Note From The Author-- I just couldn't help myself

Disclaimer-- I don't own the characters. Would that I did...

Cain could always tell when the wheels started to turn in DG's mind. They'd been together for over a year, had known each other for almost two, and he knew her well enough to know when something was cooking in that pretty little head of hers. At that particular moment, the wheels were beginning to turn.

Resigning himself to the fact that their calm walk along the shores at Finaqua was about to be disturbed, he reached over to tug gently on one of her loose curls. "What's going on in that clever mind of yours Princess?" he asked.

She turned her head, big blue eyes meeting his as she smiled. "I just saw Az sitting in the Gazebo," she commented.

"I know better than that Darlin'," he told her. He stopped, pulling her with him as their fingers were laced together. "There's something else rolling around in there."

"You know me just a bit too well," DG said with a laugh. "You ever notice what's up with her and Jeb?"

Cain paled. "Between Az and my son? What do you mean?"

"Oh, come on, you mean you haven't noticed the way they look at each other?" She turned them so they could see the eldest Princess. "There she is, sitting there with her book, and watching Jeb while he and Glitch walk around the lake."

"And…?"

DG let out an exasperated sigh. "Just watch them for a minute, would you? She watches him, and then he gets to feeling like someone's watching him."

Sure enough, a moment later, Jeb realized that someone was watching him. From a distance, it was difficult to see the flush that rose on Azkadellia's cheeks as she hurriedly glanced back down at her book, frowning when it took her a minute to find her place.

"Then he watches her," Wyatt murmured.

"You've really never noticed it have you?" DG asked.

He shook his head. "Think about it Sweetheart; even if I did notice it my subconscious would push the fact that my son's infatuated with the sister of the woman I'm in love with way the hell back there. It's just too…"

"Complicated?" she guessed.

"Strange," Cain told her, pulling a face.

The look was just too much for her sense of humor to ignore, and she burst out laughing as she threw her arms around his neck. "Honey, our lives are already weird. Why not add a little bit to the party?" she questioned.

Cain rather effectively silenced the laugh with a slow kiss, and when they pulled apart he leaned his forehead against hers. "You seem to be ignoring the key fact that they don't do anything other than stare at each other," he commented.

DG grinned at him. "One day, they'll do something other than stare."

And one day they did do something other than stare. It was just like any other day at Finaqua, and it found Azkadellia sitting in the gardens with a book as she usually was. The book was one she had read before, and the longer she sat there, the more her mind began to wander.

It wasn't long before her mind turned to Jeb, as it was wont to do. She'd been attracted to him since the moment they had been introduced, despite his initial reticence. In the two years since she'd gotten her life back her attraction to him hadn't diminished, even though her mind often puzzled over how strange it was that she was infatuated with her sister's significant other's son. Still, she had yet to work up the confidence to say anything to him. They were polite and cordial, but it really never went beyond that. And speak of the devil.

"Good morning Princess," Jeb said quietly as he passed.

"Good morning." He was almost out of hearing range when her next words came out of her mouth almost without her knowing it. "I don't bite you know."

He turned and shot her a bemused look. "I know, Azkadellia."

She felt herself flush and cursed herself for it. "Well, you'd never guess from the way that we speak to each other; nothing more than a polite hello and the occasional wave."

"I suppose you're right," he told her, walking back towards her. He hesitated for a moment then thought 'what the hell', and sat down next to her.

Az couldn't believe that she had finally done something, and for a moment she wasn't sure what to do with herself. Then she found her footing and managed a smile. "I'd say that's progress. I'll be honest and say I'm amazed that you don't hate me."

That bemused look was back again. "And I would hate you why?"

"Well." She considered her words before she continued. "A lot of people have issues with me, because of who I was. You were one of the most prominent members of the resistance, and I certainly wouldn't blame you for feeling the same way."

Jeb shook his head. "Azkadellia, how could I hate you for something you weren't responsible for?" he questioned.

Az's smile faded a bit around the edges, and she couldn't hide the slight shake in her voice. "Not everyone believes that."

"Well then they're idiots," he said vehemently.

It was so…. Well, cute. She just couldn't hold back a laugh. "My hero," she said quietly.

This time it was Jeb who turned just a little bit red. Trying to recover from his flushing incident, he reached out to stroke his hand down her cheek. "Bottom line, Princess? Anyone who thinks you would willingly put yourself through that is either ignorant or just flat bitter."

His hand fell away from her face quickly, but the heat lingered. The gesture left her feeling suddenly emboldened, and she leaned over to press a quick and chaste kiss to his cheek. "Thank you Jeb."

For a moment the younger Cain could only sit there as Azkadellia picked up her book and stood. She was a good distance away before he managed to shake himself awake again.

Az's heart was beating like a drum in her chest as she walked away, waiting to see if he would come after her. The blood was rushing so loud in her ears that she didn't even hear him coming. Her breath caught in her throat when he caught her wrist and spun her into his arms. Then his mouth crashed down on hers and that breath completely stole away.

Somewhere in the back of his mind it occurred to Jeb that he was probably Azkadellia's first real kiss. She was so young when the witch took control of her body, and it was likely that she'd never even gotten a chance to have that first that he'd experienced with a friend at fourteen; at least not while she had full control of her body. As it occurred to him, his mouth gentled, and he felt Az melt into him even more.

Neither was sure how long they stayed locked together, but when they pulled apart the both felt a little bit shaky. "Did you honestly think I was going to let you walk away?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I was hoping you wouldn't; that was sort of the point."

"Well, that took the two of you long enough," DG said, her voice coming from somewhere behind them.

Both Az and Jeb turned their heads to look at her. "Refrain from further comment little sister."

Jeb's eyes immediately went to his father, who was looking just a little bit paler than usual. "You okay dad?" he questioned.

For a moment it seemed as if Cain didn't even hear his son, then DG elbowed him in the gut and he came to pretty quickly. The smile he offered his son and the older Princess was entirely genuine, if not a little mystified. "Whatever makes the two of you happy."

Az shot her sister a look, urging her and Wyatt to keep moving. They did so willingly, though not before DG shot her big sister a wink. As they went, Jeb and Azkadellia could hear the beginning of their conversation, and both of them had a hard time holding back laughter.

"So if we both have kids how would they be related?" DG questioned. "Would that make them cousins, or would we still call Jeb and our kids' brothers and sisters?"

The only answer Cain could manage was," Strange."