane coaxed her lips open with his tongue, then dipped it inside the moist heat of her mouth. A sharp crack of wood breaking startled him. He pulled back from Trinity, his heard pounding loudly against his ribs. She stared at him, her eyes heavy-lidded and her lips parted. Now was not the time for this, but she was hard to resist. Zane laid his head down against her shoulder so he couldn't see that tempting mouth. Screaming and splashing still reached his ears, but they drifted farther and farther away from it. Soon only the sound of the waves lapping at the bottom of the lifeboat remained, and he drifted off to sleep. ------- Chapter 3: Middle of Nowhere Sunlight was hot against Trinity's skin. She groaned softly and shifted, but she could barely move. Something shielded her face from the sun, at least, and she was able to ease her eyes open. They felt puffy and gritty; she rubbed at them, then opened them wide. Feeling incredibly disoriented, she stared up at what she could have sworn was a wooden board. Trinity realized then that she was not along. Glancing over at the figure curled up next to her, she saw it was Zane. Shocked, she tried to sit up, and hit her head against the board. "Ow!" Trinity growled. "Goddamnit!" "Mmm, what?" Zane mumbled, slowly opening his eyes. "Just fifteen more minutes, ma..." "Zane, wake up!" Trinity snarled, elbowing him sharply in the ribs. "Ow, hey!" Zane exclaimed, coming fully awake. "What the hell was that for?" Trinity, moving much more carefully this time, eased out from beneath the bench and sat up. One quick look around was all she needed. No way, she thought, feeling her stomach roll. She whipped around, but the view behind her was the same as the one in front: water as far as they eye could see. Zane sat up slowly beside her and took a look around as well. Trinity saw worry in his eyes. "I was hoping that was a bad dream," Zane muttered, running his fingers through his hair. "But... where's the ship? We really drifted that far?" "Looks like it," Trinity said, shading her eyes against the sun. "What happened, anyway? Those explosions..." Zane shrugged. "Terrorists?" Trinity snorted. "Small game, don't you think? Honestly, terrorists have better things to do than blow up cruise ships. Like laugh at Americans running around like chickens with their heads cut off." Zane's eyebrows lifted and he stared at her. Trinity sighed and dropped her head into her hands. This can't be happening, she thought, fighting back tears. I'm stuck in a little boat, in the middle of nowhere, with someone I hate. Someone who had saved her life. Oh, things were just not going well at all. Okay, to be fair, she was alive. But I never wanted to owe my life to him, of all people. "Not much of a patriot, are you?" Zane asked. Trinity shook her head. "When patriotism became waving a flag and yelling 'kill all the towel-heads', I quit." "Not everyone feels that way, though," Zane said quietly. "I mean, I was angry, but after awhile it's like... it gets old. I get sick of seeing that more people died..." Trinity glanced at him, her eyebrows lifting curiously. For a moment she just stared at him, then she started giggling. Zane stared at her, perplexed. She could do nothing but laugh for long moments, and after a short while he joined in. She let herself fall back against the side of the boat, dropping a hand to her aching ribs. Trinity gulped in deep breaths, managing to calm herself down enough to speak. "Odd conversation we're having," she explained. "A little out of place..." "Hey, you started it," Zane reminded. "I can't help it," Trinity said, shrugging. "I'm strong-minded and opinionated. It happens." Zane looked at her, then started laughing again. She followed suit, ignoring the edge of hysteria to her laughter. Who could blame her for being scared? They were stranded together in a boat, in the middle of nowhere, with no idea if they'd ever be found. As that thought reared it's ugly head, fear sobered Trinity right up. She brought her legs up to her chest and sighed, fighting back tears. This was supposed to be her vacation... it was turning into a nightmare. ------- Zane stared up at the star-filled sky. He was so glad that he didn't have to worry about Trinity being awake. She was trying not to let her fear get the best of her, which meant he had to hide his completely. Not that he thought he needed to be macho, but they couldn't both fall apart. She was sleeping against him now, curled up with her head on his chest. And if she knew, Zane thought, she'd be freaking out. Not that he wasn't. He found it hard to sleep with her body pressed to his. Every time he closed his eyes he saw an image of her in that bathing suit. Zane licked his lips and put an arm around her. Even though the air was thick and warm, it was comforting to have someone curled up against him. He toyed with a strand of hair that spilled across her cheek; it was a bit dry with salt, but he still found her lovely. Too bad she's just like Sheila, Zane thought, sighing. I don't want to get mixed up with another girl like that. Trinity stirred in her sleep. He rested his hand on her shoulder, trying to soothe her, but she came awake, blinking. She sat up, being careful of the bench above their head, and looked around. Zane slid out from under the bench and sat up, as well. She looked up at him, her eyes still blurred with sleep. "Are we still in the middle of nowhere?" Trinity asked, smothering a yawn. "I think so," Zane replied. "I haven't really seen much beyond open water." Trinity took a moment to look around. She sat up suddenly, staring out across the open ocean. "I think I see something." "Where?" Zane leaned up against her as he peered in the same direction she was looking. "Get off me," Trinity muttered, shoving him backwards. Zane hit the side of the boat and it rocked, lurching dangerously to one side. He gripped the edge of the boat, his heart pounding in panic until it straighten. Frustrated, he grabbed hold of Trinity's arms. She shrieked as he pushed her down to the floor of the boat (although he made sure she didn't bang her head on the bench). He got hold of her wrists and pinned them down so she couldn't slap at him the way Sheila did. "What the hell is wrong with you?" Zane snarled. "Is that the way you treat someone who saved your life?" Trinity didn't answer. Her cheeks were bright red and she wouldn't look at him. Maybe I was too hasty, Zane thought, swallowing hard. Holding her down like this, his body was pressed firmly against hers. He hadn't felt this awkward around a girl since middle school. The boat was small enough that the two of them were already tightly confined to begin with. "You can't fool around in a boat," Zane told her, sighing. "If you capsize this thing, we're in big trouble. Now, let me look..." He released her and sat up. Shading his eyes and squinting, he could just barely see the splotch on the horizon that wasn't water, but he could make out no details. It was still far away, hours if not a whole day. Zane watched it for awhile before he was certain that it was land of some sort. He looked down at Trinity, who was still lying on the floor of the boat. "It's land, all right," Zane told her. "But I don't see how were going to get there unless we get lucky." "Couldn't we... like, paddle or something?" Trinity stammered. "I mean, at least put our hands in the water every now and then to keep the boat steered toward the land..." Zane rolled his eyes. "Do you want your hands bitten off by sharks?" Trinity blanched and looked away. That was a bit too harsh, maybe, he thought, sighing. She's scared, after all. Still, that was no reason for her to push him around. They needed to work together. Zane didn't know if these waters were shark-infested, but he wasn't about to risk it. They were going to have to rely on luck in order to get to that land in the distance. "Let's just wait and see," Zane said. "Obviously we've been moving toward the land, or we wouldn't be able to see it. If we're lucky, we'll end up there." "If we were lucky, we wouldn't be in this situation to begin with," Trinity muttered. Zane couldn't really disagree with that. He sank back to the floor of the boat, risking the wrath of a human shark when he curled up next to Trinity. To his surprise, she didn't protest. I guess it would be pointless, he thought. Lying down is the only comfortable way to sleep, and if one of us is sitting, the other can't lay down. Zane even dared so much as to put his arm around her. "Do you think we'll die out here?" Trinity asked quietly. "I hope not," Zane replied. "There's still a lot of things I want to do before I die..." "Me too," Trinity murmured. "Hey, I kissed you, what more could you want from life?" Zane teased. A second later, "Ow! Don't pinch me!" Trinity laughed. "You deserved it!" "Oh really?" Zane glanced sidelong at her. "In that case..." She shrieked as he pounced on her, his hands finding her side and tickling. Trinity pinched him again, sharply, on the arm. Zane yelped, and caught hold of her wrists, pinning them down to the floor of the boat. He was able to use his free hand to tickle her, and she squirmed and thrashed, trying to kick at him. He moved on top of her, pinning her legs down, so she could do little more than wriggle as he tickled her. "St... stop!" Trinity panted between giggles. "No... stop... stop!" "You deserved it!" Zane shot back, laughing. A sudden strong wave caught the boat and rocked it. Zane lost his balance and fell forward; he managed to catch himself just before he landed on her. Still, they were even closer now than they'd been moments before, with his mouth hovering scant inches above hers. Forgetting himself, Zane pressed his mouth to hers, as he had the night before. He was still holding her wrists, so Trinity couldn't push him or hit him. Although she didn't seem to want to. Zane loosed her hands and she lifted them, burying her fingers in his hair and pulling his mouth more firmly against hers. Startled, but ultimately pleased, he slid his tongue past her lips and into the heat of her mouth. His hands wander over her breasts, fondling them through the thin cotton of her shirt. Trinity shifted beneath him, spreading her thighs just enough for him to settle between them. "Wait... wait!" Trinity panted, as he began to slide a hand beneath her shirt. "What?" Zane groaned, lifting his mouth from hers just enough to speak. "We... can't... you... you have a... girlfriend," Trinity reminded him through deep gulps of air. Damnit, he thought, sitting back. She had to remind me, didn't she? He didn't love Sheila, but it just wasn't in him to cheat. Of course, if they were stranded long enough, Zane wasn't sure it would be called cheating anymore. He had a feeling Sheila wouldn't wait too long before finding herself someone new. Still, he tried to put a few inches between himself and Trinity as he lay back down. "You're a pig," Trinity muttered, rolling onto her side. "Excuse me?" Zane rolled over to stare at her incredulously. "Who was it who pulled who closer?" Trinity snorted. "I don't have a boyfriend!" "So that makes it okay?" Zane asked, rolling his eyes. "Okay, whatever. What should I expect from someone in the Snob Squad?" Trinity growled in frustration and slammed her fist against the side of the boat. A moment later he heard her whimper and he had to laugh. She brought her foot back and kicked him hard in the shin, and Zane cursed, annoyed. If there's a God, and he's not a sadistic prick, he thought, we'll get to that land before we kill each other. He wasn't going to count on it, though. ------- Trinity wanted to stay sleeping. She didn't want to open her eyes to another morning of bright sun glaring off the water. Not to mention her boat companion. She wondered if she kept her eyes closed long enough, if this would turn out to be a dream. Of course, she wouldn't get the chance to find out. The boat lurched suddenly, sending her sliding forward. Trinity yelped, opening her eyes and pushing herself part way up. Zane had woken too, but he was trapped partially beneath her and couldn't get up. His gray-purple eyes stared up at her, still blurred with sleep. Trinity slipped gingerly out from beneath the bench and stared, amazed. The boat had come to a complete stop, shored up on a beach. Letting out a shout of joy, she stood and jumped out of the boat, landing in the surface. Zane sat up abruptly, his eyes flickering with panic for the second it took for him to realize they were on solid ground. He stood as well, stretching in the unsteady boat before stepping out. Trinity glanced at him, then up onto the beach. This looks like paradise, she thought, sweeping her gaze over the white sand and the forest of emerald green trees in the distance. A few palm trees dotted the beach, as well. "Where do you suppose we are?" Trinity asked, tucking a strand of stringy, dirty hair behind her ear. She longed for a bath. "I'm gonna guess nowhere civilized," Zane replied, sighing. "I can't picture a place this beautiful not being turned into a resort if people knew about it." "So... we're no better off than we were before," Trinity said, frowning. "Actually, yes we are," Zane told her. "There's bound to be fruit here, and probably clean streams where we can catch fish and get water. The supplies on the lifeboat weren't going to last very long. Not to mention better shelter." Trinity glanced at him. She couldn't deny that this was true. And anything had to be better than being stuck on a boat. We can't be that far from the coast, after all, she thought. Someone probably checks out here routinely. Still, she had to fight down her rising panic. They could be stuck on this island forever... or until they died. "Why don't we see what we can find?" Zane suggested, reaching into the boat to grab their bags. "The boat," Trinity said. "We shouldn't leave it in the water. If nothing else, we may need the wood." Zane nodded. He put his bags back into the boat and helped her pull it out of the water. It was much heavier on land, and they struggled to drag it up the beach. Several times they stopped to rest, panting in the hot sun. Finally they'd gotten the boat nearly to the edge of the trees. Trinity sighed and dropped down into the sand, exhausted. "You know," Zane panted, bent over with his hands resting on his thighs. "You're stronger than I would have thought. And pretty savvy, to think of bringing the boat." Trinity felt her cheeks heat. "I just want to survive, is all. Now, what about shelter?" "Forget shelter for the moment," Zane said, straightening. "If we don't find some water soon I'm gonna go nutty." Trinity glanced up at him, and was surprised to see he was offering her a hand up. Deciding to forget for the moment that she didn't like him, she allowed him to help her up. They had to move carefully through the trees, because neither of them had taken the time to put on shoes while the boat was sinking. Some areas were too thick for them to pass, but Zane managed to push away enough bushed. Every now and then Trinity picked a branch and snapped it at an odd angle, until Zane turned to stare at her curiously. "So we don't get lost," Trinity explained, shrugging. Zane laughed. "Clever. I always knew you were smarter than you let on." Trinity found herself blushing again. She continued to snap branches as they went, until the sound of running water in the distance caught their attention. Both of them rushed as much as they could towards the sound, and they stumbled out at a stream. Zane would have jumped right in, but Trinity grabbed his arm. "Stick something other than a limb in their first," she said. "Unless you want your skin chewed off by piranhas." "Good point," Zane said. He grabbed a stick and poked it into the water. A few fish scattered, but none of them reacted aggressively. Trinity leaned closer to the water, inspecting it. All of the fish she saw, and there weren't many, were terribly shy. Still, she wasn't going to risk it, and she let Zane be the first to step in. When he didn't start screaming or anything, she followed him into the water. "Ohhh, this feels good," Trinity moaned, sinking into the water up to her neck. "I wish I'd brought my shampoo, though." "Isn't that stuff toxic to the fish?" Zane asked. Trinity shrugged. "I use the most organic stuff I can find... maybe if I limit how much I use, it will be okay." "I can't exactly blame you," Zane said, sinking down into the water as well. "I feel pretty gross myself. So... should we find food after this?" Trinity nodded. She was hungry, as well as thirsty, although she just drank mouthfuls from the stream to settle that. I hope someone finds us soon, she thought, dunking beneath the water. I don't want to be stuck here too long, paradise or not. No place was a paradise when you were stuck there with someone you didn't get along with very well, after all. {con} ------- Chapter 4: The Island The first night Zane and Trinity slept beneath the shadow of the boat. He woke first, and wandered around a bit near the trees, hoping to find a good place where they could create a shelter. It would be difficult, especially no tools, and they couldn't spend all day on it, because they had to find food, too. At least I have this, Zane thought, fishing his Swiss army knife from his duffle bag. It's not much, but it's better than nothing. He wandered into the trees, studying the branches. Even if they had the tools, these trees were too slender to hold a shelter. So they'd need to make something on the ground. Probably better, anyway, Zane thought. If a storm stirred up, we'd be in trouble. Although I was kinda hoping for a bit of Swiss Family Robinson... He'd always loved that movie. It looked like a lot of fun. When he returned, Trinity was awake and rustling through her bag. She glanced at him, then at the knife he was holding, and pulled something out of her bag. Her army knife was smaller and simpler than his, and the casing was white, but at least she had