Fawn climbed out of the small plane as Travis grabbed her luggage. He walked down the runway with her silently. Their guards were in cars already, waiting for them to head to Travis's house.
"My house is out in the country and we'll be alone." He said without glancing at her. Fawn felt a knot of unease in her stomach. Just them, alone? Fawn thought of the moments she and Garth had been completely alone.
Those hadn't turned out the greatest. Fawn thought, stopping a blush from creeping up her cheeks. Travis owned a sports car and he put Fawn's luggage in the back seat. Fawn wondered why he was so quiet. Was he nervous about her being there? She doubted it. Fawn buckled into her seat, noticing how small the vehicle was. How did Travis fit in here with his height? Fawn looked at him and he seemed completely comfortable in the small car. Travis glanced at her.
"I got a call right before you arrived. I'm sure you know Willow is still missing right?" Fawn nodded, looking out the window to hide how upset she was. Travis continued.
"Sean didn't make it. He died about an hour ago." Fawn sighed and closed her eyes.
"I'm glad you're here," Travis started, "but you shouldn't have come here." Fawn blinked, a little surprised, a little hurt.
"What is that supposed to mean?" She asked, trying to hide her anger. Travis noticed.
"What I mean is I want you here and I want to spend time with you, but you're in a lot of danger." He said. Fawn rolled her eyes and gave a small laugh. Travis looked at her.
"What?"
"You know, I almost didn't come today and it's so encouraging to hear that part of you doesn't even want me here." Travis let out a sigh through his nose.
"Well, this is off to a great start." He said dryly.
"Be honest? Did you already pick Garth and you're just being nice to me?" Fawn shook her head.
"No, I'm still giving you a fair chance, he's just got a slight lead on you." Fawn said, with a hint of a playful challenge. Travis's green eyes stayed on hers for second before he smirked.
"Did you sleep with him?" Fawn's eyes widened.
"No!" She shrieked.
"Then I still have one edge I could use." Fawn was about to glare at him and she was blushing madly, but she saw the playful hint to his eyes and knew he hadn't meant anything serious by it. Hopefully. Fawn watched as he pulled into a long driveway that took about a minute to get up. At the end, stood a small brick house that was two stories tall. A little ways away there was a barn with a few horses in a pasture.
"Travis, I didn't know you owned horses."
"Surprise." Travis said smoothly and stopped his car by the house. Fawn stepped out of his car, drawing her sweater a little closer around her shoulders. There were some woods behind Travis's house and Fawn could just see a shimmer of blue. She looked over at Travis, who was surveying the land with a small smile on his face. Fawn could see he was already relaxing and that made her happy.
"Let's go in. I'm sure you're in the mood for some lunch." Travis said as he grabbed her suitcase out of the back seat. Fawn followed beside him, looking at her hand dangling freely at her side. If he had been Garth, he would be holding it by now. Fawn stopped her train of thought. Travis wasn't Garth and she needed to stop comparing them. Travis didn't a have front porch just some simple steps to a door. Fawn followed him inside after he had carefully unlocked the door. His house was warm on the inside, heated by a wood burning stove. It was very simple, but there was something nice to it. Fawn sniffed the air and smirked. Was that air freshener? Travis set her suitcase by the door.
"The upstairs is under construction so we're stuck down here for your visit." Fawn noticed he didn't illuminate on sleeping arrangements. She followed him to the kitchen that was toward the back of the house. Her eyes widened when she saw a giant window and the source of the blue glimmer she had seen earlier. Behind Travis's house sat a large pond, a willow tree hung over the water's edge that was closest to the house. Further out, there were more woods.
"Gorgeous right?" Travis said from the kitchen. Fawn nodded and walked back into the kitchen.
"Very." Travis was bent over, looking into his fridge. He pulled out a package of hotdogs.
"I'm a simple man, grilled hotdogs sound good to you?" He asked, although he was already heading out to his back porch.
"That's fine." Fawn said and followed him. The porch was a dark stained wood and Travis moved over to the grill that was placed on it. Fawn sat down in a chair. She breathed in the nice country air, even if it was just a little chilly. Travis walked over to her, spatula in hand. He put a hand on one armrest of Fawn's chair and Fawn opened her mouth in question, but a kiss caught her bottom lip and she closed her mouth quickly. Travis adjusted his lips so that he was kissing her fully on the mouth. Fawn didn't pull back, mostly out of shock. Travis laughed and leaned away.
"Sorry, I've never been one for public affections. I've been waiting to do that since you arrived." He said. Fawn bit her lip.
"Oh." Was what she managed in answer. Travis walked back to his grill.
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"I figured after we ate we could go on a ride through those woods." He nodded towards the woods closest to his house.
"Sure." Fawn agreed. She didn't mind a good ride, hopefully it wouldn't end like the last one. Travis brought over the hot dogs.
"Bon appetite." He said in very bad French accent.
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Fawn rode Travis's dun mare while he rode on a gelding. Fawn looked around at the trees and foliage. The woods were always so beautiful to her. Travis was relaxed like he had been the first time they rode in the woods, he must love the beauty too. Fawn felt a smile on her face as he watched him. He looked over at her, his green eyes bright.
"This is one of the only places I've missed." He said softly.
"You don't miss much here?" Fawn asked. Travis shrugged his shoulders.
"Nothing much for me here, except my people." Fawn remembered his dead parents.
