Pandemic

"Yeah, it's been keeping me up at nights," he'd confessed. "It's really nice having someone to talk to who gets it."

"Yes, it is," she told him. "I can't imagine ever being with someone who didn't understand my work. It's really important to me to know that whomever I'm with—some day down the road—knows how much what I do means to me."

"Are you currently looking for someone by any chance?" he asked venturing out beyond his comfort zone.

"Not particularly," she said with a smile. "But to the degree I'm able to look, I'm always open to the possibility. How about you?"

"I haven't been serious about anyone since high school." He told her about Harper and how they met and the way things ended. "I dated in college and medical school, and I've even been out a few times since starting at the CDC, but I haven't found anyone who gets it."

He knew she would immediately understand the implication of his chosen words and there was no need to verbally acknowledge it. They chatted pleasantly for another hour as they ate and sipped sake before he took her home.

She invited him in and asked if he'd like some wine. "I don't have any sake to offer you," she said feigning an apology.

"Yeah, that's not exactly my favorite drink."

"I know it's supposed to be great warmed up with sushi, but it must be an acquired taste." She paused before adding, "A taste I haven't yet acquired. I'll take a nice chardonnay any day."

She handed him a glass of her favorite white wine and set next to him on the couch. "I had a really nice evening, Micah. Thank you for asking me. It's been a very long time since I've been on a date and even longer since I enjoyed myself."

He smiled back at her and told her, "That's something else we have in common then."

She took a sip then said, "Micah? Both of us are very busy and wholly dedicated to our work. We don't have a lot of time for a social life and since we're both doctors who understand how things work in our brains and our bodies, doesn't it seem a little odd to have to spend weeks and months getting acquainted before getting...physical?"

Micah's eyes opened wide in surprise but he managed to remain outwardly calm. "When I hired you one of the things I most liked about you was how direct you were. Not pushy, but bold and unafraid."

"Life is short," she replied. "Why deny yourself the opportunity for pleasure when it makes itself available? I like you. I think I always have. I'm also very attracted to you and well, we 'get' one another? Do we really need to go on several more dates to give ourselves permission to act on our feelings?"

"I'm not only a doctor, Vanessa, I'm also a man and although I consider myself to be a gentleman, I'm not a prude. I'm very attracted to you as well, and I've liked you since the day I met you."

"So...what's keeping us from spending the night together other than outdated social mores that have little value in today's world?" She slid closer to him and said, "I don't want to wait, Micah. I'm not going to meet someone I like or respect more than you. I'd like to make love with you and unless that's too direct for you, I'm hoping you feel the same way."

He sat down his glass and said, "No. Not all. Direct works for me."

"Then why don't you come with me?" she said taking his hand and standing up.

She led him to her bedroom and closed the door. "Can you help me with the zipper?" she asked as she turned her back to him.

She raised her hair up high and Christiansen unzipped the black dress and let it fall to the floor. "Your turn," she said as she unknotted his tie then slipped the jacket off of his shoulders.

Continuing to take the lead, she pulled him down toward her mouth and kissed him fully on the lips. "I've wanted to do that for a very long time," she said softly.

She unbuttoned his shirt kissing him between each button as he reached behind her and unhooked her bra exposing her soft, C-cup breasts to his touch. He gently rolled her nipples between his fingers as they continued to kiss while she kept up her bid to remove all of his clothing.

"Mmmm. That feels nice," she purred as he softly squeezed her breasts with his hands. She pulled his underwear off leaving him in a pair of black socks. "Speaking of nice," she said as she stroked his thick cock. "This is very nice."

She kicked their clothes out of the way and got on her knees in front of him. She placed her hands on his hips and took him into her mouth. Christiansen gasped as she slowly took him all the way deep inside. "Oh...wow! That's amazing," he groaned.

"Yes, it is," she said as she let him pop out of her mouth and holding his huge dick in her hand. "Very amazing." She lowered her head again taking his shaft as deeply as she possibly could. She moved her other hand in front of her then gently lifted up on his scrotum and rolled his balls in her fingers.

"Oh...God," he moaned as she continued bobbing up and down on his rock-hard cock.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd had sex and he was concerned he wouldn't last much longer so he pulled back and said, "Let me take care of you now."

