After the Second Fall Pt. 01.2

"Speaking of which, I'll have the family information in a few bells, and will forward it on, along with a visit schedule. All good?"

John and Pip nodded their agreement and stood to leave.

"John, can I speak with you for just a moment longer?" asked Lilith.

"Sure. Pip, I'll be right out," said John, not actually turning around to look at Pip. Pip rolled his eyes, stepped through the door, and kept walking, deciding he didn't need an escort back to his room. After all, no knowing how long this 'moment' might take.

When they had parted that morning, John and Lilith agreed to meet at nineteen bells for dinner at a restaurant outside the Complex: better to be at least somewhat discreet. Now half past, John strode purposefully, trying to catch time that was already gone. Arriving at the designated rendezvous, he scanned the outdoor tables for Lilith, and when he didn't see her, stepped inside quickly to repeat the process.

Unsuccessful, his posture changed dramatically, shoulders falling forward and head backward in disappointment. Taking a deep breath, he turned and stepped back outside, having no interest in eating alone. To his great relief and delight, he spotted Lilith hurrying down the street toward the restaurant. Now smiling, he walked to meet her.

Upon seeing him, Lilith slowed her pace and stopped, leaning over and putting her hands on her knees, breathing hard. As he approached, she looked up and smiled. "You have some long damn legs, John." She paused for a breath. "I chased you all the way from the Complex, but couldn't catch up."

John laughed softly. "I'm sorry. I was worried I would miss you, so I was hustling. Are you okay?"

"Sure," she replied, standing up, "but let's sit down. My clothes, and especially my shoes, are more for show than for anything practical."

Looking down, John saw that Lilith was wearing formal black leather shoes that completely enclosed her feet. They didn't look specifically uncomfortable, so John was curious about Lilith's comment. He gestured her over to the nearest open table, and when she had seated herself, he pointed at her shoe and made a 'gimme' motion. Lilith rolled her eyes and complied.

The shoes were cleverly designed, adding almost a full hand span of height without appearing to do so. Lilith's toe would be only a bit above ground level while her heel was significantly elevated, but this wasn't apparent without looking closely.

"You chose to wear these?"

Lilith nodded. "Every day. I had a cobbler in town design them based on some old pictures I found."

"I don't even understand how you can walk in those things. I would be constantly afraid of breaking my ankle."

Lilith smiled and shrugged. "It wasn't so bad once I got used to it. The real challenge is moving quickly, or on uneven surfaces. Or on slick surfaces. Or bumpy ones," she finished, her voice trailing off. "But," she started again with enthusiasm, "within the complex, they work really well."

"Okay, but why bother?" Lilith gave him a reproachful look and he quickly rephrased his statement. "What I mean to say is that they're nice looking shoes, and you look good in them, but wouldn't you be happier with more comfortable ones?"

Lilith made a contemplative face, deciding on how best to answer the question. "Do you remember you told me that you didn't really fit in while growing up? Like you were just different?" John nodded. "That's how I feel every day at the Complex."

"Really -- why? You do a great job, and you definitely hold your own."

"Because I'm a woman. And because I'm literally half your size. Maybe, on a good day, a third of Pip's size."

"So what? The Executive Director is a woman, and nobody's as big as the Adams."

"But John, you don't understand because you're the biggest guy in every room. I'm not. In fact, I'm more than two standard deviations below the statistical norm: small even for a woman. When I wear these shoes, I'm on the short side, rather than actually being short. It shouldn't matter, but it does."

John shook his head. "I understand what you're saying, but I don't really buy it. When you're only half as tall as an Adam, how is a few fingers of height going to make a difference?"

Lilith gave John another look, this one telling him he was about to find out. "Stand up." John pushed back his chair and stood. Lilith reached down and removed her other shoe. "Ready?" John gave her a skeptical smirk and nodded. Lilith rose and stepped up next to him.

John's smirk disappeared. "Woah, you're like, much shorter without the shoes. As in, noticeably smaller."

Lilith sat back down, not relishing her victory. She turned and looked to the side, eyes watering.

"Hey, what's wrong?" She shook her head, but John persisted. "I'm sorry. I really didn't mean to offend you. You were right that there's a difference, but I'm still having trouble seeing why that's so important."

