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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 20, 2016 17:46:51 GMT -5
Diana had tactfully insistent on meeting Christian's mother. He wasn't hiding either from the other, but he did have concerns with how to explain everything that had happened in such a short time. They had agreed to not mention Diana's pregnancy yet, and to minimize the discussion of Alyx as much as possible. Christian didn't want to flat out lie to his mother, but he didn't want to pile too much on at once. He wanted things to go smoothly as he introduced his new wife, which was why he decided that his mother would come to his house for dinner and not the other way around. Christian teased Diana that even she would not be able to eat his mother's cooking.
They had some time before Roselyn was due to arrive, which gave Christian the opening to talk with Diana. He entered the sitting room and sat beside Diana, lifting her left hand and inspecting her new ring. He would do this from time to time, silently reminding her of his love for her.
"How are you feeling?"
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 20, 2016 19:15:45 GMT -5
It was a bad day for Diana. She hadn't slept well due to the anxiety she felt over meeting Christian's mother, and now her nerves were causing her to feel extra nauseated.
"Great." she lied unconvincingly. She gave him a half smile, "Where are we on names?" she asked wanting something to take her mind off of things.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 20, 2016 22:38:20 GMT -5
"Liar," he said teasingly, calling her out on her nerves. He kissed her fingertips then rested their entwined hands on his leg. He was considering compelling her to calm down, as he had something important to discuss with her before his mother arrived, and he knew she would not take it well. But perhaps an old fashioned distraction would work, too.
"I think we had eliminated all of the names of the boys from school who you didn't like and anyone we'd killed." He smiled and lowered his voice. "I think we're running out of options."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 20, 2016 22:45:29 GMT -5
"Yes well more the latter than the former I'm afraid." she smiled, then yawned. It wasn't even five yet. Thankfully Christian had cooked as Diana's cooking was likely worse than Roselyn's. Mentally it was one more black mark against her, though Christian had told her often enough not to worry.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 20, 2016 23:20:40 GMT -5
"That just means people liked you back then and you're good at what you do now." Or it meant she had killed a lot of f*cking men in trying to survive and get to their daughter, but Christian wanted to keep the mood as light as possible so he didn't phrase it that way.
Diana yawned. "Have you been taking that potion Hanley gave you? Wouldn't want you falling asleep at dinner."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 20, 2016 23:54:41 GMT -5
"Yes, all nine hundred of them." she moaned.
"When is she getting here?" she asked unable to fiddle with anything now that he had taken.
She chewed on her inner lip still appearing contemplative.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 21, 2016 0:30:03 GMT -5
"We've still got time. But I wanted to talk to you about something before she arrives. The Life Bond."
Bennett was still looking for a way to dissolve the Life Bond, but the only solution they currently had was for either Christian or Diana to kill the other. It was an infuriating dilemma but Christian had decided the answer. He simply needed time to figure out how to properly ensure Diana agreed to it. He had spent a few days perfecting his ability to compel Diana to do what he wanted, invoking her marital vow to obey him. He was ready.
Christian shifted his position on the sofa so that he was facing her, looking into her eyes. "You asked what the other way out of the Bond was, do you remember?"
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 21, 2016 1:04:49 GMT -5
Diana frowned and looked at him, "You're bringing this up now of all times?" she asked then shook her head to answer the second question, " You said to forget it, that it wasn't an option." and she hadn't bothered to ask, which spoke volumes as to how she had been feeling that day.
Diana still hadn't caught on to the fact that Christian could make her obey him, but with all the other rapid changes that had been happening she hadn't been paying attention as keenly as she could have.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 21, 2016 1:18:02 GMT -5
Christian had held off on the conversation in order to be certain he could compel Diana to agree to his plan. But he also had enjoyed their bliss and didn't want to spoil the mood as he had when Bennett had rang last.
"I thought it wasn't an option, but I was wrong. It's not ideal," he confessed. "One of us can break the Bond...You can break it."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 21, 2016 2:07:40 GMT -5
"What are you talking about?" she asked confusion written over her pretty features. Christian had been beyond angry when Bennett had called and Diana didn't press the issue with him. That was the night that she strangely left the house, but all the bad memories had been erased as Christian surprised her with a real wedding ring, lots of sex, and dinner.
There had to be some sort of catch, obviously Diana couldn't simply break the lifebond easily otherwise they would have done it already.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 21, 2016 2:31:31 GMT -5
"If one of us kills the other, the Bond is lifted." He held her hands so she couldn't leave or start throwing things at him. He wanted to gauge her natural response before invoking her obedience vow. He continued without hesitation, better to get it out fast.
