Pantheon - Chapter Six
Sometimes, the characters just won't shut up, and you HAVE to write them.
That so rocks.
Title: Pantheon
Author: That'd be me. *grins* Andrew, Obsidian, call me what you want. But only if it's nice. ;)
Rating: R, or MA, whichever you understand better. ^_^
Comments: Obviously, this is an AU, but it'll be a bit more alternate then most, as this fic's Amy has something of a hidden past, which is in the process of shaking quite a number of worlds as it surfaces. And if you thought there was angst in my last fic... *evil chuckle* I know Lucy has been a bit absent from the fic for the last chapter or two, but it was for a good cause, really! But since I'm not completely evil (hey, who was snickering at that? Don't think I can't see you back there!), I'll try to fix that in this one. Enjoy!
Legal Disclaimer: I do not own 'D.E.B.S.' That belongs to the fabulously talented Angela Robinson. 'The Pretender' was created by Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Van Sickle. (No idea who owns it now, as I don't think it's TNT anymore...)
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Six
There was an uncertain silence in the office while Lyle went to get Diabolique her coffee, as the others tried to figure out just what they were supposed to say - or, as in Parker's case, tried to contain her amusement at seeing Lyle ordered around in such a fashion.
Diabolique settled the matter for them. "I am certain I do not need to tell you, ze Triumvirate is NOT pleased," she began.
"So I've heard," Miss Parker remarked, giving Lyle a smirk as he brought over Diabolique's coffee.
Lyle pointedly ignored her. In turn, Diabolique herself took the coffee without a word, taking a sip before settling it down on the desk near her. "You're welcome," Lyle said dryly.
Diabolique narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before turning her attention back to Miss Parker. "Ze problem, of course, is that they also have no wish to start a war with ze United States government. And," she said as she picked up a folder from the desk and selected a paper from it, "ze D.E.B.S. will notice immediately if you try to do anything to zis 'Amy'." She held up the paper, allowing the others to see it was some kind of motivational poster for spies. What caught their attention most, however, was the fact that Amy was on it. "We did some checking. Not only has Amy Bradshaw been a D.E.B. for four years, currently on ze top squad, but she is their 'Perfect Score'."
"What does that mean?" Broots wondered aloud, then instantly looked sorry he'd opened his mouth.
"It means zat, on ze test that they administer to measure a student's ability to lie, cheat, fight, and kill, she got a perfect score. Ze only one ever. She is, quite literally, their poster child. And as you saw yourselves, zey keep a close eye on her."
"Do they know what she is?" Lyle asked sharply.
Diabolique looked like she just wanted to ignore him again, but she had to respond to questions like that. No matter how slimy she found him.
She had her orders, after all.
"Zat is uncertain," she said, looking at him balefully. "Though it seems unlikely she would wish to tell them. And she would, naturally, be very good at hiding things. Ultimately, it doesn't matter," she said, swinging her gaze back to Parker again. "Ze Triumvirate wishes to get her back, obviously. Since you cannot merely storm into ze D.E.B.S. academy and take her away with your usual utter lack of subtlety, we will have to wait until her team goes on a mission before trying anything. I have people watching ze D.E.B.S. now to let me know when zat will be. In ze meantime, you will continue your attempts at capturing Jarod."
Parker didn't exactly look pleased. "And I suppose you'll be helping us with that, too?"
Diabolique took another drag from her cigarette before putting it out in a convenient ashtray. "If I must."
"Oh, happy day."
Ignoring his sister's attitude with an ease that suggested long practice, Lyle looked Diabolique over and said, "Well, I, for one, look forward to working with you."
Diabolique put the poster back in the folder, finished her coffee, and slid off the desk. "Your help will not be required, monsieur Lyle," she said, not even sparing him a glance as she walked past him.
"If you know who I am," he said, stopping her, "you know that it would be best for you to accept my help, whether you think you need it or not."
"I think not. Your... How do you say? Your reputation precedes you," she said, sounding disdainful.
"All the more reason."
She half-turned, giving him a raised eyebrow over her left shoulder. "Zat is not ze reputation I was referring to."
"I wish it didn't have to be you doing this, Dom," Amy said unhappily. Dominique was going to be leaving for The Centre soon, after her final briefing. She was already packed and otherwise ready to go, but Amy had slipped into her room for a quick word before she left.
Dominique didn't think Amy had ever actually been in her room before, but aside from a quick - and seemingly reflexive - scan of her new surroundings, her attention was focused entirely on her teammate. "I had thought zat zis was your idea."
