Chapter 7

At Zoe's house, he insisted on carrying her inside and placed her on the living room couch. They had been carrying on a silent conversation the whole trip, mostly reassuring each other, swapping apologies and endearments.

James smiled at her, hating that it had happened this way but feeling closer than ever, better grounding and better connected.

'I think we might have to show this to your mom, Zoe.'

"Oh! Maybe you are right. But what about dad? Stacy?'

'I don't know your dad well, and he doesn't seem overly fond of me after the fallout from the mall.' James sent, embarrassment and sadness at that dark episode coloring his thoughts. 'I think Stacy could handle it, and she might even be able to help us, suggest things we haven't thought of. She's pretty smart.'

'James Anderson. Is there where I get jealous? She has already seen you naked, does she get to know you more intimately too?' Zoe was teasing, but there was an undeniable kernel of discomfort there as well.

'When we have some time, I have an idea. When I sent you my version of what happened this morning, ' he felt his stomach roil, it still riled him up a bit, though he tried to minimize how much of those feeling were transmitted to Zoe, he knew he couldn't block them, not if he wanted her to really trust him, to know him. 'I had never been able to do that before. Stress seems to be the key, but I think I know how to show you everything, to help you understand the good parts and not just the horror story in my head.'

Zoe could feel his residual anger, recognizing it for what it was, and sending back love and apologies, promises to never, ever be that clueless and careless. 'I am in your hands, love. I want this, more than I can say. I feel so close to you, so connected to you. It is like you are inside my head, my heart, and I can feel you, I can feel your heart, feel your ... your soul!'

James sent back pride and awe. 'You are getting so good at this, so fast! You are amazing!'

'I can see it, on a weird, deep level. I see you do it, then I can do it, like my mind is learning directly from yours. It is so exciting! Like I have been blind my whole life, but now I can see.'

Mental conversations took a fraction of the time that a verbal one took, and their comments flew back and forth at the speed of thought. He was just setting her down on the couch when they paused, and he tried something new as he bent down to kiss her gently on the lips. In his head, he mirrored the feel of her lips on his, the tender feelings that it gave him, the warm feeling of love and excitement that kissing her brought out in him. He showed her how beautiful she was in his eyes.

Zoe gasped, gazing up at him in wonder. 'Oh my ... that was ... wonderful. Do I ... Do I really look like that to you? I can't really be glowing, someone would have noticed, and my nose is crooked, not perfect like you are showing me. And my boobs? My boobs are NOT that big!' the awe and humor came through clearly as she saw herself through his eyes.

She concentrated, her nose and brow wrinkling a bit. 'This is you, my love' and she pushed back, copying what he had done, and sending him a view of him through her eyes, buttressed and enhanced by her love, her desire and her trust in him. It was James's turn to gasp, looking in shock at the idealized, almost heroic figure she imagined when she saw him. He looked like a short, young superman!

'Show me for real, you minx!' he thought, sure she was teasing him. She simply opened for him, allowed him to see directly through her eyes. He was dumbstruck. How? 'Oh my.'

"Ok, you two. Out with it." Ailene was standing there, hands on her hips and a look that brooked no nonsense in her eyes. "I know you are holding back, you aren't telling me everything. I get it, you weren't sure, you didn't know if I would wig out and get hysterical. Trust me here, I am a mother of two teen girls. I can handle it. Zoe, are you pregnant?"

Zoe burst out laughing, her face beet red. She shook her head. "No mom! I am not pregnant. I may be sixteen but you yourself got me the pill last year for my periods."

Ailene looked a fine mix of annoyed and embarrassed. "So, that just means it is something else." she stood her ground, her arms now crossed under her breasts and her glare intensifying.

'I think you should do it.' James thought.

'Me? I have to work through you, remember?'

'No, love. You don't. As far as I can tell, as long as we are linked, you can do what I can do. Maybe not as strong, and I have more practice, but you can do it!'

'Oh my. Sheesh, I seem to be saying that a lot lately!' she mused, then concentrated. 'Um, James, I don't know how to connect.'

'Oh, sorry love! I forgot, I was so wrapped up in having you in my head, it feels so very good. Watch me, follow me, baby. See her emotions? She how they ebb and flow, the strongest always the largest and brightest? You will learn how to tell them apart, they each have their own flavor. Now watch here, in the middle, see those little flashes of white light? That is her, her mind. Watch now, I am going to make a probe, and slide it in between the emotions, directly to the mind spot. See how I can squeeze it down, make it tiny enough to slide right in, like a needle? But look, inside the needle, see how big it is? Neat, huh?'

James slid the needle home, connecting for the barest instant, the expanding the tube, the emotions re-routing around it but not disturbed. He broke the connection before Ailene even noticed anything strange.

'Your turn, baby. Just like I showed you. Go slow at first, especially when you make contact. You don't want to shock her.'

