The World at Her Feet

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"I just think Cygnus is so...I don't know, elegant...and it's flying." She shrugged. "Kind of escaping, you know, soaring across the sky."

Then she turned in his arms, smiling up at him. "I grew up on a ranch in Montana, so there were plenty of stars, and I just was always fascinated by the pictures that people eons ago saw in them." She laughed. "Of course, some of them take a lot of imagination...or maybe peyote!"

She looked up into his eyes for a long moment, then started to giggle...no reason for it, just happiness and contentment.

Still giggling, she pressed her lips to his, not sure where this would go, but certain that she wouldn't be disappointed!

Scott Cooper

[Scott Cooper]

“I can see the beauty in that, flying and escaping across open sky.” He said as he related it to skydiving a little, the feeling of falling but being completely free of just about everything. Sure it was hurtling toward earth but for a few moments at least it felt like there wasnt a care in the world which he could see the appeal.

Scott smiled back at her when she turned in his arms. “Wow a ranch, you’re a very lucky woman. It’s nice to know that people can still find the beauty in them. Me I grew up in a house in the county in England. The stars I didnt know much about but the lights in the town and harbour, you always could tell when the boats came in what night it was.” He said not sure he was being crazy telling her that but then the stars no one had really talked about them like she did.

Scott grinned hearing her giggle for no reason, it was nice to hear her laugh after everything and to be stood there with her. The minute she pressed her lips to his he felt like the world just melted away, there was nothing but her in that moment as he kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her lightly.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

The first kiss was nice, and they got progressively nicer with each new one, and the castle and stars only made it all the better. And there was a lot of kissing, interspersed with idle conversation, strolling and 'dancing' to no music.

Stars faded and Kelle really noticed that they had been out all night as a bright 'star' glowed along the eastern horizon against the beginnings of dawn.

"Looks like we've waited to greet Venus!" Kelle laughed, shaking her head. "So much for staying in a castle. You could have just bought a blanket."

Her hand curled into his and she squeezed it. "There's always tonight, though, right? Well, provided we don't fall asleep during the day." Well, there were still a few hours until the day was fully in swing, but at the moment she felt like she could stay awake forever...like that song, 'I Could Have Danced All Night'. They'd done that!

"You going to tell me what's planned for the day or make it a surprise?" Standing on her toes, she kissed his nose. "Just say there will be more kissing!"

Scott Cooper

[Scott Cooper]

They had really been out all night and he didnt even feel tired, Kelle had managed to completely steal his attention from everything that evening. Even looking at the stars they seemed to be brighter because she was there as he glanced up at the sky seeing the start of the dawn.

“For you only the best but if i’d known I would have had the blanket.” He said chuckling, “Thank you and sorry you didnt get to see the inside of the castle much.” Was he that sorry no because he was getting to spend time with her and frankly for him that was all that mattered. No the world outside or anything in it apart from her.

Scott smiled as he felt her squeeze his hand. “Yes you’re right and I’ll try my best to make things interesting enough that you dont fall asleep.” He said with a grin as he was sure he could easily stay away with her no matter how tired he was. He was giddy at the fact that they had been up all night, talking, dancing looking at the stars it was like a dream day.

Scott chuckled as he nodded and kissed her back for a moment. “Lots more kissing I promise and you said you might like camping so I know it’s not exactly a castle but you still get to see the stars though?” He offered though he knew he could change things if she was entirely against the idea.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"I don't mind not sleeping in the castle," Kelle told him, enjoying even just standing there, being held by him. Sure, she'd been looking forward to staying in a room in the castle, but if she'd been asked, she wouldn't have had the night go any other way. "Besides, I'd have been disappointed if a ghost didn't show up anyway!"

Laughing, she turned to face him. "I think camping's a great idea...sleeping out, campfire, s'mores...oh! we can tell ghost stories!" Really, she thought it would be a lot of fun, especially since he didn't seem exactly the 'roughing it' sort.

She laughed again, taking his hand, looking into his eyes. "I'm having an amazing time, I don't want it to ever end. When we met that night...well, after the shooting part..." she grinned, "well, a gentleman who gives you his coat is a good catch!"

She knew then, gazing in his eyes, that she had fallen, and nothing would ever be the same again.

Scott Cooper

[Scott Cooper]

“Well I’m sure we can find another castle for you to sleep in or we can come back to this one again.” Scott said having enjoyed the night entirely as it had been. Spending time with her was better than sleeping anyway and that was worth any amount of time under the stars. “You’d be disappointed, I think if it did I’d be running the other way.” He joked smiling lightly.