"We're not done with the Board Members. If Burke and I go in and I don't make it out, that would mean whether you are there or not..." He didn't want to think about Diana dying, so he glossed over saying it and continued on. "It's just as dangerous for you either way, so we might as well have your skill there. And if something should happen to me you need to kill me first and release the Bond."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 21, 2016 2:40:28 GMT -5
"If one of us kills the other, the Bond is lifted." Diana didn't hear anything after that. While Christian was trying to provide a logical argument for Diana's presence during missions as well as the ultimate sacrifice he was prepared to make. Diana was still stuck on the absurdity of one of them killing the other. Finally his other words began to sink in and she ripped her hands away from him angrily. For someone who had perfected deception and emotionless response, Diana's features gave her away instantly as her ire continued to mount. "That's not a f*cking option Christian!" she screeched at him, responding violently as if he had hit her. She stood and walked away from him shaking her head and trying to control herself. |
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 21, 2016 2:51:23 GMT -5
"Diana, sit down," he commanded. He waited for her to comply before continuing. "It's the only option we have at the moment. Bennett is still looking, he'll find something and then neither of us needs to die."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 21, 2016 2:54:56 GMT -5
Diana sat, but she was still too worked up to think about why she had sat down when she wanted to continue pacing. Her eyes were no less angry however as she stared daggers at him.
"I won't do it Christian." she said adamantly, "We're not going to die, and if you die it will never be by my hand!" she yelled at him, "Do you think I could do that Christian? That I could be responsible for your death?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 21, 2016 3:49:58 GMT -5
"It's not just about the two of us, Diana!" he reminded her, his voice raising as it often did when the discussion got emotional. He took a deep breath and forced himself to speak more quietly. He wouldn't need to yell to get her to agree.
"It's just a precaution, Diana. One of us has to find Alyx, and there's the baby to think about. Nothing is going to happen, but it if does you need to take care of it.
Christian had thought a lot about this over the past few days. He could answer every possible question with a logical response, but it wouldn't take the emotions out of the decision. He had to force her hand.
Christian looked into her beautifully angry eyes, and spoke confidently and with purpose. "If I'm about to die with the Life Bond intact, you will kill me first and save yourself."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 21, 2016 12:46:39 GMT -5
"And if I'm about to die? Could you do what you're telling me to do?" she asked him.
Her body had gone rigid, her eyes full of tears and impotent anger, her breathing still erratic. He picked a hell of a time to spring this on her, she was nearly choking on the emotion and helplessness that she felt in their situation.
Any other time she would have left him to go and mull over his words alone, but she couldn't move. She was glued to the seat he had told her to sit in. It made it that much more difficult to gain control of herself.
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 21, 2016 14:08:51 GMT -5
He knew this question would come and he had the answer ready for her. "No. If you were going to die we'd go together, all three of us. Burke would find Alyx and take her to my mother."
"But I'm not going to let you die, Diana. All of this is hypothetical. A contingency. We've made it this far. You've made it this far. We're getting out alive and you can finally have the life I stole from you when we were kids."
Christian stroked her arm lovingly and placed his free hand over hers. "Please calm down," he compelled her. "Promise me, Diana. If I'm about to die with the Life Bond intact, you will kill me first. You will save yourself and our son."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 21, 2016 14:17:30 GMT -5
Diana didn't know about the compulsion. That Christian could bend her will to suit his own. Even in these circumstances she would have felt violated. It was her worst fear, or one of them, that he would somehow take control of her and she would cease to exist. It had happened in the past, not quite so literal, but he made her so weak with desire for him that she would have done anything.
Now she went from raging emotions to calm acceptance. She also knew that no matter what she wanted she would do as he said.
She looked away from him. She was calm, but she was also lost and in a deep pain.
"I want to run away."
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Post by Christian Ward on Nov 21, 2016 14:42:09 GMT -5
Christian looked at her pained face. He couldn't tell if she wanted to run away with him or from him. The first was not an option they would live through, the second he wouldn't survive.
"Diana, you are stronger than this. You are more skilled and more dangerous than anything we've ever faced; together or alone. This isn't our end. It's a 'what-if' that we'll never need to use, but I f*cking love you too much to let it go unplanned."
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Post by Diana Ward on Nov 21, 2016 14:49:37 GMT -5
Maybe it was a curse, nature's way of keeping balance. To be as happy as Diana was in being with Christian and reclaiming her family, she had to walk through hell.
She turned toward him finally, "I'm just so tired Christian." she confessed, still calm but needing the release crying would give her. "I can't do this by myself anymore. I need you. I had given up, and you came at just the right moment, but if you died. I don't think I'd survive. I wouldn't know how to raise our son by myself, to bring home our daughter." the weight of the world once again on her shoulders alone.
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