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Post by margaret1234 on Jul 22, 2009 6:09:59 GMT -10
Great chapter Lucy. Glad Horatio is safely out of surgery.I think Sandra and tenfour between them have summed it all up nicely, cannot add anything that has not already been said.
Margaret
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Post by Dr. Anna McBreadle on Jul 22, 2009 7:34:10 GMT -10
i have completely caught up with ANB! i started to finish reading late monday evening and finished reading it early hours tuesday morning! now i know what's what!
i can't believe horatio went into the warehouse without back up! very unlike him! i suppose if he's had alot on his mind and not thinking straight then something would have happened sooner or later!
looks like horatio isn't going anywhere and by the looks of it, neither is mich! lets hope they can get things sorted out between them! great two chaps lucy! looking forward to more! luv sam x
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Post by NV Oracle on Jul 22, 2009 7:50:53 GMT -10
I don't think I can add anything else, either.
Great chapter, Lucy. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Your friend NV Oracle
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Post by deborah on Jul 22, 2009 10:55:00 GMT -10
great chapter from my point of view also. Keep it up. Deborah
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Post by lucymalta on Jul 23, 2009 5:00:50 GMT -10
So, is Mich going to say anything?
Lucy
Chapter 6
Mich slowly lifted her head, slightly disoriented for a moment until she remembered where she was. From the items around her and the position in which Horatio was lying, she guessed he had woken at least once during the night.
Tears came to her eyes as she noticed how pale he still looked, before she fought to regain control of herself. The last thing Horatio would need was her crying and begging him to return home, she needed to remain calm, to tell him why she needed him there, needed him to keep away the nightmares.
Quietly she stood up and walked to the window, staring out across the streets below. While Horatio had still been under the anaesthetic, Kate had brought the girls to say a quick hi, before taking them to the condo that she and Eric owned. Amber had been quiet, only understanding that her father had been hurt but would be ok soon.
Kyra however, had cried for almost ten minutes before Mich had been able to calm her down, making her mother promise that she would make sure Horatio came home. Mich had known that her eldest had become attached to him, but until that point had not realized how deeply the twelve year olds feelings ran. It made her more determined to try and work things out, the only problem was – would Horatio accept?
A slight sound made her turn and she swallowed as she saw that Horatio was awake and watching her, his face impassive. Slowly she walked back to the bed trying to work out how she could open the conversation. She shied away from the obvious ‘How are you feeling’, knowing that he would see the falseness behind the statement, knowing that there was something else on her mind.
Horatio stole the moment for her. “Why are you here Mich?”
Anger flared, before she bit back a snide comment and answered carefully, “I needed to be sure you were ok.”
Horatio’s eyes narrowed, he had seen the anger flare in her eyes for a brief moment, knew that she had thought about her answer, chosen to answer him with calmness instead of anger. Something was going on. He challenged her again to confirm his thoughts.
“Well as you can see, I’m going to recover – I don’t know how long it will take, but I’ll be back at work soon. It was good of you to drop by, but I think you need to get back to your business.”
Mich bit her lip, Horatio’s coldness wounded her deeply, but in a way she wasn’t surprised by it – he had after all walked away from the barn. “The Barn can look after itself for a couple of days, Nicky and Kate are fully capable. The doc said you might need some help after you leave hospital and…”
Horatio cut her off, “That won’t be necessary Mich, I’ll be at home – I’m sure the team will drop by to see if I need anything.”
His answer made Mich turn white, fear showing clearly across her face, before she turned to hide her face from him. Her words, spoken so quietly he barely heard them, sent a chill down his spine when he heard the desperation in her voice.
“Please Horatio, come back to the barn. You’re the only person in Miami that can stop me doing something crazy… The only person who can help me.”
Horatio was about to decline, when he saw the look on her face reflected in the window. She wasn’t begging him, nor threatening him with any kind of insane behaviour in any way. However, the terror on her face when she realized he might refuse was enough to make him recognize that there was more to her request than a simple return to their relationship.
He sighed, “Mich, I cannot come back if things stay as they were, I can’t take it anymore.”
Finally a tear escaped from the corner of Mich’s eye, “I understand, I know I’ve been a pregnant dog Horatio, but I can’t help it. I’ve sent you to hell and back, and I really don’t deserve your help, but without you around…”
Mich paused for a moment and Horatio could see her fighting to keep her emotions under control. This was not a woman who was becoming hysterically obsessed and would make his life a misery if he didn’t return to the barn. He knew then that Mich’s fear was very strong, very deep and very, very real, but before he made a decision, he needed to know what was going on.
“I’m listening.”
