Three of Five, Epilogue

[melo_annechen]

Epilogue

Lupin roused when Tasha sat up suddenly in bed, and he blearily asked, “Wha’smatter, ‘sha?”

She turned to look at him in the dim light from the chronograph in the headboard. “I - just a nightmare, kjæreste,” she said as she settled back.

He gathered her to his shoulder, “Hm, enough to nearly launch you to the ceiling, even in point-one-six gravity, is not ’just a nightmare’, koishii.”

After a moment's hesitation Tasha whispered, “... I dreamed you woke up one morning realizing you had made a horrible mistake.”

He froze, and asked quietly, “you’re having second thoughts?”

“No, but my subconscious keeps insisting that you can do better.” She then mumbled into his shoulder, “My perception problems make me a twit on occasion.”

“At least you know you're being silly.” Lupin held her closer, “If it makes you feel any better, I don’t plan on surviving you.”

Tasha snorted, “If I was going to kill you, it would have happened on our wedding night.” Then she sighed, and mumbled, “I can be such a girl.”

Lupin chuckled, “That’s all right; I’m het enough to appreciate it.” He nibbled her ear and murmured, “Allow me to demonstrate….”

>>>>

“Good morning, Tony,” Tasha said as she entered the kitchen, tying her robe. The security drones bounded into the kitchen to rub against her legs, and then returned to their patrols after she scratched them behind their audio receptor cowlings.

The lodge manager greeted her with a cheery, “G'mornin' Zia-Nonna!” She shook her head at Tony's name for her, but did not correct him. The coffee was finishing the brew cycle as he continued, “You had a call from Zia Elena at 10:25 local time last night. You and Nonno had retired for the evening, and I asked if she wanted to leave a message. She said you owe her ten bucks.”

“You are incurring debts in your sleep, Tasha?” Lupin had slipped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

“Seems so, but I'm not sure how, though.” She turned in his arms and kissed him, “Good morning, min kjæreste.” She reached behind her to hand him his coffee.

“Strictly speaking - you weren't asleep at the time of the call.” Tony's salacious tone conveyed the rest of the message.

“Ah, we were occupied at the time,” Lupin chuckled as he sipped his coffee.

Tasha stopped in reaching for her coffee when a thought struck her. “Wait... did Elena say anything else other than I owed her money?”

“Not unless the phrase 'it is now this time next year' means anything to you.”

Tasha started giggling. “Oh, my - that was excellent timing.”

“Koishii, what is the joke?” Lupin set his mug aside to grasp Tasha lightly by the shoulders.

“She called at the same time exactly a year after our conversation in which I said I didn’t know what I would be doing in a year, but it would not involve you, or your properties.” She slid her hands up his chest, behind his neck and up into his hair, stroking behind his ears with the pads of her thumbs. “She bet ten quatloos that I was wrong, and I was so sure you would terminate me after my internship, I upped the stakes to USD.”

Lupin began to smile, “…and exactly a year later, you are living in the lodge, partnered in the lab and married as well.” Tasha nodded, and the professor said “Tony, please authorize transfer of 100 USD from my personal account to my sister-in-law Elena.”

“Lupin…” Tasha began.

He shook his head, “I, for one, am very glad you lost the wager; call it a bonus to her for being right on all counts…” Lupin said as he slid his hands down her back and nuzzled the hollow of her throat.

****

Heh, heh, heh.

First Chapter . Previous Chapter

Thanks Sarge, for everything.

Comments

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

EEEEE, ART!!!

[annechen-melo.livejournal.com]

I got a present from Sarge! Mondo carbonic, yes?

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

[peers] Tasha's sitting on a stool hidden by her skirt, right?

[annechen-melo.livejournal.com]

Hmmmmmaybe... I guess I didn't "draw" her tall enough or often enough.

[sff-corgi.livejournal.com]

Psssst - go with the seated theory. ^_^

Doesn't Lupin look spiffy!

[annechen-melo.livejournal.com]

He gets better with age, i think.

[ailsaek.livejournal.com]

*squeeeee* I adore Madblood anyway, and this version is so handsome

I didn't even realize there was an epilogue, it had somehow gotten buried on my flist. Adam got home from work and sent me to go read it - and printed out the artwork. :D

This was a fun story. So, are you taking on Dave's grandmother now?

[annechen-melo.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... could be, but Robie started to tell me about his summer vacation.

So long, and thanks for all the fic

[cerrberus.livejournal.com]

I very much enjoyed this novel.
I've taken the liberty of adding proofing comments as I read through the entire work, belated as that effort is.
That's just me.