one. Trinity stood up, shaking sand from her shorts and shirt. Her hair was somewhat tangled, but at least it was clean of salt. "I figured I could go looking for food," Trinity explained. "Just like, fruit and stuff. I've studied a lot about eco-systems and stuff, so I'll recognize what we can eat. I hope." Zane frowned. "Do you think it's wise to split up?" "For now we don't have much choice," Trinity said. "We need food and shelter, and if we're both working on one we can't get the other." "You're being surprisingly reasonable," Zane told her. "I haven't woken up yet," Trinity grumbled. She had a point, so he let her go off to look for food. They would need some kind of meat, so he'd have to do his own looking, eventually. For now Zane had to take care of shelter, although he wasn't sure what he was looking for. I've got no way to cut down trees, he thought, frowning. So that won't work. Maybe if there was a cave of some sort. He spent much of his day wandering throughout the forest, leaving snapped branches in his wake to find his way back. Zane didn't think the island was all that big, anyway, so he wasn't too concerned about getting lost. By afternoon he'd had no success, so he headed back to the beach. Trinity must have stopped by at some point, because there was a bunch of what looked like bananas by the boat. Zane pulled one off and munched on it as he headed down along the shore. He thought he could maybe find something along the beach, which would be much more convenient than in the forest. Finally he found something. It wasn't a cave, really, so much as a very large rock with a deep hollow, but perhaps they could build off it. And it would be much easier to find again. Zane headed back to their little campsite and found Trinity sitting there. She had her head propped up in her hands and was deep in thought. He crouched down beside her and touched her arm, making her jump. "Geez!" Trinity exclaimed. "Don't sneak up on me! Are you crazy?" "A giant could have sneaked up on you," Zane retorted, rolling his eyes. "Look, I found something that will work for shelter, at least to start. We should take the boat down there." Trinity sighed. "Great, more boat hauling. All right... let's cut some vines to pull it with, though." Zane nodded. They loaded their bags and the fruit Trinity had found into the boat, then wandered into the edge of the trees to cut down vines. He had to climb up into them so they could get long enough vines. Together they formed a sort of harness for the boat, then began pulling it along the beach. I have to admit, Zane thought, this is easier than pulling it by hand. It was still tiring, though, and difficult. The place he found was a good distance around the island and the were exhausted by the time they reached it. "I hope we won't have to do this long," Trinity panted, sitting down. "We need to set something up," Zane said, dropping into the sand beside her. "Because for awhile at least, we'll be spending our days working. We need to set something up so maybe someone will see that we're out here." "We can't risk a fire," Trinity said, frowning. "At least, not all day. We could do it at night, if we're careful." Zane nodded. "But that doesn't cover the day." Trinity sat in silence for long moments, her expression thoughtful. Finally she opened her suitcase and began rummaging through it. Zane watched as she pulled out a number of brightly colored scarves, including the sarong that went with her bathing suit. "We can tie these onto something," Trinity explained. "A ship probably wouldn't see them, but an aircraft would." Zane laughed. "How do you hang out with Sheila and them?" "My I.Q. tends to plummet around them, so I stop noticing," Trinity answered, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. She's too tired to argue with me, he realized. Well if I'm lucky it will last awhile. They went wandering afterwards before even eating, to find water again. There was a small pond running off a stream not too far from their campsite. They drank and washed the sweat and sand from their skin, then went back and ate. Zane was too tired to get a fire going tonight and Trinity was already falling asleep. So he curled up beside her and drifted off himself. ------- Trinity started her day with a banana and what she assumed was a papaya. She changed into her bathing suit and a spare pair of shorts, and a pair of flip flops. Yesterday she had had too much trouble walking around barefoot to do it again. I need to think of some way to get stuff other than fruit, she thought, as she made her way through the thick trees. Trinity had left Xs in trees the day before so she could find her way around. Now she headed back to where she'd left off yesterday. Zane had told her to find him a nice, sturdy stick, one that was as straight as possible, while she was scavenging. Whatever that's going to do, Trinity thought. She was feeling rather cranky today, especially since he'd taken it upon himself to start bossing her around. If she found a way to set up snares and trapped something, she'd really show him. Except I don't want to trap the wrong thing, she thought, frowning. So I have to be careful. Trinity managed to set up some snares with vines, although she wasn't certain they'd work. Afterwards she scrounged around until she found a good, hearty stick that was pretty straight. Don't know what he wants it for, she thought, but I hope he's got a good idea. Trinity headed back to their campsite then, for lunch. She'd eat, then go out looking for more fruit to keep them well supplied. Zane was at the campsite, working. He'd emptied his duffle bag into the boat and used it to carry something. Upon closer inspection (not to mention smell) Trinity realized it was clay. He was molding the clay into large bricks, several of which were drying on the boat, which he'd turned upside down. She imagined he must have to go back to get more clay after every two bricks, which would slow him down. "Will that work?" Trinity asked, crouching beside him. "Worth a try," Zane responded shortly, wiping sweat from his forehead. "Unless you've got a better idea." Trinity scowled. "Don't get snippy with me! Here's your damn stick." She tossed it at him, then huddled down beside the boat. At least he hadn't gone into her things. As she ate, Trinity watched Zane tie his army knife to the end of the stick she'd brought with a thin bit of vine. A spear, she realized. Not bad. He ate quickly, then stood up. "I'm going fishing," Zane explained. "Go get some more clay for me. There's a spot far down the shore where there's a cliff side, the clay is there. Put it under the trees, there, so it won't dry out. And look for more sticks while you do." "Yes sir," Trinity muttered. She turned to face him. "How are we going to stick these bricks together, anyway?" Zane frowned. "Well, to be honest, I haven't thought of that yet. I'm working on it." Zane headed off then. She figured she probably wouldn't see him for the rest of the day; until he got the hang of fishing this way, it would take him awhile. Trinity studied the bricks, poking at them. They aren't too dry yet, she thought. If I keep them from drying completely we can dry them together so they'll stay. She moved the bricks into the shade of the trees, where they wouldn't dry as fast, then she grabbed his bag and started out. Surprisingly enough it didn't take very long to get there. The clay was heavy, but it wasn't too bad, because she could carry it in the bag. On her way back the first time, Trinity walked through the edge of the trees, keeping her eyes open for sticks. She found a couple and brought those back to the campsite as well. This was boring, but at least it wasn't too hard. She spent her day that way, gathering clay and sticks, and wasn't feeling too tired as the day neared its end. Trinity was sitting just outside the shade of the rock, working up a small fire in a circle of stones when Zane returned. She didn't know how to start a fire with sticks, but she carried matches with her. Her father had always told her to take matches with her wherever she went, just in case, and until now even though she'd done it, she hadn't really understood. Zane was carrying fish bundled up in his shirt. "I... feel like... dead..." Zane panted, dropping to the sand. "Fish... slippery little suckers..." Trinity laughed softly. While Zane gutted the fish she sat with her back to him, explaining her idea for the breaks. She wasn't very fond of fish, but she could eat them if she didn't have to see them cut apart. Zane's answers were terse and that grated on her nerves. It's not like I haven't worked too! she thought, scowling. "Tomorrow I want you to sharpen those sticks up," Zane told her. "At the ends, so we can stick them in the ground. And get more clay, too." "Stop ordering me around!" Trinity snapped, whirling to face him. "Trinity," Zane said through gritted teeth. "I'm tired. I did a lot of work today. Don't argue with me." "Then stop ordering me around!" Trinity retorted, glaring at him. Zane sighed. He kept silent after that, while he cooked the fish and while they ate. Afterwards he disappeared into the forest, and Trinity thought he was cleaning up. Instead he came back with some large palm leaves and spread them out on the ground beneath the rock hollow. I suppose that would be more comfortable than the sand, she thought, somewhat grudgingly. Zane curled up near the back of the hollow and closed his eyes. "You can't keep bossing me around, you know," Trinity told him. "I'm not your slave, Zane... Zane?" He was asleep. Or perhaps pretending to be asleep. But somehow she didn't think so. All right, I guess he did work hard, Trinity thought, sighing. I mean, I'm not even that tired, but he did look worn out. She took her shampoo from her bag and walked down to the pond while it was still light enough to see. Fish didn't swim into this pond too often, so she figured it was okay to use her shampoo. But even after that Trinity still wasn't tired. She tripped over something heading back to the came and nearly fell. Grumbling, Trinity reached down to see what it was. A stupid vine, she thought, scowling. I keep getting caught in these damn things! Hey... wait a minute... She picked up the vine and studied it. Maybe there was something she could do... ------- Zane woke before Trinity again on the third day. His whole body ached, but he knew he couldn't take a break from working. She'd had a good idea for the bricks, so he needed to work on more of those, and he needed to get more fish. He'd only gotten enough for dinner last night, but they'd need to have some dried up stores, just in case a storm kicked up or something. Zane ate some of the fruit Trinity had collected, then retrieved some of the clay and began making more bricks. Trinity woke up about an hour later. She ate quickly, then started work on sharpening the sticks. Hopefully we won't need too many, Zane thought, glancing at her briefly. Our knives won't stay sharp for very long. Still, at least they were getting work done. He really hoped they wouldn't be stuck here for a long time, but just in case it was good to be prepared. Now if only he and Trinity could get along. They only had each other for company and they had to keep from killing each other. They worked in silence until noon, or thereabouts. Zane got a couple dozen bricks done, more than he could have if he'd had to keep going back for clay. Now for the fun part, he thought wryly, rolling his eyes. He picked up his makeshift spear then turned to regard Trinity. To his surprise she was holding something out to it. Zane took it, and realized it was a clumsy net woven of vines. "It wouldn't be good to catch with," Trinity said quietly. "But I figured you could use it to carry them." Zane smiled. "Thanks." "So, what are your orders today, chief?" Trinity asked, straightening up. "The sticks," Zane said, pointing to the pile of them. "Find good places to put them and dig them into the sand. You can tie your scarves around them; it's not much, but it's better than nothing. And get more clay, if you would." Trinity saluted him, then picked up the sticks and her scarves. She didn't say anything, but Zane got the feeling she was still irritated about him ordering her around. Still, this was nice of her, he thought, slinging the net over his shoulder. She might complain, but she knows I'm working hard. And so was she, which he appreciated. He'd be stupid if he thought Trinity would just warm up to him suddenly. Zane had never understood why she despised him so much. This sucks, he thought, sighing. Stuck together on an island and no chance of anything happening. Even with how hard he'd been working, he'd been hard put not to notice her. She was still wearing her bathing suit, as she had been yesterday. Zane hadn't even bothered with a shirt this morning, since he'd figured he'd be carrying fish in it again. If they were here for a long time, their clothes would take quite a battering, so it seemed best to preserve them as much as possible. Fishing once again turned out to be a strenuous activity. It took finesse to spear the fish, and he missed far more times than he hit. His back and arms were still sore from yesterday, making it even more difficult. At least this time Zane had the net he could put them in, which kept them from flopping around until they landed back in the water. He was glad Trinity didn't ask to come along, because it would be embarrassing as all hell to have her watching him. When Zane returned to the campsite Trinity wasn't there, but there was more clay under the tree and the bricks he'd made had been added to the ones she'd stored there, as well. She'd tidied up the campsite at some point, bringing all their belongings into the rock hollow and tucking them away in the back of it. One brick had been left to dry fully, and it now sat beside the hollow with the pack of matches and her knife on it. Zane used the matches to start a fire in the circle of stones, then sat down to work on the fish. Trinity returned while he was cooking them. She had a couple of new sticks with her and another bag full of clay. She didn't talk to him, just sat down and began sharpening the ends of the sticks while he cooked. Zane passed her fish when it was done, but she still didn't speak except to thank him. "Come on," Zane said, feeling irritated. "Aren't you going to say anything?" "What is there to say?" Trinity asked, scowling. "I did what you asked of me." "I know," Zane replied. "Thank you." Trinity looked up at him, startled. She is so determined not to like me, he thought, fighting a smile. As frustrating as it is, it's also kinda cute in away. Her resistance made him fun. Sheila hadn't been a chase. There's been no mystery to her. And as irritating as Trinity could be, Zane knew he'd be in trouble without her help. She was clever and she worked hard. "That net really helped," Zane went on. "I appreciate it. Do you think you could rig up something to dry the fish out on?" "That's what these are for," Trinity said quietly, indicating the sticks. Her cheeks were red. So, showing his appreciation gratified her. Zane could do that, if it would ease her temper. If I can get her to warm up to me, he thought, I can make this much more pleasant. And he wasn't even thinking of sex, either. Trinity would be good company if she'd loosen up. "I need a bath something fierce," Zane said, when he'd finished eating. "Come with me." "What for?" Trinity asked, her cheeks darkening further. "To keep me company, of course," Zane replied, rolling his eyes. "Can't we at least pretend to get along? Otherwise this is going to be a very long stay." Trinity sighed. "All right, all right. I'll go with you. I guess a bath couldn't hurt, anyway. I smell like clay." "At least you don't smell like fish," Zane told her, laughing. "I'm beat, but I can't stand to smell like this a moment longer." "Here," Trinity said, retrieving her shampoo and handing it to her. "Maybe flowers isn't an improvement for you, but I've got to sleep in that little space with you, so it's an improvement for me." Zane laughed again. At least she can joke around a little, he thought, following her. Both of them were tired, so they were silent as they cleaned up. It was probably not wise to speak to each other too much when they were both so cranky, anyway. They made it a quick bath, then trudged back to camp. Trinity dropped down first, beneath the rock hollow. Zane stirred the fire, making it big enough that it would send up smoke, then curled up next to her and fell asleep. ------- Chapter 5: Em-Bare-Ass-Ment Working occupied nearly every moment of every day for Zane and Trinity. Within a week they had made enough bricks to build a decent sized wall angling out from one side of the rock hollow. On the days when Zane wasn't trying to teach himself to fish, he would make bricks for most of the day. Trinity supplemented their fish with the fruit she collected every few days. When there was nothing else for her to do, she worked on ways to make their meals more interesting, and made bowls and cups with excess clay. Within a second week they had built two walls and had a collection of dishes stored in the back of the hollow. At one point in the middle of their second week, Trinity had found trees that leaked some kind of sticky sap. She'd used it to stick together large palm fronds, turning them into mats for the floor of their "hut". She also began looking for ways it could be used when they thatched a roof to cover their walls. "I have to admit, I'm impressed," Trinity said one day, as she stepped back to study the walls. "They're crude, but good enough. And high enough that they won't be too uncomfortable, once we roof them." "That will be the trick," Zane said, from where he lay sprawled in the sand. "It won't be so bad, where the walls are close together, but further out..." Trinity shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Three weeks. Three weeks and not so