Chapter Sixty-one Bryn flipped through the hangers on the rack, searching for the perfect costume. Although the store had a lot of medieval-style clothes, a great deal of them were either ugly, too small for her to fit her stomach into, or poorly made. Since she'd figured on buying the costume instead of renting, she wasn't about to settle for felt or anything similar. Pressing her fist into the small of her back, trying to relieve an ache that had only recently developed, she glanced across the store to see if Lindy was having any better luck. Lindy also was looking frustrated. So far she had no luck finding anything remotely similar to Belle's ball gown from "Beauty and the Beast." And seeing that she had already reserved for Nate the Beast costume, she wanted to find hers so they wouldn't have to abandon the idea. At first she had been adamant - only the yellow ball gown would do. Now she was trying to find something that looked remotely like it. But most of the Disney costumes were for young girls, or were from other movies. She looked at Bryn across the store, and shrugged her shoulders. Sighing, Bryn replaced her purse on her shoulder and walked across the store to where Lindy stood. "I'm beginning to think this is a losing battle. Maybe we should just grab the costume you already reserved, and then look somewhere else for the rest?" She frowned as her stomach rumbled and Max kicked at her. "Besides, I need to eat soon or the little gremlin is going to bust his way out." "As much as I hate admitting defeat, that sounds like a good idea. I'm kinda hungry myself." She walked up to the counter, pulling out her wallet to put down the deposit on the costume that she had found. "I just hope this fit's Nate. I'm surprised that they don't rent them as a set." "Maybe this is a stupid question, but did you ask?" She glanced at the slightly air-headed teenager behind the counter, and then back at Lindy. "Might be beneficial to talk to the manager, if you know what I mean." The girl at the register glared at her. "Look, lady, are you going to rent this thing or not?" "Yes I am," she said, reluctantly handing over her credit card. Lindy turned back to Bryn. "And yeah. I already did. According to him, they normally don't break the set, but somebody goofed up and rented out the dress alone. I know one or two more places to try before I give up. But let's get some food first." Bryn bounced lightly in anticipation. "McDonald's sounds really good to me. I could eat a hundred of their fries right now. A big juicy Quarter-Pounder, a large coke, and a sundae...mmm, heaven. Of course, I could find something I'd like anywhere you want to go, so don't let my cravings get in the way." She grinned. "Your aunt told me to eat more, so I'm taking full advantage of it! I even decided to stop going to the gym until after Max is born...next time I go in for my check-up, I'll break the scale!" Lindy laughed. "McDonalds sounds great." Taking her credit card back from the surly salesperson and signing the slip, she gathered up the costume bag. "Ooof. This thing weighs a ton. I hope Nate can handle it." With Bryn beside her, she began walking towards the door. "So how were things while Nate and I were gone? Everything go okay?" "Um..." Bryn thought about Anton's revelation as they lay on the couch, and how much it had upset both of them. Not to mention the argument in the parking lot that had preceded it. It wasn't anything she was comfortable revealing to Lindy, though. That was up to Anton, whether he wanted to tell her or not. "Same old stuff, different day. We got to have Liam over for a while when your parents went out to dinner. I could sure tell he missed you. For a while there, he didn't even want to play with Petunia. I had to feel his forehead just to make sure he wasn't sick." "Poor baby. I don't know how he'll cope with us being gone a whole week. He didn't look too happy when I left him with Nate earlier this evening." Pushing the door open with her rear, the pair walked out to Lindy's car. She hit the remote, releasing the trunk latch. She put the costume in the trunk. "What else happened? Any news about Chandra and Mack?" Bryn shook her head. "I haven't seen Chandra in a while, actually. But Anton said she's doing well with her new job. Hopefully you won't have a big pile of papers waiting for you when you go back to work." Climbing into the car, once the door was unlocked, she fastened her seat belt. "I don't know what Anton's planning to do about the business while we're in Los Angeles, but even if Chandra had to work during the day, she'd still be able to watch over Amanda when she got home. So, maybe your parents could come up to LA with us, and watch Liam when you can't be with him?" Lindy sat down in the driver's seat and shrugged. "Nate and I talked about it, but I'm not sure I feel good about forcing Mom, Alex or Walter to stay cooped up in the hotel watching Liam. But you're right. It would be a way Liam could be with us." She gave Bryn a wry grin as she started the engine. "You don't seem to have a choice though. Where you go, Max goes." "Mmhmm. I complain about it now, but this is probably heaven compared to dragging around a stroller, diaper bag, a stuffed animal, and a purse. I used to get so annoyed with Caroline when she'd show up late for every appointment she ever made, but with two kids to chauffeur she'd did a pretty good job." Watching as Lindy pulled into traffic, Bryn flicked the side of her belly where Max was busy bruising her ribs. "Have you and Nate ever talked about more than one child?" "Yeah, we did." Lindy pulled out of the parking lot and into traffic smoothly. "We're keeping our options open at the moment. I'm not comfortable bringing a human child into our lifestyle, and I don't want to Change a child just so Liam can have a brother or a sister." "I guess that makes sense. But, theoretically, if you actually could find another baby like Liam, would you want to? Or are you more comfortable the way things are?" "Well, it's always a change. But I think Liam will be missing out on some things not having a little brother or sister. So, yeah. If we did find another werewolf pup, yes, we would adopt him or her." She looked over at Bryn. "How about you? You and Anton going to try for a second kid, or are you going to break my streak of seeing the future?" She smiled somewhat shyly, although she couldn't say why. "Yes, we are. I'm not sure when, exactly, but probably in a year or so." She gave Lindy a neutral glance. "It will be nice to actually tell him I'm pregnant and have him be happy about it, instead of asking me whose it is. Then again, I guess I am partially to blame for that reaction." "What do you mean by that, Bryn?" Lindy turned left, trying to avoid some of the traffic by taking the side streets. "You didn't give him any reason to believe that you were cheating on him. Yeah, it was a surprise, especially since he's not supposed to be able to get you pregnant, but he shouldn't have reacted the way he did." "No, it's okay. He actually did have a reason, although I didn't know that at the time." At the stop sign, Bryn showed Lindy the ring on her right hand. "Anton gave this to me on the first anniversary of our sixth marriage. The last lifetime we spent together. It...it was also the lifetime that I cheated on him, and got pregnant by another man." "Wow. That does explain it. And it was relatively recent, for him I mean. It must have still been hurting him." She bit her lip, not sure if this was the right time to bring this up. "Zen hypnotized me also, Bryn. It turns out I had a past life with Nate too. And I hurt him badly in it." "I guess that theory that souls are reincarnated in groups is