Message-ID: <44255asstr$1063138208@assm.asstr-mirror.org>
From: Shalon Wood <dstar@pele.cx>
Subject: {ASSM} Prudence, TX Population 1276 4/? (nosex)
Date: Tue,  9 Sep 2003 16:10:08 -0400
Path: assm.asstr-mirror.org!not-for-mail
Approved: <assm@asstr-mirror.org>
Newsgroups: alt.sex.stories.moderated,alt.sex.stories
Followup-To: alt.sex.stories.d

This is a continuation of "Prudence, Texas Population 1276", a
collaboration between my husband, Shalon (dstar@pele.cx), and I.  The
raw material and dialog was produced by both of us, but the final
editting on the previous postings was done by him, and on this one was
done by me, thus explaining any difference in style.  

Standard disclaimers apply; if you're underage, it's illegal for you
to read this, or you're disturbed by the content, please don't read
this.

Eventually to be archived at http://prudence.pele.cx.  Comments
*greatly* appreciated.

Enjoy,

Velvet
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

	All the lights in the house were on when he pulled up in the
drive, but as he opened the door, they all went out, leaving him in
total darkness.  Not even the vcr was blinking. Mark sighed, and
grabbed a flashlight to find the circuit breakers.

	It didn't work.

	The muted sound of sobbing was audible from upstairs. He
frowned, and dug out a candle. It took three tries to get the candle
to light, and even then, the flame was small and flickering. 

	The sound grew louder as he climbed.  It wasn't coming from
his bedroom, but from the small, empty room next to it. He could hear
a baby crying quietly, too, as he came closer.

	When he opened the door, he discovered that the room had been
transformed.  Instead of an empty room, what he saw was a lovingly
decorated nursery.  Smiling cherubs were painted on the walls, and
there was an abundance of pink satin and white lace.  There were
dozens of stuffed toys.  There was a rocking chair in the corner by
the expensive looking crib.  Sitting in the rocking chair was a woman
holding a baby, both of them crying.  

	She looked very much alive, but somehow he knew she
wasn't. She was heart-breakingly beautiful; her honey-gold hair and
sapphire blue eyes made her look like an angel come to earth.

	"Tell me how to help you," he said.

	She looked up at him.  "You can't.  Only he can."  The baby
waved an arm and she held out a finger for it to grasp, fresh tears
welling from her eyes.  "She's always with me.  I wish she wasn't.
Look at her..."  She uncovered the baby and held her up for him to
see.  She had her mothers glorious golden hair, but her eyes were a
deep brown.  "Her daddy's eyes.  How could he doubt that she was his?"
She clutched the baby to her chest.  "Only he can free me."

	"Who is he, and how do I get him to free you?"

	"He was wrong.  He was so wrong, but he'll never admit it.  No
one could ever get him to admit it."

	"Who is he? What does he have to do to free you?"

	The baby started to fuss more loudly.  "You must go now, young
man.  She's hungry.  I have to nurse her."

	"Please, tell me before I have to go."

	She started to unbutton her blouse, and power returned to the
house suddenly, the bright light revealing only an empty room.

	Mark sighed, looking around, and decided he might as well go
to bed. His dreams that night were less erotic, though still full of
Kristen.  They were more disturbing, though.  The setting was
different, and clearer than in previous dreams.  At one point, he
realized that they were making love in the nursery, and that the
cherubs on the walls were crying.

	Mark drug himself out of bed in the morning, feeling slightly
better than the day before since he'd gotten more sleep. The ghost
made him coffee again.  Unfortunately, it tasted like decaffinated.

	Like most teachers, he'd made a habit of leaning against the
wall by his door in the morning.  This let him watch the hallway.
Technically, he was watching all of the hallway, and could spot
misbehaving students.  This was why most teachers did it.  Mark,
however, couldn't resist keeping an eye on his girlfriend.  She didn't
seem to realize he was watching her this morning, however.

	She was smiling when she opened her locker, but frowned when
she reached inside it.  He saw her pull out a sheet of paper, read it,
and go pale.

