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Dark Times in Still Waters
Chapter 3
By Dottie
Copyright 2013

Kevin cautiously opens the bathroom door. He moves slowly until he's standing behind Teagan. Her shoulders are slumped and he can tell she's still crying. He looks to the mirror, but her hair is covering most of her face. Gently, he places his hand on her arm. "Teagan?"

She tenses up. "Why did you come here? You wanted to see the monster too?"

He rubs her arm gently. "You're far from being a monster. We're here because Natalie was so afraid for you."

She sniffles. "Please go away."

He steps right up behind her. Standing a head taller than her, it's easy for him to put his chin on top of her head. "I'm not leaving until I'm sure you're ok." She sighs shakily. "Look at me Teagan."

She trembles violently. "NO!"

Her scream causes everyone in the cabin to jump. Natalie gasps, her hand flying up to cover her lips. Brian holds her tighter. She's staring at the bathroom door afraid that no one will be able to talk Teagan off this ledge.

Kevin slides his arms around her, holding her tightly. "Teagan, you need to calm down." When she tries to pull away, his grip tightens. "I'm not letting you go, so stop struggling and listen to me."

She slumps in his arms and looks down at his hands on her stomach. "Why? Why do you even care? You don't know me."

With his cheek resting on top of her head, he whispers, "I know enough to know you're hurting. I know enough to know people on this ship hurt you badly and they were wrong. They were so wrong. Now will you please just come out here and talk to us?"

She starts to pull away from him, but stress of the day and sheer exhaustion consumes her. She collapses in his arms, fainting dead away.


When Teagan slowly opens her eyes, she finds herself face to face with Kevin Richardson. She blushes and starts to panic, trying to pull away. He puts his hands on her shoulders and gently holds her down. "Just lay still Teagan. We're going to talk."

She shakes her head, turning away. "Please go away."

He reaches for her chin and brings her gaze back to his. "I might be a good old boy and my Mama taught me to always do as a lady asks, but Sweetheart, I'm not leaving until I know you're ok."

His smile makes her heart flutter. "I'm fine. Now will you go?"

He shakes his head. "Nope. You're stuck with me."

Teagan looks around the room. "Where's Natalie?"

Kevin sits up. "She went with the fellas to finish the game."

She rolls her eyes. "Oh God, I'm so sorry..."

He chuckles, taking her hand. "Why? This isn't your fault." When she closes her eyes, he whispers softly, "Teagan, what happened to you?"

Her eyes fly open. "I figured Nat..."

He shakes his head. "No, because she's right about one thing; what happened to you doesn't matter. It's obvious it was traumatic. But it doesn't matter if you don't want to tell me."

She sits up, pulling her knees to her chest. He sits down beside her, watching as she turns her face away to limit his exposure to her scars. He scoots closer to her and puts his chin on her knees. When she glances at him, he smiles. "You can hide from everyone else on this ship, but I won't let you hide from me. You're too pretty."

She blushes. "You don't have to..."

He winks. "I'm always honest, Miss Teagan...what's your last name?"

She can't imagine what makes him so interested in her. "Michaels. Teagan Michaels."

He sits up. "Very pretty. So Miss Michaels, will you tell me your story? Please?"

Her heart aches. "Did you hear about the school shooting in Pennsylvania at the beginning of the school year?"

Shock and sympathy fill his eyes. "I did. You mean...?"

She nods. "Yeah."

He whistles. "Teagan, I'm so sorry. I can't imagine..."

She shakes her head. "No one can unless they're freaks like me."

He growls softly. "Darlin, you are not a freak. You're a victim. You aren't to blame and no matter what anyone may say, you are a beautiful Lady."

She rolls her eyes. "I'm not blind, Kevin. I can see exactly what I am."

He scoots closer, grabbing her arms. "Obviously you do have problems with your eyesight if you can't see past those scars. From what Natalie said, in a few weeks you can have plastic surgery and the scars will be gone. But do you think that's really going to change the way you're feeling about yourself right now?" She doesn't say anything. He continues softly. "Teagan, if you let what others say get to you, it will completely eat you up inside. The people that know you...the ones that matter...they will always be by your side."

Teagan finds herself wanting to believe him, but she's so self conscious, she shakes her head. "How can you say that? I'm so...hideous...I can't even stand to look at myself."

