HDA - Living in Darkness Trilogy - Pt 2 - The Search

"Tomorrow. It's late. I'm tired." Ethan pointed another French fry at him. "And in another hour that night in jail will catch up to you." Ethan shook his head. "Surprised Liam didn't ask what eighteen-wheeler hit you."

"I don't look that bad."

"Why do you think no body tried to mug us?"

Joe took a moment to think. "Broad daylight?"

"And accuse me of taking nothing seriously," muttered Ethan.

"Finish your food."

"Can I have your fries?"

"No."

"You're not eating them."

Joe grabbed a handful and stuffed them in his mouth. "There," he mumbed. "Happy?"

"There you go again. No manners," said Ethan, shaking his head.

"Shut up."

"Appalling. I must have a serious talk with your mother."

"It's not her fault." Joe grinned. "My older brother was my role model."

"Yeah right. Which older brother would that be?" Ethan dusted the salt off his hands by wiping them on his T-shirt."

Joe grunted. "And you complain of my manners."

"It's the latest in the new fashion. Let everyone know you've eaten at MacDonald's."

Joe snorted. "Yeah, right. Not because you forgot to get napkins."

"Napkins?" Ethan looked around the restaurant, blankly. "What are those?"

"Come on, pard, I think you need a stimulate."

"It's eight-thirty at night. No coffee."

"I'm not letting you fall asleep at the wheel."

Ethan fumbled for the keys. "Then you drive."

Joe looked at the keys, then arched an eyebrow. "You're letting Mario Andretti drive?"

Ethan glared at him. "At least you'll have a harder time jumping out of the car."

Joe snatched the keys. "Come on, Ethan. I'll even drive the speed limit."

"Oh, that's such a relief."

***

21 May 2003

Cairo, Egypt

9:15 pm

"You okay?"

Ariel nodded as they stopped at her hotel room. "Yeah. I'm just tired."

Michael tucked a strand of her hair behind one ear. "I'll bet. May I steal a kiss goodnight?"

"You don't have to ask." Ariel leaned against him and he kissed her.

Michael broke off the kiss, looked down at her. "I wasn't sure. You seemed to like Thane."

"Believe it or not, he had eyes only for Cristina."

Michael grinned. "Actually, I noticed that too." He skated his palm over her loose hair. "I like it down."

Ariel kissed him again and sighed. "Good night, Michael."

"Good night, Ariel. Sleep well."

She unlocked her door. "You too." Quietly, she slipped inside and closed her door and locked it. She turned and leaned against the door, suddenly exhausted. Wearily, she shed the skirt and blouse Jasmine had helped her pick out and changed into a silk nightshirt. The double bed looked so inviting, she crawled under the covers and almost immediately fell asleep....

......It was familiar--the candles flickering in the sconces, the dim light reflected and refracted by the faceted crystal behind the flames. The flag-stone was cool beneath her bare feet.A part of her knew this must be a part of the castle she'd never been in before. Yet, if she'd never been here before how could she know the way?

And come to think of it, except for the towers, there were no corridors around the outside of the castle, yet here in this hallway, lit sconces were on one side, arched windows on the other. As always, she walked to a window and leaning on the stone ledge, looked out and up. Overhead, the black night sky glittered with millions of stars that seemed close enough to touch.

A scent of ocean wafted toward her from the southwest, just beyond the stand of tall, stately conifers. She could smell the trees too. She had to leave, to get back to what she knew. The simple cottage hidden by a ring of boulders taller than she was. She alone knew the way in and out. It was close to the ocean too.

She felt the sensation of being watched and felt a moment's fear. Last time it had been her, warning her of her great grandfather's passing. She didn't want to see the beautiful red-haired banshee again, for it would mean another would die. But curiousity forced her to turn. A tall woman clad entirely in black stood in the shadows. "He will leave. I have seen it in the cards."

"I love him."

"It changes naught. He will be gone by the second full moon."

Automatically, she looked out the high-arched window. The moon was full now. One more full moon, that would be all she would have of him. When she looked back at the corridor, the woman was gone. Odd, she'd seemed so familiar.