	He tried not to be obvious, but he couldn't help but make his
way towards her when he saw her face. He hadn't made it quite halfway
there when Aaron, the young man who was beaten up for taking typing
and so transferred into his chem class, stopped by her, frowned, and
tapped her on the shoulder, asking something.  She jumped a couple of
feet in the air and dropped the note.  He caught the piece of paper as
it fell, and smiling and obviously saying something teasing, started
to hand it back to her, glancing at it reflexively.

	His hand gripped the piece of paper tightly, and he suddenly
looked angry as hell.  Mark could hear him arguing with her, and she
was shaking her head.  As he come closer he could make out what Aaron
was saying.  

	"Look, you have *got* to tell someone.  This is not a joke,
Kristen."

	Mark stepped up behind him. "Miss. Davis, Mr. James, is there a
problem?"

	Kristen jumped guiltily and tugged at the piece of paper.
"No."  

	Aaron didn't let go of the paper, and spoke at the same time,
"Yes."

	Mark raised an eyebrow. "I think the two of you had best come
with me." He motioned them towards the teachers lounge.

	Kristen frowned and glanced at him like he'd gone totally
insane; Mark simply raised the other eyebrow, and waited for her to
start moving.

	Once in the lounge, he asked, "What seems to be the problem?"

	"*Tell* him, Kris."

	"Miss Davis?"

	Kristen sighed.  "It's just someone playing a prank, Mr. H.
No big deal."

	"Mr. James?"

	"I don't think so.  I think it's a threat, a real one."

	Mark held out his hand for the paper.

	With an apologetic look at Kristen, Aaron handed it to him.
"Sorry, Kris, but you can't ignore this."

	It read, "It's too late to play innocent, slut.  You're going
to start putting out again...one way or the other."  It was typed, no
signature.

	Kristen watched him anxiously as he read the note.

	Mark paled slightly, and set his jaw. "I'm afraid he's right,
Miss Davis. This will have to go to the principal." He glanced at
Aaron, then looks at her. "I'll say something here that perhaps I
shouldn't. I may be new to the town, but I _do_ know your
reputation. I also found out about the change you seem to have made on
Monday. I can tell you that I have yet to hear from a teacher who
doesn't support your choice."

	Kristen blushed and looked at her hands.

	"Speaking personally, I'm glad you've decided to take control
of your life. If you have any trouble from...louts who won't accept
no, any of the teachers will help you, you know."

	Kristen said quietly, "I don't think there will be any
trouble, sir."

	"Bullshit." Aaron snorts.

	Mark raised an eyebrow at Kristen. "You are telling me that
the quality of teenage male has improved so dramatically since I was
in school?"

	Aaron snorts.  "Quantity maybe, but not quality.  We could do
with some population control around here. Mr. H, Dirk had her pinned
in the girl's john for half an hour Tuesday.  It's just a good thing
he's too dumb to think about going *in* a girls' room."

	"So that _was_ you, Miss Davis. I'd wondered. This means we've
already had one incident. Come, let's go talk to the principal."

	"M..Mr. H, Dirk is harmless.  He didn't mean anything,
really." Kristen's face was completely red.

	Mark shook his head. "I'm afraid we can't take that risk, Miss
Davis.

	"I really don't think this is serious.  They're just mad and
trying to scare me.  I don't want to overreact." Kristen
mumbled. "This is embarrassing enough."

	Mark glanced at Aaron, his gaze lingering on the fading black
eye. "I think it _is_ serious, Miss Davis." He motioned to the
door. "Let's go."

	Kristen's shoulders slumped in defeat.  Aaron reached over and
squeezed her shoulder when he didn't think Mark was looking.

	Mark led them to the office, again going in to talk to the
principal before bringing them in. "This was in Kristen Davis' locker
this morning." Mark handed him the note.

	Dr. Ward read the note, frowning.  "Do you think this is
serious, or just a threat, Mark?"

	Mark raised an eyebrow. "Assuming Aaron was right when he said
Dirk had her trapped in a bathroom yesterday, I'd say it's serious."
He sighed. "I'd also say we have to treat it as if it was, no matter
what. After Columbine..." He hesitated. "Not to mention, in the high
school I went to, there was a girl with a reputation for being easy
who decided to stop. She ended up gang-raped, and killed herself. And
she didn't have half the reputation that Miss Davis does."