true." She looked at Lindy in wonder. "I never would've suspected that...and yet it makes a lot of sense. You and Nate did seem to instantly connect. Did you ever think that was possible?" "Reincarnation? No. I hadn't even considered the possibility, although Nate told me he sorta had an idea that something was going on. I just thought it was love at first sight." She pulled into the McDonald's parking lot. "I was a werewolf in that lifetime too, but Nate was human for most of the time we knew each other. But he didn't know what I was, and finding out is what drove us apart." She looked over at Bryn, curious. "Do you remember anything from that time? About us? I think we were friends then too." Bryn thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I only remember what came through in the hypnotism. But I wouldn't be at all surprised if you were right. I think I have been your friend before." She smiled, unbuckling her seat belt as Lindy parked the car. "I hope I remember more. It does seem to be happening more often now. Do you remember any of it?" "Sometimes Nate says something that triggers a memory. Otherwise, I don't seem to." She lightly touched the scar on her neck. "That's part of why he Transformed me after saying he'd wait. I had just remembered who I once was, and told him something he didn't know. Something that really upset him. He surprised me when I went looking for him and Transformed me because he thought he was going to lose me again." "What did you tell him?" Tears welled up in Lindy's eyes. "That I had been pregnant with his children when we were forced to flee." Bryn placed her hand on Lindy's arm, then handed her a tissue out of her purse. She knew to carry them regularly now, since she never quite knew when she'd burst into tears. Hormones were a bitch. "Did they survive--I mean, do you know what happened to them?" "I'm not sure." Lindy wiped at her eyes. "I gave birth to twins. A boy and a girl. I had found sanctuary by then, and the widower who took me in knew what I was, but didn't care. I think he saw me more as a wayward daughter than a supplicant. He actually adopted my children. And they took after me." "I can't imagine what effect that news must've had on Nate. How is he handling it?" She swallowed heavily, sniffling. "He's trying to find their descendants. He barely even talks about it now. It's an obsession for him...for us, I guess. Always there, but not talked about. I don't what we'd do if we actually found them. And I don't even want to think about what it'll do to him if we don't." Bryn squeezed her arm lightly. "You know we'll do whatever we can to help. All you have to do is tell us where to get started." "Thanks, Bryn. I'm just not sure what can be done. It's been so long, and it's such a slim chance that we will find them." Lindy paused, eyes growing wet again. "I can't seem to shake the feeling that Liam might be one of them. But there's no real way we can find out." "Maybe if you and Nate had both been reincarnated, but he hasn't...why not get a DNA test done? They're solving murders from decades ago, and that's with some really old evidence. Just think what it would be like with two fresh samples to compare. Obviously it wouldn't be that easy, but maybe your aunt has some connections?" "You know, I hadn't thought of that. And if they can trace human ancestry back to Lucy, I'm sure going 1000 years back wouldn't be too hard." She smiled. "Thanks for the idea, Bryn." Bryn grinned. "Don't let anyone tell you couch potatoes aren't hard workers. Sometimes I break a sweat with all of that learning I'm doing." Lindy sat in front of the laptop, typing away, feeling like she was a teenager hacking into a computer. Hacking wasn't exactly what she had been doing. All she really had done was check Nate's outgoing email, looking carefully at the return addresses. She had seen Nate open a letter, and then go straight to the computer and send an email. "We're all set for the Gathering to be in LA," he had told her. She raised an eyebrow as he had then started a fire in the hearth in the living room, and tossed the note into that. "Why'd you do that?" "Tradition mostly. There's secrecy involved in this, gorgeous, for our safety. Don't want this to fall into the wrong hands." However he had forgotten to delete his email from the outbox. So, waiting for him to go out hunting, she began poking through his email, and found the address. She heard a step behind her and reflexively hit the minimize box, looking over her shoulder, afraid she had been caught. "Geez, Bryn. You startled me." "Which is exactly why you need me here...I can be the lookout. Of course, I'm not exactly sure how I'd stop Nate if he really wanted to come in here. Maybe I should stand by the door with a box of tampons, and then yell really loud, 'No, Lindy, I couldn't find the super heavy ones! Do you want a pad, too?'" Lindy made a face. "I'm sure that will scare him off." She nodded Bryn over with her head. "I'm pretty sure this is the email address he sent the response to. All the others have to do with finding out who his descendants are, or personal emails. This one," she taped the screen, "is the only one that doesn't match up, and has only two words - 'yes' and the number 2. I guess it means we're attending and there's two of us." She created a blank email with the same to address. "So...what do we write?" "'Dear Sirs and Madames,'" she said, waiting for Lindy to copy it down. "'We would like to request your immediate attention, as we are sure this is a matter of utmost importance to you. It involves several violations of the rules of conduct, including but not limited to the possible exposure of vampires as a whole.' How does that sound?" "Very official and business like. You sure you're not gunning for my job?" Lindy frowned thoughtfully at the screen and began to speak as she typed. "Recent events in a long standing feud between Anton Rudenko, Nathaniel Adrik, and Natasha Falconieri have forced the situation to come to a head. While Anton and Nathaniel have made their peace, that does not seem to be an option with Natasha. We feel that she is a...." Lindy stopped typing to look at Bryn. "Skanky ho who must die?" Bryn snorted, then dissolved into giggles. "I love it! But somehow I doubt they'll take us very seriously if we say that. That doesn't mean that can't be our own nickname for her, though." She smiled even as she tried to catch her breath, then said, "'We feel that she is an unstoppable menace, a great danger her kind and those close to them. She has twice attempted to commit murder on innocent individuals, for nothing so noble as to supply sustenance to her own body. These acts were committed maliciously, to her own twisted amusement.'" Lindy picked up where Bryn left off. "We feel that these actions place the whole of the vampire society at a greater risk of discovery. For all of our safety, she needs to be censured." She looked at Bryn over her shoulder. "Anything else you can think of?" "You bet your ass I can! Write this..." She started pacing the room, trying to gather her thoughts together. "'Ms. Falconieri appears to exert a great amount of intimidation upon Mr. Rudenko and Mr. Adrik, as both have repeatedly vowed to solve the problem and have yet to take any measures whatsoever towards doing so. We, the wives of said gentlemen, have been terrorized to the point of being fearful to leave our homes. Her attacks upon us are unprovoked, and we demand action be taken against her immediately. If this matter is not resolved, we will feel it necessary to take retaliation into our own hands.' Enter, enter, and then 'Sincerely, Alinda Adrik and Sabryn Rudenko.'" Lindy looked over the email one more