This is a work of fiction, using characters from the film, “Proof of Life”.  No insult or invasion of privacy or infringement of copyright is intended. The story is for readers over the age of 18 only, and contains adult language. The writer is not responsible for any "discomfort" caused to the reader by this language and these situations.

Full Length Of The River

©2008 by: Darrin

Chapter Eight

While Dino gave the valet the car keys, Terry fetched the bags from the boot.  He’d opened Stephanie’s door for her and smiled as she shrunk back a little.  “S’okay, luv.  Take your time,” he said softly and left her to negotiate with herself about entering the “real” world.  Terry knew first hand there was something wonderfully cocooning about a hospital environment and wasn’t surprised at all by Steph’s hesitation.  Dino got what Terry left behind and they stood outside Steph’s door, flanking either side so she’d feel safer.

Slowly, she pushed herself out and stood between them, their “royal” charge.  Terry took one hand and Dino the other and they made their way into the hotel.  There were a lot more people in the lobby than Steph had had to contend with so far and she shrunk behind Terry as they approached the elevators.  When they entered the car, several guests joined them and Steph hid behind Terry completely.  For the most part they were ignored, but there were a couple of curious glances over their way and Terry just gave them a “What are you looking at?” ’brow and they looked away.

When they reached their floor, Terry led Stephanie out with Dino right behind them and his glare got them a clear path so the two men were able to get her out without incident.  Even so, as they walked down the hall, Steph clung to Terry, her breathing noticeably increased.  Terry put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head and telling her it would be okay.

Once in the room, Stephanie crawled onto one of the beds and pulled her knees to her chest, watching the two partners go about getting them ready to check out.  Terry came over and crouched down next to the bed she was on.  “I’m just gonna grab a quick shower, luv.  You’ll be okay with Dino, all right?”  Steph nodded and Terry made his way to the bathroom, showering, shaving and changing into jeans and a polo shirt.  As he exited, he heard Dino’s banter and a very soft giggle from Steph.  He sighed with relief.

She’d opened her presents, mostly clothes, jeans and blouses, but there was also a purse and associated items, a make-up kit and finally a book with little teddy bears adorning the cover.

“Well, you made out, luv.  It’s like Chrissie in here!”  Terry picked up the book and found it was an empty essay-style journal.  He lifted a ’brow at Dino and smiled.  His partner always continued to surprise him.  He might be “off” sometimes, but he was as intuitive as Terry liked to think he himself was; one of the main reasons they were close.

“Yeah, and here’s the final one, just for you, honey.”  Dino handed Steph her provisional ID she would need to fly home.  “We used the photo they had on file so it actually looks like a real one, not just a provisional.”

Steph held it in her hands, staring at it and rubbing one finger over the face of it.

Terry walked over to her and crouched down next to the bed again.  “What is it, sweetheart?”

“This… This is me.  I’m… I’m real.”

Terry took her hand and squeezed it as she tore her eyes away from the ID and looked at him.  “Yes, Stephanie Jasper.  You’re real.”  A small smile lit up her face as she returned to staring at the ID.  Terry chuckled and left her to come to terms with that while he spoke to Dino quietly.

“Okay,” Dino said in answer to Terry’s “what’s next?” expression, “so we’re ready as far as I’m concerned.  I booked us a table at a nice place nearby that should take us right up to two o’clock, when we need to be at the airport.  We turn in the rental car there and find a quiet corner to wait for our flight and then it should be smooth sailing from there all the way to Manhattan and one of our guys will pick us up to take us the rest of the way.”

“Goodo, I sent an email to my housekeeper to get the guest room ready for Stephanie.  All bright and cheery and ‘girlie’, she promised.”  The two men chuckled at that.

“So I guess I get the couch next time I hafta crash at your place, huh?” Dino replied.

“Bloody drongo, just keep yourself sober once in awhile.”

“Oh, you’re no fun,” Dino retorted.  His gaze went back to the girl on the bed who was now showing her ID to her bear.  “I dunno, pal,” Dino began after they watched her a couple of minutes.

