“Thank god you are here,” Heather sighed, thankful that Diego would finally be able to somehow get Charles to stop crying. It had her worrying so much while Charles kept crying. Something had to be wrong with him and Diego would hopefully know what it was. She quickly ran to the door, hearing the doorbell ring again. “I’m coming Diego.”

“Heather, I came as quick as I could,” Diego informed her with a small sigh, taking a step forward after she opened the door, “What’s wrong with him?”

“I don’t know,” Heather explained, hearing Charles’ cries still fill her ears, “he just keeps crying and crying--he won’t stop Diego. I’m worried--what if something is really wrong with him?”

“I’m sure he is fine,” Diego hushed her, taking a step into the house, “Where is he? I am sure he is going to be fine.”

“He is in the back bedroom,” Heather answered, going to shut the door before Diego motioned her to stop. “Do you need to get something?”

“Yeah, I brought two people with me,” Diego replied, taking a step into the house to motion someone to come in, “I hope you don’t mind that I did that. I was out when you called me and I didn’t think you would mind.”

“Of course I don’t mind Diego--anything for you,” Heather insisted before noticing who came with him. Why did he always have Cori attached at his left side. The other was some little girl. What was Diego thinking bringing Cori here? “Cori, hi.”

“Don’t play games Heather,” Cori sighed, walking into the house with Kayla, “I know you don’t want me here just as much as I don’t want to be here. So why don’t you get things done with, so we could just leave.”

“Of course that’s not true,” Heather protested, changing the topic, “So you brought Cori and…”

“This is Kayla,” Diego pointed out with a small grin, “We just took her to the movies and out for a day of fun. Hopefully it’s going well for her.”

“It is Diego,” Kayla stated with a small giggle, “Everything we do together is fun.”

“She knows what she is talking about,” Heather insisted with a small laugh, hearing Charles begin to scream out again, “Diego, please help me with him. I don’t know what to do. I just don’t understand why he keeps crying like this.”

“Alright, let me check,” he shrugged with a small sigh as Cori began to follow him.

“You don’t have to come if you don’t want to,” Heather assured Cori with a small smile, pointing towards the couch in the back of the living room, “You and Kayla could just have a seat and relax for a while.”

“That’s okay, I might be able to see what the problem is,” Cori declared with a simple shrug, “I have taken care of a few babies in my lifetime. If Diego doesn’t know, then maybe I could help you out there.”

“That would be great,” Heather lied, entering the bedroom with the three at her side. Truthfully, that was less than great. Heather didn’t want Cori anywhere near her child. In fact, Heather didn’t want Cori around Diego either. Cori wasn’t good enough for Diego. Heather saw that, how come Diego didn’t?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kipp stood motionless as he watched the scene before him. The guy kissing Kellen pulled him in closer which made Kipp’s hopes sink. What was he thinking in coming here. The only thing he proved to himself tonight was that he was an even bigger idiot than he thought. There was no way that this whole thing was going to work out.

“Maybe I should just talk to him,” Kipp suggested to himself, going to touch the door before stopping himself, “It’s no use, it wouldn’t make a difference anyways.”

Kipp took one last glance at Kellen before turning around to go back down the stairs. He should have known that Kellen would have been moving on already. If it was him, he would have done the same. Kellen poured his heart out to him and the only thing Kipp did was stand there and act like an idiot.

“How could I have done that to him?” Kipp asked himself, walking down the stairs slowly before taking a seat on one of them. “This is a better thing to do. I shouldn’t have came here anyways.”

Before taking one last glance up at the top of the stairs, Kipp stood up slowly and walked towards the front of the house. He should disappear from Kellen’s life forever. That would be the best thing for him. Kipp walked through the front door and began to walk towards his car before feeling someone grab his shoulder--was it Kellen?

“Kel…” Kipp stopped himself noticing it was the guy he had talked to earlier, “Hey, what do you want?”

“Did you get things settled between you and blue?” the guy questioned, seeing Kipp nod slowly. “I noticed you leaving and I thought I would ask you just in case you didn’t find him or anything.”

“No, I found more than what I wanted,” Kipp assured the guy, turning towards his car before deciding to turn back, “Oh, and if you see Kellen--make sure he doesn’t know that I was here today.”

“Uh, okay,” the guy nodded as Kipp walked to his car and got in slowly.

“I can’t believe I was actually going to go on with this,” Kipp shook his head slowly before pulling his keys out of his pocket and turning the car on.

A small frown came over his lips as Kipp heard what song was on the radio. It was one of the songs that Kellen always sang to himself while they were in the car together. In fact, Kellen had once told him that it was their song. What was going on? This decision could change his whole life--what was he going to do?

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Gabe looked out the hotel room window thinking about the way he’d let go of Guy. How he’d hated to just put an end to things like he had, but at the same time he knew it was for the best. He and Guy had been with one another for a couple of years and it was long past the point in time that Guy face the truth about himself. Gabe didn’t want to make this an ultimatum about their relationship, but at the same time Gabe had things that he needed to do--things that he needed to accomplish and more so things he wanted in his life. He’d had dreams of settling down with someone he could love and share everything in his life with without worries or regrets.

Guy was so lost inside himself trying to figure everything out that it came to the point where Gabe felt he was doing Guy a favor. Yes, Gabe knew he was taking a risk in dating someone so much younger than him, yet there had been a spark about Guy. There was something about him that just immediately drew Gabe in. From his sexy smile to that way his eyes lit up when he was happy, Gabe could see there was something so very special about that man he’d given his heart to. In Europe they had been free to be together with no worries about hiding or keeping their relationship a secret. They were in love and able to let the world know that their love was something that wasn’t about to fade away into the night. They had something special that came around once in a lifetime.

“Yet you tossed it away tonight,” Gabe reminded himself with a frown knowing that in the long run this would work out for the best. Still his heart was breaking into pieces as he thought of the man he’d pushed aside. If only they could’ve found a way to make things work--if only they could’ve held onto one another for a bit longer… If only…

“Well I guess that’s all I’ll have to look on for a while,” Gabe resigned himself to his fate ready to retire for the evening when he heard a knock on the door. Turning around to look at the door with complete wonderment over who could be there, Gabe was half tempted to ignore it and go to bed. Still there was a nagging feeling inside of him that told him to at least look.