A noise made her turn and for a moment, the darkened end of the corridor, the one always in shadow blurred and seemed like a mirror, reflecting her own image, auburn hair, gold-green eyes, long pale dress. The mirror image shifted slightly and it's lips moved but she only heard the voice in her mind...

"You love him....I love him. And he's leaving...You know I have to leav after the wedding....I know why you're doing this but I can't. I love you. I don't want to lose you...I'd come back from hell if I could...You're leaving...

The mirror image faded into blackness and a heavy sorrow washed over her, bringing tears to her eyes. All she could see now was the pearl necklace seemingly suspended in mid-air, it's silver chain glinting in the firelight. The sudden sight of it startlted her and when it fell, and then vanished for some reason it scared her...

In the darkness, voices fill her ears and she clapped her hands over her ears but she could still hear them. "Stop it. Just stop talking."She leaned down and touched her forefinger to his lips, then ran her free hand through his hair. She stared into his eyes, searching for a heartbeat, then she kissed him.

Slowly, reluctantly, he broke the kiss. "What would I do if I lost you? Who would I turn to then?"

She swallowed hard, her eyes filling with tears. "I--" She couldn't bring herself to tell him that she'd go home, like a docile little kitten. She couldn't shake the feeling if she walked away now, she'd never see him again. "I promise I'll be careful."

He took a deep breath. "Look, I know you saved my butt in Hong Kong--"

"Copout....That's a cop-out. I want you to live for me." She got to her feet. "Damn it, has it registered in that thick head of yours that I love you? Let me help."

He closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. When he finally looked at her, his blue eyes held the sheen of unshed tears. "People close to me tehnd to come to a bad end. I think it's a family curse,"

"No. You're not cursed. You have such an inner strength it amazes me." This time, she kissed him, gently.

"So where's that strength when I need it?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

"In your heart." She threaded her fingers through his wet hair, felt herself choke up from trying not to cry. "That's why I love you. And love is stronger than steel."

She turned to look at the man who held her, realized she still held the knife and dropped it. She studied him, saw his skin was red, either from being so close to the explosion or sunburn. She felt the tears come harder. "I thought I'd lost you," she whispered.

He touched her face with his hand, brushed the tears away. He traced her lips, the slant of her nose, her eyebrows as if trying to memorize every inch of her. His blue eyes studied her features for a long moment.

"I have to go."

A chill snaked down her spine and she broke free of his embrace. No, she thought, you can't. Not after all this. No. "Go where?" she asked, noting distractedly that her voice sounded brittle.

"Away." His blue eyes were pain-filled and haunted. She took a deep breath and feared she'd shatter into a thousand pieces as he added in nearly a whisper, "Because of me, you nearly got killed." He shook his head slowly, no longer looking at her. "I can't let that happen again."

She was shaking now. Whether it was the aftermath of an adrenaline rush or emotion, she didn't know. She opened her mouth, tried to speak but found she had to swallow the lump in her throat first. "Don't you dare walk away from me."

He cupped her cheek gently, his eyes focused on her lips instead of looking in her eyes. "I wish for you a happy life," he whispered. Then he stepped back and let go of her.

That single move seemed like a wide gulf between them suddenly. She shivered from the chill of not having him close to her anymore. "Did you hear me?" Inwardly, she cringed at the shrillness in her voice. "Don't do this," she added, feeling the tears spill onto her cheeks. "Please."

"I have to," he said hoarsely. He touched the pearl. "You have the necklace back, now I have to go."

He stepped around her and started to walk away.

She spun around and shook her head, snatched at his hand but it slipped through her fingers. "No.......Don't walk out on me. Don't you dare...." But he just kept walking and left the room. This time she felt her heart shatter. The last of the adrenaline faded away and she felt herself sink to her knees as the tears came harder. "No...."

The sobs woke her up. Ariel touched her face, felt the tears. The words echoed in her head. Don't do this.. The man she loved had walked out of her life. Ariel sat up in bed, buried her face in her hands and quietly cried...

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Disclaimer

The Hardy Boys belong to Simon and Schuster and the Stratemeyer Foundation. The authors have just borrowed them for an adventure or two. The authors promise to put the boys back when they are done with them. The authors do claim copyright to the original characters in this story. Please do not borrow original characters without express permission of the authors.