The World at Her Feet

[Scott Cooper]

Scott nodded to her, “Oh I think a few people are. Take you for one, to me you’re a saint.” He stated figuring her to be more an angel but a saint worked too just as well. Sure the odd transgression usually didnt have him knocking on your door but it all depended on what you did in life.

Scott watched Kelle as she shifted, he wished he could have made this easier or done something to soften the blow to her but then again it wasnt exactly easy to tell the person he cared about what his life was. He reached out to rub her arm lightly before pulling his hand away not wanting to frighten her at all. Scott knew he wouldnt ever hurt her but then again he knew that but did she?

He smiled feeling her grabbing onto his hand as he squeezed her hand back lightly. “Nothing to be sorry about, I couldnt save them from a choice I made and they paid the price for that. It is what... it is what it is.” He said not sure how long he could con himself into believing it but all these years later and he still hadn’t quiet managed that yet.

“Kelle, I want you to know i’d never hurt you and yes I’m not a saint. I just did what I knew how to do but I stay mostly out of it now.” He said wanting to explain that he now had people to do that for him but then that sounded much worse. “I’m trying to work toward legalizing parts of the family business and not... well we have a treaty with CPD at the moment too, we leave each other alone so is that a step in the right direction?” He asked her wanting to know her thoughts on it.

Sure fixing the business wasnt an overnight job and yes they still had order to keep and reputations to uphold but at least she would know he was trying to do things the right way. Keep the police safe and only go after the bad guys if they had to. It was a new line of thinking but one he was trying to work on with the rest of the family without telling them as much. “I know it’s not what you expected but... what are you thinking?” He asked her cautiously not sure he wanted the answer or not as he tried to move his hand back to rub her arm lightly.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

What was she thinking? That as a good question!

Kelle sighed, squeezing his hand tightly, although she wasn't worried about hurting him, her hand was so small in his. Did she even know what she was thinking?

"I...I wish this wasn't happening," she admitted, deciding that there was certainly no harm in being honest, after all, at this point there really wasn't anything to lose. "But it is...it's my fault for assuming..."

Of course, it had been convenient to just assume he was a lawyer, and she'd never really asked him directly, so he couldn't be blamed for that.

"And...you told me, and I wish you wouldn't do that any more." Sitting, she looked at him for a moment, then shrugged. "I...well, I don't want to...I know you won't hurt me, you could have more than once and didn't and...I want to...work this out, if that is possible?"

Again, she took his hand. "Where are we? I mean...we, you and me..."

Scott Cooper,

[Scott Cooper]

Scott knew it was a lot to ask her right now but then again at least she appeared calm in a way. She wasnt screaming at him or demanding to be taken home or for the police to arrest him. It was baby steps right? All he could do was just smile when he felt her squeezing his hand even though he wasnt sure she would ever look at him again as she had done.

He never thought words could hurt him but hearing her say she wished t wasnt happening, yeah he had to admit that one hurt a lot. At least she was being honest, he didnt want her to say she was alright about everything and not be thinking that she would have to say that out of fear. “Now that’s not true.” Scott said shaking his head, “I should have told you so it’s not your fault and dont think that. You couldnt have known and you didnt assume, I just never gave you a concrete answer.”

Yet again he knew he was to blame for that, he didnt deny the fact she thought he was a responder of some sort. It was just easier to have her believe he was one of the good guys than admit there and then ‘hey I’m the kidnap guy’ and the one who might have terrified you for the rest of your life. Yeah a first responder of any kind was a step up from his actual day job no matter what.

“Okay I can do that, I wont tell you anything you don’t ask me.” Scott said nodding to her as he gazed at her, if it meant that she was still there and talking to him he would tell her anything but what he did or answer anything that might scare her. “I’d love to work this out, it’s possible if you want it to be and Kelle I’d never hurt you, I promise you that.” He said not sure how he could prove that but then like she said he had more than one chance to do so in the time they had been there.

Scott smile when she took his hand again and used the word ‘we’. She had actually said we after all of this and she was wanting to know where ‘we’ were. He squeezed her hand lightly as he tried to figure out how to answer her. “Well we are here... I like you Kelle, I like you a lot more than a lot actually and you’re the first person I’ve ever met that I want to be with. To make sure you have everything you could want, to want to be a better person. You’ve no idea how fantastic you really are.” He said not sure that telling her that wouldnt have her asking to go back to the states straight off.