“Room service probably has the wrong room,” Gabe muttered to himself opening the door only to discover that there was no one there. A curious expression crossed over his lips as he looked to the left seeing nothing still. He moved to close the door again when he heard another small sound.

“What the…” Gabe began only to discover a single red rose right before his eyes. The flower was attached to set of curled fingers and in that moment Gabe felt a moment of realization upon him. His stomach was tied in knots especially when the face attached to that hand stepped into his line of vision.

“Gabe,” Guy smiled at him holding the flower out towards him, “for you…”

“Guy what are you…” Gabe stammered a bit finding himself at a loss. Just seeing his lover again brought an ache to his heart, a tightness to his stomach as he wanted nothing more than to reach out and embrace him, but he knew better. Standing up taller he cleared his throat again, “What are you doing here?”

“I came over to see you,” Guy explained in a smooth and even tone. “I know that you’d asked me not to, but I got to thinking about what you said in the car…”

“Guy, I haven’t changed my mind. What I said before holds true and I think it’s best if you leave,” Gabe moved to shut the door only to feel Guy’s foot get in the way. He glared down at his ex-lover, “Brittany is sleeping and I don’t need you waking her up by trying to debate this issue with me. I’ve already made up my mind.”

“And so have I,” Guy declared boldly nudging the door open again, “Gabe, I’m not leaving until you hear me out, so you may as well stop trying to fight me on this issue. I heard what you have to say, but now I think it’s time that you hear what I need to say.”

“Guy I don’t think that…” Gabe started finding himself feeling rather uncomfortable with the situation at hand. He wanted nothing more than to invite Guy into his hotel room, back into his heart, yet he knew of the disappointment that would follow if he was to do such a bold thing. He tried to pretend that he wasn’t effected by the nearness of his lover, but when Guy nudged the door again, Gabe released it allowing it to swing open.

“As I was saying before, you told me a lot of things about how you felt, but you didn’t give me an opportunity to tell you what it is that’s been on my mind,” Guy began his dark eyes fixed on Gabe. There was no way that he was backing down now--not after he’d made up his mind about what it was he wanted out of life and where he was meant to be.

“Guy, I just don’t think…” Gabe started again only to feel Guy press his index finger over his lips to silence him.

“Don’t think,” Guy urged him desperately, “Just listen. Listen to what I have to say and hear me. For the first time in our relationship really hear me when I tell you what I have to say. All I’m asking for is five minutes and if you can give me that, then I promise you when I’m finished I’ll be on my way and you’ll never have to see me again if you don’t want to.”

“Alright,” Gabe nodded returning to silence. He arched a curious brow opening up the floor for Guy.

“I thought about what you said,” Guy began clearing his throat uneasily, “A lot about what you said and you were right. You had so many valid points about everything. You do deserve a man who is going to put you first--a man who isn’t going to hide behind the shadows pretending to be something he’s not. I was a coward--no I am a coward. I’ve been one for most of my life because I’ve been too afraid to stand up for what I believe in. I’ve been too terrified to follow my heart--to do what it is that makes me happy, but no more. After you told me it was over I did a lot of soul searching and I realized that I was making a mistake. I spent my whole life wallowing in my mistakes constantly making things worse for those around me. Time after time I denied my heart--turned away from what it was that I wanted, but when I lost you, I felt as if the best part of me was leaving with you. Gabe, I know I’m far from perfect and that a lot of the time I don’t make much sense, but that doesn’t change the way that I feel.”

Gabe watched as Guy took in a long, nervous breath.

“Gabe, the moment I met you--the moment I first saw you, I knew that you were the one. You were the man that I waited my whole life to find--the one that I wanted to share my life with. Hell, for so long I was lost in limbo moving from one dead end relationship to the next and I convinced myself that was just how it was meant to be for me. I felt that because I was gay I was going to have to spend the rest of my life in hiding--moving around in this world like a lost little puppy hoping to hold onto something real, yet all that was there was nothing more than illusions. I was drowning in my illusions until you came into my life. You were the first breath of air and in that night when you first approached me, well I knew that you were something special. There I was thinking that the sexiest man in the room was there speaking with me--with little irrelevant me and when you asked me out, all I could think about was that this was it. This was the real thing and I kept telling myself not to blow it. I kept saying that I had to make sure that this didn’t fall to pieces like everything else…”

“Guy you don’t have to…” Gabe offered up in protest.

“Yes, I do,” Guy nodded in affirmation, “I had to do this a long time ago, but I was too much of a coward. I was too afraid to recognize the gift that I had when you gave me your love. I was too busy worrying about what the rest of the world thought about me and who I was, but it hit me tonight. I don’t give a damn about what they think. I don’t care what it is that they expect or want from me. All I care about is being with you and praying to God that I don’t lose the greatest love I’ve ever known.”

Guy took a step forward, his words coming out shakily as he reached out to graze his finger tips over Gabe’s cheek lovingly, “Gabe, I might’ve been too afraid to admit my heart to the rest of the world, but no more. I don’t want to be that man that made you feel like this was going no where. I don’t want you to have to feel like you’re some dirty little secret of mine because you’re not. You’re my heart and my soul and I know if I lost you I’d be losing the greatest part of me. I love you Gabriel Teague and regardless of what you might think of me at this moment in time, the truth to the matter is that I’m never going to stop loving you--not now, not ever.”

“Guy I…” Gabe opened his mouth to speak, but his words were lost when Guy moved forward reaching for him.

He felt Guy’s arms wrap around him and before he could say anything more, Guy’s mouth plummeted over his kissing him with an intensity far greater than anything they’d experienced before. Feeling the force behind Guy’s kiss causing his knees to buckle as he moved backward. Guy reached out to him drawing him out into the hallway with him.

“I love you and I’m not about to lose you,” Guy mouthed breathlessly dragging his thumb over Gabe’s now trembling lip. He saw the spark still burning behind his lover’s eyes--the fire still alive between them and as Guy leaned in closer to him, he felt a newfound determination, “I know that you said you were letting me go tonight, but I’m not going to give you that option. I love you and I’m not about to let you end things for us. I’m not about to lose the one thing that matters most in my life Gabe.”