much as a sign of rescue. They were both looking ragged, and not just their clothing. Zane said he was no longer upset that he'd never had much facial hair, because he'd end up with quite a beard by the time they were rescued, otherwise. Trinity let him use her knife one morning, at the beginning of their third week, when he'd finally had enough stubble to worry about. She knew that wouldn't work forever, though, because the knife was getting dull. "You know, I'm glad," Zane said suddenly. "I'd probably be dead by now if I was stuck here alone. Or with Sheila." "If you were stuck here with Sheila," Trinity shot back. "You'd wish you were dead." Zane laughed. "I can't argue with you there!" Trinity laughed too. It felt really good to laugh, although these days when they did, it sounded a bit hysterical. She would have assumed that someone would have found them by now. Lately she'd begun to suspect that no one had even tried. Why not? she wondered, her laughter dying away. I wonder... did they just write as off as dead without even searching? Trinity sighed. "You know what?" Zane said, glancing at her. "I declare a day off!" "Good," Trinity said, dropping to the sand. "In that case, I declare a day of sleep." "Aw, come on," Zane complained, crawling over to her. "Let's have some fun!" Trinity's eyes widened as his arms slid around her. He pulled her up off the sand with an ease that surprised her and made her heart pound. She looked up at him, into those grayish-purple eyes that were so unbelievably sexy. Suddenly she wanted to run her fingers through his hair. Trinity pulled away from him, pushing at his hands. Zane looked surprised, but he let her go. "Knock it off," Trinity growled. "Geez! What's your problem?" Zane asked, standing up and brushing sand off himself. "Fine... I'll go have fun by myself..." Trinity bit her lip to keep from shouting after him. She needed some time to herself to think. Still, she watched him wander off, unable to take her eyes on him. The t-shirt and shorts he was wearing had put up with wear and tear better than a lot of hers had. Then again, he didn't spend nearly as much time as she did scrambling up into palm trees to get palm fronds or coconuts. Trinity waited until he was out of sight, then rolled onto her back in the sand. The Zane she remembered was an arrogant prick. And technically he still was. He bossed her around constantly. But if Trinity was going to be honest with herself, they'd gotten an awful lot done because of him. In the last few weeks she'd realized that despite the way he acted, there was more to him. I don't think Zane realizes that, she thought. He doesn't seem to realize that he's better than he acts. Trinity was even starting to like him, reluctantly. If we get back home, she thought, folding her hands beneath her head. I don't care what else I do, I'm going to tell Sheila to piss off... and get her own damn coffee. Trinity laughed aloud; that thought felt awfully good. She hadn't thought that way since she was much younger. Thinking about it now, she realized she should have just toughed it out on her own. Being "friends" with Sheila wasn't a much better solution than being teased by most of her class. Maybe I should go join Zane after all, Trinity thought, sitting up and shaking sand from her hair. I shouldn't have gotten so snappy with him. It was just kind of embarrassing, being that attracted to him. I should change my clothes first, she thought, standing up. These are an absolute mess. Trinity changed into a pair of shorts that she hadn't worn yet, and a clingy string halter-top that bared her stomach. Not like I'm dressing up for him, she thought, grabbing a banana as she headed into the trees. She wasn't exactly sure how she was even going to find him, but they were both beginning to suspect that this island wasn't all that big, so she had a good chance of running into him. Plus, Trinity saw some broken branches that were still green inside, meaning they'd only just been broken. She decided she'd follow those, when she could find them. ------- "Annoying, frustrating, incredibly distracting..." Zane muttered aloud to himself as he trudged through the trees. Maybe it was a good thing to be away from her for awhile. She really got him going. It wasn't just that Trinity was frustrating; she was attractive, too. And when they were actually getting along, he enjoyed her company very much. Far more than he'd ever enjoyed Sheila. Makes me wish I'd met Trinity first, Zane thought. It would have been fun trying to win past that hard-ass attitude. And yet... why couldn't he? They were stuck together on this island, after all. Why wouldn't something happen? Who would expect them to keep something from happening? Zane didn't even think that Sheila was going to wait very long before finding someone else. Maybe I wasn't any better than she was, he thought, as he pushed his way through the underbrush. But it hurt when she was flirting with other guys. He hadn't always had wandering eyes, but she most certainly had. It was amazing how many things one realized when all they had time for was working and thinking. I need to make some changes when we get back, Zane decided. If we get back. At least if they were going to be stuck here until they died, he had someone entertaining to spend his days with. Trinity had a great sense of humor and she was incredibly intelligent. And she's beautiful, Zane thought, smiling to himself. He was so busy thinking that he nearly tripped over a large rock that was suddenly in his path. Way to pay attention, Zane, he thought, stepping carefully over it. When he looked up his mouth fell open. He hadn't been paying attention, so he hadn't heard the sound of running water. There was a sort of grotto here, walled in craggy stone, with a waterfall spilling into a serene basin. There were large rocks surrounding the water, the sort that would be perfect for sunning oneself. Zane stripped down to nothing, leaving his clothing far enough away that he wouldn't have to worry about it getting wet. His spirits lifted as he splashed into the water. It was neither cold nor hot, but nicely temperate. This is just perfect, he thought, sinking down into the water. It's too bad Trinity didn't come with me. Zane realized that thinking about it probably wasn't such a good idea, but he couldn't really help it. It seemed shallow, but the image brought to mind at the moment was the one of her on the cruise ship, in that bikini. It was the first time he'd really seen her let her hair down, so to speak. If it hadn't been for Sheila, he imagined she would have relaxed and enjoyed herself. I'm almost beginning to feel sorry for her, Zane thought, floating on his back. If only it wasn't because she brings it on herself... Well, maybe she had a reason. After all, people tended to gravitate for groups, and life could be difficult if you didn't fit into one. She could change, too, Zane reminded herself. We both could stand to change. He couldn't help feeling that their dislike of each other was the result of some misunderstanding. If only he could figure out what that was. Stop thinking about her, damnit, he thought, giving himself a mental shake. Thinking about her was giving him a hard on and that was not at all comfortable. Grumbling, Zane climbed out of the water. He settled down on the big rock that he thought would be perfect for sunning and spread out on it. Of course, he wasn't about to stick around long enough to get sun burnt (although he was too tan by now anyway) but it couldn't hurt to stretch out for awhile. He couldn't stop thinking about Trinity. It was torture, being near her every day. He wasn't used to being quite so attracted to someone. And having her sleep right up against him every night was no help. I am alone out here, Zane thought. I doubt Trinity will be able to find this place too, even if she did come looking. There was no one who could possibly catch him. Satisfied with that thought, he settled himself more comfortably and reached down. ------- Trinity followed the trail of broken branches for quite awhile. Where did he go? she wondered. This isn't one of our marked paths. They had paths marked to the fishing hole, the bathing spring, and a few places where they knew there was fruit. Beyond that they tried not to wander too much. Even though the island didn't seem that big, neither of them wanted to get lost. Who knows what else is on this island? Trinity thought, shuddering. Just because there are no people doesn't mean there aren't... things. Which was why she moved as quietly as she could. Zane had no ability to move silently, but she found she could tread light enough that sometimes he didn't notice her approach. It involved moving on her toes and picking out just the right places to put her feet, though. Trinity could hear the sound of running water in the distance. She figured Zane was probably there, but it could also be a watering hole for beasties. A spot in the trees cleared. There was a waterfall and basin in the clearing, and plenty of large rocks. In fact, there was one upon which Zane was laying. Naked. And he's... um... Trinity thought, feeling her cheeks heat as she watched him. Oh wow... She dropped to her knees behind the rock, unable to take her eyes off him. Not that I couldn't see this on the internet or something, she thought, chewing on her lower lip. But it's much more interesting this way. Trinity really liked the little sounds he made, too. Sort of soft, groaning sounds. I really shouldn't be watching this, she thought, licking her lips, which suddenly felt incredibly dry. I don't even know why I am... Because it was hot. He was hot. And as much as she hated to admit it to herself, Trinity was more attracted to him than she'd been to anyone else in her life. She had to stifle her own little gasp when he came. Then a giggle, because he sat up, swearing loudly. Eww, Trinity thought, crinkling her nose. I've never seen... that was gross... She watched as Zane climbed down off the rock and slid into the water to wash himself off. He'd left his clothes some distance away, and he hadn't brought a towel with him. Suddenly Trinity was feeling mischievous. She watched him carefully as she began creeping out from beneath the trees. Fortunately Zane wasn't paying much attention, and he didn't turn around. She grabbed his clothes, then stepped up on the big rock he'd been laying on. Eww, Trinity thought again, carefully avoiding a spot of come that was on the rock. Oh, eww, yuck... how can something so hot produce something so gross? "Zane!" Trinity called. He whipped around, startled. His eyes widened when he saw her, and he started swearing again. She couldn't help laughing. He's cute when he's all thrown off guard, Trinity thought, smiling to herself. Zane waded forward as much as he could before the water was perilously low on his hips. He folded his arms across his chest and glared at her. "Come on," Trinity teased, waving his clothes. "Come and get 'em..." She wanted to see him again, but she'd be damned if she was going to tell him that. Trinity noticed that he wasn't sure whether to be amused or angry. There was a faint hint of a smile on his face as he waded further forward. She bit her lip, watching as he rose completely from the water. How did I never notice? she wondered, trying to catch her breath. He's got a great body... She should have been more vigilant. Zane sprang suddenly, grabbing his clothes from her hand. Trinity shrieked as he grabbed her wrist and dragged her forward off the rock. She tried to get away, but she couldn't, and so she stumbled forward into the water. Unable to stop herself, she fell face first into the water and came up spluttering. "Damn you!" Trinity growled, spinning in the water to glower at Zane. He was standing on the rock, still nude, laughing. I suppose I deserved that, Trinity thought, sighing. And you know... I kinda like this view. She fought a grin as she floated backward, keeping her eyes on him. Maybe she shouldn't be indulging so much, but the warm sun and the water was suddenly making her feel very mellow and relaxed. "I'm gonna swim for a while," Trinity told him. "With my clothes," she added, before he could speak. Zane's laughter was soft and it seemed to run delightfully along her skin like a gentle caress. She watched as he settled back down on the rock, stretching out, and not even bothering to put his clothes back on. Well, there was nothing for it now. Trinity relaxed in the water, deciding she might as well just enjoy herself. ------- Did she see... oh god, Zane thought, bringing his hands up to cover his face. She had to have seen. And yet she hadn't said anything about it. In fact, unless he was getting the wrong impression, Trinity had been trying to play a prank on him. And she'd stood there, watching him as he'd gotten out of the water. Zane couldn't help but wonder if there had been a reason she'd stared at him so intently. No... stop thinking about it, Zane thought fiercely. He didn't need to be getting all hot and bothered now. Maybe he should have gotten dressed, but he'd wanted to enjoy the sun. Now Trinity was busy swimming and she wasn't really even paying attention to him. The sound of water sloshing caught his attention. Zane turned to look at her and inhaled sharply. The water had made her clothing stick to her, and the halter-top she wore was especially clingy. He could see the shape of her breasts easily. Water dripped down her legs and arms, and dripped from the strands of her hair. Zane sat up, trying to hide the fact that a single part of his body was also up. "That felt good," Trinity sighed, running her fingers through her hair. "Mmm," was the most Zane could come up with to answer. "Um... I guess... uh," Trinity stammered, staring down at her toes. "Well, just, maybe I shouldn't have... you know..." "Bitten my head off?" Zane asked, his voice teasing. Trinity smiled sheepishly. "Yeah..." She looked so cute like that that, even if he'd wanted to be angry, he couldn't be. Zane lifted a hand and crooked his finger, beckoning her to him. He felt a thrill as she stepped forward slowly. When she was in his range he put an arm around her, resting his hand on her back. Trinity had no time to protest before he pushed her down into his lap. She shrieked in surprise, her hands closing on his arms. "Zane!" Trinity exclaimed, pushing at him. "Shhh," Zane soothed, keeping his hold on her firm. "Come on now... if you're sorry, prove it." She eyed him warily. "What do you mean?" "Kiss me," Zane explained, pulling her even closer. Her eyes widened. But he noticed that she didn't automatically say no, or try to hit him. No doubt she could feel his body's reaction to her. Zane waited, watching her face. Her hands were still on his arms. Her thighs were around his hips. He wanted to kiss her now, but he knew it would be better to wait for her to initiate it. Finally she leaned forward and kissed him, so timidly and lightly that he barely felt it. Still, Zane waited. Her hesitation was oddly arousing. Slowly the kiss became more forceful, more searching. Satisfied, he closed his arms around her tightly and began to really kiss her back. Trinity tensed a little, but he kept kissing her, coaxing her mouth open with his tongue, and she began to relax again. When they broke apart she was breathless. Those brilliant eyes of hers were intent upon him, making his blood roar through his veins. Her lips were slightly parted, ever so tempting. Zane leaned forward to kiss her again, but she stopped him. "You have a girlfriend," Trinity reminded him quietly. Zane groaned. "Don't make me think about Sheila... I was so enjoying the peace and quiet." "That's... not nice..." Trinity said, fighting to speak through giggles. "She's... your... girlfriend, after all." "I don't know about that," Zane said softly, lifting her up off his lap. "Not anymore." He saw her eyes widen in surprise. She didn't say anything, so he just began pulling on his clothes. For some reason Zane was feeling oddly depressed. Sheila had never treated him very well, even at the beginning, when he'd actually liked her. As much as he argued with Trinity, she was much nicer in some ways. She doesn't always tell me how stupid I am, he thought. Zane felt a hand rest on his arm and he turned to look at Trinity. She offered him a gentle smile that made him feel worlds better. She didn't say anything, but she held onto his hand as they walked back to camp. It was by far the nicest time he'd had with any girl in a long time. ------- Chapter 6: Snared It was late when Trinity woke up, nearly noon. Surprised, she propped herself up on her elbows and took a quick look around the shelter. Zane had been next to her when she'd fallen asleep last night but now he was nowhere to be seen. She pushed herself up off the palm fronds and walked out into the sunlight. Trinity rubbed her eyes as they adjusted to the bright light, then took another look around. Zane wasn't anywhere in sight. Agitated, Trinity dropped down beside the remnants of last night's fire and reached into the boat. That was where they kept their food. I can't believe he didn't wake me up, she thought, as she chewed on a piece of dried fish. We're supposed to work together. Not that Trinity didn't like extra sleep where she could get it, but she didn't need to be treated like a princess, either. While she waited for Zane to show his face, she began wandering through the edge of the trees, looking for good vines. Zane had told her that his net was getting worn out, so she decided to make a new one. This time I'll try to weave it tighter, Trinity thought, as she cut off a vine she thought would be good for the net. I didn't really know what I was doing the first time. That didn't change the fact that she was irritated at him, though. Three hours and one fishing net later Zane finally returned. By that time Trinity was so annoyed that she didn't even look up when he approached. It wasn't until he dropped down