He helped her stand then removed her panties leaving her in a pair of stockings and her heels. "Please do," she whispered in reply.

He laid her down on the bed then crawled on top of her. "You are the most beautiful woman I've even seen," he told her as he kissed her passionately.

She thanked him and pushed him down to the places she wanted him to explore. He stopped at her twin peaks and spent some time scaling both of them and gently sucking on her nipples while cupping the other hill and squeezing it gently. Vanessa moaned softly with pleasure as he moved lower making his way toward her honeypot.

There was a small tuft of dark hair neatly trimmed just above her beautiful, soft lips. He parted them and gently touched his tongue to the most sensitive place on her body. "Yes..." she moaned as his warm tongue made contact. "That feels sooo good," she told him.

After a few more moments of gentle stimulation she said, "Micah? I'm not made of china. I won't break. You don't have to be gentle with me."

It was his turn to read between the lines and taking his cue he changed tactics. He licked hard on her swollen clit as he drove two fingers deep inside her. Vanessa squealed with delight and said, "Yes! Oh, my God. Just like that!"

He jabbed her pussy hard ramming two and then three fingers deep inside her; forcefully and fully. Vanessa moaned with pleasure and said, "Mmmm. God, yes! I like it rough, Micah. Really rough."

Micah had only been with one other woman who preferred sex that wasn't tender and gentle. He didn't know exactly what she meant but he felt confident he knew enough to give her what she wanted. He assumed the last thing she wanted to hear was a question about how rough she meant and a request for a list of specifics. He decided to dish it out until she told him to back off. Neither of them was disappointed.

He withdrew his fingers and pulled himself on top of her. "Taste your pussy," he told her roughly as she immediately responded by opening her mouth and sucking her own juices off of his fingers.

Without warning, he put his hands on her shoulders and drove his cock all the way home. Vanessa not only didn't flinch or complain she said loudly, "God, yesss!! Just like that! Fuck me just like that. Fuck me hard, Micah!!"

Micah hammered her pussy mercilessly and Vanessa responded by pulling him in close and pushing back, squeezing his cock as hard as she could. Again, without asking, he put his hand on her throat and began applying pressure. He watched her open her eyes in surprise, but he immediately knew it was the most pleasant kind of surprise.

He reduced her airway and then continued to squeeze until he knew he had to let go. As he released his grip, she gasped for air and as her first breath came in a loud, desperate sucking sound, her body shuddered like thunder beneath him. "Oh...fffuck!!" she cried out. "More. Just like that, Micah. Again. Please!"

He repeated the process several more times until he felt her come again. This time he gave himself permission to release his load and dumped all of it deep inside her pussy. Gasping for air, Vanessa dug her nails into his back and cried out in pure ecstasy.

When he collapsed on top of her, both of them were gasping for breath. "Oh, my God!" she exclaimed. "I've fantasized about that all my life."

Smiling he said, "So not just with me?"

She smiled back. "No, sorry. I've always wanted to have sex like that but never met a guy who knew what to do without having to be told and telling is huge turn off." She looked at him and said, "But I will confess I've fantasized about doing this with you before, too."

"Oh, really?" he panted. "I'm not even going to tell you the things I've fantasized about doing with you."

"Then let's do them," she said without smiling. "All of them. Tonight."

And they did. Even so, in the morning, Vanessa was once again the quiet, subdued, intense professional she'd always been excluding the last 12 hours.

"I had a wonderful time," she told him as he got ready to leave.

"So did I," he assured her as they stood next to the door.

"Micah? Please tell me this won't affect our relationship at work."

He smiled and said, "Of all the things we inferred without a word last night, I'm surprised to hear you ask."

"Sorry. I assumed it wouldn't but it would be...awkward if..."

"If I kissed you or started calling you 'sweetheart'?" he filled in.

"Well, yes." She put her arms around him and said, "And yet there's a part of me that would really like that."

He kissed her goodbye and said, "Should that part of you ever get bold enough to make a public appearance, I hope you'll tell me." He had no intention of hurting her feelings, but for the first time, he saw hurt in her eyes. "What is it? Did I say something wrong?"