“Guy it’s just that…” Gabe began again feeling Guy’s hand press in over the center of his chest to feel the furious pounding of his heart. Guy’s other hand traveled lazily into Gabe’s sandy blonde hair urging him closer yet as their mouths met in a desperate, needy kiss full of passion and the promise of all the things still alive between them. Gabe might’ve said it was over, but as he held onto Guy kissing him like there was no tomorrow, he knew deep down that what they had together was far from over.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“This is more fun that I anticipated it to be,” Hart let out a small laugh after another game of playing go fish. They were planning on coming to Don’s house and play a game of Euchre, but Matt was still up so they decided to play a game with him.

“It is so fun,” Matt agreed with a small laugh before shaking his head, “Are we going to play again?”

“You know what little guy,” Don began, sitting up from where he was, “I think it is about time that you should go to bed. You have been up longer than you should be, but I promise that I will you play tomorrow.”

“Do you promise?” Matt questioned seeing Don nod slowly. “In that case, okay.”

“Come here and give your Uncle Hart a hug before you go to bed,” Hart motioned Matt to come and give him a hug. He leaned down as Matt approached him and he gave Matt a big hug. “That’s my little guy.”

“Goodnight Uncle Hart,” Matt waved goodbye before going to Don and reaching out to hold his hand tightly, “Goodnight everybody.”

“It was nice meeting you Matt,” Jenna waved goodbye, watching as Don picked Matt up in his arms and carried him into his bedroom. “He is such a cute little boy.”

“That he is,” Hart agreed, looking across the table at Shannon who seemed to be very quiet throughout the whole night. “What do you think about Matt?”

“Me?” Shannon questioned seeing Hart nod slowly as she thought for a long second. “Well, I think that he is the most intelligent little boy I have ever met in my life and I think Don has raised him very well.”

“By the way he kept hooking onto your side, kind of showed us that he really likes you,” Hart pointed out with a small smile seeing Shannon nod slowly, “Same goes for Don there.”

“Uh, right,” Shannon nodded slowly before looking back towards the room Don took Matt in, “Speaking of Don, where is he?”

“He always reads Matt a story before he goes to bed,” Hart informed her with a simple shrug, “It helps Matt get more settled in.”

“Oh yeah, I remember Don telling me about that,” Shannon stated, looking back towards the bedroom that Don was now leaving. “Speaking of Don.”

“Hey,” Don smiled, taking a seat back around the table with everyone, “He’s sound asleep now.”

“That’s good,” Hart nodded slowly before looking across the table at Shannon, “I was just talking to Shannon about how much it looks like Matt likes her.”

“That I know he does,” Don agreed, looking over at Shannon before grabbing the cards from the table. So, who is up for another game of cards?”

“Well, we were playing let Matt win,” Hart pointed out with a small laugh, “So what are we going to play now?”

“Perhaps a game of strip poker,” Don suggested with a wiggle of his eyebrow, feeling Shannon’s hand smack the back of his shoulder lightly.

“That would be in your dreams Donny boy,” Shannon replied with a small chuckle seeing Don frown, “Don’t say you were playing because you weren’t.”

“We all know he wasn’t lying,” Hart smirked, looking over his friend before shaking his head, “I know that I will probably lose in that game, so why don’t we just play Euchre. Something that I actually know that I have a chance at winning.”

“Sounds good,” Don agreed quickly with a small laugh, “I think that would work much better.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Deidra sat at the small table looking across at Dean and she found herself unable to keep from smiling. So far this trip had proven to be a very eye opening experience and now after the endless hours of love making she couldn’t help but feel on top of the world. Reaching for one of the strawberries in the bowl before her, she dipped it in some whipped cream before holding it out to Dean. She watched him take a big bite before wiping at the juice over his bottom lip. He held his finger out to her watching the way she took pleasure in removing the juices from his finger tip. Once she’d finished with that sensual task, she plopped the second half of the berry into her mouth with one hearty bite.

“You know if you keep smiling like that, you might be breaking some kind of record,” Dean couldn’t help but tease plucking a berry out of the bowl as well. He swirled it around in the whipped cream before offering her a taste.

“What can I say,” she leaned forward licking the tip of the berry, circling it with her tongue before taking a small bite, “I’ve never had more reason to feel this good before tonight.”

“Hmm and why might that be,” Dean couldn’t help but tease as his eyes devoured the lines of her body greedily. As they sat together naked on the floor in front of the fireplace, he couldn’t help but remember all the passion they’d experienced at the cabin. First outside by the showers, then in the bedroom, in the kitchen and finally right here before the warmth of the burning fire.

“Hmm, I suppose it could be because I love the great outdoors,” she shrugged casually before dropping her hair back behind her shoulders to offer herself up to his hungry gaze, “or perhaps it might have something to do with the company.”

“The company you say,” he cracked a grin sliding in closer to her. He watched her suckle on the strawberry for a moment before tracing it over her lips.

“That’s right,” she finished offering him a taste of the berry, “I have to admit I haven’t ever been so stimulated by someone like I have before tonight.”

“Never,” he feigned surprise sliding in closer to her.

“Never,” she shook her head reaching for another strawberry and raising it to his lips. He took a small bite feeling her pull the berry back. She drew a line over his lips before leaning forward to tease her tongue over his sensual mouth.

“Hmm, well I aim to please,” Dean mouthed reaching for the strawberry as their mouths collided in an unmistakable hunger. He extracted the berry from her skilled fingers and placed it between his now parted lips.

“Hey that was mine,” Deidra shook her head at him before leaning in closer. “Shame on you for taking it.”

Dean was about to bite down on it, but instead he felt her move in for the kill. She closed her lips over his swiping the berry from his mouth before moving in over his lap. He curled his arms around her releasing his hold on the berry entirely as he was consumed of thoughts of only her.

“I love you,” she whispered, her words buzzing over his lips. She reached out for the bowl of whipped cream bringing it into her lap between them.

“I love you,” he mouthed in response, his finger tips tracing up and over her spine. His dark eyes fell upon hers and his breath escaped from his lips. “I think I always have. From the first moment I saw you, I knew there was something special about you--something that I wanted to reach out for.”

“And now that you have,” she questioned scooping out a small handful of whipped cream from the bowl.

“I wonder why I waited so long to follow my instincts,” he confessed feeling her drench his lips with the thick, creamy sweetness. She leaned forward teasing her tongue over every last hint of sugary cream before she placed her hand in the center of his chest urging him backward.

“Shame on you for hesitating,” she shook her head at him, a small laugh erupting from her lips. “Of course I think now it’s well beyond time that I remind you again and again why he who hesitates truly misses out on the finer things in life.”