"It was, but..." She sighed nervously, biting her lower lip. "That was before I knew Lyle was back. Jarod and I spent some time talking while we cleaned up his hideout. "Lyle... has a thing for Asians."
"Zat may help me, non?"
Amy's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she nearly shouted, just catching herself at the last instant. She closed the gap between them and took hold of Dominique's arms. "I want you to promise me that you'll stay away from Lyle!"
"Amy...?"
Amy proceeded, in excruciating detail, to tell her about just what had happened to the other Asian women that Lyle had been attracted to. It wasn't until the subject of canabilism was raised that Dominique's china doll mask broke, and she looked both disgusted and profoundly disturbed. And possibly just a little scared. "None of them were French, however, so I'm hoping that will help you, here."
"You believe zat will be enough?"
Amy looked inscrutable. "It can be, sometimes. But if you stay away from him, and keep your guard up at all times, you should be just fine. Besides, given the alias that's been set up for you, he should be too afraid to touch you, if you don't want him to." She sighed. "And it's hardly like Max or Janet could pull this off. Just... please. Be careful." She pulled Dominique into a rare hug, the two of them never having been as physically affectionate as Amy was with either Max or Janet.
"I intend to be," Dominique replied, idly noticing the way Amy tensed a bit and inhaled a slight yet sharp breath as she slipped her own arms around Amy's back and returned the hug, then dismissing it as unimportant.
"Good."
Lyle looked almost startled for a second, as if no one ever called him on his... reputation, then hid it behind a mask. "As you wish. I'll be around if you change your mind," he said with smile that pretty well defined "smarm", then brushed past her and left the office.
Miss Parker looked at her with something that, on someone else, could possibly have been respect. "You're gonna have to teach me that trick."
Diabolique half-smiled.
"Is it really that hard to get into the D.E.B.S. Academy?" Broots asked. "Not that I want to. I mean, that would be illegal. Er, more so then usual. What I mean is-"
"Trust me, monsieur Broots," she said, mercifully cutting him off. "It would be impossible to get through ze D.E.B.S. security."
**********************************************
It was almost ridiculously easy to get through the D.E.B.S. security, Lucy noted yet again as she hopped over the plaid-colored laser sensors on the lawn.
There were times she wondered if any D.E.B. had ever just snapped at the sight of so much plaid and started mowing people down with one of those over-sized guns they insisted on carrying around.
She'd only just gotten back into town after seeing Jarod off safely. They'd both been somewhat surprised by the fact that they'd actually managed to get along so well. But mutual concern and affection for Amy had helped make inroads that had gotten them talking.
She probably should have gone right back to her lair, she knew as she got out the suction cups again, as she was kind of tired. But she needed to see Amy first, rationalizing that Amy would want to know for a fact that Jarod had gotten away safely, and where he'd said he was heading.
It was a little weak, she knew, and probably nothing that couldn't have waited until the next day, but she was already there, and who knew what the D.E.B.S. would be doing tomorrow?
At least this time, she reflected as she climbed, she didn't have to search out just where Amy's room was.
**********************************************
Sekhmet grunted as she hit the ground for the third time. "You're still dropping your guard on your left," Athena said, shaking her head. At fifteen, she was the oldest of the group, and had effortlessly slipped into the role of big sister to the others. Their handlers usually had her doing simulations, rather then training for future missions, but she was also allowed to supervise sparring sessions.
"But if I focus my attention on my left side, he clobbers me on my right," Sekhmet protested as Apollo - her opponent this time around - helped her back to her feet.
"You need to find your balance," Athena said, gently but firmly.
"I think you did better that time," Apollo offered with a smile, which Sekhmet returned.
"He's bigger then me," she said to Athena.
"And you're faster then him. Use that."
"If that was better," a new voice opined, "I'd hate to see what she was doing before." A disgusted sigh. "Why are you still wasting your time with her?"
Sekhmet flinched internally, but by now had learned to suppress that. Oh, not her, not now... She looked over to see Kali leaning against the door frame, watching the proceedings with a disdainful air. She might have thought that the other girl had taken an immediate dislike to her ever since they'd first met, if she didn't know that Kali was like that with just about everyone. "Your session's not for another twenty-four minutes, Kali," Athena informed her coolly.
"You think that's all the time you'll need to teach her to actually land a punch?"