“Sounds like great fun and ghost stories just nothing too terrifying okay or I’ll be awake all night terrified.” He said grinning liking the sound of it. It had been a long time since he had been outdoors camping wise. The military had taught him but over recent years he had tended to avoid it but then again hopefully it was like riding a bike. Once you didnt do it for a while and got back on it didnt turn out to be a car crash.

Scott smiled at her as he gazed into her eyes; she was amazing he thought as he listened to her. He looked away for a second the minute she called him a gentleman and a good catch, yeah one who kidnapped you to start with and he wasnt entirely sure she wouldnt class the whole thing as kidnapping when she found out. Scott kept smiling as he gazed at her again; no he had to tell her he thought wishing that he didnt.

“Kelle, I should tell you something.” He said squeezing her hand lightly, he didnt want any of it to end at all but he couldnt keep lying to her about it all. “I’m not a gentleman or a good catch. I mean for you i’d love to be and want to be but it’s up to you because it’s all my fault.” He stated not sure he could actually bring himself to say, all my fault because I kidnapped you that day.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

Maybe she was just imagining it, but it seemed like there had been a change in his demeanor, like he'd grown distant, going somewhere else in his thoughts, and she couldn't help but worry. Maybe she'd done or said something, except she couldn't imagine what.

Quickly, she shook those feelings.

And then the bomb...

“Kelle, I should tell you something.” He said squeezing her hand lightly, he didnt want any of it to end at all but he couldnt keep lying to her about it all. “I’m not a gentleman or a good catch. I mean for you i’d love to be and want to be but it’s up to you because it’s all my fault.”

"I..." Oh, good lord...he wasn't a lawyer? Maybe not so rich as he put on and was out of funds? Or was using stolen credit cards? Maybe he had some awful disease...or was gay!

Well, not gay, judging by the way he kissed! And did she really want to know?

But then, she would always be wondering...

"I don't care what it is," she finally murmured, "I just know you have treated me with nothing but respect and caring, you've treated me like a princess and asked nothing in return. You protected me, stayed at my side while we took care of bloody people." She laughed a little. "Gave me your coat...that counts as a gentleman."

That was the most she could try to convince him about how she felt, the ball was in his court now..

Well, except for maybe...

Standing on her toes, she kissed him softly on the lips, just for good measure.

Scott Cooper,

[Scott Cooper]

It had seemed like a great idea in the beginning, even up until five minutes ago when there was no hint of feeling honest which right now he wanted to get rid of. If he was honest with her and told her everything then yes he knew how that went or well how it went in his head. The lots of screaming, trying to explain the why he did what he did, why he had been dragged into the family business and how things had taken a turn the past few months.

On the other hand he could just stay quiet and let things go as they were. That might have been nice had it not been for the fact that he had practically just told Kelle there was something she wasnt aware of and anything like ‘I need a pee’ was going to be a bare faced lie he was sure she would know. He should have said nothing and she had no idea how badly he wished he had stayed quiet but if she was going to think anything of him then he had to at least let her know who she was stood there with.

Over eight years ago it would have been a solider but now, he was the furthest thing from that he could have ever been. Scott took a much needed breath as he listened to her murmur. She didnt care, well that was positive he thought as he almost decided to chicken out and go with his needing to pee idea but then there would always be that ‘should have told you’ and what if it turned into three years later and he was having to explain why he had lied for so long.

Scott stood there and smiled as he listened to her, he had done that. He had done that because he wanted to be around her to make sure she was alright not because he had to but then there was the whole how did you meet thing and his answer. ‘Yeah I kidnapped her’ although funny for a second was entirely truthful on his part. Feeling her kiss he was lost again which only made it difficult to say what he had to and see the reaction to it. He had never been scared of much in his life but her reaction or the thought of what it might be was terrifying.

If she screamed at him then yes that was expected but he had ruined a fantastic night, if she said it was okay then he had no idea what he would do as he wrapped his arms around her. Scott pulled away from their kiss for a moment. “Yes I did all those things; I was trained to protect people to take care of bloody people... with a limited ability.” He explained, well if pressure and a bandage didnt work then he was out of options.

