<!--ADULTSONLY--> Title: Taste the Rainbow Author: Sleepy Insomniac Summary: A story about a man and a young girl who develop a forbidden relationship after the man offers to take her home from school. Keywords: COMPLETED, M/f, consensual, short story, hopeless romance Story is also available online: /~Sleepy_Insomniac/ Please ask if you wish to post this story in an ASSTR.org collection. Only ASSTR.org hosted collection sites will be permitted. Linking to the website is allowed, however. Comments may be submitted through the comments form in this story's webpage. Visit the website mentioned above and head to 'Stories' and 'Taste the Rainbow'. I hope you enjoy my story and happy reading :) ------------------------------------- Taste the Rainbow By Sleepy Insomniac (C) September, 2009 Chapter 1 "Mother fucker," Ashley uttered under her breath. She felt stupid, like a stupid Indian sitting cross-legged with elbows propped against her knees. She curled her palms up under her chin while she watched the trees sway and the occasional squirrel spastically forage for nuts. This was summer school, all right. Or at least it was. The day's classes ended hours ago, when Ashley took up her stupid seat under that stupid tree and remained while the other stupid students, parents and teachers all vanished without a trace. There was the occasional look or faux-concerned question thrown her way, usually regarding her seeming lack of transportation (buses didn't run during the summer), but she would quickly dismiss them with a sweet reply followed by a smile coated with so much sugar even a hardened war veteran would grin after the butterflies she just beamed into their stomachs started to flutter about. "My father's coming, he's late sometimes, but he'll be here," was her usual reply, but she knew damn well that was a lie. These days her father often got distracted almost exclusively by things with tits, though sometimes the occasional gambling binge was the culprit. With several prior distractions he never showed up, at least not at the school. Often he would stumble into their home late that night or even the next day, fighting bad hangovers and regretting even worse decisions. Sometimes he would remember to pick up his daughter, much too late usually, but every time he didn't she would show up at the house, making him feel better about himself, often saying *That's great, girl...you can't depend on nobody, not even your Pops. I taught you good.* Every time she showed up at the house he assumed his little girl had friends, good friends. They'll take care of her. However, the students/parents/teachers didn't really know Ashley that much. She didn't have any friends, at least any *real* friends. She talked with kids at school, but not much; she was often quiet in class and no one else did much to break the ice with her. Ashley comprised several theories as to why this was. It wasn't that she was annoying, ugly, or stupid. Ironically, Ashley believed, it was the total opposite. Ashley was smart. Fucking smart. Brilliant when described by more eloquent people assessing her intelligence. On top of her giftedness, she's a looker, or at least a looker for someone her age, when deemed appropriate like at special events when dressing up was OK for young girls like her. She only had one chance to do this; at her aunt's wedding, Ashley's bareback dress, eye shadow and expertly applied makeup turned more than a few heads. Even at 11 years of age, boys were nervous around her, girls were dismissive of her and parents (specifically the girls' parents) were jealous of her, knowing that Ashley will be a knockout in a few years, if not already, and soon she will find a way to use that to her advantage. In the meantime, their little girls will have to earn their own way, all the while wanting to look like Ashley, garner Ashley's success, and have sex with Ashley's husband. That was the problem; her small community simply couldn't relate to a girl like her. She needed open, loving encouragement to help her grow in mind and spirit, not judgmental hypocrites. Not everyone in her town was like this, of course, but without them willing to open their arms and accept her the way she was, her way of life would continue the way it always had; wasting her potential. Ashley needed a friend. And she knew it. Another gust of wind rushed through the trees. Ashley sighed. A long walk was ahead of her, and this time it looked like she may have to fight a storm along the way. She would hitchhike if she could, but she lived at a place far beyond the regular hum of traffic. That wasn't a good idea anyway; her outfit would invite trouble from opportunistic men. All well, if she'd successfully made the trek before, she can do it again. It was time to go. *Crack*. Something shifted to Ashley's left and her eyes immediately darted over. Lost in her thoughts, she forgot to keep watch for her dad, but at this point she was certain it wasn't him. Someone else was coming. Chapter 2 John wasn't in any hurry; he knew he fucked up his life long ago. Moving any faster would only speed up the process. Standing outside his old, beat-up Subaru parked near the streets curb, he just stood there staring, thinking. *Did Linda have Megan this weekend?* He couldn't remember. He was late, anyway. *Late as fucking usual.* The school rested far in front of him, behind one of those circle drive things with a small courtyard built inside of the area the streets encapsulated. All the cars were gone by now, long gone, leaving the area vacant with nothing but the groupings of pine trees that outlined the campus and the rolling green graze fields in the various distances. John just stood there with his hands in his pockets, caught up in that daze he often found himself in as of late. He still had his business suit on, or at least something passable; uninspired, the simple white collar shirt, khaki pants and plain loafers screamed workplace monotony. His tie was OK, even though it looked a little funny there, flapping in the breeze. John turned to get into his car when he caught site of a young girl sitting under one of the campus trees. She didn't seem to notice him; she just sat there, like she was watching morning cartoons or something. John glanced around, but he didn't need to; he knew no one was there. The way it looked, no one would be there for a long time. He remembered stories he heard throughout his life, men that would snatch children after school and do God knows what with them. Demons, monsters. John felt a little unsure about checking on her, but he knew if the morning news headlined a missing child report, he'd feel something a hell of a lot worse. He did feel sure about one thing, though: he wasn't a monster. Taking his hands out of his pockets, he casually trekked towards the large pine tree the girl was under. Nearly reaching her, a stick snapped under his shoe. Her head darted over; eyes caught in-between shock and a tired haze. John reflexively held his hand up, as if to stay her like a wild animal frightened to the point of running off. "Hey, it's alright, I'm just seeing if your ride's coming," John said in the friendliest voice he could muster. The girl sat there for a second with that startled, confused look still showing through, allowing John the time to get a good look at her. The pace of his breathing increased a little; he didn't expect her to be so...gorgeous, really. Her dark brunette hair, loosely held together by a wood-streaked plastic clip, was the immediate starting point. Everything she wore matched it, with a neckline on her black cotton blouse matching her eye color, more of a dark brown and intoxicating to gaze into. After overcoming her initial panic, she smiled a little and gave a genuine laugh that sounded musical, all the while covering her mouth with her hands out of embarrassment. Her smile still seeped through her fingers. John felt a flush run through his chest, but he ignored the feeling and carried on with his expected adult responsibilities. "What's your name?" John asked, politely. The girl let down her hands from her mouth, half-smiling still. She stood up, wrangling her way up off the ground as she did, and immediately turned her attention to her backside where she softly brushed away dead pine needles from her butt. She was wearing a simple, black skirt. It wasn't super short, but John was no less affected by its allure. As much as he tried not to, his eyes drifted down her small, streamlined body. Her hand, elegant and tender, lightly brushed against the fabric, giving brief glimpses of the smooth curvature her bottom possessed. Just above, her blouse hugged her waist, showcasing her thin, sexy frame. A little skin from her stomach peeked through. Seeing this, John forgot where he was...and the hand stopped. His eyes shifted back to her face and she was staring at him. She had clearly caught him looking. He quickly brushed off her shoulder, trying to play it off like he was helping her. "You had a little...it's OK, it's gone now," John stammered out. Ashley knowingly smiled, giving John another flush in his chest. She reached out with her right hand, the same hand she was brushing her bottom with. "Hi, I'm Ashley," she said. Her voice was lovely and surprisingly mature for her age. John reached out with an awkward rhythm and took her hand. She held his hand tighter than he held hers, even though her hand couldn't fully grip his own. Her fingers felt small, but smooth while lightly rubbing against his skin as they shook hands. He had a strong desire to kiss it, like gentlemen used to do during romantic courtships. He knew that wouldn't be wise; Linda would have a field day if somebody saw them and it got out. John regained some of