Unnatural History, "Caught In-Between" ch.13, rated T
Fandom: Unnatural History
Title: Caught In-Between
Chapter Title: 13: A Thief in the Night
Author: Paynesgrey
Rating: R/M (subject to change)
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Characters/Pairings: Henry/Maggie, Jasper/Maggie, & Jasper/Henry
Warnings: polyamory, UST in later chapters.
Disclaimer: Cartoon Network owns Unnatural History. I only borrow and play.
Notes: In progress. OT3 fic, with mature situations to be added later. (Once completed I'll post to the UnH comm here at LJ.)
URLS: FFnet | AO3
Story Summary:As a strange heat wave hits DC, the gang becomes involved in a mystery that enhances their feelings for one another, with a new fertility artifact as a possible cause. Henry x Maggie x Jasper. In-progress.
Previous Chapter
Chapter Thirteen: A Thief in the Night
Maggie exhaled heavily, and Henry drew her into a quick embrace that she readily obliged. She held him for an unknown amount of time, and Henry never wanted to let her go. Reluctantly they pulled apart, but Henry kept his hands on the small of her back. Maggie rested her hands on his chest, and Henry could see she worried for him.
“As long as you’re here, why don’t we talk about this, and how we can make it up to Jasper,” she said thoughtfully, and Henry nodded.
“He was pretty hurt, so I don’t know if we can,” Henry bemoaned with worry, and Maggie drew him in for another quick hug. He felt somewhat soothed when he felt her fingers in his short hair.
“I know, Henry; all we can do is try.” Henry pulled away briefly to meet her eyes, and as her fingers stopped combing through his hair, he leaned up and lightly planted a kiss on her lips. Maggie pushed forward, drawing his mouth more inside and heightening the kiss. Henry wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and the two of them settled like this for a moment, kissing and delighting in each other’s touch.
When Maggie pulled away, she let out a heavy sigh, and Henry could see the torment in her eyes. “I can’t do this. I want to, Henry, believe me, but I can’t keep doing this to Jasper.”
“I know,” Henry said, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Maggie, if this is causing you so much pain, maybe we should stop.”
Maggie leaned close, cupping his cheeks under her palms. “Henry, you don’t get what I’m trying to say here. I love you both, and it would kill me to have to choose between you. I can’t, I just can’t.”
Henry nodded, understanding more than anything her dilemma. He couldn’t give up Jasper either. He was his best friend and family, and despite whatever fights they’d had in the past, he couldn’t with good conscience take away the girl that Jasper’s always longed for, no matter how much Henry felt for Maggie.
“I can concede,” Henry said softly, and Maggie furrowed her brow, not sure if he was serious.
“What...what do you mean concede?” she asked cautiously, not liking where this was going.
“If you cannot choose, I will back out. You can be with Jasper, and I will never hold it against you two. I will just be happy for you both,” Henry said, and when Maggie opened her mouth to protest, Henry put a finger to her lips. “Hear me out. You know me. When I’m done with Smithson High, I’m gone to travel across the world if I can help it. You and Jasper will no doubt stay close.”
“You don’t know that...”
“Yes, I do,” Henry said with a sigh. “I have faith in you both, and if you truly love each other, if you’re meant to be, you’ll stay close and work things out. I...realize I’m the outsider in this. I always will be.” Henry looked away, and Maggie saw tears forming in his eyes, and somehow this speech felt familiar, like last year before summer break when he almost left them to leave for Mongolia.
Maggie drew him into a tight hug, and she shook her head. “I understand and appreciate your sacrifice, Henry, but it’s not your place to do this. What about my feelings? What if I don’t agree to give you up?”
“But Maggie...”
“Shhh...It’s not fair to me for you to do this. You can’t just let go of what we’ve started here, not on a decision like this,” Maggie said.
“I’m not saying it’s easy,” Henry countered, and as he stared at her, he started to get an idea. He gasped. “I know what you need to do. It’ll help you make a decision.”
Maggie looked at him curiously, and he knew that look. Oh, what did Henry Griffin have up his sleeve now?
“You need to kiss Jasper. You need to see how he makes you feel, for real, and you need to go out with him,” Henry said, and when Maggie looked unsure, Henry stressed his point. “I promise I will not mind and I will not get jealous. Just go out with him, approach him and tell him how you feel.”
“What about you? This doesn’t seem like you; you’re more the territorial type,” Maggie mused aloud, still hesitating about his idea.
Henry shook his head, and he reached out his hand and traced a line down her cheek. He took Maggie’s hand and squeezed lightly. “Jasper is the only other man I’d allow to touch you.”
Maggie smiled weakly at that. “You sure know how to flatter a girl.”
Henry laughed lightly, spinning her around. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”
Maggie nodded, walking beside him until he stopped abruptly, turning around with a guarded yet inquisitive expression. “What was that?” Henry whispered, and Maggie had heard it too. There were footsteps, though seemingly light, coming from behind them by the school that Maggie just came from.
