You can't hold me down| Finished.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

She noticed that Richard had seen her throw the champagne, a smile plastered on her face when she turned around and saw the broken window and saw him curse.

He deserved it , he deserved everything that was happening to him now, and she was suddenly in a very good mood because of that.

Ah how life worked its ways with her, one moment she was singing sonnets, the other she was depressed and sick to her stomach.

Seeing the car stop she opened the door and started to exit out as she closed it with a bang and started to walk away back home not saying goodbye to that man , the one and only man who caused her grief Richard.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

The driver stepped smartly away from the car door as Anne opened it herself and got out, slamming it behind her. Not daring to look dissaproving lest she see him, he made his way to Richard's side of the car and opened his door for him (taking the opportunity to further inspect the damage Anne had inflicted).

Seeing Anne had exited without saying goodbye, Richard was understandably not all that pleased. As the driver opened his door Richard gave him a brief thankful smile before following after Anne. He didn't want his cursing to be the lasting impression she had of him from tonight...not after all that had happened between them.

"Anne...wait!" he called, catching up to her at last. "Look...I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said that..." He paused, wracking his brains, knowing there was more that needed to be said, but unsure how to say it, unsure if Anne would even listen to him.

She might, he reasoned. After all, he'd just offered her an apology.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne heard someone walk behind her as she looked back and sighed groaning as she noticed it was Richard, why was he following her had he not had enough of her for one evening, she surely had enough of him.

Hearing him say Anne wait she sighed and rubbed her eyes, turning around she placed her arms behind her back, "Yes Richad what is it you want" she told him in an annoyed tone,hearing him say that he should have not said that she grumbled.

What did he expect for her to say, that she was sorry , that everything was ok, well it was not he should have realised that, she could not even believe herself when she had kissed him.
" No something did happen Richard don't prettend it did not" she yelled and continued walking a little slower so that he could walk behind her.

She knew he would follow anyways, and whatever happened she was going to stick to her denial of the whole ordeal, if she did she would have to get rough and maybe even lock herself in her room.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

Richard noticed Anne's sigh, her displeased tone, her grumbling. He should have expected it of course, considering all that had happened between them tonight, and yet he couldn't help but feel displeased by it. He thought he had given up on Anne for tonight, he had been going to head back to Plantagenet Manor and leave her be...but the image of him cursing at her would not leave his mind...he had to make amends somehow before he left.

"No something did happen Richard don't prettend it did not"

She was yelling now. Never a good sign. Richard assumed she was reffering to the fact that he was trying to apologize for the incident in the car rather than the kiss, she was denying the kiss up and down after all. He took advantage of her slowed pace to catch up with her, though he didn't attempt to take her hand in his or anything at all. They were on brittle glass once more and he wasn't going to be the one to break it with a foolish mis-step.

"I cursed at you Anne, and I apologize," he said, trying to keep his voice neutral. "I shouldn't have said it, and I won't pretend I didn't. I can admit to that...and yet you deny that you kissed me?"

Why had he just asked that? What did he hope to achieve by bringing it up again? Richard hadn't the slightest idea but he couldn't very well take the words back now they'd been said.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne stared at Richardas she sighed and turned her head away, it was true he had cursed yet she had not noticed it.

How funny, one moment she was happy the other she was suffering. " I am not displeased about the Curse.. I am displeased about the kiss because I have betrayed my husband and I expect you not to come to my house in the comming weeks . " she told him and turned around as she started to climb the stairs.

Hearing him say that he was apologizing she shaked her head "So what if I wanted to deny the kiss, it is my right or do you think because you have a hold of me finacially you can tell me what to do?" she told him and sat down in the stairs steps as she neatly fixed her skirt and sighed.


"What is it that you want, what is it to force me to say that I do in some way find you likeable, but deep inside my heart I can only show the facade of hate and disgust.That is the only facade that I can show " she explained and rubbed her head, things were guetting way out of hand.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

"I am not displeased about the Curse.. I am displeased about the kiss because I have betrayed my husband and I expect you not to come to my house in the comming weeks . "

Richard couldn't help but think that Anne was blaming the wrong person. Yes he had given her the drug, but he'd also given her the antidote. She'd kissed him of her own free will, and yet she chose to blame him for it. He shook his head inwardly but made no comment, not wishing to incense Anne any further. As she mentioned that she expected him not to come and see her in the coming weeks his inward feeling of discontent intensified, though outwardly he didn't show it, simply nodding in acquiescence to her wishes. What more could he do?