his composure, reminding himself why he was speaking to her in the first place. He pulled his hand back and tried to not let his interest in her carry over to his voice. "I didn't want to leave without making sure you had a ride...and it looks like it might rain. Are your parents running late or something?" Ashley rolled her eyes. John thought this made her look silly, but also amazingly cute at the same time. Her face was angelic, soft lips with a delicate chin and faint dimples in her cheeks when she grinned. Her skin was full of youth, the skin that women work diligently every day to maintain, but girls like her simply have. Dark, wispy bangs cradled her face on one side. "Yeah...my dad...he's not the most dependable chauffer," Ashley replied, again with that womanly cadence mixed with a young girl's timbre. John was hypnotized by it. "Are you *offering*?" Ashley asked with a sly tone blatantly injected into the question. John felt enough sparks come from this he could've ignited and a million little images popped into his head, images of him on top of her right there, on the grass in broad daylight, thrusting deep and hard inside of her with her dark skirt lifted up, her blouse riding up her stomach and her face rubbing in rhythm against his chest, moaning approvingly. John quickly tried to shake this off, both mentally and physically; a bulge started to show through his khakis. This couldn't be good; people go to jail for just being accused of molestation. Fantasizing about her was the first step to losing everything he had. But then John remembered; he didn't have much. Linda took most of it and his daughter forgot he existed. And here he was, getting an erection from a girl probably the same age as his daughter. *What a fucking loser*, John thought. Still, John mulled over the insinuation. *Are you _offering_?* It was simple, they had only spoken a few words, but John knew what an invitation sounded like. She was young and it could've been an innocent comment, but it was her tone that gave him the idea. Not the 'I Want To Have Sex' tone, but the 'I Want To Get Fucked' tone. It was a difficult idea for John to take seriously. "How old are you?" John asked, frankly. "Oh, 18," Ashley stated, lie firmly embedded in the sarcasm. John couldn't believe it: she was coming on to him. But what he really couldn't believe was the rush he was getting from it all. Every awkward glance at her fragile neck, ears and lips only dug the knife further into his chest and groin. However, he didn't allow himself to commit what his body so desperately wanted. He wasn't going to egg her on. John remembered: unlike those other men, he wasn't a monster. "Right...I'm going to go make a phone call...if you need to use my phone to call your parents, just ask. I need to be somewhere, so it's probably a good idea you do." John turned to leave and Ashley suddenly gripped his arm. John turned back in surprise. "No...just...ok, listen," Ashley's tone shifted as she said this; less bullshit to more matter-of- fact. "I'm 11," Ashley said looking past him, "and my mom died when I was 2, so I only have one parent." Her voice hinted more, nearly pleading, almost to say *Remember...I'm still a little girl.* A little shame fell over John. "I'm sorry," he said. Ashley merely nodded. She looked up at him. That playful look was gone from her eyes now replaced by something else. She looked vulnerable. "Can you please take me home? My dad's...he's not coming." Her tone was serious, traces of hidden pain seeping through. At once, John figured some of it out; she's had a rough life, despite the impressions she gives off. She's probably just like that and he might've assumed some things. Now, he felt like an idiot. "Sure, I'll take you home," John said softly. Ashley smiled, more of a thankful smile than before, but no less beautiful. John's heart still lurched. Ashley gently let go of his arm and started to make way to his car. John glanced around and noticed she didn't have a backpack. "Where's your stuff?" John asked. "What stuff?" She replied, facing him. "You know, like a book bag? Or books, even?" John felt a little odd having to ask this. You never see a kid her age without something to lug around after school, at least in this town. "I don't really need them," Ashley hinted. "What do you mean?" John asked. "I just don't need them," Ashley hinted again. John was a little confused by this. "Don't you need, like, pencils and paper?" John's voice drifted slightly as he said this. Ashley smiled at him. "Teachers don't have me do homework or anything...they say I make the other students look bad. I usually just sit out in the hall during exams." Then, John got more of it, where she was coming from. Ashley was gifted, that much was obvious now; it explained why she acted so mature. He didn't feel as bad now, which was a relief. He may have gotten an erection from an 11-year-old, but it was because she reminded him of a mature, intelligent, unbelievably gorgeous woman unfortunately trapped in an 11-year-old's body. That much was certain. Now he just needed to get her home. Ashley grinned a little and started walking to his car again. John gazed at her while she took unhurried steps, as if she was waiting for him to catch up to her. Her dark hair swayed with the trees as her skirt hugged the side of her left thigh, revealing the light tone her already perfect legs possessed. John noticed her dark slip- on shoes over her little feet and could tell were lightly embroidered, even from that distance. She held her arms behind her back, grasping the wrist of one hand with the other as she walked, looking down and kicking a pine cone like lazy soccer practice. With the line of trees surrounding her and the rolling hills falling far into the distance, everything about her, who she was and how she made John feel, was serene. *I don't care what others say, she's fucking gorgeous. Not just for an 11-year-old, she's just that, a gorgeous human being. I'd give up everything I have in life right now to run up there, rip her clothes off, and _fuck her_ right where she stands.* John shook his head, amazed at the thoughts his mind just produced. *Fuck her?* He wasn't going to do that. Monsters do that. He wasn't a monster. *But I want to be.* Chapter 3 The engine hummed for a few minutes before Ashley finally heard the voice in her head speak. *What am I doing?!*, it said, simultaneously amazed and detached by the recent turn of events. Here she was, in the passenger seat of a beat-up Subaru with a man she didn't even know at the wheel. While his driving was modest and safe, for all she knew he could be taking her to the middle of nowhere to rape her and bury her in a grave where a future estate would be built that she would then haunt as a ghost. Or something to that extent, she thought. That would be her fault, of course. She *had* been pushing his buttons pretty hard, and even that, Ashley knew, was an understatement. For all the effort she put into piquing his interest in her, she might as well have raped *him* with a hand-job and saved some time. Oddly enough, though, that would not have produced the results she was looking for. In fact, something that direct would have ruined it. It was weird; seeing this stranger, this man, gave her a sudden longing for company, something more than small talk. She knew girls her age wouldn't start to really go through puberty until a couple years later, but just then, when this man, John, walked up to her and offered his help, a switch went off. She *burned*, and not the burn she felt while pleasantly experimenting with herself at night; this was a deep burn, unforgiving. It made her heart take precedence over any thought her mind produced. She wanted to be with him. No, she *had* to be with him. And not with any other man or boy. *_Him*_. She didn't understand it, either. John wasn't exactly a hunk of a man. He wasn't bad, but nothing about him should've made her feel that way. He was a little nerdy, no glasses, but he definitely possessed that general lack of coordination with conversations and movements. His suit was lame and his attempt to not stare at her ass was laughable. Though his reaction to her catching him was cute...and she kind of liked his tie, blowing in the wind like that. It was his tiny cape and he was her superhero, here to save her from another unfortunate consequence of her father's chronic neglect. John was a tall, lanky Superman disguised like Clark Kent in that stupid, depressing suit. She felt better thinking of him this way; he was, after all, only trying to help. It was her fault that he felt awkward, causing him to drive in that stiff, mechanical way older people find themselves doing once their senses start slowing to a crawl. After grabbing a look at John, however, Ashley knew his senses were more than alert; he was bound to pop like a balloon if his insides tightened any further. She needed to get him relaxed. "John, thank you for giving me a ride home," Ashley said, sincerely. "I hope I didn't interrupt whatever you needed to do-" "Insurance," John interjected. "What?" Ashley asked. "I sell life insurance...well, other kinds too, but mainly life. I'm an agent, travel a lot, hence the plain suit," John picks up his tie when he says this and waves it a few times. *Insurance?* Ashley thought. *That's kind of like a superhero, I guess. Kind of...