time, correcting some spelling mistakes and misplaced punctuation. She hovered the mouse pointer over the 'send email' button. "Do you want the honors, or shall I?" "Go ahead, but copy to sabrynlailah at aol.com so we'll each have proof we sent it." She watched somewhat nervously as Lindy added her email address and then clicked send. Carefully settling into a nearby chair, she said, "What do you think they'll do? I'm not really convinced they're going to take us seriously. And...I also worry about what Anton and Nate will say if they find out." Lindy turned in the chair to look at Bryn. "They won't be happy, but I don't think there will be anything they can do about it. They're running scared from her, both of them. I prefer to stand and fight. As for the Council..." She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't have a clue. But at least we'll have done something." Bryn frowned. "Great, I'll have that written on my headstone when she kills me...Sabryn Rudenko, at least she did something." She sighed heavily, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back against her shoulders. "Sometimes I could just rip his head off for sitting there and doing nothing. I mean, maybe it wouldn't be such a big damned deal if it was just me, but until a few months from now, I have to risk her killing my son. And that's complete and total bullshit!" "Well, Nate's no different. Any time I try to discuss her with him, he neatly sidesteps the issue." Lindy sighed and shook her head. "I wish Mom would get an answer from Mulder if he's coming or not. Nate needs counseling almost as much as I do." Bryn opened her eyes to look at Lindy, but stifled her comment about Anton being the same way. "So maybe we just need to stop depending on them. We check our own cars for tampering, don't take food or drinks that we didn't open ourselves, and the next time we hear that ignorant slut's name we hunt her down and kill the bitch!" "Hey! Don't call her a bitch! That's an insult to my mom and sister." Lindy let out a loud sigh. "Although staking the skank does sound like fun. And I know Nate and Anton don't think she'll show at the Gathering, but I'm not so sure. What will we do if she's there?" "I don't think there's much we can do at the Gathering. For one thing, I don't exactly feel safe there even if she doesn't show up. Despite Anton's assurances that they won't attack a pregnant woman, I'm still going to feel like a big bag of fresh blood dangling in their faces. Besides that, it's becoming very obvious that vampires protect their own. If we decide to do something there, we could have several hundred others to deal with as well." "Well, if our letter to the Council works, we won't have to face that." Lindy rubbed her fingers against her temples. "We know that Anton and Nate will back us. And I'm sure that they have allies. I'm just more worried about what that skanky ho would try *after* the Gathering." "*Do* we know that Anton and Nate will back us? Because, to tell you the truth, I'm not really sure. If they didn't do anything after a poisoning, and a nearly fatal car accident--which almost lost two lives-- what makes you think they'll do anything to support us this time? I mean, what more is it going to take? Do they need to see me or Max die before it gets through to them that she needs to be stopped?" "I hope not, Bryn. I hope they get over this fear soon. Because I have no intention of living like this for a year, let alone a century." She sighed and stretched her arms above her head. "I wonder if Anton's other wives had these worries about Natasha?" "Somehow I doubt it," she said, her words blunt with anger. "If they did, they would've died from something other than old age." It took her a moment or two, but she pushed herself out of the chair and stood up. "I think I'm going to head home, because I'm really feeling violent right now and I'd rather not take out my anger on you. So, I guess I'll see tomorrow or whenever." Lindy stood up also. "Okay. I'll talk to you tomorrow then. Try not to beat up Anton too badly." She stepped over to hug her friend and walk her to the front door. "I'll let you know if I hear anything back." Bryn nodded, not really focused as she walked out the door and down the sidewalk. [I can't beat up on Anton at all, much as I'd like to. I should've done it earlier. I should've put my foot down, and told him to get rid of Natasha or I'd be living elsewhere until he did.] Unfortunately, it was much too late for that now. She walked back home, wavering dangerously on the edge of tears and throwing a vicious tantrum. [If he loves me, why the hell isn't he fighting for me?] She didn't know the answer to that. The only thing she knew for sure was that her love for him would keep her from saying anything angry to him. Not now. But, maybe, due to the Gathering, it would come soon. Anton pulled the car into the garage. It had been a long day for him. He had been in contact with his lawyers regarding the business. He had an idea, and there were a few kinks that still needed to be worked out, but it appeared doable. The tricky part would be to keep Bryn from finding out until he was ready. Getting out of the car, he went into the house. "Bryn? I'm home," he yelled as he hung up his coat. When he didn't get a response, he went in search of her. She wasn't in the living room. No sign of her in the den either. Swinging through the kitchen before heading upstairs, Anton looked out the large window, and spotted her outside. He paused, watching her with a furrowed brow before stepping outside to get a closer look. He could hear the sickening thud of the ax blade finding its mark as she swung again. Although she appeared to be sweating, she didn't show any sign of fatigue as she worked. Working with a slightly oversized hatchet, she was busily hacking pieces off of a tree she'd apparently chopped down herself. The tree wasn't fully grown, just a juvenile really, but it was still good sized. It had probably been taller than she was when it was still standing. Shaking his head, he stepped through the gate in the courtyard wall and headed towards where she knelt. He watched her continue to strip the limbs off the fir tree. If she knew he was there, she was ignoring him for the moment. Anton cleared his throat, trying to catch her attention without startling her. "Something wrong, Bryn?" She glanced at him briefly, then went back to what she was doing. "Nope. Just making something." "What are you making?" "Stakes. Fire wood. Toothpicks. The usual. Better to be safe than sorry, right?" Her voice was level, even normal. But she was gripping the hatchet pretty tightly. "Life's a mystery...you never know just what it's going to hand you." "Okay...." Anton still watched her, still not quite certain what was going on. She was clearly upset about something. [Could it be about what I told her?] Not quite certain how to ask if he was part of the problem. "Would you like to go back inside? I was thinking about making some pasta for dinner." She looked up at him, chewing on her lip, then back down at the ax in her hand. Hesitantly, she set it down, as if unwilling to leave her little project alone, lest something happen to it. "Okay," she said, quietly, accepting his help getting to her feet. She didn't seem to notice the wood chips clinging to her pants until he brushed them off her knees. "Thanks." He put his arm around her, not quite sure what to say or do. Something was wrong, and he wasn't sure how to bring it up. A direct inquiry would probably push Bryn further away. But not mentioning it wouldn't make whatever was wrong disappear. As they entered the kitchen he heard knocking on the front door. "Want me to get that, my