Devil Ride 16/?
Title: Devil Ride
Author: xenalvr
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating: NC-17
Warnings and Disclaimers: This AU story contains adult themes and language, and deals with the sex industry, which might not be to everyone's taste, so please do NOT proceed if you are not of age or if any of that might offend you. It is rated NC-17.
All characters from Guiding Light do not belong to me. All the other characters do, however, so please leave them alone. This story is set in an alternate universe, where Natalia Rivera's history and timeline are greatly altered. Most of Olivia Spencer's history remain intact at this point.
I've decided not to worry too much about pre-Otalia plotline discrepancy as this is an AU after all.
16
Natalia lifted her head groggily and allowed the world to slowly come into focus. When it did, her brows furrowed. She was alone on Olivia's king-size bed. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and caught sight of a piece of paper on the pillow beside her. She reached for it and pulled it closer.
Natalia,
Work calls. Make yourself at home.
Have a huge favour to ask of you. The Beacon's hired a new chef and I'd like an impartial view on his skills. Would you be able to spare me some time and your company this evening for a test meal? I'd really appreciate it. I do so hate eating alone.
Olivia
P.S. I've asked someone to retrieve your bag. It should be in the room by the time you see this.
Olivia had even left her a key card for the room. Natalia dropped her face onto the pillow and breathed in deeply, allowing her mind to wake up fully before she attempted to process what she had just read. After a time, she cracked open her eyes and scanned the note again, this time taking the time to take in the bold, flowing penmanship, a remarkable reflection of what she had seen of Olivia's personality thus far.
A small smile crept up her face. Olivia was undoubtedly a charmer. She had phrased the dinner invitation in such a way that Natalia wouldn't feel like she was sponging off her if she consented to it. Then she slid off the bed and exited the bedroom. Her bag was standing by the door. She blinked several times, unsure if she should feel bewildered, weirded out, or pleased at being taken care of in this manner. Finally, she decided to not dwell on how she felt and rummaged through her bag for something to wear. A half hour later, Natalia stepped out of the Beacon with a map of Springfield in her hand.
Springfield wasn't a big city. It was large enough to afford annonymity if that was what one wanted, but it had a more laid back feel in comparison to Chicago. Natalia walked down South Grand Avenue, making herself concentrate on the sights instead of entertaining her tumultuous thoughts. She hopped onto a bus and found herself on Main Street a short time later, peering into the coffeehouses and shops that lined the street. The rumbling of her empty stomach saw her entering an establishment called Company in search of lunch.
"Morning!" Natalia smiled politely at the bustling redhead behind the counter who greeted her. "I'll be with you in a minute."
Natalia slid into an empty booth and looked around her, liking the warm feel of the place. The woman arrived with a menu for her, introduced herself as Blake, and began rattling off the specials.
"Is this your first time to Company?" Blake asked after she finished with the specials. Natalia nodded mutely before opening the menu. "Picked you out to be a big city girl. How long have you been in Springfield?"
Natalia gave Blake a cursory glance. "A while," she said noncommittally as she stared at the menu in her hands. "Can I have a Buzz Burger and some iced tea?" She folded the menu and handed it back to Blake. After a pause, she added, "With lotsa onions, please." And before Blake had the chance to say anything else, Natalia dug into her jeans pocket for her cell and flipped it open. While she had it out, she wrote Olivia a text message, responding to her dinner invite, only looking up at the sound of laughter.
"Cheese touch! Ew, you're mouldy, Jude!"
Natalia watched three boys walk into Company, shoving each other good-naturedly. They all looked to be about the same age.
"I can't get it anymore, I've already touched Sean!" the boy Natalia presumed was Jude answered. A second boy, most probably Sean, looked rather depressed when that fact was brought up.
"Good thing I can't get touched today," the third boy said, looking immensely pleased with himself. Natalia found herself smirking at their antics.
"That's not fair!" the depressed looking Sean complained, his shoulders slumped. "There should be a rule, like, you know..." Sean thought for a second and continued, "like, we can't be cheese touched during class because Miss Jennings won't let us change our seats and it's not my fault that I was sitting beside Mouldy Jude!"