"So what if I wanted to deny the kiss, it is my right or do you think because you have a hold of me finacially you can tell me what to do?"

In all honesty, yes. In a way, that was how Richard felt. He loved the feeling of power, the feeling of control he had over Anne...and yet it was clear, in this exchange as well as others, that exploiting that power was a difficult and dangerous game. Anne always seemed to have some trick up her sleeve, some way of making him relinquish his grip, if only a fraction. It was frustrating, to say the least. How long would this go on until she realized she couldn't win and he won her heart forever?

He said nothing in reply to Anne's comment, merely continued to watch her as she turned on her heel and, instead of going inside and getting away from him as he was in no doubt she wanted to, she instead turned around and sat down on the steps.

It was then that her angry tone seemed to diminish. She looked quite frail sitting there, looking up at him. The words that came out of her mouth were even more surprising.

"What is it that you want, what is it to force me to say that I do in some way find you likeable, but deep inside my heart I can only show the facade of hate and disgust.That is the only facade that I can show "

One word in particular stood out from Anne's little speech. The word façade. Richard had been right all along; it wasn't just he who was putting on masks and playing parts. To him, it seemed that Anne had just revealed, despite everything, that she still had feelings for him. Her hatred, her disgust...those emotions were false, put on for show. Her true emotions, her true feelings towards him, were quite different.

It is unwise to act on assumptions and interpretations, particularly in a case such as this, when the interpretation Richard chose to make of Anne's words could so easily turn out to be the wrong one.

But all his ideas of giving up, leaving her be...these ideas had fled, to be replaced by an all consuming notion that Anne still loved him. And since she'd practically confirmed it in what she'd said just now, it seemed only logical to act on the notion.

It was with this in mind that Richard ascended the steps and sat next to Anne, a small smile on his face not revealing the extent of his elation at the situation. He turned to face her and, after seeming to hesitate for a fraction of a second, leant in to kiss her.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne just was in total fear, she could not handle Richard she could not handle him now, his depravation, his stalking of her, yet she saw him stand and leusurily sit down next to her.

He neared her and started to grab her face as she was shaking nervouse she did not want this she wanted to flinch away.

She wanted to run , she wanted to scream yet at that moment she was paralized halted in place she did not understand what was happening to her body she was accepting Richard with all his faults and goods , after all she still remembered clearly their meeting.

This whole night had been one huge mistake that she had made nad now she was regretting it with full force, she never wanted to hear the name Plantagent ever again she just wanted her husband back.

The smiles , the laughter that filled her house were once happy and joyous, now it was cold dark and decaying she wanted nothing more then to break her heart and never feel any emotion again and yet quite simply and gently she felt Richards lips touch her own.

She felt tears trickle down her eyes, she was denying everything, she was loving every moment of the kiss as she deepened it willingly but then parted and turned away a blush on her cheeks and soft glow on her face as she was embarrased .

He would never stop , he would never ever leave her alone ,why had she done that what force compelled her to reply to the suttle touches of a man she hated.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

As Richard took Anne's face in his hand, he could feel her shaking at his touch. She was afraid, she was scared. He shouldn't do this, he shouldn't kiss her...but he did. And, to his great surprise, he found that Anne willingly returned it, deepened it even!

He could scarce believe it. After all these years, after all they'd been through, after what he'd done...she was kissing him back! He'd murdered her husband and his father, and yet she was returning his affections. It was all so unbelievable, so utterly insane. Had all thought and memories of Edward d'Anjou at last left her mind? How was it that she thought of him, Richard, the man whom she'd called a murderer, in the same way?

Richard tried to push these qualms from his mind, live in the moment. What did it matter the hows and the whys, the fact of the matter was, quite simply, that Anne was acting on her feelings for him, feelings which she'd admitted she had before and still retained even now. It all seemed too good to be true.

This exquisite moment clearly wasn't meant to last. Anne broke the kiss and pulled away, though not forcefully...it was more as though it had drained her, as if her last shred of resistance against his advances had at last been stripped away. It was as Anne turned away from him that Richard noticed the tears streaking her cheeks.

Were they tears of shame? Sadness? Happiness, perhaps? Richard couldn't tell from looking at her, though it was clear from the colour of her face that Anne was embarrassed by what had just occurred. It wasn't natural, it wasn't right, to love the man who murdered your husband. It was a sick, twisted, crazy idea. Richard knew this. And that was what he relished about the whole situation. Despite everything, it seemed that Anne loved him.