“Dunno what, Dino?”

“I don’t know how you’re gonna survive this.  It’s gonna be a long time before she’s ready for anything resembling how you’re feeling.”

“Oh, you know how I’m feeling, do you?”

Dino turned to his partner and looked him square in the eyes.  “Yes, I do.  I’ve seen that look in your eyes before only this time it’s a lot more serious.  This isn’t just a rescue for you.  Not anymore.  You’re getting too deep for it to be anything less.”

“Yeah,” Terry sighed, remembering the feel of her this morning and the accompanying ache when he had to let her go.  “But I can’t help how I feel and I don’t see any reason why I should.  She doesn’t have anyone,” Terry paused and his and Dino’s eyes met as he took in a breath and let it out slowly, “and neither do I.”

Dino put a hand on Terry’s shoulder.  “All right, hermano.  We’ll make it work.”  He grinned that shit-eating grin he was famous for.  “Ya old softy.”

“Watch out, mate.  Confirmed bachelors like you fall the hardest.”

“Well, God willing, not until I’ve sown some more wild oats.”  They laughed together and while Dino went to finish up packing and making sure the room was empty, Terry took the opportunity to check Stephanie’s bandages.  Everything seemed fine and he was sure they could wait to be changed until they got to his flat.

“Okay, Princess, let’s go get some lunch and then get us home,” Dino said and Stephanie got off the bed dutifully and took Terry’s hand in hers.

She had her new purse slung over her shoulder and Terry was amazed at the transformation.  She still had mottled bruises visible and her face showed some wear and tear from her imprisonment, but overall, she looked like just a girl ready to go on a trip.  That was until you looked into her eyes closely.  Terry still saw that hunted, frightened sheila in there, the one that made him want to take her in his arms and hold her for all time.

Dino and Terry each grabbed a suitcase and their respective gym bags and headed back down to the lobby.  Terry left Dino to check them out and took Stephanie outside, away from all the people in the lobby as well as a much needed smoke break for himself.  Steph just stood with him, one hand in his, one holding her bear and the strap of her purse.  Whenever someone would approach them, Steph would ease herself behind Terry and her grip would tighten on his hand.

“It’s okay, Steph,” Terry said softly, “just folks going about their business.  They don’t have anything to do with us.”

“I know,” came the reply in a very small voice.  “Can’t help it.”

“That’s okay, sweetheart.  You’ll get used to it soon and we’ll be able to go for a walk in Manhattan and you won’t even notice them.”

“I used to live there, huh?”

“Yes, so I’m sure it’ll be like riding a bike.  You’ll get over your fears one by one and be a regular New Yorker again.”  Terry chuckled at her bewildered smile.  “I know, you don’t remember.  But it’ll come back.  Probably sooner than later.”

“Yeah,” she said, non-commitally.

Dino joined them and soon after their car was ready and the three of them were off to lunch.  Dino drove this time, giving Terry more of an opportunity to observe Stephanie.  Since they’d left the hospital, she’d been drinking everything in, while hiding from anything that moved near her.  It was strange to see her craving more information while at the same time trying to keep herself from actually coming into contact with it.

During the drive, Dino kept up his banter, goading Terry as always and Terry slung it right back at him and they managed to get Stephanie giggling again, making both of them grin.  At the restaurant, Terry kept her close, knowing she’d be nervous but she simply had to get through her fear of people in general.  The flight home, even in first class, would be close quarters and he didn’t want to see her so scared for all six plus hours.

They ordered their meals, Terry smiling to himself when Steph shyly pointed to the roast beef and mashed potatoes and knew Dino would be as fascinated with the way she ate that as he was last night.  The conversation was kept light for the most part and when it did turn serious, Dino and Terry kept it to business in general, both men keeping an eye out for anything that might scare Stephanie.

