Together (4/4)
By Nicole Mayer
"Ugh," groaned Danziger. Despite the fact that he had a very real Devon in his arms, the morning sunlight streaming through the open tent flap was more than enough to remind him exactly what he had drunk the previous night and what he was in for that morning. He squinted in the light, and carefully moved to get up. Devon was already awake.
"Morning," she said happily. She looked refreshed and well rested. Expecting a wave of nausea to hit him any moment, Danziger sat up. But there was nothing more than a little heaviness in his head.
"What, no hangover?" he joked, but could see the truth in Devon's eyes. "I guess we didn't drink as much as we thought we did," she explained.
"Guess not. Although I'd like to see how 'Lonz is feeling this morning!"
Devon laughed. "Yeah, that's for sure." She extracted herself from Danziger's embrace, and began sitting up. There was something on the edge of her consciousness that was haunting her... Suddenly, she remembered.
"I had the oddest dream last night," Devon began. "I was sure that we weren't stuck together anymore, only we didn't realise it."
"Well, let's give it a test," yawned Danziger, stretching his arms and Devon's in the process.
They half-heartedly tugged, but once again, their hands would not separate.
"Looks like we're together for another day." "I guess so."
Neither of them really minded.
As they exited the tent, Julia looked up expectantly from where she was sitting with Bess. The 'I-told-you-so' expression on her face was so apparent that Devon had to suppress a laugh. Bess was wearing her darkest sunglasses, and had her head buried completely in her hands. Her tousled hair hung low over her face, but she still winced with every flash of sunlight from the vehicles.
As Julia stared at the approaching couple, her emotions flickered from obvious surprise to disappointment. She nudged the woman beside her, but Bess only groaned as Julia waved the pair over.
Devon and Danziger wandered across the campsite and sat down, now experts at positioning themselves and not wrenching the other person's arm off.
"You're still stuck," said Julia, stating the obvious. Her voice was flat with defeat.
"Yeah, still together," answered Danziger. "Kind've becoming permanent, isn't it."
Julia's expression deepened into a frown. "That's what I'm afraid of."
"What do you mean?" asked Devon nervously. "I'm talking about the test-tissue I've been analysing. It separated yesterday morning. I didn't want to say anything, in case it took a little longer with real skin. But," she sighed heavily, "if you two aren't apart by now, then it doesn't look good."
Devon's face registered a worried surprise. Suddenly feeling not very hungry (although she couldn't quite figure out why) she stood up abruptly.
"Do you mind running a scan on our hands?" she asked Julia. The doctor immediately agreed, and the threesome made their way to the med-tent. Bess barely noticed.
"This is unbelievable," muttered Julia to herself. She checked the readings again, but they told her the same thing. "Would you two mind trying to pull your hands apart again?" They tugged.
"See, no change," said Devon. Julia grabbed their wrists, and pulled for herself. No, she couldn't break the bond either. "Julia, what's wrong?" asked Devon, her curiosity not able to wait any longer.
Julia took a deep breath, and carefully told them of her findings.
"According to the medical scans, you, Devon, and you, John, are no longer physically joined."
"What?" asked the voices in unison.
"You're not stuck! There's no trace of the biological glue anywhere and your skin is completely separated."
"There must be something wrong with your equipment, 'cause sure as hell, we're still stuck together!" Danziger declared.
"No, you're not," restated Julia. Devon looked at Danziger. Danziger looked at Devon. They both looked at their hands. Ever so hesitantly, they pulled again. Yet Devon sensed that there was nothing that could make her hand free. She had been connected too long.
An idea began to form in Julia's head. "I'm no psychologist," she offered, "but maybe you're stuck together for a different reason."
"What do you mean?" asked Devon, but in her heart, she was afraid she knew the answer.
"Maybe you just don't want to let go," suggested Julia. She saw the denial appear on Devon's face, and hastily proceeded with her explanation. "Look, Devon, it's plainly obvious that you and Danziger like each other. And he was about to go away for a few months. So maybe..."
Devon turned to face the man who was now a part of her, in more than the physical sense, and Julia quietly slipped out the door.
"I don't know what to think," Devon said softly. "I can't let go." She nervously flicked her hair over one shoulder and met Danziger's eyes. "I don't want to," she finally admitted.
