Starring:
Date: September 23, 2009
Summary:
What happened to Meryl at the wedding? Wouldn't you like to know!? Also note that Meryl did, indeed, have a camera handy. Just FYI.
"They've got a Secret"
Greek Coast
It's not as if they haven't woken up in the same bed before, but a wedding night is always special.
Comfortably enveloped in fancy hotel sheets and blankets, Meryl doesn't seem to have any intention of waking up yet. Despite her outward confidence, she was, at least internally, a ball of nerves before the wedding. Would it go right? Would they end up in a gunfight because of all the Company agents there? Would aliens descend upon Central Park, picking that very moment to make first contact and, as a result, ruin Meryl's wedding? In the end, the only thing that went wrong was—
Well, she tried not to think about that. In fact, she wouldn't allow Ben to talk about it, either. Their first night married was supposed to be happy, worry free, and without stress.
SNORE
Judging my Meryl's sawing logs, it seems like she's definitely stress-free at the moment. Then again, she could go on a mission, come out with a shot shoulder, and take a stroll that night. She's an odd creature to pin down.
—-
Odd creature indeed, but Benjamin's not complaining. He's used to Meryl's sleeping habits by now. Snoring. Thrashing, hogging the sheets, sleeping under the bed, even in the closet. There's no telling what she'll do next and for what reasons. The narcokinetic has been awake for a little bit, and hasn't really tried to go back to sleep. He rolls onto his side, facing Meryl and grins slightly, but it's gone. He hasn't forgotten that little teaser he gave after the wedding. There just hasn't been an opportunity to really talk until, well, now.
"Meryl? Hey," Ben reaches a hand over and pinches her nose shut. He could always cheat and wake her up with his ability, but, nah.
—-
In order to get the most out of sleep, it's necessary to make it fun. Sleep is really just wasting time, because, seriously, when you're unconscious for eight hours, think of all the stuff you're missing. In order to compensate, certain things must happen. This story culminates in Meryl sneaking onto a nuclear submarine for a nap way back once upon a time, but that's neither here or there.
Totally worth it, though.
"Hork," she says as Ben plugs her nose. Company training is always active, ingrained, and without awakening, she reaches up to calmly bend his fingers back to the edge of breaking.
—-
"AAAH! OW! OW! MERYL!" Benjamin can't help but holler out as his fingers are bent back. See what he means about expecting the unexpected out of his darling bride? "Wake up! It's me!" And with that 'wake up', he can't help but give a push of his ability to assist. Otherwise, he may need to get his digits taped up and splinted.
—-
Meryl never does anything half-way.
"OH GOD, I'M AWAKE," she yells, sitting up, eyes wide, disoriented for a moment before she looks at Benjamin as if she's already been caffeinated. Run now, save yourself. "Oh, it's morning. I suppose that means you're well-rested enough. I already put the sign on the door last night. We'd best get started if we want to break a record, huh? I hear this is the 'In Thing.' You get married, then you completely exhaust yourself to the point of breaking every day so when you have kids, you can endure that exhaustion like a soldier. I think it's a wonderful idea."
She's not exactly pulling the sheets back yet, mostly because the adrenaline-induced wake-up call is wearing off, and she's lying down again. "After I get summore sleep. Wake me up at noon, would you?"
—-
"No, Meryl, that's not.. ow.. you nearly broke my fingers," Benjamin mutters as he reaches behind him and turns on the light. He props himself up on his arm and peers down at his wife. Wow, that's a bit of a headtrip to think about, in oh so many ways. "I need to ask you something, and we /need/ to talk. It can't wait any longer." What a party pooper, he's got a down to business tone going. At least he turned off the company man aspect for a bit. "At the reception, what did you mean? You said 'it's already happening', what's going on?"
—-
"Huh? Oh, fingers. Yeah." She waves that off. She wasn't conscious when it happened, so it didn't happen. Shutting her eyes, smiling happily, she begins to drift again. Then one eye pops open and rolls upward when he insists on making this a business trip, too.
Husband and wife means something to her deep down. She knows it does, because it makes her happy. But she still sees Ben - just Ben - the man she's going to spend her whole life completely devoted to, and that's just joyful. It's not weird for her. It's just another wonderful part of life - part of her own destiny that she's made happen. "It's nothing to worry about, really." But he'll probably recognise the tone in her voice… The way it's just a hair higher than usual, the hitch in the accent, which makes it stronger somehow. Something really bothered her.
She flips over onto her side, propping her head up in her hand. "So here's what you do. You threaten to knock me out for the rest of the honeymoon if I don't spill." Yeah. She just told you how to blackmail her. "Honestly, Bingo. You should know this."
