* * *
Heidi sat with her legs crossed and her palms resting calmly on her knees. She breathed deeply and opened her mind. It expanded outward and wound around the surface of the space surrounding her. She brought it back in and then pushed it back out again, working on her control. Suddenly she felt someone touch her hand at the same time she heard his mind.
Doing yoga, Red?
She opened her eyes and turned to Dexter sitting on the ground next to her.
"No, I'm working on controlling my power," she said.
He slipped his fingers through hers. I think you're doing pretty well.
She nodded and looked down at their hands intertwined. Except I still can't remember what happened. I can’t remember what I did to Ezar.
"That's a good thing, Red," Dexter said aloud. "It wasn't exactly pleasant."
"I know but the last thing I remember is you being tortured and Ezar telling me to cooperate," she argued. "I don't know how or what I did to kill those people."
"The last thing you should worry about is killing Ezar," Dexter said. "You know you're a hero, Red. That man was evil. How many lives did you save by killing him?"
"That's not the point," Heidi said. "I don't know what I did. And so I don't know how to prevent doing it again. I don’t know how to control it. And this isn’t like accidentally reading someone’s memories… it’s life or death."
“Well,” he said. "It seems like every time your ability expands is at a time of intense emotion. Isn’t that what your aunt said? Your ability is tied to your emotions? Like the first time you read current thoughts you were making out with a dude you liked. And the other times it expanded…” He grinned. “You were falling in love with me.”
Heidi smirked back at him. “You were falling in love with me, too,” she retorted.
He shook his head. “No, I wasn’t,” he said and at her concerned expression he explained further. “I was already in love with you. I fell in love with you in the woods when you said you were going to join the rebellion.”
Her eyes widened in astonishment and her jaw dropped. “You’d known me for like a few hours…” she argued. “And I was covered in poo!”
Dexter laughed heartily. “So was I,” he replied. “And it didn’t matter. I was attracted to you when I first saw you and…” He shrugged. “I don’t know. There was just always something about you that made me feel completely captivated.”
“But…” Heidi protested. “You fought it… for so long you… you refused to acknowledge that you felt anything for me.”
“Well, I didn’t say that I admitted it to myself that first night,” he returned. “It’s just when I finally did admit it to myself, I realized that I’d really known it since then.”
“When did you admit it to yourself?”
“Right before I kissed you the first time,” he answered. He shook his head. “You were right about me. I was being a coward.” He swallowed and looked into her eyes. “You made me stronger.”
She smiled sweetly at him. “You are a complex man, Lt. Dexter Hathaway.”
He grinned. “Yeah, I can’t do anything normal,” he chuckled. “Have to go and fall for a mind-reader.”
“And murderer,” Heidi mumbled, looking down at her hands. “Don’t forget that.”
“You’re not a murderer, Red,” he argued.
“Even if you don’t count Ezar,” she answered. “What about those other two guards?”
“That was self-defense,” Dexter said. “Or at least in defense of me.” He placed his hand on her cheek. You are not a murderer.
“Maybe not yet,” she said. “But what if I do it again? How can I know I won’t do it again if I don’t even know what happened?”
Dexter dropped his hand from her face and took her hands in his. "When you did… whatever it was you did," he said. "You were experiencing an intense amount of anger and pain. An overwhelming amount, even. So whatever happened was probably triggered by that, don't you think?"
Heidi considered this. "Maybe..."
"So it's unlikely to happen again," Dexter said. "I mean, it's not like we're ever going to be in that situation again. At least, I hope not."
"I suppose," she sighed. "I'm just having trouble enjoying the rebel victory knowing that I killed three people with my bare hands and not only do I not know how I did it, but I can't even remember doing it."
Dexter squeezed her hands. Don't worry, Red. We'll figure it out.
I hope you're right.
Of course I am. He grinned. Anyway, that's not what I came to talk to you about.
"Well, I could use a change of subject," she said. "What did you come here for?"
Dexter cleared his throat. "Okay, well, your aunt is all set up with a new home," he began. "And the doctors say you're just about ready to be released. So that begs the question... are you coming home with me or with her?"
"I... don't know," Heidi replied. "I guess I kind of assumed I'd be with Aunt Reboa. She keeps talking about me living with her again."
Dexter frowned. "Well, I want you with me," he said. "I mean, I think you deserve a real house, not a hut. A place to call home and all, so I'm looking into getting one but there's talk about me taking some political office and that's going to affect where I have to live."
"Well, that's okay," she said. She frowned and looked down at their clasped hands. "I can stay with my aunt for now and you can figure out your situation." She wasn't too fond of the idea but she really didn't want to stay in his hut anymore when there was the option of a real home. And she was also worried about Reboa being alone.
"I don't want to wait," Dexter said matter-of-factly. "I want you with me. Now. Always."
Heidi bit her lower lip as her face flushed. "I want that, too."
"Okay then," he leaned forward and stared into her eyes. Will you marry me?
Heidi's eyes widened and her smile spread from ear to ear. "Yes!"
Dexter smiled brightly at her. "Boy you've really done a number on me, Red," he laughed. "I disobeyed orders, wore enemy colors, risked my life, and now I'm giving up my swinging single life for you."
Heidi rolled her eyes. "Because you were such the ladies man before I came along," she said and then something occurred to her. “Wait, what do you mean you disobeyed orders?”
“Oh yeah, I didn’t tell you about that, did I?” he chuckled.
She shook her head.
He squeezed her hands and quickly flooded her brain with his memories of arguing with Commander Trevana, infiltrating the palace and abandoning Sgt. Trist to go after her, and finally his discussion with the commander after everything was over.
Heidi shook her head in astonishment.
“You can’t tell anyone, though,” he said. “The commander wants it to look like it was all planned. You, me, the commander, and Trist are the only ones who know.”
“You’re unbelievable…” she breathed.
“I told you,” he said, grinning. “You’ve really done a number on me.”
“You’ve greatly affected me, too,” she mumbled. “Like no one else has.”
"Yeah, I never thought I would change so much so quickly,” he said, shrugging. “But I just hadn't met you yet, I guess. Hadn't found my Heidi."
Heidi leaned in and pressed her forehead against his. She closed her eyes and breathed in his scent. Call me ‘Red’.
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