"OK, this is much nicer than I was expecting."
"And what exactly did you expect from a charity ball being organised by a Lady?"
"I don't know, but I wasn't expecting to be in a hotel so posh that I'd leave footprints in the carpet and you could swim in the bath... Ooh bath! I bet both of us could fit in that thing. How about we try later?"
"Stop trying to tempt me. This is our second official date and I mean to do it right."
She slipped her arms around his waist, tipping her head back for one of his addictive kisses. He happily complied but broke off far too soon for her liking. "Tempting me again, you're trouble. We'll be late if we don't get ready."
Already the thought of spending the whole night together, in a hotel room, was filling his mind with so many ideas and x-rated visions. He knew that if he allowed more than the briefest of kisses he'd never let her leave the room again.
"Fine, I'll get changed." She reached for the hem of her top, starting to tug it over her head.
"Stop!" She paused just as her bra was revealed, her face hidden behind the material. "I will not see you naked for the first time when I don't have time to do anything about it!"
She heard a rustling noise. "I'm changing in Scott's room!" The door slammed shut and she sighed, tugging her shirt off the rest of the way.
She hurried into the bathroom, casting a longing glance at the bathtub before settling for a shower. She quickly freshened up, brushing out her hair and twirling it up into a bun at the back of her neck, leaving two purple strands hanging down at the front which she curled. She slapped on some makeup, going for dark, smokey eyes with lots of her signature eyeliner.
Her dress was a corseted, fishtail style, silky black number that she had paid way too much for. But it felt amazing as she slipped it on, hooked her bodice closed and tightened the laces, although she was unable to tie them herself and made a mental note to get John to help. She doubted that anyone else would be walking around in all their goth glory, but she refused to be someone she wasn't, even for the elite.
She tucked her little bat shaped clutch bag under her arm and called herself done.
Just in time as a knock sounded from the door. Suspecting he might not trust her to behave if he were to just walk in she opened the door... to see Scott standing there.
His eyebrows rose as he looked her up and down.
"You look a bit different upright."
"And on the ground?"
"That too. Ready to go?"
"Just about, but could you quickly help me with something, please?"
"Sure, if I can."
She span around, presenting him with her back. "Could you just tie those into a bow or something? They keep coming undone and I can't reach easily enough to fix them properly myself, Twizzle I'm not."
"Not a problem," his fingers got to work with quick efficiency, pulling the laces tight and then tying them up.
"Perfect, thank you," she turned back to face him, taking a deep breath and mentally preparing herself.
"Nervous? I find that hard to imagine."
She fiddled with her bag, trying to calm down. "I just don't want to fuck up, you know?"
"Every day,"he laughed.
"Is this..." she waved a hand down at her dress,"...is this too much? Am I too much?"
"Never, you just keep being you, you're the only person to have gotten my brother out in years." He offered her his arm. "It really is great to see you again. John's waiting downstairs. Between you and me, I don't think he trusted himself to come back and now that I've seen that dress, I can understand why."
"I'll take that as a compliment," she managed to drag up a small smile for him and slipped her arm through his, allowing him to lead the way.
***
John Tracy in a suit was a sight to behold. He wore a black suit that wasn't quite a tuxedo, but looked close enough. It was well cut, obviously made for him, emphasising his lean body to perfection. He hadn't done anything to his hair, but he didn't need to, she loved that little natural curl at the front and the way it pinged back when you stroked your fingers through it. He was standing off to the side in the entrance hall, obviously avoiding the crowd as much as possible, already looking uncomfortable.
Since their first date, and the morning after which they had spent in a small cafe enjoying a relaxed brunch, they had talked almost daily, be it a phone call or just a few texts if they were busy, but each little conversation, each little nugget of information he shared about himself all helped build up a picture of him in her head as they grew closer and more comfortable with each other.
Twice he had surprised her by docking his elevator on her roof and calling her to let him in, taking a break from 5 when they were quiet so they could spend a few hours together cuddled on her couch, supposedly to watch movies but often becoming too wrapped up in each other to pay any attention.