"No. Of course not," she said trying to hide her feelings.

"Then what is it? I can see it in your eyes."

"I thought I was better at the game than this," she said her smile still absent.

"Game?" he said hoping that wasn't how she felt.

"The dance," she said hoping that would clarify things.

"Vanessa, I'm a doctor not a mind reader. Can you just tell me directly what you mean?"

She looked down into the space between their bodies and said, "I have feelings for you, Micah. I thought I did for some time. Now I know they're real."

"Is that a problem?" he asked.

"Yes," she said quietly.

"Why? How is that a problem?"

She looked up at him and said, "Because we're both already married." He saw her eyes filling with tears as she said, "To our work." She blinked several times and managed to say, "How can we have anything more than an occasional night like this when work is everything to us? Be honest, Micah. There's no room for me...or anything else in your life any more than there's room in mine for you. It doesn't mean I don't care about you. I do. Deeply. But..."

"It's okay. I understand." He hugged her close and said, "And unfortunately, you're absolutely right. I wish you weren't, but you are."

"But that doesn't mean we can't do this again. Occasionally at least, right?" He eyebrows were raised in a hopeful manner.

"No. No, it doesn't. I...I'd really like that," he said. He kissed her one last time then let her go and said, "I guess I'll see you...at work."

"Right. Work. See you there." She let go of his hand one finger at a time as he left and once he was gone, tears ran down her cheeks. She leaned against the door as she fought the battle raging inside herself. She knew she loved him, but she loved her work even more. There was no other option. She couldn't get involved with him or any other man. This was the only way. She dried her tears, took a quick shower, dressed, and headed for the CDC.

Outside, Christiansen fought off the urge to tear up himself. He drove far enough away so he knew she couldn't see him and pulled over. As he sat there, the sadness welled up inside him and for the first time he could remember, he was torn. Something other than work mattered to him and yet he knew she was right. Even more importantly, if his well-educated hunch was correct, there were more important things to do than sit here feeling sorry for himself.

And that's when it hit him. Something he'd heard as a boy in Sunday School. "And what shall it profit a man if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Did his entire life have to be about work and saving others? Was there no room to nurture his own soul? Could he never love or be loved because of some perceived higher calling? It was too painful to contemplate so he shook it off and willed himself to get back in the game. The game. He smiled wryly at the irony as he headed back down the road toward his future of all work and no play.

Until his appointment as Director, Micah and Vanessa worked side by side day in and day out taking the occasional night off to meet one another's needs. Neither of them spoke about love or feelings or even needs again. What was the purpose? Both of them knew work was everything and loved played second fiddle in their lives so lust and sex would have to do.

Micah had been Director for exactly three months when he asked Vanessa to stop by his office. When she came in she looked around and said, "Very impressive."

"It's just window dressing," he said modestly. "I asked you here because I want to ask your professional opinion."

"Oh, good. I was afraid you might be proposing," she said trying to keep the mood light. This time, she saw the hurt in his eyes and said, "Oh, Micah. I'm so sorry. You know I didn't mean it like that."

He forced a smile and said, "I do." He sat next to her and said, "I'm taking this to the the new president."

"The super pandemic?" she asked knowing there was no other topic as important to him or to the entire planet.

"Yes." He took her hand and said, "Vanessa, am I crazy?"

"No. You're not crazy. After the last run we found something we'd missed before. When we added it in, the results were even more frightening."

"A 94.7% probability within seven years."

"You need to tell him," she said. "It's your duty, Micah. As Director and as a doctor."

"But if I'm wrong..." he began.

She cut him off by saying, "You won't be wrong. The data is accurate. I'd stake my entire reputation and career on it."

"But mine are on the line," he said without accusation.

"Of course. You're right. It is your reputation. But what if you say nothing? I'd ask if you could live with yourself, but what are the odds either of us would even survive to worry about it?"

"Okay. I'll set up the briefing. I just have one request."

"Name it," she replied.

"I want you to go with me."

Four days later they were being escorted into the Briefing Room of the White House. Everything had to be cleared by the Secret Service so the brief was already loaded and ready to go as the president entered the room. He strode directly to Christiansen, shook his hand and said, "It's good to meet you, Micah."