He watched her as she formed the needle, and slowly extended it, taking her time, and then, right before it touched the mind spot, she hesitated. 'I'm a little scared, James, Do I want to see inside my mom's head? What if there are things there, thoughts there that I don't want to know?'

'I know baby, its how I felt the first time, with you.' he radiated embarrassment. 'I didn't know how beautiful your mind was, how bright and filled with goodness. My mum was easier, I have known her longer and she is the person I trusted most in the world ... until now.'

He felt her glow, and then she slid it home, piercing the mind spot.

'Mom?'

"I'm waiting." her mother answered, not realizing that the voice was in her mind.

'Look at me momma. Watch my face, my mouth. Maybe you should sit down though, this can be odd the first time.'

James brought his mum into the loop, sharing the conversation that was happening.

"Wha ... but." Ailene said, her eyes wide. She backed up and collapsed into a chair, rubbing her eyes. "How?" she asked, then her eyes darted to James. "You?"

'Yes momma. Say hello, baby.'

'I am sorry we hadn't told you, but this is all very new for us. I learned how to do it Saturday. Today, we had a bit of a ... well, we had a fight, Zoe and I. A misunderstanding, mostly.'

'Momma, I did something very stupid, very juvenile and I hurt him so ... I didn't mean to, but I did. I was in denial, I was making it worse, turning James against me and against himself. I almost ruined everything!'

That pain that radiated through her link to her mother made both Ailene and Ada gasp, wincing and shivering. They both turned their eyes to James.

'It's ok, now. It was just ... growing pains. I was very, very angry though, for a while. When Zoe didn't understand, ' he paused, and looked at Zoe, sending her his love and an apology for what he was going to say. 'When she refused to understand, I was going to leave, walk away and never come back. She pushed me, yelled at me, asked me to show her what I saw, what I felt.'

James felt himself shiver, and could feel his pain, a pail echo of the anger he had felt that morning and the despair that had almost undone him. He showed them, let them taste just a little, and he saw both mothers begin to cry. He hated to do it, to inflict it on them, but they needed to understand too.

'I showed her. I was very angry, very hurt and I pushed ... I sent them into her mind full power. What I saw, what I heard, what I felt ... all of my anger and despair, all of my pain. It was too much for her. It was too much and I tried to stop it, but the link had formed. I was ... devastated, undone. I rushed her to the nurse's office and stayed with her, worked with her, showed her how to control it, to master it. Somehow, in that mix, she became ... well, me. She could see what I see, feel what I feel, could follow my mental processes, see how I did things.'

James opened his mouth, his voice loud in the quiet room. "Now, when she is linked with me, she can do what I do. She has become, even more than I dreamed possible, my other half. She is my soul mate, in a very real, very personal way."

"We have much to learn, but it will be that much easier with another to share the burden with." he said, his voice low, but filled with hope.

"My god ... I don't know what to say! I always thought that telepathy was something made up for movies, for stories. Are there others?" Ailene asked, scooting forward on her chair, excited in spite of her concern for her daughter.

"I don't know. Mum said that it was our family, but never mentioned any others. Mum, did you ever hear about others?"

Ada shook her head, smiling at her son, and moved over to sit next to Zoe, hugging her and kissing her cheek. "It's ok with me, my dear, dear daughter." she whispered and smiled at the joy in Zoe's face.

"So ... what now? Can you give this to others? Share this ... power, this ability?" Ailene asked, hope creeping into her voice.

James shook his head. "I don't think so. I don't know, mind you, but I don't think so. Zoe and I already had a special bond. She was the first person I connected to, the person I sent images and thoughts to. We had a link from the very first time we met. I don't know how it even happened, and how today's events made it stronger, more intimate."

"Mom..." Zoe said "We can't tell anyone. We told you because you are family, my mother. You deserved to know that I wasn't some emotionally unstable ninny, that James was not dangerous. You needed to know. But we can't let anyone outside the family know. Can you imagine the panic? The government stepping in?"

Zoe let that hang there. She knew her mother was picturing a dozen stories, a hundred movies, and when she shivered, her face paling, she nodded at her mother, and sent her a mental hug, warmed Zoe's love for her.

Ailene sat back, her mind whirling. "So what now? What does this mean for the two of you?"

Zoe looked to James, and James smiled at her. He shrugged.

'We don't really know. I don't know the range yet, so we have to find that out first. I don't want to be apart from Zoe while we are figuring this bond out. Just the thought makes me sick to my stomach.'

'Momma, I know that I am your baby, and that I am just sixteen. Ok, ok, almost seventeen, but I can't be away from James. I don't think I could survive it.'

"Oh hell." she said, lowering her face to her hands.

James grinned at Zoe. He followed her probe, amazed at how smoothly she connected with the mind spot. She was a natural.

'Stacy, this is your conscience. Or your sister, one of those.'

They both smiled when they heard Stacy's cry of surprise. James an Zoe were in Zoe's bedroom, and Stacy was in her own room down the hall. James had been showing Zoe how to extend her reach, but were finding out that she only had about twenty feet for an empathic read, but about half that for a mental touch. They had agreed to tell Stacy, but James suggested practice, mixed with a little bit of fun.

