Chapter 20: White Rabbit

"I can't believe you’ve never seen Holy Grail! That's like a foundational text! It's a crime, Calvin. A literal crime," my wife insisted, waving a slice of pepperoni pizza in the air for emphasis. A string of cheese dripped onto the couch cushion next to her. "Oh, whoops." She dabbed at it with her finger, then popped it in her mouth.

"Well it's pretty fun so far," I admitted, taking a sip of my beer and laughing as the knights on screen began chanting, "NI!"

"Right?!" she chirped and laughed at the ridiculous scene.

I smirked, looking at her. She was cute, really cute. Her feet were tucked up under her on the couch, the oversized cardigan had been abandoned on a chair, and her glasses were sliding down her nose. She'd pulled her hair out of its bun, and it was a mess of burgundy waves around her face, giving her a slightly wild, chaotic look.

"You're staring again," she said, not taking her eyes off the screen. "Do I have something on my face? Other than pizza sauce."

"Just wondering why you haven't jumped me yet," I said. "You're usually a bit more… insistent, especially after so many switches."

Emma blushed and cleared her throat. "Holy Grail, Calvin! Priorities."

I snorted and shook my head, looking back at the screen. "Barbara certainly is quite the nerd."

"She is," Emma said with a fond smile before biting her lower lip as she turned to look at me. The humor was gone, replaced by a raw, open need. "Okay, to be fair, I don't think I've ever been this turned on before, ever."

"But still, Holy Grail..." I laughed.

"Holy Grail, Calvin!" she repeated, her hands on her hips, her expression a comical mix of outrage and desperation. "When someone tells me they've never seen such a classic, they have to watch it, period. So even if I'm currently soaked and I'd really like you to fuck my brains out, we're finishing the movie."

I laughed again, holding up my hands in surrender. "Alright, alright. We'll finish the movie."

She grinned, triumphant, and settled back against the couch, her eyes glued to the screen. "Now focus! You're missing everything!" she insisted, pointing at the TV.

I didn't focus. I watched her instead. The way she laughed, the way her nose crinkled when she smiled, the way she'd quote lines under her breath. This was a different kind of Emma. Not the confident, polished Luciana, or the sweet, romantic Chloé. This Emma was goofy, and so unapologetically herself. It was a different kind of fun. A different kind of intimacy. And I found myself liking it. A lot.

To her credit, she did manage to hold off quite longer than I thought she would, and I did watch the whole movie with her. She, however, ended up missing the last third of it.

Her hands grew bolder as the movie went on. The light touches on my thigh became firm strokes, her fingers brushing against my zipper, her other hand slipping under my shirt to trace patterns on my stomach. Her eyes would gradually move from the screen to my face, a hungry look in them, before she'd **** herself to look back.

"Don't mind me, okay?" she finally said, her voice husky, her hand unzipping my jeans.

I groaned as her fingers wrapped around my cock, pulling it free from the confines of my boxers. "Emma…"

"Shhh," she whispered, her thumb circling the head, spreading the bead of pre-cum. "I've already seen it a hundred times. Keep watching! I just... I need to..."

She leaned over, her hair brushing against my stomach, and took me in her mouth. I gasped, my hands gripping the couch cushions, my eyes glued to the screen where the knights of the round table were now attempting to slay a killer rabbit. The juxtaposition was absurd, and I couldn't help but laugh, a breathless, choked sound.

She pulled back. "It's my favorite scene." She said, before going back down, her tongue swirling around the tip, her lips wrapping around me in a way that made my toes curl. She took me deep, her throat opening up, and I felt her moan around my length, the vibration sending a jolt of pleasure straight through me.

"Damn! Barbara knows what she's doing," I gasped, my hands going to her hair.

Emma just hummed in response, her movements becoming more urgent, her free hand sliding between her own legs, her body trembling with her own need. "Fuck!" she moaned, pulling off my cock for a second before diving back in, more **** this time. "Fuck! I'm... I'm..."

"Do you wanna stop the movie?" I asked, my voice strained. "We can go to the bedroom..."

"No!" she insisted, shaking her head and taking a deep breath. "I'm fine, just keep watching!"

