A Blan Page

It was nine in the morning when Nathan's cell phone rang. He'd been at work for three hours, and was idly wondering when she'd call.

"Hey there," he said as he pulled the phone to his ear.

"Good morning," Dani said. He could hear the sleep in her voice. "You must be a wreck this morning, what did you sleep? Like an hour?"

"I'll make it. Have you gotten out of bed yet?"

"Nope, I looked out the window though, and your dad and Mel's cars are there," she sounded nervous at the prospect of being discovered.

"He won't care, grab a shower, get some breakfast, and relax I'll be home around two-thirty," Nathan said. "Oh, and be sure to call and try to set up tomorrow night with Aimee."

"Ok lover, I'm on it," Dani said with a short giggle. "You better get back to work if you're gonna bring bacon this evening."

Nathan said a goodbye, and caught a look from his boss, Robert. Phone calls were generally frowned on if you weren't on a break. Nate reminded himself to let it ring if it happened again, and grinned as he went back to work unbundling a large stack of lumber.

He had woken up to his alarm clock with ease. As was becoming usual, no matter how much sleep he got, he was completely refreshed when he woke. Things were still looking up in his world, and he intended to keep them that way.

Along the drive to the jobsite, he had come to the conclusion that he wouldn't crawl into a hole with the book and disappear. He'd been living with next to nothing for so long that he'd be damned before giving up on opportunities the book presented. No, he'd rather be dead than forced to scrape a meager existence out again.

Freed from that decision, his work day had been uplifting. The simple tasks let his mind spin, formulating a plan for his future. He still had a bit of time before he could open the safe deposit box and get Pop's information out, and he planned to advance in the book before that time came up.

At lunch, he grabbed a hoagie off of the kitchen truck that usually appeared, and jumped into the bed of his truck. In between bites, he glanced around to make sure the rest of the crew was a fair distance away. Then he flipped open his phone again, and called his house.

"Hello," It was Dani's voice that greeted him.

"Hey, just taking my lunch, and thought I'd see how you were getting by."

"I'm great, Mel woke up a while ago, and we've been hanging out."

"How'd it go with Aimee?"

"Well," Dani hesitated. "I took a little creative license out on her."

"Meaning?" Nathan sat up straight in the truck. He wasn't sure if he was more curious at what she'd done, or excited.

"I got her voice mail, so on a lark, I sorta told her to meet us at Fitzgerald's tomorrow at seven."

"Okay," Nathan said. He wasn't sure what the big deal was. "You afraid she won't come?"

"No, I'm just hoping I didn't intimidate her," Dani said. "As soon as I got her voice mail, and it beeped, I said 'Aimee, this is Dani, you met me and my boyfriend last night, and I want you to meet us at Fitzgerald's tomorrow seven PM sharp, don't be late, Nathan wouldn't like that. Don't pull your hair up, and wear a skirt. I can't wait to see you there."

Nathan grinned, Dani hadn't made arrangements with Aimee, so much as she'd made the arrangements, and told Aimee how it was going to be.

"Well, if you've scared her off, I'll have to punish you for your mistake," he said. He was trying to make the threat sound reasonable, even though he wasn't sincere.

"I know, but I think that if she does show up, we'll already be much closer to an understanding with her."

Nathan's mouth hung open a bit at Dani's acceptance of his threat, she hadn't balked or anything, it was almost as if she had accepted the possibility before he'd said it.

"Nate," Dani said; her voice a whisper. "If you have a second, I wanted to talk to you about something else, I moved into the bathroom for some privacy."

"Okay," Nate was a little taken back.

"It's just that, you're doing such a great job being in control, I was hoping that I could show you how much I appreciate it."

"What did you have in mind?" Nathan found himself leaning forward, waiting for her words.

"Well, I wanted to show you how much I respect you for taking charge of me when we're together, so I thought," Dani stopped for a second, and Nate could almost feel her nerves through the phone. "I thought maybe when we're together, and alone, I could call you 'Sir'."

The other end of the phone became quiet like a tomb. Dani had completely shut down after the word 'Sir'. Nate was a bit shocked by her request, and more surprised by his own excitement for it. After a moment he realized it was quiet because they were both holding their breath.

