Fernando
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Re: Gunslinger Bink II: Acorns & Ergot.
Reply #72 - Jan 11th, 2008, 9:36pm
Fernando heard much of the conversation downstairs between Rose and Hondo, and decided that things would be best of he sought out a bit of opened space privacy. After taking care of his needs, he walked over to his room to check on the printing of the list. Finding it done and waiting for him to retrieve it, Fernando continues onward to the attic stair case and up to the balcony. There he walks over to the front of the house and look out on the front yard and over to the highway just a few dozen feet from the house. Fernando takes to the edge of the top roof and climbs up onto its slope, continuing out onto the highest point of the building. There he just sits down and over looks the scenery from almost 50 feet above the ground, well hidden from view for anyone looking straight up. It did not take Hondo too long that Fernando was not in his room or anyplace in the house as Fernando would have to have passed him in order to leave the building. He takes to the attic and balcony. But looking down the length of the balcony, Fernando could not be found on that side of the building. Looking out onto the parking lot, Hondo finds Fernando's Porsche, signifying that he has to still be on the compound's grounds somewhere. Hondo continues onward to the front of the house, again not finding Fernando in the immediate area. He continues to the opposite far side, not seeing him there either. Hondo looks around. Hondo: Where in tarnation is he? Hondo looks over the parking lot, expecting for Fernando to step out of his Porsche or something. Fernando quietly walks over to the rear of the room and looks down at Hondo after hearing him. Fernando: Have you tried looking up? Hondo flinches, grabbing onto his gun but refrains from drawing it. He then relaxes as he turns to him. Hondo: What are you doing up there? Fernando: Just needed some alone time, and since we squirrels are great climbers... you figure it out. Hondo jumps up and picks himself upon to the slope of the roof and walks over to Fernando. Hondo: We mice aint that bad in climbing either. Fernando: Well- you are, compared to the rest of the population. What brings you up here? Fernando starts to walk over to the front of the house, where he sits on the edge of the roof. Hondo follows and takes the other slope to sit on as they both look out into the highway. Hondo: Just want to know what's next on the agenda. Fernando: Just a lot of issues and problems. Hondo: Issues and problems? Fernando: Yeah. I thought this was going to be a simple Rescue Tammy and get her into some fighting shape so she can continue with the SWA. Instead we are caught in the web as before of dealing with a national issue of a foreign country, and far as can see, what should be a simple 2 or 3 week mission looks like it may take months. Hondo: I did not intended to stay here indefinitely. Fernando: Neither do I. Hondo: Is that all? Fernando: No. Hondo: Then spill it. Fernando: Its you, Rose, Tammy, Bink and the others. Hondo: Me and Rose? Fernando: Look, no offense to you or her, but a relationship has no place in a mission. People are all around observing us, and if they see you two being close, they are going to figure that if them cant hurt you directly, they will hurt her to hurt you. That I don't want. Rose needs to be in some form of fighting shape. Hondo: She was in the Navy. Fernando: The military does not guarantee anyone to be in fighting form. Look just do me a couple of favors. Hondo: What would that be? Fernando: Aren't they obvious? Hondo: I want to hear it from the horse's mouth- sorta speak. Fernando: OK, from the Horses Mouth- Tea Biscuit in fourth race. Hondo: Heh? Fernando: Seriously, 1) Don't publicly show affection to her. Indoors, in the house or garage, OK. Out outside- people can see you two and take advantage of that. Hondo: I'm sorry then for letting my guard down. Fernando: No- its not your fault. We all been there and we all welcome it. I don't want anyone to go after her to get at you. Understood? Hondo nods. Fernando: Secondly- get Rose into some form of fighting form, like I am with Tammy. This way, if somebody has comes along to get her- she can fight back and you wont have to worry about her getting hurt. Hondo nods before speaking. Hondo: What about you and Tammy? Fernando: It applies to me with her, just more so since this mission involves her. Hondo: I hear the others talking about you two. Fernando: Gossip talk? Hondo: When its from men, its not necessarily gossip, but observations. Fernando: Its gossip either way you look it Hondo. Now, what is it that they are saying? Hondo: I don't like to repeat gossip... so listen carefully. Fernando (rolling his eyes): OK... yeah? Hondo: I over heard Hillshire and Marco saying something about Tammy having Florence Nightingale Syndrome, and having it bad. I don't know what is... Fernando: Florence Nightingale Syndrome is when somebody gets rescued falls in love with their rescuer. Hondo: So that makes a lot of sense, especially what Tammy has been saying to Rose and all that. Fernando: I really don't want to know what she said to Rose. Hondo: I think she wants to have your squirrel puppies. Fernando: My answer is no. Hondo: Sounds like you're in denial. Fernando: And if I am? Hondo: Its not my place to say, but she needs all the support she can in this. Fernando: She has my support, as I can give it. But I can not reciprocate the kind of emotional commitment