I chuckled and leaned back, arms behind my head on the couch, my attention divided between the absurdity on screen and the woman between my legs. She bobbed her head, her movements sloppy and frantic, her moans muffled by my cock. Her other hand was still moving between her legs, the slick sounds of her own arousal mixing with the sounds from the TV.

She was completely lost in it, her hips rocking against her own hand, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

As soon as the credits started rolling, she pulled away, her face flushed, her glasses askew. She stood up, stripping off her t-shirt and throwing it aside, her movements jerky and ****. "Bedroom. Now."

I didn't need to be told twice. I followed her, my jeans still hanging open, my cock hard and aching. She practically dragged me into the bedroom, pushing me down onto the bed before climbing on top of me.

She kissed me, her lips sloppy and demanding, her tongue invading my mouth.. She was already so wet, grinding against my thigh, her breath coming in ragged gasps.

"Doesn't help that I haven't had sex in months," she moaned against my lips, as if she was reading my mind. "I'm so fucking horny."

I laughed, my hands roaming her body, squeezing her ass, pulling her closer. "No luck with your Dungeons and Dragons partners?"

"Oh my god, shut up," she groaned, but she was smiling, her hips rocking against me. "I'm not that ****!"

"You look **** enough, right now," I teased, rolling us over so I was on top of her.

I hooked my fingers into the waistband of her tights, pulling them down along with her underwear, revealing her to me. She was completely shaved, and her folds were glistening with her arousal.

I knelt between her legs, spreading them wide, and leaned down, my tongue flicking out to taste her.

"Fuck!" she cried out, her hands curling into fists into my hair. "I—I'm only this **** for my husband! Oh wow that sounded weird in this mouth!"

I laughed against her, then dove back in, my tongue exploring her, teasing her clit. She was writhing beneath me, her hips bucking, her moans getting louder, more urgent.

"Oh fuck, please, Calvin, please," she begged, her voice raw with need. "I need you inside me. Now."

I didn't hesitate. I climbed up her body, my cock nudging at her entrance. I looked down at her, her face flushed, her eyes dark with desire, her lips parted, waiting.

I pushed into her, slowly, and she cried out, her back arching off the bed. "Yes! Oh, fuck, yes!"

She felt incredible, so tight, so wet. Every new host, a new set of sensations. Barbara was different. A little clumsy, maybe, but with an eagerness that was intoxicating. She wrapped her legs around my waist, pulling me deeper, her nails digging into my back.

I started to move, slow and deep at first, then faster, harder, my hips slapping against hers. The bed creaked beneath us, the sounds of our bodies meeting, her moans and my grunts, filling the room.

"Harder," she gasped. "Fuck me harder."

I obliged, driving into her with a **** that made the headboard slam against the wall. I could feel her getting close, her body tensing, her inner walls starting to clench around me.

"Don't stop," she pleaded, her eyes squeezing shut. "Oh god, don't you dare stop."

I didn't. I kept going, my own release building, a hot, coiling tension in my groin. I reached down between us, my thumb finding her clit, and she cried out, her whole body shuddering as she came, her orgasm ripping through her.

I followed her over the edge, my own release a hot, pulsing wave that left me breathless and shaking. I collapsed on top of her, my face buried in her neck, our bodies slick with sweat.

"Holy shit I was far gone, Cal," she whispered after a while, her body still trembling beneath me. "We're really pushing the limits with all these jumps."

"We did get you into a lot of people today," I agreed, my voice muffled against her skin.

"I like this one! Such a fun mind!" she said with a giggle. "A head full of fantasy, nonsense, and so much... want." She kissed the top of my head, then rolled me off her, settling into the crook of my arm. "So, what did you think of the movie?" she asked, her fingers tracing patterns on my chest.

"It was fun, though I'm afraid I missed a few key plot points," I laughed.

"Ah!" she giggled and then yawned. "You're lucky I'm more Emma than Barbara, right now. She'd make you watch it again, with commentary."

"I bet she would!" I chuckled.

"It was weird, watching that movie for the first time and yet knowing all the punchlines," she said with a yawn.

We lay there in comfortable silence for a while, the sounds of the city filtering in through the open window. The cool night air felt good on my skin.

Then, the doorbell rang.

We both froze.