	"I know you're right, son, but I will be damned if I know what
to do about it.  I can't suspend the girl for keeping her legs closed.
I can't keep the entire male student body in detention.  And anything
I do to draw attention to it is just going to make the problem worse
*and* probably humiliate the poor child. I *can* call an assembly and
have Angie give a lecture on sexual harassment and the law.  That
might do something."

	Mark sighed. "I know. Although..." He looked thoughtful. "If I
remember correctly, we can legally set up surveillance cameras. I've
got a couple of those wireless X-10 cameras at home that I never got
around to doing anything with. I could set them up to cover her
locker, and at least we could find out who's leaving the notes. And I
suspect that if we quietly let David and Kevin know they wouldn't be
considered tardy for walking her to and from her classes...."

	"Hmmm.  Yes, I think we can keep her safe here at school, but
she walks home.  Hell, she walks *everywhere*, she's known for it.
And that father of hers leaves her alone in that house more often than
not."  He looked seriously worried.

	Mark frowned. "Do any teachers live near her? If so, maybe one
of them would volunteer to act as a safe house for her?"

	He shook his head.  "Mark, *you're* the closest one to her.  I
think you can see the problem with that."

	Mark winced. "Good lord. The rumors that would get started..."

	"Exactly.  You wouldn't even have to so much as look at
her. And the next closest is *me*, and damn it, there already *were*
rumors."

	"Of course there were. You're male. Hell, I'm surprised there
aren't rumors about the female teachers, the way people talk about
her." Mark sighed. "I don't know what to do. I'd hate to see her end
up...in trouble."

	David sighed.  "I almost wish she *would* change her mind.
It'd be much easier.  And you didn't hear that."

	Mark shook his head. "I don't. Maybe pick a few boys she _did_
want to sleep with...you didn't hear that either." He frowned. "How
much trouble did you have with the rumors?"

	"Not *that* much.  Basic gist was that I never paddled her
because I was doing other things to her sweet little bottom.  Frankly,
I never paddled her because she never got in *that* much provable
trouble.  And...well, to avoid *worse* rumors."

	Mark chuckled. "I can _just_ imagine." He sighed, closing his
eyes for a moment. "Maria -- the girl I told you about -- was a friend
of mine. I've always felt that...well, I should have been able to do
something. I'd be willing to put up with some rumors to help her, but
there's a big difference between rumors and having someone shoot at
you, or fire bomb your house, or losing your job and career."

	David sighed again.  "I understand, Mark.  If we could
persuade the girl to pick out one guy to date on a serious basis,
preferably one of the *big* ones, then probably the others would leave
her alone.  If her father were a more responsible parent, he never
would have let his daughter get *in* this situation.  Still...I
suppose he does need to be informed of the situation.  Wanna volunteer
for that one?"

	Mark made a face, then sighed. "Shit. Yeah, I will. And I'll
try to get those cameras set up before I go home tonight -- if it's
ok, I'll run home at lunch and get them."

	"Fine by me, as long as you come back.  *I* don't want to have
to teach that damned advanced chem class of yours.  Those kids *scare*
me."

	Mark chuckled. "Oh, you could just get Kayla to teach it."

	"Probably.  Say...you don't think *that* rumor's true, is it?"

	Mark raised an eyebrow. "Which one?"

	"You hadn't heard it?  The one that suggests that the reason
Ms. Davis isn't interested in our fine young gentlemen is that she's
fallen for our studious young lady?"

	Mark choked a bit, then laughed. "I rather doubt it. I assume
you heard about my demonstrations at the party they held the day
before school started?"

	"Oh yeah.  From many different viewpoints."  He grinned
broadly.

	Mark grinned back. "Well, shortly before I left the party,
Miss Davis danced. It was a...most impressive sight. Several of the
girls _did_ pay more attention than you might think, but Kayla wasn't
one of them."

	"Ah.  Pity.  Kayla would make a good vengeful, jealous
girlfriend with corrosive chemicals."

	Mark looked thoughtful. "I wonder if she's a good actor..."

	"Not worth it to either girl unless it's true, Mark.  They'd
catch hell for it, literally.  I was just joking."

	Mark grinned. "So was I. Still, the thought of Kayla chasing
Dirk down the hall with a beaker of something in her hands..." He
chuckled. "I'll let Kristen and Aaron in now, and we can talk to her."

