Dearly Beloved - Chapter Twenty Two (Patreon)

The Dresden Files/Codex Alera is copyright Jim Butcher. This story is licensed under the Creative Commons as derivative, noncommercial fiction.

Chapter Twenty Two

"Wow," Murphy said as I opened the door to the Penthouse. "This is your place?"

"I know, right?" I set my purse and keys down on the little marble alcove, and walked into the immaculate Kitchen. "It's like white met white."

She walked in, looking around. She wore my old t-shirt, some yoga pants, and flip flops. Her hair trailed the carpet behind her, basically the same color.

"It's gorgeous!" she said, plopping down on the sofa.

"Want some wine?" I said.

"God, yes."

I poured two wineglasses, from a lovely bottle of Suavignon, then passed one to her.

We both drank nearly the entire glass in one gulp.

"Bring the bottle."

I got up and grabbed the bottle. After settling back down next to her, I poured her another glass, and we clinked.

"To being myself again, sorta," Murphy said.

"Yeah, at least in mind, if not in body."

She looked down at herself. "This wouldn't be too bad, I suppose, though I don't know how I'd ever perform martial arts."

"I think you'd become a master in an art other than martial."

"Yeah, that was the idea," she sighed. "He wanted to change my name too when we got married."

"Oh?"

She took a long drink. "Mhmm. Karri Melons."

I made a face.

She held up her breasts. "I'd never thought a woman in a man's body would desire something like these. You desiring them is one thing, but for fuck's sake, I look like a cartoon."

I put my arms around her. "You are my cartoon."

She snuggled into me. "Always."

"God, I missed you. It was like he took you away from me."

"This was just a first step too. He was basically going to erase my entire history, and give me a new one."

"How can he do that?" I said.

She shrugged. "Wizard."

I laughed at that, and sipped my wine. "Fair."

We sat like that for awhile, and I stroked her hair.

"How goes things with Susan?"

I sighed. "I was supposed to go over there after I visited with you, but then, demons."

She giggled. "Yeah, I guess that did disrupt your plans."

"It's going okay. We've narrowed it down to about 15 people, and there's another that visits the salon Thomas owns. I'm working undercover as Tiffany Nelson, hairstylist."

She pulled back and looked at me. "You? A stylist?"

"I know, right? But Lara has all the memories and I just have to give myself to them a bit and I can actually do it. It's fun, if I don't think too hard."

"Maybe you can do something with all of this?" She held up a fistful of platinum locks.

"Sure, we can do that in the morning if you'd like."

"Okay."

I poured us another couple of glasses. It was nice to have her in my arms again, though a bit awkward. Luckily, my sexuality had balanced out a bit and I found her attractive again. Tipping her chin up, I kissed her deeply.

She moaned softly, pressing into the kiss. She tangled her fingers in my hair and kissed back, passionately, rising up to press her body to mine.

We broke, both gasping softly. "I guess our libido is a bit enhanced like this."

"I guess so," she said.

"So you don't mind that I'm a catcher and not a pitcher now?"

"No. You're one of the sexiest people I've ever seen."

I kissed her again, my fingers sliding through her hair. "Back 'atcha."

We had both started fumbling with each others clothes, when the door of the Penthouse opened, and Thomas and Harry strode in.

"Oh, for fuck's sake!" I said, pulling away.

Murphy released me too, gasping, as our ardor faded to embarrassment.

"Don't stop on our account," Harry said, grinning.

"Perv," Murphy said.

"I should have locked that fucking door."

"We need to talk," Thomas said. "Then you two can…explore."

I nodded, getting up from the sofa. "Let's sit at the table."

Harry tried to reach an arm out to Murphy, but she sidestepped him and came around to my side. Hah! In your face, Dresden, I thought.

We sat at my, well, Lara's dining room table.

"So…" Thomas said. "Who wants to start?"

"Why the fuck would you give my full name to the demons?" I said, bitterly. "You don't know what you've done!"

"Well, you definitely took advantage of it in dispelling them. Bravo by the way," Harry said. "Is there anymore of that wine?"