“I... I want to see where we go but... but that is up to you. Do you think that there could be a ‘we’ with what you know now?” Scott asked her not sure if he wanted to hear the answer or not but then he had to find out one way or another. “Kelle, if you want to walk away I’ll make sure you get home safe, no questions at all and you wont have to see me again. It’s your choice to make.” He explained as he stood there feeling as if he was awaiting judgement on the rest of his life.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"I don't know..." Sighing, Kelle, closed her eyes as she leaned into his chest, resting her forehead there, able to feel his heartbeat through the pounding in her head. "I just don't know, I can't think right now..."

Standing back, she looked into his eyes, her own reflecting the conflict and misery she was feeling, but there was no accusation there.

"I need to sleep," she muttered, the spell of it all broken, the joy gone, at least for now. Gripping his hand, she started back toward the castle, the jaunt gone from her step.

"I don't know," she muttered again with a shake of her head. "Camping was next, right?" Her tone was dull, whether from defeat or lack of sleep it was difficult to tell. "You know I know you'd never hurt me, you could have and didn't, at least not..." Well, that wasn't a nice place to go, so she dropped it.

There was so much, so many things to consider, such as...'Hey, Mom, Dad, this is my boyfriend, the murderer and kidnapper'. And could she reconcile what he was, or had been, with her morals?

But then...she was being pretty selfish, really...he'd lost his family, children to violence, and it wasn't as if he was just randomly murdering people for the heck of it.

"Do you still..?" she suddenly asked, but then she shrugged. Of course, he 'still', otherwise he wouldn't have needed her services...

Scott Cooper,

[Scott Cooper]

It was just like before he thought when she leaned into his chest and rested her forehead there. Just like when they had been dancing and looking up at the stars only now he was trying not to ruin anything further as he held her for a moment. “It’s okay, you don’t have to think about any of this now.” He said trying to be helpful or at least not pressure her into telling him what she was thinking about any of it. It wasnt like he could fix it or change it so now all he had to do was wait and see.

Scott let go when she stood back and looked into his eyes. He could see the conflict and misery there but he was surprise he couldnt see any accusation. He was thankful for that, likely more so than he could ever show her as he nodded. “Yes sleep, we’ve been up a long time.” He said smiling wishing he could go back to when everything was just perfect and she could look at him without the misery. Scott followed her as he squeezed her hand lightly not really wanting to let it go.

With her tone dull Scott was struggling to try and sound happy when he felt like he had just ruined everything. “Camping it was, we’re just outside another castle but it’s a ruin so we can see the stars too.” He explained not sure if she wanted to go or not. “Or I can change it, we can go somewhere you can have a room if you’d like?” He asked not wanting to force camping on her now if she didnt want to go anymore. It was entirely understandable given what he had landed on her.

Scott tried to smile and nod when Kelle explained she knew he’d never hurt her. It was true he would never do that but the cut off sentence practically said everything he needed to know. He had threatened her that night he had kidnapped her and he knew it. Sure he wouldnt have done anything to her unless he had to but now even the thought of that turned his stomach in a way he hadn’t known before.

“I... yes I do but I’m selective on the jobs I take. I make sure that if I do still have to, it’s for a reason and the person has done bad things.” Scott said knowing that if he killed anyone there was a good reason for it. “I’ve not kidnapped anyone since you, I try not to do that kind of thing because it can get messy and... well you saw what messy can lead to.” He said knowing full well she had seen what had gone on in the warehouse that night. “But I can stop, if you want me to I will stop.” He said knowing he had people to do that for him now even if it might feel odd to hand that side of things over.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"No, no, I want camping," she murmured as she started slowly walking back toward the building, after a few steps reaching to take his hand, although she held it loosely.

Was it selfish of her to not want her dream-trip to end? Or to pretend that there was nothing wrong between her and the man who had captured her heart?

"Camping," she muttered again wearily, knowing that she was too tired to really think clearly right now. "Jeans, dirt...nothing put-on." Not that she didn't still feel like a princess, but..."That's the problem," she muttered aloud, although mostly to herself, "make up, fake up, not me...just a stupid girl, not a princess, no fairy tale ending, right..."

