Untapped Love

Untapped Love
By AnitaB
All disclaimers and notes in chapter 1
Chapter 3: Ritual or Rescue
***
"They're moving. Time to go." Peter rose as if to head into the bar.

"Peter, you're not going in." Matt raised a hand to Peter's arm, Lindsay's words echoing in his head. /Matt, you've got to keep Peter in the van as long as possible. He'll scare the mark off if he moves too soon./ "It isn't time yet. We have to let him make a move first. We don't even know if it's him yet."

"If I-- uh, we-- don't move now, I -- we won't be able to get to them in time." Seeing that Matt wasn't convinced, Peter compromised. "I'll go in now, but I’ll stay in the main room. They won't see me and I won't follow them until she needs us. Come on, Matt, you know it's him and Lindsay is going to need me. I have to be there."

Matt hesitated, "Go, but stay in the main room until Lindsay calls for us."

Peter nodded, slipping a receiver into his ear and a mike into his collar, and left the van.

"Ok, Peter, they're out of the main room. So head on in, but stay there."

"I heard, Matt, I promised to stay and I will." Leaning against the wall, Peter kept his eyes locked on the hallway Lindsay and ben had left by.

***

Sitting on the couch and sliding an arm around her shoulders, he smiled. "I'm so glad you came to me, Lindsay. With your and the others' help, there's so much I can do for the world. Together we can fix it all."

/The others? Did you hear that, guys? This’s him./ "The others? What others?" She tried to sound jealous instead of suspicious. Lindsay shifted to see him better, to see his hands better. She didn't want him to pull a fast one on her.

"The other girls, you'll meet them when we get home." He laughed, tightening his arm around her shoulders, one hand moving closer to the bare skin of her cheek. "Not that they'll be the best ofmmatmmates, they've been a little out of it. But you'll all be able to go home soon, after the ritual."

Each word was confirming Lindsay's suspicions and she was waiting for whatever move had to be coming. She slid a hand along the waist of her pants to the hilt of the small knife Matt had given her. Sliding it out of the sheath, she tried to hihe mhe move by looking puzzled and a little tipsy.


"Ritual? Ben, what are you talking about?"

"I know it's confusing right now, Lindsay, but soon it will all make sense." His fingers played along the fabric of her shirt, moving closer to the bare flesh of her neck and face.

/He's crazy./ The expression on his face was that of an adult patiently explaining common sense to a very young child. Lindsay flinched as he reached out to touch her cheek. With his fingertips barely an inch from her skin he kept trying to comfort her.

"Just a little blood from such a spirited girl. A little untapped love and you can help me save mother nature. She's dying, you know."

/Hurry up, guys, he's escalating./ Lindsay tightened her grip on the knife, waiting for the attack she knew had to be coming. She certainly wasn't going quietly or easily. In the comm in her ear, Peter whispered, "I'm coming, Lindsay, hold on."

His fingers crossed the inch of space between them. The instant his skin touched hers, his face changed. His eyes closed as if in pain, then opened filled with anger.

"You are not fit for sacrifice. You carry him with you."

"Ben, what you you talking about?"

He stood, grabbing her arms and jerking her to her feet with him. "Him, the one who's taken your love, you carry him with you. Lindsay, you're not fit for sacrifice." The expression on his face was pained, anguished, enraged. She raised one hand, fingers wrapped firmly around the hilt of the small knife to his neck as he started shaking her violently. "How could you do this to me? You were perfect. The ritual is tomorrow. I needed you!"

Lindsay put the blade-edge against his throat, just dimpling the flesh. "If you don't let me go right now, I'll be forced to kill you." /Just a little longer, Peter’s coming./

"I'm sorry, Lindsay, I can't let you stop me, I have to save mother nature. She'll die without me." Just as Lindsay began to press the blade into his skin, Ben slammed the grip of a small handgun against her temple. As consciousness began to fade, Lindsay heard Peter shout her name, but it wasn't through her earpiece, it came from the hallway. Fighting through the fading light, she fisted one hand in the cord of Ben's necklace and drew a line of blood on his skin as she crumpled to the ground.

***

"Lindsay!"

Peter hit the door to the backroom at a run just in time to see Ben coldcock Lindsay with the butt of his gun.

Alerted by the shout, Ben jerked away from Lindsay and ran out the other door. Peter barely saw him: all his attention was locked on Lindsay falling bonelessly to the floor, a line of blood trickling along her face.