"Do you miss anything about 2? Like the endless corn?" He said sarcastically. Fawn rolled her eyes.
"Not really. There's nothing there for me either. My parents disowned me for going into politics." She said it smoothly, it didn't matter to her who knew anymore. Travis's eyebrow raised.
"Really?" He said. Fawn nodded.
"That interesting." Fawn glanced at him, interesting may not have been the best word for him to pick. Travis caught her look.
"What I meant is that my parents always encouraged me to do whatever I wanted, as long as I was happy." He said. Fawn glanced at the trail ahead.
"I think they would have liked to meet you." Travis said quietly. Fawn looked over at him, but he was staring blankly into the distance. Fawn prodded her horse into a trot and then a canter. It didn't take long for Travis to catch on and his horse came to her side. They cantered through the length of the trees until they came to a stream. Fawn pulled her horse to a stop, but Travis wadded into the creek. He turned back and looked at her.
"You coming?" He asked. Fawn bit her lip, but continued after him. The water didn't go too far up on the horse's body, but it was still an odd feeling. Travis was following the current and Fawn's horse was close behind his. The trees began to thin and after about ten minutes their horses climbed out onto the bank of the creek. A little ways away the pond lay before them. Travis slid off of his gelding and began leading it toward Fawn. Fawn jumped off the mare and handed the reins to him. Travis surprised her by taking the reins off the horses and letting them go.
"They won't leave us, they know better." He smiled and grabbed Fawn's hand. His hand engulfed hers. It was warm and rough. They walked toward the pond and the sun streamed down on Fawn's back, warming it. When they were close to the water's edge, Travis sat down, offering a hand to help Fawn sit. She sat down beside him, their shoulders brushing each other. Travis wound his fingers in and out of hers.
"Are you afraid?" He asked. Fawn looked at his green eyes, they were shrouded with concern.
"Afraid of what?" Travis chuckled.
"Of anything," He said, "of death?" Fawn was a little confused by the question.
"I suppose I'm just as afraid of death as everyone else." She said. Travis nodded.
"I wish you were more afraid," He said lowly, "then maybe you wouldn't want to walk into a Section that completely loathes you." Fawn sighed.
"I have to know whether I've been wrong this whole time. Can't you understand that?" Fawn whispered. Travis ran his thumb across her hand.
"I can, but it worries me." Travis wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his chest, propping one of his legs up and letting the other lay in the grass. His nose touched the back of her neck, sending shivers down her spine.
"You drive me insane." He said against her skin. Fawn could feel the heat that flared at his touch. She relaxed against his body.
"Is that so?" She asked in a playful voice. Lips pressed into the skin of her neck and Fawn bit her lip.
"I think you already know that." Travis said. Fawn turned around in his arms, seeing the same apprehension in his eyes that she saw the first time they had kissed.
"I do." She said and wrapped her arms around his neck. Travis captured her lips to his and Fawn embraced their gentleness and warmth. To think that she ever hated someone like Travis baffled her. Anything she felt for him now was the complete opposite. Warmth ran through her body from her head to toes. She didn't want Travis to let go of her and he didn't.
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Travis ran a hand through his hair and looked at her sheepishly. It was late now and he still hadn't told her about sleeping arrangements. He swallowed and Fawn crossed her arms skeptically, raising an eyebrow in question.
"So the upstairs is being worked on, like I told you earlier. There is one bedroom in this house..." He started. Fawn shook narrowed her eyes.
"What are implying here, Travis?" Travis sighed.
"I figured you wouldn't want to share any space with me so I thought you could take my bed and I would just go to sleep on the couch." Fawn was a little surprised at that suggestion. She was expecting some flirty remark, but Travis actually seemed uncomfortable. Fawn felt a little guilty for kicking him out of his only place to sleep and despite the uneasy knot in her stomach, sharing a bed might not be so bad. She had slept on the couch with Garth.
"You don't have to do that, Travis. I'm not bothered by..." She stopped, not sure how to convey what she meant.
"Oh, you're not?" Travis asked in a tone she had only heard when he had kissed her after she had helped free him of Ruth's conviction. Fawn stopped herself from kissing him right then.
"No, as long as you don't try anything." Travis acted insulted.
"Wouldn't dream of it." He purred in the same tone. Fawn stood up quickly and grabbed her clothes. She shut herself in the bathroom and locked the door for good measure. She trusted Travis not come in for the most part, but she still felt secure this way. Once she changed, she came out of the bathroom and saw Travis was wearing a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. Fawn wasn't sure where to go next. How did someone just crawl into bed with someone without feeling some type of awkwardness? Travis just gave her an odd look and pulled back the sheets, flopping down on the mattress. Fawn made her way over to the side of the bed and slid in carefully. Travis flipped off the switch that shut off the lamps by the bed and Fawn was cloaked in darkness.
"So if you stay on your side and I stay on mine everything will be fine." Travis said into the darkness.
"Sounds nice to me." Fawn responded, turning on her side so that her back was facing him. The mattress groaned and Fawn's breath caught as Travis's hand wrapped around her waist.
"I do need to warn you though," He whispered into Fawn's ear, making her shiver, "it gets a little cold around here at night." He let go of her and slid to his side of the bed. Fawn let out her breath slowly and snuggled deeper into the blankets. She went to sleep, trying not to think of Travis or his touch.