All I Ask of You

Guess what? I'm in an HRish mood, so I cooked this little story up. It's DBN,
of course, so all non-DBNs, beware.
Angel :)

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the official characters, and I am making no money
with this 'fic.

Note: This story is NOT a part of my current JQIA timeline. The pairing in
this story is not permanent, and is subject to change. I have not made up my
mind about the pairings at the end of this series. I have a lot of choices as
far as HR goes, and it will take me some time to figure out how I want this
to end up. Thanks for your patience, and enjoy this temporary pairing :)

Long live the Elite!!

Archiving permission granted :)
Categories: HR(DBN), V, ALT, MF

" All I Ask of You"

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

It was a quiet day at the Quest Compound in Georgia. The International
Team was between missions, and their work had slowed to a temporary lull.
Jonny sighed as he glanced around the compound. No one was around; Hadji was
meditating, Jessie and Michael were in Questworld, Andrew was practicing his
martial arts, Anna was playing with Bandit, Leisel was reading, Martha was
painting, Westyn was sleeping, and Cait. . . *Heck, I don't even know where
she is.* Faint strains of music drifted through the deserted hallways. *Ah,
nevermind.* Out of curiousity, Jonny followed the sound of the music to the
doorway of the room Cait and Jessie shared. He identified the music as one of
his few favorites, 'The Phantom of the Opera.' Jonny also recognized Cait's
voice singing right along with Christine's part. Hesitating only a little, he
raised his fist to the door.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Cait looked up at the sharp knock on the closed door. Getting up from her
perch on the bed very slowly, she opened the door a crack. Upon seeing Jonny,
she opened it a little wider.
" Yes?" She looked straight into his blue eyes.
" Well, I heard your music playing, and I. . .I thought that if you
didn't mind, I'd come and listen with you." He looked lonely, and as far as
Cait was concerned, lonely was not the way to be. She let him into the
bedroom, picking up loose clothing as she followed behind him. The room was
clean, mostly.
" Of course I don't mind, you big baby. It's not as though I was doing
anything particularly important." She threw the clothing in a nearby hamper.
" I was just making sure; you don't have to get angry so easily,
Catharine." Jonny sat on the nearest bed and fingered the edge of the green
quilt.
" I'm sorry, I really don't mean to be so sharp, it just happens." She
seemed at a loss for words for a moment, and then changed the subject." Since
when did you listen to musicals, Jonny? I never thought that you enjoyed the
theatre."
" I don't, normally. Dad took Hadj, Jess, and I to see 'Phantom' shortly
before you came. It was one of my mother's favorites, and I suppose that it's
one of mine too." He looked up at her again. " I guess that for awhile, I
felt like the Phantom."
" How's that?" Cait ran her fingers along the rack of CDs on the dresser.
Jonny blushed and fidgeted.
" Well. . ."
" Well? You can tell me." Jonny sighed, giving in.
" Okay. . ." He was barely audible, and she had trouble hearing him at
first. " For a while before you came, um. . . . I had this slight um. .
crush. . on Jessie, and um. . .well, she liked Hadji. . and I felt like there
was something terribly wrong with me, like maybe I was deformed or stupid or
something." Jonny's face had turned a bright crimson by this point. Catharine
chuckled.
" Somehow, that doesn't surprise me. Jessie told me about her short
infatuation with Hadji, and about your jealous reaction." He looked hurt at
her laughter. " Oh, Jonny, come on. I wasn't laughing at you. Actually, I was
laughing at a vision I had just then. For a second, I saw you in a ridiculous
cape and a half mask sitting in front of an organ with a kidnapped Jessie by
your side." Jonny smiled halfway. " Besides, it doesn't sound like you feel
that way anymore, so you shouldn't be ashamed of the way you felt."
" I don't, that changed a long time ago."
" I'm glad that you don't feel inferior to Hadji now, because you aren't.
You're different, and you're you, so what more is there?" Cait put a stray CD
in it's case.
" Good question. Do you always know what you're talking about?" Jonny
laid back on the bed and closed his eyes. It felt good to take a rest.
" Nope. I just have a pretty good idea about what should be said, I
think." She paused, and then picked up the music at it's current point. ". .
.and through music my soul began to soar, and I heard what I never heard
before. . ." Cait's voice rose to an unbelieveable note, and then dropped
gracefully back to normal.
" You love singing, don't you?" Jonny interrupted, opening his eyes.
" Yes, I do." She walked over and sat on the bed beside him.
" You're good at it." He said, simply.
" Thanks. It provides an outlet for my emotions." She colored a little.
*Cait never could take a compliment.* Jonny thought. " Why don't you sing?"
" You know I can't! I don't have a voice like yours, and I know that I'd
make a fool of myself. . ."
" Have you ever tried? Really tried?" Cait asked. Jonny shook his head. "
There's no time like the present, Jonny. You know the next song, right?" He
nodded. *'All I Ask of You'; it's my dad's favorite. Of course I know it.* "
Alright then, sing Raoul's part, and I'll sing Christine's. Go ahead." Jonny
took a deep breath as the song started.* She has a lot of confidence in me.
Maybe, just maybe I can pull this off. . .wait, what am I doing? More
importantly, why?* Despite his obvious doubts, he sang.
"No more talk of darkness
Forget these wide-eyed fears
I'm here, nothing can harm you
My words will warm and calm you
Let me be your freedom,
Let daylight dry your tears
I'm here, with you, beside you
To guard you and to guide you." Cait heard his unsure tenor, and was
surprised at how easily he carried the tune. *He's not too bad. I wonder why
he was so reluctant to sing in front of anyone. . .* Pushing her questions
away for the moment, Cait began her part of the song.
" Say you'll love me every waking moment
Dull my fear with talk of summertime
Say you'll need me with you, now and always
Promise me that all you say is true
That's all I ask of you." *She really does love this; you can see it in
her face. I love it when she sings. And I think a whole lot more than that. .
.whoa, boy, think about that later. . .* Jonny less and less uncomfortable as
he continued, and his voice steadied.
" Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
You're safe, no one will find you
Your fears are far behind you."