onto the sand across from her the she glanced at him. He was soaked from head to toe and he had brought back a few more fish. Their dried supply was low, although they tried to eat it fresh as much as possible. "Nice net," Zane said, reaching out and taking it. "Have you been working on this long?" "Since I woke up," Trinity replied sharply. "And found out that you let me sleep in." Zane blinked. "I was trying to be nice." "I don't need special treatment!" Trinity snapped. "I'm not a pampered little princess like Sheila!" "I never said you were..." Zane said quietly, his eyebrows lifting. "I didn't think it was a big deal." Trinity let out a growl of frustration. It isn't a big deal! she thought, scowling. The big deal is that I woke up and didn't know where you were! That thought startled her. She'd been so determined to be irritated that she hadn't really cared what it was. Truth be told, she'd felt a bit of panic when she realized he wasn't next to her. Trinity dropped her head into her hands, unsure what to do with such feelings. She most certainly couldn't tell Zane about them! "Next time I'll just wake you up then," Zane grumbled. He grabbed a banana from the boat and stood up, leaving her by herself. Oh, damn, she thought, sighing. I keep messing this up. Trinity peered into the boat and took note of their dwindling supply of fruit. She had actually considered trying to patch up some of their clothing today, but she was beginning to think having anything sharp at hand, even a needle, was a bad idea. I totally forgot I keep a kit with me when I travel, she thought, pushing herself to her feet. Trinity couldn't make clothes, or anything else, but she could patch things up. And her grandmother, who had taught her, always insisted that she have a small sewing kit with her when she traveled. Good advice, if you don't forget it, Trinity thought wryly. She found Zane's duffle bag and started off into the woods. Aside from collecting more fruit, she wanted to go around to the places where she set her snares. So far she had caught nothing, but it couldn't hurt to look. Trinity was starting to get sick of fish and fruit. She knew it was better to have boring food than no food at all, but it was still annoying. The trails they took through the woods were becoming pretty well worn, so it left her time to think as she walked. The changes in Zane since they'd gotten stranded here were startling. I wonder if they're really changes, Trinity thought, or if they're things that Sheila stifled. When she'd first met him, so many years ago, he'd been a cheerful, good-natured punk. He'd even been nice to her, until his friends started giving him trouble for it. Even if he'd tried to make amends, I probably wouldn't have been very willing to listen, Trinity admitted to herself. And she really, really needed to stop snapping at him so much. He wasn't being rude to her like that. It had been nice of him to let her sleep in. In fact, he's really been nothing but nice, Trinity thought, frowning. And what he said, when I mentioned Sheila... So he too was having doubts about the path he'd chosen in life. What was it that had made them both realize their mistakes? I suppose getting stranded like this does make one re-examine one's life, she thought wryly. Between the places where she collected fruit were the places she'd set up snares. Trinity stopped at each one of these, finding them disappointingly empty. I shouldn't even bother checking the last one, she thought, scowling. Still, she followed a slightly less worn path to the last clearing. As she stepped through the trees she drew to a sudden halt, the duffle bag falling from suddenly numb fingers. Something had gotten stuck in one of her snares, and it wasn't a rabbit... ------- Zane waited until Trinity left, then began gutting the fish he'd caught. At least he had them to take his frustration out on. Yesterday, when she'd walked back to camp with him hand in hand, he'd thought things would finally be good between them. He had allowed her to sleep this morning; she'd looked so angelic while she was sleeping that he hadn't wanted to wake her up. So much for gratitude, Zane thought, tying the first finished fish to a stake. Every time I think she's finally being nice, she turns around and pulls a Sheila. That was what he called it every time Trinity snapped at him. It reminded him of Sheila, the way she would be so nice, then turn around and bite his head off. I'll never be able to escape that, he thought, scowling. I can't take it anymore. Zane couldn't wait to get home. He could dump Sheila, get the hell away from Trinity, and find himself a nice, sweet girl who wouldn't yell at him all the time. Except that that's no fun, Zane thought, rising to his feet. Girls who are doormats are just as irritating as girls who aren't. Maybe he ought to go for a swim, try to clear his head. Later, when Trinity came back, he could try to talk things out with her. God only knows how long we'll be on this damn island, he thought, so we really should try to get along. He found the trail he'd taken yesterday, with only some small difficulty, and followed it back to the little clearing he'd found. This time he hesitated before stripping down and wading into the water. There's no way Trinity is going to show up here twice, Zane thought, as he sank into the water up to his chin. Why should that happen more than once? Just because he wanted to see that hungry look in her eyes again didn't mean it was going to happen. He thought instead about his plans for when they finally got off this island. Although Zane had decided he would make some changes, he wasn't sure what. Perhaps it was time to move out of his parents' house. He'd been staying there because his mother started to cry every time he mentioned leaving, but he didn't really want to stay anymore. I can get a small apartment, if I'm careful, Zane thought. Assuming I still have a job when I get back home. Finally he slipped out of the water to dry off. Although it was later in the day, the sun coming down was warm enough to dry his skin fairly quickly. He was still a little damp as he began getting dressed and his hair was still wet, but he decided to get back to the campsite. I'd better get back, before Trinity flips out again, Zane thought, rolling his eyes. No sooner had he thought it than a loud, piercing scream split the air. "Trinity," Zane breathed, his eyes widening. He was exactly sure where the sound had come from, but it was pretty close. Turning in the general direction of the sound, Zane began pushing his way through the underbrush. There was no time to find a clear path. Another scream, slightly softer than the first, propelled him forward, faster than he would have thought he could run, especially with branches slapping him in the face and vines threatening to trip him up. Zane reached the clearing and skidded to a halt, startled. Trinity was backed up against a tree, trying desperately not to move. Crouched mere feet from her, not so much as twitching, was a large, spotted wildcat. He wasn't sure exactly what had happened here, but there was a length of vine caught around the wildcat's food. Zane looked around wildly for something, anything he could use to drive the cat away. He spotted a large, thick length of branch with another length of vine tied around it and made a dive for it. The cat whirled, snarling loudly. Zane yanked the vine off the branch and scrambled back to his feet as the cat came at him. It was too big, too strong, and too fast for him to get away from. He lifted the branch and swung, catching the wildcat on the shoulder. That brought it to a halt, but only momentarily. Zane dashed out of the way, putting himself between the cat and Trinity. "Run," Zane called back over his shoulder. "Get back to camp!" She began moving, but slowly, inching along the width of the trunk. Zane's heart was in his throat, but he couldn't let the wildcat get to her. He lifted the stick again and rushed the cat, yelling at the top of his lungs. For a moment it just stood there, stunned, then it sprang. Zane swung the branch again, catching it beneath the chin, slowing its momentum but not stopping him. The cat collided with him, knocking the air out of him. He lost his grip on the branch as he fell. Trinity's scream was the only thing that kept him from passing out. The wildcat's momentum carried it over him, sending it crashing into the underbrush. Gasping for breath, Zane forced himself to his feet. The cat recovered quicker than he could and was back on its feet, springing for him. A large, heavy paw with claws extended came at him suddenly and he felt a searing, white hot pain in his side before he collapsed. ------- "Zane!" Trinity felt her heart plummet to her feet. Her terror broke as Zane fell heavily to the ground and sprawled, far too still. She dashed away from the tree she'd been pressed against and grabbed the branch Zane had been using. The wildcat whirled on her, its yellow eyes narrowing. Without thinking she lifted the branch and ran at it, yelling as Zane had. The wildcat stopped, staring at her with wide eyes. Perhaps it was the higher pitch of her voice. As Trinity advanced on it, it fell back, shaking its head. Before she could strike it, it leapt away from her, making for the edge of the clearing. The wildcat paused there and looked back at her, its yellow eyes wide, then it disappeared into the underbrush. Confused but relieved, Trinity dropped the branch and turned back to Zane. He was trying to push himself to his feet, to no avail. She raced over to him, slipping a bit on the blood that stained the forest floor, and fell to her knees beside him. Trinity slid an arm around him, keeping him up in a sitting position but not allowing him to stand. "Hold still," Trinity soothed, forcing herself to keep from panicking. "Don't move, Zane... I need to look at this..." He was clutching his side and blood seeped between his fingers. Swallowing hard, Trinity pulled his hand away. She quickly clapped her own hand over the wounds as they began to bleed again. This was not the place to try and do something about this. Glancing up, she saw that Zane's face was pale and he looked like he was in a lot of pain. "I need to get you back to camp," Trinity said quietly. "But first I've got to find a way to make this stop bleeding..." "How'd... the cat... what... ?" Zane stammered, wincing with each word. "Long story," Trinity muttered. "Look uh... your shirt is pretty torn up so... I'm gonna use that to wrap this... okay?" Zane flashed a shaky grin. "S-sure..." Trinity pulled her knife from her pocket. It was pretty dull by now and would have been useless against the wildcat, even if she'd been able to stop panicking long enough to think of it. She cut Zane's shirt away, except for where she held it against his side. It wasn't much, but when she cut it into a long strip it was enough to wind around him and tie securely. Trinity then tucked her knife away and helped him to his feet. It was difficult, first helping him up, then making their way back to camp. Zane was too tired and in too much pain to move by himself, but he was heavy enough to make it difficult to support him. Trinity didn't even try talking to him, because he needed what strength he had left. She also didn't want him to realize just how scared she was. It was up to her to stay calm and handle this situation. It was getting dark by the time she got him back to camp. Trinity lowered him carefully to the bed of palm fronds in their little shelter, then quickly sparked up a fire. It wasn't nearly as much light as she wanted, but it was better than nothing. Finally she began peeling away the remnants of Zane's shirt to get a look at his wounds. The blood, at least, had appeared to stop. Using some of the drinking water they kept in a clay container and a shirt of hers that was beyond saving, Trinity cleaned the blood away from his skin. There were four cuts, each one fairly deep, but not, she hoped, deep enough to hit anything vital. These have to be closed up somehow, she thought, chewing on her lower lip. If they get infected they'll be so much worse. Trinity glanced over at her bag and frowned. She reached for it and pulled her sewing kit from it. There was a couple needles, spare buttons, and some black thread. The needles in this one had never been used, so it should mean they were clean. What am I thinking!? she thought frantically. I don't know what I'm doing! Stitching a human body could not possibly be the same as stitching a piece of cloth... could it? Well, the idea had to come from somewhere, didn't it? Trinity doubted the first person to ever come up with the idea of stitches had used anything different from what they would have used for mending. She glanced over at Zane and sighed. Scooting closer to him, she slid a hand beneath his head and lifted it, showing him the needle. "If you don't want me to, I won't," Trinity said quietly. "But it's the only way to stop the bleeding for sure... and I don't know how long it will take to heal, otherwise." Zane groaned. "What the heck? It's not like we're going to find a doctor on this godforsaken island." "This is going to hurt," Trinity warned him. "It already hurts," Zane said, wincing as he spoke. "Do what needs to be done..." Trinity found another spare shirt and had him bite down on it. Leather would have been better, but they didn't have any. She poked at it until it rose higher, giving her a bit more light to work by. Forcing her hands not to shake, she threaded the needle, took a deep breath, and got to work. It amazed her, how still Zane was. The little sounds of pain he made tore Trinity apart. She wanted to work quickly, but it was better to be careful, so it was a long, slow, painful process for Zane. Sweat broke out on his skin and she hoped that he wasn't getting a fever. But then, by the time she had finished she was sweaty from head to toe as well. Trinity cleaned Zane off and gave him a bit of water, but she didn't dare leave his side to get herself clean, too. How am I going to do this? Trinity wondered, as she settled against Zane's uninjured side. I have no idea how long it will be before he's able to even sit up again. They had some fish left, but her bag of fruit was still in the clearing where it had fallen when the cat attacked her. And there was water, too; he couldn't get up to get his own. Somehow Trinity was going to have to take care of him and get all the things they needed, as well. ------- Zane's first night of fever dreams were the most coherent he had. Most of the time he knew the difference between when he was awake and when he was asleep. He was aware of Trinity as she moved around the shelter, as she cleaned the sweat off him or coaxed him into drinking some water. She gave him food, as well, and Zane tried to eat but he couldn't keep it down. At the point he was most lucid, he lay very still, listening closely. He recognized the soft, muffled sounds, but for long moments he wasn't sure what they were. Crying, Zane realized at last, trying to force his eyes open. The sound of someone crying. He couldn't seem to get his eyes open. It had to be Trinity, because she was sitting up, pressed against his uninjured side. It took him a moment to realize that she was speaking "... And y-you were so brave, protecting me from that beast," she was saying, between sniffles. "So... so don't leave me here alone..." Zane wanted to reach out for her, but he couldn't move. Leave? he wondered, Why would I leave? Where would I go? He felt her stretch out beside him again and found himself wondering just how long it had been. But it was too much to make the effort to open his eyes, to ask her what was going on. Besides, Zane wondered if he continued to listen, if he might hear more about how brave he'd been. Cool fingers brushed his hair back from his face. He sighed as she ran a wet cloth over his face and neck. It woke him up a bit, enough to force his eyes open. She looked startled at first, then relieved, to see him awake. Zane still couldn't find the strength to reach for her, though. Damnit, he thought, the one time she'd probably let me hold her willingly and I'm too weak to take advantage of it. "You're awake..." Trinity murmured. "S... sort of..." Zane croaked. His throat felt raw. "I'm relieved," Trinity said quietly, forcing a weak smile. "I... when you... you saved me..." Zane chuckle. "Kiss me if I'm your hero." Her cheeks turned red. He thought she was really cute when she was embarrassed. Much to his surprise Trinity leaned down suddenly, pressing her mouth lightly to his. Zane sighed, wishing more than ever that he could reach up and take hold of her. She kept her mouth against his just long enough to leave him longing for more, then pulled away. He stared up at her, watching the way her lips parted temptingly. "You should continue to rest," Trinity said, brushing his hair back from his face once more. "You've got a bit of a fever." "Just... some water... please?" Zane asked. Her hands were incredibly gentle as she settled behind him and lifted his head into her lap. That made it much easier for him to drink some of the water in the clay container. It's getting low, Zane thought, as exhaustion began creeping up on him. How is she going to get everything done by herself? He had faith in Trinity, though. She would get them both through this, he was sure of that. ------- Chapter 7: Hope and Fear Taking care of Zane was tiring and nerve-wracking. His fever dreams had Trinity up most of the night. Because she was always wiping him down, cleaning the stitches, and making him drink, she had to go get water several times a day at least. Leaving him alone was always frightening. Trinity would get the water, then come rushing back. And there was the problem of food. She tried to get Zane to eat, but he couldn't keep most of it down. And of course she had to eat as well. Although they tried to keep a good supply at their camp, it was less than