Jude stuck his tongue out at the hypocorism and the boys began tapping each other and getting away from one another's touch as they neared Natalia. One of the boys accidentally bumped into an approaching Blake. Natalia jumped up from her seat when a glass of iced tea toppled neatly into her lap.
"Boys! Look what you made me do!" Blake exclaimed, her eyes wide.
Natalia shook her head. "It's okay, no harm done. I was due for a bath anyway." The boys were still shoving and giggling at each other, making Natalia smile. She watched Blake hurry away to fetch a tea towel to clean the mess up. Natalia swiped at her soaked jeans.
"Sorry lady," the boy who had bumped into Blake said. He seemed genuinely contrite.
"Don't worry 'bout it," Natalia said, flashing him a toothy smile. "It was an accident."
"Can we pass on the cheese touch to an adult?" Natalia heard Sean ask Jude, and chuckled under her breath.
"Don't worry, lady," the third boy whispered conspiratorially to Natalia, who lowered her head to his height to hear him. "I don't have the cheese touch, so you're fine. Just don't let Sean touch you," he said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder at his friend.
Natalia narrowed her eyes and nodded, an equally conspiratorial look on her face. "I'll be careful. Thanks for the heads up." The delighted smile that lit up the boy's face made her own smile widen.
"C'mon Rafe, let's get outta here before Blake comes back and makes us pay for that drink!" Jude urged.
Natalia started at the name. "Wait!" she said before the boys got very far. "Rafe... is that short for Raphael?" Rafe nodded with a handsome smile and Natalia's heart beat painfully against her chest. Could it be that much of a coincidence? "Do you know who Gus is?" she asked, hoping that she didn't sound like a crazy woman.
Rafe shrugged. "That's my Dad's name." And with that, he sprinted out of Company, after his friends.
Natalia covered her mouth with a shaking hand and sat back down in her seat, her appetite gone.
*
Olivia closed the folders laid out in front of her and blew out a breath. Sometimes she wondered why she wasn't a smoker. Then she laid eyes on the picture of Emma that stood beside one of her older daughter, Ava, and it answered her query. She glanced at the time and got up to make herself a drink; at least she had one vice to fall back on.
Her day was packed full of staff meetings and conference calls; on top of that, she had also liaised with the investigators she had hired. All was quiet at the Spaulding mansion and her tail had been recalled so she had called one of her own investigators off but kept the other on Alan to pre-empt further mischief. If everything stayed the same, she would have Emma back by her side before the week was up. The thought cheered her up and she finished her drink.
Natalia's association with Gus had completely thrown her. She didn't feel good probing too much into Gus's life because of his child with Natalia; as much as she wanted to help Natalia, she would be overstepping several boundaries if she got someone to find out more about the boy or dig into Natalia's past.
Raphael Nicholas Aitoro.
At least she knew his name now. She had seen him once or twice over the years but he had never made that much of an impression on her. The Spauldings was a huge family with convoluted relations. It would take a tireless, relentless person to get their family tree right. She knew that she had to talk to Natalia about her plans so that Alan would not see through the story they had fabricated but she was reluctant to do so. A part of her was afraid that Natalia would leave Springfield but, if she was completely honest, a bigger part of her was afraid that Natalia would stay. She didn't know how she felt about Natalia; what had begun as simple companionship was complicated by the connection she felt between them. Olivia massaged her temple, willing the headache that had been bugging her the whole day to dissipate.
Another glance at the time made Olivia finish her drink and stand up. She would think about all the complicated things another time. She had a dinner to go to.
She spotted Natalia standing by the entrance of the restaurant. A smile crept onto her face and her palms suddenly felt sweaty. Natalia painted a youthful picture in a sleeveless rose-coloured top, jeans and a worn pair of Chucks.
"Hey." Natalia lifted her eyes at the greeting and Olivia's smile widened when Natalia's face lit up with warm recognition. "Been waiting long?" When Natalia shook her head, Olivia steered her into the restaurant. "Hungry?"