The more time they spent together the easier and freer he became with her, and she loved watching him gain confidence, growing safe in the knowledge that he was very much wanted. She'd learnt that he had a playfully flirty side to him that he kept mostly hidden until they were alone, but when he was relaxed it came out full force and she loved it.
He had confided in her about his issues with crowds and social situations, about how uncomfortable and overwhelmed they made him feel, something she had already noticed. So she'd been very surprised when he had invited her to this event. She hadn't needed to be asked twice
She knew the second he saw her and Scott. His brother didn't get a second look but she could feel his eyes on her from clear across the room. Scott towed her forwards as she had stopped dead, just staring at her spaceman. It was a crime that he looked that good.
"Date delivery," Scott joked as he passed her over, leaving her in the -hopefully capable- hands of his brother before making a beeline for the bar.
John held her at arms length for a moment, encouraging her to turn in a slow circle.
"Do I pass?"
John swallowed. "I made the right decision."
"What decision?"
"Sending Scott." He offered her his arm which she gratefully accepted, allowing him to lead her into the fray as they entered the ballroom. There were a lot of people milling around and she had a moment where she wasn't sure she could do it, these were not her type of people, but then they weren't John's either and he was here because he wanted to be with her. She glanced at him, noticing the tense set to his shoulders and the slight clenching of his jaw. Her star boy wasn't comfortable either.
"We don't have to stay long," she whispered. "Just make an appearance, say hello to your friend and we can slip out and go somewhere else if you want to."
His smile showed that he appreciated her giving him an out and understanding just how he must be feeling.
"John!"
A pretty blonde, looking elegant in a pale blue dress, glided over to them.
"It's so good to see you down here, a rare occurrence indeed." She pulled him into a hug, kissed his cheek and then turned her blue eyes to Selene.
"This must be your lovely date, Scott's told me all about her. Although I must admit, to say I was surprised when you accepted my invitation was nothing compared to your RSVP with a plus one." She gave Selene the same hug and kiss treatment.
"It's so wonderful to meet you in person, I'm Penelope, but please, call me Penny."
"Selene, it's lovely to meet you too, I've heard all about you."
"All good I hope?" she laughed lightly, then sighed when someone across the room called her name. "They really are so very tiresome and dull, but duty calls. Do take advantage of the bar and enjoy, you deserve a little time off."
She waved at the person demanding her attention and hurried away.
"Busy lady," Selene commented as they wound their way through the crowd to the bar where Scott was lounging, watching the crowd with eyes that never rested. She guessed that was the disadvantage of a job like theirs, you were always waiting for shit to go down.
"I see Penny caught you," Scott commented as they ordered their own drinks.
"There was never a chance that I'd get away with it," John sighed, thanking the bartender and taking their drinks, a fancy beer for him and an old fashioned cocktail for her, because she hated champagne and he's wasn't that fond of it either. Once they had their drinks they left to find their designated seats at one of the tables arranged around the dance floor, where their evening meal would be served.
Selene sipped her drink, a classic tequila sunrise, and watched the crowd. Even for one such as her who tended to try to avoid the news and celebrity gossip, there were a number of recognisable faces. She was used to rich, well connected and sometimes famous clients, but that was in her natural habitat where they had come to her, not the other way around. They were usually the nervous, out of their depth people and she found she didn't like the shoe being on the other foot.
As with most events in polite society very few people actually seemed to genuinely like each other, even those who had dates. Oh, there were a lot of hugs and air kisses, compliments and posing for pictures but all of it had a fake air to it, like it was rehearsed and planned, choreographed almost. No one seemed to be showing genuine affection, no one was actually touching or hugging with any sincerity and they all seemed to be keeping their distance.
This was the point where she worried that she would make a fool out of herself with some social faux pas that would reflect badly on not just John but Penelope too. She nervously gulped her drink, wanting to hide behind John, but knowing she couldn't. Why had she worn such an outfit? She was standing out like a sore thumb, her previously pretty and unique dress now feeling like a big problem. Why hadn't she just dressed normally, like everyone else was? Why did she have to be different all the time?