a week before Trinity ran out. By that point Zane was sleeping easier and his fever had gone down. So the next morning she took the make-shift spear and headed to the fishing hole, her stomach in knots with the apprehension of leaving him alone. That day Trinity came to appreciate Zane even more, when she realized just how hard it was to spear fish. It didn't take very long for her to get frustrated with it. She tried to convince herself that she was getting better at it, but after an hour she had to admit defeat. Tears prickled her eyes as Trinity sat down on the bank of the fishing hole. This absolutely sucks, she thought, swiping furiously at her tears as they slid down her cheeks. I wish Zane was able to do this. The thought of Zane was what got her back on her feet. He'd saved her life. She couldn't repay him by letting him starve. Trinity tried only a few more times with the spear before throwing it onto the bank. She stood still in the water, waiting patiently. The fish were pretty big and she figured if she could get her hands around them, she should be able to catch them that way. Trinity's first tries at this method were laughable. At one point she slipped and fell. As she came up, spluttering and spitting out water, she was so glad that Zane couldn't be here to see her. He'd probably just tease me, she thought, pushing her wet hair back from her face. Or laugh. Trinity gritted her teeth and made another grab for a fish. This time she caught it. She was so startled that she shrieked and dropped it back into the water. "Okay, I got your number now, fishy," Trinity said, grinning to herself. It was neither skillful nor graceful, but she got the hang of grabbing the fish. The trick was getting her hands near their heads, so she could stick her fingers in their mouths. It was disgusting, and Trinity did her best not to think about it. She threw each fish she managed to catch up onto the shore, high enough that they couldn't flop back into the water. That made her feel a little guilty, so she tried not to think about that as well. I've been gone too long, Trinity thought, as she gathered the fish up in the net, then picked up the spear. Her heart began to pound with worry. She raced back through the woods, skimming lightly over the carpet of leaves and branches on the ground as if they weren't even there. Trinity burst out of the trees and darted into the cave, skidding to a halt and dropping to her knees near Zane. He was awake and his eyes flickered open when she reached him. "Where's the fire?" he asked, flashing a weak smile. "Oh, hush," Trinity grumbled, as she set the fish down. "Save your strength for healing, not blathering." "Don't be so surly, Trinity," Zane said softly. "Please..." Trinity sighed. She settled down to gut the fish, although she wasn't happy about it. It was a disgusting task. Zane watched her for awhile, his grayish-purple eyes heavy lidded. I wish he wouldn't watch me, she thought, feeling her cheeks heat. Not... not like that. That sexy, sleepy look just wasn't fair. Even if Trinity wanted to act on the feelings it invoked in her, she could not. At last he fell back asleep. She finished with the fish and then strung them up. I stink, she thought, sniffing at her hands. But... I don't want to leave him again... Trinity glanced at Zane. He was a pretty sound sleeper. With some of the water, a bit of soap, and a rag, she cleaned her hands, arms, and face. Then she stripped off her clothing and, glancing over her shoulder every few moments, Trinity washed herself off. She quickly redressed, then settled down for another night taking care of Zane. ------- Zane felt a little bad about taking advantage of his condition. Yet the last few nights, Trinity had stripped down and washed herself off right in their shelter. After the first night, she stopped checking so much to see if he was watching. She was so beautiful that Zane found it difficult not to watch. And despite her grumpiness, she had been incredibly tender in her care-taking of him. He watched as she finished cleaning herself, then pulled her clothes back on. The simple tank top she wore clung to her damp skin. Zane closed his eyes as she turned and came over to him. Trinity knelt and ran a cool, wet cloth over his forehead. He groaned softly and allowed his eyes to come open. She smiled faintly when she saw that he was awake, but continued to focus on what she was doing. "I wish... you would smile more..." Zane said quietly. Trinity looked down at him, startled. "What for?" "Because you're so pretty when you're smiling," Zane answered. "You're just feverish," Trinity muttered, her cheeks flushing darkly. "Perhaps," Zane agreed. He found himself grinning. "In which case, I'll probably be too out of it to remember if you take advantage of me while I'm sick... ow!" He winced as her fist hit his chest. Normally it wouldn't hurt very much, but at the moment he was rather weak. Trinity jerked her hand back, immediately looking guilty. Zane lifted a hand to rub the spot she'd hit, although admittedly it wasn't all that easy to move. I'd feel better if I could move around, he thought, getting his elbows beneath him and trying to push himself up. This is what happens when a man lies around too much. "What are you doing?" Trinity demanded. "I stink," Zane complained, groaning as he tried to sit up. "I'm going to take a bath." "You can barely sit up!" Trinity protested. "You are not going anywhere!" He turned his head to look at her. They stared at each other for long moments, and what he was feeling must have shown through, because Trinity sighed and slid an arm beneath him. She helped him sit up, then grabbed the backpack with the things she used to wash in it. Zane's eyebrows rose slightly as she stood and began helping him to his feet. "You can't get your stitches wet," Trinity grumbled. "They're not ready to come out yet. So I'll have to help you." Her cheeks burned. Zane withheld from saying something, because he didn't want her to decide not to help him. She allowed him to lean on her as she helped him limp out of the cave. He closed his arms around her, appreciating the way she blushed and looked shyly away from him. I would never have thought I could find her so adorable, Zane thought, smiling to himself. It wasn't that long ago that I thought she was a total snob. He didn't feel that way anymore. When they reached the stream, Trinity helped him down to the ground. Her hands were so gentle. "Would you like me to wash your hair?" Trinity asked quietly. "If you don't mind," Zane replied, grinning. "I feel like there's something crawling around in there..." Trinity chuckled softly. "Okay, I get the hint. Lay back, okay? This might be a bit uncomfortable, but I'll make it as quick as I can." She helped him lay back and dip his head into the water. It was uncomfortable, but Zane lay still as she began running her fingers through his hair, soaking it through. Trinity leaned over him and when he looked up, he could see up beneath the tank top she was wearing. Uh... oops, he thought, biting his lip. Ah, okay... look away, look away... Zane couldn't seem to get himself to look away, though. When she pulled back to get the shampoo, he wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed. He should really tell her, but there was no chance before she was massaging the shampoo into his hair. Well, I might as well enjoy it, Zane thought, sighing softly. He supposed he could have closed his eyes, but it seemed impossible. I am such a pervert, he thought, but at least I'm a happy pervert. "There," Trinity said at last, sitting back. "I know that was uncomfortable but... what?" "Uh... uh, nothing," Zane stammered. "I uh... I'll just... wash off. I mean... the rest of me... I can do it myself..." "What's wrong?" Trinity asked, frowning. "Look, just let me help you..." He struggled as she helped him sit up. Zane allowed Trinity to help him pull off his shirt, albeit a bit reluctantly. I can't believe I feel this way, he thought, but I really hope she doesn't try to take off my pants. She soaked a cloth in the stream, and began wiping the remnants of sweat and sand from his skin. It felt nice. Zane leaned against her as she cleaned him off, resting his head against hers. "Are you okay?" Trinity asked, shifting out from beneath him enough to look up at him. "Oh... Zane, you look exhausted. Let's get you back." "Wait," Zane said, sliding an arm around her. "Trinity you... you've taken such good care of me..." Trinity shrugged, looking down at the ground. "You saved me. And you got hurt doing it. And... and what if... if you died or something? I'd be here all alone and... I couldn't bear that..." Her voice was choked, as if she were trying not to cry. Zane slid his free hand beneath her chin and lifted her head. Trinity looked away from him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. He wasn't really thinking about what he was doing when he sought her mouth with his. And Zane was pleasantly surprised when her lips parted beneath his, allowing him to slide his tongue into the moist heat of her mouth. Trinity moaned softly as his hand dropped to her shoulder and slid down her arm. She shifted onto her knees and pressed against him, winding her arms around his neck. Zane felt a thrill of excitement run through him as she allowed him to slide his hands beneath her shirt. His body was hard and aching. He closed his arms tightly around her and shifted to bring her down to the ground with him. A sharp pain went through his side. Zane sat back, biting back a cry of pain. Trinity was up immediately, her eyes wide and fearful. "Oh god... are you okay?" she asked, sliding an arm around him to support him. "Yeah... yeah..." Zane panted, leaning against her. "I just... pulled the stitches a little. I'm fine... really..." "God, how irresponsible can I get?" Trinity muttered. She held onto him and with her other hand, shoved her things back into her bag. "Hey, it's not your fault," Zane assured her. "Trinity..." She was quiet as she helped him to his feet. Zane struggled back into his t-shirt, then clung to her as they limped together back to the cave. He felt like jelly, even though he'd only been up and about for a little while. Except for one part of my body, he thought, groaning softly. God, I feel like such a pervert. Zane really liked Trinity, and he didn't want her to think he was just lusting after her. By the time they got back to the cave, he had had enough of being up and around. However, Zane was hungry; his stomach rumbled to let him know just how hungry. He'd lost a bit of weight since he'd gotten hurt, because he'd barely been able to eat. Trinity helped him lay down again, then went for the food stores. He heard her grumbling about running out of fish again. "I'm sorry, Trinity," Zane said. She turned to look at him. "For what?" "For not being able to help you," Zane explained. "I know it's hard, taking care of me." "Don't even," Trinity growled, coming over to him. She had some fruit and dried fish. "Listen, you got hurt protecting me! And before that, you worked really hard to make sure I was safe and fed! The only thing you should be doing right now is resting and getting better!" Zane stared at her. Assuming Sheila would even have tried to save him, by now she would have been nagging him to stop laying around. He was so unused to concern like Trinity's, but it felt good. She took on of his hands in hers and lifted it to her mouth, pressing a kiss lightly against his palm. Wow, Zane thought, running his fingers over her lips. I'm really falling for her. "I need you to get better," Trinity said quietly. "I... I'm scared, Zane. I want to go home..." Ignoring the pain in his side, Zane sat up and put his arms around her. She snuggled up against him, her fingers curling tightly around the fabric of his t-shirt. He ran his fingers through Trinity's hair, wishing there was something he could do or say to make her feel better. Zane sighed and bent his head to kiss her neck gently. She shivered and moaned softly. "Trinity..." Zane murmured. Her hold on him tightened. He kissed her neck again, several times, encouraged by the way she tilted her head to allow him. Zane was startled when she lifted her head and pressed her mouth to his. His hands settled on either side of her face, cradling it as she kissed him. Trinity shifted into his lap, her hands sliding up beneath his shirt. "What... ?" Zane panted, pulling his mouth away from hers. "Trinity... wait..." "S-sorry..." Trinity stammered, leaning back. "I don't know what got into me. I mean, of course you wouldn't... I'm... I'm not Sheila so..." He quieted her by covering her mouth with his. Zane helped her pull his shirt off and tossed it aside. He wound an arm around her waist and pulled her with him as he laid back on the ground. His hands traveled beneath her shirt and she didn't protested as he gently cupped her breasts. In fact, Trinity moaned softly as he feathered his thumbs lightly over her nipples. Her kisses became insistent, and soon Zane was the one opening his mouth for her. Pain lanced his side as he tumbled her onto her back, but he ignored it. Tired as he was, he found a burst of energy when she was beneath him. His hands slid down over her belly, over her hips, to the waistband of her shorts. Trinity stopped him then. "You're still hurt," she said quietly. "And you need to rest." "Aw, come on," Zane complained, nipping at her lower lip gently. "I'm fine. How could I not be, with you taking such good care of me?" Trinity laughed. She shifted beneath him, so that he was lying between her legs. "Patients who behave themselves get better quicker. And once you're better..." Her hands slid along his back. Zane shivered, pressing his face against her neck to stifle a soft groan. He allowed her, albeit reluctantly, to help him settle on the ground once more. Trinity gave him something to eat and ate herself, then curled up beside him. I can't wait until I'm better, he thought, resting his head against her shoulder. Trinity needed him. Once he was better, he could help her again. Sheila had never really needed him for anything. "We'll get home, Trinity," Zane assured her, sliding an arm beneath her. "I'm sure we will." "I... I hope so..." Trinity said quietly. "I miss home... I miss my parents, I miss my room, I miss school... I think the only thing I don't miss is Sheila." Zane laughed. "Hey, me too! Guess we have a lot more in common than we thought." "Thanks, Zane," Trinity murmured. "For trying to make me feel better." "Did it work at all?" Zane asked. Trinity turned to face him, snuggling into his arms. She didn't answer, but she didn't need to. Damnit, he thought, even as he closed his arms tightly around her. This is going to make sleeping difficult. And what would happen once he was completely better? Zane might have been interested in more than her body, but he was still intensely interested in her body. He knew that when he was completely healed, if she was that compliant again, he wouldn't be able to stop himself. ------- It was a few more days before Trinity could take Zane's stitches out, and even then she made him continue to rest most of the time. Nearly three weeks since he'd been hurt, and she finally felt like it was okay to leave him alone for long periods of time. He was still sleeping one afternoon when she crept from their shelter. Trinity had her bag with shampoo and a fresh change of clothes. She hadn't had a real bath since Zane had gotten hurt. Thinking he'd probably be asleep for awhile yet, she chose to bathe at the nearest stream. Trinity was thigh deep in the water, running her fingers through now clean hair, when she heard a twig snap behind her. Startled, she whirled to face whatever had snuck up on her. Zane stood behind her, watching her, a grin on his face. She shrieked and folded her arms across her chest, sinking down into the water. "I see you're feeling better," Trinity growled, glaring at him. "Indeed," Zane agreed, grinning. He crouched near the edge of the stream, holding her clothes. "Much better, in fact." "That isn't funny, Zane," Trinity said, frowning. "Give my clothes back." "Come and get them," Zane replied, grinning. He stood up and back away, taking her clothes with him. Fine, Trinity thought, glowering at him. She wasn't about to let him win this one. Dropping her arms, she walked out of the water and right up to him. Zane's eyes widened. He thrust her clothing at her, then turned and walked away. Wait a minute, Trinity thought, staring after him. Why... ? He was gone. Of course, she thought, as she began pulling her clothes back on. Who am I kidding? No matter what he says, he's got beautiful Sheila back at home. Except that Trinity didn't believe anymore that Zane was like that. So I guess it's just me, she thought, settling on the ground with a heavy sigh. I guess it's just like when we were younger... he doesn't want me. ------- Chapter 8: Past The fire crackled noisily. Zane stretched out on the sand beside it, feeling better in many ways than he had for weeks. His stitches were gone, leaving behind a few thin, faint scars. All signs of his fever were gone. And yet in some ways he was still completely miserable. The last week should have been wonderful, but it wasn't. The tension between himself and Trinity was becoming unbearable. What the hell did I do wrong? Zane wondered. The nearly inaudible pad of footsteps across the sand caught his attention. He braced his hands beneath his head and looked up at her. Damn, he thought, biting his lip. Being stuck on this island with her had its advantages. Like the fact that she was always wearing short shorts and small tops. Zane was especially appreciative of the simple string-backed halter she was wearing, that bared her tummy. Stop that, you damn pervert, he scolded himself. "What?" Trinity asked, blinking at him. Zane shook his head. "Uh... nothing. Why don't you relax for a bit?" "I am relaxed," Trinity grumped, dropping unceremoniously