"Oh, god, Lindsay." Peter fell to his knees at her side, pulling her limp form into his arms. "I'm sorry, Lindsay." Cradling her close, he turned her face to see the wound. "Anton, get in here, she's hurt." Stroking her cheek, Peter anxiously watched her, waiting impatiently. "Lindsay, honey, I'm sorry. Please wake up, baby. Open your eyes for me."

It must've been only a minute or two but felt like a year before Anton and Matt rushed in the door.

"Matt, Anton," Peter raised one hand. "he went that way and he's armed." Matt continued out the other door as Anton moved to Lindsay's side.

She moaned, turning away from Anton's touch and huddling closer into Peter’s arms even unconscious.

"It's okay, baby. It's us, we're here." Peter stroked her hair and shifted her closer to Anton. "Is she all right?"

Pulling the bloody knife and broken necklace from her hands, Anton gently wiped the blood off her temple. Checking her pulse, her pupils, he took far too long to answer, at least in Peter's opin

"Anton?"

"She's all right, at the most a mild concussion."

"He got away," Matt stepped back in the room, breathing heavily. "The hall empties out into the alley behind the club. He's gone." His eyes fell to Lindsay, out cold and cradled in Peter's arms. "How is she?"

"She'll be fine," Anton sat back on his heels. "But let's get her back to the lab just to be sure."

"Peter!" Lindsay’s entire body arched sharply as consciousness returned, almost jerking off Peter’s lap.

His arms pulled her close, a breath rushing out of his body with relief. "I'm here, baby, I'm here." Cradling her cheek in his hand, he gazed into her eyes. "Lindsay,"

"Lindsay, how do you feel?" Anton leaned over to see her eyes.


"I'm fine, Anton," twining her fingers through Peter's, she looked up at him. "Did we get him?"

"We didn't get hhe ghe got away," Peter smiled at her, pride in his eyes. "But you got a piece of him." He nodded at the knife on the floor.

"We have to get him," Lindsay struggled to sit up before leaning back into Peter's arms. "the women are still alive. He was talking about a ritual tomorrow night, a sacrifice to mother nature. The five women are alive and he needs a sixth. He'll be back."

"Shh, Lindsay," Peter pulled her closer against his body, helping her sit up straighter. "Not tonight. There's nothing we or he can do tonight. Letget get you back to the lab."

"But, Peter, this is his hunting ground, he has to get the sixth girl here. He's got the perfect set up."

"She's right," Matt sat near them, counting off details. "He said a ritual, the chemicals in the air and alcohol sanctify, consecrate this bar for him. From this room he could carry the women out the back without any witnesses. The first five were taken here, the sixth would have to
match. He'll coming back here."

"And we'll get him here, but not tonight. He'll need to patch himself up and be back here tomorrow at the soonest. Let's get out of here." Sliding an arm under her knees, Peter stood up with Lindsay cradled against his chest.

Holding her close, hrrierried her through the bar, refusing to let her go despite her protests that she could walk.

"I'm not letting you go, Lindsay, I almost lost you." Peter pressed her closer against his chest, feeling her arms curl around his neck. "Just let me hold you."

Lindsay nodded, relaxing in his arms. She’d never felt safer in all her life.

***

/I almost lost you./ Those words and the sight of Lindsay falling at Ben's feet echoed in Peter's mind, accompanied by the intense pain that had pierced him at the very thought of losing her. Peter tightened his arms around her, her warmth and the feel of her heartbeat were comforting, but not comforting enough. Climbing into the van, Peter sat down with her in his arms, setting her sideways on his lap. /I almost lost you, I almost lost the woman I love./ Peter wrapped his arms around her and buried his face against her throat.

"I'm sorry, Lindsay, I'm so sorry."

"Why, Peter, why are you sorry?" Her arms tightened around him, lifting his face to hers.


He looked into her eyes, his fingers brushing her skin an inch below the wound at her temple. "I wasn't there for you, Lindsay. I didn't get there in time. I let him hurt you. I failed you."

"Peter," pressing a hand to his cheek, Lindsay felt tears well up in her eyes. "Oh, Peter, you didn't fail me. You were there when I needed you."

"But--" He touched the dried blood in her hair.

"This," she covered his hand with her own "is nothing. It's a scratch. But I heard you, Peter. I heard you shout my name before I blacked out. I knew you were there, Peter. I knew I was safe. I woke up in your arms, Peter. You were there for me."