—-
Benjamin raises an eyebrow before leaning in to deliver a kiss against Meryl's lips. "Yeah, yeah. Just this one thing and we'll get back to enjoying ourselves and the time off. I can tell that it was nothing. Something is bothering you. So, c'mon, spill." It's not like he's suggesting they suit up, strap on weapons and go bagging and tagging on their honeymoon. (Yet, it seems like something SOME Company agents would do.) The hand that's not propping him up is settled against Meryl's hip, "So.. tell me.. what is it.. and you can get back to sleep. I'll even give you a little help if you need it." Aw. How sweet.
—-
Meryl looks uneasy for several moments. "Ah… I think Megan might have been there. At the reception." Lying back on the pillow, she folds her hands behind her head, and stares up at the ceiling. "It was like… I could see what I was doing, but I couldn't stop it. I tried. I mean, I didn't try hard, because I'd wanted to start throwing food around anyway." Pausing, her green eyes meet Ben's blue for a moment, and she smiles. "Beside the point, though. It wasn't me. Our first dance, it wasn't me. It was someone else, making me— I mean, it was me. I remember it. But…" She sighs. "I'm sure it was Megan. She didn't like you for awhile. I just can't imagine why she'd do something like that."
—-
Benjamin frowns and his hand tightens just slightly against Meryl's hip, before leaving it against her as she changes positions. "Megan could have just said hi like a normal person.." Although, what's being said has him sitting upright completely. "I thought something was off. It wasn't too out of place for you to do what you did." Althought he did think Meryl would show more restraint than to pants him in front of everyone. "You weren't really talking like yourself. I take it you didn't see or notice anyone around when it happened?" The guest list should have been better monitored. Crowd control was a nightmare and there was absolutely no security. Anything could have happened, and quite a few nasty scenarios play in his head and it's not hard to tell what he's thinking.
—-
After a long silence, Meryl says, "No. I was just leaving the bathroom, and that's when it happened." The truth is, she really hopes it was Megan, because if there's someone else out there with the ability to steal peoples' bodies… "I've thought about this. I mean— Despite the fact that I told you no thinking about work last night. I know, I'm a hypocrite. Thing is, if it wasn't Megan…" That's what really bothers her, and she looks away. He can't read minds, but maybe Ben will see those stress lines reappear on her face, considering his mind was already going to the worst scenarios. She could have done anything. Something so much worse than what happened. Could have divorced him right in front of the whole city. Pulled out a gun and started shooting people - she had one strapped to her leg, like all agents should at all times.
"The whole time, I was scared. And when Megan - or whoever - left me, that's what you saw, Ben. And then I was relieved, and I just wanted to make the night ours again."
…Surprisingly romantic. In fact, it might be the most romantic thing she's ever said.
—-
Not only could Meryl have been forced to do any number of things.. What if people with a beef against them had shown up? Then what? Any number of scenarios could have unfolded. Benjamin heaves a sigh and rakes a hand through his tousled, unruly curls. "Go back to sleep. I'll send a notice back to headquarters. Megan's… a little more responsible about her power. So if someone else has a similar ability, they've already shown a lack of respect. It doesn't feel accidental to me. What you did? It just.. it was rude, disrespectful and downright prankish. The higher ups need to know we have someone to be on the lookout for. Even if we don't have a whole lot of details to give."
—-
Reaching out, she takes his hand. "No." Such a responsible agent he is now. There's a loss there, and Meryl knows it. Some sense of dedicated loyalty, forced into him at the cost of shoving other things - like friendships - aside. Meryl understands that loyalty, and she thrives on it. She lives for the Company, they're her family. And yet, seeing those same qualities in Benjamin … well, it freaks her out. A year and some months later, she can't get used to it. But he's going to have to, because Meryl has a personal grudge.
"If it wasn't Megan, then whoever it was tried to ruin the happiest day of my life." She gives his hand another squeeze, smiling. "That means I got a score to settle, Ben. I want this assignment. And one day, you and I are going to find her, and we're gonna make it happen. But not now. Right now, we've got a secret."
—-
Benjamin was about to reach for his robe, but stops when Meryl takes his hand. "Honeymoon or not, you know we can't just push aside our duties. Our work never stops." He does however settle back against the mattress, even moving to pull Meryl against him. "Even with as much as Megan dislikes me, I seriously doubt she would set out to ruin our day. She likes you a lot, and wouldn't do that to you.." He gives Meryl a look of protest. A secret! There's no keeping secrets from the higher ups. There'll be hell to pay. "We can't just let her run the streets. We should at least tell Peter. You can't keep this from him, he's your partner after all."
—-
"If it wasn't Megan, then no force in the world will stop me from putting alligators in this person's pants," Meryl says lazily, yawning, stretching. There's a quiet click against the bars of the headboard, like a knuckle rapping against the steel. "I'm not saying we should push aside our duties, I'm just saying that I want to be the one… to… duty."
Long pause.
She giggles.
"All that aside, though, even if you do decide to call it in, you're going to wait until I unhandcuff you from the bed." Her eyes roll back. That quiet click from before? Yeah. She's tethered her husband to the bed, out of reach of his phone.
"You're mine today."