Terry loved the outfit Dino had picked out for her, jeans, sandals and a blouse, once again complete with little ribbon at the top.  He’d have to find out what this ribbon fetish of Dino’s was all about one day.  She’d put her hair back in a ponytail and the soft white ribbon that bound her black hair made his mind wander to pulling it from her and letting her tresses fall into his hands.  He told himself firmly to stop that line of thought before he had to excuse himself and do what Dino suspected he already was on a regular basis.

At least wait until you’re in the privacy of your own bloody shower, mate, he thought to himself.  He wasn’t ashamed of the act, men in his line of work and many others for that matter, “took care of business” as a matter of course.  But he sure as fuck didn’t need to at inappropriate times.  A shower tonight would be fine to wait for.  With that thought, he mentally shook himself and fell back into the conversation.  That he’d moved from “if” he had to, to “when” he had to, completely escaped him.  The red head would have told him that anytime he wanked off was a complete waste of talent.  But the red head was very far from his mind as was the little brunette stewardess.  Right now, all who he was consumed with was sitting in the chair next to him, looking small and vulnerable and desperately in need of his arms around her.  For that, he found himself actually missing being in the hospital.

Their food arrived and as he’d thought, Dino watched fascinated as Stephanie built her little village around the mountain and then ate it, making Terry chuckle.  Terry was convinced it was probably something from her childhood that was working its way into the foreground with the absence of any current memories.  This part was beginning to fascinate him and while he knew her sessions with Ben’s colleague were going to be difficult, a small part of him was intrigued to be observing all of it.  He was almost convinced that his theory was correct, that she’d abandoned her sense of self in order to survive.  Had almost become someone else or at least certainly a different version of herself that could hang on until help arrived.  He wished he could take it on himself so she would never have been at a point where she had to build up such a wall between what was happening to her body and the fragile state her mind must have been in.  To be repeatedly beaten and raped as some gang’s plaything.

That’s when he suddenly did become ashamed of his own need.  Repairing the damage done to this woman was far more important than anything he could possibly need.  “Things don’t happen for a reason,” Alice had said to him that night long ago in Tecala.  But she was wrong.  He’d been the one to find Stephanie for a reason.  Because he was who she needed to help bring her back from wherever she’d hidden away.

Without realizing he was doing it, he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear.  Stephanie looked up at him with a small smile, her eyes lighting up as she did.  In that single moment he saw the potential of what could be and he vowed to do whatever was needed to bring her to where he was so they could be together.

Dino cleared his throat.  “You two need a room or something?”  Stephanie’s eyes flew open and then a deep crimson blush spread across her cheeks and down her neck as she dipped her head down, concentrating on finishing her meal.  Terry’s heart began beating double time.  That blush wasn’t just from Dino’s ribald comment.  That blush was because for a few seconds, she’d just been Stephanie Jasper, a sheila who found herself attracted to the man touching her.

Terry grinned widely at Dino.  Dino just laughed.  “Glad I could help,” he said quietly.  If the comment meant anything to Stephanie, she didn’t show it.  But it meant something to Terry.  He couldn’t stop grinning at his friend.

“Oh great, I gotta live with that shit-eating grin the whole way home, don’t I?”

Terry laughed, slapped Dino’s shoulder and kept grinning.  Dino rolled his eyes and went back to his cheeseburger.  Stephanie looked from Dino to Terry, seemingly bewildered at what had just taken place, smiled at Terry with a little shake of her head and returned to demolishing her village.

With two military men, lunch was over pretty quickly and so they ordered a piece of chocolate cake for Stephanie to go - “Gotta fatten you up, Princess,” Dino said when she shook her head - and got back into the car to return to the Ontario airport.

After they’d checked the car back in with the rental agency outside the terminal, they walked through the doors and found the line to get through security was huge.  Terry didn’t relish trying to get Stephanie through it without incident.

“Hang on, lemme go talk to one of the guys in charge, see if I can work something out.  Stay here with Stephanie, I’ll be right back.”  Dino strode over to where the head of security was standing overseeing the process and they exchanged words, then business cards, then Dino grinned and headed back to where Terry had Stephanie firmly against him as she tried to stay calm.