" All I want is freedom
A world with no more night
And you, always beside me
To hold me and to hide me." Cait found herself unexpectedly meaning what
the song said. She turned to look at Jonny, and met his eyes. They echoed her
feelings.
" Then say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Let me lead you from your solitude
Say you'll need me with you
Here, beside you
Anywhere you go, let me go too
Christine, that's all I ask of you." Jonny felt a surge of joy when he
saw Catharine's face. It was what he'd wanted to see for over a year now.
" Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime
Say the word and I will follow you
Share each day with me, each night, each morning
Say you love me."
" You know I do."
" Love me, that's all I ask of you." As the instrumental part of the song
began, Jonny reached over and covered Cait's hand with his own. She felt
beautifully happy. Together, they sang the last verse.
" Anywhere you go, let me go too
Love me, that's all I ask of you." The last bars faded out, leaving Jonny
and Cait in their own little world. *Her eyes remind me of opals. . .all
different colors, all flickering at one another.* Cait lowered her head
slightly. Jonny saw that she was blushing beneath the shade of her hair.
" I. . I never knew. . ." She stuttered. He removed his hand from hers and
cupped her chin in his hand. He smiled as he looked into her eyes again.
" I told you my feelings changed, didn't I?"
" Well, yes, but I really didn't think. . . I knew you liked someone, but
I always thought it was 'Leise." She closed her eyes, as though the world was
spinning around so fast that she was dizzy. Jonny simply laughed.
" That's the Catharine I know and love." (author's note: Sorry Lion, had o
put the 'L' word in somewhere. . .gomen nasai)
" You do?" He laughed again.
" To quote Morgenstern; 'Easy. I love you. Okay? Want it louder? I love
you. Spell it out, should I? I ell- oh- vee- ee why- oh- you. Want it
backward? You love I.'" She laughed.
" I'll take that as a yes." She smiled.
" You'd better. . ." Jonny joked softly. He leaned over and Catharine
closed her eyes as their lips met in a sweet kiss. When they broke apart, she
wrapped her arms around him, never wanting to let go." Make sure I can
breathe, Brigit, okay?" He laughed. Cait batted him with her free arm.
" Of course, Benton." She teased.
" That's it, girl." Cait released him from her embrace, grinning like a
Chesire cat.
" Catch me, if you can!" She bolted through the open door and down the
stairs. Jonny was slow to react.
" Huh? Cait!!! Come back here!" Grinning, he chased after her.

THE END

You don't think there was too much HR in there, even if it was DBN, do you?
Anyways, send everything to CMP1983@aol.com
Angel :)