dear?" When Bryn nodded, he went to the front door. "Alex? Can I help you?" The werewolf looked almost uncertain as he shifted on his feet. "Uh, yeah. I was wondering if I could talk to you alone for a while." "Okay..." Slightly confused, Anton cast a glance over his shoulder before stepping outside and shutting the door behind him. "Is there a problem?" "No, not really. Maybe we should talk about this out at the stables?" Anton nodded and the two men headed towards the stable. Pausing to look at the horses, Alex made sure that they were alone before he started talking. "Jess has been having some problems sleeping the last few nights. She thinks that Bryn's upset about something, and it's upsetting Max, which upsets her. Is everything okay?" "Everything's fine," Anton hedged. "In fact, I've been meaning to talk to you. I want to apologize about what happened in the basement the other day." "That's no problem. No permanent damage done." Alex carefully studied the wall of the barn. "You're sure everything's okay?" "Well, things have been a little hectic, since we're getting ready for the Gathering." "And it wouldn't have anything to do with...anything else?" Anton swallowed hard. "Like?" Alex chose his next words carefully. "The fact that you're the survivor of a sexual assault." Anton froze, clearly caught off guard. "How did you know?" He asked, stunned. "Don't look so surprised, Anton. As the old saying goes, 'it takes one to know one.'" "What? Where is this coming from?" "You threw me into a wall." Leaning against one of the support columns, he crossed one foot over the other. "I may not know vampires very well, but that kind of aggression, unprovoked, seems a little abnormal to me. Let's just say I took an educated guess." "And you expect me to believe you're my 'comrade' now." Alex tilted his head to the side a bit. "I'm not? I thought we were friends." "Maybe," Anton said suspiciously. "But why bring it up now? Like this?" "Like I said, it takes one to know one." Alex took a seat on one of the hay bales by the barn door. "I figured you might want to talk to someone who's been there. If you're concerned about it leaking out, anything you say stays between us. It's not anyone else's business. I just wanted to let you know that you're not alone." Alex looked pensive as he remembered. "Jess is also a survivor, but it's not quite the same." Anton could only stare at him, torn between laughing it off and punching the guy for having the nerve to bring it up. If he'd wanted to talk about it, he would...but it most likely wouldn't be to Alex Krycek. Even a psychiatrist had a slim chance of hearing the whole story. "So I'm not alone. Message received. Was there something else you wanted to say?" Alex gave him a neutral look. "Actually, yes. Nate's asked if we'd be willing to come with you to watch over Liam during the Gathering. I just wanted an opinion on if you thought it would be wise to take him, and if all of us should go, or just one of us." Still wary and suspicious, Anton thought about it for a moment. "If Nate and Lindy would want to bring Liam, it would probably be wise for at least one of you to come along and watch him. Who or how many is up to you." Eager to be out of this situation, Anton looked pointedly back to his house. "I'm supposed to be making dinner." Alex got the hint. "No problem. I'll take what you said under consideration. I hope you do the same." Anton nodded stiffly and walked back to the house. [How dare he!] Anton thought. [How dare he take it on himself to try to talk to me! I don't want help from him!] He had enough control to not slam the front door. "Bryn? You still hungry?" She looked up from where she sat on the couch, her passive expression still firmly in place. "Yes. Where did you go?" "Out," he said, trying not to growl the word. "Alex wanted to talk to me about the Gathering." "Oh." She continued to watch him, noticing the rigidity of his body, the slight flare of his nostrils. He looked...angry. She arched an eyebrow. Something about his expression was appealing to her in an odd way. "Wanna have sex?" "What?" He blinked at her, surprised. That was clearly the last thing he expected her to say. "Do you want to have sex?" "I...ah...what brought that out, Bryn?" She continued to stare at him, then looked away abruptly. [Why couldn't you just say yes, Anton? Why do we have to have a discussion about everything I say?] Standing up, she turned her back on him and walked to the patio door. "Never mind. Go make dinner. I'll just go for a walk or something." "Bryn--" She spun around to face him, a scowl on her face. "Why do I have to have a reason? Maybe I just want you. Maybe I just need to say, 'do you want to have sex' and have you say 'yes' and that's the end of the conversation. Maybe I just get lonely and frustrated sitting here with my psychotic thoughts all day long, and I just want my husband to come home, take one look at me, and fuck the living daylights out of me. Is that okay with you?" "Fine, Bryn. But we have sex at the drop of a hat. Any excuse and we're at it. Have you ever considered how much stress that puts me under? I'd like to come home once and just be held and that be enough. Not feel pressured to perform. You once told me you weren't my sextoy. It works both ways, Bryn." "What are you talking about?" "You need an example? Fine! How about that time I told you I like to wake up and watch you sleep? Your first reaction was basically 'why don't you wake me up so we could get it on?' You weren't interested in the emotions, just how I could get you off. I can't keep performing sexually like that, Bryn. Not for another year, let alone 10, 100, or 1000 years." She stared at him for a moment, before turning her gaze towards the floor. "I wasn't aware it took that much of a toll on you. You certainly never complained before. But I guess there's a first time for everything." She stifled the urge to lash out at him, to scream in his face that he had no right to be worried about too much sex when he'd done absolutely nothing to get rid of Natasha. He wouldn't have to worry about sex at all if that vampire slut succeeded in her goal. [God, Anton, I would love to slap that look off your face right now.] Reaching for the door knob, she kept her voice low key as she said, "I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. If you don't need my help for dinner, I think I'll saddle one of the horses and go riding for while." He stood there, tempted to yell at her not to run away. To tell her to stand her ground and fight. And before when he would have let her, he gave into that temptation. Coming up behind her, he slammed his hand against the door, leaning with his weight so she couldn't open it. "No you're not. You're not going tell me what that dirty look was all about before you go anywhere." [Just tell me what's wrong, damn it!] "You want to know what that look was about?" she asked, turning to face him. She backed away from him and the door, hating the way he hovered over her to intimidate her. "If you don't want to have sex with me, just say so. No one's twisting your fucking arm, Anton. You obviously didn't have any trouble getting your cock up, so you can't whine to me about how stressful it is or how much pressure there is on you. Did you see me holding a gun to your head? Did I ever say 'you better fuck me now, Anton, or I'm walking'?" She shook her head, bypassing him to stand in the kitchen. She looked back to where he stood and crossed her arms. "Most of all, that look on my face, was an expression of pure frustration. You have no right to bitch at me about hurt feelings. What about my feelings after you promised, time and again, that you would do something