Reverence

The abilities will come when they're ready. And I have faith in our new Visionary." He smirked at me. "She's a goody two shoes that's making the universe a very happy and giving entity. Teacher's pet."
    "Bite me, Kyle."
    He laughed. "See?" He turned back to Lynne and his smile changed. It was the one he saved just for her. "She's totally harmless and on board. So, can't you be?"
    She sighed and chewed the inside of her cheek. "I'm on board, too. I'll chill out."
    "Really? All the way on board?"
    "Choo, choo," she joked wryly and he grinned, taking her face in his hands. But then his thumb swept over the scar and he let his breath go slowly. "Good," he muttered, and I heard his guilty thoughts. He thought he let her down. He had been so upset about Rodney that he wasn't able to heal her cheek and knew she'd be stuck with it forever, because of him.
    "Stop," she whispered harshly. "Stop, Kyle." She gripped his face, too. "It wasn't your fault. You didn't cut me."
    "But I should have been able to heal you."
    "You lost your cousin," she whispered back. "Stop this."
    He thought about it before smiling. "Right back at ya."
    She groaned at being caught in his trap before laughing softly. "Fine."
    When she reached up on her toes to kiss him, I was outta there. I skipped down the stairs, my steps light and curiously worry free. Just yesterday, we'd learned that Haddock was my real father, and then Jen and Bish had imprinted… finally!
    But today, I just felt better. I felt like there was so much more to solve, but that we'd be ok. I hadn't felt that sense in my bones in a long time and I craved it. Things were falling back into their right place.
    Lynne had found me on the roof before. I was trying to call Beck before she interrupted with her cute little tirade. I tried Beck's cell several times, but always got voicemail. And Beck, who was driving up to the mountains with Ralph, was furious with me in the only way a best friend could be as I checked message after message from her that said, "How could you not tell me you were going to freaking London! Why haven't you called me all week?" And of course my favorite. "When am I going to get the juicy details of you and college boy? You better call me back before I got postal on your cute butt!"
    I smiled thinking about that. I missed her. She was my slice of normal pie and I could have used an extra helping.
    I heard his thoughts around the door just a second before his arms closed around my waist. I was pressed, but went willingly, to the wall with my back and then it was all warm lips and closed eyes and soft, but needy hands.
    Poor Caleb. Maria had taken it upon herself after our big reveal with Jen and Bish to come and sleep with us to give them some privacy. Caleb grumbled about needing our own privacy in his mind, but it was just one night, right?
    So when I felt his fingers teasing the skin just under my shirt, to soak me in as much as I was him, I knew he was making up for lost time. The hand in my hair gave me goosebumps as it massaged and swept through my hair gently. I shivered, causing him to groan. I pulled back just a bit and looked up at him.
    My Caleb.
    He smiled cockily and happily back down at me.
    W hy, Mrs. Jacobson, are you blushing?
    Flushing is more like it, I corrected and smirked my own smirk.
    Well, I have it on good authority that our room is finally vacant of transients and squatters. Wanna come and…nap with me.
    His grin was absolutely not about a nap. I bit my lip and nodded for him to lead the way. He laced our fingers as we made our way down the hall. We reached our room and he kissed me again as he fiddled with the door lock. He swept deep in my mouth. I held on to his collar to keep him there and to hold myself up.
    But the loud giggling made us pause. Caleb pushed our door open to find Bish and Jen there. They had their shoes off, their legs hanging off the edge of the bed and they were lounging on their backs looking at each other. Before I could stop myself, I heard their thoughts. They were talking about learning to drive, remembering and laughing.
    They looked up and Jen smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. Mom and Maria are napping in our room."
    "What about your room?" Caleb asked Bish, anxious to evict our guests.
    "They never gave me one," he answered smoothly.
    "Well…" Caleb searched for any semi-polite way to tell them to get the heck out. I chuckled under my breath and grabbed his collar once more. He rested his hands on my lower back,