"Breathe Dani," he said after his own breath. Then he heard a sharp intake of air from the phone. "I think I'd love to hear you call me Sir. When ever we have privacy, I think it works."

"Thank you...Sir"

Nate was amazed at how he could feel the hairs on the back of his neck buzz with approval when she said it, addressing him with it for the first time. His cheeks flushed with warmth, and began to hurt after a few seconds of grinning like a Cheshire cat. Finally, he was able to speak a few seconds later.

"Oh, I had no idea how much that would turn me on," Nathan said, hoping she would at least feel half of what he was. "I'd better finish my lunch though, and get back to work. I'll see you in a few hours, and get you out of the house."

"Can we go by my dorm to get some clothes?"

"Sure, I need to hit that side of town anyhow."

"Thank you, Sir"

They hung up together. Again, Nathan felt his chest vibrate when she said it. If he didn't get used to hearing it quickly, he'd look like a goof every time he heard it from her.

Nate wolfed down the rest of his sandwich; he barely had enough time to toss out his trash before the crew was getting back to business. He spent the last hour and a half of his work day in a haze of pleasure. He was having questions about his relationship with Dani, but they were all good questions.

Thinking he knew where things with her were headed pleased him, but knowing where things with her already were pleased him too. It was one of the few time in his life, where he needed to get answers about something, but all of the possible answers he imagined were good.

The truck rolled home with Nathan driving like he'd stolen it. He wanted to get back to Dani, and watch her lips the first time she called him 'Sir' in person. Part of him thought it a bit foolish to be so excited, but a larger part of him had no shame at all.

Gravel jumped into the air when he locked up the brakes in front of the trailer. He opened the door and entered in one sudden movement, and startled everyone inside. "Shit son, is there a fire?" his father asked.

"Crap, sorry dad," Nathan said, noticing the pale expressions Melanie, and his father were wearing. They had been looking at some papers on the kitchen table, and had apparently been very focused up to the point where Nate had flung the door open. Dani was sitting at the couch, staring at the couch with a bright red blush on her cheeks. "I was just trying to get home quick so Dani and I could hit the bank before it closed."

"Uh-huh," his father said, looking at Nathan with a 'you have got to be kidding' expression. "That's about two hours away. If you don't hurry you'll never make it."

"Right," Nate said, letting the word die as it was spoken. "That made a lot more sense as I was racing home, than it does now."

"It's ok," Dani said, apparently having controlled her blush, she was jumping up from the couch. "Now we have time for some shopping too."

"Now you're talking girlfriend," Melanie said with one hand held high in a victory salute.

George Prescott laughed, while Melanie and Dani grinned at Nate. Realizing he was still holding the door, Nate turned to hold it open for Dani as they left.

"See you later son," George said, still laughing. "Don't spend the rent money."

After they were driving out of the park, Nate snorted at himself, and took Dani's hand in his. She squeezed him, and they drove in silence. It was three blocks before he spoke.

"Do you think we can talk for a second," Nathan asked. He was already pulling over to a strip mall.

"Of course."

Pulling into a parking spot, Nate shifted in his seat, and took both her hands.

"You told me you wanted to know I was in charge in the bedroom. You wanted me to decide when and how we have sex. Right?"

"Absolutely" Dani said without hesitation. She was looking back at him, her blue eyes sparkling with intensity.

"So, what I was wondering," Nathan was balling his toes up in his shoes to keep his composure as he spoke. "Is if that's all you're after. To me, you seem to want more. Do you want me to be in charge of more?"

Dani blinked. Her eyes softened a bit under his gaze, and she looked down away from him.

"Yes, Sir"

Nathan knew that the pounding of his heart could be heard out side of the truck. It felt like it was going to jump out of his chest when she spoke. He'd gotten the answer to the question he spent the last of his work day asking himself, and he'd seen her lips move as she spoke the one word he'd been dying to hear in person.

Silently, Nathan counted to fifteen before putting the truck back in reverse, backing out, and leaving the strip mall parking lot. He was half a block away when he took her hand again. She was still looking down.

"I think I'd love to try it," he finally said. "I'd be proud to be in charge of you Dani."