about Natasha? The bitch tried to kill me, and you're letting her get away with it! It's going to be awfully damned hard to spend eternity with me if I'm already dead. And you know what? I don't give a damn. If it was just me, it wouldn't matter. But this is also about Max, and if you let her hurt him, I will *never* forgive you." "And I wouldn't forgive myself either. Nor would I expect you." He sighed, rubbing one hand over his face. "The woman is psychotic, Bryn. All we did was point the police in her direction last time, and she tried to kill you and Lindy. We hadn't even done anything before, and she tried to poison you. So tell me how I'm supposed to take her out and protect you at the same time. Because I sure as hell don't know." She blinked a few times, then shook her head in disappointment. The ache in her chest grew deeper, as if someone was draining all hope from her heart. Deciding that if he really wanted this conversation to continue, he could follow her, she turned and headed for the stairs, saying, "Why don't you just stand there and do nothing, Anton. It's worked real well so far." He watched her go, heartsick as well. "I'm immortal, Bryn. Not omnipotent," he called after her. "I don't have all the answers." He heard their bedroom door slam shut. [No matter how badly I need them.] Bryn lay listlessly in the tub, more hot water pouring from the faucet to refresh the temperature for a third time. It had been nearly two hours since she sank into the bath...since arguing with Anton downstairs. She was still hovering somewhere between anger and sadness. Part of her wanted to give him a good kick in the ass for not reporting Natasha's actions to the vampire council immediately. The other part of her was hurt, blindsided by his words about their sex life. He'd never complained about it before. It wasn't as if she was chasing him around the house the minute he walked in the door. They usually had sex once a night, sometimes twice. She wasn't aware that it was a burden to him. She could've dropped the argument about Natasha. With all of the security around the house, there was no way she'd get in undetected. And it wasn't as if Bryn was a social butterfly. She rarely ever left the property, except to go shopping. Besides, it was pointless arguing with him over something that wouldn't change. If she was going to eventually die at Natasha's hands, so be it. She'd fight with everything she had to save Max. [What the hell are you talking about, Bryn? You know you aren't just angry on Max's behalf...] "No, I'm not," she whispered to herself. "But I won't ever let him know how scared this makes me." He had wandered downstairs aimlessly. No longer hungry, he had stayed downstairs, trying to give Bryn the space she seemed to want. He sat on their couch, staring sightlessly at the turned off TV. [You took a simple comment she made, and because you are pissed off at Alex, you took it out on her.] Yes, their sex life had been a concern to him. Not because they were having it too frequently, but he was worried that they were using it to avoid other problems. Ones that would eventually drive them apart. And then there was also Natasha... He sighed, resting his head in his hands. Natasha was dangerous. There was no question of that. He also should have done something about her a long time ago. No arguments there. But how to do it, and keep Bryn safe was a mystery to him. It would have to be done carefully, or else they would all face the wrath of the Council. He had thought that he would go before the Council, seek some official censure, but that would only make Natasha madder, if they did choose to punish her. He was so busy worrying the problem through that he didn't hear the first set of knocks on the front door. The second set, much heavier and more ominous sounding than the first, did catch his attention. Wondering who wanted to talk to him an hour before sunrise, he opened the door. Jess was standing there, arms crossed and her eyes narrowed and reddened. "We need to talk." Anton opened the door wider so she could enter. "If this is about what Alex told you--" "Alex told me nothing!" Jess snapped. "This is about you and Sabryn and why you're fighting." That caught Anton off guard. "Who told you we were fighting?" "Max," Jess said, tapping her temple with her index finger. "Bryn is upset, which is upsetting Max. I can screen most of it out while I'm awake, but I can't control it when I'm trying to sleep. I know when you fight, and when you make up, even if I don't want to." The link between his son and Jess was something that fascinated Anton. But right now he wasn't that interested. "What do you want, Jess?" The bitch werewolf took a deep breath. "I'm here to issue you a half hour heads up. I want you upstairs and either get this fight worked out, or I'm coming up there and knocking you both unconscious. *I* can't handle what Max is feeling, so I know he can't cope that well either. Not to mention it's not good for either you or Bryn." Her voice softened. "I know something's been up for the last 3 nights. I don't mean to sound harsh, but I've got to get some rest or else I'm going to go nuts. I'm not really interested on what's going on. I don't need to know the details. But please, try to make up, okay?" Anton sighed. "I'm sorry. I can't promise anything. But I'll go talk to her." "Thanks." Jess opened the door, and gave him a tired, lopsided grin. "Clock starts now." Anton also managed a half smile and shut the door behind her. [She's right. Sitting down her won't solve anything.] Taking a deep breath, he started up the stairs and to their bedroom. Bryn turned off the hot water, then flipped on the tub jets, shivering at the sudden rush of bubbles over her skin, smiling to herself. Then she heard the knock on the door and her smile disappeared. [What does he want to yell at me about now?] "It's not locked," she called out. Anton opened the door and poked his head inside. "I, uh, wanted to talk to you. But I'll wait until you're out of the bath." "You might as well come in, Anton. I wasn't planning on getting out anytime soon." [Even thought I'm wrinkling up like coral. You want to talk, you come to me.] She glanced over her shoulder towards the door. "Did I miss dinner?" Anton stepped into the bathroom. He put the lid down on the toilet and sat down on it. "I'm sorry. I wasn't hungry after we fought. If you're hungry, I could go make you something." "No, I'm fine." [Just say what you want and go, Anton.] He slumped a bit, putting his thoughts in order. "I'm sorry, Bryn. I'm sorry for what I said downstairs. I shouldn't have brought it up like that." The next words were harder for him to get out. "And you're right. I should have done something about Natasha a long time ago." "You shouldn't have brought it up like that? Why would it make a difference how you brought it up? The problem is still the same." She let out a sigh, ignoring his other statement for now. "How long have you felt this way, Anton? Was it always too much for you?" "Too much? Is that what you thought I was saying?" Anton ran his fingers through his hair. "That's not what I meant. I was more concerned that we were using sex to avoid other issues that we needed to work out." He sighed heavily. "Like the situation with Natasha." "I don't know what to do about her, Bryn. One of the laws that vampires live by is that we are not to kill each other. Decisions involving ultimate justice is to be meted out by the Council. When I've gone to them in the past, they've done nothing. I'm afraid, Bryn. I'm afraid if I go to them, she'll try something. If I take matters into my own hands, she'll go to the Council and they won't side with me. And no matter which