No...seemed was no longer the right word to use. Surely that kiss had confirmed her feelings towards him were no longer the feelings of hatred and disgust she'd pretended to have for so long? She'd been in denial of her feelings for years, and now these pent up emotions were being allowed to break free. Surely that was the case.

Richard suddenly found himself in the grips of uncertainty. This was a breakthrough, that much was obvious. Would it be in his best interests to leave her be for tonight at last, end on a high note of sorts? Or should he stay and see if he could go any further?

He came to the conclusion that the latter was his best bet. Anne was weaker now, more vulnerable, as though all the walls of resistance she'd been so careful to build had come crumbling down. When better to press his advantage?

He reached towards her again, somewhat tentatively as if testing just how far he could go, placing his hand gently on her shoulder.

"Anne," he said softly, in a voice barely more than a whisper. "You still love me, don't you?"

It wasn't really a question, and yet at the same time it was. To him the kiss had confirmed Anne's feelings, not to mention the fact she'd been the one to take it further, and yet it was as though he needed assurance of this in words, as well as in the gesture itself.



(ooc: Steph, that post was absolutely amazing. I literally had tears in my eyes; I felt so bad for poor Anne! Keep up the stellar writing! <3)

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

She had felt his surprice ever so emminent, it was impossible to deny that he was surprised by her acting this way, she was accepting everything she was not going to deny anything.

Shifting slightly away from his near aproach she saw him stare at her as she cleaned her eyes, was he a daft fool that could not see that she was in pain.

She had betrayed everything that she had known her husband, her fathers husband, the Plantagent family, The D'ajoun's she was shamefull , very shamefull.

Yet with the glimmer of his eyes he could see his exciment and it just fueled her body more , it was like wood being placed into a fire and setting it aflame once again.

She wanted to be consumed by it, ravished in the fires and then finally be let go , free as an angel if she stayed with Richard it would be to her death.

An yet she could be safe with Richard, be happy with Richard live a life of plentitude with him and not worry about a care ,yes she could do this.

But suddenly she felt his hand on her shoulder and then the predictable question of weather he still loved her she could deny or accept, she cold just not awnser the question yet all her heart was telling her deny, deny, everything and run.

shifting her face away she smiled and cleaned her shoulder were Richard had touched her and stood up, " I never loved you Richard..and I never will "she breathed and started to walk up the steps towards her house.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

Richard had expected an answer that was immediate and straight to the point, something along the lines of Yes Richard, of course I still love you,'. And he'd expected it immediately, or with a few seconds hesitation, at least.

But instead it was a long while before Anne spoke, or did anything other than simply continue to sit there, not looking at him...she even went so far as to shift away slightly as he drew closer! This irritated the younger Plantagenet beyond belief but he managed to retain a semblance of calm...for her sake as well as his own.

He had been about to speak once more, repeat the question perhaps in case she hadn't heard it. But it was at this point that Anne's gaze shifted once more...not only this but she brushed his hand from her shoulder and got to her feet.

Richard looked up at her from where he sat, willing her to give him the reply he desired, despite the fact that the circumstances pointed to the contrary.

"I never loved you Richard..and I never will "

The words were said in barely a whisper but to Richard each word seemed to be snarled, sneered. She never loved him and she never would. He knew he shouldn't take her words to heart; she'd told him she loved him before, she'd kissed him, as good as admitted she still loved him now and returned the kiss he'd given her. She had loved him before and he was going to make sure she did so again.

Besides, she'd smiled as she said it. She must be teasing him in a way, goading him on. Either that or she was in denial.

As Anne began to walk up the steps Richard struggled to his feet and followed her, at as hurried a pace as he could muster. He couldn't believe he'd got so far and yet come so close to ruining it all... No, he reassured himself, this situation can still be salvaged. It can be and it will.

"If you don't love me, which I very much doubt, why did you return the kiss?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady and not resort to snarling, as he so desperately wanted to in his fury that Anne seemed to have thwarted him when he'd come so close. "If you hate me as much as you profess, you surely would have pushed me away then, rather than respond as ardently as you did!"

How he was growing tired of talking, arguing, a constant battle of wits. Why couldn't Anne accept that he loved her, and admit that she loved him, murders notwithstanding? Surely these past altercations mattered little if they both loved each other...was it really such a struggle for Anne to move on?

The desire to kiss her again was almost overwhelming; she didn't respond well to his words but she sure as h*** had responded to his lips on hers.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne walked , jogged ,no mostly ran away as she was not ready to face Richard as he was comming up with a anger in his intetions. If she knew his temper he would be surely in a foul mood right about now, or he was reeled by her intetions of denying the kiss but seeing him follow her and speak quite suddenly asking her about the kiss as she bit her own lip and was near the door.