Lilith shook her head again and sniffed, still not looking at him. "Is it because you're scared of somebody at the complex? Tell me who it is and I'll make them sorry," said John, popping his knuckles and then his back, as if limbering for a fight. Lilith snorted, despite herself.

"No, you goof," she said, briefly looking at him before once again turning away.

"I know," he said softly, "I was just trying to make you laugh." John was thoughtful for a few moments.

"You want to be taken seriously, but you already are, which means this is a carryover from before you became director. Hmm... but you were old Johnson's hand-picked successor for several years. Before that you were... something in Logistics, I think, and maybe Procurement before that? So, it had to be --

"Wait, have you been wearing shoes like these for more than twenty years?"

Lilith sniffed and nodded.

"My Lord, Lilith," John said, moving his chair closer to her so that he could take her hand in his. "And all this because you are worried about people thinking less of you?"

"Not just worried, John," replied Lilith as a tear slid down. "I've seen it my entire adult life. Being taller, bigger, is somehow seen as being smarter or more driven. It seems so stupid, but nobody gives me a second look when I go out in the city in regular shoes. They literally look right over me."

John squeezed her hand until she turned to look at him. "Do you think it could have something to do with confidence? The Lilith I've come to know these past weeks demands attention. She's confident, assertive, and as smart as anyone I've ever known. She's a director, and a damned good one.

"Listen, Lilith, you taught me something tonight, so let me return the favor. Tomorrow, go to your office in the most comfortable shoes you own. If you see anyone giving you odd looks, give them that glower you used on me little while ago. You know, the one that could peel paint?" Lilith narrowed her eyes. "Yeah, that one," said John smirking.

"I mean it, though. Push through the looks for a day and you won't ever have to wear these damn things again," he finished, holding up the shoe.

Lilith wiped her eyes with a napkin and took a deep breath, but found she couldn't look in his eyes. "What about us?" she asked quietly.

John nudged her chin up. "Honestly, I have no idea..." he said seriously. "Because you're the one with the plan: remember act two?"

Lilith smiled timidly. "Really? You don't care that you're so much bigger than me?"

"Well," started John thoughtfully, "I'm not really sure how the, uh, particulars are going to work... but I'm looking forward to finding out. As for the rest, it'll be nice to not be the one that everybody stares at when we walk into a room."

Lilith reached over to smack John's leg. "Hey, I meant because you're so beautiful," he said, rubbing the spot dramatically. Lilith gave him a skeptical look, but he just nodded back, slowly mouthing 'You are hot'.

After rolling her eyes, Lilith took a deep breath and re-centered herself. "Thanks, John."

John shrugged. "No problem. I didn't tell you anything that isn't true.

"So, dinner?" Lilith nodded and John waved over the waiter, who had been graciously giving them time to complete their discussion.

After the meal, which included easier conversation, the two walked back to the Complex at a more sedate pace than either had left. In the first logistical puzzle of the evening, they found that their height differences prevented holding hands in a traditional manner, but a quick shift of their grips solved the issue.

Later that night in his suite, the size difference proved more challenging -- fortunately, Lilith's natural competitiveness and confidence returned. She found that her mouth didn't open wide enough to accommodate the girth of his cock in a practical sense, but she could comfortably fit the entire head, and she proved that she had a very nimble tongue. Combined in different ways with some skillful handwork, John was soon moaning.

"My Lord, Lilith, if you don't finish me soon, my heart is literally going to explode," he groaned after she had been experimenting for the better part of an entire bell.

Lilith pulled off him with a pop and sent up a teasing grin. "What's wrong, John -- am I too much for you?"

"Absolutely," he replied sincerely, staring deeply into her eyes.

Lilith didn't expect the serious sentiment and momentarily stopped stroking, her eyes still locked on his. After the pause had stretched to half a hundred beats, her grin turned into a full smile and she began stroking again, squeezing firmly with both hands while also twisting; all the while she focused her eyes on him, finally leaning forward to kiss the underside of his tip. John tried to maintain the shared gaze, but the sensation she was providing soon overwhelmed his will and his eyelids closed on their own, just as his hips began to buck. Lilith's grip tightened, and she followed his motion, leading him skillfully through his orgasm.