“I already realize what a mistake I made,” he reached for her feeling her catch his hands in hers.

“No you’re not getting it,” she shook her head guiding her hands up behind his head. She bend his arms just a bit so that his hands were resting behind his head. Reaching for the bowl of whipped cream, she issued him a firm look, “Now it’s my time to show you just how much I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”

“Deidra I…” Dean began watching her sink her fingers into the bowl. Her hand resurfaced with a thick, oozing pile of whipped cream and before he could say another word, he felt her paint it over the center of his chest.

“Now about that thank you,” she leaned forward teasing her tongue over his excited skin. He closed his eyes lost in the temptation she was providing him with. He pulled his hand out from underneath his head reaching out to touch her, but before he could accomplish such a mission, he felt her swatting at his hand.

“No Dean,” she shook her head at him, offering up a disapproving glare, “You’re not getting it. Right now we’re going to do this under my terms.”

“I understand that, but…” he felt her lather up his abdomen with whipped cream, her hands falling further down his body towards his growing manhood.

“Let me show you just how much I’ve been enjoying you doting me with all your attention,” she hummed over his body easing his hand up over his head again before she did her best to clean up the mess she’d made. Biting down on his lower lip, Dean felt her lips weave their magical spell over his body. His heart hammered in his chest and as she took him into the damp heat of her mouth, his hips arched up towards her. Unable to resist the urge, he reached out to her threading his fingers through her hair decidedly.

“I love you,” he mouthed feeling himself so very close to coming undone as she lavished him with her attention. Unable to hold back any longer, he urged her to return to him, tugged at her shoulders causing her to lift her head up. He looked down to see her in such a sensual, erotic position and that nearly bowled him over then and there.

“Aren’t you enjoying this,” she questioned innocently enough despite the devil burning behind her eyes.

“More than I care to admit,” Dean nodded in confession feeling the tips of her hair ticking over his sensitive skin. “But right now I don’t want this to be all about me. I want this to be something special for the both of us.”

“It is,” she replied stroking his length eagerly, feeling him caving in to the temptation of her touch.

“Deidra please…” Dean reached for her again urgently, “I want you.”

“Do you,” she questioned wiggling her brow a bit before leaning in to taste him again, “How much?”

“More than I can stand it,” he replied with a low, primal grow, “If I don’t have you now…”

“Then what?” she giggled buzzing her words over his body as he let out a small shudder.

“You don’t want to find out,” Dean mouthed yanking her up over him again. He rolled her onto the floor feeling the hot fire raging out of control between them. Instinctively he moved in over her kissing her like his life depended on it and as they were joined as one, he realized that the only heaven he’d ever known was behind her eyes. Loving Deidra was the best thing that had ever happened and when he thought about the possibility of losing that, he knew full well that something like that was a fate he never wanted to face. It might be impossible, but he was going to fight like hell to keep her with him forever. He needed her like the air he breathed. She was so beautiful, so amazingly wonderful and as he made love to her, he knew that she was the other half of his heart that he’d longed to find.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“I can’t believe this is really happening,” Angela sighed falling back into Nick’s arms after a long day of party planning with Martha, “I mean here we are so very close to our engagement party and it’s all working out so beautifully.”

“I have to admit I had my reservations about how this would go, but you and Martha are doing a great job with it all. I might even still be able to afford this place once the party is over,” he couldn’t help but tease ticking at her sides as she lay over his lap.

“Nick, I’m trying to be serious here,” she tilted her head back to look up at him, “Although I suppose we will have to talk about where we live after we get married.”

“Hmm, I suppose that is your way of saying that you wouldn’t be too upset if I didn’t stay in this place after we’re husband and wife huh,” he couldn’t help but joke running his fingers through her short, dark hair.

“It’s not that I don’t enjoy it here, but given that we’re going to have two babies running around, I think my place might be just a bit more practical,” she confessed with a small sigh, “We’ll have to work on the nursery and then see what we can come up with.”

“I have no doubts in my mind whatever it is, it’ll be perfect,” he assured her with a small smile, “Just like our wedding is going to be. I know it won’t be the whole fairy tale fantasy like you probably were hoping for given my limited funds, but…”

“Actually speaking of fairy tale,” Angela seemed to perk up a wide grin crossing over her beautiful features, “I got to thinking about that. Martha and I were talking the other day and well there’s this place not far from here.”

“What kind of place,” he questioned curiously.

“It’s the most adorable place just out of town on the other side of the island. It’s this gorgeous old castle ,” Angela revealed with a small smile.

“Oh really a castle eh?” Nick felt himself on the verge of a smile.

“Yep,” she nodded further, “and while it’s more of a tourist attraction, they’ve held parties there every now and then. It’s part of the lure of the island. Tourists come in and hear the tales of everlasting love with the history of the castle and it’s absolutely amazing. It’s like a fairy tale come to life and since Martha knows the people who run it…”

“You thought that maybe we could what?” he couldn’t help but question with a small smile, “Go on over and check it out with the hopes of maybe having our wedding there?”

“Well, the thought had crossed my mind,” she replied snuggling further into him, “Unless of course you’re completely against the idea.”

“Of us getting married in a castle,” he replied scratching his chin lightly, “Well given that you’re nothing short of a princess, I suppose that might be an idea. I mean in all honesty there’s nothing that I could want more than to get married to you in such a setting since you are my very own princess come to life.”

“Really?” she questioned with wide eyes. “You mean you could go for that?”

“Even if it costs a fortune,” he nodded readily feeling her enthusiasm bubbling over her, “Whatever it takes, I think I’m willing to give it a shot considering I’m about to marry the most beautiful woman in the world and I want to give her the most memorable wedding day ever.”

“Oh Nick,” she beamed excitedly throwing her arms around his neck, “I promise you won’t regret this. It’s such a wonderful idea and it’s going to be awesome. You will be so okay with this.”

“As long as you’re happy,” he touched her cheek gently, “then I’ll always be okay with it. That’s what’s most important to me.”

“I love you,” she confessed in a small whisper kissing him eagerly.

“I love you too,” he replied keeping her in his arms as it felt like things were finally falling into place for them and it couldn’t be better!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“There you go,” Diego smiled, setting Charles back down in his crib before leading everyone out into the hallway, “He should be fine now. I just think he needed to be burped. That was all.”