Letting go of the handle she turned around and stared at the man, no monster ,who was speaking of love yet she knew all to well that his heart was damp and cold. She could never really accept anybody with that nature even though she had kissed him, yes she might be feeling some strange twisted emotions but yet she now knew that she had two options loose everything or gain respect .

Swalloing the knot that was forming on her throat, she brushed her hair away and pursed her lips making them dissapear slightly, but made them reaper they seemed chapped almost as she sighed. "Come in ,We have a lot to discuss....... I guess......" she breathed and stopped herself from entering the household and turned towards him.

She wanted to have little to no talk with this man, and she would be the happiest woman when she saw him leave which would not be soon, " Does not a woman have a say or a word to change her mind about the actions that she has commited, yet you do not stop to push yourself on others" she told him angrily before entering

Her bag crashing with a statue wich fell on the ground, one of her glass ones that she loved so much, that was just an omen to her misfortune she considered and sighed as she covered her face with both her hands shielding herself from the world just enough to withstand the hours that were to come.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

Richard saw Anne bite her lip as he spoke, her hand on the door handle. He couldn't see her face as she wasn't looking his way, but he got the distinct impression her expression wasn't a pleasant one.

It was then that she let go of the door and turned to face him, lips pursed then thinned, hair brushed from her face. It seemed as though she was wrestling with her emotions and trying to keep them in check; Richard couldn't say he was surprised.

"Come in ,We have a lot to discuss....... I guess......"

This was not what Richard had been expecting at all; if anything he'd expected Anne to slam the door in his face. But no, wonder of wonders, she was inviting him into her house, after having stressed numerous times that she no longer wanted to see him and wanted their evening together to pass as quickly as possible. She'd changed the date to tonight 'to get it over with' after all. Richard was surprised but that wasn't to say he wasn't pleased. In fact, he was ecstatic at this development, though as usual he masked his true emotions, simply nodding and following Anne to the door.

"Does not a woman have a say or a word to change her mind about the actions that she has commited, yet you do not stop to push yourself on others"

With that, Anne flung open the door and stalked inside, clearly fuming. Richard followed her at a more leisurely pace in time to see her bag connect sharply with one of the glass statues in her foyer. The statue teetered precariously on its perch before tumbling, falling to the ground and smashing to pieces, the shards like so many chips of ice or new fallen tears. Strange that it wasn't just Anne who was falling to pieces.

Richard eyes flicked from the fragments to glass to Anne, her face hidden by her hands in a gesture which conveyed both grief and fear all at once. Being as emotionally unstable as she was, Richard was unsure how to go about answering her previous query. He was inclined to be harsh, as that was how she had been with him, yet at the same time he couldn't bear to be so.

He closed the door behind him before moving closer to Anne again, touching her two hands with his good one and moving as though to pull them away from her face. Yes, he was doing exactly what Anne had accused him of, pushing boundaries and, rather blatantly, advancing on her without her consent.

"You do have a say, and you could change your mind, my dear Anne," he said, a small smile playing about his lips, ignoring Anne's angry tone. "But you won't. You loved it, I know you did."

With that he leant in to touch his lips to hers once more, seeming to forget the discussion they were meant to be having, allowing himself to yield a little to the desire he felt for her.

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

Anne heard the door close, a sigh escaping her as she had imagined that the mayor of New york would still press her on. Even though she wanted nothing of it now. She wanted to just be left alone, he could have just trotted away and out of the door. Yet she knew that she had put more wood into the fire of their relationship.

This meant two things, 1 he would not stop, and 2 that he would press his advances more towards her person than any other time.Oh how she now saw the fire between them flicker more brightly and yet when she felt his hand at her fingers.She let him pry them off and stared at him as she felt her lips suddenly touch hiss as she let tears fall down her eyes.

He would never understand the harboring hate she was experiencing, the duality of the emotions she was feeling. He would never understand that at all and would he actually continue abusing her. Like he was now, placing her hand that she was not using on his face she pulled him away and stood up. She turned around and gasped seeing the tiny form of little Henry at the entrance.

Had he seen the kiss, had he run out to greet his mother, oh gods he had seen everything she was sure of it. Now then, how was she going to explain to a five year old what had just happened.What did two adults who were not in love had to do with kissing. "Mummy why is the horrible man kissing you" .. I thought kisses were only on the cheek and on the mouth they were for Daddy" she heard the boy say as she felt a knot swell up on her throat.