"Oh, god, Lindsay." He wrapped a hand in her hair, kissing her breathlessly. /I love you, Lindsay, I love you./ The words hovered in his throat, filling Peter with an intense need to say them. To watch her hear them. To hear her say them back. But he was afraid to. He knew he loved her like he had never loved anyone in his life. He knew Lindsay cared about him, but love? Peter unbuttoned the bottom few inches of the sheer blouse, sliding one hand past the fabric to press hotly against her skin. He couldn't say the words, not yet. But Peter needed to let her know how he felt. "I'll always be there for you, Lindsay. I promise you, I'll always be there." The expression on her face softened at his words. He could almost see in her eyes a reaction to the words he really wanted to say.

Cuddling closer in his arms, Lindsay whispered, "I know you will, Peter, I know."

/If only you did./

***

/Him, the one who has taken your love. You carry him with you./ Those words cycled through Lindsay's mind as Anton examined and bandaged her head. How had he know about Peter? Mentally giving herself a shake, Lindsay wondered why she assumed Ben had meant Peter. The man was obviously delusional, he could have been hallucinating. There might not have been a him at all, or it could be someone completely out of the man's imagination.

What if he wasn't just crazy? Ben had only started talking about *him* after he'd touched her skin. Could he have touch-clairvoyance? Could Ben have seen Peter when he touched her? That made more sense, Peter meant a lot to her and that would have been no secret to any half-skilled clairvoyant.

But still, something didn't fit. 'you carry him with you.' He couldn't mean the many little marks Peter had left over her body. They were hidden beneath her clothing and even if he had *seen* them, an active sex life didn't necessarily have anything to do with love. The other single women he'd taken for the ritual had led active lives, so it couldn't be that she carried the marks of another man that made her unworthy. What of Peter was she carrying?

"Lindsay, are you still feeling dizzy?"

Anton's voice dragged Lindsay out of her train of thought, leaving a nagging question in the back of her brain. "I'm not dizzy, Anton. I'm feeling fine. You guys need to stop worrying. I got hit in the head, nothing serious."

"Well, just this once I’ll have to agree." He sped ped the rubbed gloves off and sat at her bedside. "No sign of a concussion this time. The bleeding has stopped and there's no major swelling. You will most likely have a headache for a little while and you shouldn't drive tonight."

"Yes, doctor,"

He smiled at her humoring tone, patting her hand. "If I were a doctor in private practice, I'd make a lot more money than I do here. Not to mention my work would be a lot less interesting. Just pregnancies, antibiotics, and flu shots." Standing, Anton motioned to the glass doors. "You rest while I go give the boys a rundown on your condition before Peter drives you home."

"I'll be here, Anton."

He stepped out of the room mumbling about head injuries and alien autopsies. Watching the door close behind him, something Anton said wandered into her mind and stuck. Pregnancies, you carry him with you. /Oh, my god. Could I be pregnant? Could that be what he saw?/ Resting a hand over her stomach, Lindsay thought about it. It was possible, she hadn't taken any
precautions and she didn't think Peter had either. In fact, on several occasions she knew he hadn't. Lindsay shivered, remembering the feel of his lips on her skin waking her up before passion swept them both away yet again. And that was only one of the many times that Lindsay, looking back now, knew had been unprotected in the past week. She could easily be carrying Peter's child inside her. /Peter's baby could be inside me./ A smile flowed over her face at the image of Peter holding their newborn.

"Lindsay,"

She looked up at him, the sweet smile still on her lips. "Peter," Lindsay's heart melted at the look on his face as he moved to her bedside.

"Hey, baby." Peter stroked her hair and lifted one of her hands to his lips. "Are you okay?"

All she had for evidence were the suspicions inspired by a madman's ramblings, Lindsay just couldn't tell Peter until she knew more. "Yes, Peter, I'm fine." Tilting up her chin, Lindsay treasured the feel of his lips covering her own. Her arms curled around his neck, pulling him closer, wanting to feel his body against her own.

Tasting her kiss, Peter tightened his arms around her, rejoicing to be holding her again. "Hmm, Lindsay." He pulled away, feeling Lindsay try to pull him back against her. "We should get you home."

"Peter, we have to get him. It's time to get back to work."

"Tomorrow, tonight I'm ta you you home and putting you in bed, Doctor's orders." The look on his face and the tenderness of his touch touched Lindsay deep inside. /He'll make such a good father./ A series of snapshots -- some memories, some not -- flashed through Lindsay's mind. Peter comforting a small girl during a poltergeist investigation in her house, the 12 year-old boy in the troll case confiding in him, Peter leaning over their daughter's bed, checking her temperature. Kissing their son's skinned elbows. Peter quietly sneaking into their bedroom and into her arms after tucking in the kids so not to wake them. Mentally shaking her head, Lindsay reminded herself that she might not even be pregnant.

