A/N: Here we are at the final sequel to this series. This part of the story will focus on the healing between our two heroes and is dedicated to those of you who have stuck with me through this crazy collection of stories (the last one especially!). This is my second go around at trying to write a solid romance type of story (The first was Prelude.) and although, I can't guarantee that it will only have one crazy twist. I am challenging myself to limit them.

Thank you to C.O.L and Beatrix for writing such beautiful smut to use as a guide.

Rated M for Adult Situations. This story takes place almost immediately after G.U.F.

The Long Kiss Goodnight

Brody stood at the sink finishing up the last of the dinner dishes. A lone casserole dish with the last of the remains of baked lasagna sat ready to be scrubbed. "Hey, I thought you were going to help me with these." She called out as Chris came in from outside with Daisy and immediately went to the refrigerator for a cold one.

"Right. What do you need me to do?" he asked.

Brody handed him a salad bowl. "Top shelf, please." Although she was almost as tall as Chris she still needed his couple of inches of extra height to get things that were beyond her reach. Chris came around behind her, flipping the cabinet open with his hand, his warm breath breathing down on her neck.

"You know I keep a step stool in the pantry right?"

"What pantry?" Brody grinned as the front of his cargo pants bumped against her backside. As he went to push the bowl into his proper place she could feel him press up against her. Every virile motion sending shivers up her spine.

"Anything else?" he whispered, playfully nipping at her ear.

He was in rare form tonight, Brody thought as she palmed the counter, refusing to turn into him. "You can take out the trash."

"I already did that." He said as he began to tease her neck with sweet tender bites.

"Walk the dog?"

"Done."

"Fold the laundry?"

"That's your job this week."

Lord help her she thought as he swept her hair aside, letting his kisses become more aggressive. She tried hard not to moan as his hands found their way to her waist but she just couldn't help it. The dirty casserole dish forgotten, she turned into him, looking into those gorgeous blue eyes. Damn, they were mesmerizing. She knew with him looking at her that way that he would be impossible to avoid.

Lifting her chin, she offered him her lips, thrusting them both into an urgent open mouth kiss. She felt a twinge form between her legs as he gripped her hips and pulled her tight up against him. Another low, orgasmic moan escaped her when he started to rock his hips. In a moment, she would be hopelessly wet.

Their chests were heaving now, fighting for air with each of them refusing to stop. Then Brody had an idea. Reaching over his shoulders she began to tug at his t-shirt. She gave him no choice but to pull out of the kiss and rake it over his head.

Each took a moment to take in the necessary air before slamming into one another. This time, Chris had his hands on either side of her face, holding her securely into place while her hands travelled up and down his bare back. Still sensitive from the stabbing, she knew exactly which areas to touch and which to avoid. The area around the left kidney was still the most troublesome spot and bothered him at times, especially, when he had reached his physical limit with a suspect.

Expertly, he started to pull her away from the sink, thinking it was time to move this party elsewhere.

Mischievously, Brody held her ground, refusing to be taken. She was enjoying this moment and wanted to play it out for as long as it would last. She would let him take what he wanted as long as she could stay standing right here at this sink. She needed to remind herself that she was in a battle to defeat those pesky images that continued to pop into her mind every now and then.

And the only way to do that was to keep kissing him. In fact, Dr. Stacy Sheridan had suggested that they keep a calendar with scheduled moments of intimacy so that Brody could work through her fears. Couples therapy had definitely helped to sort out their still spiraling emotions together. But more than that, they were becoming closer as a couple, especially in the bedroom.

LaSalle thought he was going to explode when her hand snaked downward to brush his inseam. The urge not to scoop her up and take her into the bedroom was strong. He had to keep reminding himself that it wasn't about reaching that mind blowing climactic moment but the process that it took to get there. The longer that Merri could stay in the here and now without pulling away in fear the better.

At first, she could only handle a few minutes, five at the most. The idea of keeping her eyes closed, back pressed up against a wall in a totally vulnerable and unguarded situation was still terrifying at times but she was making progress.

