Summoned Again?

Nat had changed into a normal t-shirt and a pair of grey jogging pants and followed me out to the living room. We sat down on the living room couch and I wasn't sure why I automatically put my arm over her shoulders and pulled her in to cuddle. She gave me an odd look for a second and then shrugged.

“I'm sorry, I just...” I started to say.

“It's all right. I get it.” Nat said and looked at the television. “You need someone to give you a bit of comfort.”

I let out a sigh and squeezed her shoulder a little. “Even though I haven't done anything like this in six months, I just fell right back into doing it.”

“You mean with Diane.” Nat looked back at me and I nodded. “You didn't paw at each other or anything, did you?”

I chuckled. “Nope. It was strictly platonic and I didn't even fondle her breasts until the night I left.”

Nat blinked her eyes at me for a few seconds. “Wow, she... damn. No wonder she went right back to her ex.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“After spending so much time together, you finally crossed a line that she apparently didn't mind you crossing, then you asked her to marry you someday. Then you left.” Nat said. “I bet she was really turned on and had no one to get that frustration out with, except with someone that was just as familiar.”

“Your financial life seems to be bouncing back with panache.” Nat said.

“Only because I'm throwing money at it to get other people to fix it for me.” I said and opened my eyes. “I wouldn't have any idea how to resolve any of it without hiring experts to take care of it.”

“Like me?” Nat asked with a smile.

I chuckled. “Yes, like you. After we drop Crystal off at school in the morning, we can find a good place to pick up some art supplies for you. Jenny will have your apartment cleaned out tomorrow and you can make it into a nice art studio.”

“Speaking of Jenny...”

“Nat, please. I don't want to talk about it.”

“Okay.” Nat said and sat up to pull herself out of my embrace and turned her body slightly to face me. “I just want to say that she's completely in denial about you.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“She's still playing the blame game with you. Even though you admitted it was your fault and that everything that happened was because of you, she can't resolve it so quickly.”

“I still don't want to talk about it.”

Nat smiled. “That's okay. I'm sure she'll eventually realize that she's pushing you away.”

“She accused me of pushing her aside by bringing you in.” I said.

“Yes, and that's true.” Nat said and I widened my eyes. “You're giving me a role that she thought you needed her for.”

“You heard my response to that, didn't you?” I asked and she nodded. “Then you know she hates me more than she likes Crystal.”

“Yes, and if she's not around, she's not going to work on fixing it.”

“You can't honestly think that I should have her here around Crystal.”

It was Nat's turn to sigh. “I don't know how to handle it, actually.” She took a deep breath and let it out. “I just know that you need some alone time together to work through it and you're not going to get that if she has to wait for Crystal or you to call her to come over for a visit.”

“If she wasn't so angry... visibly angry... I wouldn't have offered you the extra job.” I said.

“Then you need to tell her that.” Nat said and put a hand on my chest. “You have to stop thinking with your heart and start thinking with your head.”

I raised my eyebrows at the potential double meaning and she gave me a wicked smile.

“The one on your shoulders, you ass.” Nat said with a chuckle as she lightly slapped my chest. “Don't gross me out by telling me that you want her like that.”

“No, it's never been sexual. I love her; but, I don't want to make love to her.”

“Are you sure? As far as I can tell, she's pretty much your ideal physical description of a woman.” Nat said and I nodded.

“I didn't know she looked like that until I came back the first time.” I said and she gave me a confused look. “She was only eight when I disappeared for ten years.”

“Oh. Then that means...”

“My ideal was only realized after a few years while I was gone. It took me years to find someone that fit that ideal and I did what I could for her, then discovered she wasn't genuine in her feelings and had been leading me on. That hurt, even though I knew my time there was coming to an end.”

“Damon.” Nat whispered.

I shook my head. “Anyway, when I came back and found Jenny had grown up into a beautiful young woman, I haven't once looked at her and thought I had to have her.” I said. “I don't want to grope her, or see her naked, or anything of the sort. I love her too much to hurt her like that.”

Nat smiled. “Well, that's a relief.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was starting to think that you brought me here to run interference between you and your sister, because of all the potential sexual tension.” Nat said and she chuckled at my surprised face. “Hey, a lot of people might make that mistake when you profess your love for her like that.”

I took a breath and sighed. “I know it sounds weird...”

Nat turned back around and leaned against me, so I put my arm around her shoulders. “More like mortifying for some people.” She said and laughed a little. “If you were adopted, it wouldn't be too icky.”

