From: "lucindas43302" To: x-fiction@yahoogroups.com Subject: [x-fiction] fic: Closer to You (Madelyne) Date: Thu, 12 Sep 2002 02:22:14 author: Lucinda Series: 'Something in Red', follows Awkward Beginning. rating: pg disclaimer: not mine. Nobody from Marvel is mine. distribution: please ask first. Her date with Scott had gone wonderfully. Things had gone so well, that they had continued dating. She could feel herself falling for him, and if it hadn't felt so right, it would have terrified her. She had only met him a few weeks ago, and she knew that she was falling in love with Scott. It was intense and unsettling and almost frightening how much she cared for him, how easily she was learning all about his habits and preferences. It was almost as if she were remembering instead of learning... but she had never met him before, couldn't have met him. He seemed as interested in learning more about her as she was about him. They would have long talks about nothing in particular, and it was during one of those talks that she told him about her accident. How the plane that she'd been flying had crashed, and she had been hospitalized. The accident had taken away her memories, leaving her with only scatted fragments that she remembered from dreams, and a slender handful of official documentation. How she had decided to leave Virginia and move away to start her life over, in a place where nobody would remember her from before, where she wouldn't have to worry about her forgotten past catching up to her, demanding that she remember. He'd listened, holding her hand in his, rubbing his thumb over her hands, his presence soothing and comforting, a feeling that no matter how terrible the accident had been, he was here for her now. Scott was here for her, and she would never need to be lonely again. He had talked to her, done his best to sooth her fears away. He had told her that maybe she would remember, but until then, all she could do was to make new memories, to start a new life. Then, he had kissed her, such a tender expression of caring and concern... she had felt as if her insides were melting into a soft sticky pile of marshmallows. They had continued to see each other, and she could feel herself focusing more and more on Scott. She thought about him when he wasn't with her. She rearranged her schedule to spend time with him, and planned their weekly dinners into her schedule in advance. She found herself imagining time with him, walking through forests, on beaches. Swimming together on a summer day, both laughing and spreading coconut scented sunblock on each other. She dreamed of a lovely wedding, walking down the aisle to meet him, wearing a long ivory gown trimmed in lace and pearls, carrying a bouquet of white roses and little red flowers, with ivy trailing over her hands. There would be soft music in the background, and people gathered around to watch them, and everyone would be happy for them. She was over at Scott's, leaning against him on the couch. They had decided to watch movie and have popcorn. She couldn't even remember much of the movie, having spent most of it kissing Scott or watching him, watching the shifting light play over his features. She had run her fingers though his hair, trying to memorize the feel of it, the smell of him. "Maddie? I... There's something that I have to tell you." His voice was low, uncertain. "What is it? You can tell me anything, Scott." She had no idea what could be bothering him. "Please try not to be angry. Before I came here, I knew this girl. Her name was Jean, and you look a lot like she did. But something happened, and Jean... she died. Sometimes, I look at you, and I almost feel like I'm seeing Jean again, but you aren't Jean, you're Maddie." There was sorrow and pain in his voice as Scott spoke. She placed her hand on his cheek, her eyes feeling like they were about to tear up. "Scott... I care for you. Your past is just that, past. We live in the present. Can you... can you see me for myself? For Maddie? If you can...I want to find out where this is going with us. I want to find out if we have a future together." He smiled, and it was like watching the sun rise. "Of course, Maddie. I want to learn if we can have a future." And all seemed to be right in Madelyne's world. She sat there, snuggled up with Scott, and felt at peace. End Closer to You.