I'm only seven! I shouldn't BE learning how to fight! the part of her that was still Amy protested. Aloud, she asked, "Why are you so mean?!"
"Why are you so pathetic?"
"Kali!" Athena snapped, but the Indian girl wasn't finished, yet. "I've seen her test scores, Athena! She should be doing better then she is, in just about every field! Unless, of course," she said, sneering at Sekhmet, "she's not even really trying. Maybe you're going too easy on her?"
"Maybe your stupid tests are wrong!" Sekhmet shouted, marching forward and shrugging off Apollo's restraining grip. "Maybe I shouldn't be here!"
"Better not let Them hear you say that," Kali said with a nasty smirk. "You know what happens to the failures."
Sekhmet buried a shiver, knowing the other girl was referring to the VERY short-lived tenure of Pan, who'd been there for a whole two days before he vanished, never to be seen again. "Shut up! Just shut up!" she raged, as much at The Centre in general as at Kali, and threw a punch.
Kali would have been literally floored if she hadn't been expecting it. Even then, it grazed her chin as she dodged backwards, then grabbed Sekhmet's wrist and pulled, allowing Sekhmet's own momentum to propel her into the wall, then pulled it up behind her back until Sekhmet couldn't stop a cry of pain. "You're supposed to be the second best one here," Kali growled into her ear. "You're making me look bad. So, if you don't want them to kill you, shape up!" She released Sekhmet with a huff and stalked out the door.
Sekhmet barely noticed as Athena and Apollo fussed over her, Kali's words still ringing through her brain.
"If you don't want them to kill you, shape up."
An almost imperceptible sound startled Amy out of her dream, and she registered the presence above her before her brain had time to reboot. Acting purely on instinct she grabbed at it and pulled it over the bed to crash onto the carpet, even as she rolled with it, landing atop the body hard enough to make the breath whoosh out of it. Her fist pulled back for what might easily have been a killing strike-
"Oof! Whoa, Amy, it's me!"
-if she hadn't recognized Lucy's voice just in time. Firmly snapping back to the present, she glared down at Lucy in a curious mixture of relieved exasperation. "Are you out of your mind? I could have killed you!" she hissed, hoping like hell they hadn't woken anyone else.
"So, I suppose I don't need to point out that we really need to stop meeting like this?" Lucy asked with some amusement, sounding a little pained.
Probably because, Amy realized with some chagrin, she was still sitting on top of Lucy's chest, which couldn't possibly be making it easy to breathe. She got to her feet and helped Lucy up. "What are you doing here?" she whispered, then couldn't resist adding, "Again?"
Lucy sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to her. "Well, I thought you might want to know that Jarod is safely on his way to Des Moines, and it's not exactly like I could just call you and tell you."
Amy sat down next to her, enjoying the slight shiver that proximity to Lucy tended to bring. "Thank you." She paused. "Des Moines?"
Lucy stifled a snicker. "Don't ask me, I have no idea." She hesitated, looking uncertain. "So, how did... everything else go? I mean, I can see that you're all right, but..."
Amy sighed. "Things went about as well as I expected. They say they understand and forgive me, but I know it'll take my squad a while to really accept everything. Hopefully, it won't interfere with our efforts to take down The Centre."
"Is there anything I can do?" Lucy asked without thinking.
Amy smiled at her fondly. "I don't know yet. Obviously, it'll be a bit... difficult for anyone to believe that the D.E.B.S. Most Wanted suddenly wants to help, at least right now. I'll try and work on that. But I do know it would really hurt the others to learn that I told someone I only knew for a few days something I couldn't tell them for several years."
Lucy nodded, smiling sadly. "I guess I can understand that," she replied. Neither of them, she noticed, were mentioning the whole cop/criminal thing. "I suppose I should probably get going."
"Probably." Neither of them made any move to get off the bed.
"I mean, it has been a long day," Lucy continued, shifting a bit to face Amy more directly.
"Very."
"Full of surprises."
"And tense conversations."
Lucy leaned closer. "Someone could come check on you any minute."
"Especially since I escaped from a master criminal and a large number of Sweepers," Amy agreed.
"So it would be dangerous for me to stay," Lucy whispered, her mouth inches from Amy's.
"Extremely," Amy breathed, then closed the gap and kissed her girlfriend.
"Very, very dangerous," Lucy continued, breaking away to plant kisses along Amy's neck.