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Post by pinkyster on Jul 23, 2009 5:17:31 GMT -10
I am listening too. So glad that Mich is finally talking. I am sure now that Horatio has seen the hurt in her face, he knows that she is for real now and willing to change. Will he return to the Barn? Will Mich change? So many questions. I knew Keira was attached to Horatio, he is the only father figure she really knows.
Jen
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Post by margaret1234 on Jul 23, 2009 5:41:44 GMT -10
Well Horatio is not climbing down yet even from his sick bed and even though he knows Mich is in apparent need of him. So, I am listening as well, and this had better be good Mich......because something sure hurt him to stay in this frame of mind for so long now. I don't think Mich can change.....that flare of anger which he saw MICH, was instant reaction. That was the worst reaction to have shown Horatio.
Margaret
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Post by Dr. Anna McBreadle on Jul 23, 2009 7:27:15 GMT -10
i think we're all listening intently to what Mich has to say! her explaination had better be a good one to get Horatio on her side! i just hope Horatio listens to everything and give her the benefit of the doubt, for the girls sakes more than anything, esp as Mich has made such a huge promise to Kyra that Mich doesn't know if she can keep! great chap lucy! intently waiting for more! luv sam x
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Post by sanne on Jul 23, 2009 7:50:18 GMT -10
To be honest, I'm glad H isn't giving in that easily and I don't think H will be back right away (well, for the next couple of days he won't go anywhere ), not even if Mich has a good story to tell him. "Knowing" H, he wants to think things over and won't jump into a decission. Sandra
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Post by NV Oracle on Jul 23, 2009 8:43:52 GMT -10
Well, we're all listening, waiting to see what Mich has to tell him. Mich is really going to have to talk fast, to get him back, but at least he's listening with an open mind.
Great chapter, Lucy. Can't wait to see what happens next.
Your friend NV Oracle
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Post by tenfour on Jul 23, 2009 11:08:28 GMT -10
Oh I am listening too...what can this be all about, I think the first step of leaving the barn in Kate and Nicky's hands is significant...especially as it seemed to be all she had time for! Good to see H being stubborn but it's also nice to see he can read her real emotions in her face whatever she is outwardly showing...this will help when she reveals the truth too I think.
On the edge of my seat now and going away for a week...argh!
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Post by lucymalta on Jul 24, 2009 3:13:37 GMT -10
So, Mich is about to start talking... What are we going to find out?
Lucy
Chapter 7
Mich took a deep breath, she had always told Horatio that she would never be able to tell him things about her past and he understood and respected that. He realized that much of it would be classified, relating to operations that she had been on, the rest would have been as a result of Mich’s training – in case she had been caught, she would say nothing.
Horatio remained silent, sensing the battle that was going on inside her. Her conditioning would forbid her from talking about any aspect of her work as an MI5 agent, but her need for survival and – he hoped – the trust she had in him was trying to break that.
“I wasn’t always an MI5 assassin. My initial brief was in intelligence – working undercover, collecting information. After a few ‘soft’ targets – including the case that later involved Robert, myself and another agent that I had trained with were sent overseas to somewhere a little more dangerous – Iraq.”
“It was just as the first war broke out, our cover was that of clerks working for one of the relief agencies. Saddam was very careful at the time where the agencies were concerned, because he had infiltrated a couple of them to trade in arms from abroad. At first we managed to do our job quite easily, but then...”
Horatio looked carefully at Mich – her face had lost all trace of fear but what he saw worried him. As her memories returned, her eyes became cold and hard as flint, her face – normally alive and animated – became lifeless. Reaching out, he touched Mich’s hand, waiting for her to continue her story.
“My friend and I were caught up in the middle of everything and became part of his infamous ‘human shield’, we stayed quiet, watching as other people around us argued and fought with Saddam’s people to be let free. MI5 and the CIA were working together to try and get us out.”
“The chaos that followed was incredible, but the last straw was when Saddam threatened to kill the kids while we were in the holding room. He held a gun to a boy’s head himself, Sasha and I couldn’t help ourselves, we managed to get the boy away, but as a result someone realized we were more than what we were pretending. The civilians were released immediately, the following day Sasha and I were thrown into a prison.”
“At first the guards left us alone, unsure what to do, but then they must have received orders. Initially it was basic questioning that the two of us were able to endure, but then it started to get physical. I’ve always had a high pain threshold because of the falls I’ve had through riding, but after a while Sasha broke. She was careful to only give them small amounts of information – things that they already knew.”
“Initially we were questioned separately, but when they realized that I wasn’t affected by pain, they started putting us together. A guard spotted that I flinched slightly when they gave Sasha an electric shock.” Mich paused for a moment, tears coming into her eyes and sliding slowly down her face. “They realized that they could do what ever they liked to me and I wouldn’t give in. Sasha was my weakness – I hate seeing anyone being treated badly.”