“I did give you my coat and I’d all of that again in a heartbeat and wouldnt change a thing.” He said doing his best to smile at her. “I really like you Kelle and tonight with you, everything has been perfect. You’re perfect, wonderful, caring and the best person I know but I can’t lie to you anymore.” Scott said as he almost winced before opening his mouth again. “I was the one who kidnapped you that night, took you to the warehouse and asked you to fix...” Yeah he guessed she knew the story of what he was getting at given she had been there throughout that night. “I’m sorry Kelle.” He said as he gazed at her not sure what was going to happen.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP,

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

“Yes I did all those things; I was trained to protect people to take care of bloody people... with a limited ability.”

Ah, so that was his big secret...he had, well, maybe some sort of military background? She wasn't sure what was so horrible about that, she fully supported the military, so even if he was Black Ops or something, doing hits on people, she didn't mind.

And it occurred to her that in all the time they'd been together, she'd done most of the yammering, and anything personal he'd talked about hadn't been very revealing...not that she minded, she was happy, and now she was relieved that it was just that.

"Well, limited is better than non, right?"

“I did give you my coat and I’d all of that again in a heartbeat and wouldn't change a thing.”

"Of course..." She took his hands, smiling at him, trying to reassure him, wondering why he was so hesitant to just spit it out.

“I really like you Kelle and tonight with you, everything has been perfect. You’re perfect, wonderful, caring and the best person I know but I can’t lie to you anymore.”

"It's all right," she whispered, feeling her heart skip when he actually said aloud that he like her, but then stopping when he commented about lying. "What..?"

“I was the one who kidnapped you that night, took you to the warehouse and asked you to fix...”

"What?" Her hands dropped away from his as she looked at him, not really processing what he had said. How did he even know about that?

“I’m sorry Kelle.”

"You..?" She shook her head, then looked into his eyes and saw the whole, horrible truth there, realization finally dawning. Yes, she'd seen him before the ball, she'd heard that voice...

"Oh, um..." Taking a step back she glanced at him briefly, then looked down at the ground, trying to process it all, to understand what it meant...

He was a criminal, a murderer and kidnapper...a criminal...

And she should be afraid of him, but...but her world had just crashed in, and fear was the least of her thoughts...

After all, he'd adhered to his word, he'd let her go, had stopped to help save the life of an baby, and since, he'd been nothing but a gentleman, giving and kind and fun and he'd never tried to take advantage when he easily could have...

But...

He was a criminal...

Shaking her head, she sank slowly to the grass, heedless of the dress she was wearing, feeling herself go numb.

"But..." she muttered softly, "I was just thinking that maybe I was falling in..." She couldn't say the word.

Scott Cooper

[Scott Cooper]

Scott tried to smile his way through it, Kelle had a point limited was better than none but still his ‘limited ability’ meant that his assumed job of a paramedic was far from the truth. He could just about patch a person up to hand them to a professional and that was only if it was minor injuries but that wasnt what he was trying to tell her at all. He wanted to explain but the more he tried the worse it got as he wished he had just left things as they were.

The moment she took his hands and smiled at him he could have changed his mind and said that he was a pilot or hedge fund manager or something way different to what he was. Killer, mercenary, mafia boss the list was complicated but at the end of it he was still the same person or he hoped he was. Scott wasnt sure what he expected from telling Kelle, telling the first person he had ever let get close enough to him to want to tell her the truth and not the web of lies he had for his cover.

He wanted everything to be alright but then when he had said it, when he had finally said those words to her he felt her hands drop away and for the first time in years if felt like he had just taken a direct hit to his heart. He knew there would never be enough I’m sorry in the world to cover what he had done to her but then there was that slim chance she could see past it? That she might laugh it off and they could go back to watching the stars, yeah who was he kidding.

Scott winced seeing the realization in her eyes and face, he had seen many faces realize things but none that hurt as much. He fought to keep himself stood there to try and give her the time she needed but then again he was the one who had hurt her. First time in forcing her to get into the car with him, then letting her go and now had he kidnapped her again in asking her to go on a trip with him while he landed this on her. Great he was doing really well with the gentleman label she had given him.

No that wouldnt last he figured as he watched her sink to the grass as he sat down, trying not to crowd her too much. Then she said it, those words that made his heart flutter with possibilities as he realized that he had probably just made the biggest mistake in telling her what he had. “I’m sorry Kelle but nothing’s changed... I’m still the same person...” He said as he winced the minute that didnt sound as it should have. “Not the same person but this... this tonight is me, what I do for a job that’s separate and promise you I’d never hurt you at all.”