"Crazy, even," Amy said, her breath hitching as they leaned backwards until she was resting her head on her pillow, Lucy's weight comfortably atop her. It was getting too hard to think, so her body started shifting into autopilot.
"Downright loony," Lucy replied, then momentarily froze as Amy's hands slipped under her shirt, reaching around to unclasp her bra. She looked down at Amy, the question 'Are you sure?' plain in her eyes. Amy nodded in reply, her hungry gaze telling Lucy everything she needed to know. "Completely bonkers," she added before Amy tugged off her shirt.
"You really need to stop talking, now," Amy informed her. The two quickly forgot about their conversation, and pretty much everything else, lost in exploring each other.
**********************************************
When Amy awoke the next morning, it was to an entirely new sensation: serenity. She couldn't quite remember the last time she'd slept so peacefully, even with all the security features of the academy.
Indeed, she did now remember she'd had a nightmare last night, but after that she'd had simply the most amazing dream ever. She stretched, still enjoying the lingering satisfaction that it had left her with-
-and bumped into a warm, sleeping body right next to her. She froze, then chanced a quick peek.
Sure enough, there was the naked form of one Lucy Diamond.
Her face turned bright pink.
Lucy mumbled something in her sleep, then slipped an arm around her waist. Her equally bare waist, she noticed, face somehow warming even more. "Lucy!" she whispered, barely audibly. "Wake up!"
"Mrgle frrgha bwah?"
"Wake up!"
Lucy blinked at her in confusion as she opened her eyes, then fixed her with a warm smile that melted something inside her. Finally, though, it seemed to sink in to Lucy's brain that she was NOT somewhere she was supposed to be. "Guess we overslept, a little?"
"Well," Amy said, attempting to be philosophical about it, "at least I know last night wasn't just some fantastic dream."
Lucy gave her that smile again. "'Fantastic', huh?"
Her face was going to actually catch on fire if it got any hotter, she just knew it. "Look, you," she began, but was cut off by a loud knock at her door. "Amy, can we talk?" asked the voice she least wanted to hear just then.
Max.
________________________________________________________________________
Did everybody like that? Good. ^_^
Next time - Dominique learns more about Pantheon, Scud learns Janet has a slight... problem when it comes to shopping, and the D.E.B.S. get an idea of just how good Amy really is.
That so rocks.
Title: Pantheon
Author: That'd be me. *grins* Andrew, Obsidian, call me what you want. But only if it's nice. ;)
Rating: R, or MA, whichever you understand better. ^_^
Comments: Obviously, this is an AU, but it'll be a bit more alternate then most, as this fic's Amy has something of a hidden past, which is in the process of shaking quite a number of worlds as it surfaces. And if you thought there was angst in my last fic... *evil chuckle* I know Lucy has been a bit absent from the fic for the last chapter or two, but it was for a good cause, really! But since I'm not completely evil (hey, who was snickering at that? Don't think I can't see you back there!), I'll try to fix that in this one. Enjoy!
Legal Disclaimer: I do not own 'D.E.B.S.' That belongs to the fabulously talented Angela Robinson. 'The Pretender' was created by Steven Long Mitchell and Craig W. Van Sickle. (No idea who owns it now, as I don't think it's TNT anymore...)
________________________________________________________________________
Chapter Six
There was an uncertain silence in the office while Lyle went to get Diabolique her coffee, as the others tried to figure out just what they were supposed to say - or, as in Parker's case, tried to contain her amusement at seeing Lyle ordered around in such a fashion.
Diabolique settled the matter for them. "I am certain I do not need to tell you, ze Triumvirate is NOT pleased," she began.
"So I've heard," Miss Parker remarked, giving Lyle a smirk as he brought over Diabolique's coffee.
Lyle pointedly ignored her. In turn, Diabolique herself took the coffee without a word, taking a sip before settling it down on the desk near her. "You're welcome," Lyle said dryly.
Diabolique narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before turning her attention back to Miss Parker. "Ze problem, of course, is that they also have no wish to start a war with ze United States government. And," she said as she picked up a folder from the desk and selected a paper from it, "ze D.E.B.S. will notice immediately if you try to do anything to zis 'Amy'." She held up the paper, allowing the others to see it was some kind of motivational poster for spies. What caught their attention most, however, was the fact that Amy was on it. "We did some checking. Not only has Amy Bradshaw been a D.E.B. for four years, currently on ze top squad, but she is their 'Perfect Score'."
"What does that mean?" Broots wondered aloud, then instantly looked sorry he'd opened his mouth.