“Okay, guy says he has a VIP area we can use.  Guess they reserve it for celebrities and the like.”  Dino tipped Stephanie’s chin so she could look at him from where she was hiding against Terry’s chest.  “I told him we had a very important Princess who needed complete privacy and he said, well… yeah!”

Terry squeezed Steph against him and they followed Dino to where another security person was waiting to lead them to the VIP room.  Terry felt Stephanie calm down by fast degrees until he was able to just have her hand in his once they got to the room.  Their luggage was checked in short order and IDs confirmed quickly.  The security agent raised an eyebrow at Stephanie’s when she brought her up on her computer but discreetly did not make comment.  A short while later, they found themselves seated in first class, front row, Stephanie safely ensconced next to the window, furthest away from all traffic.

“This is the life, man,” Dino breathed, stretching out in his seat while Terry stowed their carry-ons.

Terry settled himself and then Stephanie, getting her to eat her dessert to keep her distracted from the other passengers boarding.  He just wanted to get this trip over with, get Steph to his flat and make a fresh start for her.

There was the usual activity of getting all the passengers settled, announcements made and Stephanie held onto Terry tightly throughout.  Her little bear was safely tucked into one hand; Terry noted that Steph’s knuckles would turn white whenever someone approached them.  He could feel her heart beating hard against his upper arm and could hear her breathing range from softly worried to panting whimpers of fear.  Remembering Bass had said to keep her blood pressure down, he pushed up the arm rests for both seats and pulled her as close as their seat buckles would allow.

He bent to her ear and whispered softly.  “Gotta calm down, babygirl.  No one on this plane means us any harm.  Dino and I are gonna take care of anything that happens, but your job is to stay calm, okie dokie?”  He pulled back and held her face in his hands, the question in his eyes.

Steph’s bottom lip was quivering slightly and her eyes had that wild quality he remembered from the last time they were on a plane together.  “I d-don’t know… Something’s scaring m-me.  D-don’t know wh-what.”

Terry kissed her forehead.  “Maybe just because we’re on a plane again.  Just concentrate on where we’re going.  I’m taking you home, luv.  Got a room all ready for you at my flat, a place just for you.  You want that, right?”

Steph smiled, nodding and he put his arms around her, hoping he was making her feel safe.  The way she snuggled in, her little bear tucked in tight under her chin, he thought maybe he was.

A flight attendant came over to where they were and crouched down next to Dino, addressing all three of them.  “Everything all right here?  Can I get you anything?”

“Your name and phone number would be a good start,” Dino replied which got a silent giggle from Stephanie that Terry could feel against his torso.

“Now, Mr McAllister, I’ve been warned about you.  If you behave for the entire flight, we’ll see.”

“I see I’m preceded by tales of my legendary prowess,” came the reply with a randy grin that now made even Terry chuckle, despite being well-familiar with his partner’s antics when it came to flight attendants.

“Yes, Gloria says to say hello.  She saw your name on the manifest and tried switching with me so I’d say your chances are good at that phone number; it takes a lot to impress Gloria.”  The girl watched Dino’s face closely and Terry could tell this was a test that if he passed meant Dino would definitely be getting laid tonight or tomorrow.

“Gloria Tanner impressed me too,” Dino said, with a pointed look and the girl winked broadly.

“My name’s Laurie and you just earned yourself several brownie points.  Now, is there anything I can get you, Mr Thorne?”

Terry chuckled.  “Not at the moment, Laurie,” he replied, “but a couple of beers wouldn’t go astray when we get to order them.”

“I can take care of that, anything for you, Miss?”  Stephanie tightened her grip on Terry and shook her head.  “Very well, I’ll see you after take off then.”  She stood and went to the galley to finish her preparations.

Terry turned to Stephanie and asked quietly, “You sure, luv?  Maybe a glass of wine would help take the edge off, ya reckon?”

“M-Maybe…”  Stephanie sounded unsure but Terry thought it would be a good idea and made a mental note to order it for her when he could.