* "I'll cancel my appointment later...it's no problem, it's going to storm anyway. I'm just glad I was there to make sure you got home safe," he said. Ashley felt her chest heat up a little. *I'm glad too, John,* Ashley thought. The sky had darkened a lot once they started leaving. Ashley had told John the extremely long way to get to her house. She wasn't sure why. Something made her feel like talking to him, without the blatant advances. She saw his pants bulge pretty quickly during her little act and knew it wouldn't take much to get his heart racing again. She needed more time with him...for other reasons. Just to be sure. "Why were you there, anyway? At the school?" Ashley inquired. She really did wonder this. Why was he at the school that late? Nobody else stuck around waiting like Ashley so clearly was. "Yeah...that's...I was there to pick up my daughter, got caught up in an appointment and..." John faces his hand at his head and flips it, like something fell out. "I forgot." "My dad always forgets, too," Ashley said, recoiling back on the last word. John didn't say anything. "I'm sorry," "No, it's alright," Ashley and John said at the same moment. They both glanced at each other and laughed. This is the first time Ashley heard John laugh; she liked it. It felt real, unforced. That's how John was, she realized. Unforced. When he smiled, his face really stood out, like a college boy who developed contemplative wrinkles in his eyes and forehead as he matured, but retained elements of his boyhood. Ashley liked the ones he kept: not the annoying territorial elements like her father or boys at school had, but the good ones, the sweetness boys can possess but only fully develop after learning to cherish life, not destroy it. She knew if a squirrel ran across the road, John would swerve to miss, not swerve to hit. With this in mind, Ashley studied his face again, his soft eyes and his gentle presence. She flushed a little; he looked more handsome than he first appeared. "Are you alright?" John asked her, not looking. She instantly looked away. "D...did your daughter get a ride from someone else?" *Good save*, Ashley thought. She really did wonder this, too. John did that hand gesture on his forehead again. "Yeah, I'm an idiot. I also forgot my ex-wife had her this weekend...we alternate weekends, and I thought this weekend was the second in the month, but I saw her two weekends in a row and..." John realized how boring he must sound. "Just forget it." "No, it's fine, what's your daughter's name?" Ashley urged the conversation on, her mind once again losing control over what her mouth said. The more she listened to him, watched him, she felt something else building up inside her. Not the slow burn heating up her chest, though that, too, had worsened. It was...affection for him. Deep, passionate affection, like she had it for years. Why was she feeling this way? "Megan...do you know her? Fifth grade, I think," he said. "No...I don't think I've seen her before," Ashley responded and she jolted; John gave an unexpected laugh at this. Letting one last laugh draw out, he quickly smeared his face with his right hand and sniffed, little after-laughs still trickling through. "I don't really see her either...most weekends she's with me she stays at a friend's house," John mentioned. A hint of sadness poked through his voice. "I'm sorry about that," Ashley said, sincerity still intact. Lightning struck and rain started to fall. It was thick, but still safe to drive in. "So, how about you? I got that you're really smart," John said, pointedly. "I like to think I am..." Ashley was obviously a little embarrassed by John's compliment. "Well, how smart do you think you are? You're smarter than me, I bet," John said, pointed once again at her, making her feel good about herself. "I doubt that," Ashley said, being modest. "Come on, give me an example...like, how much history do you know...what grade math level are you?" John pressed on. Ashley felt small, but her heart pounded; she never had this much interest in her from an adult before. Yeah, she had questions about her knowledge, but more from an assessment level to try and determine how best to treat her without spending money on a private tutor. Her dad sure as hell wasn't going to help, so that left it up to the school's extra curricular funds and she knew very well how that turned out: old donated college textbooks and a special corner in the classroom, just for her! Still, she was happy to discuss what she's learned with John; most people only pretended to care and this interest coming from him...it was different. "I just finished Calculus a month ago," she quietly said. John hesitated with his response. "That's amazing...that's amazing, Ashley. I didn't take Calc one until my senior year and you're, what? Sixth grade?" John glowed while he said this. Ashley sank a little in her seat. "I finished all of them last month," she said, even quieter. John just drove. He had a hard time compiling thoughts on how to react. "Why are you living here? You need to be at a gifted school or something," John looked at her. "You're incredible." The rain started pounding harder now. Ashley looked up at John, analyzing his face. The windshield wipers and the rain casted alternating shadows on his face from the headlights as the wipers moved back and forth. It looked like giant, streaming tears ran down his cheeks, matching his somber demeanor and tone when he gave her a look, a caring, concerned look, longing for a way to help her, but unsure as to how. She knew, then, she couldn't return home. Not now. She needed John, more than she knew. She couldn't let him go. "Does your dad have a job or something? Is that why you have to stay here in this Podunk town of ours?" John asked with concern. "My mom died from a wreck with a truck driver. It was the truck driver's fault. There was a big legal battle and my dad won. He has more money than he knows what to do with," Ashley let out. Talking with John about this made her feel good. He just continued driving, quietly. He spoke after a few moments. "And why are you here? Why isn't he taking care of his daughter?" John asked, tension mounting in his voice. "He hates big cities...and around here he can have sex with any woman he wants," Ashley said, with difficulty. "He likes women like him, country women, usually a little bigger like him, too. I hear them every night in my house," Ashley let more out. She found John becoming more than an outlet, though. He was really listening to what she said. No one, not even those in her family, listened to her like this. Their only interest was in her father and his small fortune. It made her extremely sad about herself and gave her an extreme longing for John. She realized why she had to be with him now. He just met her and he cared for her more than anyone in her entire life, except maybe her mother, but she didn't remember her. And John was here, right now. "It's not all his fault...he went a little crazy after mom died, and he has no idea how to take care of me," Ashley said, further explaining her dilemma. "He never paid anyone to drive me to school...he did it because it was his way of taking care of me, at least a way to justify it, that he was doing alright, but he can't even do that right..." Ashley's voice started to crack, so she stopped. She expected John to lose interest in her after hearing that and become more parenting. That's not what she wanted and it scared her. She may have lost him. She may have pushed too far, too fast. *Good job, Ashley, you scared him away,* she thought, glancing over. But John just sat there, quietly driving behind the wheel. After a few more moments, he spoke. "So there's nothing keeping you here? Except him?" John asked. Ashley wasn't sure where he was going with this, so she just spoke her mind. "Not until I'm old enough to leave, and even then I won't have the money to. He will never let me touch it," Ashley said, feeling depressed while thinking about her future. "Ashley...you need to get away from him..." John mulled out-loud, his voice lowering. Her heart skipped a beat and a low thunder rumbled in the distance. "What do you mean?" Ashley asked, hoping dearly for John to say what she wanted to hear. "Well...because you're..." John drifted off. He drove in silence for moment and then looked over. Ashley gave him a silly smile as if to say *And?!* John recoiled back, giving the same cute reaction he gave before when she caught him staring at her ass. "You're brilliant...and gorgeous...God gave you that, you're special...and that seems like something that shouldn't go to waste..." John nervously said. He gripped the wheel a little tighter. *I shouldn't go to waste?* Ashley thought, her chest pounding in rhythm with the high-velocity wiper-blades, *That's your confession?