Tracy

034:

Tracy came upstairs a little while later carrying her luggage, which hadn't been all that heavy. She heard Raine and Austin bantering good-naturedly about The LA Kings versus the Pittsburg Penguins.

"What's that? Hockey?" She called as she made it to the top, and Raine leaped over to grab her bags. His hand clasped over hers as he did and he jumped back, falling over the chair in the way and grabbing his head and his wrist at the same time. Richard leaped to catch him, missed and reached to help him up.

"What the hell? Did you trip?" Austin was next to them, helping Raine whose eyes were deeply staring at Tracy.

"What was that?" He said bluntly, wide eyed, getting to his feet.

Austin reached for Tracy's bags and as his hand brushed hers he felt the strange tingle, like an electric shock. He jerked his hand away, and watched as it tremored slightly. He didn't say anything, but his eyes met hers. Tracy let go of her bags and crossed her arms protectively over her chest, with a touch of asperity.

"I got shocked." Raine announced. "Your body, or your hand, or something. You shocked me. Shocked me good."

"Like static electricity? I've never seen it do that to a person!" Austin said.

"No, not like that." Raine was still rubbing his head, looking confused.

Richard made sure Raine was steady and then he leaned forward and simply put out a finger. Hesitantly, but completely compelled, Tracy reached one finger to touch his. Just one finger. His eyes held hers--- no commentary about anything.

The strange shock raced around till it found the outlet and simply shed itself into Richard's finger. Tracy dropped her hand, staring at him—unable to move.

"How do you feel?"

"I feel fine." Raine's eyes pierced hers as well.

"What made you almost pass out?" Richard asked looking back at Raine as tension filled the room.

"The shock she gave me."

Tracy pinkened perceptibly, insecurity at being exposed with her strange disability clouding her cheeks. She hunched into herself.

"I've been taking her shock, and it didn't do that to me." Richard said. "Trace, have you hurt yourself recently? Any injuries? Pinched nerves?"

"It's not a pinched nerve." She said slowly. "Bridget wants me to go to a chiropractor, but I'm sure that's not it. I'm going to a neurologist I think, a brain specialist. I'll make the appointment as soon as I get home."

"Are you sure you should be flying?"

"Raine can fly me if I can't." She went to grab her bag and Richard met her hand one more time, this time he wanted to shake her hand. She straightened and allowed him to touch her. They both felt the heat of her skin, unusually hot, unusually tingly.

"I don't think it's a pinched nerve. I think--- I've read about something. Like an electromagnetic current. Everybody has them, and they usually cycle a certain way that is compatible with everybody else. Until they're not."

"Does it hurt you?" Tracy asked intensely, ready to face the monster if that's what it was. "Like it just hurt Raine?" He was still rubbing his arm and his head.

Richard shook his head. "No. Not at all. It's like I channel it."

They all stared at each other in mild concern. "I'll go to the doctor tomorrow."

Raine was nodding, obviously considering calling in to work, and knowing inside that he couldn't. He'd asked for leave and this was it.

"I think I know what it is." Austin said as he and Richard backed up to let Tracy and Raine get to each other.

They all looked at him expectantly.

"It's an aura. I read about them once. We all have auras, and Tracy's is simply growing or something, and Raine touched her through the aura and it shocked him."

"I've read about auras." Tracy announced skeptically. "I don't think you could get shocked through an aura. An aura is more like an emotional field."

"No, electromagnetic." Raine said, moving their bags to the top of the landing, getting ready to leave. "Actually I would have to do more research on it, and I'm not one hundred percent sure what this is. But I am very sure that auras exist. I've seen pictures of them, and seen them taken."

"So you're the resident expert. Do you think you got shocked by Tracy's aura?" Austin popped his lips with his brows rising.

"No, I don't even know if I got shocked. I don't know what happened. But I'm real sorry that Tracy's getting such terrible headaches. And I think she should really see a competent medical professional about it." He made to shake hands with his host, and leaned in for a bro hug for Richard.

It was returned.

"Keep us posted on the outcome, okay?" Austin said, "Otherwise we'll see you this week, right? Run lines?"

Tracy gave a weak thumbs up and would have stepped to the landing as Raine went down carrying the bags, when Richard strode into her comfort zone purposefully. He clasped her to his chest, a deeply felt hug, one meant to convey the utmost intimacy, a hand on her hair, another on her shoulder blade. "Call me if you need me."

She swallowed back a suddenly choked up rush in her throat. When she looked up, his eyes were inches from hers, his hand on her cheek, giving her an infusion of strength and courage to face whatever it was. His whole demeanor was engulfing her. She couldn't breathe.

He slid his thumb to circle her chin, not caring what anyone else thought, just knowing that this incredible woman was about to leave his presence and he suddenly couldn't stand the thought. At all.

Tracy held his eyes. She nodded against his fingers, and then puckered her lips just slightly to kiss them, but bit them instead, with a grin she turned and slung her backpack over her shoulder.

*****