"It means zat, on ze test that they administer to measure a student's ability to lie, cheat, fight, and kill, she got a perfect score. Ze only one ever. She is, quite literally, their poster child. And as you saw yourselves, zey keep a close eye on her."
"Do they know what she is?" Lyle asked sharply.
Diabolique looked like she just wanted to ignore him again, but she had to respond to questions like that. No matter how slimy she found him.
She had her orders, after all.
"Zat is uncertain," she said, looking at him balefully. "Though it seems unlikely she would wish to tell them. And she would, naturally, be very good at hiding things. Ultimately, it doesn't matter," she said, swinging her gaze back to Parker again. "Ze Triumvirate wishes to get her back, obviously. Since you cannot merely storm into ze D.E.B.S. academy and take her away with your usual utter lack of subtlety, we will have to wait until her team goes on a mission before trying anything. I have people watching ze D.E.B.S. now to let me know when zat will be. In ze meantime, you will continue your attempts at capturing Jarod."
Parker didn't exactly look pleased. "And I suppose you'll be helping us with that, too?"
Diabolique took another drag from her cigarette before putting it out in a convenient ashtray. "If I must."
"Oh, happy day."
Ignoring his sister's attitude with an ease that suggested long practice, Lyle looked Diabolique over and said, "Well, I, for one, look forward to working with you."
Diabolique put the poster back in the folder, finished her coffee, and slid off the desk. "Your help will not be required, monsieur Lyle," she said, not even sparing him a glance as she walked past him.
"If you know who I am," he said, stopping her, "you know that it would be best for you to accept my help, whether you think you need it or not."
"I think not. Your... How do you say? Your reputation precedes you," she said, sounding disdainful.
"All the more reason."
She half-turned, giving him a raised eyebrow over her left shoulder. "Zat is not ze reputation I was referring to."
"I wish it didn't have to be you doing this, Dom," Amy said unhappily. Dominique was going to be leaving for The Centre soon, after her final briefing. She was already packed and otherwise ready to go, but Amy had slipped into her room for a quick word before she left.
Dominique didn't think Amy had ever actually been in her room before, but aside from a quick - and seemingly reflexive - scan of her new surroundings, her attention was focused entirely on her teammate. "I had thought zat zis was your idea."
"It was, but..." She sighed nervously, biting her lower lip. "That was before I knew Lyle was back. Jarod and I spent some time talking while we cleaned up his hideout. "Lyle... has a thing for Asians."
"Zat may help me, non?"
Amy's eyes widened in horror. "No!" she nearly shouted, just catching herself at the last instant. She closed the gap between them and took hold of Dominique's arms. "I want you to promise me that you'll stay away from Lyle!"
"Amy...?"
Amy proceeded, in excruciating detail, to tell her about just what had happened to the other Asian women that Lyle had been attracted to. It wasn't until the subject of canabilism was raised that Dominique's china doll mask broke, and she looked both disgusted and profoundly disturbed. And possibly just a little scared. "None of them were French, however, so I'm hoping that will help you, here."
"You believe zat will be enough?"
Amy looked inscrutable. "It can be, sometimes. But if you stay away from him, and keep your guard up at all times, you should be just fine. Besides, given the alias that's been set up for you, he should be too afraid to touch you, if you don't want him to." She sighed. "And it's hardly like Max or Janet could pull this off. Just... please. Be careful." She pulled Dominique into a rare hug, the two of them never having been as physically affectionate as Amy was with either Max or Janet.
"I intend to be," Dominique replied, idly noticing the way Amy tensed a bit and inhaled a slight yet sharp breath as she slipped her own arms around Amy's back and returned the hug, then dismissing it as unimportant.
"Good."
Lyle looked almost startled for a second, as if no one ever called him on his... reputation, then hid it behind a mask. "As you wish. I'll be around if you change your mind," he said with smile that pretty well defined "smarm", then brushed past her and left the office.
Miss Parker looked at her with something that, on someone else, could possibly have been respect. "You're gonna have to teach me that trick."
Diabolique half-smiled.
"Is it really that hard to get into the D.E.B.S. Academy?" Broots asked. "Not that I want to. I mean, that would be illegal. Er, more so then usual. What I mean is-"
"Trust me, monsieur Broots," she said, mercifully cutting him off. "It would be impossible to get through ze D.E.B.S. security."