way I go, you may get hurt. So I'm at a loss. And because I don't have the answer, instead of talking to you about it, I tried to pretend it doesn't exist. I'm sorry." "Wait a minute...forget that slut for a minute. We weren't talking about Natasha when I asked if you wanted to have sex with me. I just wanted you, needed you, and you decided that wasn't what you wanted. How am I supposed to know when you just 'want to be held' when you never say that? "I grew up in a family where my mother was expected to take care of the house, take care of the kids, and have sex with my dad whenever he wanted it. She was lucky if he showed affection towards her. And I'd bet anything that he certainly never asked to be held. That was I thought men were supposed to be like. He rules the household, takes what he wants, and never shows a tender side. I can't read your mind, Anton. I don't know what to give you, until you tell me." "I'm sorry, Bryn. I didn't even consider that." He took a deep breath. "I'll try to tell more of what I need. I forget even though you're the reincarnation of my previous wives, that we have to relearn how to communicate all over again." Her lip quivered, and she closed her eyes against a rush of tears. "It just hurts me, when you say things like that...when you say you don't want to have sex with me, and you don't give me a reason why. It makes me feel like you don't want me anymore. And I don't know what I'd do if you didn't want me." "Bryn," he said softly. He knelt down beside the tub, getting as close to her as he could without climbing into the tub. "I never meant you think that I didn't want you. That's the furthest from the truth." "Alex wanted to talk about more than the Gathering. He's put two and two together, and I think he was trying to console me. Told me that I wasn't the only man here who had been sexually assaulted. I...wasn't exactly receptive to what he had to say. So when you asked if I wanted to have sex, I just lost it. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." She opened her eyes, tears dribbling down her cheeks but she barely noticed. "Alex knows? How? I didn't tell him, or anyone, I swear to God..." "I know, I know. Shhhh," he soothed. He reached out and stroked the side of her face, wiping her tears away with the pad of his thumb. "There was an incident about a week ago. I was sparring with Alex, and had a flashback. I ended up throwing him across the room. He told me he'd been through something similar. I didn't ask for details." He looked at her shamefaced. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you." "You *threw* him across the room? He wasn't hurt, was he?" "No...yes...not permanently. He healed the way Lindy did. We were all in shock over what I did, and I ran out of there as soon as I saw him moving. I called and apologized later that night. I should have told you though. It happened before we talked." "Yes, you should have." She reached over to shut off the water jets, then started draining the tub. Now that they were at least talking civilly, she didn't mind getting out of the bath. Reaching for her towel, she said, "Can we finish talking about this in front of the fire? It's kind of cold in here." "Of course, Bryn." Standing up, he offered her his hand to help her to her feet. Guiding her out of the tub he handed her a towel. "Do you want me to go get a robe for you?" "Yes, please." She watched him go, then quickly dried her body. She was still feeling slightly upset, but it was anxiety more than anger. She was terrified of what might happen at the Gathering, and she wasn't sure if she wanted him to know that. When he came back with her robe, she finished drying her hair and pushed her arms into the robe's sleeves as he held it up for her. "Thank you." "You're welcome." She headed for the bedroom, her towel forgotten in the need to get more heat. She knelt down in front of the fireplace, making sure there was plenty of wood, before wadding up some newspapers, stuffing them in the cracks, and lighting the fire. Displacing Petunia, who was sleeping, he pulled the comforter off the bed. He walked over to the where Bryn was sitting by the fire and wrapped it around her. He sat down on the floor next to her. "Better?" She shook her head. She unwrapped herself a bit, then got up and crawled into his lap instead. Then, wrapping the blanket around both of them, she snuggled close, leaned her head against his shoulder, and said, "This is better. He leaned his head against the top of hers. His arms went around her waist, one hand stroking over her belly. "So what do you have to say about what I've told you?" "All of it?" "Yes." "I think you're right that we sometimes use sex to avoid our problems, but sometimes we also talk about them afterwards. Besides, I think everybody does that in their relationships. It's not as if we hide from every little thing that comes our way." She took a deep breath, feeling slightly emotional again. "I'm sorry, I just get a little hurt at the thought that there's something wrong with our sex life. It's one of the few things that I share with you, that I'll never share with anyone else. You taught me how to please you. I feel safe with you, and very loved." She ducked her head slightly and wiped at her eyes. "I like to be held every bit as much as you do. I feel perfect in your arms, like there's nothing wrong with me. But sometimes I need more than that. I need to get as close to you as I can. And I'm sorry if that puts pressure on you, but I had a bad night...and I needed you to make it better." She buried her face against his shirt and shook with quiet sobs. "I'm sorry. I tried not to cry..." His arms tightened around her. "It's okay, Bryn," he whispered into her hair. "Just let it out. I was having a rough night too, and I took it out on you. I'm sorry." He gently kissed the top of her head. "Bryn, about what you said earlier, about your family. I don't want you to feel pressured either. I told you when we first met that I respected 'no.' That still applies." He continued to move his hand in soothing circles on her stomach, wiping at her tears with his other hand. "Do you want to tell me about what happened?" She sniffed quietly, pulling the blanket tighter around them. "I went with Lindy to find our Halloween costumes. We had to go to a bunch of different places, and we were both getting tired and crabby. I started thinking about the Gathering...and I got really scared that something bad is going to happen." "Nothing bad is going to happen at the Gathering, Bryn," Anton soothed. "But how do you know?" "Because it would be suicide for her to try anything. The Gathering is neutral ground, period. If she tried anything, not only would she have myself to face, but five hundred other vampires intent on keeping our laws sacred. Justice would be swift, and final. She has too strong a drive to survive. She's never harmed any of my other wives at the Gathering." "That doesn't mean there won't be some verbal barbs, or dark looks. But if there's even a hint of physical threat, the Council will be all over her." He gently stroked her head. "If I thought there was a risk, I wouldn't be going, because I wouldn't leave you behind. I was also going to talk to Nathaniel about pleading our case before the Council. It hasn't worked for me alone before, but with both of us, and the severity of her actions, they may be forced to do something." She was silent for a moment, trying to decide if she should tell him or not. She could feel her cheeks turning a bit pink. "We might've already gotten their attention, Anton." "Whose? The Council?" She nodded once, not meeting his gaze. "Lindy and I were talking, and we both got upset...so we sent...uh, a