	"Wait...Aaron?  What's he got to do with this?  He might just
be the only guy in the school who *hasn't* lost anything from
Kristen's new chastity."

	"He saw the note when she dropped it. That's what caught my
attention in the first place -- he was trying to talk her into telling
someone. She, of course, doesn't want to think it could be serious."

	Ward rubbed his brow. "Right.  Ok, bring them in."

	"And why hasn't he lost anything? Surely she hasn't slept with
_all_ the other guys?"

	"Pretty much she *has* Mark.  I've only been here two years,
but it's pretty much a confirmed fact that she started making her way
through them before she was twelve."

	Mark shook his head. "My." He moved to the door, and let the
two in. Kristen entered reluctantly, followed by Aaron.

	"Have a seat kids. Dr. Hasseran showed me the note, Kristen.
I agree with him that it is not something you can take lightly.  We've
discussed the matter, and there are some steps that we'll be taking to
ensure your safety here at school.  We'll need your cooperation, as
well, young lady."

	Kristen mumbled, "Yessir."

	"Aaron, you were right to insist that Kristen tell an adult
about this.  Therefore, you will be part of a group of students who
are charged with...discreetly...making sure she doesn't walk to class
alone, particularly if it's a class not in the main building.  You
will not be considered tardy for doing this...you'll still receive a
tardy slip and have to have it signed, but it will *not* go on your
report card or reflect on your grades."

	"Yes, Sir!"

	"Kristen, please wait for your escorts, dear.  Whether you
want to believe anyone would hurt you or not, the fact is that people
can be extremely stupid, and extremely cruel."

	Kristen sighed.  "Yessir."  

	"If the threats persist, we may have to take more obvious
measures to discourage the perpetrators.  We *will* be attempting to
discover their identity, and if we do so, steps *will* be
taken. Finally, you would be well advised to be more cautious outside
of school as well.  Always lock your door, curtail your long rambling
walks for a while.  Dr. Hasseran will be talking to your father about
this situation, Kristen, I'm sorry, but it's necessary."

	"What?!" Kristen exclaimed. "No it's not!  I'll be careful, I
promise!"

	Mark made a face. "I assure you, Kristen, there are any
_number_ of things I'd prefer to do than talk to one of my students'
father about something like this. But I'm afraid that it does have to
be done. I'm sorry."

	Kristen moaned and covered  her face with her hands. Without
raising her head, she asked, "Is there anything else?"

	"I think that's all for now, Ms. Davis.   Dr. Hasseran?"

	Mark nodded. "I think so."

	"You may go to class now, children.  You have choir this
period, Kristen?"  She nodded.  "Then Aaron will accompany you to the
music building."

	"C'mon Kris, it'll be okay."  Aaron helped her up and ushered
her out the door.

	"Interesting," Dr. Ward observed after they left.  "I would
have bet good money that the rumors about Aaron were true, but he
seems quite taken with her, doesn't he?"

	"Rumors?"

	"I do not believe you haven't heard those, Mark.  After all,
they're the reason the young man transferred into your class."

	"Oh, those rumors. I usually ignore any rumor saying that a
young man is gay. I was friends with the guy who had the most rumors
like that about him in my school. In band, in choir, didn't play a
sport. I stopped wondering once he mentioned to me that the
cheerleaders rode on the band bus...and tended to change clothes _on
the bus_. In fact, I considered joining the choir. "

	David laughed.  "Understandable.  Ah well, best go curtail
your freshmen.  Stop by and tell Angie to step in here?  She should be
in her office."

	Mark nodded. "I will." 

	Mrs. Angellina Veronica Sloan, 'Ms. Angie' to all the
students, was vaguely familiar to Mark, though he'd never met her
personally.  She was young and attractive in a blond, icy sort of
way.  Her office was extremely well organized, no piles of loose paper
anywhere.  She looked up at his knock and smiled.  "Yes?  Dr. Hasseran
isn't it?  I haven't had a chance to say hello to all the new teachers
this year yet."

	Mark nodded. "Dr. Ward would like you to stop by his office."

	"Of course, thanks."  