Since they were on a weekday afternoon flight, things moved fairly rapidly from preparation to actually taxiing down the runway.  Once they were airborne and the captain had made his usual announcements, Laurie brought over a couple of bottles of beer for Dino and Terry and swiftly produced a bottle of white wine and a glass for Stephanie upon Terry’s request.  It seemed to help and Terry relaxed in tandem with each sip Steph took.

Not long after, the three of them were stretched out, enjoying the in-flight movie and when he felt his eyes closing, he checked on Stephanie who he was pleased to see had fallen asleep.

Dino noticed as well.  “Thank God for boring movies,” he whispered.

“Definitely,” Terry replied.  “I need the lav, keep an eye on her for me?”  Dino nodded and Terry undid his seatbelt and made his way to the head.

So far, so good, he thought as he washed his hands after.  He looked at himself in the mirror.  He recalled Dino asking him, “Are you in love with this woman?” in Tecala.  He hadn’t answered him then.  But if Dino were to ask that question today, he had an answer.  Oh yeah, he certainly did.

He allowed himself a few minutes of selfish thought, of the time when she would let him touch her, caress her in that intimately familiar way that he longed for.  To see her respond to his touch and feel her around him as he took her to where there was nothing to be afraid of, just the warmth and safety of his embrace to the heat that would bring her to completion with him.  More than anything he needed, his ultimate satisfaction would not come from making love to her, it would come knowing that the act would show her how he felt and give her something she so desperately needed.  To love and be loved.  Wasn’t that what the song said?  The greatest thing you’ll ever learn, is to love and be loved in return.  That was what he wanted to give her.

Terry sighed and exited the lav.  Stephanie was awake and looking around for him and though Dino had her hand, she looked scared.  He took his seat and she practically crawled into his lap.  “It’s okay, luv.  You’re okay,” he whispered, thanking Dino with a smile.

“No problem,” Dino said with an answering grin and took off for the lav himself.

First class definitely had its advantages, the trip passed much more quickly than Terry had hoped.  The dinner helped break up the time and the deck of cards kept Stephanie occupied.  The only hiccup was when she had to go to the bathroom herself.  Terry could tell she’d been holding it for far longer than she should and finally took her hand and led her to the lav.  Her eyes were definitely not in favour of being in that small space by herself but there simply wasn’t anything else to be done.  Finally her body’s needs took over her mind’s fears and she slipped into the small bathroom, Terry standing just outside as he’d promised.  When they returned to their seats, Terry didn’t care what the other passengers might think and went ahead and pulled her onto his lap, where she finally was able to calm down completely.

After awhile, she whispered, “T?”

“Yeah, luv?”

“I won’t always be afraid like this, will I?”

“No, luv.  You’re gonna get better, I promise.  The doctor in Manhattan is gonna help you work through it all.  And your memory will return and you and I will live happily ever after just like a Princess and her knight should,” he added with a little chuckle.  He felt her smile against his neck, sighing – happily, he hoped.

“I don’t understand everything around me,” she confessed quietly, “but I do know I can trust you.  I… I want so much to be able to not be afraid.  I want to feel the way I did in the restaurant today… When you… when you looked at me.  I-I liked that.  It felt… right.”

Terry grinned.  He was pretty sure anyone looking at him just then would think it was a fairly idiotic grin, but he didn’t care.  Inasmuch as her current state of mind would let her, Stephanie had come close to telling him she had feelings for him.  Feelings that had nothing to do with being rescued.

“It felt right for me too, Steph.  I want us both to feel that all the time too.  And we will.  We just have to be patient.”

Stephanie nodded against his shoulder and sighed again.  This time Terry was certain it was a happy sigh.  It made him now feel a deep-seated longing to bend her back into his bed and hold her and enter her and make love to her, give her climax after climax and then hold her again as they kissed, secure in each other’s arms.  She would end up in the position she was in now and he would caress her body until he could take her again.

“T?”

“Yeah, luv?”

“Your heart’s pounding awfully fast.”