I laughed myself. “Jenny tried to pull that card.”

“You're kidding!” Nat asked and her face showed surprise.

“I shut her down and told her I had everyone's DNA tested.” I said.

“Did you?” Nat asked with a knowing smile.

“Nope, just mine.” I said and she laughed.

“If she only knew.” Nat settled in on my side and looked at the television, even though neither of us were actually watching it. “Would she try harder to forgive you, I wonder?”

“I don't know.” I said. “Does the potential for something to happen turn some people on?”

“I'd say that's a definite yes.” Nat said. “Remember the clerk at the fast food place in Denver?”

“She barely looked at me with a cutie like you beside me.” I joked and Nat laughed.

“If I wasn't such a hermit, I might have found her before moving away.” Nat said. “Not that it would last; but, you know that sometimes you just need a good time in bed occasionally with no complications.”

“I have no idea what you're talking about.” I said with a straight face for about two seconds, then we both laughed.

We watched television without watching it for about an hour before I spoke again.

“Nat, I can't thank you enough for doing this.” I whispered. “You don't know what it means to me to have you here.”

“What was it you said? You were hijacking me to be in your life.” Nat smiled. “After giving me a million dollars, of course.”

“You're worth a lot more than that; but, I didn't want to overwhelm you.” I commented and her face went a little red. “Oh, what's that?” I asked and touched her cheek briefly. “Is someone embarrassed that I value them a bit more than a million dollars?”

“No.” Nat said and didn't look at me. After a few moments of silence, she spoke. “How much more?”

I turned slightly, so I could put my other arm around and and hugged her. “How about a percentage of a billion dollar corporation?”

Nat stiffened up for a few seconds, then relaxed. “You're pulling my leg.”

I chuckled and let her go to resume my previous position with only an arm over her shoulders. “The company hasn't made any money yet. That's why I needed your help. The pendants are completely unadorned and I need your expertise to help me develop them.”

“You mean the one you're wearing?” Nat asked and I nodded. “It really woke you up.”

“It's called Clarity.” I said and she turned her head to look at me. “Even if you're dead tired like I am, it will keep your mind clear and focused.”

“And awake.” Nat said and I nodded. “I suggest giving one to each of your pilots.”

I smiled. “I never thought of that. Thanks.”

“You're welcome.” Nat said. “Now I just have one question.”

“I can't tell you how it works. Not yet, anyway.” I said.

Nat gave me a knowing smile. “No, this one is completely unrelated to the company. I think.”

“All right. Go ahead.” I prompted.

“How the hell did you make the same car you had in Denver appear here?”

I opened my mouth to lie and she poked her fingers into my side. “UGH!”

“Don't lie to me.” Nat said with a stern expression as she turned to face me again, which took her out of my half embrace.

“I'm... a magician.” I said. “Why did that hurt so much?”

“Self defense class.” Nat said with a smug smile. “Now spill it.”

“How did you know it was the same car?” I asked and she looked like she was getting angry. “I'm just curious to know why before I answer.” I said and she scowled. “With the truth. I promise.”

“Two things.” Nat said and held her index and middle fingers up. “One, I've seen you make things appear and disappear a few times now. That's no simple magic trick.” She folded down her index finger to leave just the middle one. “Two, the cup holders had my greasy fingerprints on them.”

I reached up and put my hand on her offensive finger gesture. “I knew I was making a mistake by using the same car. I just really like it and forgot to use another.”

Nat just stared at me and didn't say anything.

“Do you remember me telling you that I would make things right between us?” I asked and she nodded. “Well, one of the things I gained when I was kidnapped was the ability to store things.”

“I... don't... understand.” Nat said, haltingly.

“Here's the note you wrote.” I said and popped it into existence on her lap.

Nat picked it up and as she checked it out, I stored it again and she gasped.

“Are you hungry? I still have some pizza and soda pop.” I said and made a still hot pizza box appear on the coffee table in front of us.

Nat bent over and opened the box to see several pieces were missing and it was still hot. She took one and bit into it. “I like the works.”

“Me, too.” I said and took a piece myself and then stored the box. “Soda pop?” I asked and she nodded. I took out two bottles and had them appear on the coffee table.

Nat didn't know what to do with her pizza.

“Here's a plate for you.” I said and handed her one.

Nat gave me a look and put her pizza on it, then picked up the bottle of soda pop. She opened it and took a drink. “It's cold.”

“I like my conveniences.” I said and she smiled briefly, then she gave me a stern look.

“You stored a car. A whole car.” Nat said and it wasn't a question.