“Someone’s here,” Maggie said. “I don’t think it could be a guard.” Henry turned around, sneaking cautiously toward the sound of the footsteps, and when the pace quickened, Maggie followed him as he veered toward them. He stopped suddenly as Maggie almost slammed into his back, and she peeked around his body to see a figure darting away into the shadows. Suddenly, Henry took off and sprinted after the suspicious person who was undoubtedly up to no good. Maggie followed, trying to keep up.
“Wait!” Henry called, alerting their presence, which only made the person run faster away from them. Henry quickened his pace, catching up with them quickly to match their speed. When he came within distance of the person, his nose wrinkled and he took a deep breath.
“I recognize this perfume...” he said idly, and as he slowed his pace, he reached out and caught the arm of the person easily, and she squeaked when she was ultimately captured. Henry spun around, and Maggie stopped behind him in surprise.
“Madison Brinker!” Maggie said, and she and Henry looked down at the green bag in Madison’s hands. When they noticed what she was carrying, she looked terrified and Henry sensed guilt rolling off the girl in waves.
“Just what are you doing here?” Henry asked, and Madison pulled her arm from his grip and glared at him.
“Leave me alone!” she squealed, and she pulled away to run again, but Henry crowded her, and she soon realized she couldn’t escape.
“Were you stealing?” Henry grabbed the bag from her hands, and when she protested, Henry fended her off, looking inside the bag as he frowned with realization. “Mrs. Farah’s artifacts.” He looked pointedly at Maggie. “The Inanna stone is in here.” Henry spun back toward Madison and met her frightened gaze. “So Mrs. Farah wasn’t behind anything; she was right to suspect you.”
“What could you possibly want with the Inanna stone?” Maggie asked. “And how can you be linked to the other robberies?”
Madison’s mouth opened, but when she looked behind them, her face paled.
“I can answer that,” said a voice behind them. Maggie cried suddenly, and Henry sprung protectively to help her, but he was stopped cold as someone held her in a tight grip and a dagger to her throat.
“You...you were behind the robberies!” Henry said, glancing back at Madison and then to Maggie’s captor as she held her life in her hands. “I should have suspected,” Henry said quietly, seething through his teeth. He looked at Maggie desperately and worried for her safety.
“Yes, it’s me. Now be a good boy, Henry, and hand over those artifacts to my associate,” the woman purred, and with Maggie’s safety compromised, Henry could do nothing but begrudgingly comply.
+0+
Chapter Fourteen
Title: Caught In-Between
Chapter Title: 13: A Thief in the Night
Author: Paynesgrey
Rating: R/M (subject to change)
Genre: Adventure/Romance
Characters/Pairings: Henry/Maggie, Jasper/Maggie, & Jasper/Henry
Warnings: polyamory, UST in later chapters.
Disclaimer: Cartoon Network owns Unnatural History. I only borrow and play.
Notes: In progress. OT3 fic, with mature situations to be added later. (Once completed I'll post to the UnH comm here at LJ.)
URLS: FFnet | AO3
Story Summary:As a strange heat wave hits DC, the gang becomes involved in a mystery that enhances their feelings for one another, with a new fertility artifact as a possible cause. Henry x Maggie x Jasper. In-progress.
Previous Chapter
Chapter Thirteen: A Thief in the Night
Maggie exhaled heavily, and Henry drew her into a quick embrace that she readily obliged. She held him for an unknown amount of time, and Henry never wanted to let her go. Reluctantly they pulled apart, but Henry kept his hands on the small of her back. Maggie rested her hands on his chest, and Henry could see she worried for him.
“As long as you’re here, why don’t we talk about this, and how we can make it up to Jasper,” she said thoughtfully, and Henry nodded.
“He was pretty hurt, so I don’t know if we can,” Henry bemoaned with worry, and Maggie drew him in for another quick hug. He felt somewhat soothed when he felt her fingers in his short hair.
“I know, Henry; all we can do is try.” Henry pulled away briefly to meet her eyes, and as her fingers stopped combing through his hair, he leaned up and lightly planted a kiss on her lips. Maggie pushed forward, drawing his mouth more inside and heightening the kiss. Henry wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close, and the two of them settled like this for a moment, kissing and delighting in each other’s touch.
When Maggie pulled away, she let out a heavy sigh, and Henry could see the torment in her eyes. “I can’t do this. I want to, Henry, believe me, but I can’t keep doing this to Jasper.”
“I know,” Henry said, pushing a strand of her hair behind her ear. “Maggie, if this is causing you so much pain, maybe we should stop.”
Maggie leaned close, cupping his cheeks under her palms. “Henry, you don’t get what I’m trying to say here. I love you both, and it would kill me to have to choose between you. I can’t, I just can’t.”
Henry nodded, understanding more than anything her dilemma. He couldn’t give up Jasper either. He was his best friend and family, and despite whatever fights they’d had in the past, he couldn’t with good conscience take away the girl that Jasper’s always longed for, no matter how much Henry felt for Maggie.