She could never forgive now what Richard had done , she could not at all. She had to stay calm though. Walking to the boy she grabbed her child's hand and picked him up as she kissed his cheek and looked at Richard. Rolling her eyes, she walked to the kitchen and walked over towards the fridge. Taking out a bottled chocolate milk and started to direct herself away towards the little boys room ignoring Richard all the while.

Continuing to walk she slipped into her sons room and sat him down as she petted the boys hair. "No my dear your as tricky as your father, what would you want to do. to help you sleep." she said and handed him the bottle.A smile plagging the boys lips,she was glad that he was in a good mood as she knew the bottle would put him to sleep.


Brushing the boys hair for the last time, she sung a lullaby low that his father would sing for him.She had learned it so many times before Richard had killed him ,which made her well up some more inside .Guilt hitting her back and stabbing her slowly at the thought that she had just kissed her enemy and enjoyed it.

[RICHARD PLANTAGENET]

Richard wasn't surprised when Anne returned the kiss, he knew she would. He ignored the silent tears streaming down her face, focussing more on the feel of her lips on his. However it was then that she used her free hand to push him away. The comptroller was about to protest when he followed Anne's gaze to see what had made her stop.

Her son, Henry, stood framed in the doorway. Richard imagined he was the spitting image of his father, but several years younger. That alone made him despise the boy on sight. That and his words.

"Mummy why is the horrible man kissing you? I thought kisses were only on the cheek and on the mouth they were for Daddy."

Richard would have laughed had the situation not been so incriminating. Not that he was embarrassed in the slightest, far from it. Admittedly it was awkward that Henry had chosen to enter the room at that point and all the more so since he'd mentioned his father.

Richard had hated Edward d'Anjou the moment he'd met him. The look of disdain he gave him was enough to fuel the fire of a hatred that would lead, in a sick and twisted way, to his death. It irritated Richard how quick the man's death had been...but at least he'd died. He'd deserved it after all, quick, painless or otherwise.

Richard watched as Anne picked up her son and took him away, pausing long enough to roll her eyes in his direction. Politeness and common courtesy dictated that Richard should leave well enough alone; surely it wasn't possible to salvage the situation now? It was too far out of hand.

And yet...

He hesitated, listening to the sound of Anne's shoes as she walked further into the house. At last he reached a decision and, knowing full well it was probably the wrong one, followed the sound he'd been so intent on listening to.

Richard reached the doorway of Henry's room just in time to hear Anne crooning a lullaby to the child. The tune wasn't one Richard recognized, but her voice was so full of tenderness and care as to render the melody insignificant. That was how he wanted her to feel about him. But could that ever happen...especially after what he'd done?

"I thought," he said softly, with a hint of a smile. "That we were meant to be having a discussion...?"

[ANNE SOPHIE PLANTAGENET]

She looked at the son she had produced with Edward, her late husband. Who unfortunatly was killed along with his father, by none other than Richard.How misfortuned favored he indeed , why could she never leave her alone. An in it's stead actually create some peace for her. This she wanted above all, why in the world was she suddenly falling in love with him.

This was most unusual , she needed awnsers. But maybe she was in love all along. Since before the whole incited of guetting married, but now he's here, with her. But what was going in through his head, she thought.She knew that Richard was kind , and generous.She guessed the war had really had it's effect on him.

When anne saw the boy asleep ,she stood up and sighed.Rubbing her shoulders wondering, what would happen to her boy if she did accept Richard. Once and for all, and all eternity. Would he be kind, loving like his father was , would they share moments. Would she come to love the man that she loathed and hated, all at the same time. yet now she was wondering if this mattered at all, or if she was giving up just in one swift moment.

She turned her head around to find Richard at the door.A sigh leaving her as she stood up and brushed her boys hairs, one last time and walked away. She wanted to stay away from him, yet at the moment she should really not leave the man who had killed her husband. All alone with her son, there would be misfortune if Richard dared try to trample on that ground. Turning around, she grabbed the man who she called her enemy by collar and gently pushed him away. Wrapping her arm around his own, she curled her fingers on his hand and started to wonder what would he think of this contact.

This close contact could either kill her ,or love her.Even thought she did not want anything to do with the man, she was comming to love him even care a little for him.She could not deny that, yet she kept in her face the simplest of features "Emotioless" that was the word that she would apply. This was the reaction to her face,nothing else could simplify it more. " Richard please follow me" she asked him a tone of coldness appearing in front of her,she wanted to be short and clear of what she wanted and nothing else, if he tried to trample her ground she would sting hard.