"Okay, Peter. I guess tomorrow's soon enough." Raising her hands, she let Peter help her off the bed and lead her out of the lab.

Something she should have thought of earlier struck her suddenly as Peter tucked a blanket around her on his living room couch. It occurred to Lindsay that never once during her entire internal debate had she questioned her love for Peter. She'd doubted what and how Ben knew, she'd wondered how she carried something of 'him'. But she'd never questioned if Peter fit the bill as the one she loved. Lindsay looked over at him, watching him as he worked in the kitchen. The mere sight of him touched her. So it was true, she loved him. /I love you, Peter Axon./

Her eyes never left his face as he sat down beside her.

"Here, drink this," he pressed a warm mug into her hands, draping one arm around her shoulders and resting his other hand on her knee. "to help you sleep."

"Thank you, Peter," Cuddling down into his touch, she sipped the tea. Chamomile, her favorite. The tea was calming her nerves but his touch was by far more relaxing on her nerves. Setting the cup down on the coffee table, Lindsay crawled into Peter's lap. "Hold me,"

"Always," he cuddled her against his chest and laid back on the couch with her in his arms, spreading the blanket over them both. Peter buried his fingers in her hair, whispering against her skin. "I'm here for you, Lindsay. And I promise I will always be. I am so sorry that he hurt you. I will never let anyone hurt you again." He swallowed hard, kissing her gently before breathing almost inaudibly against her lips. "I love you, Lindsay."

"What did you say, Peter?" Lindsay gazed into his eyes, hoping he'd said what she thought she'd heard. He met her eyes silently, one trembling hand stroking her cheek. "Please, Peter, what did you say?" /Please, love me. Please let it be true./

"I said I ... that I ... I love you."

The emotion in his voice and face brought tears to her eyes. He meant it. Lindsay could see the truth shining in his face. /Thank you/ "Peter, I love you, too."

"Oh, Lindsay," He pulled her down against him to claim her lips with his own, kissing her madly. The hungry touch of his mouth on hers and heat of his hands on her back pressing her closer set fire to Lindsay's blood. She needed him, now. Sitting up, Lindsay threw off the blanket and reached for the buttons of his shirt, Peter shuddered under her hands, a low groan on his lips. "Baby," his hands ran down her body to her hips, pulling her harder against him.

"Peter, I want you. I love you so much." She leaned down, brushing her lips over his as her hands ran down his arms to unbutton his cuffs.

"I need you, Peter." Pulling the shirt off his body, Lindsay traced a line of kisses down his chest.

"Lindsay," He pulled her back up his body, rolling her beneath him to kneel between her feet. "I love you, baby." Stripping off her shoes and socks, Peter hotly kissed each ankle before rubbing his hands up her legs to unfasten her pants and unbutton her blouse.

"Peter," Lindsay gasped as he buried his face against her stomach and peeled the tight leather down her hips. Her breath caught at the image of Peter pressing kisses just as urgent as these against her stomach as he was whispering to the child inside her. Curling her arms around his neck, she held him close as she arched to help him pull the leather off. "I want you, Peter."

"You got me, baby, forever. You know that." Pulling her up, Peter made short work of removing the rest of her clothing. "Lindsay, you are so beautiful." Sitting back on the couch, he settled her across his lap, stroking his hands over her skin.

Groaning, Lindsay moved eagerly into his touch and wrapped her arms around him, desperately needing him closer. A second later a similar groan escaped Peter as Lindsay pressed herself hard against him from hip to shoulder. "Oh, Baby, please." Arching under her, Peter clenched his hands on her hips, pressing even harder against her.

Curling her arms around his neck and rocking her hips against his, Lindsay treasured his hardness between her legs and the blatant need written in every line of his body. "Please what, Peter?" she whispered an inch from his lips.

"You know what, Lindsay." He smiled against her mouth, sliding one hand up her body to cup her breast. "I want you," Dropping his head, Peter trailed his lips down her skin to enclose her nipple in the heat of his mouth. Suckling her breast, he slipped a hand into the minuscule space
between their bodies, rubbing fingertips through the growing moisture at her core with a helpless groan. "And you want me."

Lindsay's nails bit into his shoulders as she gasped and arched against his hand. "Yes, Peter, I want you." Kissing him urgently, Lindsay dropped her hands to his belt, hurriedly unfastening his pants to reach him. The need to feel him, to touch him rang in her ears as loudly as the sound Peter made when her hand closed around him. "I want you as much as you want me."