Shaking her head, she laughed then as she looked at Scott. "Sorry, really, my head is just fuzz right now..." Fatigue, alcohol, hunger...there was no way she could make any sense of anything at this point.

"Give me time, I need to think and I can't, so..." She shrugged, her fingers slipping from his.

Scott Cooper

[Scott Cooper]

It was all different to the moment they had met out there before as he noticed her lose grip on his hand. He tried to smile and nod when she mentioned she wanted to go camping as he wondered if it was true or not. Scott wanted to take her camping, he wanted to give her the trip she had dreamed of but he had just landed that he wasnt exactly the stand up guy she thought he was so he could understand her choice no matter what it was.

“Nope, nothing put on at all.” He said not sure what she was meaning but there were no ball gowns or fancy dinners, it was just dirt and living in the outdoors which was relaxing. Scott wanted to disagree with her, she looked beautiful no matter what she was wearing and make up or not she was more beautiful each time he looked at her. Even the red dress she wore, it was beautiful and so was she but he knew that the person there counted more than anything else.

“No need to say sorry I get it, it’s a lot to think about.” He said trying to smile still as he felt her fingers slipping from his as he fought the urge to grasp her hand again. “Kelle, thank you.” He said as he took a breath, “I’ll have a return flight ticket and transfers sorted out for you at the front desk by tomorrow morning or today I guess, if you want to use them then it’s there for you to take. No questions asked. Thank you for a wonderful evening, good night.” He said as he took a few steps back.

It would be easy enough to sort out a return flight, transfers and anything else that he thought of in the mean time. Great Briton had been his home for years, happy memories and then one day he had come back to nothing left. Things had gone downhill and he rarely came back due to criminal constraints and of course memories but now when he finally thought he had a better memory to have. He managed to go and ruin it for her and now, well now he just have to give her the time and space she needed to figure out what she wanted to do.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Good night." She took his hands in hers for a briefly, but stopped short of kissing him, although she did look into his eyes for a long moment. Then the hint of a smile flickered over her lips. "Funny, saying goodnight when the sun is just up, huh?"

Not that it would be a first for her. She'd worked plenty of 24 hour shifts that had seen her up all night and dropping into bed at 0900. Heck, the night they'd met...

Anyway, she gave him a last look before slipping out of her clothes, then falling on the bed and curling up, her arms over her head to try to make her brain shut up -- she knew well from experience that her thoughts were emotional and unreliable when she was tired, and that once she had some sleep she would feel better.

Finally, she did drift off, and when she awoke, she was still rolled in a ball, but she felt better, physically, at least, even though it had only been six hours. After a quick shower, she tossed on jeans and a cable-knit sweater, packed everything else, then, as an afterthought, plopped her tiara on top of her ponytail.

Dragging her suitcase behind her, she headed for the lobby, wondering if maybe Scott had decided to cut his losses and leave, and in a way, she hoped he had...it would certainly make her decisions that much easier.

But her heart was shouting at him -- Be here, be waiting for me...Face up to me...

Scott Cooper

[Scott Cooper]

Scott tried his best to smile at her though when he saw the hint of a smile he tried to relax though it didnt seem to work any. “Funny but it was a good night and worth staying up for.” He said as he watched her go. Scott had at one time been used to being up all night, usually in a jungle or up to his neck treading water but that night was simply amazing and now he had no idea what was going to happen.

Even the night they had met, sure there were the obvious things but he was surprised by her and then after that at the Gala ball. When Scott got to his room his head was filled with everything he should have said, everything he should have avoided as he made the arrangements for a return flight and transfers for the front desk. It felt odd in doing so but then he wasnt about to keep her there against her will.

After a few hours he managed to fall on the bed and give his best attempt at sleep but it just didnt seem to want to happen as he turned and turned thinking everything through. When he woke in the morning he maybe had a few hours sleep under his belt as he made his way about getting dressed. He threw on a pair of jeans and a casual shirt as he threw his jacket over his arm taking a last look at the place. A quick shower and clean clothes as he packed everything away from the previous night. He glanced at the clock wondering if Kelle was awake or if he should knock on her door and find out.