to the sand across from him. "As relaxed as I'm going to get." "Well, that's not nearly enough," Zane said, rolling over and pushing himself into a sitting position. She eyed him warily, he gaze followed his hands as he reached out. Trinity flinched as he caught her foot and pulled it into his lap. "What are you doing?" she demanded. "Calm down," Zane soothed her, as he began rubbing her foot. "I'm helping you relax." Her eyes narrowed. He thought she'd pull away from him, but she just watched him, her shoulders tense, as he massaged her foot and ankle. Zane had never before thought of feet as being cute, but Trinity's were. They were small and, although the word sounded like a horrible romance novel cliché, dainty. He knew she kept a kit for manicure and pedicure and she must have used it, because the nails on her hands and her feet were tidy and clean. "What?" Trinity asked, frowning. "Oh, nothing," Zane said, giving his head a shake. "Look, Trinity... I know things have been a bit tense between us lately but... well, can't we be friends?" She seemed to relax just a little, no doubt helped along by the steady massaging of his fingers. "I... hadn't thought we were enemies." "We aren't," Zane said, looking up at her. "At least, I don't want to be. I know we didn't exactly get along before..." "Zane, we were usually about two minutes away from killing each other," Trinity reminded him. Zane sighed. "Well, yes, true. But..." He hesitated. How could he tell Trinity what he was feeling when he wasn't certain for himself what he was feeling? Zane switched to her other foot, glancing up at her as he did. She thought he wasn't looking, so she'd allowed her eyes to close and a small smile to curve the corners of her mouth. That's better, he thought, smiling to himself. She's so beautiful, but even more so when she's relaxed and smiling. "Tell me about yourself," Zane said quietly. "What do you want to know?" Trinity asked, without opening her eyes. "Well um... do you have a boyfriend?" Zane wanted to know. Her eyes came open and the look in them was not a happy one. "I would think the Sheila would have given you every little detail of my personal life, and then some." Zane took a deep breath. He knew he had to tread carefully here, or she would just get more and more angry at him. That wasn't what he wanted. He honestly wanted to know if she had a boyfriend, because if by some chance she did, he had some serious thinking to do. Zane had already decided that there was simply no way he would ever go back to Sheila. But what if Trinity had someone at home that she wanted to get back to? "You know Sheila says a lot of shit," Zane said, his voice calm and quiet. "About ninety-nine point nine percent of which you can't take seriously. Maybe I don't know you as well as I'd like to, but I've known you long enough to realize that your personal life would be none of Sheila's business." Emotions flickered across Trinity's face so fast that he couldn't be sure what he was seeing. Relief and approval, definitely, and what he was pretty certain was elation. She's happy about something, Zane realized, watching the anger fade from her eyes. I must have said something to make her happy. A smile was touching the corners of her mouth. "I don't," Trinity said. "Have a boyfriend, I mean." Zane felt a thrill go through him. "Have you ever?" he asked. "I mean... getting to know you, you seem like... like other things have been more important to you." "Not really," Trinity answered, looking down. "Well... not at all." "So then you are a virgin!" He regretted the words as soon as they were out of his mouth. Zane expected her to get angry, to yell at him or hit him, but she didn't say anything. Trinity looked away, her cheeks burning. She's embarrassed, he realized. He let go of her foot and sidled up next to her. Zane slid his arm around her shoulders, cautiously, and relaxed when she didn't pull away. "You would think at my age..." Trinity muttered. "I think," Zane said, "that at your age there is nothing wrong with being a virgin. In fact, it's cute." Trinity's eyebrows rose. "Cute?" "Yeah," Zane answered, grinning. "It's so adorable, the way your cheeks get all red and you get so shy..." His words made her blush. It really is adorable, he thought, leaning closer to her. Even her snobbishness is starting to seem cute. Trinity turned her head to face him, and her eyes widened when she realized how close he was. Zane pressed his mouth to hers. He sighed as she reached for him, her hand settling against his neck. Her touch, no matter how chaste, made him ache with desire. Zane pulled away from her. He had to, or he was going to drag her close and refuse to let go. Trinity blinked up at him, her bright eyes full of confusion and uncertainty. He looked away and cleared his throat. "Well, if we don't get off this island, I'll um... help you with that problem," Zane teased, trying desperately to lighten the mood. "All right..." Trinity said quietly. Startled, Zane said the first thing that came to mind. "I was just joking!" He realized it was the wrong thing to say as soon as he'd said it. Something changed in Trinity's eyes, reflecting first hurt, then changing quickly to anger. Her mouth drew into a thin, angry line. Zane reached for her, but she swatted his hand away. Without saying another word, Trinity rose and stomped off into the darkness. Damnit, he thought, staring after her. So what did I do this time? ------- Water lapped around Trinity's thighs. She stood in the ocean, swaying with the pull of the tide, and fighting not to cry. For a few minutes there she'd thought that Zane honestly liked her. Who did I think I was kidding? she thought, sighing heavily. He's got Sheila back home, what would he want with me? But when he kissed her, Trinity felt like he did want her. So why, when she'd finally given in to him, had he told her it was just a joke? "Trinity?" She heard the slosh of water as Zane came towards her. Even though she wanted to, she didn't turn to face him. His hand rested lightly on her back and she really should have moved away, but she seemed unable to. He made a soft, frustrated sound, then grabbed hold of her arms and turned her towards him. Trinity let out a startled gasp, bringing her hands up and bracing them against his chest, trying to push him away. Zane was too strong, especially when he was determined to hold on to her. "Listen to me," Zane said quietly. "Look, I want you to talk to me, okay? I don't think I fully understand what's going on here." "You said you were just joking," Trinity reminded him, rolling her eyes. "Just like you did before." Zane's eyebrows rose. "Before? Okay, there is definitely something I'm missing here." "You really don't remember?" Trinity asked. Zane shook his head. She wasn't sure whether she should be hurt by that or not. If he didn't remember, then he probably wasn't deliberately trying to tease her. She even allowed him to lead her out of the water. They sat together on the sand, and Trinity was close enough to the water to let the surf wash over her feet. There was hope fluttering in her heart and she couldn't quash it no matter how hard she tried. It's foolish to hope, she thought. "We went to middle school together," Trinity told him. "I can't believe you don't remember." "Wait, you're that Trinity?" Zane asked. Trinity turned to look at him. "So you do remember!" "Well, yeah," Zane said, rubbing the back of his neck, as though he was uncomfortable. "When Sheila first introduced me to you, I thought maybe it was you. But you're so different from then, I thought it had to be coincidence." "Because I'm not fat anymore," Trinity said. Zane shook his head. "No, it wasn't that. I just figured... the Trinity I knew wouldn't hang out with someone like Sheila, so you had to be someone else." Trinity blinked at him. All things considered, that was pretty deep, coming from him. Rough, but deep. It was true that back then she avoided people like Sheila. She'd never liked that sort of person and she hadn't been willing to change herself so the 'in' crowd would accept her. When Zane had been nice to her, she'd been thrilled. But then one day he'd told her that his friendship had all been a joke. Trinity had always wanted to hate him for it. But I couldn't, she thought, sighing. I couldn't hate him. She figured that honesty was the best policy, but she still stared down at her toes as she blurted out the truth to him. "I had... well, I had such a big crush on you," Trinity stammered, feeling her cheeks heat. "Back then... and when you started being so mean to me..." "Oh, damn," Zane said, with a soft groan. "Trinity... damn, I don't even know what to say. I was such a jerk... And I want to say that I'm sorry but... it's so inadequate." Trinity turned to study his face. He was watching her with those odd colored eyes of his and he really did look sincere. Without really thinking about it she reached out and touched his cheek lightly. He was right that 'sorry' wouldn't really be adequate for what he'd done, because they were past that point now. But I think I could believe that he regrets it, Trinity thought, running her fingertips along the line of his jaw. Maybe it's just because I want to, but I could. Zane leaned into the touch of her fingers. There was a look in his eyes, as though he was eager for more than that small touch, but was trying to fight it. She realized that it was caution and concern for her feelings that held him back, not what had happened between them when they were children. "Did you really have a crush on me?" Zane asked quietly. "I still do," Trinity told him honestly. His eyes widened slightly. "But I'm really not any smarter now than I was then." "Stop that!" Trinity scolded, rising onto her knees. She cradled his face in her hands. "You are not stupid, Zane. And you weren't then. You were young, and you still are. And you've spent way too much time with Sheila, which is bound to dumb you down some." "I hope it's not permanent," Zane said, but he was smiling. She opened her mouth to reply, but he pulled her down against himself suddenly, bringing her mouth down to his. Trinity didn't even try to stop him. He might have tried to make light of it, but Zane hadn't really been joking when he'd called himself stupid. It was that vulnerability that made her forgive him. He was just as alone as she was, and like her, he'd been trying to pretend he wasn't. Trinity pulled back just a bit and gazed down at him, a smile touching the corners of her mouth. "Does the offer still stand?" Trinity asked quietly. Zane stared up at her. "Are you sure?" She nodded slowly. He smiled at her, a bright, broad smile that warmed her down to her toes. Zane rose to his feet, pulling her with him, and startled her by swinging her up into his arms. Trinity was trembling, a little bit frightened of what was to come, but she was also excited. She pressed her face against his neck, inhaling the smell of the ocean and healthy leaves, as he carried her up to their shelter. If she didn't know better, she would have said that Zane was shaking some, too. "I um... this isn't really a good place for this," Zane said, studying the shelter. "I mean... there's no bed or anything and um... we don't have protection or..." Trinity sighed. "If you don't want to, just say so." Zane's mouth covered hers, startling her. He let her slide down to the ground, but he didn't release her. Trinity sank down onto the sand, pulling him with her. As soon as she was resting on it, she realized it was going to be a very uncomfortable surface for this. Zane must have realized it, too, because he shifted, picking her up just long enough to pull her under the shelter of the rock, where the ground was covered in rushes. Trinity couldn't help giggling at his growl of frustration. His hands slipped beneath her shirt. Zane's roughened fingertips tickled slightly, and she wriggled beneath him. Her soft laughter was stifled beneath his mouth as he kissed her again. Trinity arched her back, letting him reach the ties holding her halter-top on. Stop it, she admonished her trembling body. He's seen you before! But she was nervous. She had never truly gained self-confidence when it came to her body. Zane pulled the halter away and she found she couldn't even look at him. Her cheeks burned as she waited for his response. It wasn't what she expected. Trinity gasped as she felt his mouth on her breasts. Just light, quick kisses, little feathering touches that made her shiver. Zane's tongue teased the tip of one stiffening nipple, causing her to moan softly. She lifted her head to look at him. His eyes were mostly closed, and there was something about the expression on his face, as though he was savoring the taste of her, that made her ache with desire. Trinity grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulling it up. Zane paused long enough to pull it off and toss it aside. As he lowered his head to her breasts again, she slid her hands along his back. His skin was warm and soft, and she could feel muscle bunch beneath it, like steel under velvet. Zane's mouth began to travel down her stomach, and his hands were at the waistband of her shorts, unfastening them. Trinity trembled, but she lifted her hips for him to pull her shorts off. "You're scared," Zane murmured, his breath warm against her skin. "A little," Trinity admitted. "But I... I want to, Zane... please..." He laid his cheek against her stomach for a moment, then lifted his head. Zane slid a hand along her thigh, slowly upward, until his fingers slipped beneath her panties. Trinity gasped, reaching down and grabbing his wrist. He looked up, his eyes searching her face. She took a deep breath and released him. Zane waited a moment, then stroked his fingers across soft flesh that was already partially aroused. Trinity bit her lip, surprised by the pleasant sensations that sizzled up her nerves. She couldn't stop shaking. I shouldn't be this afraid, she thought, frowning. Zane sensed it too. He pulled his hand back and spread out beside her, resting a hand on her belly. His lips brushed her cheek, the kiss oddly soothing. Trinity turned into him, letting her hands wander down his chest and over his stomach. "We don't have to do this, Trinity," Zane said quietly. Trinity looked up at him. "Sheila used to tell these stories... about girls she knew, who'd had horrible, painful first times," she told him. "She did it just to taunt me, because she knew I didn't really know what sex was like." She cradled his face in her hands, trying to ignore the way they trembled. "I thought it didn't bother me, but I guess I was wrong." "I don't want you to be scare," Zane said, running his fingers along her cheek. "I'm going to be scared," Trinity said, shrugging. "Until it happens, I'm going to be frightened. So... I... I want you to um... just... just be careful, okay?" Zane studied her face for a moment, then pressed his mouth to hers. His lips teased and distracted, while his hand slid down her stomach and back beneath her panties. Trinity shivered, closing her arms around him and burying her fingers in his hair. She squirmed, lifting her hips against the touch of his fingers, enjoying it despite her nerves. Zane's tongue gently urged her lips open, and swept the inside of her mouth, in a way that left her feeling a little dizzy. Her heart hammered wildly in her chest as he pulled her panties down and off. Trinity's cheeks burned as he stared down at her; no man had ever stared at her so intently, and with so much desire. She watched as Zane pulled off his jeans, and despite having seen him naked before, her eyes widened slightly. Somehow she hadn't thought he was quite that large. Now that Trinity knew that that was going to be inside her, it was a terrifying thought. "Relax, Trinity," Zane murmured, as he lowered his mouth to brush against hers. "I promise I'll make this as painless as I can, okay?" Trinity nodded. "I... I know..." His lips brushed hers again, lightly. Zane's knees nudged her thighs apart lightly. She felt him hard against her thigh. Trinity gripped his arms and closed her eyes, waiting for the pain. It was one quick, hot stab that made her cry out softly, made tears trickle down her cheeks. Zane murmured soothing nonsense and kissed away the tears. He was still and careful, waiting for her body to adjust to him. It wasn't that bad. At first her body ached, but Trinity adjusted to it quickly. And the way he soothed her, murmuring, kissing, waiting so patiently, made it easier to relax. She looked up at Zane, flashing a half-smile, hoping it was enough to reassure him. He smiled back at her, a warm smile that lit his eyes. And then he began his careful movements, pulling out of her slowly, then pushing back inside her. Pain fled quickly under the slow, rhythmic stroke of his body. Trinity shifted beneath him, wriggling experimentally, until he groaned softly. Zane shook his head, the look in his eyes half-amused, half-admonishing. She locked her hands behind his head and brought his mouth down to hers. They shared a long kiss, nipping and tasting, as he thrust inside her. Slowly Trinity began trying to match his rhythm, lifting her hips to meet his, although the movement was awkward. The whole thing was a little awkward, in fact. Zane seemed almost as nervous as her, but his nerves didn't go away. Every time he lifted his mouth from hers he gazed down at her, concern and uncertainty in his eyes. Trinity found it so sweet and endearing that she finally just threw her arms around him, dragging him down against her. Zane's soft laughter was muffled against her neck. She was so at ease that at first she didn't understand the tightening of her body. But it felt good, and the more he thrust into, increasing the sweet friction between them, the more she found it hard to stifle her growing cries. Zane's skin was slick was sweat and it slid easily along hers. Trinity wound her fingers in his hair, lifting her hips, straining to