His hands joined hers at his waist, helping her shove the leather pants down his legs and out of the way. "Not possible," Peter lifted her back up into his lap, holding her pressed tightly against his body and cradling her cheek in his palm. "There's no way you could possibly want me as much as I want you." Pressing his lips to hers, Peter caressed the soft skin of her hips, lifting
her against his hardness.

"You think so, Peter?" Lindsay smiled at him, draping her arms over his shoulders and rocking her hips against his. "'Cause I think I want you more. I've never needed anyone as much as I need you."

"Show me, then." Peter moved against her, groaning at the feel of her heat so close. "Show me, Lindsay. Show me how much you want me." Breathing harshly against her throat, he pulled her closer, lips moving against her skin with every word. "Please, baby, show me."

She smiled, closing her eyes at the emotion in his voice. He wasn't asking, begging her show him her need. He was asking for her love. And that's what he was going to get. "With pleasure, Peter." Pressing down, Lindsay sighed at the feel of him filling her, inch by inch. It felt more than good; it felt right. "Peter, I love you."

"Lindsay, I love you." He pulled her lips to his for a deep kiss as he pressed himself deeper inside her. "Oh, god, baby, you feel so good. It's never felt this good before." His hands clenched on her hips, guiding her into an urgent rhythm, the feel of her surrounding him driving the breath from his lungs. "Lindsay,"

"Peter," hailsails dug into the cushion behind him as Lindsay rode him harder, breathless at the heat and friction of his length inside her. "So good...ah...Peter, you feel so...ah, good." She locked her eyes with his, her hips still rocking them both eagerly. "So right," Lindsay gasped as Peter pushed deeper into her, his hands cradling her hips. "It's never felt this right, ever." The kiss she pressed to his lips was hungry and tender; eagerly she plunged her tongue into his mouth as his body plunged inside hers.

"Oh, God, baby. Lindsay." Wrapping his arms around her, Peter held her flush against him and rolled her beneath him, pressing her deep into the couch cushions. "I love you so much, Lindsay." Gathering her body under his, Peter kissed her passionately and began the rhythm between them anew.

"Peter," Wrapping her legs tightly around his hips, Lindsay felt pleasure building inside her in time with each of his deep strokes. His weight along her body, his breath hot on her lips, the intense emotion in his eyes all combined to bury her in sensation. Lindsay was enveloped in Peter--his taste, his touch, the heat of his skin, and the heavy pressure of his body inside hers. It felt so good, he felt so good. The ecstasy beginning to overwhelm her rose to block her throat in spite of the words repeating in her mind and trying to escape. "...love you...Peter...so much...love you, Peter!"

The sound of his name on her lips and the feel of her body peaking around his stole the last scraps of Peter's control. Pleasure spilled over him as he shouted her name and climaxed deep inside her. Collapsing into her arms, Peter held her close and rolled to his back. Stroking her cheek, he smiled at her tenderly. "Oh, Lindsay, you are so..." Words failed him and he kissed
her softly, trying to put everything she meant to him into the contact.

Lindsay heard it, felt it. Kissing him back with just as much emotion, she pulled back and smiled at him. "Thank you, Peter." Curling up against his chest, she cuddled ihis his arms and listened to his heartbeat. It sounded good.

"Something's been bothering me."

"What is it, Peter?" She spoke without lifting her head, not wanting any space between his skin and hers.

His arms tightened around her. "What made you unworthy for his ritual?"

Lindsay laughed, propping herself up on his chest. "Don't you know, Peter?" At the shake of his head, she continued with a soft smile. "You did."

"What? How?"

"He must have seen you somehow. I think he's clairvoyent. When he touched me, he said I carried the man I love with me, so who else could it be?"

Smiling against her lips, he held her close. "It better not be anyone else, Lindsay. You're mine." Leaning up he captured her lips with his own, reinforcing their claim on each other.

***

"That bitch! That goddamn, lying bitch!" Ben stepped in his front door angry and bleeding. Throwing his coat onto a nearby chair, he touched the cut on his throat. "She would have been so perfect if not for him. But don't worry, my girls." He stroked the bars of one woman's cell like normal people touch small crying children to calm them. "I won't let her destroy everything we're trying to do. I'll get someone to take her place and together you girls and I will save mother nature."

To be continued... (Maybe, eventually, well.... talk to Gatekeeper, it’s her turn to write).

***