#andanotheronegone

You: Are you at the flat? -JMx

Stranger: Why? SM

You: If you are take a look at the calender in the study. -JMx

Stranger: I'm not, but I think I can put two and two together to realise I'm probably in shit right now. SM

You: Probably, yes. Look at your left hand. I know you're wearing it. It wasn't in the bedroom when I left. -JMx

Stranger: Yeah. Fuck. SM

You: You recall, now, /dear/? -JMx

Stranger: Of course. SM

You: Tell me. -JMx

Stranger: What? SM

You: Tell me exactly what you've forgotten and /why/ you're in so much shit. -JMx

Stranger: Anniversary. SM Wasn't so much that I forgot as that I was exceptionally distracted, but anyway. Still not good. SM

You: Oh, and /what/ distracted you to such a point you forgot? -JM

Stranger: Doesn't matter, it's fine. SM

You: Sebby. -JMx

Stranger: Jim. SM

You: Tell me. -JMx

Stranger: I'd rather not. SM

You: Not in the best of moods, love. Tell me. -JMx

Stranger: Precisely why I'm not telling you. SM

You: You not telling me is making this mood worse. -JMx

Stranger: Yeah, well I'll take my chances. SM

You: Wait; you're not in the flat. Where are you? -JMx

Stranger: Doesn't matter. SM

You: Sebastian Moriarty-Moran. Tell. Me. -JMx

Stranger: Full name? Hmm, you must be pissed. SM

You: Seb. Please, love? -JMx

Stranger: It's incredibly hard to follow your mood over text, you know. SM

You: I know. Part of the beauty of it. Seriously; tell me what's going on. -JMx

Stranger: I'd rather not. SM

You: And, I'd rather you did. -JMx

Stranger: Then it seems we've reached an impasse. SM

You: Bastian. Don't make me track your phone; it's such effort when you could just /tell/ me. -JMx

Stranger: I really couldn't. SM

You: ...What? -JMx

Stranger: It's fine. SM

You: I think it's the very opposite of 'fine', Bastian. -JMx

Stranger: Mm. Open to interpretation, I suppose. SM

You: No games, Bas. You /swore/ on your contract you signed for me, you would speak honestly with me. Please? -JMx

You: {You still there?}

Stranger: ((Yeah, sorry. It just came through. Omegle is being a total pain for me tonight.))

Stranger: I'd rather not, Jim. SM

You: As your /husband/ I ask you, then: please? -JMx

Stranger: Long story. SM

You: I've got time, love. -JMx

Stranger: Lucky you. SM

You: Talk. -JMx

Stranger: No. SM

You: For me? -JMx

Stranger: Especially not for you. You don't need the details of it. SM

You: Oh, please. I'm a sucker for details. -JMx

Stranger: Mm. SM

You: Bastian.... What's going on? Give me the short version if you must, but stop hiding it from me. -JMx

Stranger: Fuck, I don't know. SM

You: You don't know? -JMx

Stranger: Sorry. I know I'm no help at all right now, but anyway. SM

You: What /do/ you know, Sebastian. I need this situation clearing up. -JMx

Stranger: I know that you potentially being pissed at me is the least of my troubles right now. SM

You: Being pissed at you can wait. Knowing what's going on with you is my top priority. -JMx

Stranger: Sweet of you. SM

You: Bastian. Don't get like this. I only need to know so I can help. -JMx

Stranger: And I need you not to know to keep you safe. SM

You: Fuck keeping me safe. You're the one I need safe. Someone's got to keep my empire alive without me. -JMx

Stranger: No one has to do it without you if you can do it yourself. SM

You: Bastian; you're going to tell me where you are so I can find you and help you. -JMx

Stranger: I don't fucking know where I am, Jim. SM

You: Right. What's the last thing you /do/ remember? -JMx

Stranger: Don't know, got jumped. SM Was walking home, I think? Thoughts are a bit muddled right now, I'm not really sure. SM Not that where it happened matters since I sure as hell am nowhere near there now. SM

You: Assuming since you can text you're not bound, then? -JMx

Stranger: Don't really have to be. Anyway, I think they're sort of hoping I lead you to them. Either that or they're complete idiots, it's not as though I hid my phone. SM

You: You been able to pick up an accent on any of them? Perhaps clients wanting something? -JMX