"Are we expecting anyone?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

I shook my head, groaning as I tried to get up.

"I'll get it, old man," she said, giggling as she jumped out of bed, grabbing my t-shirt from the floor and pulling it on. It hung down to her mid-thigh, making her look smaller and even younger. "Don't move! I'll be right back."

I listened to her pad down the hallway, the floorboards creaking softly under her feet. I could hear the muffled sound of voices through the door, but I couldn't make out what they were saying. Then louder. "Where is he?!"

Ashley...

I jolted upright, my heart pounding in my chest. Fuck. I scrambled out of bed, pulling on my jeans, my hands shaking as I fumbled with the button.

I walked out into the living room to find Emma's sister standing in the middle of it, her arms crossed, her expression a mixture of hurt and fury. My wife was standing between us, her arms outstretched, like a referee at a boxing match.

"Here he is!" Ashley said, her voice dripping with sarcasm, her eyes locking onto me. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friend?"

"Ashley, this is Barbara," I said, my voice tight. "Barbara, this is Ashley."

"Just Ashley? Really?" Ashley snorted, shaking her head. She turned her attention to Emma, extending a hand. My wife froze, staring at it, unsure how to proceed and clearly panicking. "I'm Emma's sister. I'm sure Calvin mentioned Emma. Right? His recently deceased wife?"

"Right..." Emma managed, her voice a squeak. She didn't take Ashley's hand. "Yes, he did mention her..."

Ashley laughed, but it was a harsh, humorless sound. "Oh then I guess everything is fine!"

"Ash," I said, trying to keep my voice calm. "It's not what it looks like. It's just some harmless fun. I needed a distraction and she..."

"Oh, right, a distraction, of course. How silly of me," she interrupted, her eyes filling with tears. "One distraction? Or many distractions?"

I froze.

"When I saw you, at the funeral, coming back with Veronica, I thought I was imagining things," she said, her voice cracking. "It seemed so fucking absurd, you know. But then Patricia said she'd seen you on your way to the airport with a fancy latina..." She trailed off, her eyes shifting from me to Emma, and back again. "But no, I thought she was mistaken. It made no sense at all. But then you went completely silent."

"I needed a break away from everything," I said.

"Oh yeah? Where did you go?" she asked, her tone turning cold.

"I think we should—" Emma started, but Ashley cut her off.

"Where?!" she insisted.

"Paris," I admitted, my shoulders slumping in defeat.

"Paris!" Ashley laughed, a single, sharp, tearful bark. She knew Emma and I had always dreamed of going to Paris. This wasn't looking good.

"It's not what you think!" I insisted, running a hand through my hair. "I know it looks bad, but I can explain."

"And that girl in the subway, earlier, being all handsy with you," she continued, her eyes narrowing. "I was in the same car, asshole! I saw you!" She stared at Emma. "And you brought a different girl home... So many fucking distractions, Calvin! What the fuck is going on here?!"

I didn't even know what to say. I had no way to explain myself without sounding either insane or like a complete asshole.

"And you know what's even funnier? I bumped into Mrs. Henderson from next door on my way here," she said, her voice rising. "She told me she's seen so many different girls coming and going from this house at all hours that she was starting to worry you had some sort of escort service going on!"

I grumbled. "Emma is dead, Ash. I'm allowed to try and move on, right?"

"Oh! So that's what you're doing? Moving on?" she scoffed, her face flushing with anger. "Was it what you were doing with Veronica, on the day you laid my sister to rest? After your beautiful fucking eulogy?"

Emma stepped forward then, her face pale. "It was very nice meeting you, Ashley. I think you two have a lot to discuss so I should probably go..." she said, grabbing her clothes from the couch.

"What?" I said, my head snapping toward her in confusion.

My wife eyed me pleadingly, her expression begging me to just go along with it. I was so confused. Where the hell was she going?

"I can't believe this, Calvin!" Ashley groaned, her shoulders slumping. "I've been trying to give you space, thinking you were grieving, like I was. I've been so worried about you! And you're just... sleeping around with anything with a pulse?" she said, her words laced with disappointment and hurt.

"No!" I said, shaking my head. "It's not like that..."