Horatio remained silent remembering how angry Mich had become when anyone was nasty to her staff or the horses. He wasn’t surprised that she had reacted to the treatment her friend had received. Mich remained silent for a short time, allowing Horatio to think – watching her closely, he saw the muscle in her cheek twitching – a sure sign that she was fighting her emotions.
He had never seen her like this and realized how hard it was for her to talk. Though he didn’t quite know where the story was going, he recognized that to talk about something that she had bottled up inside her for over fifteen years was extremely difficult for Mich and that she would have to re-live some of her past to show her trust in him. A past she didn’t want to remember.
&&
Horatio waited, Mich had been quiet for nearly ten minutes, saying nothing sitting as if turned to stone. Her hand in his was cold, as cold as ice and he became worried, afraid that she would pull away and not continue her story.
He had to get it out of her, he had acknowledged to himself how he felt about the ex-MI5 agent and it wasn’t something he could let go of easily. That fact that Mich was here and had started talking was an indication of how she felt in return, but…
“Mich, if you don’t want to tell me what happened, it’s ok. I understand that you’ve been conditioned into not talking about what you’ve done.” He was about to continue when she pulled away and walked to the window.
“But it’s not ok Horatio, all through my career I’ve only had one person I can rely on besides myself – and now I can’t talk to him in case his cover is blown. You stepped into that void without realizing it. He understood me, accepted the tantrums and nasty comments, because he was part of the organization himself, knew what was going on.”
“You have never been able to know what I did – yet I treated you the same way and the longer you stayed, the more I thought I would be able to find a way out on my own. I was wrong, you have the patience of a saint – how else would you be able to put up with what I put you through? I need your help and the only way to convince you to come back and help me is to tell you what happened… It’s just so d**n hard.”
Horatio could hear the sob in her voice as she finished talking and knew Mich was trying to be honest with him. He cursed all government agencies that sent their people overseas to do jobs that they had no way of talking about to ease their conscience. Then he had an idea.
“How about I ask the questions?”
Mich turned to face him a helpless look on her face, “Horatio, I’ve been trained in fighting interrogation techniques – you think you can get around me? I didn’t talk in Iraq – you sure as hell aren’t going to get anything out of me if we go that way.’
Horatio gave a wry smile, “I wasn’t going to… I was thinking more along the lines of a de-briefing…”
Hope flared in Mich’s eyes for a moment as she thought about the suggestion. Horatio startled her by calling for the nurse and asking for breakfast for them both. As she gave him a look of consternation he chuckled and lifted a hand towards her, inviting her to sit down next to him.
“One thing different about a de-briefing and an interrogation… The atmosphere... Join me for breakfast and we can talk.”
Mich gave a slight smile, maybe it would work – she could sense that Horatio was trying to make it easier for her – though she knew he would not agree to a return to the barn without good reason. His smile gave her hope, but his eyes told her he was not completely convinced it was the right path to follow.
Quietly she returned to his side and sat down, “Ok, let’s give it a try.”
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Post by margaret1234 on Jul 24, 2009 3:44:48 GMT -10
So Mich is opening up but she still held back at the vital moment. And, it was down to Horatio to point out a way for her to go forward. I don't think he should have had to do this......MICH may have terrible things she has seen and done and yes these are no doubt things she has restrictions on barring her from talking. But, what is seeming to bother her is something well in the past now and it is not okay to let her have Horatio without total trust in him. Does she not know she can trust him with her life. So, she keeps saying she needs him......that is so selfish unless she puts her total trust in him. The fact that someone else's life may be at risk if she talks is making me wonder how on earth this affected the situation between Mich and Horatio to the extent that he walked away. Time to spill the beans Lucy. Margaret
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Post by pinkyster on Jul 24, 2009 4:12:52 GMT -10
Very nice chapter. So glad to see Mich talking and Horatio listening and trying to work through it all. Great plan of the debriefing.... So will it work? Will breakfast be the breaking point?
Jen
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Post by lucymalta on Jul 24, 2009 4:31:22 GMT -10
So Mich is opening up but she still held back at the vital moment. And, it was down to Horatio to point out a way for her to go forward. I don't think he should have had to do this......MICH may have terrible things she has seen and done and yes these are no doubt things she has restrictions on barring her from talking. But, what is seeming to bother her is something well in the past now and it is not okay to let her have Horatio without total trust in him. Does she not know she can trust him with her life. So, she keeps saying she needs him......that is so selfish unless she puts her total trust in him. Margaret Oh Margaret.... Do you really think it is that easy....? Lucy
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