Natalia shrugged. "Not really. But I could definitely use a drink."
Olivia smirked. "You and me both."
They sat across from each other at a table in a corner, away from prying eyes. "Did you have a good day?" Olivia asked after their orders were taken. Natalia hummed noncommittally. Olivia, having picked up the nuances in Natalia's body language, began giving a satirised version of her own day, feeling gratified each time Natalia met her eyes or smiled genuinely.
"I met Raphael today," Natalia said during a lull in Olivia's animated monologue. Olivia lifted a brow gently, indicating for her to continue. "I was at this eating place on Main Street and these boys came in and..." Natalia took a shaky breath and reached for her wine. After a sip, she continued, "One of them was called Raphael. He has a head of dark hair, thick brows, a cheeky grin... he's adorable. He says his Dad's name is Gus."
Olivia impulsively reached for Natalia's free hand and held it loosely in her own. Natalia looked down at their hands distractedly but did not pull away. "I've been thinking the whole day... He looks so happy and healthy. It wouldn't be fair if I just come in and disrupt his life, would it? He's never known me. Maybe it's better if he never does."
Olivia swallowed at the look of distress in Natalia's eyes when she finally lifted them up to meet hers. "Maybe." At the slump in Natalia's shoulders, she continued, "But you're not Raphael. And you can't decide that for him. Imagine him eight years down the road, wanting to find and get to know his biological mother. And imagine him finding you, and recognising you from today. How are you going to explain that you were right here and chose to leave him this time?" Olivia paused to let her words sink in. Then she gently pressed Natalia's hand with her own. "You didn't know that he was alive, right?"
Natalia brought a hand to her throat. "My parents, they... when they found out that I was pregnant, they wanted me to have an abortion. I refused to and ran away. On my delivery day, my parents were notified by the hospital. I was seventeen then and it was a difficult birth. They had to put me under. When I woke up, they told me he was a stillborn. They said, I was never meant to have him." She swiped at her falling tears angrily; a bitter taste enveloped her mouth at the memory of her parents' words. "They wanted me to return home with them. I couldn't... they were relieved that my child was dead."
Olivia could feel a self-righteous anger building up inside of her. She took a deep breath to stave it off. "I can't tell you what's right or wrong, if there even exists a right or wrong, but..." She made a quick decision and forged on. "I had a daughter when I was a teenager too. Because of circumstances, I had to give her up. We didn't know our true identities when we first met and..." Olivia grimaced at the memory. "Let's just say we didn't really like each other a whole lot."
"I'm not saying that it's going to be easy. All relationships are hard work. But now, Ava and I, we're friends. I can't begin to describe the way it feels to get to this point with Ava. It's nothing short of amazing and so much more. She understands that I did what I had to do, what I had felt was right to do at that point of time, and..." Olivia shrugged. "I've come to terms with what I did."
Natalia stared at her for a long time. "Thank you," she said finally.
"Not sure that I did anything, but you're most welcome," Olivia replied, pulling her hand away.
"There's a vacancy in Company--that's the eating place I was at today. I think I might apply for it. The woman who works there says that there might be a room in the boarding house above them if I need somewhere cheap to rent."
Natalia was staying in Springfield. Olivia pushed the thought aside to dwell on at a later date. "I frequent Company and I know the Coopers. They're good people. You'll be well taken care of there. And until you get the job and a room at the boarding house, you can stay at the Beacon. The offer for your own room still stands."
Natalia responded with a grateful smile. "I really don't know how to thank you," she said quietly.
Olivia tilted her head. "Not that I need any thanks but... how about coming with me to get Emma when the time comes?"
Natalia looked surprised but nodded. "That's a promise."
Pleased with the way the evening was turning out, Olivia beamed. "Ready for dinner? We'll have to cleanse our palates with some sorbet before we begin. I really need an impartial judging of this new chef's skills." She rubbed her hands together in exaggerated eagerness and was delighted when Natalia chuckled.
"I think I found my appetite," Natalia said, smiling indulgently at her. "Bring it on."