Stranger: No clue. SM

You: The only ones I can think would want something would be the Americans, but even they wouldn't be so stupid. Are you drugged? -JMx

Stranger: Unfortunately. SM They hit me over the head to begin with, I think. I assume they drugged me once I was unconscious. SM

You: I have a few options here; I trace your phone and come in myself to find you; I send a team in and collect you from the location or I bargain with them... -JMx

Stranger: Just stay put, Christ. They'll get bored eventually. I'm fine. SM

You: And, if they don't? -JMx

Stranger: Guess I'll find out. SM

You: Bastian.. Don't be an idiot. I'm not leaving you there. -JMx

Stranger: They want you to come, Jim. Don't be stupid and walk right into this. I'm fine. SM

You: Then let me send a team in. I won't leave you in there. -JMx

Stranger: You'll just lose more men to them. They don't seem overly serious. SM

You: Serious enough to find you and kidnap you. That's pretty serious to me. -JMx

Stranger: Yeah, well they're determined as hell right now, but I doubt it'll last. SM

You: Have they made any demands of you? -JMx

Stranger: Yeah, to contact you which I blatantly refused until you started texting me. SM

You: Which, more than likely means that they'll be tracking the signal to where /I/ am. -JMx

Stranger: Yeah, so get the hell out and ditch your phone. SM I think they'd prefer you here though, none of the ones here have left, unless they're sending instructions to another group. SM

You: I'm already on the move, love. -JMx

Stranger: Yet you still have your phone. SM I think you're fine anyway, I don't really see the point in them having me contact you if they just wanted your location. SM

You: I'm not ditching my phone. I want to know you're okay. -JMx

Stranger: I'm fine. SM

You: Bullshit. -JMx

Stranger: I'm able to text, what more do you want? SM

You: My husband at home? -JMx

Stranger: Just be patient. SM

You: We both know that it isn't one of my more obvious attributes. I want you here, and with me. I don't like not knowing how you are, or even /where/ you are. -JMx

Stranger: Do me a favour and allow me the benefit of knowing you're safe, at least. SM

You: Secondary safe-house, away from the city centre, dinner on the table and men at the door. I'm safe. -JMx

Stranger: Good. Stay that way. SM

You: Hmm. -JMx

Stranger: Jim, I'm serious. SM

You: I know you are. -JMx

Stranger: If you love me at all you'd better fucking listen. SM I'll deal with this shit, but I need to know you're alright. SM

You: Do /not/ question if I love you, Sebastian. You know I do. I am safe, begrudgingly, but I am here and I am safe. -JMx

Stranger: Good. SM

You: How do you plan on getting out of there? -JMx

Stranger: I can't bloody think properly right now, I'm hoping they either won't bother to drug me again, or they'll hold off long enough that it wears off a bit. SM

You: What? You'll fight your way out? -JMx

Stranger: I don't know, maybe. SM I've been trying to watch them to figure out how they operate but it's not all that easy to focus on and make sense of at the moment. SM

You: Please, for me; stay safe, love. -JMx

Stranger: I'll do my best. SM

You: No. I had to promise you. If you love me, even slightly; you'll do the same. -JMx

Stranger: I asked you to promise that you'll stay put. You want me to promise I'll stay safe when I'm drugged and surrounded by at least ten armed men. Bit more challenging for me to keep up my promise. SM

You: You fought off a Tiger and survived, darling. You're more than capable. -JMx

Stranger: We'll see. SM

You: No. We won't. You promise me or I come in there and drag you out myself. -JMx

Stranger: I promise I'll make it back to you. SM

You: Alive. -JMx

Stranger: Mm. SM

You: Seb. -JMx

Stranger: Yeah, fine. SM

You: .... Bastian. I don't care if it's a lie at this point. Promise me. -JMx

Stranger: I promise. SM

You: Promise me what? -JMx

Stranger: Christ, you're determined. SM

You: Course I am. -JMx

Stranger: Shouldn't have expected anything else. SM Shit, I think they're coming back. You really ought to ditch that phone. SM

You: Love ya, Tiger. -JMx

Stranger: [Delayed] Right, so that didn't work. SM On the plus side, I think they might've left. SM