* "God gives people retardation and ugliness, too. Are they less special?" she said, slightly hostile. Ashley was very touchy with the use of God in an argument. She knew her problems paled in comparison to what other people had to go through. "No, of course not...but because other people have their problems doesn't make your problems any less important. You could help people with their problems if given a chance. And I think you would...you're..." John didn't know if he should continue. Ashley grew quiet again, afraid he could hear her heart pounding straight through her chest. She had to steady her voice, so it wouldn't tremble with anticipation. "What, John?" she quietly asked, waiting. "You're everything I could ever want in a woman," John whispered, glancing out of the side of his window. Ashley felt an overwhelming pride and affection overcome her for John. Her heart screamed and what slowly started as a slow burn had become a raging wildfire. No longer was he a subject of speculation, hope and desire. She knew him now and both her mind and her heart knew where they stood with him. Soon, she thought, he would know, too. That moment couldn't come soon enough. Chapter 4 Rain hammered the windshield so hard John could barely see. Lighting bolted down and thunder roared its way through the dark countryside as he tried to stay between the lines of the road. Not looking down, he pressed the AM radio button and cranked the volume; mixed static filled the airwaves with a faint, robotic voice cracking through at random intervals. "-REPEAT. THERE IS A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR THE COUNT-SSSSSSSSSSSS-" John turned it off. "Don't worry, I'm going to get you there, Ashley, I've driven in worse," John reassured her, "I may have to pull over at some point though, between the downpours." To John, his voice sounded like an echo at the end of a long tunnel. His mind was too preoccupied, wheeling thoughts around about what he had just heard and spoke to this little girl. He noticed the more he talked, the more he got attached to her, slowly soaking in the layers of her story as they came to light, revealing the tragedy behind the epic beauty riding beside him in this car. He had to refrain from looking at her; the light from the headlights alternated as the wiper blades and rain glided across the windshield. It made her look like a sparkling angel, light resonating off her at various degrees. He knew it would be a bad idea to provide himself more reasons to emotionally attach; his relationship with her in an hour already felt deeper than his current relationship with his daughter. Linda had kept Megan away from him, even early on when Megan was still young, leaving John effectively outside the loop as to Megan's daily activities. John was never good at connecting their lives; he knew he should've found a way, and he tried, but nothing substantial ever came of it. Hell, Ashley seemed to connect more with him than he ever did with Linda, even. Maybe it was his mind justifying the situation (*Let's be honest, John...it is*, he thought), but what got him the most about her was the flame he so clearly saw emerging between them. The sparks with Ashley were sporadic, but when they hit, they burned. They burned bad. If it happened again, John wasn't sure he would be able to put them out. Ashley's hand touched John's arm. His entire body flushed. "Where do you live?" Ashley asked, softly. John's heart sank and his penis immediately started to rise. He wasn't totally sure where this would lead him, but he really wanted what he shouldn't. As the responsible adult, he was the one who needed to cater to her, tend to her emotional difficulties, and not allow her to believe he was this savior he desperately wanted to be. "I can make it, really...there's nothing to worry about," John tried to say without sounding disappointed. The rain, however, continued to spray in waves against the glass, like an automatic carwash that had gone dangerously haywire. "John, look at me," Ashley coolly said. John never imagined, at 43, he would be in a situation where an 11-year-old girl would make him feel like he was talking to the biggest crush of his life. He felt like a schoolboy again; perhaps her age reminded him of girls he would hold hands with during recess and the intimidation he felt then. But, this girl was smarter than he was today and she was literally a quarter of his age. Reluctantly, he looked at her...and immediately regretted it. Light poured through the rain even more brilliantly than before, making her appear beyond radiant, beyond real. What made it every bit as worse, and what commanded John's every action at that moment, was the face she wore. It was a face of complete insistence. "My father doesn't even know I exist...he'll assume anything as long as it means he has the house to himself for a night," Ashley explained. Her voice returned to that woman cadence again, but still with her sweet, heavenly voice. John had to make himself look away. He drove in silence as the rain danced in step across the window. After a few moments, he spoke. "My house isn't far," John said, giving in. "Let's go there then...we need to get out of this storm," Ashley calmly suggested. Silently, the Subaru made a careful U-turn, changing course. John really didn't have to go far; he wondered why Ashley gave him the route she did to her house, but that didn't matter now. John pulled down a gravel driveway and he could barely see his house through the downpour and lack of street lights. It was one of those old two-story houses with white panels and a small, uncovered porch by the front door. He kept the house after the divorce, thankfully, but much of what was inside had to be bought after Linda cleaned everything else out. The front door was a decent way from the driveway; a nice sidewalk looped around from the driveway to the front porch. The yard was big and the door looked like a good fifty feet from where they were parked. "I don't have an umbrella," John confessed, "we're going to have to make a run for it-" Ashley interrupted John by getting out of the car and bolting down the sidewalk. John hurriedly unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door, rain slamming down on him as he shut it. John chased her, trying to catch up. His tie fluttered like a propeller as he ran and his dress shoes became heavy, making it difficult for him to sprint. Both of their feet sloshed across the sidewalk as they shielded their eyes from the incoming rain. Then, Ashley slipped. She fell over, hard, into the grass, rolling a few times until she stopped, face-down in the lawn. John panicked and forced his feet to sprint, despite the chance he would suffer a similar fate. But he didn't, and arriving at her side within moments, he quickly kneeled and assessed the situation. "Are you alright?! Are you OK?!" John said, truly worried. Ashley pushed herself up off the ground and leaned up to his ear. She was so close John could feel her breath venting from her mouth as she breathed, deeply. "I'm here with you," she whispered, as much as she could through the rain. John didn't really think on her comment too much; when she didn't stand, he took her up into his arms (quite easily, he noticed) and carefully carried her up to the porch. Her head gently rested against his shoulder as he approached the front of the house. When he reached the screen door, he opened it up with one hand and, still with Ashley in his arms, gave a massive kick to his front door. The door flung back on its hinges and bounced off the stopper as John rushed into the landing by the main stairwell. He kicked his foot back against the door, shutting it. The main door knob was broke, but there was still enough of a latch to shut out much of the roaring sound the rain gave off. It grew quiet instantly. John set Ashley onto her feet and took a few steps back, giving her room while he wiped water out of his eyes and frizzled drops from his hair. He was winded and drenched to the core; his torso was showing through his soaked white dress shirt. He eventually settled with his hands on his knees, leaning down, resting while he tried to gain his breath back. After a moment, he looked up. Ashley was standing there, quietly staring at him. Enough light emitted from a nearby room to showcase her drenched, lightly silhouetted body. It was a sight men dream about; her hair thick and wet, giving her wet bangs that cradled her entire face now. Her slightly pale skin was glistening as well as her eyes, both contrasted by the dark, solid colors of her soaked clothes and hair. Her blouse sealed against her figure, showing how timid her body really was while at the same time showing how womanly her figure had become. Her skirt sank between her legs, showing off a perfect V made by her waist and thighs. Water dripped on the floor where she stood, forming a series of small puddles surrounding her slip-ons. Her body mildly shook, almost afraid, not because she feared what he would do to her, but what would happen if he didn't. She unclipped the back of her hair, throwing the clip off to the side and letting her hair fall. Her hair dropped to a little over shoulder length, streaming into her back like tiny waves gently crashing down. She looked up, into his eyes, trying to lure him with her deep brown gaze like sirens lure men with their voices. It was obvious what she was asking; all she needed now was an answer. John froze, and not only his body: all thoughts, all self-control, all conscious ceased to function. The simple gesture was more than enough to tease him, provoke him, or do whatever else Ashley's brilliant mind had laid out and executed with such precision; it was enough to send John over the edge. He did not care what this would make him. He did not care if monsters did this. He knew what he wanted more than anything in life or in death and he was going to take it. He was going to *fuck this girl*. John immediately took three heavy steps to her, cradled the back of her head, and kissed her. It wasn't rough, but it was firm and Ashley's breathing immediately let loose through her nose. Warm wind streamed across his cheek as he covered her entire mouth and then some with his own. She didn't seem to know what to do, so she slowly moved her head in a circular motion, hoping this was the right action. John responded by slowly prodding his tongue into her lips and gently urging her to open them. She did and her tongue came out into his mouth, and his into hers. John's heart pounded and he held her tighter, reaching down, squeezing her ass and pushing her as tight as she could press against him. Her belly pressed firmly against his fully extended erection through his pants and his erection rested there between her belly and his hips. Her body was so wet, warm and tight John felt the urge to start humping her like that, but he restrained himself. He enjoyed her innocent, polite tongue sliding about in his mouth; like the rest of her, it was small, but all thoughts of being ashamed by taking what he dare not, they were long gone. John knew he needed to hold back as much as possible; the night was just beginning, but the urge to take her for everything she had was pulling at his crotch even harder than the first night he discovered masturbation. He also knew only pleasing himself would significantly lessen the experience compared to what it *could* be. He wanted this to be the best night either of them would ever have, but even thinking that felt like a big, fat lie. John felt, in many ways, it already was. Now it was about how far it would go...tonight, tomorrow, and days after. *As far as we can take it,* John thought, smoothly kissing her with her small head between his hands. *As far as we can take it.