Yes he had made that promise to her when he had kidnapped her along with a whole load of threats and loaded conversation but right now he was serious. “Kelle, these past few days have been wonderful far more than I could have ever imagined and you’re the only woman who makes my heart feel alive.” He tried to explain though he wasnt sure on what creepy scale it was given the events. “I couldnt lie to you anymore, not after tonight and not after knowing I’m falling for you.”

Scott had no idea what to do about any of it as he looked at her, not sure if he would see hate or worse than that though he didnt know how to fix anything he had just said. It was true he was falling for her or had fallen for her and he had tried to be entirely honest but now if this was what honesty did he would rather have the lies. “Kelle, are you okay?” He asked her not sure what there was possible to make any of it better for her as he knew he couldnt take back what he had said as he had seen her realize exactly who he was.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP
(sorry for the post, kind of went mad with it a little)

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Okay?" She looked up at him, still stunned and disoriented...why did he have to bring this up now, when she'd been up all night and was exhausted, her brain fuzzed and having a hard time wrapping around it all. As if it would be any easier...ever.

But..."You told me," she muttered aloud, looking over at him, voicing her thoughts. He may as well know what she was thinking as she worked it out, even though it was going to be jumbled and maybe even incoherent...but then, how did you organize these sorts of thoughts?

"You didn't have to, you could have just kept it...but you told me, knowing I'd..." Well, that wasn't something that had to be spoken. "I mean, that counts for something, right?"

Shivering, she pulled her knees up to her chest, closing her eyes. "But...this is who you are...that is who you are...don't screw with me, don't try to smooth that over...that was you, otherwise you wouldn't have...done whatever you did to that man. I mean, he wouldn't have needed me, you wouldn't have had to do that to me if you hadn't kidnapped him or whatever in the first place, right? And...what did you do to him?"

Opening her eyes, she looked at him again, holding her hand up. "I don't want to know...have you killed anyone?" Well, she didn't really want to know that, either. "But then, you stopped to let me help that baby...you helped me...I thought I would make you mad and you'd...well, but you just stopped and helped, and now...you've given me this..." She gestured miserably toward the castle then slumped back. "It's been wonderful, you've been so good to me, I mean, you could have...any time...it's a foreign country and we're alone and...anyway, you never have, it's just been like a fantasy..."

She sighed as she blinked tears. "Fantasy...not real, can never be real...Pinocchio...this is what I get for falling in...nothing..." She just wanted to crawl under a rock, curl up and die.

Scott Cooper,

[Scott Cooper]

Okay, well that was a positive sign right? She wasn’t screaming at him and running away from him so that had to be a good thing. He couldnt have blamed her if she had done that but then again how many times did anyone drop anything like he had into conversation. It wasn’t a work colleague telling their stories of the previous weekend or the crazy night out. Nope, he had told her the truth about taking her hostage for a night which was far far worse.

“Yes, I told you. I can’t keep that from you, it isn’t fair on you to...” Scott said attempting to half explain, it wasnt fair on her to keep her thinking that he was a gentleman or anything good when at best he should have been sitting in a jail cell for what he had done to her and that was only one night. Well he had opened the door now to it all so he had to face the consequences of it.

Scott nodded as he tried to smile at her, it had to count for something. He was being honest with her, taking a leap of faith he had never taken before and for some crazy reason he trusted her. He had no idea what she would do with what he had said but he wanted her to know what he had done and who he was before anything further happened. Scott watched as she pulled her knees up to her chest and listened to her. “It was an accident what happened to him.” Scott said as that was truthful too.

Sure he wasnt above harming a person to get what he needed but that was a job, it was his life. Scott wondered if she truly wanted to know what he did with the guy though when he saw her hand he closed his mouth and didnt make any effort to explain it. Then she asked that question, had he killed anyone which was a guaranteed yes but there was no getting out of things. “Yes I have but things are a lot more complicated than a yes.” He said honestly regretting every single one now he had said it aloud. It was a hazard of the job, he took on jobs to kill people and he had to do so for the family business of sorts when it was called for though more these days he had to delegate that side of things. No use in the boss getting caught for the crime.

