Part 358: A new Begining

McKay sat on his bed, wondering what was taking Taylor so long. He rubbed his face, trying to hide his eagerness to make love to his new wife. He got up and paced around a bit; trying to be patient. The Australian grunted and finally coughed. “Damn it, Taylor, what is taking so long?” he called to her.

“Hold on, baby,” she said, cracking the door to the bathroom, “ I’m finally done. Now turn around.”

McKay turned around. “So, what scheme did you come up with tonight?” he smirked.

“I wanted to go ahead and get one of my fantasies out of the way.”

“You fantasies?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah. We didn’t get the chance to be teenagers so I am taking care of that. You can turn around now.”

McKay slowly turned around and his jaw fell open at the sight of her. It wasn’t her wet hair nor her seductive gaze on him as she gently bit her finger, that got him aroused. Not even the sexy pose against the door.

It was her cheer leader outfit.

“Oh, God,” he whispered, “I’m in trouble.”

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Mia was out on the balcony, letting the cool Nevada wind blow against her. She was wearing one of John’s shirt, and she enjoyed the smell on it. They were married. Every dream she hoped for her and the archer had come true. She wondered how long it would take for her to have children or to even find a home. The Lakota was proud to be his wife and looked forward to the new adventures with him away from the Island. “Oh, Mia?” John called within the room.

She turned around and walked back into the room. However, John was no where to be found. “John?” she asked.

“Mia, do you believe in the Here After?” he asked, as he appeared behind a corner.

“Uh . . .Yes,” she grinned brightly.

“Then you must know what I am HERE AFTER.” He said, producing a stuffed toy alligator.

“Joooohhhhnnnn,” she pointed, slowly backing away from him.

“LOOK OUT FOR THE GATOR, BABY!!!” He said, as he began to chase her.

Mia squeal in delight as she ran from her husband. John made a chomping sound as he ran after her. Mia tried to dodge him with the chair and then ran toward the bed. The archer then dropped his stuffed toy animal and then grabbed her, as they both collided on the best. The Lakota girl laughed as she playfully hit him on the chest. “YOU CHEAT!” she giggled, “You got a longer reach!”

“I told you back on the Island, baby doll,” he said, staring up at her, “I got you . .and I am not letting you go.”

Mia caught her breath and then quickly leaned down kissing him. John held onto her as he gently dragged her up toward the pillows. She continued to kiss him, as he worked to get his pants off. The Lakota then noticed the lights were still on. She then reached and knocked the lamp off the nightstand. As it landed, it pulled the cord from the wall; turning itself off.

The young couple laughed as they fell into darkness.

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Marita moaned with delight as she sat in the hot watered tub with her new husband. Tony massaged her shoulders, helping her to relax. “Oh, god, yes, Tony,” she grinned, “If you can’t get your license back, maybe you could work as a masseuse.”

“Never work, chica.” He chuckled.

“Why, Tone?” she grinned, “You got the hands of a surgeon.”

“I don’t think I could be a masseuse because the only body I would want to be touching is yours.”

“Oh, Tony,” she smiled, falling back into his arms, “You do know how to make a girl feel wanted.”

“And it’s always going to be you that I want, Marita.”

The Latina turned around and grabbed him by the neck, kissing him heavily on the mouth. The blind doctor held onto her hips, bringing her closer. He admitted to himself that he loved her the first moment he met her. He would have loved to have seen her but it didn’t matter. Saying their vows were enough.

It meant her love was real.


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Tony gently woke up from his slumber. He turned his head toward his wife as she slept by his side. He gently reached over and touched her soft cheek. Marita moaned with a smile at his touch. The blind man smiled, loving the sight of her sleeping. He then grunted as he stood up, stark naked. He felt of his way toward the bathroom to take care of his business. When he came out, he found his underwear and jeans; putting them on. He reached over and picked up a shirt; then smirked when he realized it was Marita’s. He put it down and found the surfing shirt John bought for him earlier in the weekend. As he placed it on, he found his shoes and started to put them on; then noticed Marita was moaning away. “Tony?” she asked.

“Over here, baby,” he whispered.

“Mmmm. It’s so early,” she groaned, “Where are you going?”

“Down to the bar. I am graving a White Russian something fierce.”

“So eager to get away from me on our honey moon, eh?” she giggled.

Tony laughed at her little joke. “You need me to bring you anything?” he offered.

“No,” she said, smiling, “I have everything I want.”

Tony walked back over toward her and leaned down, kissing her. “I love you, wife,” he smiled.

“My husband,” she smiled, rubbing his cheek.

Within seconds, she had fallen asleep again. Tony stood up and walked over toward the chair, kicking his cane upward. He quickly caught it: smirking that his heightened senses were still with him. He gently slide the door-card in his back pocket and quietly left the room.

As he made his way toward the elevator, he could hear the snoring a sleeping man on one of the benches. Judging by the smell of alcohol on him, Tony understood the poor man was too drunk to make it back to his room. The blind man had a fleeting thought of back on the Island and his confrontation with Henry Poteet. He never wished the man any harm but he forced his hand. And the Polliwog had taken care of the alcoholic for him. Tony smirked; wondering how the creature was getting along without him.

Tony rode the elevator down as reached the bottom. After the elevator doors opened, the blind man walked out and turned left; he remembered John told him how to get to the bar. He walked along the rows of chairs mounted to the bar, feeling no air compression which meant most were empty. He picked one and sat down. The doctor could then hear the bartender walked up toward him. “Can I . . .help you?” he said.