Danziger turned their hands over and over, marvelling at the porcelainlike hand in his. It seemed to personify the greatest facets of Devon Adair - strong and independent, yet beautiful and even a little fragile. And by some inexplicable force, it had become a part of him as well.
"I can't let you go, either," Danziger whispered. They stood silently, staring at their joined hands as the power of his words echoed through their minds.
Finally, Devon lifted her head to meet Danziger's eyes. Blue upon blue locked with each other, and Devon could ultimately accept the love and trust she saw.
"I'm not going," Danziger finally promised. "I won't leave you alone. I'll never leave you." His voice was low and hoarse as he pledged his soul to the woman before him. Time stopped for a moment. They faced each other, their hands forming a bridge between two vastly different worlds that could now be united.
Ever so slowly, Devon loosened her grip. She felt the strength of the physical bond breaking, but a new bond was beginning to form. Her palm lifted slightly, moving by itself until finally, their fingers trailed past each other and they were apart.
Devon stared at her hand with a new kind of wonder. It was hers again, and hers alone, but this one hand had taught her far more than she ever dreamed possible.
"We're free," Danziger stated gruffly. "I know," Devon replied. She looked at her hand again, not knowing what to do with it now that it was hers. Nervously, she hung her arm by her side. The gap between herself and Danziger seemed enormous... until he took a confident step forward.
Danziger folded Devon into his arms, and kissed her. No time for hesitation, no more questions, just the truth. As Devon relaxed into the kiss, her mind soared as she felt a new kind of freedom and love. Freedom from her past, and from the ghosts that threatened to haunt her forever. And free to trust someone with her heart again.
Danziger tenderly caressed Devon's cheek. "I love you, Devon Adair," he said sincerely. Smiling back at him, she replied, "I love you too." And she did.
***
Hand-in-hand, Devon and Danziger walked outside into the brilliant morning sunlight. This time, they were joined by choice and the power of two hearts united.
"Julia!" Devon called. From the other side of the clearing, the doctor paused mid-stride. "We're free!" To demonstrate, Devon and Danziger let go for a moment and triumphantly lifted their hands in the air.
Jogging over to join them, Julia smiled when she saw the pair rejoin hands. "So... you got it figured out?"
"Yes, thank-you. You were right," Devon admitted. "John and I, well, we belong together," she said, blushing a little.
Julia smiled happily and gave her friend a hug. "That's wonderful."
Danziger casually put his arm around Devon's shoulders and pulled her back close to him. She didn't mind at all. "Speaking of people who belong together, where's Alonzo this morning?" Danziger looked around the empty campsite. Only Yale was visible and it was almost mid-morning.
Julia frowned. "I haven't seen him since last night," she revealed. "He was so drunk he probably can't face the daylight this morning. Just like everyone else!" She laughed nervously, a little upset that Alonzo was avoiding her even though she was no longer mad.
"I'm sure he'll surface soon," offered Devon. "What was in that drink, anyway?" asked Danziger. Julia groaned. "Don't ask," she said. "But enough to give everyone who drank a lot quite a decent hangover."
Devon smiled lovingly at Danziger. "Even a hangover wouldn't stop the incredible feeling I've got today," she whispered. As Danziger kissed her again, Julia's attention was distracted by something at the perimeter.
A shape, awkwardly shuffling towards her. Not one person, but two... "Alonzo?" she called uncertainly.
"Julia!" he gasped from his constricted position. "You have *got* to help us!"
As the shape moved closer, Julia realised that the other person was Baines.
"What's going on..." she began, but the sound of Alonzo's endless swearing cut her off. Julia almost gasped aloud - she'd never heard him using that kind of language before...
"It was dark, couldn't see where we were going, shouldda never touched that stupid drink," muttered Baines. "I hate that damn plant!" he roared.
Finally, Julia, Devon and Danziger realised what had happened. A very drunk Alonzo and Baines had collapsed near one of the superglue plants, and now Alonzo's forearm was welded to Baines's leg...
Devon and Danziger took one look at each other, and burst out laughing. The sound echoed across the plains for hours, and all the while, her hand in his, they were truly *together*.
-The End-
Chapter End Notes:
Any comments? I would love to hear your thoughts on "Together".