"You too, Mr. President," he replied.

"Okay. What's so important?" he asked as he took a seat indicating Micah should begin.

Fifteen minutes later the president listened to Micah's closing words and said, "So you want me to tell the world we're all going to die?"

"Well, no. Of course not, Mr. President."

"Then what's the purpose of this briefing?"

"It's informational, Mr. President. I felt this is important enough to make you aware of it so you can..."

"Scare the hell out of everyone on earth? I don't think so."

Like millions of other Americans, Micah never once thought this man could even win the nomination of his Party let alone be elected president. But populism had won the day after years of slow economic growth and flat-lined wages for all but the top 20% and now this tall, imposing man who ran the White House like the proverbial bull in a china shop was the most powerful man on earth.

"We'd collapse the world economy, Doctor," he said authoritatively. "I want you to keep this quiet. Not a word to anyone. Understood?"

Dumbfounded, Micah simply said almost robotically, "Yes, Mr. President."

Neither of them spoke until they were alone in a CDC limo on the way back to the Center. "Well that went well," Vanessa said sardonically. "What an ass."

Micah didn't reply. There was nothing more to say. Sure he could resign and try and make his case publicly but a man like the current occupant of the Oval Office could easily discredit him or worse. He wasn't a coward, but there was a point at which one man with a single shovel knew he couldn't stop an avalanche of shit.

Two days later, he learned he no longer needed to worry about resigning. He was being replaced as the Director of the CDC.

He was removing his personal belongings from the office when she stopped by. "Can I help you with anything?" Vanessa asked.

"Oh, hi there. No. I'm good. I only have a few trinkets in here anyway. What brings you by?" he asked.

She walked over to him and said, "I was wondering what your plans might be. Are you going to stay here in Atlanta? Go into private practice? Take a long, much-needed, well-earned vacation maybe?"

Micah laughed and said, "No. None of the above. I think I'm going home to Dalton."

"Dalton? Are you serious? Micah, you're one of the most talented, most highly respected doctors in infectious disease and you're going back home to...Dalton?"

"Sounds pretty crazy, huh?" he said trying to pretend it wasn't really a big deal.

They were both silent for a while before Vanessa moved close to him and said, "Any chance of you spending one last night at my place before you go?"

"Just one?" he asked whimsically.

"Micah. You know I can't commit to anything. I'm staying here and this is..."

"Your life. I know, Vanessa. I 'get it', remember?"

"You're such an amazing man. A visionary, really. It's a shame we don't have a president who...gets it."

"The voters have spoken," he said as he dropped a last picture frame into a cardboard box. "Looks like I'm done here," he told her as he picked up the box.

"Please come over tonight," she asked not wanting to beg.

"Okay. Sure. See you around seven?"

"Okay," she said touching his hand as he walked by.

Neither of them slept all night and that was only partly due to the intense lovemaking that took place off and on as each of them, in his or her own way, tried to hold on to something they knew was ending in the morning.

As the sun came up, they lay there in one another's arms and Micah said, "I'm going to build a state-of-the-art survival shelter."

Vanessa sat up and said, "You're going to do what?"

"I'm going to build a state-of-the art suite of rooms underground for when the time comes."

"Micah. Seriously? You're not even going to practice medicine?"

"Oh, sure. I'll have a practice in Dalton. But that's the real reason I'm going home." He watched her expression and said, "What? Do you think I'm some kind of modern Don Quixote?"

She laid her head back down on his chest and said, "No. Well, not exactly. His enemies were all imaginary. Just windmills to tilt at. Yours are real. Very real. Too real, in fact." She sat up again and said, "If this is what you want, if this is something you need to do, then...then I support you. Completely."

"Then come with me," he said. "Come with me and stay with me."

"Micah! I...can't do that. You know that and you know why."

"No. No, I don't, Vanessa. Why can't you come with me? You can practice with me and we can build this thing—this bunker—together." He sat up too, and took her face in his hands and said, "Marry me, Vanessa."

"Micah, please. Don't do this."

"Do what? Tell you that I love you? You know I do and I know you love me, too. So...marry me. Today."