The aftermath was impressive, even for someone of John's stature, and required an interlude to wipe each other down. It didn't damped Lilith's enthusiasm, however, nor her arousal, as she quickly lowered herself onto his rejuvenated phallus, a direct result of the cleaning itself. Slow, shallow motions eventually gave way to slightly faster, slightly deeper movements as she once again struggled with his size. John saw that she was losing confidence, so took a firm hold of her rear and gripped her tightly while leaning forward to capture a nipple in his mouth. Lilith's entire body shuddered as his powerful arms took over control of her movements.

As John slowly eased more and more of himself into her, Lilith gasped and panted, caught between it being exactly right and entirely too much. Lost in her thoughts, a small climax caught her completely by surprise, and she squeaked as her hips shook rapidly. Letting out her breath afterward, her body relaxed just enough for John to push fully inside in one final motion, coming to rest snugly against her deepest inner walls. Lilith released another squeak, then collapsed against John's chest.

"My Lord, that was something," she murmured softly. John smiled and stroked her hair with one hand and her back with the other, barely continuing a gentle back-and-forth motion with his hips. She pushed up to look at him. "I'm sorry, Honey, but I don't think I can take much more tonight."

"It's okay, Lilith," John said softly. "I was just waiting for you." With one motion back and one more excruciatingly slow movement forward, John released himself into her, once again coming to rest fully embedded. Throughout his climax, Lilith's mouth hung opened as she marveled first at his self control, and second at the feeling of his member tensing repeatedly, rubbing against areas that had never been touched before. Lilith knew her face and chest were flushed because it felt like heat was pouring off them, and she felt more emotionally aroused than she had ever been. She soon had John by his ears, kissing him as passionately as she knew how while the product of their union slowly pooled on his abdomen.

Chapter 13

Early afternoon two days after the match found Pip outside a row house deep in the Second Quarter. With him were Rosie and Maggie, one on each side, their schedules having been cleared for the foreseeable future. Both were dressed in warm weather dresses, Rosie in pink and Maggie in pale yellow; their hair had been lightly styled and accent makeup applied. Maggie looked bubbly, bouncing from foot to foot, while Rosie was more reserved, it being her first time outside the Complex since she first sought refuge. Pip was attired in a tight black short-sleeved shirt so that his tattoos would peek out on his arms and neck. Black pants and loafers completed his outfit, giving him a casual, functional, not-to-be-trifled-with appearance.

Playing the role of bodyguard and standing at the rear, John was dressed more professionally, complete with formal shoes and jacket, also in black. Realistically, they all knew that Pip didn't really need additional protection in the city, but it was the easiest way to explain John's presence. At the fore was Lilith, dressed severely in black with her hair pulled back tightly; together, she and John lent the group an air of authority.

As intended, the first impression they made on the young woman that opened the door was overwhelming. Her name was Bonnie Madison and she already looked haggard, as could be expected. After all, she was recently widowed with two small children, who had thankfully been sent to a relative's residence for the duration of the visit.

After gaping for a moment, she recovered enough to invite them inside to join several waiting family members. Ducking and turning sideways to enter the house, Pip found a space along a wall and sat with his legs crossed beneath him, trying to reduce his intimidating presence. Even so, the family -- Bonnie, an old man, and a younger couple -- took their respective turns to gawk. Pip just looked from one to the next with a neutral expression, acknowledging them in turn with nods of his head.

Chairs were quickly brought for the ladies, once again on either side of Pip; Lilith and John remained standing, the latter fortunately being able to stand at his full height. When Mrs. Madison settled herself, Lilith began before the silence could become awkward.

"Mrs. Madison, my name is Lilith Collins. I am a director at the Complex, and am the one that reached out to you yesterday." Nodding to Pip, she said, "You saw Adam Piper during the match. With him are his companions, Ms. Rosaline Smythe and Ms. Magdalena Samuel." The ladies nodded when their names were mentioned.

For Pip and Rosie, creating full names was an odd experience, neither having had use for such things in the past. In the end, Lilith convinced them that it would make it easier for the families to relate to them, so they went along.