Scott pulled off his jacket and handed it took her in an attempt to at least keep her warm as he watched her blink back the tears. “It can be real and is real. You can have everything Kelle, anything you could possibly want and I’d get it for you. Whatever you are falling in it matters to me and it’s not nothing at least it’s not nothing to me.” He said trying to at least fight his corner on things. “I’d never hurt you, even that night when you told me to stop to help the baby... no one’s ever done that to me before. You were kidnapped and you stood up to me but whatever you may think of me, monster, horrid, evil. The baby needed help and you could help, you asked and I stopped.” So there had been a little more to it but then again wasn’t there always.

“Kelle I’d never hurt you I promise you that. Another country or not, whatever you want it’s yours. I’m glad it’s been wonderful and I want you to be happy, I’m sorry for what i’ve done to you and I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you want me to.” He offered not sure how she would take that either but then it wasnt like it could get much worse. “Ask me anything Kelle and I’ll tell you the truth but whatever my truth is doesn’t change how I feel about you, or this trip or any of it. I’m still the guy you were dancing with but I want you to know the truth, the whole truth because I care about you.” He explained trying not to sound completely crazy but he felt that train had long left the station.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

Why..? Why her, why now, why the time that she'd found her 'Prince Charming'?

Pressing her hands against the sides of her head to make her brain shut up, she took several deep breaths, then shook her head.

"God, this is so..." Fucked up? That was a good way to put it! "I don't think I know how..." to even say it? "How I could be with a man who..." Did that...ever! It took a sick mind to justify killing outside of war or defense, and she really couldn't imagine him doing that anyway.

Looking at him, she blinked tears, trying to work things out in her head, how to justify staying. "What do you mean, 'complicated'?" His answer to that would count for a lot. "And no, getting yourself into a spot where someone fights back and you kill them doesn't count as 'Complicated', it counts as some poor schmuck trying not to die." Her tone was accusing, but that was intentional...he had no right to play the victim if he was putting himself into harm's way.

Scott Cooper

[Scott Cooper]

Yeah she had a point, it was so stupid, ridiculous to believe that anyone could look at him the way she had and for him to out and tell her the truth. Yes he had been stupid and poor timing on his part he thought as he wondered what was eve going through her head as he listened to her half broken statements. It was easy to fill in the blanks that were left but none of it was ‘god this is so great’ or ‘I don’t think I know how to say how much fun it’s been’. Nope he was pretty sure it was all bad as he listened to her.

Scott glanced at her only to see the tears she blinked as he winced hearing her question. Complicated was complicated he wanted to say but then it wasnt exactly going to help in the situation. “Complicated as in I used to be British Special Forces, SAS. I killed people for the government when it was required of me until there was a data breech.” He explained having not spoken of the incident in years, even after the event he was lost which had led him to where he was but then to explain it all to her to hopefully let her understand why.

“The teams details were leaked and there was retaliation. In forty eight hours I had lost my family, my team, my cause.” He explained as he took a breath, he had never let himself feel the loss of his family but saying the words out loud made it a little more real than he was prepared for as he glanced away from Kelle. “The military left me with a skill set that didnt relate to office work for a nine to five. I then took on jobs for anyone who needed me to until now... I don’t do that sort of contract work now.” Scott said not sure if his next admission was any better or not. “I run an organization that... well a group of people with a cause to keep peace in Chicago but it’s not exactly legal.”

Great, he might as well open the Palmazio books to her and let her see the business details which he would if she asked but then that risked her life as much as it did his. Scott shook his head when she spoke about some poor schmuch trying not to die. “The jobs I took or take Kelle, they aren’t good people. I make sure of that, they are the people who kill or be killed. I know it sounds bad but... I’ve not harmed a saint Kelle. I’ve never hurt anyone who didnt deserve it or attack first. That night the guy... it was an accident, he grabbed for the gun and it went off.” Scott said noticing the accusing tone but then if he was in her shoes he was sure he would have been accusing him too.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"No one is a saint," she muttered, indicating that just because a man wasn't pristine didn't make him fair game. Still, the rest was setting in, was making it a little easier to justify...

Sighing, she shifted around and lay on her side, her head in his lap and her knees drawn up to her chest, turning things over in her mind although she couldn't seem to organize anything. Even squeezing her eyes shut and covering her head with his coat didn't help, but the rationalizing was tilting more in his favor, mostly because she wanted it to.

After all, if he was working for the 'government' wasn't that as good as being a soldier fighting a clandestine war? And now, taking down evil people...was there really anything wrong in that, in a karma sense?

"I'm sorry about your family," was all that she finally muttered, finding his hand and grabbing onto it.

Scott Cooper