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I looked at my beautiful Wanderer. Her eyebrows crumpled together when she realized that she didn't have the strength to carry the basket of dishes to wash. I laughed quietly to myself and walked over to her and scooping the basket out of her arms. She frowned up at me and crossed her arms and started walking ahead.

"Aw, Wanda, come back!" I pleaded, as I dropped the basket and jogged after her.

I pulled her into my arms almost as easily as I had the crate of dishes. I could see her small face hide behind her hair and she hung her head. I could tell she was trying not to grin. I always knew she could never truly stay angry at me. I tickled her side and then she giggled and squirmed in my arms. I quit, and she wrapped her arms around my neck.

"Why can I never stay mad at you?" She said, faking frustration.

"Cause you love me too much." I joked, even though I really hoped that was the case.

"Yeah" She said, smiling as she looked away.

We walked in peace for a few moments, the whole time I was burning with curiosity. I looked down at her several times before I remembered that the dishes were still in the middle of the tunnel we had just walked down. I paused and loped back in the direction we came from. I noticed that she bounced too much in my arms, so as I was running I slid her to my back. I wrapped her legs around my torso and pulled her body to mine like a second skin.

I felt her thigh muscles tighten in response. Only in this, shy, beautiful body, did she get embarrassed. I smiled and ran faster. I know she loved the speed because she missed it. She missed being able to run at such speeds. Melanie's body was strong, fast, and tall. I could understand how sad she must have been when she lost that. One day, I would give that strength back to her.

However, this smaller body seemed to define Wanderer. The body was delicate, graceful, beautiful, gentle, and sweet. It was everything Wanda was. Though I cared more for the Soul, than the body; she still needed a body that matched her in every way.

I could feel her excitement build up and the adrenaline rush that came with the wind. I stopped and put her down. I walked beside her, dishes in hand. At one point, she wrapped her arm around my waist, well not around; her arms were much too short for that; she wrapped her arm around half my back.

I switched the crate to my right side, so that I could hold her closer to me with my left arm. She looked up at me and smiled, and then she looked forward again.

"Wanda, just out of curiosity, you do love me…don't you?" I said casually.

She stopped abruptly and looked up at me with a looked of shear surprise. I laughed and gave her a questioning look. She came closer to me and grabbed the basket out of my hands and sat it down in the tunnel floor. Then, she came so close to me I could feel her soft, warm, and fragrant breath on my lips.

"How many times do I have to tell you Ian?" She whined, as she grabbed one of my hands.

"Tell me what?" I said dumbly, because I had no clue what she was talking about.

She opened my hand and kissed my palm lightly, and then she put the hand to her face. It cupped almost the whole side of her face. She leaned into my hand and closed her eyes.

"I. . Ian." She said simply.

"How do I know that? What if you are just trying to make me happy? What if—"

"Ian, be quiet please." She said, her eyes still closed.

I moved my hand from her check and slid it down her arm to the small of her back and pulled her against me. Her eyes were still closed to I kissed each one of her eyelids lightly. She opened her magnificent gray-silver eyes to look at me.

"Meet me back at our room, okay?" She said, all of a sudden.

"Just let me get the dishes—" She cut me off.

"No, let me get them." She said, trying to beat me to the basket, but I was too fast.

"Please, let me be a gentleman to you. At least once, you are always trying so hard to work hard and I just want to do this one thing for you." I smiled.

"You always help me with everything." She frowned and reached for the basket.

"Please…" I said, using my blue eyes to plead to her.

"Fine then." She sighed deeply. She jumped and pecked me on the cheek and walked gracefully and beautifully towards our room. Then I had a sudden realization of what she had meant. Did she…? No, not Wanderer. She didn't know about those things yet…did she? She probably had no clue how we "mated" in this plant. Maybe she did, maybe she didn't. I guess I will just have to figure it out I thought to myself as I walked towards the kitchen to put the dishes away.

As I was on my way from the kitchen, I saw Melanie and Jared walk by, holding hands. Then, Kyle and Sunny walked by, looking lovingly into each other's eyes. Never in my life had I thought that Kyle would give into being in love with a Soul. He did, and I knew that whatever happened that as long as I was with Wanda, everything would be perfect.

I heard someone behind me, and then I realized it was just Doc. He walked beside me and I stopped him.

"Doc?" I asked, nervousness making my voice shake.

"Yes Ian?"

"I'm not sure how to…express my love to Wanda." I said, having trouble coming up with the right words.

"Oh, I see." He instantly understood.

"Yes?" I said, waiting for a answer.

"Wanda is a wonderful…human-being. She deserves the best Ian and you are one of the best people I know, so there needs to be no worry. When…love happens…it happens." She laughed at the awkwardness of the conversation.

"Thank you, Doc" I laughed too. I walked faster and faster towards my Wanderer. She was waiting for me and I had no clue what to expect. As soon as our "cave" door was in sight, I slowed my pace and took a deep breath and I stepped into the room, ready for anything. She was my love, and I would do anything to prove that.