“You have to be kidding me,” Heather let out a small laugh, resting her hands on her hips lightly, “I guess all I needed was you Diego.”

“Yeah, he is very good like that,” Cori agreed, wrapping her hand around his waist protectively. “Diego, are you ready to go yet?”

“Why go now?” Heather questioned with a simple shrug. Diego couldn’t leave yet, she really needed to talk to him badly--about just about everything. “You just got here, why not stay a little bit longer?”

“Why? So you could try to pour some more sweet words out on him?” Cori wondered with a small frown, shaking her head slowly. “We can all see past this side Heather and it isn’t going to happen, so if you will excuse us--we have a day of things filled in our schedule.”

“Wait Cori,” Diego frowned, staying still and not moving, “Is there something that you really need to say to me Heather? I don’t mean something stupid, I mean is there something that needs to be said?”

“Well, I was just thinking,” Heather began, her eyes traveling off to Cori who seemed to be standing there. Heather let out a small frown as she saw Cori fold her arms out in front of her with obvious anger. “Do you remember that day that you promised me that you would be Charles’ father? You promised that you would be remember?”

“Well Kipp is back,” Diego pointed out with a frown, shrugging his shoulders, “No one can take the place of the father when he is still around. Kipp is a good father and I would never want to take a place that is meant for Kipp. Kipp is that baby‘s father and that is never going to change Heather.”

“I know that Diego, but I know you would be so much better at being a father,” Heather insisted shrugging her shoulders as she thought everything over for a minute. “When I look at Charles, I think of all the things you promised that while ago. I think of all the things that went on between us.”

“You mean all the things that is over,” Cori finished, grabbing onto Diego’s hand, “come on Diego, let’s get going. I don’t think we should stay here any longer.”

“Why don’t you let him make his own choices for once,” Heather suggested, folding her arms out in front of her chest, “He is a grown man, I think he should be able to.”

“Why? So you could try to take advantage of him all over again?” Cori questioned before shaking her head slowly. “I am not going to let that happen. He doesn’t belong with you Heather and he never will.”

“Would you two just stop?” Diego begged looking between the two women, not wanting another fight to break out between Heather and Cori. He felt Kayla tug on his pant leg as he looked down.

“What is up with all you grown ups?” Kayla wondered looking between Cori and Heather. All you ever do is fight and then fight again. Geez, that makes me never want to be a grown up.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Guy,” Gabe spoke his lover’s name in a shivering exhale as the two of them stood together in the middle of the hotel hallway lost in the moment between them. Feeling Guy’s arms around his waist, Gabe couldn’t help but melt into him. He sank his forehead against Guy’s before inhaling slowly, taking in the sweet intoxication of his lover’s cologne, “You’ve lost your mind haven’t you?”

“Not my mind,” Guy shook his head reaching out to trace Gabe’s lips lovingly, “Just my heart.”

“Guy…” Gabe began ready to explain why even though this felt right, there were still so many unresolved issues between them--so many things that couldn’t just be changed in the blink of an eye. They still had so many things to work out--things that Gabe feared would never change even with the best of intentions.

“Come with me,” Guy instructed tugging on Gabe’s arm urgently. Gabe hesitated, but Guy pleaded further, “Please. Just trust me.”

“Guy I want to, but…” Gabe gave in finding himself unable to resist the sexy smile over his lover’s lips. With that one look, Gabe found himself at Guy’s mercy…his sexy smile and tantalizing eyes had been the key to Gabe’s undoing. Even knowing that his heart would no doubt break again and again, Gabe allowed Guy to lead him through the hallway to the elevators.

“Just trust me,” Guy repeated again in a thick, sensual whisper pressing the button as the doors opened widely. He pulled Gabe inside with him before throwing his arms around his shoulders.

“Where are we going,” Gabe couldn’t help but ask as Guy stepped up on his toes to kiss him heatedly.

“You’ll see,” Guy promised pressing Gabe into the elevator wall before reaching out behind him to push one of the buttons.

As they ascended to their destination, Guy’s hands traveled over the warmth of Gabe’s chest, over the smooth, muscled contours of the chest he’d been wrapped in after a great many love making moments. Even now he couldn’t help but find himself longing to be closer yet to his lover. Feeling Gabe’s responsiveness to his kiss, Guy was certain Gabe felt it too.

“I love you,” Guy whispered as the elevator doors opened and he coaxed Gabe outside with him.

“What are we…” Gabe questioned realizing that they were now on the roof of the hotel. With a blank expression, Gabe couldn’t help but look at him with wide eyes, “How did we get out here?”

“I thought that maybe it was time to get a few things off of my chest,” Guy explained with a thick, mischievous smile making his way across the rooftop in a haste.

“Guy what are you doing,” Gabe questioned seeing his lover sprint across the rooftop. He watched in silence as Guy walked over to the edge before climbing in over it. Fear radiated through him at that moment in time causing Gabe to sprint forward, “Guy wait. What are you doing?”

“Something I should’ve done a long time ago,” Guy shouted turning his attention to the bright lights of the city below. Taking in a thick breath, he couldn’t help but smile as he shouted out to the night, “I Guy Morrison am head over heels in love with Gabriel Teague and I don’t care who knows it.”

“Guy stop!” Gabe reached out to him seeing Guy shaking a bit on the ledge. While he appreciated the sentiment, he didn’t want to wind up losing Guy when he got a little overzealous about his declaration.

“I love this man!” Guy shouted in a robust voice feeling the wind rise up around him. His voice echoed through the night as he closed his eyes repeating his words again and again.

“Get back here you!” Gabe ordered reaching out to curl his arm around Guy’s waist. He pulled him back onto the rooftop catching him before he fell off of the ledge and wound up flat as a pancake under someone’s car. “Have you completely lost it?”

“That all depends,” Guy replied leaning into Gabe’s chest. He tilted his eyes up to see the worry and concern pressing over Gabe’s features, “Am I forgiven yet?”

“I think you’re absolutely insane,” Gabe shook his head at him, “If you really took the time to think about what you just did you’d see how dangerous that was and…”

“I wasn’t thinking about what I was doing,” Guy corrected with a proud smile, “I was just doing what I felt in my heart and that was being true to who I am--true to us. I don’t care who knows that we’re together. You’re the person I want to share my life with and it doesn’t matter to me what the world thinks. This is what’s right for me and I’m ready to shout it from each and every rooftop if need be until you realize that I’m serious about this.”