Was that stalking or pressuring her he wondered as he got ready to leave. He made his way down to the lobby to see that Kelle hadn’t checked out yet as he considered leaving there and then. Bag in hand it would be easy enough to do, just to leave and get back on a plane to Chicago. Could he even face her with what he had told her, it wasnt under the moonlight and stars anymore. Not after a fantastic amazing evening with her, this was just him in the day light. Scott didnt know what he was going to say or if he should head home himself and call it a day.

Instead of accepting the offer of a taxi Scott waved it off as he took a seat in the lobby waiting for Kelle. Right or wrong he at least needed to find out he thought and he wasnt about to abandon her in a foreign country. Sure it wasnt exactly the back of beyond but still if anything happened to her he would know it was his fault as he thumbed through a paper as he attempted to read the headlines though he only managed to stare at it. Thinking about someone else and what they were thinking as he tried to not appear nervous or on edge as to what she might say since he had stayed.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP ,

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

It seemed a little pathetic, in a funny sort of way, for the 'princess' to be dragging her own luggage through the castle hallways, but Kelle didn't mind, it was more 'her', more grounded, not that it wasn't fun to be a princess on occasion, but right now she needed to be 'just Kelle' as she prepared to sort things out in her head.

And just as she thinking that he had left, moved on, whatever, she saw him in the lobby and her breath caught in her throat, although she hesitated...never in her life would she have thought that she would be attracted to the 'poison', that her head could be turned and she would consider setting aside her beliefs...

But she had never counted on being kidnapped by a prince...

"So, camping now?" she asked as she approached him with an uncertain smile. "Tent, sleeping bag, campfire? Oh, right, and a heart-to-heart talk and awkward questions..?"

Scott Cooper,

[Scott Cooper]

It was the first time in a long time he had no plan and no ideas, he didnt like the feeling of not knowing or not being able to judge the situation but he guessed he might have a better idea when Kelle arrived. It was just a matter of sitting and waiting or maybe praying that she wouldnt scream at him for all he had told her the previous night.

Scott stood up the minute he saw her, to him she kept getting more beautiful each time but then he could hardly breathe as he waited to hear what she might say. It had circled in his head for most of the night, screaming, crying, accusing after all she had an evening to think about it. Well a few hours at least but in his mind the outcome was the same. Could there actually be any good come out of it at all?

“Camping?” Scott questioned for a moment before he nodded surprised by her choice to approach him even if he could see her smile was uncertain. “I... oh yeah... can’t forget the tent, sleeping bag, campfire or awkward heart to heart talk.” He replied sheepishly, yeah the awkward was because of him and it didnt exactly make for great conversation when he had answered her the previous night yes to killing someone.

Of all the things he had thought he would be saying to her right now, talking about camping hadn’t exactly been high on his list though it had surprised him none the less. “Kelle, anything you want to ask me, go ahead and I can guarantee you an honest answer to it all.” He said as he glanced at her bag before he walked to the front desk and grabbed an envelope, “How about I give you a hand if you want me to?” He asked cautiously not wanting to push things in case she thought he might steal her bag as he held out the envelope to her. “As promised as well, you’re escape route if you want it.” He said not sure if she would but then he had tried to do the right thing after ruining an evening for her.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

“Kelle, anything you want to ask me, go ahead and I can guarantee you an honest answer to it all.”

"I know." She gave him a dry look, but there was a hint of teasing in her eyes if he looked closely. Of course, she was serious, if he wanted any sort of...anything. But then, she wasn't really so sure what she wanted, or which details were going to be 'deal-breakers', provided there was a deal.

“How about I give you a hand if you want me to?”

"Sure." Her smile was still uncertain, but she turned over her suitcase to him, having been taught that that was what a gentleman did, and there was nothing degrading in letting a man be a gentleman. "I'd never turn down an offer to do my work for me!" She laughed as she looked at him.

There was no disputing, he was indeed a gentleman, at least in this persona, and that was one of the problems -- which persona was real, and could he stick with that.

“As promised as well, you’re escape route if you want it.”