Dani still didn't speak, Nathan wasn't sure if she was stunned, or just had nothing to say. He got a shiver down his spine when she leaned over and kissed his cheek though. Instead of letting her kiss and run, he released her hand, and wrapped his arm around her as he drove. Holding her next to him, happy they were together.

He didn't let her go even as they pulled up to the drive through teller at his bank, and deposited the check he'd gotten at Mr. Willow's office. Then he held onto her the entire drive from the bank to her dorm, only letting go of her when they had parked.

"Get comfortable clothes for tomorrow, then something hot for our date with Aimee, and casual clothes for Sunday. Don't forget to grab any books you need to study, and bathroom things that you might need," he said. "I'm gonna make a phone call."

"Do you mind if I change what I'm wearing today?" She was still in the little black shirt, and red skirt from the night before.

"Go for it, I'll see you in a bit."

Dani practically bounced into her dorm, and Nathan quickly opened his wallet, and examined the business card Mr. Gofelt had given him. It was a very professional card from Gofelt's residential developer friend. Nathan had already decided to push his luck with this one. Knowing that he'd have to be careful dealing with the man in the future, because the use he was going to put this lock through was sure to stress the mans normal behavior.

Nathan took a moment to formulate his wishes into a few good sentences, and then gazed at the card, he was nervous that he didn't know what the man looked like, when suddenly an image of a grey haired man in his sixties, overweight, and wearing a very expensive suit came to mind. He'd never seen the man before, but knew that it was the Samuel Woodman that was indicated on the card. Focusing hard on the image, Nathan thanked the book for the vision, and began to speak.

One minute after issuing his orders to the card, his cell phone rang. Mr. Woodson had a deep, scratchy voice, and wanted to remind Nathan of the meeting they had scheduled for the following day, and gave Nathan the address where they would meet. Memorizing it, Nate thanked him, and hung up. He was sitting in the truck with a smug smile on when Dani came back down from her room and walked out of the dorm.

In Nathan's eyes, she came out of the building in a slow motion sequence from a movie. Her pink hair was floating in the light breeze, and the sun caught the ring in her lip in a perfect flash of silver. A light blue tee wrapped her torso tightly, showing off all of her curves, and revealed a glimpse of her skin below its hem before her faded and tight jeans clung low on her hips and hung over a pair of black heeled clogs that clacked softly with her footsteps. A small roller bag was drug behind her.

"You look great," Nate said after jumping out and holding her door open.

"Thank you."

"Want to catch an early dinner, and then get back home?"

"If that's what you'd like to do Sir, then I'm all for it," Dani said. She was already leaning back in her seat, completely comfortable in his world. Nathan realized that he'd made a mistake asking her a question. She'd already said the day before that she was good to stay a few days, and just an hour ago had said that she wanted him to be in control more. Together that meant they'd do what ever he wanted until she needed to get home to the dorm again.

Shutting her door, and shaking his head at himself, he tossed her bag into the bed of the truck and went around to the driver's side. After he started the truck, she leaned back over and into his side. With his arm back around her, he drove off.

"So...can you cook?" he asked about a mile down the road. The plan had been to get some take out, but he thought now he might like to see if Dani would make dinner for him.

"I can cook a few things," she said, still smiling with content. "Planning something fun?"

"I was just thinking that it's been a long time since I sat down and ate home cooked food," Nathan said as he pulled the truck into a supermarket parking lot. "I think it would be awesome if you'd cook something up for us tonight."

"Do you have something in mind?"

"Not a clue, I was planning on giving you a bit of cash and letting you surprise me," Nathan said honestly.

"Okay, I can take care of that then," she held out her hand once they slid into a parking spot, and Nathan slipped her forty dollars from his wallet.

"Be right back, Sir," Dani said as she slipped out of the cab.

She was only in the store for ten minutes; it was enough time for Nate to relax though. In hindsight he decided that next time he'd send her off from the house, and let her take the truck. That way he'd be able to kick back on the couch instead.

The book floated immediate in his mind. Somehow he was going to have to push it. Make more progress on it, and get ahead of these things his Pop had hinted at. He hoped it would begin making simpler lists for him to complete. Or maybe be more forthcoming with the knowledge he would need to survive. At the rate it was going his lists were taking weeks and months to finish, and he really needed more rapid gratification.

