I sighed sadly again for probably the hundredth time today. In my peripheral vision, I could see Jamie roll his eyes.

"Wanda, I know that you're anxious and all, but could you please stop sounding so depressed?" Jamie asked in a voice that was edging onto depression itself. "Okay. Sorry, it's just that, I don't get why they wouldn't let me come on the raid. And I don't like Ian being out there without me to cover for him-"

"Jared will cover his butt, okay? He's been doing this for a long time; he has practice! We didn't choose him just because, you know." I nodded. Silently I got up to put my plate in the makeshift sink, and went back to Jamie.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" I asked him, leaning my hands against the edge of the table. My new host body was barely taller than Jamie, so I felt like a little kid when he stood up in front of me.

"Nah, but will you be alright without me around. No suicide attempts, or anything?" Jamie playfully punched my arm. I winced, but smiled back at him. "No, I'm just going to go back to my room." He nodded and then turned, probably going to find Mel.

With my seemingly short- shorter than Melanie's- legs, I walked slowly to mine and Ian's room. Pulling back the makeshift door, I glanced around in vain. But Ian was nowhere in sight.

I suppressed a sigh and flopped down onto the mattress that was never used. It was stiff and uncomfortable. Ian and I always slept in bed together, so we never needed the other mattress that had once been Kyle's.

Even though there was still plenty of time left until sunset, and I wasn't likely to fall asleep on this mattress, I closed my eyes. Letting my mind drift, I reveled at how my heart rate sped up, and I felt almost lightheaded as I remembered what Ian's touch felt like.

Then I remembered what his voice sounded like. When I tried thinking of different things, Ian's voice kept popping into my head. Then I was being shaken. My eyes flew open to see who it was. Ian's blazing sapphire eyes were inches in front of mine; so close that they kept getting blurry.

After a moment of shock, I shrieked happily, sat up, and threw my arms around Ian's neck. "You're back! Oh, I'm so happy to see you!" I could feel Ian smile against my neck. He gently pried my arms away from his neck so that he could look at me.

I couldn't help the grin that spread my lips until they almost parted. "Hi," Ian said, after a moment of us gazing into each other's eyes. "Hi." I repeated, my new host's voice trembling with happiness.

"Why're you back early?" I asked as Ian pulled me onto his lap and began stroking my hair. "The raid turned out to be a lot shorter than we had planned. But I'm glad you're happy I'm back."

I snorted. "Happy?" I turned around straddling his waist, I was surprised at my position and by the look on his face, so was Ian. But I pretended not to notice, and continued my sentence.

"You have no idea how happy I am. Maybe I'm not even happy, maybe I'm ecstatic..." I trailed off uncertainly at the look that Ian was giving me. "What?" I asked.

But he didn't say anything, he just captured my lips in his. Being separated had somehow made us want each other more. I kissed him back hungrily, letting him know how much I had missed him.

Parting my lips gently, Ian's tongue slid slowly into my mouth. Again, my heart rate sped up as his tongue glided hesitantly over my teeth, and intertwined with my own tongue. When he was done with my mouth, I explored his.

Our mouths weren't the only things that were being explored,our bodies were too. My hands took their usual spot on Ian's neck at first, but then began to wander down his chest all the way to his lower stomach. I loved the way his muscles contracted under my fingertips.

Ian's hands moved fast and hungrily, quickly slipping under my shirt and massaging my right breast, while his other hand rested on my lower back. I moaned at the contact, and was barely able to control my body, much less get it to move like I wanted it to.

It was all too soon that I had to break away, barely breathing. Even though he was out of breath too, Ian was tenderly running his hand up and down the side of my face. When he had caught his breath he asked, "you missed me that much? Maybe I should go on raids without you more often."

I punched him lightly in the arm, still panting from the oxygen deprivation. When I could speak I said, "please don't." And then Ian's laughter was echoing in the whole cave. It was so loud, that people walking by stuck their heads in to see what all the ruckus was about.

I blushed and hid my face in Ian's chest; partly because of everyone peeking into our room, and because of Ian's laughter. When the vibration in his chest stopped, I looked up at his face. "Don't worry. If I have a choice, I won't leave you alone." I smiled happily.