Author's notes:

Writing stream-of-consciousness like looking through a ring, at first. You can see everything, but it's pretty far in the distance. Through the ring is mounted a tube. This first chapter constrains your field of view from everything at all to one specific arc, and a narrow one at that.

Next comes the optics on either end of the tube. Everything is fuzzy. That blob could be animal, mineral or vegetable. Or it could be ectoplasmic goo. You know it's there, you know you're looking at it. YOu just don't know what it is.

Each subsequent chapter adds more tubes. At the right focal point, things come into focus. Until then, we're talking about varying degrees of "I'm not sure what it looks like."

(Those of you just joining here, start with Callan and Sian 1)



Callan let his Force flow over the key and form itself a negative void in its shape. He removed the key, then collapsed his finger into it's shape. Inserted into the lock, his Touch absorbed all that was in the brass mechanism. Dirt, dust, oil, but no Taint.

He stood by the door to Listen, but the only sound was Sian kneading her jacket. He caught her glace with a sideways sweep of his eyes, nodded to reassure her, then opend the door.

No Presence. He gave each of the few rooms in her apartment a quick step, Listen, Smell. No traces of Others. He stepped back out the hall with a smile and waved her over.

As he locked the door behind them, he handed back her keys. "Sorry, false alarm. I felt something odd in the elevator lobby and thought someone had beaten you home."

"Feeling?" She coughed. "I figured you saw something, not just were going on a hunch." She smiled and pressed against him, "Or have you had much luck with girls when you try the James Bond act?"

"I don't know. Usually, my hunches are pretty strong."

===

Callan watched Sian disrobe as he sat on the bed, all but his skivvies off. "You sure you don't want me to help you with that?"

Her hand broke free of its dance near the clasp to wave him off. "I almost have it. You're comfortable there."

"Actually, I'm a little chilly." His smile was as warm as he felt chilled.

"Oh, all right. I can never get them off when I'm in a hurry."

He traced her ribs, shoulder, then glided his hand down her arm to find her hand.

"Thank you." With any absence of self-consciousness, she let it flutter to the floor beside them. Her fingers intertwined with his, and she led him back to the bed.

"So... your secret. Not a pill?"

"Nope. Lots of practice and exercise."

She giggled. "I can imagine the little guy lifting weights."

"Not quiet. More of what we did last night."

"More of the same?"

"More of the missing, Sian."

"It seemed pretty complete to me!"

"Then you will see some of my secret tonight. Shall we?" His eyes twinkled challenge.

She shoved him onto the bed, then climbed atop him and seated herself. "You are so going to beg."

===

Callan cuddled Sian as she rocked in his lap. His arms held her tight, patted her shoulders and biceps. Tears rolled down her cheeks and his quick kisses detoured their descents, but did nothing to staunch their flow.

"Ohmigod, ohmigod, i'msorry, i'msorry," she whispered to herself over and again. Callan urged words in her ear to riposte: "It's okay. You're safe. I'm here." He was impressed. Even his voice, Projecting direct Words of Will, was not enough to bring her down immediately.

"It went white. Everything was white. I thought I died." She wrapped her arms around his chest and pressed her face against his heart.

"Feel it beating slow, feel its beats slowing your own down. Race no more. Feel it fall in time. Slow, slow."

His Presence and Will couldn't slow her down to nromal. All he had remaining was patience, so he kept up the warmth, the comforting, watching her hysteria slowly abate.

Just when he thought she was asleep against his shoulder, she stirred and looked him in the eye. "What was that?"

"That was a step toward ultimate pleasure."

"A step?!"

"First of many."

"My god, that nearly killed me! How may others have you shown that to?"

Callan smiled darkly. "I thought we were not going to talk about our pasts, little one."

"Okay, fair. But, not a lot, right?"

"Very few, indeed few."

She smiled back. "And I bet fewer asked for more."

"Oh, you'd be surprised."