AN: I love Free! I don't know what it is about the know nothing immortal, but I love him. I also love Eruka and I can see them in the future having naive and sort of stupid, but delightful children... when the pair of them get their acts together and leave Death City alone. This had been written for ages, but had a bit of a proof reading overhaul the other day, due to this it comes from the timeline just after Medusa took on the form of Rachel. Please enjoy xx.

Free couldn't understand it, why would such a cute witch like her get in to such a mess with a bitch like that?

They were both stood on a cliff waiting for Medusa and he was watching Eruka from the corner of his eye. He still couldn't believe that this little thing; who was someone as delicate as a pixie had been the one to get him out. That she had also been the one to help him find his new name. She looked far too fragile as her hair blew in the breeze, she didn't seem strong enough to be part of this plot. Eventually his curiosity got the better of him and he had to ask.

"Eruka why are you here?" She turned to him and smiled a sad smile.

"Medusa filled my body full of her snakes and I have to work with her so she will get rid of them… That and she killed my friend for not following her orders; I don't want to be next." Free nodded it seemed like the way Medusa worked. She seemed to shiver so Free undid the jacket at his waist and draped it over her shoulders. She pulled it tight around her and looked at Free, "Thank you," she said and smiled at him sweetly. Free was struck for the first time in his long immortal life, his heart began to beat faster and louder than it ever had before, he felt himself blush and turned away from her for a moment, when he turned back she was staring over the cliff.

"Are you happy?" she asked as if pulling the question out of thin air.

"I suppose…" he answered truthfully looking at her profile again.

"Is that an answer?" She asked him still looking over the rocks below, her forehead wrinkled in thought.

"I think so…" he replied and rubbed his eyes, her umbrella shaped skirt she was wearing did magical things for her legs… he shook himself until he began to think straight again, "I'm free, I can see the sunshine; I can see the sky and the earth. I can taste the breeze, walk in the rain, but I helped release the biggest evil known to man. I'm happy yet at the same time guilty. I'm happy enough I suppose." Eruka looked at him, her eyes looked wet. "I'm grateful that I'm no longer in prison as I missed out on so much." A single tear left a track down her cheek and he restrained himself before he reached out and held her; the last thing he wanted to do was scare her. "I take it you're not… happy?" he said and watched as her adorable face contorted with anger.

"I'm not sure… I've lost everything. I've become a puppet because I fear for my own life. I'm useless as a witch… I'm useless as a human" she broke down sobbing all the while letting little girrikosfall from her lips; that were covered by the hands she had clamped over her face. It reminded Free of her vulnerability that he had seen once before in the seal room of Shibusen when she was clinging to him from fear. At that thought his arm became warm and he blushed again, but this time he didn't turn away, he just stood watching her. It was a while before either of them spoke.

"Free why did you steal the eye?" Eruka asked through the fingers that were still clamped across her face.

"Simple," He replied, "It has power and I wanted it."

"Is that all?" she asked looking confused, "You risked your life for that!?" Free nodded,

"I suppose I did. I'm not too smart you know; I don't know if you noticed that?" He grinned and shook his head, "I wanted power that I felt I deserved because I'm an immortal and a werewolf. I also wanted a bit of adventure, but being locked up in that place is as far from adventure as you can get." He laughed bitterly, "I can't say it enough… thank you Eruka for getting me out." She shook her head the spots at either side of her mouth almost merging in to one due to the speed of the movement.

"Don't thank me it was Medusa's idea and her plan after all." She said and Free grabbed her hands that were hanging loosely at her sides and turned her towards him.

"It may have been her plan, but you carried it out, it doesn't matter what your motives were, it was you and no one else that freed me from that place." Eruka blushed and let go of his hands.

"There you two are; have you been waiting long?" Medusa asked looking between the two, both of her 'staff' were looking in opposite directions and for Medusa it was quite off putting. "Did something happen?" both of them shook their heads, "Well then," the mini Medusa said, "Let's get to work!"

We've done it again, played the slave to Medusa. I now understand why she laughed at my new name. Was what Free was thinking as he paced the cave he was hiding inside. He heard a noise at the opening and stiffened for a second scenting the air when he realised that it was Eruka coming through the darkness.

"Free?" she called in to the dark.