* Chapter 5 All of Ashley's anxiety melted away once John kissed her. She was not afraid; she was terrified. Not of John, not of what they were going to do. She wanted that, she wanted that badly. She was terrified of *how much* she wanted it. And now, against all possibilities that, out of all people, it was this man she came across, someone unafraid to cross the line and make her dreams come true. Luck had never been her strong suite, but tonight, she would daresay God answered her prayers. Ironic, she knew, being how most people would consider John damned to hell for doing this. But Ashley knew, because she wanted it, God would be OK with it. She was very well aware of her actions and their consequences. She knew about sex, what it was for, how it worked, the biological changes she was experiencing, the rage in her vagina and even how to best make love, though she doubted she had the sexual discipline to slowly build to a prolonged climax. That didn't matter though; she didn't need to, neither of them did. They would have plenty of time to practice. Both of them were violently attracted to each other for very different reasons and Ashley was fine with that. They both were experiencing what was considered a sin, an unholy act; she felt it as a release from her guilt and her pain. She didn't care for other people or what they thought; they never cared for her. This was her choice, her decision. And she was loving it. Ashley was also keenly aware of the informal attitude towards sex, something she had learned to adopt during her late nights alone in bed. She often imagined it, dreamed it even, but shut it off with her alarm, ready to commence her day's duties. But now, well beyond ear's reach of students, parents, teachers, family...it was back, full force. That irresistible and the immediate urge that needed to be fulfilled took hold. At this point, she could care less what it was called, whether it was physically expressing their affections for one another or making love. *That's silly,* she thought while feeling John's stiff bulge sliding across her stomach as they breathed in unison. She knew exactly what it was and she knew exactly what to call it. They were going to fuck. Hard. Like animals, but worse than animals. Animals don't care about what age they are when they fuck; people are pressured by other people about the morals with fucking in the first place, especially underage fucking. The very thing she was doing was something even her father may look down upon, may even find some sense of nobility and try to kill John, but probably more because he *fucked what was his* rather than he *fucked his little girl*. This made Ashley sweat. This made Ashley want John even more. This turned Ashley on. She kissed him more passionately, trying different things, letting her tongue slide in and out of his mouth. John was going to _*fuck the shit out of her*_, but she was also going to _*fuck the shit out of him*_. Her tongue action must've put him into a trance because he stopped kissing her and grabbed her by the waist. He easily lifted her up in the air, carried her to the wall and semi-violently pounded her against it. The vibration the wall emitted nearly made an old grandfather clock tip over onto the floor. John raised her legs over his shoulders so his face was at the bottom of her skirt. He folded the skirt up and gave her pussy a long and careful look. He looked into her eyes and smiled, then disappeared underneath. Ashley felt him kissing her on the insides of her thighs. Slowly at first, then with a steady licking motion. Sharp stabs of wonderful pain flashed between her thighs. Her body felt every touch, every caress, making her pussy, clit and tiny breasts tingle with such wonder that her head started to spin. Everything was so hard she was about to burst. She couldn't take it; she wanted John to fuck her right then. John moved his way up to her pussy and licked the small, delicate lips she had. His tongue explored the edges, adding little moisture to what was already soaked in rain and her own doing. John stuck two fingers in his mouth, soaking them in saliva. Removing them from his mouth, he pointed them at her vagina, reached forward and slowly applied pressure to her mostly intact hymen. "No," Ashley moaned. John looked up, distracted. "What is it?" John asked. "It's OK...I just...I know what you're trying to do..." She gasped between breaths. "I just...I want you...right now. I want it...first...please." Chapter 6 John was stunned. This *had* to feel phenomenal for a girl her age. John remembered when he was twelve and jacking off every couple of hours in the bathroom, every-single-day. He'd get an erection even at the slightest glance of side-boob from his literature teacher, Mrs. Hefny. Now, he was about to give oral to the most beautiful girl he ever knew and she just told him she'd rather have sex first. What was crazier, this was the first time John ever wanted to *give* oral. He was actually disappointed he couldn't give her the first orgasm this way. But not really disappointed. John just kissed what was possibly the purest piece of human anatomy he had ever seen. Her pussy was perfect, complete with a tiny protruding clit that was so hard it probably gave her chills every time her heart thumped. If she really wanted the first time to be during sex, John knew neither of them had long. John lowered her to the ground and took her into his arms again. He jogged her upstairs to the master bedroom while quick, tiny squeaks from the wooden staircase following them as they rose. In the bedroom, John turned on the dimmer high enough so they could still see, but low enough it didn't feel like a hotel lobby (though, on second thought, John felt that would be pretty hot, too). The room was basic, not much more than his king- sized bed, side table and dresser. Only a few generic house and garden paintings crookedly hung on the wall; family, it seemed, wasn't a happy reminder for him. Bland thematic decor adorned the bed quilt and wall color; mostly tan and old flowery designs John never really cared for nor hated. A glass sliding door on the far wall led out to a deck, but the deck was shrouded in darkness. Not surprisingly, neither of them had noticed the storm had continued just as violently during their little escapade, if not worsened. Lightning flashed once, quickly illuminating the bedroom briefly. A loud, crackly thunder sounded shortly after. John laid Ashley down on top of the bed covers. Her body gently melted into the padding as the blankets started to grow darker, soaking up the remaining water on her backside. Ashley calmly waited, her fingers loosely touching as she held her hands slightly in the air above her chest. She looked comfortable, but nervous with anticipation. John started to say something, but retracted before any sound came out. He wanted to say *I'm afraid, too,* but decided that may have not been the best choice of words given the circumstances. Still, he needed to reassure her, so he smiled and ran his hand lightly down the side of her face. She turned her face toward it, closing her eyes and breathing in his skin. His fear subsided a little; he knew she wanted it, possibly more than he did. Without a second thought or hesitation, he chose to give it to her. He first lifted her blouse. It slid up her body, along her rib-cage and eventually to her shoulders. Getting her head through the top, he whisked it off her arms, revealing her half-naked body. As expected her chest was flat, but not totally. Her nipples were small, firm and protruding slightly. Her stomach and waist were skinny and slender. Grabbing her sides, her body warmed up his hands. John inhaled and leaned in, sucking on her breasts immediately. Approving moans instantly emerged from her mouth. Ashley's skin was still glistening from the water and John licked her chest, finding anything he could do for any reason to lead him to the next area. Eventually he jumped down to her feet. He pulled off her embroidered slip-ons and tossed them to the floor. Her feet were small and seeing them made John's erection harden to the point he started to feel pain. He quickly kissed and licked the top of her feet. "Hey! That tickles..." she giggled, though even through the laughter, a sultry tone seeped through. John's dick rose up on end, almost touching his stomach. He wished he had more time to give her proper attention, but this was going to have to be quick. He wasn't the jackrabbit he once was, but a little cum had already escaped him and stood at the end of his shaft. *She can't get pregnant, can she?