Stealing the Heart of Mr. Steele

We both open our phones and walk in opposite directions for a bit of privacy.

"Hello?"

"Whatever you do," Atlas' sounds frantic and scared, "Do not turn on the television or look at your phone, please, not until I get there. We need to come up with a plan, but I don't want you to be scared." "Hold up," I retort, "Why can't I?"

"Just trust me," he murmurs. "You don't want to see what I'm seeing right now. I'll be there soon. I need to hang up. I love you."

The phone goes dead. I don't even have a chance to let him know that I love him too.

When I come out into the living room Tilly has the television on. "Oh God," she moans, looking at the screen. "No, no, no."

Tilly hears my footsteps and hurries to turn off the screen. "Clark was wrong. You shouldn't see this. You might..."

"Tilly," I grumble. "Why are all of you keeping secrets from me? What is it that you don't want me to see?

"The news," she shakes her head. "It's ugly, Cordelia."

A few minutes later, Clark is at the door. "Did you see?"Còntens bel0ngs to Nô(v)elDr/a/ma.Org

Tilly nods but then looks at me. "I saw, but Cordy doesn't know."

"Good," Clark steps forward. I see him strain not to hold her and I wonder how many moments I missed when he wanted to pull her close and avoided it to spare my feelings.

I shake my head. "It's okay, Clark. I saw you two this morning. I know everything."

He stiffens.

"And I'm okay with it," I shake my head. "I'm happy for the two of you."

He looks at Tilly. "Everything?"

She shakes her head and he pulls her in close. "Not quite."

"No more secrets you guys!" I'm feeling flustered now. "This is getting ridiculous! What aren't you two telling me?"

They look at one another. Their eyes lock in silent communication and marvel at the fact that I have been mostly oblivious. I had an idea that they may have been sneaking around, or at least flirting, but I somehow missed that they were completely and totally in love with one another.

"I thought we agreed," Clark mummers against Tilly's hair and I feel a wave of romantic flutters in my chest. The gesture is so sweet. From what I see, Clark is a giving, gentle lover. "We were going to wait until Christmas."

"That's more than a month away you two," I stomp my foot. "What aren't you..."

There is a loud knock on the door. Clark sighs in relief. "That's probably Atlas."

I open the door, and as soon as he sees me, Atlas pushes his way through, closes the door, looks at all the windows, closes all the blinds, and then takes a long deep breath. Baffled, I blink at him in the near dark. He looks at me in relief, and then, as if having forgotten something important, he marches over to me and sweeps me into his arms. "Thank god you're here and not out there," he holds me close. "If you had been at the store or getting

coffee I..."

I hate being the only person in the room completely clueless. Everyone is treating me like a fragile breakable thing, or worse, a child.

"What can be so bad that you all have decided that I cannot handle seeing the truth," I push myself out of Atlas' arms and scowl at all of them in the dim light of the shaded room. "All of you better spill or I'm going right out this door to find out for myself!"

They look around the room at one another and then look at me and then look at me with fear and love in their eyes. While I appreciate their love, I do not appreciate their coddling. The longer they stand there looking at me with sympathy, the more angry I become.

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"We were going to tell you, Cordy," Clark promises. "But we just, how do I say this," he pauses, "Especially in your condition. We just wanted to prepare you before you saw what we have seen. We don't want it to put you into shock." "What could be so bad?"

"It's Sydney," Atlas explains without explaining much. "She's back and," he meets my gaze, "it's bad. We might not be able to save it this time."

"Save what?" I feel my blood chill, like a dark shadow passing over my grave.

"Our family honor," Atlas explains. "And your business. Cordelia Louise is done," he then looks at Clark before adding. "And with it, Steele Industries." VictoryAnne Vice

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Damn you, Sydney! What did you do?!