"I'm here," Free replied searching the darkness for her slight frame. He saw the umbrella shaped skirt overlaying on the black of the cave and went over to her. Before he had even reached her he could smell her fear and when he was close enough he wrapped his arms around her shielding her from the black. It hadn't taken any amount of genius to work out that Eruka was afraid of the dark and Free prided himself that he had figured it out quickly enough. He knew that she hated the dark more than she hated being Medusa's slave now that was saying something. Eventually he felt her relax and lean in to him, however he stayed rigid as if he were scared things could go too far.

"For a man that can control ice you are so warm." She mumbled in to his chest. Free couldn't help but chuckle it seemed like such an odd thing to say.

"I'll get the fire on," He said letting go of Eruka slowly, but that didn't stop her she still used him as a shield against the darkness.

"I hate this hiding, why do we always have to be in the dark?"

"Are you okay?" Free asked as he struck a match and threw it in to a pile of wood.

"Mmm," Eruka said back and then nervously added "geko," she covered her mouth in embarrassment at her slip. Free smiled and sat by the fire. He looked up at Eruka to see her face was so pale that the dark spots at the side of her mouth shone like obsidian in the firelight.

"Sit here," He told her patting the ground next to him. Eruka did as she was told and took up the spot next to him leaning in to him to steal his warmth; feeling the small shivers that were shaking her frame he wrapped his arm around her and brought her close.

"Free…?" she murmured,

"Mmm…" he said back

"I can't breathe…" Free jumped away worried, but Eruka grabbed his hand to pull him back. It shocked him that he really didn't know his strength sometimes. "Don't go," she tugged at him and Free moved back to her side. "Why don't you just leave? I mean you could run away and she could never find you… not like me" she sighed and looked at the flames, watching them consume all that was before them.

"If I left what would you do?" He asked smiling faintly

"Geko?"

"Well without me how would you cope?"

"What is that supposed to mean Free?" she asked glaring at him. "I was coping just fine before I set you free," he chuckled and Eruka pouted bringing the dark spots at either side of her mouth together in to a figure of eight, it was possibly the cutest thing Free had ever seen.

"Would you have been okay in a place like this all on your own?" he asked watching her face crumple with the thought; eventually she shook her head, "That's the reason why I can't leave now even if I want to and believe me I do every day." Eruka looked up at him the gentle warmth from the fire making her skin glow.

"Do you mean that?" she asked her cheeks tinged pink. Free nodded and twisted a strand of her hair around his fingers. "Why?" she asked her voice barely a whisper as she leant in to his large hand. He bent over Eruka and lightly placed his lips on hers the kiss was brief and sweet and as he pulled back he smiled at her.

"Would saying; just because, be okay with you?" he asked in response Eruka shook her head, her eyes were wide and with the fire light glinting off them they shed rainbow colours everywhere. "I didn't think so," he said back and laid his hand against her neck feeling her pulse beat just below the skin; it was thrumming like the beat of humming bird's wings; it was so fast and so soft it gave him goose bumps. He put gentle pressure on her pulse point and heard her sigh and felt her shiver slightly. The warmth from her skin felt good against his; a gentle blush covered her neck and face making her skin warmer still.

Eruka took hold of the hand resting on her neck and laced her cool fingers with his,

"I never thought this could happen to me," he said looking deep in to her eyes.

"Geko?" she croaked back at him willing herself not to look away from his deep coloured eye.

"Who'd have thought I'd fall for a witch after all the trouble I'd caused for them."

"Geko?" Eruka said again taking Free's other hand in hers and laid it on her lap,

"What do you mean?" Free asked and pulled her towards him until she was sat on his lap facing him with the firelight back-lighting her hair. The flames were making it glow; all the while sparks from the fire danced in the air and fell on to her shoulders. He sighed and looked thoughtful for a moment which was unusual for Free. "I've lived for so long, so very long that I gave up on the idea of my inner ice ever being thawed. I was brought up to hate and fear most things as werewolves are always hunted whether they are evil or not. Relationships don't last when you're immortal as you always lose the one that you care for. I never thought that I would find someone that I could care for. Some one that I would want to protect or if it came to it in the end would give my own life for." He blew out his breath not wanting to look at the little witch in front of him. Eruka giggled and let go of his hands. She gently traced the words no future above his eye and then his cheek bone.