“I know you’re serious,” Gabe reached out to bring his fingers through Guy’s darkened locks now that the wind picked up and began whipping it around his face, “seriously out of your mind.”

“And head over heels in love with you,” Guy leaned forward claiming Gabe’s lips in another hungry display of desire, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Gabe replied unable to deny his heart any longer, “I love you so much that it hurts to be without you.”

“Then don’t be without me. We can fix this. We can make this work,” Guy pleaded his fingers teasing up underneath Gabe’s t-shirt. “Tell me that you’ll give me a second chance.”

“I’m afraid if I say no you might jump off of the roof with your declarations of love,” Gabe teased melting into the warmth of his lover’s finger tips over his skin.

“So don’t say no,” Guy pleaded his tongue darting in against Gabe’s decidedly making no mistake about his desire for him. Gabe’s arms snaked around Guy’s body, his hands dropping down to the top of Guy’s jeans. Curling his finger underneath the top, Gabe pulled Guy in closer to him, their bodies colliding in a moment of yearning and desire. Guy’s eyelashes fluttered as he cupped Gabe’s face in hand, “Please don’t say no.”

“I’m not going to,” Gabe revealed unable to suppress the small smile forming at the corners of his lips, “although I might suggest that we get back inside. It looks like there’s a storm about to hit out here.”

“What about Brittany,” Guy’s eyes widened in realization, “Oh my God. I just pulled out away from the room with her sleeping inside and…”

“I lied. She‘s out with Hunt and Mindy tonight. They had plans for some kind of musical production,” Gabe replied feeling a blush rise over his features. He skimmed his finger over Guy’s lower lip gingerly before furthering his confession, “I was just trying to get you to leave and I thought if I said that you might actually listen.”

“Boy were you wrong,” Guy replied with a goofy smile diving in for another kiss.

“That I was, but I promise you I’m never going to be that wrong again,” Gabe swore holding onto Guy as he never let go. Tonight he’d almost walked away from happiness, but now as the two made their way back to his hotel room, Gabe promised himself that he was going to take his time loving Guy now that they’d finally broken beyond the barriers between them once and for all.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“So now that we got that whole where we’re going to get married notion out of the way, what are you in the mood for tonight?” Nick questioned lazily teasing his fingers through Angela’s dark hair.

“For showing you what else I have in mind for the wedding,” she explained with a small hint of a smile, “I picked up something today that I’m sure you’re going to love.”

“Is that right?” he asked feeling her shifting in his arms. She pulled herself up and off of the sofa and he watched her with confused eyes. “Where are you going?”

“Stay right here,” she held her finger up to him. “I promise I won’t be long.”

“Okay, no problem,” Nick decided watching her shuffle off down the hallway. He leaned back on the sofa lost in contemplations about them having a wedding at a castle. Somehow the mood seemed more than appropriate considering their fairytale romance. It all fell into place like the pages out of a novel--more like one of Kevin’s novels, but still it was finally coming together beautifully.

Suddenly his mind was clouded with a vision of a castle wedding and he felt himself transported to another time and place somehow. He could see himself up over the edge of a terrace carefully maneuvering his footing as he eased along the outside realizing that while initially he’d thought this was a smart idea, the less than six inch platform he was balancing on was less than ideal for what he’d had in mind when he’d decided he was going to risk it all to get to her. Now as he slid along the platform letting go of the protection the railing provided him with, he just prayed that he wouldn’t go under as his eyes focused on the window to the left of him.

“Just don’t look down,” he instructed himself pressing his hands against the stone wall of the castle’s exterior as he wondered if anyone else had ever been foolish enough to try such a daring move in the hopes of reaching through to the woman they loved. He was almost on his way to the bathroom window when he heard a woman cry out in horror and he nearly fell off the ledge as she shrieked at him.

“What are you doing?” she questioned the color draining from her face as she now stood on the terrace watching his latest act of stupidity in vivid color.

“I was trying to get your attention,” he answered shakily as one of the stones beside him on the wall wobbled beneath his fingers.

The rest of the words were hazy, but he could clearly see Angela’s face as she pleaded with him rushing over to the edge of the terrace. “Please don’t jump!”

“I’m not jumping,” he looked at her incredulously as he pressed himself up against the stone wall behind him.

“You’re not?” she gave him a strange look, “Then what are you doing?”

“Trying to get into the bathroom since you locked me out,” he stated matter of fact as he felt a breeze zip on over him leaving him on unsteady footing as he inched in towards the terrace once again.

“How were you planning on doing that,” she inquired turning her attention to the small window beside him, “Even I couldn’t fit through that if it was unlocked.”

“I guess at the time I was just trying to be gallant in my ways,” he sighed turning his head in her direction as the sunlight began to temporary blind him.

“Well why did you have to go and do a thing like that,” she chastised him, “Do you have any idea how dangerous what you’re doing is?”

“At the time the thought hadn’t occurred to me, but now, well now I’m starting to come to grips with my own mortality which tells me that maybe I should get the hell off this ledge,” he decided as his gaze traveled down to the world below where he stood and a lump formed in his throat.

“That sounds like a damn good idea from where I’m standing,” she leaned over the side extending her arm out towards him, “Take my hand.”

“No,” he shook his head defiantly, “I won’t do it.”

His thoughts continued to play out, the words blurred in the moment as he saw himself over the ledge with Angela in his arms. They were holding on for dear life, their own mortality hanging by a thread with an impending fall to the world below threatening.

He returned to the moment with a gasp, his heart beating faster at the vision that haunted him. It had felt so real--so haunting and yet…

“I’m back,” Angela beckoned him from his thoughts.

“Huh?” he looked up following the sound of her voice as he snapped out of his daze.

“I said I’m back,” she repeated. He looked up to see her popping her head into the room, a smirk pressing over her features.

“Well part of you is anyways,” he teased with a small laugh curling his finger over at her, “What are you doing back there? Come here.”

“You mean right here,” Angela asked entering the room with one smooth step, but Nick’s reaction to her was anything but smooth. His eyes dropped over the daring red number that she was wearing. It was red satin and black lace offering up the most sinfully wicked taste of temptation. His jaw dropped as his eyes scanned over her eagerly.