He was still in the middle of ruminating ideas when Dani returned to the truck. Leaning over, Nate popped the door open for her, and smiled as she climbed in with two grocery bags. Stowing the bags on the floorboard, she buckled her seatbelt. Nestling into his side, she pulled his arm back around her as he put the truck in drive and pulled through the parking lot to leave.

When they got back to the trailer it was after six. As a result, Nate's dad, and his girlfriend Melanie had left. Dani and Nate pulled up to the empty trailer, and Nate carried the groceries and her bag inside.

Dani unloaded the groceries on the countertop, and started working. Nathan took her suitcase to his room and closed the door behind him. Once in the room, he plucked the book from its hiding place. The red thong was still wedged between the pages, marking his last spot. Holding the book in both hands, he stared at it before opening.

"Come on," he said, his voice almost pleading with it. "We're going to have to speed things up a bit in order to keep me safe, and you in the right hands. How about this, I'll make sure to get the ball rolling with school on Monday, and you let me take a crack at the next list?"

Taking a deep breath, he felt a little stupid for trying to strike a deal with a book. Of course it wasn't a normal book. With more than a fair amount of trepidation, he cracked the page, letting the thong fall into his lap. The air in his lungs came rushing out in a release when he saw the fresh words on the page.

Your deal is acceptable Nathan Prescott. However, should you fail to meet your side of the bargain; you will lose all abilities gained thus far.

Demonstration of the next three steps will be required before you may move further.

Step one: Learn the use of the rune to protect your mind. Step two: Properly perform the aura of guarding. Step three: Imbue one of your locked subjects with knowledge.

From there, the book began going into great detail. The rune was explained to have the ability to protect it's wearer from the suggestion powers that Nathan was able to project on his locks. On the pages, it was explained that the rune was drawn anywhere on the body to have its effect. It did have to be drawn perfectly though.

This did not sit well with Nathan. He couldn't even think in a straight line, the book had seen to it that he could handle linear thinking. Step one led to step two, and so on until his goals were met. However, artistry was not something that could be taught without at least a very modest amount of natural ability...of which Nathan possessed none.

Mulling that over for a moment, he took out a piece of paper, and examined the rune. It was a complex mix of geometric shapes. Nathan couldn't begin to draw it. He was considering a trial, but even if he did manage to get it on his skin correct, he'd just have to do it again after a shower.

With a sigh, he switched his phone to camera mode, and moved the picture to a bright spot under his lamp. Taking careful aim, he snapped a few pictures of it with his phone. Tomorrow he'd complete step one...forever.

Slipping his thong book mark back in place, Nathan grinned and placed the book back into hiding. He was beginning to smell something appetizing, and stuck his head out of his bedroom door.

"How much longer Dani?" he asked the empty hallway.

"About thirty minutes Sir," an upbeat response came back.

Stretching his neck, Nathan decided to stay out of her way while she worked.

"I'm taking a shower," he said. "I'll be out just before it's time to eat."

"I'll have a drink and a plate ready for you Sir."

Twisting his back and stretching his arms over his head, Nathan floated across the hall to his bathroom still tingling from the sound of her voice when she said 'Sir'. It felt so bizarre to have a girl calling him Sir. At the same time, the particular girl made it all feel right.

In the shower Nathan was all business. He had eight hours of labor to wash off, and wanted to smell good for Dani when he was done. His shower was a simple fiberglass enclosure with cheap fixtures, and narrow footing, but the hot water was still as soothing and relaxing as always.

A little more than thirty minutes passed before Nathan emerged in the living room. He was barefooted, and wearing a pair of clean jeans, and a loose tee that bore the emblem of Mr. Gofelt's company.

To her credit, Dani had his plate topped with pasta that looked mouth watering, and a large glass filled with ice tea sitting at the small kitchen table he'd picked up at a garage sale with his father.

"Its stuffed manicotti and I have a Greek salad too," Dani said with a smile when she saw him gawking at the table.

Wondering how someone as marvelous as Dani could be so multifaceted Nathan grinned. Somehow she stayed interested in him, even asking him to make decisions for her. Nathan almost rested his confidence in dealing with Dani on the book, but the more he thought about it, the only involvement the book had with her was when he'd 'seen' her at the club.