TBC
Author: xenalvr
Fandom: Guiding Light
Pairing: Olivia/Natalia
Rating: NC-17
Warnings and Disclaimers: This AU story contains adult themes and language, and deals with the sex industry, which might not be to everyone's taste, so please do NOT proceed if you are not of age or if any of that might offend you. It is rated NC-17.
All characters from Guiding Light do not belong to me. All the other characters do, however, so please leave them alone. This story is set in an alternate universe, where Natalia Rivera's history and timeline are greatly altered. Most of Olivia Spencer's history remain intact at this point.
I've decided not to worry too much about pre-Otalia plotline discrepancy as this is an AU after all.
16
Natalia lifted her head groggily and allowed the world to slowly come into focus. When it did, her brows furrowed. She was alone on Olivia's king-size bed. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and caught sight of a piece of paper on the pillow beside her. She reached for it and pulled it closer.
Natalia,
Work calls. Make yourself at home.
Have a huge favour to ask of you. The Beacon's hired a new chef and I'd like an impartial view on his skills. Would you be able to spare me some time and your company this evening for a test meal? I'd really appreciate it. I do so hate eating alone.
Olivia
P.S. I've asked someone to retrieve your bag. It should be in the room by the time you see this.
Olivia had even left her a key card for the room. Natalia dropped her face onto the pillow and breathed in deeply, allowing her mind to wake up fully before she attempted to process what she had just read. After a time, she cracked open her eyes and scanned the note again, this time taking the time to take in the bold, flowing penmanship, a remarkable reflection of what she had seen of Olivia's personality thus far.
A small smile crept up her face. Olivia was undoubtedly a charmer. She had phrased the dinner invitation in such a way that Natalia wouldn't feel like she was sponging off her if she consented to it. Then she slid off the bed and exited the bedroom. Her bag was standing by the door. She blinked several times, unsure if she should feel bewildered, weirded out, or pleased at being taken care of in this manner. Finally, she decided to not dwell on how she felt and rummaged through her bag for something to wear. A half hour later, Natalia stepped out of the Beacon with a map of Springfield in her hand.
Springfield wasn't a big city. It was large enough to afford annonymity if that was what one wanted, but it had a more laid back feel in comparison to Chicago. Natalia walked down South Grand Avenue, making herself concentrate on the sights instead of entertaining her tumultuous thoughts. She hopped onto a bus and found herself on Main Street a short time later, peering into the coffeehouses and shops that lined the street. The rumbling of her empty stomach saw her entering an establishment called Company in search of lunch.
"Morning!" Natalia smiled politely at the bustling redhead behind the counter who greeted her. "I'll be with you in a minute."
Natalia slid into an empty booth and looked around her, liking the warm feel of the place. The woman arrived with a menu for her, introduced herself as Blake, and began rattling off the specials.
"Is this your first time to Company?" Blake asked after she finished with the specials. Natalia nodded mutely before opening the menu. "Picked you out to be a big city girl. How long have you been in Springfield?"
Natalia gave Blake a cursory glance. "A while," she said noncommittally as she stared at the menu in her hands. "Can I have a Buzz Burger and some iced tea?" She folded the menu and handed it back to Blake. After a pause, she added, "With lotsa onions, please." And before Blake had the chance to say anything else, Natalia dug into her jeans pocket for her cell and flipped it open. While she had it out, she wrote Olivia a text message, responding to her dinner invite, only looking up at the sound of laughter.
"Cheese touch! Ew, you're mouldy, Jude!"
Natalia watched three boys walk into Company, shoving each other good-naturedly. They all looked to be about the same age.
"I can't get it anymore, I've already touched Sean!" the boy Natalia presumed was Jude answered. A second boy, most probably Sean, looked rather depressed when that fact was brought up.
"Good thing I can't get touched today," the third boy said, looking immensely pleased with himself. Natalia found herself smirking at their antics.
"That's not fair!" the depressed looking Sean complained, his shoulders slumped. "There should be a rule, like, you know..." Sean thought for a second and continued, "like, we can't be cheese touched during class because Miss Jennings won't let us change our seats and it's not my fault that I was sitting beside Mouldy Jude!"