“I take it you like it,” she twirled around showing off her barely there garment. “I bought it earlier for the honeymoon.”

“To hell with the honeymoon,” he reached out to pull her onto his lap, “I think I need to take a closer look at that now.”

“Nick,” she swatted at his hand lightly feeling him reach out to grab her in all the right places. “Come on. This is for our wedding night.”

“Our wedding night,” he repeated with a small laugh nibbling on her neck, “Sweetheart you can’t just dangle something like that in a man’s face and tell him that he has to wait.”

“And just why not?” she questioned leaning forward to give him a very intoxicating view of her cleavage.

“Because it’s just not right,” he dropped his lips over the swell of her breasts feeling her skin ignite at the touch.

“Hmm, well I suppose if you’re willing to play nice, then I might be able to bend the rules a little bit on that whole honeymoon etiquette there. I might let you have a sneak preview,” she giggled feeling his kisses grow far more intimate. His fingers tapered off in over the sheer material reaching inside to touch her in all the right places. “Nick…”

“What?” he questioned wrapping her up in his arms and rolling her over the couch, “Can I help it if I happen to think you’re the sexiest woman alive?”

“Well, I suppose you really can’t when you put it that way,” she giggled again pulling him in for a kiss as he wondered just what his crazy vision was about. It seemed completely out of the water, yet as he had Angela in his arms, he realized the vision was rapidly fading away and replaced by thoughts of giving her his complete and undivided attention.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Why can’t I keep a straight thought in my mind?” Kipp asked himself, hitting his steering wheel as he thought everything over. He grabbed his car keys and pulled them out before getting out of the car. He marched into the house quickly.

It was now or never and Kipp was going to make everything right. Well, at least everything that he thought was right.

“Hey, back so soon?” the guy who approached him the last two times came back up. “I thought you left.”

“You know, I really can’t talk right now,” Kipp informed him with a small frown, “I have some important business that I have to get done and I just don’t have time to talk.”

Kipp ran up the stairs and walked towards the bedroom where he witnessed Kellen with another guy. The sight of the guy and Kellen kissing haunted his mind, which is why he needed to do this.

“Kellen,” Kipp pushed open the door, hearing it hit the wall after he quickly pushed it aside, “I really need to talk to you--now.”

“Kipp?” Kellen questioned with a small gasp, looking up from where he was sitting on the bed. “What in the world are you doing here and how do you know where I was?”

“I got help from Sylvia,” Kipp stated with a small sigh, watching Kellen’s blue eyes follow his every move. “I came to the party wanting to tell you something. That was until I saw you kissing that guy in here. When I saw it, I didn’t know what to do.”

“I wasn’t the one kissing,” Kellen began before he was cut off by Kipp's voice once more.

“Kellen, I know that you probably don’t want to hear from me,” Kipp explained, holding his hands up in the air slowly, “but I just have to let this out. Kellen, when you told me everything earlier--it got me thinking. It had me thinking more than I have ever thought about something in my life. I came here knowing that I had to make a decision. When I saw you here with that guy, I knew I didn’t belong with you. But I don’t care if I know, I am not going to let you be with that one guy Kellen. I think you should only be with one person and one person only.

“Kipp, calm down,” Kellen stood up slowly before shrugging his shoulders, “I pushed Drew off me. He was an old boyfriend of mine and I don’t like him. I don’t know where…”

Kellen went to finish his sentence before feeling Kipp wrap his arms around Kellen’s shoulders and bring him forward. Kipp’s lips covered Kellen’s as Kellen’s body was confused. But after a few seconds, he realized this was real for the first time. This was no longer one of his daydreams. This was actually happening.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Don, you either suck at this game or you are having a really bad run of luck tonight,” Jenna pointed out with small laugh, seeing Don lose once more. “I think I am going to go with bad luck because Hart tells me that you play this all the time.”

“No, he just sucks,” Shannon teased, noticing the way Don seemed to look at her. “What? I am just stating the truth.”

“Last time I checked--you did to,” Don pointed out, grabbing the cards from the center of the table. “What do you have to say about that Shannon?”

“I would say,” Shannon began, hearing her cell phone begin to ring before she motioned everyone to wait for a moment. “I say I will be right back.”

“We’ll be here,” Don assured her, watching as Shannon walked into another room, “It must be an important call.”

“I wonder who it is,” Hart frowned, seeing Don shrug, “It’s probably work right?”

“I don’t know,” Don replied with a small smirk, “I don’t keep a chain around her neck all the time.”

“Hey Jenna, I have some bad news,” Shannon frowned walking into the room, “We have to go to work. Another killing has taken place.”

“Wait, what?” Hart questioned, slightly confused as he they all stood up from the table. “Another killing has taken place? When did this happen?”

“Well, there was another woman found and we believe that Bruce was behind it,” Shannon informed him with a deep sigh, “Except, this one tried to escape, but she wasn’t as lucky.”

“What happened to her?” Jenna questioned with a gasp seeing Shannon frown. “Did Bruce catch up with her?”

“Well, it is a little more difficult than that,” Shannon explained with a small sigh, “You see, the woman was so scared--she ran out into a street. She ended up getting hit by an Escalade. I guess it was a pretty bad sight.”

“My god,” Don gasped, leaning back against the chair, “That is so horrible. Do they know who she is yet?”

“They didn’t fill me in on everything yet,” Shannon pointed towards the door, “All I know is that me and Jenna have some work to do and we need to go. We will call you when we get some more news.”

“Alright you two,” Hart nodded slowly with a small sigh, “Just make sure that you are safe. Don’t let anything happen to yourselves. I would kill anyone who harmed you.”

“We will be fine,” Jenna promised, grabbing her coat and walking towards the front door with Shannon, “We will be back later. Love you.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Deidra rolled over in bed, reaching her fingers out to hold onto the man she’d spent a great many hours loving throughout the course of their private getaway. Snaking her hand beneath the blankets, she smiled anticipating the feel of his body burning beside hers, but there was nothing more than a sheet beside her. Opening her eyes she let out a groggy yawn realizing that Dean was no longer with her.

Sitting upright she looked around the bedroom thinking about how they’d retired to the bedroom after they’d had quite an eye opening experience by the fire place. Even now she could feel her body heavy with exhaustion after they’d driven one another beyond the point of no return again and again. Being with Dean was a highly erotic sensual experience unlike anything she’d ever felt in her life. Sure with Andy they’d had some good times, but never had she felt so alive--so free and uninhibited as she did now. She fell back onto the bed gazing up at her reflection on the mirror. Her smile said it all. She was a very happy, very satisfied woman in love with a man who was hotter than hell.