**********************************************
It was almost ridiculously easy to get through the D.E.B.S. security, Lucy noted yet again as she hopped over the plaid-colored laser sensors on the lawn.
There were times she wondered if any D.E.B. had ever just snapped at the sight of so much plaid and started mowing people down with one of those over-sized guns they insisted on carrying around.
She'd only just gotten back into town after seeing Jarod off safely. They'd both been somewhat surprised by the fact that they'd actually managed to get along so well. But mutual concern and affection for Amy had helped make inroads that had gotten them talking.
She probably should have gone right back to her lair, she knew as she got out the suction cups again, as she was kind of tired. But she needed to see Amy first, rationalizing that Amy would want to know for a fact that Jarod had gotten away safely, and where he'd said he was heading.
It was a little weak, she knew, and probably nothing that couldn't have waited until the next day, but she was already there, and who knew what the D.E.B.S. would be doing tomorrow?
At least this time, she reflected as she climbed, she didn't have to search out just where Amy's room was.
**********************************************
Sekhmet grunted as she hit the ground for the third time. "You're still dropping your guard on your left," Athena said, shaking her head. At fifteen, she was the oldest of the group, and had effortlessly slipped into the role of big sister to the others. Their handlers usually had her doing simulations, rather then training for future missions, but she was also allowed to supervise sparring sessions.
"But if I focus my attention on my left side, he clobbers me on my right," Sekhmet protested as Apollo - her opponent this time around - helped her back to her feet.
"You need to find your balance," Athena said, gently but firmly.
"I think you did better that time," Apollo offered with a smile, which Sekhmet returned.
"He's bigger then me," she said to Athena.
"And you're faster then him. Use that."
"If that was better," a new voice opined, "I'd hate to see what she was doing before." A disgusted sigh. "Why are you still wasting your time with her?"
Sekhmet flinched internally, but by now had learned to suppress that. Oh, not her, not now... She looked over to see Kali leaning against the door frame, watching the proceedings with a disdainful air. She might have thought that the other girl had taken an immediate dislike to her ever since they'd first met, if she didn't know that Kali was like that with just about everyone. "Your session's not for another twenty-four minutes, Kali," Athena informed her coolly.
"You think that's all the time you'll need to teach her to actually land a punch?"
I'm only seven! I shouldn't BE learning how to fight! the part of her that was still Amy protested. Aloud, she asked, "Why are you so mean?!"
"Why are you so pathetic?"
"Kali!" Athena snapped, but the Indian girl wasn't finished, yet. "I've seen her test scores, Athena! She should be doing better then she is, in just about every field! Unless, of course," she said, sneering at Sekhmet, "she's not even really trying. Maybe you're going too easy on her?"
"Maybe your stupid tests are wrong!" Sekhmet shouted, marching forward and shrugging off Apollo's restraining grip. "Maybe I shouldn't be here!"
"Better not let Them hear you say that," Kali said with a nasty smirk. "You know what happens to the failures."
Sekhmet buried a shiver, knowing the other girl was referring to the VERY short-lived tenure of Pan, who'd been there for a whole two days before he vanished, never to be seen again. "Shut up! Just shut up!" she raged, as much at The Centre in general as at Kali, and threw a punch.
Kali would have been literally floored if she hadn't been expecting it. Even then, it grazed her chin as she dodged backwards, then grabbed Sekhmet's wrist and pulled, allowing Sekhmet's own momentum to propel her into the wall, then pulled it up behind her back until Sekhmet couldn't stop a cry of pain. "You're supposed to be the second best one here," Kali growled into her ear. "You're making me look bad. So, if you don't want them to kill you, shape up!" She released Sekhmet with a huff and stalked out the door.
Sekhmet barely noticed as Athena and Apollo fussed over her, Kali's words still ringing through her brain.
"If you don't want them to kill you, shape up."
An almost imperceptible sound startled Amy out of her dream, and she registered the presence above her before her brain had time to reboot. Acting purely on instinct she grabbed at it and pulled it over the bed to crash onto the carpet, even as she rolled with it, landing atop the body hard enough to make the breath whoosh out of it. Her fist pulled back for what might easily have been a killing strike-
"Oof! Whoa, Amy, it's me!"
-if she hadn't recognized Lucy's voice just in time. Firmly snapping back to the present, she glared down at Lucy in a curious mixture of relieved exasperation. "Are you out of your mind? I could have killed you!" she hissed, hoping like hell they hadn't woken anyone else.