and attention she wants. At best I can do is give her the minimum of that. Hondo: And why not? Fernando: Missions and Love do not mix. Hondo: And why not? Fernando: People are after her and Bink. If I let my guard down to be emotionally attached to her- they are going to catch up to her and do her in deadly way I can not imagine. She would be killed, and I would have fail. Adding emotions to that will make it unbearable. Face it Hondo- how would you like it if somebody killed Rose? Hondo (in a very cold tone): I would not like it at all. Fernando: Imagine that I would feel the same. Hondo: But you do love her, right? Fernando: Lets get serious Hondo. I don't, I cant, and I will not love her while we are going through this mission. I-we can not allow emotions get the better of us, so as men, we have to turn off that part of ourselves and be robots in disguised. Hondo: What about after the mission? Fernando: What happens after the mission, we will have to get there first. Hondo: I think I hear wedding bells. Fernando: Maybe for you and Rose, in fact I can put in a good word with the Pope to get you two hitched. Hondo: We're not Roman Catholics. Fernando: But 99 percent of this country is. You two can go back to the cafe as a wedded couple, or if you want, wait to go back to the cafe and get married there. Mind you, I can not publicly step on American ground ever again. Hondo: What are you trying to say? Fernando: Nothing important. Is Rose cooking dinner for everyone of is this a private affair? Hondo: I'm not sure. I thought it was for us two. Fernando: That's fine. I'll empty the house and you two can have some privacy. Hondo: You don't have to get out of your way on account of us. Fernando: Its better that we do- so you and her can talk about what I told you. Just understand that I don't want her hurt, and if she is going to get hurt, at least have a fighting chance against those who would do her harm. Hondo: OK. Fernando: One more thing. Hondo: What's that? Fernando: In case the house gets attacked, there is a trap door emergency exit to the basement behind the wall in the back of the kitchen in the hall that leads to the first floor bedrooms and bathroom. To open it- leave the refrigerator, oven and microwave doors open and it will unlock the door. Open it, climb down the ladder and lock the door behind you. It will leave you by the tool shed in the basement. From there you can go to the sub basement and out the garage. Make sure to lock all the doors you open behind you. Hondo: This is some place... Fernando (to himself): I just to get away and think things out. Hondo: Just don't go hurting Tammy. Fernando: That's not my intention, but its going to happen anyway. Hondo: Then do what you can not to allow it happen. Fernando: I see no way out of it. Hondo: There is, you just don't see it. Fernando: Only way not to hurt her is to give her what she wants. Hondo: And what's wrong with that? Fernando: We're in a mission for one. Hondo: I know that things happen during missions. I also know how stressful things can get on missions, so if something happens, let it happens. Fernando: You wonder why James Bond is always chasing a skirt and drinking vodka martinis until his eyes turn red? It is how he deals with the stress and pressures of being on a mission. I dont what to do that to Tammy, nor do I want her to do the same to me. Hondo: So you do care about her then. Fernando: Care- yes. "And with Care comes Trust, then Attraction and then Love.", a soft female voice says from below (Rose). A ladder gets propped up against the roof, and Rose and Tammy climbs up to the slope. Rose walks on over to Hondo and Tammy to Fernando. Fernando: Swell, there goes my alone time. Rose sits next too Hondo and leans against him. He slides a bit away, making Rose think that there was something wrong. Rose: Is there something wrong? Hondo: You and I need to talk. But not now. Rose: Oh? Hondo: Lets leave the two squirrels alone... Hondo Gets up and starts to walk to the ladder that the girls had placed up. He climbs 1/2 way down and helps Rose get her footing. Once on the balcony, Hondo takes the ladder with him to the attic. Rose: Hey! They are going to need that to get back down! Hondo: They're squirrels, Rose. Climbing up and down is what they do. Besides, trust me, they need to be left alone for the meantime. The door to the attic closes. Tammy: So you don't love me? Fernando: We been through this before, Tammy... Its not as much as you would want me to. Tammy: But you said about getting married and all that. Fernando: I can not let emotions mix into a mission, and you can not afford too either. Tammy: And why not? Fernando: This is why... Fernando take a look at his watch and presses a button on it before he leans over to her and gently places his lips against hers, and just as slowly they start to embrace. After some time passes, Tammy pushes him away from her as she starts to panicky pants for air. Tammy: How can you hold your breathe for that long?!! Fernando presses the button on his watch, and shows her the elapsed time: 1 minute and 23 seconds. Fernando: I don't hold my breathe, I just breathe very lightly. But- knowing that or not, the time that has passed, we were vulnerable from anyone who wanted to get to either of us because we were too busy with ourselves. Tammy has to think before giving a reply of some sort. Tammy: So what are you trying to say? You do love me or... Fernando: I can say, for the mission- saving you and Bink means everything is first. If I allow our feelings to get