savor that sweet feeling of him deep inside her. She pressed her face against his neck, stifling a loud cry as her body shuddered in climax. Zane made a soft, faint groaning sound, and lifted his head. His eyes were wide, as if he wasn't sure what was more surprising; that she had come, or that he had. Trinity fought not to laugh at the way his cheeks heated. He's embarrassed! she thought, smiling to herself. Oh, he's so cute... Zane looked away as he carefully eased out of her. He dropped down onto the rushes next to her with a heavy sigh. "I haven't been that... awkward... since I was fifteen," Zane complained, as he snuggled up to her side. Trinity laughed. "Maybe for once it actually meant something," she teased. "Maybe," Zane agreed, smirking at her mischievously. "But then again... well, you know how long I've been dating Sheila, so I don't have to tell you how long it's been since I've been inside someone who was actually tight." She smacked him, but couldn't find it in herself to be angry. In fact, Trinity found herself laughing instead. Zane was rough and a little crude, but she understood exactly what he was saying. Yes, Sheila is a total slut, she thought, huddling in the shelter of his arms. Finally, he's realized that completely. Trinity rested her head against his chest, enjoying his fingers through her hair. "You know, Trinity," Zane said quietly. "I really like this side of you. Relaxed, humorous... I don't think I could even standing look at Sheila, now that I know you..." His voice was soft and sleepy, as though he was drifting off. Maybe he hadn't realized what he'd said. Trinity was suddenly wide awake, her heart pounding in excitement. Or maybe, she thought, he really does like me that much. She closed her eyes, even though she knew she wouldn't be able to sleep yet. It was such a thrilling thought that Trinity didn't mind that it kept her up half the night. Especially since she got to enjoy Zane's arms around her and the soft sound of his heart beating. ------- Chapter 9: Paradise Zane watched the water as it raced over the wet sand and over his feet. He knew he shouldn't be, but he was feeling rather morose. Trinity had brought up so many memories; mainly of what a jerk he'd been. And it was even stupider, because he'd really liked her. And she let me sleep with her, Zane thought, sighing. How can she forgive me? I was such an ass. He'd embarrassed her in front of so many people back then. What was he supposed to say to her now? "Penny for your thoughts." Zane jumped. Trinity settled in the sand behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders. He thought of pushing her away, but she began rubbing his shoulders, and it would have been a shame if she stopped. I should just tell her the truth, he thought, closing his eyes as he leaned back into her hands. I should tell her how I feel. Zane also wanted to apologize for what he'd put her through, even if it wasn't really adequate to make up for what he'd done. "Zane? Are you all right?" Trinity asked. Zane sighed. "Not really. Guess I keep thinking about... back then. You know, what I did... it was cruel." "Yes, it was," Trinity agreed, rising to her knees. "But you were just a kid, Zane, like I said before. Kids can be cruel, but it doesn't mean they're bad people." She put her arms around him and hugged him tight, leaning against him. "It doesn't matter anymore. The Zane I know now is the one who's important." He shivered as she kissed the side of his neck. Zane reached up, taking hold of one of her hands. Trinity scooted around him, to sit down next to him, as he rubbed her hand, massaging it like he'd done her feet last night. She closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder, enjoying herself. Somehow, since last night, she'd loosened up completely. Zane had always seen glimpses of that side of her, but it was nice to see it all the time. The Trinity he remembered from years ago had always been fun-loving. Intelligent, fun-loving, sweet, he thought, smiling to himself. So many things that Sheila will never be. He'd been surprised, getting to know her again, at the person who kept peeking out from beneath her cold social mask. Sheila would never have forgiven him or been understanding. Good thing I'm changing that part of my life, Zane thought, sliding an arm around Trinity's shoulders. "So," he said, trying to keep his voice casual, "when we get home, um... well, I don't think I'd ever want to date someone like Sheila ever again..." Trinity grinned. "I can't imagine why..." She paused, then shrugged. "Then again, considering some of the woman I've known, I can't imagine why anyone would want to date one." "It has perks," Zane told her, turning his head to grin at her. "Some girls have really nice perks." "Zaaaane," Trinity groaned, rolling her eyes. "You're such a pig!" Zane tightened his arm around her waist, catching her by surprise. She squeaked as he bore her down onto the sand. His slid his hands beneath the camisole she was wearing, pushing it up. A very lovely flush lit Trinity's cheeks as he lowered his mouth to her breasts. She moaned softly as he closed his mouth around her nipple, and buried his fingers in his hair. Zane cupped her other breast in his hand, rubbing his thumb lightly over her skin. "You... you're trying to distract me," Trinity panted. Zane lifted his head and smiled at her. "Is it working?" "Too well," Trinity said. Her cheeks were bright red. "Zane... come on, this isn't fair!" He would have lowered his head again, but she tightened her fingers in his hair, stopping him. Zane was a little surprised by the look in her eyes; he couldn't tell exactly what she was feeling. He sat up, tugging her top back into place, and pulled her into his lap. Trinity settled, resting her hands on his shoulders. She kissed him once, a very gentle brush to his lips, then gave him an almost plaintive look. "Did you... ever really like me?" Trinity asked. "Back then, I mean." Zane chuckled softly. "You were so smart," he told her. "I think I was in awe if you. I guess I had a crush on you." "Me!?" Trinity squeaked, her eyes widening. "But... but I was fat..." "So what," Zane said, shrugging. "You're female, aren't you? Fat, thin, tall, short... who cares?" He paused for a moment, his expression thoughtful, then leaned his forehead against hers. "The problem with women is that they're so concerned with being beautiful on the outside, they forget how beautiful they can be on the inside." He was surprised, albeit pleasantly so, when she kissed him. And what a kiss! Attraction had been strong between them from the beginning, and he knew she felt it, but Trinity had never kissed him like this. Zane closed his arms around her, holding her tight. He opened his mouth to the timid exploring of her tongue. His hands slid beneath her camisole, along her back, savoring her skin like hot silk beneath his fingertips. When she pulled away, he groaned softly and tried to pull her close again. "Come on," Trinity said, wriggling out of his lap. "Come with me..." Confused, but intrigued, Zane rose. Trinity was a fleet little thing and he had to break into a run to catch up with her. Her laughter was loud and wild, as if it were the first time she'd ever been free. When she raced into the forest he hesitated for a moment, but her voice, calling for him, urged him on. She led him on a crazy chase, and when they came out at that hidden spring, where she'd found him on the rock, Zane didn't mind in the least. ------- Trinity sat in the shallow end of the spring, where she could keep herself under the water up to her neck, and watched Zane splash around like a happy duckling. Once she had thought he was immature, and maybe he was in some ways, but she found it endearing. He was open and honest. How did he ever get stuck with a bitch like Sheila? Trinity wondered. He may seem shallow at first, but he's got a good heart and he's very insightful. "Gonna sit around all day?" Zane asked, pausing in his splashing to look at her. Trinity shrugged. "You're putting on quite a show," she told him, grinning. "Why shouldn't I sit around and watch?" Zane wrinkled his nose at her. He put his feet down and began wading into the shallow end. Trinity watched him, her mouth going dry, as he rose out of the water. She moved, kicking her legs out from underneath her, and caught him before he could get much further. Laughing, Zane pulled her into the deeper end of the spring. He caught her beneath the thighs and lifted her up, and Trinity shrieked in surprise. "Stop that!" she said, pushing at his shoulders. "Zane, put me down!" "No," Zane said, grinning at her. "I like holding you." That made her blush. Trinity quieted, snuggling up against him and winding her arms around his neck as he sank back down into the water. Zane's mouth pressed against her neck, and his tongue licked away drops of water. She shivered as his teeth closed gently on her earlobe. It wasn't like before, when she'd been excited but afraid. Now she was just excited. Trinity loosened her hold on him, letting her hands drift slowly down his back, since the buoyancy of the water held her up. Zane allowed her to get her legs underneath her, but she could only just barely touch her feet down. When she tried to move into more shallow water, he drew her closer. His hands cradled her head, his fingers tangled in her hair, and his mouth pressed eagerly against hers. Trinity could feel him hard against the softness of her stomach. She pulled her mouth away from his and looked up at him, a wicked smile curving her lips. "Don't look at me like that," Zane groaned. "Something wrong?" Trinity teased, sliding out of his hold. She turned to swim to the shore, but she didn't get very far. Zane caught her, pulling her into the shallow end and pulling her with him. Trinity was half in the water, half out, her head resting against the damp sand bordering the edge of the spring. She was laughing softly, feeling more playful than she had in years. Zane stretched out beside her and rested a hand on her stomach, quieting her. She bit her lip as his hand slid up to cup her breast gently. Trinity stretched, arching her back up to meet his mouth. She shivered as he closed his mouth around her nipple. Zane's hand slid back down her stomach, beneath the water, and between her legs. She gasped at the touch of his fingertips, an odd sensation beneath the water. Trinity lifted her hips against his hand, moaning softly as the tip of his index finger teased her clit. Zane was teasing her with that light touch, making her want more. When he slid his finger inside her at last, she bit her lip to keep from crying out. Zane's mouth continued to wander over her breasts, licking and nipping ever so gently. He seemed intent to find every part of her with his lips and tongue; her neck, her shoulders, her fingers, palms, and wrists, and her stomach just above where the water reached. Trinity closed her eyes, savoring the slow trail of his tongue back up between her breasts. Zane lifted his head to press his mouth briefly to her lips, while his hands slid over her stomach and over her breasts. "You can't imagine how long I've wanted to do this," Zane murmured, circling her nipple with the tip of one finger. Trinity opened her eyes. She watched him while his hands followed the same path his mouth had. Those slightly roughened hands felt so good on her skin. When Zane bent to kiss her, she opened her mouth for him. And her thighs, when he moved to cover her body with his. Lost in his kiss, in his tongue sliding against hers, she was caught by surprise when he slid inside her. "Did that hurt?" Zane asked, pushing himself up and looking down at her, his eyes concerned. Trinity shook her head and smiled at him. "No." It didn't hurt, although it was a slightly odd sensation, with the water swirling around their hips. It created a fluidity in Zane's movements, as he slid out of her, and then thrust back in. Trinity lifted her hips against his, trying to match his rhythm. It didn't seem to matter that she was awkward and uncertain. He kissed her and murmured nonsense against her lips. Each thrust built the friction in her body. Sweat trailed along Zane's back; she could feel it beneath her fingers as they traced his spine. Trinity's arms tightened around him and she pressed her face against his shoulder, quieting her gasps and soft cries. Her body tightened around his, and she felt him shudder. Zane made a soft groaning sound, ragged as though he tried to stifle it. This time he seemed unconcerned. He lay against her, stroking her damp hair back from her face, and his smile was serene. Trinity just watched him, delighting in the warmth in his eyes. "I've never felt this way before," Zane said quietly, drawing his hand back. Trinity's breath caught in her throat. "What do you mean?" "I'm still not entirely sure," he admitted, pushing himself up into a sitting position. "Is it a good kind of feeling?" Trinity asked. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, feeling uncertain. "Yeah," Zane answered, grinning. "Maybe that's the problem. Sometimes things feel too good..." He waded back into the water, and she followed a moment later. There's no use dwelling on it, Trinity told herself. Until he makes up his mind, there's little I can do. Except show him how she felt. Zane's mood was still playful, so she joined him in his splashing, and it wasn't long before they were splashing at one another. Trinity was just no match for Zane, who could get up a wave that reached all the way across the spring. And so she yielded gracefully to the victor. "We have got to get back to work tomorrow," Trinity said, when they had both settled in the shallow end. Zane groaned. "Don't mention work. I don't want to work." "Baby," Trinity taunted, half turning in his arms and reaching up to tweak his nose. "If you want something fresh, you're going to have to catch it." "What I want is a hamburger," Zane said. "A big, greasy monster of a hamburger with lots of cheese and bacon." "Mmm..." Trinity murmured. "School food sounds more appealing than another round of fish and fruit." "But there's no better way to keep yourself trim," Zane teased, chuckling softly. She tweaked his nose again, and he quieted. They sat together in the water, in silence, for a long time. And afterwards they stretched out together on the rock beside the water, drying off beneath the sun. Zane dozed, but Trinity was unable to. It might have been a little silly, but talking about hamburgers and school food reminded her of just how homesick she was. I could have never managed this alone, she thought, resting her head against Zane's shoulder. What would I have done without him? If they got home--when, she thought fiercely--it would be time to put her foot down. She wasn't going to put up with Sheila any longer. And there was simply no way she would let the blonde anywhere near Zane. Not that he seems too eager to go back to her, Trinity thought, smiling to herself. I'll just have to make sure he wants to stay with me. What kind of relationship could they have, when they weren't working hard just to stay alive? "Wake up, sleepyhead," she said, sometime later. "Do I have to?" Zane groaned, his eyes opening to slits. "Can't we just stay like this?" "Zane," Trinity said, "you do not want to see me when I'm sunburned and starving. I can assure you, it won't be pretty." Zane laughed. "All right, you win. Let's go back to camp, and then I'll head out to catch some fish." ------- Zane never wanted to see another fish again. Or a coconut, or a papaya, or whatever the hell else they'd been eating. And I'll never, ever go fishing, he thought, as he closed the net around the fish. Maybe I'll golf. No more cruises, either. No more beaches for a good long while. He was more than ready to be home, and every day the feeling grew stronger. I'd be crazy right now, if it weren't for Trinity, Zane thought. She may have been cranky sometimes, but cranky company is better than no company. She was waiting for him at their camp. Eventually, having grown sick of fish, Trinity had been trying to figure out ways to spice it up a bit. He paused to watch her as she sliced up a banana with a knife long gone dull. Whatever she's planning, Zane thought, grinning, it ain't gonna work. He dropped down next to her in the sand to begin the rather unpleasant--especially with a dull knife--business of gutting the fish. "Ice cream," Trinity said suddenly. Zane lifted his head to stare at her. "Ice cream?" "Yes," Trinity answered, nodding. "When we get home, take me out for ice cream." "How about pizza, too?" Zane suggested, grinning. "The kind that is just overloaded with cheese. And those pepperonis that curl up like little bowls, with grease all in them." Trinity groaned. "Okay, food talk has to stop now." "You started it," Zane reminded her. Maybe they were going crazy. So much for fish being brain food, Zane thought, as he dipped the fish into a bucket of water to clean it off. They worked in silence, as they so often did. Trinity had cut up other fruit as well. She presented him with a couple of sticks and her idea for 'fish-kabobs'. He wasn't certain it was a good idea, but at this point, he was willing to try anything. Zane was forcing a hunk of fish onto one of the sticks when Trinity lifted her head suddenly, going still. "Do you hear that?" she asked, her voice hushed. Zane blinked. "Hear what?" She shushed him. He paused to listen and eventually he heard it; a soft whup-whup-whup that sounded awfully familiar. Zane looked up, scanning the skies, for he realized what it was. A helicopter! he thought, jumping to his feet. Trinity was on her feet, too. The fish-kabobs forgotten, the two of them raced out into the open, where they could be seen clearly. Zane could see the helicopter and it was coming closer to the island. He felt like an idiot, jumping around and waving his arms, but at least he'd be a rescued idiot. Zane wasn't sure that they'd been seen until