Scott nudged John, nodding subtly over towards Selene. John didn't stop his explanation of the new code he had been working on, but slid his eyes to her, not liking the way she was sitting in her chair, her eyes downcast, uncharacteristically quiet.
He slid his hand across the table to take hers, giving it a little questioning squeeze. She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt his hand on hers, but recovered quickly. She turned her hand in his, interlocking their fingers, giving him a reassuring smile.
He frowned as if he didn't believe her but he didn't argue, just shifted in his seat so she could be properly included in the conversation.
The table around them slowly filled up as more people arrived and found their seats. It seemed that the Tracy boys were very well known and popular although she couldn't help but feel a little smug that she was one of the few people in the world who knew just what these rich playboys actually did with their spare time.
Dinner was very pleasant, although the food was a little too posh and way too small to actually be of much use, she would have given anything for a slice of pizza and wondered if they could make use of the hotel's room service once this fancy shindig was over.
Scott was good company, making a special effort to keep her included, amused and above all shielded from the inquiring glances that were coming her way. But she could still hear the whispers, people wondering who she was, how she had dared to turn up looking so out of place. After a rather vicious comment about her bag when she went to retrieve her lipstick and she was just about ready to give up and walk out. Showing up her date hadn't been part of the plan, and while she was grateful that he had gone to so much effort to arrange such a special date, their attitudes were souring the experience a little. If she had her way they would be back at her apartment with Chinese takeout.
She made it through dinner without giving in to the urge to launch herself across the table and deck the next person who dared to utter another whispered insinuation that she was a gold digging whore. John, for his part, had kept her firmly by his side, given her his full attention and made a point of touching her as often as was possible, if not always proper.
She just had to get through dessert and maybe she could make her excuses, claim a headache and leave John with his brother to enjoy himself while she hid in their room. Yes, that sounded like a perfectly good plan to her.
John shot her a look, the same kind she often set loose on him, basically saying that she knew what he was thinking and he wasn't getting away with it. Busted. She widened her eyes and gave him her best innocent look. Scott snorted in disbelief.
Her eyes narrowed at her date. "What have you been telling him about me?"
"Nothing that isn't true," he sipped his beer, possibly to avoid saying anything else that might incriminate him further.
She threw up her hands in disgust. "Well that could be anything!"
The other people on the table shot her a look as if she were a monkey in a zoo that had just flung its own shit at the glass. Part disgust, part disbelief and part interest like they were too transfixed to look away.
Scott, for his part was completely uncaring as to the looks and started to laugh, leaving his brother to his fate. "I think you're digging yourself into a hole there, bro."
She shot him a grateful look when all those at their table turned back to their own conversations and he gave her a cheeky wink in response.
John looked back and forth between them, obviously realising that he had missed something. Scott caught his eye and swept his gaze over the occupants of their table, coming to rest on her. She quickly looked away, concentrating on her food, poking at the chocolatey goodness on her plate but not really wanting it.
John leant closer, sliding his arm around her waist. "You OK?"
She nodded. "I'm fine, don't worry about me."
He didn't look like he believed her but said no more.
She put her fork down, not able to force down another bite and contented herself with people watching while John and Scott held a whispered conversation, likely some thing to do with work.
The people here really were in a whole class of their own, even their music was super fancy. An orchestra had started playing but in her opinion it was too much like elevator music, taking popular songs and playing them without a singer and at a speed which just made them sound weird. But then, it wasn't like the poshies of high society would be caught dead with anything less.
The women were all primped and preened to perfection, their dresses wouldn't dare to wrinkle and when their jewellery caught the light the wrong way you could be blinded by the flash. The men weren't much better, all slicked back hair and sharp suits. She watched as people separated into their own little groups, the women to gossip nastily and the men to show off pictures of their new toys and play a rousing game of my boat is bigger than yours. How boring.
She was amusing herself by making up names and occupations for them all, along with a scandalous secret, when a soft cough startled her out of her musings.
