All Your Fates (Currently editing/updating)

Chapter 20: Slaphappy & Punch Drunk

Music Track List:

Just One of Those Things -- Cole Porter

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David'S POV

I practically leaped out of bed when I woke up the next morning, threw on my clothes and was out the door in record time.

After Emma's episode in the car last night, I couldn't get much out of her. She wouldn't tell me what happened...what she had experienced. All she would allow me to know was that she needed my help. She needed my help to go back.

At first, I was dead set against it. Especially after what happened with Alice, but as the sleepless night wore on I realized that if Emma wanted my help...I should grant her that. It was the least I could do. It meant...that somewhere out there...she wanted to be with me. Well, maybe not me, per se, but one of me. And if we are fated to be together in one world or another...I should try to make that happen...right? And if we spent an inordinate amount of time together trying to find that world where the other me existed, then...

But for now what Emma needed foremost was sleep and recovery. She had been through an incredible trauma and paradigm shift the last 24 hours. The experience surely would have snapped less sane minds. In the meantime, I was to prepare the lab as fast as possible. And tonight, we would have supper together...to discuss.

Of course, it wasn't a date...but I made reservations at Maestro's nonetheless. It was well beyond my means but I had it all figured out on how I was going to pay...well maybe not really well thought out...but still...

As I spent the day clearing out the last of the miserable decaying lot in the lab, left over from the day before, I skipped about at the task at hand not able to contain my excitement. I even chucked out all the things I had saved up to sell on ebay just for expediency. If I finished cleaning today, and setting up the Chladni plates all day tomorrow, I could have Emma in the lab by the day after. I almost clicked my heels together at the thought.

"What's got you so slaphappy," Pepper's snide voice pierced the air, and I suddenly felt just a little deflated at the sound of her voice. I had been hoping she would have stayed away after our disastrous "date," for lack of a better term, last night...but no such luck.

"I see you've finally made it to work...only seven hours late," I said turning to face her. She was wearing a blue shimmering sheer dress that accentuated all her wide curves and I was reminded once again how kinda smexy she was...despite the...you know...horrible personality.

Pepper just tossed her brazen chin at me and grinned wolfishly, "Well...you know...I tend to keep my own hours. Besides, I just popped by to see if you had had a chance to recuperate from last night."

"Yes, I have," I said, feeling particularly virile at that moment. "And what about you...did you get to knock boots with Gabriel Rath?" I said his name in a withering voice.

Pepper sauntered over to a counter I had cleared after discovering it in the middle of the room midday under an avalanche of boxes. She quickly hopped on it and started to swing her thick legs, exposing a creamy thigh underneath the high-cut slit in her skirt.

"Why are you so interested? Feeling a little jealous," she said with a coy twinkle in her eye.

"Not in the least," I announced with a triumphant grin, "Now...I hope you take this gently, Pepper, but I am sorry to have to tell you. I've met someone else." I then lowered my gaze sheepishly, feeling a little bad...because you know...after all, I didn't want to hurt her.

There was a stony silence, and when I finally looked up at her face, Pepper looked as if she was choking on air. Her face was red, and tears began to dot the edges of her eyes and onto her cheeks. At first, I was worried. Damn...she's taken it really hard, but when sound finally emanated from her lungs...I realized: she was laughing hysterically.