				 ***

	The day was relatively uneventful after that.  Dr. Ward
obviously talked with David and Kevin, because Kristen didn't show up
to any of her classes alone.  This made it convenient for her to slip
off with one of them at lunchtime as well.  She seemed to have given
in to the necessity, though she was still not happy about it.

	"Hey, Mr. H, my bike's busted, and I'm not as fond of walking
as *some* people.  Can you give me and Kristen a ride to her house
after school?"  Kayla asked you in the hall.

	Mark nodded. "Sure, Kayla, but I've got a few things I've got
to take care of before I'll be able to leave."

	"No prob.  We need to copy a couple of things from the library
before we can work on our report anyway.  Holler at us when you're
ready to go."

	"I will."

	It took him about an hour to get the camera's installed, half
of which was waiting for the halls to empty out so that he could do it
when no one was looking.

	When he arrived in the library, they appeared to be studying
and didn't notice him come in.

	"Y'all ready?"

	Both girls jumped.  "Oh.  Yeah."  They grabbed their books and
followed him out of the building. Kristen sighed.

	"What's wrong?" Mark asked.

	"I really do *like* walking, y'know.  I don't do it *just* as
an excuse to meet people for sex. It's relaxing.  Soothing."

	"I know. Hopefully this will blow over soon."

	"You can't drive me home *every* day though.  And *why* did
you tell him you'd talk to my dad?!"

	Mark sighed. "I ended up trapped. There was no way I could get
out of it without raising questions. I am _not_ looking forward to
this."

	"It's dangerous Mark.  There's got to be some way out of it.
Tell him...tell him you thought about it and maybe a woman would be a
better choice to talk to him."

	Mark raised an eyebrow, thoughtfully. "Ok, that's a good
idea. I'll try it. I can also try the 'got cold feet about talking to
a father about his daughter's sex life' routine."

	"I don't know why he'd think that was possible. You don't have
any trouble talking to *him* about my sex life!"

	Kayla muttered, very quietly, 'uhoh' and tried to pretend she
didn't exist in the back seat.

	"Actually, Kristen, I _haven't_ talked to him about your sex
life -- just the effects it is having on the school. And I would love
to have avoided those conversations. But I'm not willing to risk your
safety. Would you want me to be?"

	Kristen stared out the window.  "I don't know.  I just
feel...exposed."

	Mark sighed. "I'm sorry. I wish there was a way to avoid
it. But I can't think of one that keeps you safe."

	"How bout I pretend to jump off a cliff into the sea and then
live in your basement?" She sounded halfway wistful, as if she wished
she could be serious.

	"Sorry. I don't think it would work. Be nice, though."

	Kristen stared out the window for the rest of the drive, glum.

	Mark pulled up in Kristen's driveway. "Could you give us a
couple of minutes, Kayla?"

	Kayla hopped out of the car.  "Sure." She pulled a book from
her backpack and wandered up the drive and sat in the porch swing,
turning her back to them.

	"Want to help me play a practical joke?"

	"Oh?" Kristen asked.

	"I owe Kayla one. She got me good last night -- but if you
help I can turn it around on her."

	"Got you how?"

	Mark explained about the 'You could have sex with me'
comment. "She's lucky I didn't think she was serious, or I might have
run off the road. But if when y'all come over later you tell her --
dead serious -- that you've thought about it and you'll loan me to her
since she's being so good about helping us..." He grinned. "But make
sure I can see her face when you do."

	Kristen blinked.  "Um...you know, that's almost exactly what
*I* said to you...and I *was* serious.  How do you know she wasn't?"

	"Well, for one thing she said she was just kidding."

	"Mark, if you weren't interested, of *course* she'd say that."
Kristen glared at him, as if annoyed that he wouldn't realize that.

	Mark blinked. "Uhhhhh...oh. I hadn't even considered that she
might be serious."

	Kristen looked at him disbelievingly.  "Mark, half the female
population of the school and a couple of the guys already have serious
crushes on you."

	"Say _what_?!"

	"You mean you didn't *know*?  How could you not know?  I mean,
with Karen the Bitch taking *every* possible opportunity to drop her
damned pencil in front of you?"

	Mark blushed. "I hadn't noticed. Oh." He pauses. "Shit. What
if she was serious?" He sounded panicked.