She turned to find John's hand at face height, open in invitation. Puzzled she placed her hand in his and allowed him to tug her to her feet.
"Allow me this dance?"
She looked around the room. "But no one's dancing yet."
"Then I guess we'll be the first ones."
She laughed, trying to pull him back to his chair. "Don't be crazy, people will stare."
He shrugged, not moving an inch, and, as she was learning, when a Tracy didn't wish to move, nothing could make them.
"Then we'll give them something to stare at."
They wandered slowly onto the dance floor, feeling eyes on them from all directions. The orchestra was playing some hideous version of a Beatles classic but that, and everything else, faded into insignificance when his arms encircled her waist, pulling her close.
She leant into him, her arms looped around his neck, swaying with him as they slowly revolved on the dance floor.
She could hear the whispers starting, breaking into their peaceful moment. She ducked her head, hiding her face against his chest. How was he staying so calm?
She felt a light touch on her chin, his fingers cradling her face softly as he urged her to look at him.
"You're beautiful and perfect. I'm so proud to be seen with you." His voice was pitched low, for her ears only but the kiss he gave her was a visual statement, a claiming. It was chaste by normal standards, but it was deep enough to mean business. It only lasted a few seconds but it was enough. The Tracy had thrown down the gauntlet.
"Show off." Scott's voice made her jump, something he took great pleasure in as he glided past with Penelope, who gave them a wide smile. The lady approved.
Selene glanced around, noticing that other couples had began to trickle out onto the dance floor, the babble of conversation growing louder as they were forgotten.
"You didn't have to do that," she murmured in his ear as they danced. She knew how much guts it would have taken from him to voluntarily put himself in the position of being the center of attention. John was more of a wall flower, preferring to fade into the background and watch from the sidelines. She hated that he had felt like he had to do something he wasn't comfortable with for her sake.
"Yes, I did. They were making you uncomfortable and they were being rude." He made a disgusted face. "I hate these kind of gatherings more than anything else, everyone is so fake, so concerned by their appearance, their social standing and their bank balance. That's all they value, and if you don't fit into their little world then you have no value to them. That's not how we think or how we feel. You are worth a thousand of them to me."
She didn't know what to say, swallowing hard. He was...wow. How could that man be so effortlessly romantic without even trying?
Why wasn't she saying anything? Had he said something wrong?
"I..."
Was she about to dump him in front of everyone?
"You are so getting laid tonight."
Shit! She slapped her hand over her mouth in horror. Had she really said that out loud? That was supposed to be an in her head thing! She had been trying to put into words how she felt about him but panicked and blurted out the first thing that came to mind.
That shocked a laugh out of him, as well as provoking an adorable blush. Her head thumped against his chest, her mortified groan muffled by his shirt.
"Forget I said that," she begged. "Pretend that I'm actually someone that's safe to be let out in polite society."
"Oh no," he laughed, utterly delighted by her verbal slip. "I am never, ever, forgetting that."
***
"I like her, John, I think she's good for you." Penelope graciously gave up her dance partner to the witch, swapping for the little seen Tracy brother.
"You only like the fact that she's managed to drag me down here."
"That's not a bad thing."
"Speak for yourself, you live this kind of thing, for me this is tortuous."
"You have adequate protection, she's a fierce thing."
"That she is, she yelled at me more times than I can count in our first conversation."
"Kind though, she donated an afternoon of her services to our silent auction and that lot is proving to be quite popular."
"Services?" This was news to him, he hadn't even known that she had services to offer.
"Yes, psychic to the rich and famous, booked up to two years in advance and apparently very selective with those she chooses to take on as a client. Almost every woman here has put in a bid, though from the way they have been treating her you'd think they wouldn't have. Maybe they weren't aware of who she actually was."
"You noticed that too, huh?" He pushed aside the fact that the witch could still catch him off guard and surprise him with her actions to mull over later.
"I did, but something tells me they are regretting their behaviour now."
