I can do this.

Teresa thought as she struggled to zip her dress up. She wondered the last time she had worn a dress as expensive as this. Prom night. No, she shook her head. That had been costly but not as expensive as this. This particular clothing had real diamonds, the size of salt grains stitched into it. These guys had zero value for money.

"Need that ounce of help?" Karen asked, popping her head into the room.

She entered the room and studied her for any flaws. She gave a satisfied click of her tongue and clapped her hands together when Teresa finally zipped her dress. She allowed herself a careful glance at the mirror. She hadn't realized until then how much she had transformed. She looked marvellous! Her figure was much outlined in the metallic silver dress. Two thin straps held her dress from her shoulders. The neat folds of the dress covered her cleavage to an extent. Two slits, on either side, stretched up to her thighs. Her black stockings visible, made her legs look mysteriously stunning. Was she always like this? No, she definitely wasn't. The model before her wasn't who she had been. The mission made her a beauty.

Karen did her makeup after that. It didn't take long. Karen, despite everything, was quick in this. She looked no less than a goth model. Her small figure carried a short one-piece glamorously. Her hair was done in a neat bun and a small black hat was clipped to the side of her head. Her long black stilettos gave her a dangerous vibe. For some reason, she gave off the psychotic vibe which intimidated Teresa for a slight second before Karen started to talk.

"You look like a queen!" she exclaimed. "I'm almost jealous"

"You look amazing too Karen," Teresa acquiesced.

"Are ya'll ready?" she heard Seth grumble.

Teresa yelped as Karen suddenly grabbed her breasts together. Whatever was this?

"I'm only trying to set your gorgeous bubbles better. They look like they will fall apart anytime. Maybe it isn't tight enough for you. Of course I can stitch this in the van and...." Karen blabbered on.

Seth silently peeped inside the room, only to see Karen's hands all over Teresa. His eyes widened, and he coughed loudly in embarrassment. Teresa herself wanted to vanish from the spot right then. A deep twinge of bitterness sprang up inside her towards Karen. Must she do this before everyone? Nevertheless, she ignored him and stared ahead like she didn't just see or hear him.

"There! Perfect!" Karen announced. She gave Teresa's chest two soft pats and happily skipped away.

Teresa stared after her in shock. She looked at Seth, who just shrugged and tried to hide a smile. She huffed and turned away from him to the mirror. Her face, devoid of any scars besides the one on her eyebrow, was stark and bold. Her light brown hair, which had now grown a little past her shoulders, had been left open. Karen thought she looked prettier that way. Teresa stared at her hands in the mirror. She couldn't help but love the elegance the hand gloves brought to her. They were dark blue too.

"You look absolutely stunning tonight," Seth complimented from the door.

"Thanks," she muttered in reply.

Suddenly she didn't feel too confident. Seducing wasn't something she was good at. She wondered what she really was good at besides fighting and looking anyways. Something was going to go wrong, and she would surely die. Her armpits started to sweat, and she started to feel claustrophobic in that dress. She wanted to tear it off her body. Irritation and nervousness sparked her insides.

(Cinereal I want you to-)

No. Not right now. Not here like this.

(From now her name will be-)

"Hey hey!"

(Cinereal)

Teresa saw Seth before her and felt him grab her tightly by the shoulders. He had seen her starting to panic and breathe harshly. He reckoned it to be her daily strokes that she had while asleep. Her face had morphed into a fear that frightened him. He didn't understand why he felt for her so strongly, but at that instant, he knew he could never let her go. He had to protect her just as he tried to when she was struggling with her inner demons.

"I- I-" Teresa tried to speak, but she was too dazed.

"Shhh," Seth whispered with force. He pressed his head to hers and stared directly into her eyes.

Teresa let out a deep breath. Her heartbeat at a pace faster than that of a formula car. Although, she didn't know whether it was due to what she had heard inside her head, or by the lack of distance between her and Seth. She forced herself to look into Seth's eyes with what she thought as ferocity. His lemony scent blocked her of any further thoughts and she already felt calmer deep inside. 

Seth, on the other hand, saw a woman begging for help. To anyone.

"You'll be okay. Just breathe," he advised.

Teresa, forgetting her plans of ferocity, did as she was told and nodded at him. She noticed how his hands were placed on either side of her neck. Had they always been that huge? She had never realized that. If he wanted to kill her, this would be a perfect moment to do so.

But Seth was focused on Teresa. She seemed normal now. He saw her send a feeble comforting smile to him, and unusual butterflies announced themselves inside him. The light fell into her eyes as she tried to move back, and he caught that beautiful shade of blue in her dark grey eyes. That was all it took to break his self-constraint. He constrained Teresa from creating space between them. Instead, he tightened his grip on either side of her neck and brought their lips together. He bent forward, and Teresa's back formed an arc by the force.

Teresa didn't have enough energy to fight him, and so she kissed him back. It was a lame excuse, she knew, but she needed something to convince her action. She gasped as Seth bit into her bottom lip, and she felt him smirk. It was hot. Both of them closed whatever space was available between them. Seth slid one hand into her hair. Another grabbed her waist and pulled her nearer. Teresa, overcome with her emotions, let her hands wander her hands over his hair and trace his neck with her nails. Electricity and fire entwined them, and they lost any sense of time and responsibilities.

When Teresa finally pulled apart from him, both a bit out of breath, Seth went in for another. He gave a slight lick to the blood creeping out of her bottom lip. Despite the grossness of it, Teresa found herself liking it. However, she stopped Seth from going in again. 

That lemony breath is so fresh. 

"What...What's wrong?" he whispered.

As much as Teresa wanted to give a stinging reply, she couldn't. The sincerity in his eyes was too much for her to handle.

"We gotta go. I have a mission. And Jordan will kill me if anything goes wrong," she pointed out.

Seth's face changed. It turned serious and grim. His eyes lowered fiercely into hers.

COULD HE STOP?! I'M TRYING TO BREATHE HERE!

He tangled his fingers into Teresa's as he spoke.

"I will never let anyone do anything to you. Trust me on this. I promise you, I will always protect you. Don't worry. Nothing will happen to you sweetheart," he said, his voice deeper than usual.

Teresa looked away as a red blush crept into her cheeks. She hated her cheeks.

"I- ahem. I'm not your sweetheart," she managed to say.

Seth bent dangerously close to her yet again. Their lips brushed ever so slightly that it took all of Teresa's concentration to not kiss him. There was no coming back if she did that.

"We'll see about that," he smirked.

He stood straight up and scratched his back attractively. He wiped his lips with his thumb and smiled wide and sweetly at her. Teresa questioned his ability to transform from being a seductive ass to an innocent charm so quickly. She stood there dumbfounded as her heart thudded in her ears.

"Get your lipstick right. Karen will kill you for not looking lip-smacking perfect"

"Ah yes!"

What had she gotten into?

This is not the mission. He is definitely not the mission. UGH!

*

The room filled up with the click-clack of guns as officers assembled their weapons. Men wore their FBI vests and prepared themselves for the task that had been handed to them. Mr Bakshi looked around the room with hands behind his back and nodded in satisfaction. There was nothing to worry about now. Teresa had provided him with the information late in the night a day ago. As shocking it was, it didn't surprise him.

"Are you very sure sir? Because if this isn't true, we're going to be defamed," Edward anxiously stepped next to.

"If you trust Teresa, there's nothing for you to circumspect," he replied with countervailing calm and poise.

Edward nodded, and cleared his throat. They had to do this. Teresa's mission would finally be over here.

(If only it were that easy)

*****

ASFACKZXZXAAKLAJAAAW!

So we got the ship somewhat sailing. How do you feel about that? >_<