* John thought, but he knew it was silly to question it and silly to assume. He didn't have any protection in the house, but he knew they'd never be able to find any in town, with the storm and all. For a moment he pressed his face against her ankle, blocking out the consequences from his mind, but still remaining fully aware of his dilemma. His dick throbbed and throbbed as he awkwardly waited, hoping some memory, some long lost condom that just happened to be under the drawer, scattered there during a wonderful, drunken, forgotten night. But John knew, no such night existed, not for a very long time. Ashley's left foot rose up and stroked the side of his face. He turned his head and answered her gesture, lightly rubbing his nose along the inner edge of her foot, up to her big toe which he gave a small peck to. He looked up at her; her eyes gazed down, above her wonderful body and in the same line of view of her perfect, hairless mid- section. "Fuck it," John whispered to himself, not picking up on the pun. He had the prize; she was all his. So what if he opened it a little early? He ignored the counter-arguments that called back, forcing them to die away into the distant echo making up his current consciousness. He journeyed up her left leg dropping kisses like bread crumbs, and then repeated with her right. He caressed every perfect inch of her perfect legs and her perfect skin. Going upward, her knees were small and cute; her thighs incredibly toned and elegant, like those small mannequin legs impossible for grown women to have, but here a pair rested directly in front of him...and they were real. Thunder rumbled through the bedroom, giving Ashley a stir. She ran her fingers through John's hair, almost pulling him toward her sweet spot. Continuing his journey, up John went. Her skirt. John rolled Ashley onto her side and unzipped the back. It easily came off, drifting down along her legs and over each heel, foot and toe. John looked up and saw her ass from the side. It was rounded, small and tight, similar to her thighs. John desperately wanted to give it some attention, but his heart pumped like a time bomb. He leaned her on her back, reached down with his left hand and traced his fingers up the inside of her left thigh. Ashley started to shudder, holding her arms up the air with fists mounted, unsure of what to do with them. She was waiting for it, as was he. John massaged between her thigh and her pussy. He eventually rubbed his fingers up and down the pussy itself. She *moaned* approvingly, gently opening and closing her eyes in rhythm to his movements, but she never took her eyes away from him, not once. Her eyes were darker at this point, deeper than they were outside. Her pupils were dilated and John knew what this meant, but he didn't dare ruin the moment by asking her. Neither of them could be any more turned on. It was time. John ripped off his shirt and launched off his shoes and pants with a speed only men seem capable of achieving when undressing themselves. He climbed on top of her, his larger, manly body overtaking her figure, making her nearly impossible to see if looking at them from above. Her breathing increased as he grew closer, her face lining up with his chest. John underestimated how small she actually was; after failing to feel his way around, he had to rise back up on his knees before he could see what he was doing. He moved his penis near her pussy, pressing against it slightly to hold it in place. He didn't have a small dick, but it certainly wasn't one of those monstrous dildos he came across scanning for porn on the Internet. He never understood how a woman could fuck herself with one without killing herself. But if they could take one of those monster-sized dildos, Ashley should be able to handle his seven inch penis (though it was, John thought, definitely over his usual limit at the moment). Ashley's thighs were roughly only three to four times bigger than his dick and her pussy definitely wasn't the ideal size for easy entry "I'm going to go slow, but this is probably going to hurt at first," John whispered, caressing her hair away from her eyes, "are you ready?" Ashley's eyes had more fear in them than before, but her breathing, and more, her words said otherwise. "Even if I'm screaming, I don't want you to stop," she whispered back. John blinked at her a few times and then kissed her, the best he could at that angle. Bringing his head back, he braced himself on the mattress. He pressed his dick up against her pussy. It was soft, but definitely not loose. Not far above it, her tiny bellybutton started to rise and fall, stretching high and low as Ashley took deep, concentrated breaths. The lights flickered as another low rumble shook the house. John leaned down and breathed in the scent of her hair; it had started to dry, but it smelled like the sea. He kissed her on the lips and they licked tongues for a moment. He brought his face back again and looked into her eyes. After a few moments, Ashley nodded a few quick nods, as if to say *It's alright...just do it*. John readjusted his body, pressed his penis back up against the hymen, and *pushed*. The hymen *burst* and John's penis slid straight into Ashley's vagina halfway. Ashley let out incomprehensible sighs and moans before she could say something. "Take it out, it hurts, it hurts so much!" she pleaded, but John slowly moved back, taking his dick out just a couple inches, and pushed it in, even further. Ashley _*moaned*_; pain and extreme pleasure echoed through the house as lightning flickered through the halls. John nearly passed out. It seemed all the blood in his body had rushed into his penis, making his arms start to vibrate slightly. He knew slow fucking her wasn't going to work; he was going to cum soon regardless of what he did, but he needed to increase his pace. John started to fuck her. He never felt anything like this before. He was doing the very thing he believed he was incapable of doing, something that may have committed him to the depths of the underworld, but at this very moment, it didn't matter. *Heaven* could not feel this good. Her body bucked up and down while she gasped and moaned with every thrust. His body towered over hers and she reached around him, turning her painful screams into screams that demanded he do nothing but continue his work, making her feel something she was never supposed to experience. Girls her age were not supposed to feel this good. Rain pounded down so hard now it could be heard hitting the roof. For all they knew, a tornado may be coming, tunneling its way through the forest and straight through their lovemaking. However, this didn't concern them; if a tornado carried them away, they would continue their forbidden embrace, screwing as the tornado whipped them around in a cyclone of otherworldly pleasure. Putting it that way, they wished for a tornado to take them away. Ashley littered John's chest with random kisses. She was crying now, but it was a good cry. She wanted more, and John gave it to her. He increased his pace, the sound of his balls smacking her ass. Her folds gripped his dick tighter and warmer than every woman he had ever fucked combined. Linda could only *dream* of making him feel this way. He felt his balls starting to mount, that mental cue something great was about to happen, especially if you don't take it out. John didn't think he could and not because he didn't want to; he wasn't sure if he was physically able. When he tried to pull out further than normal, her vice gripped him until he couldn't move, forcing him back in. Ashley wrapped her legs around him and straddled him like some strange electric bull with a huge dick in the middle. John wrapped one arm around her, pressing firmly into the small of her back and lifting her off the bed. He violently thrusted into the beautiful little girl in a way that could only be described as a second puberty. Her ass answered his thrusts, pushing back and forth, tighter than any woman could ever achieve. She was screaming now, but not a loud, porno star scream; a musical, nut-inducing siren that made John wish this very thing he was experiencing would carry into death, because there was nothing in life that could feel better. He remembered the vision he had, fucking her on the school yard, but this was stronger, fuller. Her small chest and stomach rubbed up and down against his, her thighs competing with his hips, her face pressed firmly against his body, eyes clothes and mouth open, showcasing the strongest display of pleasure she had ever experienced and perhaps ever will experience in her entire life. Her delicate arms held one of John's arms pressed against the bed and her other arm around his waist. There was no doubt; they were fucking as hard as they could. Suddenly, John froze, pushing one last thrust into her and holding them together as tight as physically possible, John's balls started pounding and he _*BLEW*_! A thunderbolt EXPLODED outside and John FIRED AGAIN! He came so hard a yell escaped him. Ashley screamed as she came herself, spasming, ruthlessly milking John's entire shaft long, hard, and thorough. Ashley gripped John, digging her fingers into his back, her mouth open, warm breaths puffing his chest, tears running down her cheek, one long moan crying out together with John as she milked him in rhythm with his own amazingly sensitive spurts. Her back perched up as John held her tiny waist even tighter against his and her legs wrapped to the point they could snap. Ashley's perfect ass vibrated in rhythm with every ejaculation John had and it wouldn't stop until every last bit was taken from him. Moaning, sweating and steaming, John and Ashley came.and came.and came... They both collapsed, John launching himself to the side, keeping himself from crushing her. His dick remained deep inside, random spurts firing out as they both breathed together, unable to move. They were like two love-struck survivors, warriors who battled each other to near death. Their heads cradled close, touching, feeling each other's warm breath carry across their necks. They didn't speak...they didn't have to. They were content to lie there, listening as the rain thinned and the thunder softened. The old grandfather clock on the landing at the base of the stairs clicked. Gears turned, wound up and set off the bell chimes. The quiet allowed the chimes to echo all the way up to the bedroom, where John and Ashley lie motionless, unable to grasp onto any thought beyond counting how many bells the clock struck. That tinny, metallic drone bounced through the halls: *one......two......