You: [delayed] /What/ didn't work? -JMx

Stranger: Tried getting out. Apparently still too drugged. Fucked up. SM

You: ...And, you said they've left? -JMx

Stranger: So far as I can see. SM Guess they didn't want to risk sticking around. SM

You: Now would /not/ be a good time to tell you that I think my guards have left, is it? -JMx

Stranger: Fuck. SM Jim, please. I don't think they'll go after you either, but still. SM Get safe, or if you won't do that, at least get here. Fuck. SM

You: I have an idea where you are... Want me to risk it? I'd rather be with you if we're both in danger. -JMx

Stranger: I think they ran, honestly. I'm not the only one who fucked up. SM

You: I can send a car to you and have you here in fifteen minutes, with a med team. -JMx

Stranger: Fine, yeah. SM

You: You never replied when I said it earlier; I love you, Tiger. -JMx

Stranger: Love you too. SM I'm sorry. SM

You: Shut up. Say those words when I see you and I'll pull out your vocal chords. -JMx

Stranger: Mm. SM

You: You've nothing to be sorry for. -JMx

Stranger: Being an idiot, for one. SM

You: You didn't know it was going to happen! -JMx

Stranger: Mm. SM

You: Shut up. Car's on its way. -JMx

Stranger: Good. SM

You: Dinner's going to be cold. -JMx

Stranger: Priorities, Jim. I'm sure as hell not hungry right now. SM

You: I know. I was trying to make light of this, love. -JMx

Stranger: Mm. SM

You: We can celebrate another day. Few weeks out of London, I think. -JMx

Stranger: Yeah, sounds good. SM

You: Anywhere in the world; name it and we're there. -JMx

Stranger: Don't care. Just want to be with you. SM

You: I could murder a cruise, actually. Mediterranean, perhaps? -JMx

Stranger: Perhaps. SM

You: Any other ideas? I /do/ have tickets to a certain tropical island as an anniversary present. -JMx

Stranger: All sounds lovely. SM

You: You really are high, aren't you? Sex hasn't even come up, yet. It would have done before now, usually. -JMx

Stranger: Distracted, hurt, insanely drugged. SM

You: Fair point. Car there? -JMx

Stranger: Not so far as I can tell. SM

You: I need you to move for me, get outside, or get somewhere where you can look for it. -JMx

Stranger: Can't. SM

You: How bad are you hurt? -JMx

Stranger: Let's avoid that subject. SM

You: Let's /not/. -JMx

Stranger: Please. SM

You: How. Badly? -JMx

Stranger: Just shut up. SM

You: [no response]

Stranger: [Delayed] Don't take it so literally, please. Not now. SM

You: What so you want me to say? I need to know so the team know how to treat you when they arrive. -JMx

Stranger: I think it'll be pretty self explanatory. SM

You: I need some warning, love... Please? -JMs

You: JMx*

Stranger: I'd rather not properly assess the damage, alright? SM

You: Darling; that just worries me. -JMxx

Stranger: Mm. SM

Stranger: Sorry. SM

You: What a way to spend tonight, hmm? -JMx

Stranger: Not ideal. SM

You: Not even close to ideal. -JMx

Stranger: I'm so sorry. SM Love you. More than anything. Always. SM

You: It's fine. We're going to make up for it. We always do. -JMx Until the end of time, Tiger. Always and forever, my love. -JMxx

Stranger: Mm. Good. SM

You: Apologies. Worry tends to bring out the sentiment. -JMxx

Stranger: I'm not about to complain. SM

You: No, I didn't think so. You are the one who encouraged the writing of our own vows. -JMxx

Stranger: Gotta admit it was a great idea. SM

You: It was perfect. You're so sappy when you want to be, love. -JMx

Stranger: Only for you. SM

You: I should hope so. -JMx

Stranger: Where the fuck is this car. SM

You: Should be there, or nearly there. -JMx

Stranger: Christ, I hope so. SM They're probably wandering around just slightly in the wrong area. SM

You: They'll find you. Once you're in the car, let me know. -JMxx

Stranger: Yeah. SM [Delayed] Finally. Fuck. SM

You: Get in and come home.. -JMxx

Stranger: Mm. SM

You: Well; not home, home. Safe-house home. -JMx

Stranger: I know. SM

You: For tonight, at least. -JMx

Stranger: At least. SM

You: I know it'll be longer. -JMxx

Stranger: Good. SM

You: How much do I need to prepare? -JMx

Stranger: Hmm? SM

You: Well; assuming you're going to need specialist care and attention when you're home, you'll need a bed making up that's easier to access. -JMx