Jude stuck his tongue out at the hypocorism and the boys began tapping each other and getting away from one another's touch as they neared Natalia. One of the boys accidentally bumped into an approaching Blake. Natalia jumped up from her seat when a glass of iced tea toppled neatly into her lap.
"Boys! Look what you made me do!" Blake exclaimed, her eyes wide.
Natalia shook her head. "It's okay, no harm done. I was due for a bath anyway." The boys were still shoving and giggling at each other, making Natalia smile. She watched Blake hurry away to fetch a tea towel to clean the mess up. Natalia swiped at her soaked jeans.
"Sorry lady," the boy who had bumped into Blake said. He seemed genuinely contrite.
"Don't worry 'bout it," Natalia said, flashing him a toothy smile. "It was an accident."
"Can we pass on the cheese touch to an adult?" Natalia heard Sean ask Jude, and chuckled under her breath.
"Don't worry, lady," the third boy whispered conspiratorially to Natalia, who lowered her head to his height to hear him. "I don't have the cheese touch, so you're fine. Just don't let Sean touch you," he said, hooking a thumb over his shoulder at his friend.
Natalia narrowed her eyes and nodded, an equally conspiratorial look on her face. "I'll be careful. Thanks for the heads up." The delighted smile that lit up the boy's face made her own smile widen.
"C'mon Rafe, let's get outta here before Blake comes back and makes us pay for that drink!" Jude urged.
Natalia started at the name. "Wait!" she said before the boys got very far. "Rafe... is that short for Raphael?" Rafe nodded with a handsome smile and Natalia's heart beat painfully against her chest. Could it be that much of a coincidence? "Do you know who Gus is?" she asked, hoping that she didn't sound like a crazy woman.
Rafe shrugged. "That's my Dad's name." And with that, he sprinted out of Company, after his friends.
Natalia covered her mouth with a shaking hand and sat back down in her seat, her appetite gone.
*
Olivia closed the folders laid out in front of her and blew out a breath. Sometimes she wondered why she wasn't a smoker. Then she laid eyes on the picture of Emma that stood beside one of her older daughter, Ava, and it answered her query. She glanced at the time and got up to make herself a drink; at least she had one vice to fall back on.
Her day was packed full of staff meetings and conference calls; on top of that, she had also liaised with the investigators she had hired. All was quiet at the Spaulding mansion and her tail had been recalled so she had called one of her own investigators off but kept the other on Alan to pre-empt further mischief. If everything stayed the same, she would have Emma back by her side before the week was up. The thought cheered her up and she finished her drink.
Natalia's association with Gus had completely thrown her. She didn't feel good probing too much into Gus's life because of his child with Natalia; as much as she wanted to help Natalia, she would be overstepping several boundaries if she got someone to find out more about the boy or dig into Natalia's past.
Raphael Nicholas Aitoro.
At least she knew his name now. She had seen him once or twice over the years but he had never made that much of an impression on her. The Spauldings was a huge family with convoluted relations. It would take a tireless, relentless person to get their family tree right. She knew that she had to talk to Natalia about her plans so that Alan would not see through the story they had fabricated but she was reluctant to do so. A part of her was afraid that Natalia would leave Springfield but, if she was completely honest, a bigger part of her was afraid that Natalia would stay. She didn't know how she felt about Natalia; what had begun as simple companionship was complicated by the connection she felt between them. Olivia massaged her temple, willing the headache that had been bugging her the whole day to dissipate.
Another glance at the time made Olivia finish her drink and stand up. She would think about all the complicated things another time. She had a dinner to go to.
She spotted Natalia standing by the entrance of the restaurant. A smile crept onto her face and her palms suddenly felt sweaty. Natalia painted a youthful picture in a sleeveless rose-coloured top, jeans and a worn pair of Chucks.
"Hey." Natalia lifted her eyes at the greeting and Olivia's smile widened when Natalia's face lit up with warm recognition. "Been waiting long?" When Natalia shook her head, Olivia steered her into the restaurant. "Hungry?"