	"And if Susan squeals and says, 'Oh, Mr. H!  You're *so*
smart!' while hugging your arm like that one more time, I'm going to
kill her."  She paused.  "I don't know, Mark." She says quietly, "What
do you think?"

	"Gods. I hope I didn't hurt her feelings. Help me out here,
Kristen. I never considered she might be serious."

	Kristen sighed.  "First decide what you want to answer if she
*was* serious, Mark."

	"Well, I think that would depend first of all on you, Kristen."

	"I don't see why."

	"I guess we _should_ clear that up, shouldn't we? What do you
want for us, Kristen? Are we just lovers, or is it more?"

	Kristen swallowed hard.  "That's...that's up to you Mark.
However you want it."

	"I'd like us to be more. I'm already falling in love with
you. Which means that you _do_ have a say in what my answer would be."

	"Not really.  It wouldn't be fair if I did."

	"Emotions don't know about fair, Kristen. How would you feel
if I slept with her? Not, 'how do you think you should feel', but 'how
_would_ you feel'?"

	"I'm not sure.  It would hurt, but I've really got no right
for it to.  And it would hurt worse if you *didn't* do it if you
really wanted to, because you *aren't* jealous."

	Mark sighed. "It's a shame she's not bi. I won't deny she's
attractive, Kristen, but you _do_ have first claim. Especially because
you _tried_ to give up something that was a physical need for me. How
can I do less?"

	"It's so confusing.  I don't know what to think.  On top of
everything....I *do* owe her, we do.  Big time.  And I trust her.
But...okay...the answer is, I couldn't handle it.  Not right now.
Maybe not ever, but I can't say for sure."

	Mark nodded. "Ok. Then I won't. But...shit. I _do_ need to
find out if she was serious, and I _do_ need to talk to her about it,
if she was, don't I?"

	Kristen sighed again.  "No. *I* do.  She would *not* tell
you."

	"Ok. You do. And if she was, I'll talk to her." He
sighed. "How would you feel about suddenly getting nervous about being
here, and wanting to be over at my place?" He looked thoughtful for a
moment. "But I still want to get her back, just in case. How about the
original plan, but instead of loaning me to her, you tell her you'll
sleep with her?"

	"Mark...what if she says 'ok!' ?  It's not nice to offer
something you're not going to give."

	"She told me the other night that she's not a lesbian."

	"Um.  Neither am I.  That doesn't mean I haven't slept with
women."

	Mark blinked. "Oh. I assumed she meant she wasn't bi
either. Was I wrong?"

	"I don't *know*.  That's the point. But all 'I'm not a
lesbian' means is 'I like boys'.  It doesn't necessarily mean, 'I
don't like girls'."

	"Oh. What if she _did_ say ok?"

	"Aren't our lives already complicated enough?"

	"Yes. But still -- if she did say ok, would you want to?"

	Kristen blushed.  "I guess.  I think.  Look, you *know* I have
trouble saying no, even to people I don't really like, and I actually
*like* Kayla."

	Mark nodded. "And _you_ know I don't mind you sleeping with
anyone you _want_ to." He paused. "If she was serious about what she
said, _and_ she was interested in you...how would you feel about
_that_?"

	"God, Mark...how am I supposed to know that?  I'd need more
than five minutes to figure it out, y'know?"

	Mark nodded. "Ok. It's something you should be thinking about,
though, since I'm not capable of...of...Damn. I have no idea how to
put it that doesn't sound bad. 'Providing enough'? That just sounds
bad. But you know what I mean, right?"

	"Mark...you are.  You would be.  Once at lunch is all I need.
If we could, safely...I wouldn't need anyone else."

	"I know. But we can't, safely, and what happens if I get sick
or something, and we can't for several days?"

	Kristen looked vaguely ill herself.  "I'll have to go back to
blowjobs between every class again. This is so *stupid*!  Why
*shouldn't* we be able to do what we want?  You're *not* hurting
me. You're not using me...if anything it's the other way around.  I
hate hiding like this."

	"So do I, love. So do I."

	"If I got parental consent to date you, do you think that
would be enough?"

	Mark shook his head. "No. The law would still apply. We'd have
to get married, and...that would be more than a little tricky."

	"Oh."

	"Not that...well, I _was_ serious the other day, you know."

	"Mark...you thought I was pregnant.  It was a desperate
situation."