She was getting pretty good at masking whatever demons were still lurking inside her but Chris could always tell when she reached the point to where she couldn't handle anymore. She would try to rush the moment and get them into the bedroom as quickly as possible where she felt safe. In the bedroom, keeping her eyes closed and kissing were both optional and sex didn't bother her in the least. There was also a huge difference between being pinned to a mattress and being pinned to up next to brick or drywall.

Briefly, she wondered if standing at the sink where the kitchen counter hit her at the waist counted. She was playing by the rules and keeping her eyes closed while engaging in a searing a kiss. That had to count for something right? But after a while, the burning twinge between her thighs started to grow into a raging monster, begging to be touched.

Unconsciously, she began to twist, letting out soft whimpers as she tried to force him to move away from the counter and into the other room. At one point she even stamped her foot. My god how long was this kiss going to last?

Reaching down to the zipper portion of his pants, she clutched his hidden length and heard him take in a sharp breath. Maybe now she would get someplace she thought as he let out a soft moan from somewhere within his throat.

Nope, he simply moved his hands away from her face and anchored her at the back of the neck. Since when had the man built up such resolve? He was faking it she concluded. I mean after all he was man. Didn't matter than he was probably the most respectful and loving man she'd that she ever met he was still a man and like most men he had his limits. She started to tug at the button above the zipper trying to wriggle it loose. But he grabbed her hand, lacing their fingers.

Begging, she squeezed his hand until her fingernails started to dig into the back of his hand. That spot between her legs was really starting to take over her rational sense of mind. With her free hand, she grabbed the wrist that was holding her neck and brought his hand down between them, spreading her legs ever so slightly.

He started to grin careful, not to break the kiss as he flicked his fingers ever so gently over her soft spot covered by her rayon and polyester pants. He'd barely touched her and she was already starting to jump out her skin.

Damn, he wanted all of her. Was that fucking timer he had set ever going to go off? He nearly laughed out loud when Dr. Sheridan had suggested it, thinking that somehow actually timing their prelude to the real foreplay would somehow take away from living in the moment but it hadn't. It only served to heighten the experience.

Merri struggled to wriggle her hand free of his as he caught her between his index finger and thumb. She was panting now and he was really enjoying it, despite his own throbbing ache. Finally, breaking free of his grasp, she grabbed him by the chest hairs and started to tug. Secretly, pleased when he stiffened against the slight discomfort.

Damn, that was cheating he thought fighting the urge to break away and tear her clothes off. His free hand now on her hip, he increased the thrust of tongue against hers and started to palm her heat.

She was barely breathing now she thought as her breath started to come out in quick short pants of desperation. How long had he set that damn timer for, eternity? Unable to control herself, she grabbed his ass and rolled her hips into him. As if, that were going to have a significant effect on him at this point. The man was already as hard as rock. The only thing he needed was to plunge deep inside until he blew out his brains.

She was nearing the point of absolute frustration, when he released her hip and slid his hand up under her blouse, reaching for her nipples, making her thankful for the fact that she had chosen a thin lacey bra, rather than one with thicker padding. A sensation of release started to wash over her as he teased her with both hands, still refusing to let up on the kiss. She wasn't going to make it to the bedroom she thought as the sounds coming from deep within her throat became more demanding and urgent. On some level this disappointed her, but on the other hand he was sending into oblivion and she hadn't even taken her clothes off yet.

She did feel a sense of satisfaction however as she reeled in the thought that she could cum multiple times during one steamy tryst and he only the one. She would scold him later for taking the moment further than what the rules allowed. After all, the entire exercise was supposed to be about the kiss. The actual foreplay was supposed to come later. Not that she was complaining. Once they actually got to the bedroom she intended to show him just how appreciative she was. The only down side was that now that they were both so worked up if she wasn't careful she could make him finish within a minute.

An orgasmic scream started to climb up the back of her throat as the timer finally went off. Coincidence? She thought, not.

"How long was that?" she panted pressing her forehead into his chest, her knees weak. She absolutely felt like she was going to collapse.

Chis kissed the top her head as he held her close allowing her to enjoy the aftershocks that were attacking every nerve ending in her body.

"9 minutes."

Her eyes widened slightly as she lifted them to him. Nine minutes was a new record for her one for which she would reward him handsomely.

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward the bedroom to begin what she called round two.