He cups her face with his hands and whispered sharply, "You are NOT hideous."

She pulls away from him. "Like you said before, you're a good old boy...a country gentleman. You're not going to make me believe you truly think I'm beautiful. That's just crazy. Ask all your fans, they'll tell you."

He stands up, pulling her to her feet. "Come here Teagan."

He pulls her to the mirror and stands behind her. "Now, do you know what I see?"

She sighs, closing her eyes. "You see a monster; you're just too nice to say it."

He leans closer, putting his face next to hers. "Open your eyes, Teagan, and I'll tell you what I see." When she opens her eyes, he whispers, "I see beautiful blue eyes that are full of sadness. I see creamy white skin, and silky brown hair." When she closes her eyes, he whispers, "Teagan, I see the scars, but they don't matter to me. Any man worth his salt would be honored to have you on his arm. And I'll prove it to you. Get dressed. You're going to be my date for dinner."

Her eyes fly open. "No. No, I can't..."

He spins her around and cups her face. "Yes you can. Because you're strong...and if you can't be strong on your own, you can lean on me, ok?"

She searches his face. "Kevin, please don't ask me..."

He smiles. "But I am. I want the prettiest girl on the boat to go to dinner with me. That's you. Now, I'm going to go get dressed and I'll be back in half an hour for you. The rest of the guys want to meet you. And Nick is going to be SO jealous that you’re my date." He kisses her scarred cheek softly. "Half an hour."

After he leaves, Teagan feels completely shell shocked. She stares at the door trying to figure out what just happened. And why? Before she can form a coherent thought, Natalie comes barging in. “Teag! Are you ok? You scared the daylights out of me!”

Teagan snaps from her reverie. “WHY DID YOU BRING THEM HERE?”

Natalie gasps at the venom in her friend’s voice. “Because you scared the living shit out of me when you said you wanted to die!”

Teagan feels her anger deflate. She whispers softly, “Nat, I’m so sorry.”

Natalie sweeps her into a fierce hug. “Teag, I’m so sorry I made you come. I just didn’t think they would be like…this…the fans I mean.”

Teagan feels safe with her friend there. She pulls back slowly. “So what did you do?”

Natalie chews on her lip. “I sort of let loose on the whole fucking ship.”

Teagan gasps loudly. “Nat, what did you DO?”

Natalie sits down and says, “Went to the game show and sort of took it over. I told them all exactly what I thought of them. It felt good too.”

Teagan is stunned…then she starts laughing. Natalie looks up; panicking when she sees her friend is both laughing and sobbing at the same time. Jumping up, she grabs her shoulders. “Teag, what’s wrong? Teagan?

Teagan shakes her head. “Nat, he wants me to go to dinner with him. I can’t! I just can’t! They’ll all be staring at him…staring at me. Oh God, why did I agree to come on this stupid cruise?”

Teagan bolts for the door, but Natalie grabs her. “Teag, stop it. Calm down.”

Teagan jerks away, panic enveloping her. “NO! I won’t go and he can’t make me go! You can’t make me go! Leave me alone! Can’t you all just leave me the fuck alone?”

She runs into the hallway, bumping into a steward carrying a stack of towels. Teagan jumps back. “I’m sorry!”

The young woman sees how distraught Teagan is and she leaves the towels. “It’s ok, don’t worry about it. Are you ok Miss? Do you need anything?”

Teagan shakes her head. “I need the floor to open up and swallow me. I can’t do this. I can’t…”

They young steward is scared. Natalie opens the door, watching in horror as Teagan collapses on the floor sobbing. Rushing to her friend, she looks at the steward and asks, “Do you have an infirmary on board?”

The steward nods. “Of course, I’ll help you.”

Between the two of them, they manage to get Teagan to the infirmary. While they discuss what happened with the doctor on board, Teagan gets control of her wits. Looking around she spies a door. Slipping off the bed, she manages to get through it unnoticed and finds herself in a service access hallway. Thankfully it’s empty so she runs.

Several minutes later she finds herself back on her deck. When she finds the corridor her cabin is on, she sees Kevin knocking at the door. Silently gasping in fear, she runs back down the hallway to a janitor’s closet and slips in. She sits quietly in the dark and waits.