He moved her hands and arms into the deflecting, striking positions and after a moment he stepped closer so Meg felt him against her backside, his legs pressed behind hers hinting at when she should move her hips, step and shift. He started slowly, methodically moving Meg’s body against his, fighting the imaginary opponent that was the Wing Chun dummy, but after a moment, she caught on to the pattern of movements and together they increased the speed of their execution.
She fought the overwhelming urge to lean back into the powerful man at her back as much as she fought the wooden opponent. Her body memorized the pattern of the movement so she continued with closed eyes, allowing herself to reach out to Creed. Meg felt his royal blue signature waves wash over her. He loved her scent. His body recognized her, even if his memory didn’t. His heart knew her. She gasped aloud as she dove deeper into his heart searching for the key to unlocking his memory.
Abruptly, she stopped attacking the Wing Chun dummy and spun to face Creed whose arms were still wrapped around her. Meg stood on tiptoe, reached up and wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him down toward her. He didn’t resister her, but moved with gentleness as she placed her forehead against his. He held perfectly still—almost reverent—allowing her to do with him what she would.
Meg slipped into his mind easily and reveled in what she felt.
He loved her.
Creed still loves me.
Meg’s throat hitched with a gasp of joy when she saw his heart. He truly didn’t remember their time together, at least not the way she did, but his heart knew her. His heart recognized her as his love and leaped for joy at her touch. Creed didn’t completely understand why he felt so drawn to her, but he wasn’t fighting it either.
Desperately, Meg reached deeper to ready her white blanket. For Creed, she imagined it woven with the special iridescent threads of her love that glistened like mother-of-pearl in the light pouring from her wrists. With a heartfelt prayer for strength, she tossed her blanket across the darkened sea of his mind and tried to catch the fog clouding his memory. When she carefully pulled the four corners of her blanket together and surveyed her catch, it was clear she wasn’t able to affect his memory.
Meg was at least thankful to have gathered a large chunk of his sadness. Williams had created new traumas in her Creed during his lost months at the Facility.
He needed her healing. She hadn’t unlocked his memories, but at least she could give him some peace. With a fervent prayer she pushed the bundle into the sky in her mind, releasing it to God. Creed’s body shuddered under her touch, and she breathed a deep, cleansing breath. When they opened their eyes he just stared at her in awe.
“What just happened?” His voice was groggy with emotion—his wide blue eyes searching her face for understanding.
Meg closed her eyes again gathering her strength after exerting herself. “I used my gift for you.”
“I don’t know what that means.” Creed gently held her face in his large, warm hands. She knew he was desperate to understand.
“You don’t remember. It’s very clear to me now. My gift evolved from a heightened sensitivity to the feelings of others into becoming a full-on empath. I can dive into your mind and feel what you feel. I can even help heal emotional traumas.” She blinked slowly. “But there’s a caveat. It takes a lot out of me when I pull the negative emotions away from others.” She breathed deeply, trying to control the feelings of dizziness. “Sometimes I get migraines. Sometimes it’s nightmares. And sometimes I just get…” Meg couldn’t speak anymore as the blackness closed in fast around her peripheral.
Chapter 34 Modes of Self-Destruction
Creed watched the girl he saw as a bundle of strength and energy crumple in his arms. Instinctively, he caught her, pressing her small frame against himself. He watched as her eyes rolled back into her head. Her long, dark curls hung like silken ringlets away from her beautiful face.
How could such a tiny creature be so powerful and so fragile at the same time? He thought as he swept her into his arms and cradled her like the treasure she was. He slowly walked toward the nearest seat, holding her protectively in his arms. He whispered in her ear encouraging her to wake—unable to stop himself from brushing his lips across her forehead and closed eyelids.
“Please, Meg. Come back to me. Wake up. Oh, please wake up. I need to see your dark eyes. Open your eyes. I can’t do this without you. I need you. Please let me feel you hold me again. I need to know you understand. I need you, I don’t know why, but I do. Come back to me.”
From the doorway of the barn Cole stood, green eyes fixed on the two metahumans. He’d been watching Meg and Creed since the “lesson” at the wooden dummy began. He was going to bring attention to himself several times, but stopped. He watched his Meg with Creed and was heartbroken by what he saw.
She was drawn to him.