“I did.” I said and made a pile of file folders appear. “These are copies of the corporation paperwork.” I stored them and made a different stack appear. “Court papers and contracts.” I stored them and made two small file folders appear. “Employee contracts and employment information for the two pilots and Miss Carlyle.”

Nat reached for them and I took out a container of wipes and a roll of paper towels. She chuckled and cleaned the pizza grease from her hands and used a paper towel to dry them, then picked up the folders. She took several minutes to look through them and I ate the pizza slice I had and drank my pop. I had been tempted to use the Cleaning Hands spell and decided to only take baby steps with her. I didn't want to ruin everything by dumping too much onto her all at once.

“She really does like being called Honey by people that she wants to be close to her.” Nat whispered.

“Now you know why I still call her Miss Carlyle.” I said and she smiled.

“You can store a lot of different things, can't you?” Nat asked.

“I can, and I'm very glad that you aren't freaking out about it.”

Nat chuckled. “I just had a complete stranger show up at my home, tell me he's my new old best friend, then he flew me in his private jet part way across the country to live with him.” She said. “I'm pretty sure there's not too much more that you can tell me that'll shock me more than that.”

I opened my mouth to speak and her hand was suddenly covering it.

“I changed my mind. Don't test it.” Nat said and I chuckled. “Now I have another question.”

“Hmom.” I mumbled into her hand and she smiled and moved it. “Shoot.”

“You didn't store the car when we left the parking garage.” Nat said and I shook my head. “Does that mean you have another car stored?” She asked and I nodded. “Can you show me?”

“Not in the apartment. Even if the floor is rated to hold a few thousand pounds, I'm not going to test it.”

“That's proof enough for me.” Nat said.

“You believe me, then?” I asked.

“You wouldn't be concerned with the weight if you didn't have something that could damage the floor, which means you have at least one more car stored, wherever it is.”

“It's an extra-dimensional space that's accessible via quantum tunnelling. I think. I don't know the exact science behind it, since it technically doesn't exist anywhere except in my mind.”

Nat gave me an odd look. “I definitely did not expect that kind of an answer.”

I chuckled. “Hey, I said I would tell you everything eventually, didn't I?”

“You're starting with the easiest thing, aren't you?” Nat asked and I nodded. “I... I think I need to lay down for a while.”

“The bed's nice and comfortable, so you might fall asleep right away. The alarm's already set for the morning, so when it goes off, come and get me. Hopefully, I'll have worked through my exhaustion by then. If not, put my pendant back on me to wake me up.”

Nat nodded and stood up. “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.” I said and watched her walk away.

“Stop staring at my ass.” Nat said without looking back.

“I just wanted to see if jogging pants are actually a deterrent to how nice it is.” I paused for a second. “Mission accomplished.”

Nat laughed softly and looked back at me. I gave her the most innocent look on my face that I could manage and she laughed again as she shook her head. She walked down the hallway to the bedroom and I sat there in the living room for another hour. I crept down the hallway and used the Silence spell to stop myself from making noise and opened the door. I saw her in bed on her side and walked over to her.

I knelt on the side of the bed that she was facing and listened to her breathing. “You can't sleep, can you?”

“No.” Nat said and opened her eyes. “This is... look at what my life has become.”

“Yeah.” I said and reached out to caress her cheek. “You'll settle down in a few days and it's going to feel like you've always been here.”

“How do you know that?” Nat asked.

“Because that's how I felt while sitting with you on the couch.” I said and leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Now be a good little girl and get to sleep, or I'll have to ground you.”

Nat chuckled. “Good luck with that.”

I smiled and pulled her blanket up to her neck.

“Don't you dare tuck me in.” Nat warned.

“Too late.” I said with a grin, pat her shoulder, and walked over to the door.

“Damon?” Nat asked and I turned back to look at her face. “What were you going to do if I was asleep?”

“I was going to show you another secret.” I admitted and she widened her eyes. “No, not like that.” I chuckled. “More along the lines of my storage.”

“Oh.” Nat said and sighed in relief. “I kinda thought...”

“I do kind of want to pinch your cheeks.” I said.

Nat chuckled and then she looked confused. “Hold on, which ones?”

“Ha.” I winked at her as I stepped out of the room and closed the door. I went to the living room and made up the couch for sleeping on, with blankets and a pillow, then stored my clothing and equipped jogging pants. I put a Clarity pendant on the table beside the couch and stored the one I wore. I immediately felt exhausted and fell asleep right away.

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