Emma quickly got dressed, her movements clumsy, and rushed toward her sister, trying to keep her attention on her, away from me. "I'm sorry. This was a mistake. I'll just see myself out." She extended her hand.

"Em... Barbara..." I stammered, my mind racing. "What are you doing?"

"It was nice meeting you," she repeated, her gaze firmly on Ashley. Finally, my sister in law took her hand and shook it. A quick, firm shake.

And then, Barbara was gone, closing the door quietly behind her.

I stared at Ashley. "Emma?" I said, my heart pounding in my chest.

Ashley's eyes went wide, then teared up again. "Oh fuck..." she whispered, her whole body trembling. She burst into tears, her knees buckling, and I rushed forward, catching her just before she hit the floor. I held her as she sobbed, her body shaking against mine.

"Fuck, Cal..." she gasped, her face buried in my shoulder.

"Emma?" I asked once more, my voice cracking.

She nodded against my chest. "Yeah... it's me."

I held her close, my mind reeling from the sudden, shocking turn of events. "What are you doing?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

"It's all I could think of," she sobbed, pulling back slightly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. "Oh shit this hurts..."

"What?"

"Me, being dead. The grief she feels for me. I can feel it. It hurts so much..."

I wrapped my arms around her again, holding her tight, my mind racing. "You're not dead..."

For a moment it felt like I was holding my wife again, Emma, before the accident. Ashley looked so much like her, sounded so much like her. Her blonde hair, her blue eyes, the shape of her face, her mannerisms. It was uncanny. And now, my wife was inside her, blurring the lines between sister and wife.

"For her, I am, I was, I..." she stammered, shaking her head. She looked up at me, frowning, then hit my chest. "Why the fuck didn't you take some time to check on her?! She's my baby sister! She's all alone!"

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I said, my voice thick with guilt. "I've been busy with you! Figuring out what it meant for us, learning to live with your ghost!"

Emma sighed, slumping against me, her anger fading as quickly as it had appeared. "I know," she whispered. "This is fucked up! We should have told her... I was so lost in other people's lives that I forgot about my own sister."

"It's not your fault," I said, stroking her hair. "We were both overwhelmed."

I felt her nod against my chest, her body relaxing slightly. We knelt there in the middle of the living room, holding each other, the silence stretching between us.

"What now?" I asked, my voice quiet.

She pulled back, her expression serious. "Now we tell her the truth."

I stared at her, then nodded slowly. "Alright... Then we need a new host..."

"Don't worry, Barbara will be back in a moment," Emma said. I raised an eyebrow. "I made her forget her keys. Left a little thread that should unravel quickly, make her realize she left them here."

I chuckled. "So that was the plan when you decided to jump inside her?"

"No. Maybe? I just thought I'd jump inside her and calm her down, maybe edit her memories," she explained, her eyes distant. "But then I felt the... the grief. We have to let her know."

"Okay."

The doorbell rang again. Emma sighed, wiping her eyes. "Showtime."

I took a deep breath and went to open the door.

"Hey," Barbara said, looking sheepish. "Sorry. I think I left my keys..."

"Right," I said, stepping aside to let her in.

"By the way, that was nice… You're cute, but I don't usually go home with guys I just met on the subway, so..." she started, her cheeks flushing. "Consider it me being weirder than usual and a one time thing, okay?"

"Sure," I said as she grabbed her keys, left conveniently on the couch.

"Besides, it looks like you have stuff to figure out..." She gestured vaguely toward my wife in her sister's body.

"Thank you for your understanding," Emma said with a weak smile, moving closer. Before Barbara could react, she reached out, her fingers brushing against the other woman's arm.

Barbara blinked, confused for a moment, then looked at her keys in her hand.

Ashley opened her mouth, then closed it, looking like a fish out of water.

"Em?" She gasped, her eyes growing wide as she stared at the nerdy girl.

Emma clasped her hands, looking sheepishly at her sister. "Hey, Ash..."

A choked sob escaped Ashley's lips. She stared, her mind seemingly grappling with the impossible.

"You let her remember?" I asked, my eyes wide.

"Yeah," Emma said, nodding. "Easier that way..." She then turned back to her sister. "It's me, Ash. It's really me. I'm so sorry for not telling you before..."