nasty email to them." "You did what?" His tone of voice was somewhere between incredulous and amused. "What did you say? Do you have a copy of it?" She sighed. "Lindy sent a copy to my email address. I don't remember exactly what we said, but I did manage to talk Lindy out of referring to Natasha as a 'skanky ho who must die.'" Anton laughed. "That would have definitely caught their attention." He hugged her tighter. "I'm sorry that you felt that you had to take matters into your own hands, Bryn. I wanted to be cautious, to make sure that you were safe before I made a move. I don't want to put you or Max in harms way." "We can't get much more in harm's way than we already are, Anton. If she really wants to hurt me, a security fence isn't going to stop her. Every time I buy groceries, I have to get down on my hands and knees just to make sure she hasn't tampered with the car. I look underneath, and under the hood. I make sure to go to different grocery stores each time so I'm not as risk that she might poison our food. I stay in public as much as possible...but I won't even use public bathrooms, because there's always a chance I'll be in there all alone and she could come in and do something." She pulled her legs in tighter, tucking the blanket under her feet. "I'm scared every time I leave the house, and yet you try to encourage me to get out more often. Why would I want to?" "I see your point, Bryn." He sighed, pressing his lips to her temple. "I didn't realize how hard this has been on you. I should have taken care of her a long time ago." She didn't respond to that. There was no point telling him what he already knew. And no matter what he said, she wasn't going to feel better about Natasha's presence at the Gathering. Feeling exhausted by all of the worrying and arguing, she finally mumbled, "Can we just go to bed?" "Sure." He released her, watching her stand up. He stood himself, and carried the comforter back to the bed. He spread it back over it, and then pulled back the covers for her to get in. "Bryn?" "Yes, Anton?" "Would I be a total hypocrite if I said I wanted to make love to you tonight?" She shrugged, fidgeting with her hands. "If you feel like it, that's fine. But I'm not going to ask you for it anymore. If you want sex, you initiate it. Then I won't be putting any pressure on you." Anton sighed. "That's not what I meant, Bryn." "Then what did you mean? Cause I don't know." He sat down on the bed, forearms resting on his thighs. "It's not that you were pressuring me. It's not that I don't want to make love to you. It's I'm afraid that you'll tire of it, that you'll see it as a burden. Or something you have to do to keep me." She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't think that's your problem at all. I've never complained or saw it as a burden--you have. And I'm not going to tire of it, either. That's when I feel the closest to you." She shook her head. "I think you're the one who's getting tired of it." "No, that's not true at all." He reached for her hand, squeezing it lightly. "I guess...what it comes down to...is that you're not going to want me. That you're going to realize what happened to me and reject me." He shook her head, shushing her as she opened her mouth. "And I know that won't happen. It's preposterous. You love me, and it won't happen." But one tear slipped out of the corner of his eye. "But that's what I'm feeling." "So you'd rather reject me instead? Because that's what I'm feeling, Anton." His shoulders slumped. "That's not what I meant, Bryn. I'm sorry." He scooted back onto the bed, leaning against the headboard. "It makes no sense, but I the closest I can explain what I'm feeling is that you are going to reject me, so why not beat you to it? I know intellectually you won't, and I thought I knew it emotionally. But ever since I told you...I don't know I can explain it any better." She scooted closer to him, wrapping an arm around his waist and coaxing him to lay his head on her shoulder. "I know what it feels like to worry all of the time that people will stop loving you. That you aren't worthy to be loved because of something that happened to you as a child. To think that there's a million things wrong with you, and yet never know just which one drove them away. And I swore to myself that I would never, ever stop loving anyone. No matter how badly they hurt me. I've kept that promise." She sniffled, then swallowed heavily. "But even if I hadn't, if I hadn't even made the promise in the first place, I would still never stop loving you. Anton, I've followed you for over a thousand years. I've returned to you over and over again. You're the only man I've ever loved. And I would never let anything you tell me, or anything that happened to you, change that." She was quiet for a moment, then let out a shuddering breath. "I love you so much, Anton. And I'm far more afraid of losing you than ever leaving you. I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm scared to death that you won't listen to what I'm saying, and you really will reject me just to 'beat me to it.'" He rolled onto his side, one hand rubbing her stomach. "I'm listening, Bryn. I think I just need to hear you remind me every so often. Maybe I should talk to Alex, or to a counselor." He looked up at her. "Forgive me for being such a fool, Bryn?" She pressed her lips to his forehead, lingering there. "I'll always forgive you. Always love you, need you, and want you. I wouldn't ever want to exist without you, Anton. I can't imagine anything more frightening or miserable. You are my heart, my love." He let out a quiet sob and stretched up to kiss her. Sitting up more, but not breaking the kiss, he reached up and stroked the side of her face. He pulled away for a moment, eyes hooded. "You didn't answer my question from earlier, Bryn. Would I be a total hypocrite if I said I wanted to make love to you tonight?" "No, you wouldn't be," she said, softly. She pulled him along with her as she scooted down in the covers. Then, pulling the blankets out of the way, she reached out to help him remove his clothes. "I wish I could pull you inside my head, Anton. I wish I could show you exactly what you mean to me. I worship the ground you walk on. You're at the same time like a god to me, and my very best friend ever. Sometimes, I have trouble believing I'm married to you, because you're everything I've ever dreamed of, and more. I get so excited when it's almost time for you to come home from work, because you're all I've been thinking about since you left. Kissing you is like the best dessert ever created...and to have you touch me is the closest I'll ever come to heaven on earth. I cry when you're sad, I'm filled with joy when you smile, and your laughter is more beautiful than any music in the world. When you're scared, I want to arm myself like a knight to defend you, and when you're angry, I'd be willing to destroy anything in your path. But when you're angry at me, I could cry a river, because I know what a great thing I have in your love, and I never want to lose it." "Never, Bryn. You'll never lose it." Now naked, he sat up and kissed her forehead lightly. "You are a rare and precious treasure. You are the best thing that has happened to me. You are everything to me. My life, and my love. My goddess of my heart and keeper of my soul." He kissed her again, deeper this time. As he did, his hand stroked down her side, brushing lightly against her breast before coming to rest on her waist. She let out a whimper against his mouth, the tears escaping her eyes from relief instead of sadness. She clutched him tightly to her, tangling her legs with his, her fingers wrapped in his hair. Almost frantic in her