They both turned to look at Scott and Selene, apparently holding an intense conversation as they danced. The crowds has stopped staring and whispering amongst themselves and the witch had visibly relaxed.
"You did well," Penny patted his arm, giving him a small kiss on the cheek as the song came to an end.
***
"What have you done to my brother?"
"Just how much detail are you wanting?"
Scott had cut in after three songs, passing Penny over to John and stealing Selene for himself.
"God, no, not like that. Please don't answer. No one needs to hear that."
She sniggered evilly. "Then what did you mean?"
"He's different with you. It's good to see, it's been a long time."
"Then I'm happy to be of service. I absolutely adore that man."
"I can see that. Just...please don't hurt him. He's more delicate than people think."
His gaze caught hers and held it steadily.
"Is that what this is? A 'you hurt my brother and they'll never find the sharks Gordon fed you to' speech?"
"Maybe, does it need to be?"
She shook her head. "No, it doesn't. I promise you, that I would never, ever do anything to intentionally hurt him." She sighed. "I know how special he is, anyone who doesn't see that is an idiot."
"It's not his fault."
She pulled back to look at him, confused and a little angry that anyone could say that, let alone his own brother. "Of course it's not, it's not even a fault, it's a quirk that helps to make him amazing."
He smiled softly, loving her defensive tone. "Well, we know that but the rest of the world doesn't." He seemed to be debating if he should keep talking, glancing at John who was still dancing with Penelope, a martyred expression on his face as she talked animatedly.
"Did he tell you anything about our mother?"
"Just that she passed when you were all pretty young, I'm so sorry, it's never easy and it's not something anyone should have to experience."
Scott nodded, then continued.
"There was an accident, while we were on vacation. We don't know if having warning or help would have made a difference, if it could have changed anything, but it did give us a purpose. We didn't want another family to suffer the way we have if we could prevent it. I know John took it very hard, he changed after that, like he wouldn't let himself open up to anyone else, he can't stand the thought of losing someone else, so he keeps his distance."
She nodded, understanding but not saying anything. What could you say in that situation? Promises would sound hollow, like she was paying lip service and honestly, she was pretty sure that the Tracy brothers preferred actions over words.
"He buried himself in his studies after that, I think it gave him something to focus on, something that was predictable and defined. No nasty surprises. He was still so young but such a serious little thing. When Dad came up with the idea of International Rescue we all wanted to do our parts, and John knew where his specialties lay. Then Dad disappeared, and we all had to find our own ways of coping, John's was to hide away up there, to not deal with the world unless he was watching it and we were all saving it."
He paused, his eyes studying hers."You're the first person he's had an interest in in a very long time, and the only person he's voluntarily left Five for, we normally have to force him to come down and often don't see him for weeks. In the past month he's been down half a dozen times or more. I don't think you realise what a big deal that is for him."
"I do realise that."
"Usually we keep our private life and our work separate, but you seem to have inadvertently bridged that gap, but I don't want you to expect too much from him, or from us. It takes time to trust, because it's not just him that could get hurt."
She listened to all he had to say, not saying a word until she knew he was finished. But then she put him in his place, her tone firm, allowing for no arguments.
"Listen to me, and listened well because I will only ever explain myself once. I like your brother, and I will always respect him, respect all of you. I want to be a part of his life, and if he wants to make me a part of yours too, then I'm good with that, but that's his choice. I will do things at his pace, as he dictates and when he feels ready. I'm not expecting anything from any of you, I don't want anything other than to make him happy. I'm not planning anything, I have no motives other than wanting to spend time with him, and all of you if you'll have me. I know you all have a say in what we do, so I'll leave the ball in your court as well as his. That's all I can say. Is that enough for you?"
He pulled her into a hug, which she assumed was as good an answer as any.
They continued to dance until the end of the song, both of them quiet, lost in their own thoughts.
"Thanks for the dance," she said, and found that she really meant it. It had been nice getting to know Scott better and to understand a little more about what made her spaceman tick.
"You're welcome," he moved aside to let John, who had been hovering nearby, back in. "All yours, bro."