in the way... Tammy (interrupting him): How about a simple Yes or No! Fernando: I don't know, maybe I do! But I'm too locked up in holding back to keep those emotions interfere with the mission and have one of us get hurt because of them. Tammy: But, after the mission- you would know...is that what you're trying to say? Fernando: Yes. Tammy: Then mission over. If you cant tell me what and how you feel about me, I don't want your help or your pity. (as she starts to get up) In fact I dont want to see you any more! Tammy gets up, putting each foot to either sloping side of the roof, and turns to where the ladder was. She takes a step towards it but trips on the apex of the roof against loose shingle and begins to fall, screaming all the way down as she goes. Fernando manages to get up 1/2 way and grab on to a reaching arm of her and pulls her towards him, holding her as tightly as possible. For a while they hold each other tightly. Fernando loosens his grip on her, but she does not. She cries softly against him. Fernando: Tammy, are you alright? Tammy (between her tears): Just hold me... you... damned... uncaring... idiot! Fernando slowly sits himself down on the roof while holding her. He whispers in her ear. Fernando: Who says I don't care? I do care, and that is where the problem lies. Tammy: Just shut up... please! Fernando: Tammy? Tammy: I said for you to shut up! Fernando: Can I ask you one question? Tammy: No! Fernando: Will you marry me? No verbal answer comes from Tammy, nor does any action that would give one. She just cries as she holds onto him. After a while she stops, loosens up in her grip on him and looks up to him. She takes her arm to try to wipe away her tears and then her nose as she tries to pull back on the sniffles from crying. Tammy: Not to someone who does not love me back. Fernando: To love and cherish, honor and hold, until death do us apart- those words do have a special meaning to me, for I have lived them, and am willing to live them again with somebody who I do care about a lot, but... Tammy: But what? Fernando: There is business to attend too first, your safety to restore, and your freedom to establish. Until then we can not say or do anything that advertises to the world of our closeness or caring for one another- because they would use that against us to hurt the other. I don't want you hurt, I don't want others to use you to try to hurt me. We take care of that, then if you don't mind not ever stepping back in US-American soil again, we have the rest of the world to explore. Tammy: Why can you not ever return to the US? Fernando: The Agency and I made a deal. That deal includes that I don't ever return to the US... not from here by normal means. It does not mean that my time traveling counter parts are expelled too, they are probably over at the cafe causing trouble as only I know how. Tammy: As your wife, would you make me a time traveler? Fernando: You have a lot to learn before I can take you there. Just remember what I told you before my nap- about the headaches... Tammy: Uhm... when you go to the past and change something in time, you have two sets of memories of the same event and that causes the headache? Fernando: Consider headache gone. Tammy: Uh? How?!! Fernando: I cant tell you now, but when this is all over, I will. I promise you. OK? Tammy: Do I have much of a choice? Fernando: No. Tammy: Why not? Fernando: Lets deal with what we got... Now, how are you going to explain to Bink and Alex that you're now engaged to me? Tammy: I cant, not until I get a ring first. Fernando: OK then. Get dressed up for dinner. I'll get Marco and Hillshire to baby-sit Bink for the interim. I promised Hondo some alone time with Rose in the house. Tammy: Where you want to go? Fernando: I remember a little place in Rome, called the Coppola. Just dress up nice for the occasion, but don't over do it though. Care to climb down? Cautiously Tammy gets up off Fernando and together slowly walk to the edge of the roof to the balcony. He hops down to the balcony below and then catches Tammy as she does the same. Together they return to the house and their respective rooms. Fernando makes a phone call to Marco and Hillshire to return to the house, though they were conducting practice runs in the empty pool with their girls and some paint guns that they found in the basement. Fernando asks them to take Bink out with them to dinner, as both he and Tammy, and Hondo and Rose are in need of some alone time. Though Marco jokes about it, but is more than happy to oblige. He later calls Alex II and explains to him that Hondo and Rose needs some time to talk things out and asks for him to not return to the house until after 8pm. After a bit of clean up and dress up time, Marco and Hillshire takes the girls out with them to some restaurant in Rome, followed by Fernando and Tammy in his Porsche to the Coppola, also in Rome. He finds parking along some side street, needing to walk a couple of block to the restaurant. But Fernando decides to take a different route, making a short walk long, as they pass by the Piazza di Spagna, and the shops near by. Passing by a jewelry store, Fernando shoves Tammy inside. She resists, but eventually goes in. After several minutes, Tammy is fitted with a simple 2 karat solitaire ring of his choosing. He get the matching wedding ring to be shipped to the cafe, under his daughter's, Dr.Aiesha G., name. Afterwards, they step out to walk about before finding the Coppola for a fine Italian dinner.
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