'Stacy, can you come to my room? James wants to tell you something.'

There was a bang, like Stacy had thrown her door open, and the sound of pounding feet. Zoe's door swung open, and Stacy stood there, her eyes wide. She was dressed in only panties and a sleeveless t-shirt, no bra.

James turned to face the window, and Zoe giggled. 'You have seen her before, and in less than that!' she teased.

James was surprised, not even a touch of jealousy. He cautiously probed, letting her know what he was doing, and she grinned at him, opening herself completely. 'You have access to anything you want, lover. I will have no secrets from you. I trust you to be a gentleman.'

'Oh great, now I feel even guiltier. I was going to eviscerate that idiot today for just flirting with you, but I get to look at your sisters boobies.'

'Oh baby, that is not what I meant! I kind of like that you were jealous, but now you will know for sure. I won't even make you feel like that again, never make you want to go to that dark place. I love you!'

Stacy stared for a moment, then came in and shut the door behind her.

"What.The.Hell.?"

'Hello, Stacy. I like your outfit, thought it is not as nice as the one you wore in the shower.' James said, then laughed at loud both at Stacy's sardonic grin and at Zoe's mental laugh.

Stacy did a double take, her eyes wide.

'It's real, Stacy. James is telepathic, and now that we are linked, I can do the same. Neat, huh?'

"Neat? NEAT? It's awesome! Quick what am I thinking, James?"

'You are thinking ... oh hell. Um, Zoe, you can take this one.' James blushed, and he averted his eyes. There was no hiding from Zoe now.

'But sweetheart, she never saw it ... standing tall, not like I have.'

"Oh my god, you two are doing it?? Having sex? Wow! I waited until I was eighteen, but I didn't have a muscled hunk like James either." Stacy winked at James, then laughed when his blush deepened.

Stacy jumped onto Zoe's bed, the interesting physics of her unrestrained bosom catching James eye and earning him another mental poke from Zoe.

'Stacy, James can't stop staring at your boobs, can you get a shirt or take that one off? Something has to give.' Zoe teased, but she was wishing she hadn't when Stacy whipped her shirt of and threw it at her boyfriend.

"I was joking!" Zoe cried, grabbing the comforter from her bed and draping it over her sister. "Holy cow, Stacy, we need to find you a boyfriend!"

"Not going to share? Fine, be that way. Now, give. I want the whole story here! Aliens? Secret government experiment? Bit by a radioactive ... er ... something or other?"

James and Zoe took turns filling her in on the whole tale, but asked her to keep it in the family.

'James and I will be sharing time between here and his house, not sure of the schedule. With our bond, we need to be near each other. We thought it would be easier to fill you in than to have to make up a bunch of lies. And we already know we can trust you.'

It was Stacy's turn to blush. "Um, damn. You can totally read my mind, can't you? Oh hell, I am sorry Zoe." She looked really upset.

'Zoe? I don't want to invade her privacy. She's your sister, is there anything you can see? Anything you can do to help?'

'Don't worry about it, baby. She's feeling guilty about something. Can you give us some privacy for a minute?

James tuned out, instead he browsed the pictures on Zoe's desk, seeing multiple pictures of her and her parents, of her and Zoe, a couple of her crew of friends. She was so cute as a little girl.

'Ok lover. It's, um. Hold on just a sec. Ok, I told Stacy about my promise, how important it was to me, to us. She says she understands.'

James peeked at Stacy, and saw that she was very uncomfortable. She was staring at her hands, and blushing furiously.

'Um ... are you sure?'

'Yes. I promised, and we need to be open with each other. It's not bad, just embarrassing for her. She said she has been having dreams about you. Dreams about the shower, but in much ... um, different circumstances.'

'Oh? Oh! ... oh ... okay?'

Zoe giggled. 'You are soo cute! Makes me want to take you in the shower again myself.'

James, deciding it was time to get some of his own back, grinned at her and then pushed...

'OOOOOOOOhhh ... oh, oh my god. Oh damn. I forgot you could do that! Wow ... we have got to make love tonight. Hey ... this sharing, like when we kissed, we could do that, right? Linked? '

James grinned at her, sending her images of her butt again.

'Somehow this is less embarrassing like this. Ok, so what is this ... gift?' Stacy was looking better, less self-conscious.

Zoe grinned and nodded. 'Hold on, Stacy... '

James pushed, and Stacy threw her head back, her eyes unfocused, and she let out a loud moan... "OOoh ... oh. oh my god ... yes ... ummm."

When she recovered, she stared at James, humor and a touch of hunger in her eye. 'How did you do that? That was ... wow! Not as nice at the real thing, but better than my shower head.', a wicked grin on her face.

James and Zoe had asked both sets of parents to sit down with them to discuss the changed situation. David and Ada Anderson had agreed to come to the Darcy/Stanton house, and they were all gathered in the living room.