"Well its okay isn't it. I'm sort of glad because it seems I fell for this hunk of an immortal that nearly killed my superior. It's just I thought I was the only one and that he only pitied me for being small and weak." she kissed his neck lightly and Free growled.

"Why didn't you say something?"

"I was scared you would laugh, or run away. So the only thing I could do was make sure you never left… I felt safer just having you around." She looked at him and smiled, "Saying that why are you questioning me? You can talk too you know," Free laughed and kissed her forehead lightly,

"I thought I was in competition with Tadpole Jackson… so what could I say?" Erkua looked puzzled, but then smiled warmly.

"He's not a very good boyfriend," Free growled openly in a deep throated animal way and Eruka laughed. At the sound of her glee Free whimpered and made a move to get away. "Free you are so cute when you're jealous," he whimpered again "He's a tadpole! I like my men… man shaped!" Free grinned wolfishly and pushed her down pinning her to the floor. Eruka's breath came out in one go as she hit the ground. Free hung over her his weight gently pressing on her own. Eruka wound her hands around his neck and raised her head to his and kissed him tenderly, but the response she got from him was anything but gentle.

He pressed his lips against hers hard making her lips form around his own. He then slowly opened her mouth to his enjoying the feeling of her warmth against his. Erkua pulled herself closer and felt the air from Free's lungs fill hers as she breathed in. Free wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled so she was on top. He ran a hand through her hair and then down her back as his tongue ran against the roof of her mouth. He broke the kiss and gently outlined her lips with his tongue tasting the sweetness of her skin. Eruka moaned as Free's hand touched her thigh. He chuckled and kissed the hollow of her throat making her shiver.

Eruka held on to his arms as she felt his hand moved further under her skirt sending small electric shocks up her body from the point that his hand touched. Free let go of her leg as if to restrain himself and put his hands back on her waist. When his hands left her leg she let go of his arms and ran her hands through his short hair feeling it bristle through her fingers. Free gently took her hat off and put it to the side so her face was no longer in so much shadow. He lost his fingers in the roots of her hair and kissed her cheeks fiercely.

"Eruka?" he mumbled in to her forehead, she hmmed in response as she ran a hand over his jaw. "Can I?" he asked tenderly Eruka sat up balanced lightly on his chest.

"Can you what?" she said in response blushing, feeling his hands clamped to her waist holding her in place.

"Can I love you?" he replied "Am I allowed?" he asked his face troubled. Eruka leant forward and smoothed out the wrinkles on his forehead.

"I suppose," she retorted smiling, Free's wrinkled brow flattened and his eyes lit up.

"Is than an answer?" he asked and Eruka laughed recalling in full the conversation they had that had gone that way.

"I think so," she said talking Free's line again. He grinned at her.

"Really?" he asked changing the script, Eruka nodded.

"I suppose so. It's not like it's one sided right?"

"Come here," Free said and pulled her face to his and kissed her so passionately that they were both breathless. "I've wanted you for so long, you make my heart beat so fast and take my breath away with a single smile. Before I knew it I loved nothing in this hell as much as I love you. One look from you could make my day. I've wanted to feel the heat of your skin against mine, feel the softness of your lips, but I didn't think I was allowed. I thought I would hurt you or scare you. That was the last thing I wanted was to lose you or make you afraid so I kept quiet." Eruka darted in and kissed him quickly before she spoke.

"Why? Why did you not want to scare me?" Free laughed,

"Have I not told you? You are more precious to me than my very life." Eruka blushed and said,

"I just wanted to hear you say that. No one has ever said it to me before."

"That's because they were blind," he replied pressing his thumb to her lips softly, "Even if I hadn't seen the sky in however long I would still have fallen for you."

"Really?"

"Really!" he replied purring, Eruka smiled beatifically at having it confirmed. Free shivered and Eruka looked worried,

"Are you okay?" she asked resting her hands on his chest.

"Just a little cold," He replied, Eruka gasped and jumped up looking for something to wrap around him. She leant over and picked up a blanket. "No you don't," Free murmured close to her ear. "I know the perfect thing to keep me warm. He picked her off the ground as he stood and turned her around, "And it's far more fun than a blanket too." He smiled and it was all teeth making Eruka blush.