“I can concede,” Henry said softly, and Maggie furrowed her brow, not sure if he was serious.
“What...what do you mean concede?” she asked cautiously, not liking where this was going.
“If you cannot choose, I will back out. You can be with Jasper, and I will never hold it against you two. I will just be happy for you both,” Henry said, and when Maggie opened her mouth to protest, Henry put a finger to her lips. “Hear me out. You know me. When I’m done with Smithson High, I’m gone to travel across the world if I can help it. You and Jasper will no doubt stay close.”
“You don’t know that...”
“Yes, I do,” Henry said with a sigh. “I have faith in you both, and if you truly love each other, if you’re meant to be, you’ll stay close and work things out. I...realize I’m the outsider in this. I always will be.” Henry looked away, and Maggie saw tears forming in his eyes, and somehow this speech felt familiar, like last year before summer break when he almost left them to leave for Mongolia.
Maggie drew him into a tight hug, and she shook her head. “I understand and appreciate your sacrifice, Henry, but it’s not your place to do this. What about my feelings? What if I don’t agree to give you up?”
“But Maggie...”
“Shhh...It’s not fair to me for you to do this. You can’t just let go of what we’ve started here, not on a decision like this,” Maggie said.
“I’m not saying it’s easy,” Henry countered, and as he stared at her, he started to get an idea. He gasped. “I know what you need to do. It’ll help you make a decision.”
Maggie looked at him curiously, and he knew that look. Oh, what did Henry Griffin have up his sleeve now?
“You need to kiss Jasper. You need to see how he makes you feel, for real, and you need to go out with him,” Henry said, and when Maggie looked unsure, Henry stressed his point. “I promise I will not mind and I will not get jealous. Just go out with him, approach him and tell him how you feel.”
“What about you? This doesn’t seem like you; you’re more the territorial type,” Maggie mused aloud, still hesitating about his idea.
Henry shook his head, and he reached out his hand and traced a line down her cheek. He took Maggie’s hand and squeezed lightly. “Jasper is the only other man I’d allow to touch you.”
Maggie smiled weakly at that. “You sure know how to flatter a girl.”
Henry laughed lightly, spinning her around. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”
Maggie nodded, walking beside him until he stopped abruptly, turning around with a guarded yet inquisitive expression. “What was that?” Henry whispered, and Maggie had heard it too. There were footsteps, though seemingly light, coming from behind them by the school that Maggie just came from.
“Someone’s here,” Maggie said. “I don’t think it could be a guard.” Henry turned around, sneaking cautiously toward the sound of the footsteps, and when the pace quickened, Maggie followed him as he veered toward them. He stopped suddenly as Maggie almost slammed into his back, and she peeked around his body to see a figure darting away into the shadows. Suddenly, Henry took off and sprinted after the suspicious person who was undoubtedly up to no good. Maggie followed, trying to keep up.
“Wait!” Henry called, alerting their presence, which only made the person run faster away from them. Henry quickened his pace, catching up with them quickly to match their speed. When he came within distance of the person, his nose wrinkled and he took a deep breath.
“I recognize this perfume...” he said idly, and as he slowed his pace, he reached out and caught the arm of the person easily, and she squeaked when she was ultimately captured. Henry spun around, and Maggie stopped behind him in surprise.
“Madison Brinker!” Maggie said, and she and Henry looked down at the green bag in Madison’s hands. When they noticed what she was carrying, she looked terrified and Henry sensed guilt rolling off the girl in waves.
“Just what are you doing here?” Henry asked, and Madison pulled her arm from his grip and glared at him.
“Leave me alone!” she squealed, and she pulled away to run again, but Henry crowded her, and she soon realized she couldn’t escape.
“Were you stealing?” Henry grabbed the bag from her hands, and when she protested, Henry fended her off, looking inside the bag as he frowned with realization. “Mrs. Farah’s artifacts.” He looked pointedly at Maggie. “The Inanna stone is in here.” Henry spun back toward Madison and met her frightened gaze. “So Mrs. Farah wasn’t behind anything; she was right to suspect you.”
“What could you possibly want with the Inanna stone?” Maggie asked. “And how can you be linked to the other robberies?”
Madison’s mouth opened, but when she looked behind them, her face paled.
“I can answer that,” said a voice behind them. Maggie cried suddenly, and Henry sprung protectively to help her, but he was stopped cold as someone held her in a tight grip and a dagger to her throat.
“You...you were behind the robberies!” Henry said, glancing back at Madison and then to Maggie’s captor as she held her life in her hands. “I should have suspected,” Henry said quietly, seething through his teeth. He looked at Maggie desperately and worried for her safety.
“Yes, it’s me. Now be a good boy, Henry, and hand over those artifacts to my associate,” the woman purred, and with Maggie’s safety compromised, Henry could do nothing but begrudgingly comply.
+0+
Chapter Fourteen