"Our companion," Lilith continued, "is Mr. Rogers, who is here to ensure our safety." John continued to stand stoically, hiding any sort of expression behind dark glasses. "Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. I fully understand the death of your husband put you in a terribly difficult situation, which is ultimately why we are here." The woman seemed unsure, but nodded.

"We are not here to discuss the events of two days ago, but to discuss the future --"

"You mean to buy us off!" interrupted the old man, who was standing along the rear wall. Lilith turned her head sharply toward the man, the force of her glare stopping his protest before it could gather momentum.

After pausing several heartbeats for maximum effect, she continued, speaking directly to the young mother. "It may be difficult to understand right now, but Mr. Piper admires that your late husband stood up for himself. He may not look it to people our size, but Mr. Piper is the smallest man to enter the Complex's combat pool in the last decade, and has had to fight for everything he's earned." At this, the woman turned to openly gawp at Pip, finding such a statement difficult to process. Playing his part, Pip nodded in confirmation.

Lilith again waited for maximum effect before continuing. "Ultimately, the late Mr. Madison made a poor decision, and we find ourselves together today.

"It is not our intention to 'buy you out', as has been suggested," said Lilith, pointedly not looking at the old man, "but to provide a path to success for both you and your children. Are you interested in hearing more?"

The woman, Bonnie, looked at the strangers in front of her. As designed, her attention was drawn not to Pip, but to the colorfully dressed women, who both smiled warmly at her. When her eyes met Rosie's, the young woman gave her an encouraging nod. Unexpectedly, Bonnie turned to Pip, rather than answering Lilith's question. "Mr. Piper?"

"Please, call me Pip."

Clearly surprised, Bonnie recovered quickly. "Mr. Piper, are you sorry for what happened?"

Lilith was ready to interject, but Pip responded immediately. "I'm sorry that the situation happened, but not sorry for my actions, if that's what you're asking. For every behavior there is a natural consequence. The result of attacking a trained killer - and that's what I am - is going to be severe. Your husband agreed to meet me in single combat and lost. There is no shame in that; quite the opposite, actually, so I bear him no ill will, but I won't apologize for the result."

This was not what Bonnie expected, and she sat back as if stung.

"Mrs. Madison," Pip continued, "I didn't expect the match to go as it did, or I wouldn't have agreed to participate in the first place. Like your husband, I can't take back my actions, but I can help you and your children."

"Alright, Mr. Piper," said the widow, anger now showing on her face, "what exactly do you think you can do?"

"When your husband agreed to face me alone, he showed legitimate courage. I was clearly bigger, stronger, and faster than anyone on the pitch, and yet he stepped forward. It doesn't matter that he was holding knives; the truth is that he posed little real threat to me." Pip paused and then looked away, as if remembering. "That said, he did manage to cut me, and deeply at that." Pip raised his shirt, showing that his ribs were bandaged. "I didn't expect that. Your husband had real skill. I don't know if that will make this situation easier for you, but you can be proud of him for that, at least."

Through tears the woman looked at Pip. "He was always practicing with those damned things. I told him it would get him killed."

"Ironically," replied Pip, "it's also what brought us here today." The woman obviously didn't understand, so Pip continued. "I've seen professional fighters with less fortitude than your husband. That's very important for this city, and it needs to be encouraged."

At this point, Lilith stepped in, as if the entire aside with Pip had been planned. "Mrs. Madison, when one of the men in our program is killed, we take care of their family. Mr. Piper has asked that we treat your family as if your husband had been killed while training at the Complex."

This statement took a moment to register, then Bonnie's eyes opened wide as she realized the implications. "You mean..."

Yes," replied Lilith. "Your needs will be met for the rest of your life. Your children's as well, until they reach adulthood. Should you desire it, we will also find a place for you at the Complex, although you would be required to work if that is your choice." Lilith went on to explain the details to the astonished young mother.

"What's the catch?" asked Bonnie when Lilith had finished.

Lilith paused again before continuing softly. "You know the catch, Mrs. Madison. Your family has already paid the price."

"Oh!" Bonnie replied, flustered. "That's not what I meant at all."