“I guess it’s not as patient as I am,” he whispered softly with a chuckle.  That got him a soft giggle in return and a tighter hold of her arms around his neck.  The rest of the conversation went unspoken as she sighed and Terry kissed her temple.

You’ll wait for me, T?

Yes, I’ll wait for you, luv.

Not much later, the plane landed.  Terry and Dino waited until everyone had disembarked, Dino using the time to get Laurie’s phone number and even pressed his luck with a plan to meet for lunch the next day.  Terry had to laugh as he worked his magic and sure enough, the red haired goblin managed to make his date.

The three of them left the plane, got their luggage from the carousel after the inevitable trek through JFK and were soon in the car driven by one of the guys from T&M.  Terry and Stephanie were the first drop off and they said goodbye to Dino then entered Terry’s apartment building deep in the heart of Manhattan.  The doorman greeted them both, welcoming Terry back home.

An elevator ride later, Terry opened the door to his flat and silently praised his housekeeper when he flicked on the lights.  There were flowers on the dining room table and around the different surfaces in the living room.  He dumped the bags in a corner and took Stephanie’s hand, leading her to her room.

It was bright and cheery and definitely “girlie” as promised.  Stephanie grinned and actually voluntarily let go of Terry’s hand to walk around and smiled back at him from the other side of the queen-sized bed.

“All this?” she asked, timidly.

“Yes, luv.  This is where you’ll be staying now.”

She turned around slowly, sat down on the bed and set her little bear on the pillow.  “It feels like home,” she said.

“Good.  That’s what it is.”

“And tomorrow we start… getting me better?”

“Yes.  I’ll call the doc Ben told me about and then my doc to get you your own.  We also need to call your employer and see about finding out as much as we can of your previous life, hopefully spark some memories.  Right now, though, we’ll change your bandages and see about some food.  Dunno about you, but I’m hungry again.”

“I could eat,” Stephanie replied.

“Goodo.  I’ll go get the bags then and we’ll unpack so I can find the bandages.”

Stephanie followed him and helped him carry the bags into his room.  She stood shyly at the doorway as he opened the case and then the gym bag, making two piles of his and her belongings.  They carried her stuff to her room, put away what they needed to, then sat together on her bed as Terry changed her bandages as Bass had shown him the night before.  When he finished, she put her top back on and he caressed her cheek.

“Feel better?”

“Yeah, they don’t hurt as much anymore.”

“You have to let me know if they do, straight away.  Your bruises are disappearing pretty well too.  But you’re not on the IV anymore, so we need to make sure you don’t develop a new infection.  Especially on your burns.  We’ll get some aloe to keep the scarring down to a minimum.”  Stephanie blushed and Terry smiled, taking her hand.  “It’s okay, luv,” was all he could think to say to address the fact that she was exposing her breasts to him on a regular basis.  “Let’s go find something in the fridge, okie dokie?”

They shared a quick meal of sandwiches that Terry’s housekeeper, Maggie, had left for them with beer for him and a soda for Stephanie.  Then they got ready for bed.  Stephanie emerged from the bathroom in her blue ribbon pj’s and Terry was happy she’d been able to go it alone, although she had left the door open.  He’d waited for her in his bedroom, putting away his own clothes, the two doors opposite each other making that easy.

When she got into bed, though, the realization that he’d be in another room sunk in and she looked about nervously.

“Do you want me to stay with you tonight?” he asked, seeing the look in her eyes.  She nodded gratefully and he smiled, turning off the main light and stripping down to his shorts and tank, laid down on the bed next to her, on top of the covers.  There was a light on the desk and a nightlight in the hallway and bathroom which he felt would be more than enough.  He decided to forego showering, a reminder he really hadn’t thought everything through.  She wasn’t ready yet to be on her own while he had some private time.  Dino would be by in the morning as would Maggie and he’d have time then.

Stephanie turned on her side facing him and he put his arm around her.  She snuggled close.

Home at last, Terry thought and closed his eyes.

Chapter Nine