The Adventure Continues

[abrightboy]

For thatsfascinating.



The villa Malcolm rented was in the Languedoc, not far from Marseilles, south of Avignon. It was a very historic region, though Malcolm was particularly not interested in visiting Marseilles again. There was a charming village nearby the villa and if they were going to go to an historic city for a day, he'd rather make the trip over to Montpellier, where he'd never been at all, much less with Dr Whitly.

The villa had six bedrooms. As the driver brought their luggage inside the bright and spacious main room, Malcolm handed him some folded Euros and thanked him and shut the door behind him.

"First choice of a room is yours," he told Edrisa with a smile. "But you might want to explore first."

Comments

[thatsfascinating]

"Sure there is. I work with dead bodies." She was cheerful, which was of course its own issue. "It's not fair that they treat me that way, but...I chose what I do. You didn't choose your father."

[abrightboy]

"I suppose so," he conceded. "Though what I do also weirds people out."

[thatsfascinating]

"Not as much," she countered. "And I doubt that's the primary reason for their prejudice."

[abrightboy]

He smirked.

"You mean there are so many much more substantive ways that I'm a freak?"

[thatsfascinating]

"You're the son of the Surgeon!" she said, pointing out the obvious. "Job wise, you're basically a detective, and detectives are cool! Not to mention sexy."

[abrightboy]

He laughed. "Does that make me a consulting detective? Like Sherlock Holmes?" he asked.

[thatsfascinating]

She smiled wide. "Only if I get to be your Watson."

[abrightboy]

"Oh my god, you would have to be!" he exclaimed.

[thatsfascinating]

Her face positively shone, and she kissed him firmly, tightening her hold on him.

[abrightboy]

He grinned as the kiss broke.

"I take it you accept the assignment," he joked, his arm looped a little more tightly around her waist.

[thatsfascinating]

She grinned back. "Oh, the two of us would be unstoppable!" She tilted her head in mock thought. "Of course, Gil might be a little miffed if you stole his ME..."

[abrightboy]

"You'd be a consulting ME," Malcolm pointed out reasonably. "He could hire you any time he wants, like he does with me."

[thatsfascinating]

"That's true!" She furrowed her brow, tilting her head the other way. "Do they pay you?"

[abrightboy]

The question surprised him.

"Do... do people suggest that they don't?"

There were some rumours - mainly regarding what a weirdo he was - that he was sure circulated. He'd have never guessed that one.

[thatsfascinating]

"Oh...no, I was just wondering how that worked. I mean, you're not technically a police officer, and you're brought in on a case by case basis, so I wouldn't think you're salaried...not to mention you almost definitely don't actually need the money..."

Edrisa would totally work for no money too if she didn't have to pay for student loans and a shoebox apartment. For the rest of the lease, anyway.

[abrightboy]

"Oh. They pay me on a case by case basis," he explained. "I bill them and they pay me."

He did bill them a flat rate, rather than billable hours; he worked a lot more than could be expected and he didn't, as she pointed out, really need the money.

[thatsfascinating]

"That makes sense. I could do that. Although he'd want me for all the cases that came in, not just the ones you were working. I'd be too busy to work an entire case with you."

She knew her input was vital to the cases the rest of the team worked, but she was rarely involved after she submitted her report.

[abrightboy]

"Yeah, I don't think it's honestly actually feasible for you," he admitted. "My specialty is something that's not used for every murder investigation by any type of law enforcement."

[thatsfascinating]

"Whereas mine is." She sighed playfully. "I'm just too important. It's a curse."

[abrightboy]

He smiled broadly. "Is it hard being needed all the time?" he teased. "What's it like?"

[thatsfascinating]

"Ugh!" She rolled her eyes playfully. "So hard! Just crime scenes and dead bodies, left and right. I mean, you would think the murderers in that city would be a little considerate!"

[abrightboy]

"We couldn't solve a single murder without you," he told her, leaning in to brush her cheek with his nose.

[thatsfascinating]

She smiled, her expression shifting from teasing to sincerely pleased by the appreciation.

"I need you," she replied, pressing her forehead to his. "All the time."

[abrightboy]

He let his eyes close.

"I believe you," he breathed. "I'm not really sure what you could possibly need me for," he admitted, "I'm an awful lot of trouble. But I believe it's true."

[thatsfascinating]

If she were to list all the things she needed him for, they would be in that pool for a long time.

"Everything," she answered simply. "I need you for everything."

She kissed him again.