Stranger: Maybe. SM

You: How doped up are you? -JMx

Stranger: Debatable. SM

You: Right. Can you recognize anywhere? Should be home soon, love. -JMxx

Stranger: I can barely see, Jim. SM

You: Right... -JMx

Stranger: Sorry. SM

You: No, no. It's fine. -JMx

Stranger: Too much. Just want to sleep but apparently I'm not allowed to do that. SM

You: God, no. Don't sleep, not until we can keep an eye on you. -JMs

You: JMx

Stranger: These idiots you sent keep scolding me every time I close my eyes. SM It's hard not to. SM

You: They're protecting you on my orders, love. I told them if they don't then they have to answer to me. -JMz

Stranger: Yeah, they all look bloody well terrified since I'm barely listening to them. SM

You: That would be my fault. Try and listen to them, love. Please? I know you want to sleep, and you can once we know what's going on. -JMx

Stranger: Mm. SM

You: As far as I can tell you should be two minutes away. -JMx

Stranger: Good. SM

You: I miss you. -JMx

Stranger: It hasn't been all that long, you know. SM

You: Feels it. -JMs

Stranger: Yeah. SM

You: I want you back in my arms. -JMx

Stranger: Soon. SM You really are being sentimental. SM

You: I'd say I'm sorry, but at this point? I'm honestly not. -JMx

Stranger: Quit worrying. SM

You: You're coming home. I'm not worrying as much.. -JMx

Stranger: Good... SM

You: You don't sound convinced. -JMx

Stranger: Mm. We'll see. SM

You: Okay... -JMx

Stranger: You don't sound convinced. SM

You: Don't quote me to me, love. -JMx

Stranger: Too late. SM

You: I can't help but worry, love. -JMx

Stranger: I've noticed. SM

You: Can you blame me?! -JMx

Stranger: Hush. SM

You: [delayed] I'm sorry. -JMx

Stranger: For? SM

You: For worrying so much. -JMx

Stranger: It's... reasonable, I suppose. SM

You: We've been in worse situations, though. At least we had communications, this time. -JMx

Stranger: Yeah, I suppose that's something. SM

You: You're pulling up to the building, by the way, love. -JMx

Stranger: Ah. SM Sorry, again. SM

You: What for? -JMx

Stranger: For being stupid enough to try escaping while drugged. SM

You: You were desperate. -JMx

Stranger: I was reckless. SM

You: Well, yes... -JMx

Stranger: You should go... shut yourself in a different room or something. SM

You: Not happening. I'm seeing this through. -JMx

You: For better, for worse and all that, Bas. -JMMx

Stranger: Please, Jim. SM

You: No. Not this time. I need to see you. -JMx

Stranger: You really don't. SM

You: Bastian. Please? -JMMx

Stranger: It's bad enough seeing these idiots you sent looking at me. SM

You: I had to send them... -JMMx

Stranger: They don't give two shits about me and they can't stop staring. Not even fear of you causes that kind of determination. SM

You: I wasn't leaving you there, and they were the men I trusted to get you out and home safely. -JMx

Stranger: I know. SM

You: I'm not hiding away. -JMx

Stranger: Jim... SM

You: I'm not. We can handle this together. -JMMx

Stranger: I'm just going to be unconscious anyway. SM

You: I don't care. -JMMx

Stranger: Stubborn. SM

You: You love me. -JMMx

Stranger: Forever. SM

You: As I love you. So, /please/ come up. -JMMx

Stranger: Mm. SM

Stranger: Not so simple. SM

You: Hmm? -JMMx

Stranger: Movement. Not so simple. SM I mean, the drugs alone proved to render me useless in that regard... SM

Stranger: These guys aren't quite sure what to do. I practically shouted at them when they tried helping last time. SM They seem to be scared of us both and it has interesting and somewhat inconvenient results. Sm

You: You're going to ask them for help. Swallow your pride and ask them to help you. -JMMx

Stranger: Mm. SM

You: Or I come down and make them. -JMx

Stranger: So incredibly stubborn.SM

You: Says the man who refuses help. -JMMx

Stranger: Shut up. SM