I got up and went to the pantry, and pulled out another Sauvignon. I grabbed two more wine glasses, and popped the cork, then returned to the table.

"I see you've made yourself at home," he said.

"Yeah, about that," I said. "Why the fuck did you change Murphy?"

Thomas held up his hands. "Look, this isn't going to go well if we can't agree to some terms."

I crossed my arms. "What terms."

Thomas nodded. "For the duration of this meeting, we set aside blame and recriminations. We are looking for solutions to this problem, not casting blame."

"That's because none of this is our fault!" I said. "There's only one person to blame!"

"Agreed," Harry said. "But…" his face fell.

Thomas rubbed his shoulder in an affectionate gesture I really didn't like. But I didn't let loose my scathing temper, I seethed all to myself.

"So?" Murphy said. "Want to explain why I look like a porn-star and Harry is a blood sucker?"

"He doesn't suck blood," we all responded together. Then laughed.

"You know what I mean," Murphy said.

"I just…didn't want to be Lara anymore." Harry set the wineglass down. "I was tired of the Hunger, tired of always needing to sate it, tired of being CEO of Raith industries, tired of it all. If I didn't do this, I would have comitted some form of assisted suicide, probably with you as the assistant, Lara."

"I get that," I said. "I do. But that doesn't give you the right to steal my body."

Harry nodded his head.

"Plus, I could notify the White Council right now and accuse you of breaking the second and fourth laws of Magic! Do you know what they'd do to you? Probably to all of us?"

"They wouldn't be very kind. But really, Lara, I didn't break anything. You invited me into your mind, and Murphy was a willing transformation subject."

We both shrugged at that.

"So what do we do about it?" I said. "You've really caused a major problem for me now. If I go back into my body, the demons will have my true name and they really will take my soul! I managed to loophole them this time, but one of us is going to end up being dragged down to the hot place if they come again."

"Why didn't you follow them," Harry said. "I mean, they said your name three times."

I shrugged. "Best I can think, the name Harry blahblahblah Dresden doesn't apply to me anymore."

"And because I'm still partly Lara, it doesn't apply to me either."

I held a hand up. I was starting to feel a little tipsy from the wine. "Got it in one."

"You've got to admit that my life isn't really that bad," Harry said. "I mean, look at this place. Plus you have Thomas, and the entire multi-billion dollar corporation that you can do anything you want with!"

"You make it sound like this is permanent, Harry." I said.

He crossed his arms, then looked at Thomas. "That's what we're here to talk about."

"You really want this to be permanent?" Murphy said.

Harry nodded. "Like Lara said, if he comes back into my body now, they'll just drag him down. And they can't drag me down…"

"They can't drag you down right now," I said. "I didn't say that would hold in the future. I don't know about you, but the longer I'm in this body, the more I'm Lara."

He nodded.

"So unless you have some other idea," I said. "Eventually that name will completely apply to you."

He sighed. "I can live with that. I have some ideas."

The silence stretched on.

"No," I said. "No. I won't agree. If that's what you're looking for, I won't agree to be Lara for the rest of my life. Fun is fun and all, but I want my magic back, I want Murphy back…" I felt tears bite my eyes. "I want my life back."

He nodded stroking the beard at his chin. "Okay."

I frowned. "Really? Just like that?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. I can put us back, if that's what you want."

I thought about the demons. Yes, that would be a hard something to get around, but I did have Sidhe help if I needed it and they'd held the demons at bey for eons.

"Okay, then yes, that's what I want."

Thomas frowned. "Are you sure?" He spoke in a low voice to Harry.

"Yes, I'm sure. And I'll put Murphy back the way she was as well. I'm really sorry, Harry, I didn't mean…well, I did mean, but I wasn't thinking clearly and saw an opportunity…but you shouldn't have to pay for my hereditary curse."

"Thank you."

Murphy pulled my arm. "But the demons!"

"We've faced worse," I said. "Now that we know they're coming, I can prepare."

Harry took a deep breath, then came up to me. "If you're ready."

I turned. He was so much taller than me, but it didn't feel so strange anymore. I looked up. "I'm ready."

"Then look into my eyes."