"So, I suppose I don't need to point out that we really need to stop meeting like this?" Lucy asked with some amusement, sounding a little pained.
Probably because, Amy realized with some chagrin, she was still sitting on top of Lucy's chest, which couldn't possibly be making it easy to breathe. She got to her feet and helped Lucy up. "What are you doing here?" she whispered, then couldn't resist adding, "Again?"
Lucy sat down on the bed and patted the spot next to her. "Well, I thought you might want to know that Jarod is safely on his way to Des Moines, and it's not exactly like I could just call you and tell you."
Amy sat down next to her, enjoying the slight shiver that proximity to Lucy tended to bring. "Thank you." She paused. "Des Moines?"
Lucy stifled a snicker. "Don't ask me, I have no idea." She hesitated, looking uncertain. "So, how did... everything else go? I mean, I can see that you're all right, but..."
Amy sighed. "Things went about as well as I expected. They say they understand and forgive me, but I know it'll take my squad a while to really accept everything. Hopefully, it won't interfere with our efforts to take down The Centre."
"Is there anything I can do?" Lucy asked without thinking.
Amy smiled at her fondly. "I don't know yet. Obviously, it'll be a bit... difficult for anyone to believe that the D.E.B.S. Most Wanted suddenly wants to help, at least right now. I'll try and work on that. But I do know it would really hurt the others to learn that I told someone I only knew for a few days something I couldn't tell them for several years."
Lucy nodded, smiling sadly. "I guess I can understand that," she replied. Neither of them, she noticed, were mentioning the whole cop/criminal thing. "I suppose I should probably get going."
"Probably." Neither of them made any move to get off the bed.
"I mean, it has been a long day," Lucy continued, shifting a bit to face Amy more directly.
"Very."
"Full of surprises."
"And tense conversations."
Lucy leaned closer. "Someone could come check on you any minute."
"Especially since I escaped from a master criminal and a large number of Sweepers," Amy agreed.
"So it would be dangerous for me to stay," Lucy whispered, her mouth inches from Amy's.
"Extremely," Amy breathed, then closed the gap and kissed her girlfriend.
"Very, very dangerous," Lucy continued, breaking away to plant kisses along Amy's neck.
"Crazy, even," Amy said, her breath hitching as they leaned backwards until she was resting her head on her pillow, Lucy's weight comfortably atop her. It was getting too hard to think, so her body started shifting into autopilot.
"Downright loony," Lucy replied, then momentarily froze as Amy's hands slipped under her shirt, reaching around to unclasp her bra. She looked down at Amy, the question 'Are you sure?' plain in her eyes. Amy nodded in reply, her hungry gaze telling Lucy everything she needed to know. "Completely bonkers," she added before Amy tugged off her shirt.
"You really need to stop talking, now," Amy informed her. The two quickly forgot about their conversation, and pretty much everything else, lost in exploring each other.
**********************************************
When Amy awoke the next morning, it was to an entirely new sensation: serenity. She couldn't quite remember the last time she'd slept so peacefully, even with all the security features of the academy.
Indeed, she did now remember she'd had a nightmare last night, but after that she'd had simply the most amazing dream ever. She stretched, still enjoying the lingering satisfaction that it had left her with-
-and bumped into a warm, sleeping body right next to her. She froze, then chanced a quick peek.
Sure enough, there was the naked form of one Lucy Diamond.
Her face turned bright pink.
Lucy mumbled something in her sleep, then slipped an arm around her waist. Her equally bare waist, she noticed, face somehow warming even more. "Lucy!" she whispered, barely audibly. "Wake up!"
"Mrgle frrgha bwah?"
"Wake up!"
Lucy blinked at her in confusion as she opened her eyes, then fixed her with a warm smile that melted something inside her. Finally, though, it seemed to sink in to Lucy's brain that she was NOT somewhere she was supposed to be. "Guess we overslept, a little?"
"Well," Amy said, attempting to be philosophical about it, "at least I know last night wasn't just some fantastic dream."
Lucy gave her that smile again. "'Fantastic', huh?"
Her face was going to actually catch on fire if it got any hotter, she just knew it. "Look, you," she began, but was cut off by a loud knock at her door. "Amy, can we talk?" asked the voice she least wanted to hear just then.
Max.
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Did everybody like that? Good. ^_^
Next time - Dominique learns more about Pantheon, Scud learns Janet has a slight... problem when it comes to shopping, and the D.E.B.S. get an idea of just how good Amy really is.