* John sluggishly rose up his head and looked into Ashley's eyes. *Three......four......* Her pupils were wide and round, incapable of releasing the hold they had on his heart. *Five......six......* John leaned down and gave her a kiss full of passion and lust. They pulled back; she licked her lips as they did. *Seven......eight......* The bell drew out the last, extended tone that went flat as the bell's vibration slowed to a stop and the hallway echoes faded. John continued eyeing Ashley. Her eyes playfully traced parts of his face, but always ended back in the same place, staring back at him. Then John knew it; the line had been crossed. John also knew, in spite of the way he would feel, the way he would view himself in the morning and the consequences that would follow, one thing was absolutely certain: the night was young. Staring into her perfect, delicate face framed by the waves of her dark hair and sweetness of her smile, John's heart warmed to the core. He had no intention of wasting it. Chapter 7 The sun felt warm as Ashley stood there, naked by the sliding-glass door, soaking in the rays and the wonders her night held and her morning brought. She placed her palms on the glass and smoothly stroked it with her fingers, pleasantly staring down at nothing. She felt at peace, like her life finally froze in a moment worth holding onto. Time stood still as she meditated in the light while her naked body, now more womanly than ever, left a slender silhouette when seen from the other side of the room, the small of her back and the crest of her ass still faintly visible in a soft, orange glow. She didn't hear him leave bed, but she soon felt John's lips on her neck. A warm smile spread across her lips as she closed her eyes and lifted her chin in the air, basking in the touch of her first lover. "I want to try something," he whispered. He disappeared for a short while and, upon returning, Ashley caught a brief reflection of him massaging his love muscle with lotion while it rose to a peak. He made love to her then, carefully inserting and eventually thrusting himself in and out of her ass. It was a slow, questionable process, but to them, they had eternity. He held her in the air, hands under her thighs with her butt, glistening with oil and lotion against the sun, sticking out and allowing him the freedom to enjoy the full pleasure that part of her body possessed. It was quite a lot, giving Ashley new chills she hadn't experienced, even after the previous night's sexual discoveries. Her small hands pressed up against the glass door, leaving imprints from her sweat. Her breath condensated the window with each thrust, the top of her head pushing against the glass, completing the balance. They both had prime positions to stick and move, pulling the most from their frictions. The partially enveloped sun fully emerged from a final, lonely cloud, shining on rain droplets still clinging to the window from the night's storm. The droplets prismed, shining colors across Ashley's face and body while warming her chest in ways that complimented her pleasure beyond words. Her tongue panted out as they reached climax, John filling her with what remained of the night's encounter. Ashley, now overwhelmed with happiness, kissed the window and its little droplets, shining their sparkling, colorful life into her mouth, blessing her image despite the forbidden pleasure she was experiencing. Her heart, she knew, was pure, and she felt confident she could say the same for John. *They chose this*; it was not for others to decide. And the choices continued. Later that morning, the decision to keep seeing each other was made without question, though Ashley thought the chances of them getting caught were likely. However, she gained hope after seeing her dad's reaction when John dropped her off later that day. Her dad gave a blank stare, rubbing his pasty forehead with one hand while scratching his nasty, stained t-shirt with the other, near the side of his respectable girth. If suspicions existed, they weren't apparent, but after Ashley explained that John was the father of her new best-friend-Megan, her dad gave the slightest hint of a smile and returned inside. Like that, John became Ashley's exclusive chauffeur, deliberately setting Ashley up to be friends with his daughter so they could continue their secret romance while evading suspicious eyes. But Ashley never met Megan; other plans were already put in motion, plans John later admitted knowing nothing about. Linda had found a new man, a rich man, and they were in love. As it turned out, Linda *didn't* have Megan the weekend of John and Ashley's romance, but she *did* pick her up from school before John got there. She ran away, taking her daughter with her and giving neither Megan nor John a fair chance to simply say "Goodbye". Linda, having full custody, had the say in the matter, effectively removing John's ability to oppose. He didn't mind so much, though; after talking with Megan on the phone weeks later, she acted as if she was happier where they went. He knew she never liked her hometown and he felt happy for her, even if she forgot to mention she missed him, even the slightest. He caught wind of it, though, before she hung up, giving him a brief moment of held silence before her sudden "I...I guess we'll talk again, sometime," followed by John's own stutters, agreeing they'll keep in touch, visit each other, etcetera. But through the years, John only saw his daughter a handful of times, almost always at very special occasions, like her marriage when she turned 19, or at family funerals. Despite losing what remained of his immediate family, Ashley found John to be more or less unaffected by their departure. It simplified his life and gave him more time to spend with her. The initial suspicions about John giving Ashley rides sans Megan were put to rest when Ashley told everyone her father was paying him to help with her transportation. John did, after all, not live far from her, and on occasion Ashley's father did, in fact, pay him gas money to continue convincing himself he was taking care of his daughter. For everyone else, being that John previously dropped off and picked up his own daughter, John picking up Ashley looked almost exactly the same. Fear did nip the backs of their minds for a while; John would take Ashley to school, pick her up, all the while having incredible sex in the various avenues they found themselves in, now with proper sexual protection in place (They got lucky the first time). Initially, it was relegated to John's place, but once the fear of getting caught subsided, the Subaru became a likely contender when a sudden urge pounced into one of their laps. Being discreet was the key to not getting caught and they were both smart not to. They carefully parked the car out of sight, hid condoms in the trash, prevented themselves from being seen together in public outside of school and they *never* talked about each other around people. Each day, Ashley expected some police officers to appear in her classroom doorway, give her a stern, discerning eye and inform the teacher they needed to speak with her in the principle's office. She would lie about John, of course, but it would be only a matter of time before the truth came out and she would see him cuffed, stowed, and taken from her, possibly forever. The fear lasted for days...months...and into years, until one beautiful morning when Ashley had a sleep-over at her "friend's" house. She awoke in the arms of her beloved, swinging calmly in a large hammock he bought specially for them. She glanced around, startled, afraid of being seen with him in the broad daylight, until her heart slowed a little and only the quiet of his breathing could be heard. She stared at his broad shoulders and his chest slowly rising and falling, the steady tempo of order, of control. All the fear, the fear of their exposure and the calamity that would follow, was lifted away like dandelion seeds blown into the air by a playful schoolgirl. She thought about those officers showing up at her classroom door, staring at her with those sad, discerning eyes, and her own, imagined self brazenly laughing at them. She knew there weren't going to be officers at the door; that day would never come. As time passed, years, that dark cloud that initially shrouded their thoughts started to clear, giving them the freedom to explore their romance like real couples, or as close as they could emulate. They would invent dates, usually at John's place. He didn't have many friends locally, at least any that would randomly stop by, and his family lived further from him than Linda now did. Ashley and John would watch movies, cook, even read together. Still, even with this newfound freedom, Ashley wished for more ways to take their romance further. She wished a lot of things, but she knew wanting to fly after learning to breath underwater was a lot to ask for. At 15, John taught Ashley how to drive the Subaru. At 17, he helped her prepare for college. And on the morning of Ashley's 18th birthday, great change happened, starting with John showing up at her house, ringing the doorbell and, when Ashley's father