need to get as close to him as she could, she met his kiss with passionate fervor. Telling him with her body how much she needed him with her soul. He continued to kiss her, hand slowly moving up and down her waist. Slowly his hand began slide around to cup her ass. All the time, he continued to kiss her, sliding his tongue in and out of her mouth. Nipping at her lips, he pushed one of his legs firmly between hers, rubbing their thighs together. Bryn slid her fingers out of his hair, trailing her nails lightly down the back of his neck, before kneading his shoulders. She massaged him first with one hand, and then with both. Releasing the tension he was carrying, enjoying the feel of his skin and the strength of his muscles. Pulling him towards her, until he was almost lying on top of her, yet off to the side, she worked her way down his back. Slowing their kiss to an erotic dance between their tongues, sensual and deliberately teasing. As he continued to relax, and she was encouraged by his groans of appreciation, she moved her hands onto his ass. Gently massaging there, too. He continued to kiss her as he flex his hips, rubbing his growing erection against her side. Letting go of her ass, he slipped his hand up her stomach to cup her breast. Gently he ran his thumb over her nipple. Kissing her deeply, he moaned. She spread her legs more, and scooted closer, until his erection was rubbing against her inner thigh. Continuing to massage him, she pulled back from his kiss to meet his gaze. "You're so beautiful. I love you so much." She watched him carefully, allowing her fingers to slip into the cleft in his ass. He tensed for a moment, then returned to his earlier rhythm of flexing his hips. She was gentle and tentative, lightly skimming a fingertip over his anus, then two. Not adding any pressure, just lightly sliding her finger back and forth. Lazily working her way towards his perineum. He took a shuddering breath, biting lightly at her collar bones before kissing his way down to her breast. He moaned against her nipple as her fingers lightly pressed against his balls. His tongue lapped at her breast before he closed his mouth over her and sucked. Hands now free, they went to her hips, pulling her even closer to him. She cried, pressing herself more firmly against him, as he suckled at her. She spread her legs wider, teasing herself as his erect cock got closer and closer to her sex. Switching hands, she cupped his balls in her palm, rolling them lightly, tickling his perineum with the tips of her fingers. Her other hand returned to massaging his shoulders and neck, as she kissed the top of his head. He made a contented sound, kissing his way back up her body. Resettling between her legs, he pushed his cock inside her sex. Pausing, his hands cradled her head, fingers tangling in her short hair. He felt safe, he felt that he was home. She couldn't seem to stop whimpering. Even as her mind grew calm, her body was restless, legs sliding against his, hips lifting ineffectively. It was amazing how he could center her so completely, and yet leave her aroused to the point of insanity. Her sex gripped him tightly, squeezing and pulling him in deeper. "I don't know how you could ever think I'd get tired of this." "I wasn't thinking." Taking pity on her, he began to thrust even as her hands resumed the leisurely massage of his ass. He closed his eyes, smiling as his brow furrowed in concentration. Slowly he began to thrust, intending to make this last for a while. She let out a low moan, lifting her hips to meet his every downward plunge. Her belly felt tight squeezed between them, but she wasn't about to stop him for anything. This was her favorite position, and she felt like she could feel him everywhere. Using her hands to pull him deeper between her legs, she let her head fall back on the pillows. "Uhh...Anton...so good, sugar." He moaned in response, kissing the base of her neck. Thrusting faster, he rested his hand on her breast, letting her nipple rub against his palm. Adding a slight side to side motion, he caressed her inside and out, panting. "Bryn..." She held on to the back of his neck, pulling him closer to kiss his mouth. "God, I love the way you touch me." She smiled as he rubbed against a particularly sensitive area inside her, quivering with pleasure. Her hand slid over his shoulder and down to his chest, her fingers sliding one-by-one over his nipple. He kissed her mouth, tongue caressing hers. "You are so wonderful, Bryn. Such a wonderful woman." His other hand slipped between their bodies, gently seeking her clit. Rubbing her lightly in circles, he sped up his thrusts more, intent on making her scream. "Oh God..." She spread her legs wider, squealing as his touch on her clit became even firmer. She slid her hand down to rub his perineum again, rocking her fingers back and forth to lighten and strengthen her caress. "Harder, sugar, please?" A fine sweat had broken out over his back. Pushing his finger harder against her clit, he also thrust more firmly into her, bringing his perineum in firmer contact with her fingers on each backstroke. He was teetering on the brink of orgasm, but couldn't push himself over the edge. "Need...you...to cum...first...Bryn." She grabbed hold of his ass with both hands, bringing his thrusts in deeper, faster, and she threw her head back and squealed as her climax washed over her. Her muscles clamped down around him, squeezing tight, before rippling powerfully. She dug her fingernails into his ass, rocking her hips against him. He gave a sharp cry, feeling her clench around his cock. He shot deep into her, shaking as she dug in her nails He continued to rock against her, trying to coax all the aftershocks he could out of her. before collapsing on top of her. He pressed his forehead to her shoulder, trying to catch his breath. "Oh God, Bryn..." She pushed him until he rolled onto his side, rolling with him, sticking close to his body. She continued to cradle his head against her shoulder, panting as they both calmed down. She hooked her thigh over his, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. Pressing her lips to his temple, she said, "I love that you watch me sleep. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that before. It was stupid of me to make the comment I did...because you're so sweet, and all you've ever done is love me, and it makes me sick to think I might've hurt your feelings. Even if we never made love again, and you held me and watched over me as I slept, I would still be the luckiest girl on the whole planet. And I would still love you more than anyone else ever has." He turned slightly so he could kiss her forehead, arms tight around her. "I love you so much, Bryn. I promise that I will always hold and watch over you." He gave her a slightly lopsided grin. "I don't think we'll have to worry about the 'never make love again' part." She gave him a shaky smile, then buried her face against his neck. Holding on to him tightly, she tried once again to keep from crying. "I never knew loving someone could be like this. I never thought that a man could be so loving and gentle, or that he could hurt just as easily. And I swear, I'll remember that. That you need to be held and loved just as much as I do. I'll remember that I'm not the only one who gets afraid of being alone. I swear I'll take better care of you. 'Cause I love you so much, and I don't ever want you think that I don't." He gently stroked his fingertips through her hair. "I love you too, so much, Bryn. I don't want you to think that I don't want you, or I'll reject you. I'm always going to be here, watching over you." End Chapter Sixty-one <- Previous Chapter | Home | Next Chapter ->