“You’re a lucky girl,” she mouthed to herself hearing a noise from outside the bedroom. Sitting up once more she thought maybe Dean was in the bathroom, but when she hadn’t heard another sound she opted to get out of bed and investigate.

Reaching for the robe he’d provided her with after their clothing was a mess, Deidra slid into it with great ease. She dropped her feet to the floor before moving over to the door. She pulled it open listening for another sound in the cabin. There was nothing, but at the end of the hall near the living room area, she noticed a small light.

“What are you doing,” Deidra couldn’t help but ask with a silly smile wondering if Dean had another sensual surprise up his sleeve. So far she’d loved every thrilling second of what he’d had planned for her and there was no doubt in her mind whatever came next was going to be extravagant.

“Dean,” she spoke his name in a whisper circling around the corner of the room only to discover his computer was on. He was no where near the bright, shining monitor, but it was evident that he’d been there a short while ago.

Creeping in closer to it, Deidra felt her eyes slowly adjusting to the light. She brought her hand up to her cheek before she moved around the desk. She wasn’t trying to pry, but found herself curious as to why Dean would be up and on the computer at this time of night.

“Hmm, what are you getting yourself into,” Deidra questioned dropping down into his computer chair.

She eyed the monitor for the briefest of moments before another idea came to mind. Sliding out of the robe, she threw her feet up on the edge of Dean’s desk ready to give him another surprise when he returned. She ran her fingers through her mussed hair trying to offer up that sexy, sultry in need of a good loving fix look that men went crazy for. It was almost perfect, she decided with a confident smile. However in that moment she found her eyes traveling to the computer monitor once again. What she saw before her caused her to sit upright and gasp.

“Oh my God,” Deidra reached for the mouse wondering if her eyes deceived her, but as she began to scroll over the screen, she caught image after image of mutilated body after body. There were women sprawled out over his screen cut up in ways that caused Deidra to gag involuntarily. She raised her hand to her lips in an attempt to stifle her sounds, but the small whimper that rose at the back of her throat still sounded through the silence.

“No,” she shook her head in disbelief, “No, this can’t be happening. No.”

Deidra reached for the computer pushing the horrid images down only to discover another page before her. There on the screen was a woman--the same woman that had been wearing the necklace she’d found. There was a picture of her smiling and then another where she was barely recognizable. Her body was positioned in an anything but human pose and she too was cut to pieces like the others.

“No,” Deidra shook her head in a state of believe. She clicked onto the other window seeing the name Bruce Mathis and then there was a picture of her. Several pictures of her in fact. Starting from what appeared to be surveillance of her at the hospital leading up to other more invasive photos of her at her apartment--of her in her own home seemingly behind closed doors. Suddenly it all made sense. She’d made a mistake. A deadly mistake and the photos on the screen before her proved that. She thought of how well Dean seemed to know her--how he could almost read her fantasies and the things happening in her mind, but when she looked to the images he’d had of her, she realized that he had to have been spying on her. He was some kind of sick demented freak and judging by what she’d just uncovered about him, she had the feeling that she was in far worse hands than she was with Bruce on the island.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Grady peered up ahead watching Kyle pull his car off of the main road into the clearing just beyond the trees. Grady slowed down not quite sure what Kyle was up to, but as he watched his friend park the car and get out, Grady knew he had to make his move.

“It’s now or never,” Grady replied eyeing Kyle intently. He saw Kyle disappear into the trees. His stomach was tied in knots--anticipation and anger eating him alive, but now that Kyle had brought him to where Susan was planning her next game, Grady vowed to be prepared.

“This time you’re not going to walk away from this unscathed,” he promised leaning forward. He quickly unfastened his seatbelt before pulling open the glove compartment. Reaching inside he pulled out the gun that he knew would be waiting for him. Bringing it up into the light he thought about how he’d swore he’d never use this. He vowed that it was only for protection, but now as he was in the middle of nowhere following to Kyle whatever trap Susan had planned for him, Grady had to be prepared. He had to be ready for whatever came next.

“Time to put an end to the madness,” Grady vowed opening his own car door and walking out into the trees ready to finish all of this once and for all.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“This is it,” Kyle sighed, stopping in front of a wooded area and taking a glance around. He couldn’t see Susan everywhere, but he remembered that she told him to meet her in the middle of the whole thing, probably because she didn’t want to be spotted. After tonight, she really wouldn’t have a problem with it.

He grabbed his car keys and looked down towards his cell phone. He had turned it off earlier because this was too important. He wasn’t going to bring it because nothing could interrupt this. He was finally going to take a stand.

Kyle got out of the car and slid his keys into his pocket--this was it. Everything was about to take place and there was no way Susan was going to get away.

“Where is she?” he asked himself, pushing a bush out of his way before stopping in the middle of the wooded area. “This is where she told me to meet her, so where in the world is she?”

Kyle spun around a couple times, looking from place to place, but there was nothing he could spot. Nothing but a few animals and birds, but no Susan. She must have scared off and left. She probably got the idea that it was bad to see him. In all honesty that was the truth, but why didn’t she show up? She sounded truly serious about all of this and it seemed like she truthfully wanted to talk to him.

“Kyle?” he heard her voice fill his ears as he spun around on his heel slowly. It was a good thing that she came when she did because he was about to leave without even looking back. Now that she was here, he didn’t have to leave with the thought of being tricked. “I’m glad you came. I didn’t think that you would even think about coming here.”

“Same goes for me,” Kyle pointed out, watching as she approached him. It took all in his power not to take her down right now. “I figured this was all a sick joke Susan. So, what is it you really want?”

“This is far from a sick joke Kyle,” Susan protested, shaking her head slowly, “I know you won’t want to pass this over either. I know you will want to know about this. Trust me, I don’t think you would want anything to happen to me if you knew the truth. And after a while of thinking, I decided that you truthfully needed to know about everything Kyle. I couldn’t hold it back from you anymore. I just couldn’t.”

“Couldn’t hold what back?” Kyle questioned, giving her his full attention as she looked at him with fierce eyes. She truly thought that she could get to him, but it was never going to happen.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

...to be continued...