“Yeah, White Russian, please,” Tony replied, pulling out his wallet.

The bartender didn’t move; Tony knew this cause he couldn’t hear his feet moving. Then he felt a change in the air around him. He understood what was happening; the bartender was waving his hand in front of his face. “Yes, I am blind,” Tony laughed.

“Oh, sorry, man,” the bar tender replied.

Tony finally heard him leave as he pulled up a ten from his wallet. It was a trick that he had leaned that blind people did; they folded the bills in a specific pattern to tell the differences between the bills. The bartender then brought the drink back toward him, setting it on the bar. “six, fifty,” he told him.

Tony slid the ten dollar bill toward him. “Keep it,” he said.

“Thanks,” the young man replied.

Tony took the cold glass and gently raised it to his lips to take a drink. Then he felt a hand stop him slowly. “Don’t drink that, man,” a voice said.

“Huh?” Tony replied, as the stranger took the glass away from him.

“Uh, excuse me,” the man said, “You want to make him a REAL White Russian, please?”

“I did,” the bartender nervously chuckled.

“No, you didn’t, man. You poured in milk, sugar and water. You made him a poor man’s milkshake. I know; I tended bar in college.”

“Dude, I was just . .it’s been a slow night.”

“Tell you,” the man said, as Tony heard him removing something from a Velcro strap in his jacket, “You make him a White Russian, and me a Kalua Mudslide, and they are both for free . . .and I WON’T tell your manager you are picking on blind people.”

“Yes, sir,” the bartender said, walking away.

Tony smirked. He wondered who the stranger was; especially to make the young bartender immediately scared. “Thank you for that,” Tony told him.

“I don’t believe in cruelty to those with handicaps.” He replied.

“Nor do I. Which is why I thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He said, shaking his hand. The stranger then paused for a second, then snapped his fingers, “Do I know you?”

Tony chuckled,” You might. I accidentally became famous last month.”

“What? Did you win the lottery?”

“No, I survived a plane crash and was marooned on a Island for two months before escaping it.” The blind man laughed.

“THAT’S IT!” the man snapped his fingers, “That’s where I know you from. I saw you on the news back in December. You and the rest of the survivors of Flight 815.”

“That would be us,” Tony smiled, “My name is Tony by the way.”

“Nick Stokes,” the man introduced himself, “Las Vegas Crime Lab.”

“Crime Lab?” the blind man, then smirked, “Ah. I get it now. No wonder you were able to put the fear of God into the bartender. You’re a cop.”

“It has it’s privileges.” Nick smiled as the glasses were placed before them.

Tony and Nick then took a sip of their drinks. The blind man smiled at the tastes of the frozen beverage; one he had been craving more than Coke. He even felt the ten dollars slid back toward his hand by the bartender. Tony smirked as he put it in his shirt pocket. “So, Tony,” Nick said, sipping his drink, “What does a blind man come to Vegas for?”

“Getting married,” he said, proudly.

“No kidding?” the cop laughed, “Congratulations.”

“Thank you. I found a lovely woman and I look forward to spending my life with her.”

“Where did you find this beauty?”

“On the Flight. She was one of the stewardesses.”

“Will wonders never cease?” Nick laughed, “What was it like on that Island, Tony?”

The blind doctor sipped his drink and turned his head toward his conversation friend. “It was thrilling,” he smiled, “It was terrifying. It was amazing. And it wound up being . ..the best bonding experience I could have ever had in my life. I walked away from that Island with a wife and friends I know I will keep for life.”

“Then it was all worth it?” the cop asked.

Tony sipped his drink and smiled. “Yes. Yes it was.” He told him.

“Then it’s all good,” Nick said, drinking his beverage, “Welcome back home, Tony.”

“Thanks, Nick,” the blind doctor smiled, “But enough about me, what about you? You said Crime Lab, so I can assume you are in forensics?”

“You betcha, “ he said, sipping his drink, “The cops may nap the bad guys but it’s our job to prove they did it. It has it’s moments and sometimes . . .It doesn;’t.”

Tony could hear the tone change in Nick’s voice. It was the tone of a man who he could tell something bad has happened to him before. Probably something bad. But the blind man decided not to get too curious about it. “Something tells me your job is not boring.” He smiled.

“No,” Nick chuckled, “Not a bit.”

“You’ll be okay, Nick. I can tell.”

“Like wise with you, Tony. It only gets better from here.”

“Yes, “ Tony smiled, “Everything is going to change.”

Tony finished his drink and then slowly got up. “Thanks for the free drink, Nick,” he said, patting him on his back.

“My pleasure, man,” the cop replied, “You need me to escort you up to your room?”

“No, I got this. But I do appreciate, “ he said, shaking his hand, “Keep doing good things and putting the bad guys away.”

“My man, that is what I do,” Nick said, proudly shaking his hand.

Tony walked away, glad to have spoken to the man. He seemed like a kind soul and he knew his intentions were good. If he ever came back to Vegas, he knew how to look up him. The blind man could tell this cop would make a good friend.

Tony waited for the elevator to open and as it did, he walked in; pressing the button to his flood. As it started to rise, he was anxious to get back to his wife. He had never felt more secure about the future, until that very moment.