the helicopter approached the beach. He stopped jumping and just stared upward. Trinity leaned against him, and he realized that she was crying. "Hello down there!" a voice called, when the helicopter was close enough. "Are you two all right?" Zane raised his voice to be heard above the noise. "If you're asking if we're not hurt, then yes," he called back. "But we'd be a whole lot better if you could get us a pizza!" He could hear the laughter even over the sound of the helicopter. We're going to go home, he realized, relief flooding him. Zane pulled Trinity back, giving the helicopter plenty of room to land. Her tears were ones of relief, he realized, and he might have cried himself, but one of them needed to explain why they were on this island. He closed his arms around her, holding her tight, and let her cry. ------- Chapter 10: Home Airplane food never tasted so good. Even after the dinner, and then breakfast, they'd been treated to. And I slept on a real bed last night, Trinity thought, closing her eyes and remembering the hotel room. And I took a shower! She and Zane had been given two rooms, but in the middle of the night she had slipped through the door adjoining them and crawled into his bed. He hadn't seemed to mind in the least, and he'd been reluctant to let her go when morning came. Trinity had reminded him that they had to get to the airport, and that had gotten him out of bed. As much as she hated airplanes, she didn't mind this one too much. After all, it was taking them home. Trinity wasn't even concerned about the fact that they'd missed the rest of the semester. School paled in comparison to being alive and off that godforsaken island. And they were currently descending now; the flight would be over shortly. Zane was sleeping. Big surprise there, Trinity thought, reaching over and gently touching his cheek. "Zane," she called softly. "Time to wake up..." Zane shifted, opening his eyes. "Already?" "You've been asleep most of the flight, lazy," she teased, smoothing his tousled hair back from his face. "You left me to sit here and fret." "I'm sorry," Zane said, straightening in the seat. "I didn't think... I know how much you hate airplanes." Trinity laughed. "I'm just teasing, silly." He stuck his tongue out at her. Laughing, she rested her head against his shoulder, letting her eyes drift closed as he ran his fingers through her hair. Zane held her like that until they were on the runway. Solid ground, Trinity thought, sighing in relief. Solid ground that isn't in the middle of nowhere. She couldn't wait to get off the airplane. Her parents would be waiting for her. She'd told them to meet her at the luggage claim; they couldn't come close to the gate, anyway. As they filed out of the airplane at last, Zane held her hand, keeping her close behind him. They stepped into the airport terminal, into noise and air-conditioning. There was so many people around them that Trinity clung close to his side. I need to use the bathroom, she thought, looking around for the restrooms. There was nothing that could make her go to the bathroom on an airplane. She spotted it at last, and gave Zane's sleeve a tug. "I'm going to use the bathroom," she explained, when he looked at her. "Would you meet me at the baggage claim?" "Of course," Zane said, grinning. "I want to meet your parents." She went into the bathroom, bright red, with her heart pounding. I can't believe he just said that, Trinity thought, grinning. Meeting the parents was always considered such a serious thing. Especially mine, she thought, wrinkling her nose. And we were stuck on that island together for months... I can just imagine what they think. Still, it wasn't like her parents to be judgmental. Trinity knew they'd give Zane a fair chance. She finished using the bathroom, and washed her hands, then went back into the noisy crowd. People bumped and jostled her, but she didn't notice. There were so many of them, waiting for friends and loved ones. Trinity scanned the crowd quickly. I don't see Zane, she thought, so he must already be... Her heart stuttered in her chest. She'd spotted Zane. And Sheila, too. The two of them were kissing as if the last few months hadn't even happened. ------- He didn't hit women. That was the only thing that kept Zane from shoving Sheila away as hard as he could. He'd tried to avoid her, but she'd spotted him before he could get away. She cried out in surprise when his fingers tightened around her wrists, hard enough to bruise, and he pulled away. I honestly didn't expect her to show, Zane thought, frowning. She must have been in Luke's pants months ago. Heck, chances were good that she'd moved on from him, too. "What kind of greeting is that?" Sheila pouted. "And after we've been apart for so long..." "And how many guys have you slept with since then?" Zane asked, his voice derisive. "I'm not as stupid as you think, Sheila. I'm done putting up with you." Sheila's eyebrows rose. "What's gotten into you?" He really didn't want to do this in a crowd of people. Zane didn't want to be cruel--he'd learned his lesson with Trinity--but he had nothing nice to say to Sheila. He glanced around, looking for Trinity, and finally spotted her making her way slowly towards them. Is something wrong? he wondered, worried by the look on her face. Sheila tugged, and Zane released her. She stumbled back and nearly fell. "What is your problem!?" Sheila demanded, her voice raising to a shriek. The blonde's eyes narrowed on Trinity, and her expression turned suddenly smug. "Trin!" Trinity halted a few steps away, her lips curling into a false smile. "Sheila." "Hun, there is the best coffee place over there," Sheila chatted, pointing. "Be a doll and get me an iced coffee, would you? Me and Zane need to have a little talk." Zane expected some sort of blistering retort. He watched, puzzled, as Trinity changed to one of almost sugary sweetness. "Sure thing, Sheila," she said, before turning on her heel and starting off through the crowd. What the hell is she doing? he wondered, staring after her. I thought she wasn't going to be Sheila's lackey anymore! Still, there was a part of Zane that realized that sugary sweet smile could not possibly bode well for the blonde. "You must have enjoyed yourself," Sheila said, in a snippy tone of voice. "And you accuse me of cheating!" Zane snorted. "It was a good deal more than a week's wait, Sheila," he said. "Should I ask Luke how long it was before you slept with him?" Her face was turning red, and it struck him that she really wasn't all that pretty. She could never understand, Zane thought, sighing. I slept with Trinity because it was special. Sheila had never slept with anyone because she cared about them. He wondered how long it would take Trinity to get back. No sooner had he thought it then she appeared, making her way through the crowd once more. She held a large plastic cup, full of iced coffee, carefully in both hands. Sheila opened her mouth to say something, no doubt rude. Therefore it was open when Trinity pulled the cover off the cup and emptied its contents on the blonde's head. Zane's eyes widened and he covered his mouth, because what he really wanted to do was laugh. Sheila sputtered, stunned. Trinity tossed to cup at her, but she was too shocked to catch it. "From now on, you can get your own coffee, bitch," Trinity growled. Zane followed her when she stomped off again. He wanted to sing. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks, and spun her around to face him. Trinity shrieked in protest as he drew her close, lifting her up off the floor. People stopped to stare at them, but he didn't care. "Brilliant!" he crowed, swinging her up into his arms. "That was absolutely brilliant!" "Let me down!" Trinity exclaimed, pushing at his chest. "Leave me alone, Zane!" "Ah," Zane said, sobering. "I think this time I know what I did wrong." He set her down, but he wouldn't let her get away. "Sometimes, Trinity, what you think you saw isn't really what happened." "I know what I saw!" Trinity snapped. "And I don't want anything to do with you!" "Don't say that," Zane murmured, pulling her close again. He cradled her face in his hands, and rested his forehead against hers. "I don't want to hear that. Someday, when my children ask me when I realized I loved their mother, I want to be able to tell them that it was when she dumped a giant cup of iced coffee on my evil ex-girlfriend." He'd caught her by surprise. Zane watched the expression on her face shift, as though she was uncertain. Trinity wanted to believe him, he could tell, but she was scared. He waited, more patient than he'd ever thought he could be, running his thumb lightly over her lower lip. She didn't push him away, which was encouraging. At last she gave him a quirky smile, her eyebrows lifting. "Children, huh?" she asked. "Don't you think you're getting a wee bit ahead of yourself?" Zane grinned. "Probably. I'm known for it." Relief flooded him, and he brushed a light kiss over her lips. "A man can dream, can't he?" "Yes," Trinity answered. "But start small. How about a goldfish?" He threw back his head and laughed. Zane slid an arm around her waist, holding her close as they started down to the baggage claim. But he couldn't help one last look over his shoulder. Sheila was still standing there, sopping wet and shocked. People were trying to help her, but the only response they got was curses. Well, Zane thought, grinning broadly, that made the whole stay on that wretched island more than worth while. ------- Watching T.V. had never quite been this pleasurable before. Trinity was pressed against his side, and there was a box of pizza on the bed next to them. There was so much cheese on it that it practically slid off when Zane lifted a piece, and the pepperonis had curled into little grease-filled bowls. He held a piece while Trinity nibbled on the end. There were also two pints of ice cream in the freezer. They'd been eating like this quite a bit, and not just the huge bacon cheeseburgers they'd had for lunch, or the stack of pancakes with eggs and sausage they'd had for breakfast. "We are going to get so fat if we keep this up," Trinity said. She licked sauce from her lips and grinned. "I don't think I care," Zane told her, taking a bite of pizza. Their apartment was small, but it was enough. At first, when Zane had asked Trinity to live with him, she'd refused. She'd told him they weren't ready to live together. That first morning, having woken up without her beside him, he'd been miserable, so he hadn't let it go at that. Zane had reminded her that they had lived together for three months already. Still, Trinity had told him no. He'd finally given up, figuring she must not have been ready. And then a few days later, she'd told him she'd changed her mind. Apparently Trinity didn't like waking up alone anymore than he did. Zane liked living with her, anyway. He worked over the summer and she was taking summer classes, so they weren't always in each other's way. And being able to come home to her meant they still had time to spend together, so he was getting to know her even better. "I don't think I'll ever take good for granted again," Trinity said, reaching for another slice of pizza. "You? At least you didn't have to catch it," Zane teased. Trinity huffed. "Yes I most certainly did! With my hands, no less!" "But you did that for me," Zane reminded her, pushing a strand of hair from her face. Trinity nipped at his fingers playfully. They tried hard not to think too much on their time on the island. When they'd come back, they hadn't even wanted to know what had really happened on the cruise ship. Zane couldn't keep away rumors, though. Although little information on what really happened had been released, ideas ranging from thieves to terrorists were still floating around. Perhaps they would have told him the truth, but he didn't want to know. Sometimes, ignorance was bliss. "Didn't you promise me a goldfish?" Zane said suddenly, grinning at her. Trinity wrinkled her nose. "No more fish. Even as a pet. How about a cat?" "Need I remind you of my last encounter with a cat?" Zane said, his eyebrows lifting. "I still have the scars." Those lovely green eyes of hers lit up. He shivered as her hand slid over his skin, her fingers tracing the scars on his side. Trinity lowered her head, laying gentle kisses on his skin all around his scars. Looking down at her, Zane had the sudden fierce urge to make love to her. He wound his fingers into her hair and when she lifted her head, he pulled her mouth to his. Trinity slid a leg over his stomach and settled so she was straddling his hips. She smelled good. Since they'd returned, Trinity had not gone a single day without showering or taking a bath. Zane slid his hands beneath her shirt, over skin that was as soft and fine as silk. He pulled the shirt up, and she sat back, allowing him to pull it off. His hands cupped her breasts, his thumbs feathering lightly over her nipples until they hardened. Trinity squirmed on his lap. "You know," Zane said, his voice husky, "that would feel a whole lot better if I was inside you." Trinity's cheeks turned pink in that shy way that he so adored. He shifted, pushing himself up onto his elbows. Zane's hands slid around her back, pulling her forward, catching one of her nipples in his mouth. She moaned softly, leaning into his mouth. His hands wandered then to the top of her jean shorts, to unfasten them. Trinity wriggled out of his hold enough to discard her shorts and panties. Then she kissed him, a hard, demanding kiss that almost knocked him back onto the bed. Zane wrapped his arms around her, dragging her down against him. Trinity squeaked in surprise and protest, wiggling as his fingers tickled her sides. She laughed and flailed, pushing him away. They played around, tickling and pinching, until the blankets were tangled and the pizza box had been knocked off the bed. When they were both breathless, Zane stopped tickling her, releasing her. Trinity stretched on her stomach with a soft sigh. "Don't tell me I wore you out already," Zane teased, running his hands along her thighs. "We haven't even gotten started yet." "Pig!" Trinity shot back, laughing. He leaned down, pushing her hair to the side to lay kisses along her back. Zane slid a hand between her thighs, thrilling in her soft gasp when he touched her. She was already wet, but he teased her until she was writhing and moaning softly against the pillow. Finally he couldn't take it anymore, either. Zane pulled his shorts off and tossed them aside, then stretched out against her. He slid a hand beneath Trinity's hips, lifting them up, and pushed her thighs opened with his knees. "Zane," Trinity protested weakly, her voice uncertain. "Shhh..." Zane murmured, kissing the delicate curve of her ear. "You know I wouldn't hurt you, Trinity..." She was still so new to all this. He was careful as he slid inside her, sucking in his breath sharply at the feeling of her, warm and tight, around him. Zane kissed the side of her neck, nipping gently at her skin. He started slowly, letting her body get used to the feeling. Soon Trinity had gotten her hands beneath her, and she pushed up, moving her hips back against his. Zane was surprised, but pleased. It felt too good. He moved inside her, increasing his pace bit by bit, until sweat coated his body in a thin sheen. Zane licked the sweat from her neck and shoulder, and felt her shiver. Trinity's hips matched his rhythm with ease and her soft moans mingled with the soft, breathless noises he made. He felt her body shudder, tighten around him, and he pressed his face against her neck, squeezing his eyes shut. Zane's body reacted to hers, and he came deep inside her. Trinity sank down against the mattress, her trembling limbs no longer able to hold her up. He kept himself braced until he had regained his breath enough to slide out of her and move away. Zane flopped down onto the bed next to her, groaning softly. "I don't think I'm gonna be able to move for the next few minutes," he said. Trinity propped herself up onto her elbows and grinned at him. "Did I wear you out already?" "Oh, hush," Zane said, wrinkling his nose. "Get your cute little ass over here." Laughing, Trinity snuggled up against his side. He ran his fingers through her sweat-dampened hair, combing it back from her face. Zane kissed her cheek gently. It's moments like these that I wish could never end, he thought, as she rested her head on his chest. I didn't think my life could ever be so pleasant. But it was pleasant. So much more so than it had ever been with Sheila. Thinking about Sheila still made him grin. Zane had called Luke, and found out the Sheila had managed to wait a whole two weeks before jumping into bed with him. Now she was telling anyone who would listen about how he'd cheated on her with Trinity. But he knew nearly everyone she did. Even the people who couldn't see through Sheila's act didn't really think what Zane had done was cheating. After all, they had been stuck on an island together for three months. "Trinity," Zane called softly. She opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Mmm?" "Would you marry me? Someday, I mean," he added hastily. "Someday," Trinity said, smiling. "If you behave yourself." She paused a moment, then added, "And if you promise we most definitely will not be taking a cruise for our honeymoon." Zane laughed. "We'll go skiing," he promised. Laughing softly, Trinity slid an arm around him and held onto him tightly. Nothing is guaranteed, Zane thought, running a hand along her back. For all he knew, they could be broken up this time next year. But this was definitely one relationship he wanted to make work, so he'd try his best. Looking down at Trinity, who was watching him with sleepy eyes and a content smile, he felt certain the two of them could make it work. ------- The End ------- Posted: 2005-04-29 Last Modified: 2005-05-04 / 10:17:44 pm ------- http://storiesonline.net/ -------