	Mark nodded. "Yes, it was. But I got to thinking about it."

	"Oh?"

	"I'd still be willing."

	"Honey...that's not something you should rush into.  You
should think about it.  I mean, not just because of my age, too.  I
would adore having the legal *right* to be with you, but I won't chain
you to me for life to do so."

	"I know. But...I _do_ believe in love at first sight. I've got
proof. Our situation isn't ordinary, by any means. Besides, we're
_already_ tangled up together, remember?"

	"Oh, Mark, you are so...so *you*."

	Mark grinned. "Yup. But I can't imagine being any less
devastated if you left me tomorrow than if you left me a decade from
now."

	Kristen licked her lips.  "I won't leave you, Mark.  That's
not why I said no.  You don't have to *ever* marry me, and I won't
leave you."

	"But that's not why I want to. I want to make that commitment
to _you_."

	Kristen trembled.  "But what if you change your mind?"

	Mark shook his head. "I don't think I will, Kristen. I don't
think I will, any more than you think you will."

	"That's different.  You're special, wonderful, the best I
could ever dream of.  I'm something that will always be dangerous,
always be a burden, always risk embarrassing you."

	Mark raised an eyebrow. "Dangerous how? A burden -- you are
good enough, artistically, you could end up worth far more than I ever
am. And why would you risk embarrassing me?"

	"Dangerous to your career.  Respectable teachers don't marry
the school slut.  Embarrassing if someone found out your *wife* was
sleeping around.  I would be so proud to be seen with you, but I can't
imagine you actually taking me anywhere in public."

	Mark shook his head. "Kristen, don't you understand? I don't
_care_ -- no, that's not right. I _do_ care who else you sleep with. I
want them to be people who make you happy. People you enjoy being
around. I want you to _enjoy_ sleeping with them. I wish I _could_
take you out in public."

	"Mark...don't you know what people would *say* about you?  How
could you *not* be ashamed of me?"

	"Kristen, I don't _care_ what they say. And I don't think what
you are doing is wrong, so what is there to be ashamed of?"

	Kristen looked at him, stunned.

	"I don't!"

	Kristen blinked back tears.  "I've never been on a date, you
know.  Not a real one.  Not even one."

	"Oh, gods, Kristen. I wish I could take you out. I really do."

	"No one wanted to be seen with me...not in a way where their
friends might think they were *serious*, anyway.  And now you...you,
who have so much to lose, say you don't care what people would say."
She swallowed. "As if, if I said 'yes', you really *would* marry me,
and to hell with them all."

	"I don't. If it wouldn't cost me my job, my freedom, and my
life -- and my chance to ever see you again -- I'd take you out
tomorrow night and let everyone see us."

	"And I've already given you everything I can.  You can't
possibly get more from me by saying these things, there'd be no reason
for you to.  I'd take you on whatever terms you offered me.  If you
wanted to keep me a secret while you went on *real* dates and got
married and had a couple of kids with someone else...I would." She
sounded like she was trying to understand something.

	"I'm telling you the truth."

	"I'm scared."

	"Of what?"

	"Believing you."

	"You can. It's the truth," he said.

	"I've been wrong before."

	"Do you really think I'm not being honest with you? What does
it _feel_ like?"

	"I don't trust my feelings.  I've been wrong before.  I want
to, so bad.  But if I did, I don't think I could survive being wrong
again."

	Mark spread his hands. "How do I prove it?" He
paused. "Kristen, will you marry me? Not right this instant, but at
some point, when we can do so safely...will you?"

	Kristen trembled violently. "I'm so scared. I swore I'd
never...Oh god."

	"What?"

	Kristen took a deep breath.  "I swore I'd never fall in love.
Because it gives them too much power over you. Or if I did...I'd
never, *ever* let him know."

	Mark waited, not trying to influence her.

	Kristen wrapped her arms around her as if she was chilled in
the warm night air.  "Mark ...please god, oh please... Yes."

	Mark looked around, making sure there's no-one near, and
leaned over, kissing her gently. "Thank you."

	Kristen whispered, "I love you."

	"I love you, too. Why don't you go get Kayla, and we'll go to
my house?"

	Kristen nodded, still looking more than a little bit dazed.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------

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.
-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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