For a moment, she looked at the envelope he offered, then shrugged. "Nah, you can hold onto it." Looking up at him, her smile relaxed. "I'd probably just lose it, and we're going to be out in the sticks anyway, right?" It dawned on her that it probably wasn't the smartest thing, going off with him relatively away from civilization, but somehow, she trusted it would be all right, that she would be safe. He'd vowed more than once that he wouldn't hurt her -- physically, anyway -- and she believed that...

Scott Cooper,

[Scott Cooper]

Scott smiled at her when she gave him a dry look, the hint of teasing in her eyes as he decided that it was as good as he could have hoped for. Scott hadn’t a clue how honest to be with her, he hadn’t exactly been an angel with what he had done and she had firsthand experience of that but it wasnt like he went around killing women and children. He never did that and only those who had done wrong, sure there were varying degrees but then he didnt have a cause at all for a few years and then in Chicago he found his family and again they weren’t exactly pillars of society.

Well Sharon, that was different but she was a cop now but still. She was practically the only good one in the family he guessed. Scott took hold of her suitcase as he carried it, he was trying to be a gentleman, not that he wouldnt have offered yesterday or the day before that but he wanted her to feel okay about it. “Fair enough, I’m happy to do that work for you. If it had concrete in it then I might be giving you it back.” He joked as he smiled though again concrete or not he would still attempt to carry it if she wanted him to.

Scott could feel his breath stuck in his chest as he watched Kelle look at the envelope. For a split second he thought she might have taken it though he was stunned when she asked him to hold onto it. “I... yeah... sure I can.” He said having been prepared for her to run out of there but not for her to say keep the escape plan. “Yes we are, the sticks it is but I’m pretty sure you’ll get phone reception too.” He said just to make sure she didn’t feel entirely on her own.

“So do you need to get anything for our camping trip before we head off there?” Scott asked her, “I know we’ve got tents, sleeping bags, camping equipment, stuff for cooking and the food too unless you want anything specific for food?” He asked not sure if she wanted just stew or more a three course camping meal that consisted of soup, rice and a dessert that came out of a tub or can. “Oh and I made sure to get all the stuff for a full Scottish breakfast, so you can sample the delights of a Scottish breakfast, a little different to the English one by way of haggis but still as good.” He said rambling a little.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP

[Kelle Lindsay, EMTP]

"Breakfast sounds good!" Kelle admitted, now that her stomach was stilled some, "it'll be good to be 'immersed' in my heritage."

She glanced over at him and shrugged. "As long as we have the makin's for S'mores, I'm happy. Nothing like blackened marshmallows to make the evening perfect! And, ya know, then I'll have a stick to poke you with if I don't like your answers."

She laughed, a little more natural this time, although she was still torn in her head about the wisdom of all this. Not that she thought he would hurt her, she had no doubts of her safety with him.

But her heart...the longer she let this go on, the harder it would be to go back and leave it behind.

Crazy as it seemed, though, she really believed that the possibility of that was plummeting by the day, so she as willing to stay with this...with him.

"And I'm not so sure about haggis, but I trust you. Oh, and relax...I'm not ready to obliterate you just yet."

Scott Cooper,

[Scott Cooper]

Scott smiled and nodded to her. “Breakfast it is then and yes heritage is always good to find out about.” He said though the minute he said it he realised she could ask him anything about his heritage and then he would have to explain the family line which came with its own neatly wrapped mafia story.

“We can do s’mores but you’d have to make them because I’m not exactly sure how that works.” He said having never made them before as he laughed about her stick comment. “Hey well if you’ve got the stick to poke me with then I’m doomed, i’d surrender after that but s’mores first just so I get to taste them.”

Scott didnt want her to leave but he knew it was a possibility, the longer he stayed around her he knew the more it would hurt if she did but he only had himself to blame. If he had come clean sooner or if he had just said to her at the ball who he was, yeah a crazy move at a cops ball but still he maybe should have done things differently.

He could hear her laugh and it sounded a lot more natural than it had done before, he wondered if it was a sign that she was more relaxed about things though he didnt want to jump too far onto that thought. “The haggis, you’ll either love it or hate it just don’t ask what’s in it.” He said with a slight grin, yeah when people heard that part he knew the reaction all too well. “Thanks for the not being ready to obliterate me just yet, I appreciate it.” He added grinning.

Kelle Lindsay, EMTP