opened the door, punching him square in the jaw. He knocked out cold, so cold he had no recollection of his assailant hours later, but after waking, he realized his little girl had left him, something he was unsure as to how and react. Ashley's father, now broke from gambling and back on the paper plant line where he used to work, came to a grand realization where his greed as a widower and his ineptness as a father had taken him. He was alone. Even though they now lived together, Ashley knew John was afraid. Not necessarily of their past forbidden relationship being discovered (at her current age, of course, society deemed it appropriate), but afraid that she may forget him, leave him for another boy closer to her age, and possibly even reveal their entire hidden affair. She put these doubts to rest one night, having a friend drop her off at his place after prom. When John opened the door, Ashley made certain she was more beautiful than when she left his home that morning. She wore the dress he gave her; since she spent the day at a different friend's house, this was the first time he had seen her wear it, a bareback black-jeweled wonder that cascaded down her fully developed chest and sultry body. Her face was tweaked to perfection with dangling ear rings and her hair was long, wavy, dark, and absolutely phenomenal. John looked down her body and pulled his eyes back into hers. He leaned forward and pretended to brush something off of her shoulder. Her smile shined. She adorned a corsage to his shirt, kissed him, and he took her into his arms and carried her upstairs. That night, they made more love than when they first met. Life grew lonely for a while after this as Ashley left for college in a used red Grand Am John had bought for her as a graduation present. Despite the fact Ashley aced the acceptance exams and gotten a full ride, she felt empty. She was far away from John, somewhere he could not follow. He couldn't afford to; John had started to struggle with his finances as the insurance market started to shrink, leaving him with a fixed number of potential clients. He felt it was safer to keep the house and earn what he could, at least until she was finished, before moving elsewhere. In the meantime, he would wait. Their time apart was sometimes months, sometimes entire years before they saw each other. It wasn't the best of times, for either of them, but they made due. All the while attending school, fending off imposing young men and blazing a path to becoming a phenomenal medical doctor, Ashley developed a grand plan. An image often flashed through her mind, an image of her bursting into John's house much like he kicked in the door himself, calling out his name, telling him things were finally in place. After graduation, she would attend medical school, all the while working in research and having the chance to support them both. It would be a day where *she*, for once, could take care of *him*. Not long after she turned 21, Ashley planned to do just that, being accepted into a medical school not far from her hometown. Ashley felt ecstatic; she was coming home. The day she pulled into that massive driveway she remembered so well, her heart was racing. Life had come full circle; since the day John picked her up and took her away that wonderful afternoon, here she was, during an afternoon just like it, about to take him away to a place where they could *finally* be together in plain sight. She dreamed of this moment, she wanted this moment soon, and she needed this moment to be perfect. As she pulled up to a stop, she saw something, something that made her grind the car across the gravel to a stop. Hesitating only for moment, she bolted out of the Pontiac and sprinted down that same sidewalk she did with John all those years ago. Her hair streamed behind her as she ran, her pace quickened by the simple jeans, white college t-shirt and sneakers she was wearing, feet pounding on the sidewalk now dry from the sun's merciless rays. She arrived at her destination, not far from the spot where she had fallen on that first day, and fell to her knees. Grown grass rested in front of a push mower nearby and lying behind it, in the fresh cut grass, was John. He laid on his side with his back turned, like he fell forward, pushing the mower far in front of him during his fall. Normally, Ashley would examine a patient with great care and precision, identifying the symptoms and solving the riddle as to what the problem was and how best to fix it. Here though, her mind was too quick, much too quick for her liking, only having to grip the edge of his wrist for the proof of what she suspected. She knew for a while, even long before becoming a doctor, that John had a family history of heart disease. She always feared it, but never wished to acknowledge the possibility he would fall victim to it. But here, in plain sight, she could clearly see it was much too hot to be mowing and he was much too still to be breathing. That slow rise and fall of his chest, the image she knew all too well from lying there with him in their special hammock, wasn't there. In the same spot she had given her life to him, a heart attack had taken it. John was gone. Ashley stared, blankly, at John's shoulder covered by his sweaty undershirt and thoughts ran through her head, not of the pain she was about to endure, but of the fears she knew John now faced. Their ultimate judgment came not from their family, society or even God, but from themselves. Ashley knew John questioned his actions every day, fearing not the faces of other men and women, but fearing where this may lead him in another life if he were to be called out on his actions. He wasn't sure what to say, how to respond, or even if he could justify to himself that his relationship with her was pure with intentions. But, unlike John, Ashley knew he cared. She knew he continued not entirely out of his own selfish needs. He would have stopped had she asked him, but she needed him, too. John gave up everything he had, his potential to find another woman, another life, and to start over, for Ashley. Every opportunity that came by, he ignored, because he knew changing jobs, changing houses, meant changing their lives and increasing their chances of being exposed. He would wait, no matter how long it took, he would wait. And he did. For _*her*_. Ashley found from experience away from her hometown, outside of her old life and even from life with John, others needed to find peace doing something they were always told they shouldn't, things she often heard from the church kids at her old school, lecturing her about the evil ways and sins of actions condemned by their parents (thus the status quo for the region) and how hell would be waiting for those that partook in said actions. Ashley didn't care much for being told to, at least being told what her heart should feel and how wrong she was about everything. She knew what was wrong, and it wasn't the way John held her in his arms, whispering soft encouragements about how much she could accomplish in her life with her gift, something no one else bothered to mention. She knew the fear she sensed from those children and parents who preached the word of God out of worship, but feared being discovered that they were not much different than the hell-goers they so readily condemned. And she knew what she would say to them now, given a second chance. Ashley ran her fingers through John's hair. It was soft still and his touch felt warm. The sun had been beating down on his body after he passed, but Ashley sensed from his touch that he hadn't been gone long. She felt her heart thickening, but she would cry later. She needed to give him the moment, the time he so truly deserved. He had given her so much, allowed her the chance to accomplish what she had, and prepared her for the things she was on the path to do. Saving lives, changing lives. That was her life now, a life John so selflessly helped to create. He was her good monster, and her angel. He would've been her husband and she, his wife. They were divided now, but she knew wherever he went, wherever his soul was deemed fit beyond this realm full of people so good and so dark, were he to end up in heaven, hell, or someplace unknown, she knew that eventually, when her time came, she would find him...and follow. She wasn't his anymore; he was hers. Sunlight streamed and scattered through the leaves up above as a soft breeze took hold. The trees swayed and the light flickered across the side of John's face. Ashley sighed as the gust rippled through his clothes and his hair, making him appear to be moving, something that may have briefly convinced her he was alive if she allowed herself that cruel luxury of blind hope. There was nothing to do here now, nothing to hold on to. He was gone. Her superhero had fallen. The wind gusted through her own hair. Coming back to Earth, she realized she had another long trek ahead of her and now another storm was coming. It was time to go. Ashley slowly leaned across John, turned him onto his back and breathed in his scent. It was still there; everything about him was still perfect. The only thing missing was his heart, and she already missed it dearly. She gently cradled his face on one side and turned it toward her own. His eyes were shut, but his expression was peaceful. She knew she didn't have long before the moment was lost and her nerves gave way. Her heart was already sinking, but she forced her eyes to hold and her cries to steady. Wind gently blew through both of their hair, gradually building in intensity as she moved forward. Giving John every second she could, Ashley slowly leaned in, closed her eyes, and kissed him, one last time. Taste the Rainbow *Fin*