Natalia shrugged. "Not really. But I could definitely use a drink."
Olivia smirked. "You and me both."
They sat across from each other at a table in a corner, away from prying eyes. "Did you have a good day?" Olivia asked after their orders were taken. Natalia hummed noncommittally. Olivia, having picked up the nuances in Natalia's body language, began giving a satirised version of her own day, feeling gratified each time Natalia met her eyes or smiled genuinely.
"I met Raphael today," Natalia said during a lull in Olivia's animated monologue. Olivia lifted a brow gently, indicating for her to continue. "I was at this eating place on Main Street and these boys came in and..." Natalia took a shaky breath and reached for her wine. After a sip, she continued, "One of them was called Raphael. He has a head of dark hair, thick brows, a cheeky grin... he's adorable. He says his Dad's name is Gus."
Olivia impulsively reached for Natalia's free hand and held it loosely in her own. Natalia looked down at their hands distractedly but did not pull away. "I've been thinking the whole day... He looks so happy and healthy. It wouldn't be fair if I just come in and disrupt his life, would it? He's never known me. Maybe it's better if he never does."
Olivia swallowed at the look of distress in Natalia's eyes when she finally lifted them up to meet hers. "Maybe." At the slump in Natalia's shoulders, she continued, "But you're not Raphael. And you can't decide that for him. Imagine him eight years down the road, wanting to find and get to know his biological mother. And imagine him finding you, and recognising you from today. How are you going to explain that you were right here and chose to leave him this time?" Olivia paused to let her words sink in. Then she gently pressed Natalia's hand with her own. "You didn't know that he was alive, right?"
Natalia brought a hand to her throat. "My parents, they... when they found out that I was pregnant, they wanted me to have an abortion. I refused to and ran away. On my delivery day, my parents were notified by the hospital. I was seventeen then and it was a difficult birth. They had to put me under. When I woke up, they told me he was a stillborn. They said, I was never meant to have him." She swiped at her falling tears angrily; a bitter taste enveloped her mouth at the memory of her parents' words. "They wanted me to return home with them. I couldn't... they were relieved that my child was dead."
Olivia could feel a self-righteous anger building up inside of her. She took a deep breath to stave it off. "I can't tell you what's right or wrong, if there even exists a right or wrong, but..." She made a quick decision and forged on. "I had a daughter when I was a teenager too. Because of circumstances, I had to give her up. We didn't know our true identities when we first met and..." Olivia grimaced at the memory. "Let's just say we didn't really like each other a whole lot."
"I'm not saying that it's going to be easy. All relationships are hard work. But now, Ava and I, we're friends. I can't begin to describe the way it feels to get to this point with Ava. It's nothing short of amazing and so much more. She understands that I did what I had to do, what I had felt was right to do at that point of time, and..." Olivia shrugged. "I've come to terms with what I did."
Natalia stared at her for a long time. "Thank you," she said finally.
"Not sure that I did anything, but you're most welcome," Olivia replied, pulling her hand away.
"There's a vacancy in Company--that's the eating place I was at today. I think I might apply for it. The woman who works there says that there might be a room in the boarding house above them if I need somewhere cheap to rent."
Natalia was staying in Springfield. Olivia pushed the thought aside to dwell on at a later date. "I frequent Company and I know the Coopers. They're good people. You'll be well taken care of there. And until you get the job and a room at the boarding house, you can stay at the Beacon. The offer for your own room still stands."
Natalia responded with a grateful smile. "I really don't know how to thank you," she said quietly.
Olivia tilted her head. "Not that I need any thanks but... how about coming with me to get Emma when the time comes?"
Natalia looked surprised but nodded. "That's a promise."
Pleased with the way the evening was turning out, Olivia beamed. "Ready for dinner? We'll have to cleanse our palates with some sorbet before we begin. I really need an impartial judging of this new chef's skills." She rubbed her hands together in exaggerated eagerness and was delighted when Natalia chuckled.
"I think I found my appetite," Natalia said, smiling indulgently at her. "Bring it on."
TBC