Chapter 1

Gasping for air as the nightmare left her, Leora Date's hazel eyes shot open in the dim light of morning and brought her back to reality. Gingerly, she sat up in the bed and rubbed her eyes of the sleep they contained. Groaning quietly so that she didn't wake her still sleeping lover, Leora leaned over him to check the clock and was relieved that she'd beaten the alarm this time. The last time she'd been attacked by this nightmare, her lover had had to shake her out of it and he was deeply troubled by it. If it happened again she probably wouldn't be able to get him to stop fretting over her for more than two seconds. It was lovely that he cared, wonderful that he loved, but when there was nothing to worry about…

Ok, so maybe there was a little something to worry about with the matter. Like the fact that she'd gotten little to no sleep at all over the course of two weeks. And he'd noticed how exhausted she'd become almost as quickly and easily as he'd noticed her lack of motivation lately in their work at the lab. Of course, genetic engineering to an artist was just oh so fascinating…!

Leora moved carefully for the bathroom and struck up the warm water for her shower and made quick work of all other little details. Relief swept over her as her body had a glimpse of relaxation under the hot water that hit her, forcing knotted and tense muscles to loosen and relax for the first time in 24 hours.

"This has got to stop…" She muttered under her breath as she braced her hands on the cold tile to hold her weight while she allowed the hot water to pound her shoulders. She left the shower when her mission had been accomplished and dried herself off, leaning her weight against the sink while she tried to force the sleep from her eyes.

"Another nightmare?" Rowen Hashiba's sultry British accent roused her from whatever daydream she had almost slipped into, but his hands got her full and undivided attention.

"You give the world's best back massages,"

"You're avoiding the question,"

"Yes, another nightmare," Leora whispered as he worked her muscles into submission. "You're not going to start fussing, are you?"

"Only if you don't fall over in exhaustion before the day is out,"

"Crap,"

"Leora…"

"Rowen, if I could control these stupid nightmares, I wouldn't be having them."

"I told you; it's stress. You need to take a break,"

"I'll get a break next week, Rowen, we both will,"

"It doesn't count if I have to force you into it," Rowen protested as he embraced her, sighing into her hair. "You had been looking forward to this trip for months, what's changed your mind?"

"My big brother hasn't exactly approved of our relationship, Rowen,"

"Sage has been taking care of you since you were kids, sweetheart, he's just looking out for you. The big brother little sister over protectiveness is a trait our dear Sage harbors."

"Unfortunately," Leora grumbled as she reached for her hair brush. "You two are best friends, you'd think he would have approved from the second he learned of it,"

"Uh, his best friend dating his little sister isn't exactly an easy scenario to cope with, trust me. Especially since it's Sage that we're talking about." Rowen continued with his massage as Leora brushed the tangles from her dark hair. "It'll grow on him eventually, Leora. Just give him time. Besides, can you even remember the last time we saw everyone?"

"Last Christmas…" Leora murmured faintly. "We had fun, didn't we?"

"Yeah, we did," Rowen embraced her from behind, kissing her damp shoulder gently. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, I'm just tired…"

"You know, we don't have to go to the lab today. We could just stay here and be lazy all morning. We could go have dinner tonight, come back, pack up and head to the airport in the morning and let that be the end of it,"

"That would be wonderful…" Leora murmured, her shoulders sagging as she accepted the proposal. Rowen's face contorted in worry as he lead her out of the bathroom and back towards the bed. The way she moved wasn't normal for her. What had happened to that grace with which she'd carried herself? What had happened to all the smiles; all the laughter?

"They're really bad, aren't they?"

"I don't know, Ro'. Most of them I don't remember when I wake up," Leora slid onto the mattress and sank into its warmth. "Bits and pieces come back to me every now and then, but not enough to really make since of them."

"Anything in particular?"

"You're not going to let this one go, are you?" When he didn't reply with anything but that familiar look of concern, she rolled onto her back and rubbed her face, finally giving in. "Most of what I remember is confusing. One second it's beautiful outside, the next it's pitch black and a wicked storm starts up. Then there's this weird blue light and then…well…I guess you could say it's armor that touches me…then the rest is mostly a blur. I don't know, Rowen. It's all just so…strange…"

"Was the armor blue, Leora?"

"Yeah," She yawned, turned her head to gaze at him, confused by the look of concentration on his face. "Wait, how did you guess that?"

"I didn't…" His voice slipped to a nervous whisper.

"Ro?"

"I have to tell you something, Leora,"

"Um…ok?" She turned and rested her head on her hand, reaching out to touch his face and lift his eyes up to hers. "Rowen, is something going on?"

"I know this is a pretty stupid question, but do you remember that year when Sage just vanished? Well…he wasn't the only one."

"What?"

"Leora, all of us; Me, Sage, Ryo, Cye, Kento…we were all in Toyama with Mia and Yuli,"

"I know that,"

"Yeah, but you don't know why we were all there," Rowen sat up and turned away from her. "We all promised each other not to share what went on that year with anyone but ourselves. There was just too much to be risked…"

"Rowen, where are you going with this?" Leora sat up as well and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "What does this have to do with my dreams, sweetie? I don't understand the connection…"

"The man in the armor…did he have a bow and arrow of gold?"

Stunned, she just stared at the back of his head. "How…Rowen, how could you possibly know that?"

"Please, Leora, please don't hate me for what I'm about to show you,"

"Rowen," She reached for him when he left the bed, completely confused. "What is-" Words left her then, fading into oblivion upon Rowen's startling show of his true self, his true occupation. Beneath the sweetness and the gentle loving man she knew lay the warrior, the protector. Shrouded in the majestic armor of his ancestor Strata, Rowen seemed to be the epitome of the heavens themselves. His armor shimmered in blue hues, transforming and glittering like stars floating about their bedroom as if it were a normal occurrence. Leora's eyes softened, filled with everything but bitterness, everything but hate or loathing. Awe flowed through her, melting the tension in her body and melting her muscles like butter in the skillet. Her blood heated, flushed her pale, tired face as if his armor beat just under her skin and gave her life rather than her heart.

But then…wasn't that true? Rowen had her heart, had had it for nearly two years now.

"Leora?"

He was waiting for any indication that she might understand what he was showing her, but quickly realized as he watched her throat working and struggling to form the words that it was next to impossible. Eventually she gave up and her jaw twitched. For a moment, Rowen stopped breathing, fearing the worst in her next action, but found himself completely warmed to the fullest extent possible when a smile bloomed on her beautiful face. And then her voice came back to her and her throat relaxed and let the words slip from her mouth like a beautiful song strung skillfully and beautifully from a violin.

"Rowen, you are quite literally my Knight in Shining Armor," Slowly, she left their bed and approached him, carefully letting her fingers explore the plates and ridges of the armor that covered his body, taking in the man before her. "So this is what I've gotten myself into…"

A smile bloomed on Rowen's face and he reached out and touched her cheek. "Sweetheart, I don't quite think you could get into this armor with me in it,"

The illustrious little grin that usually signaled punishment in a physical means that was, by far, anything but punishment, suddenly brightened her face and she made his cheeks go red and his body heat up with the seductive and playful slur of words that she let loose on him. "Then how about you take it off so I can get to the clothes that I know I can get into,"

"Ooh, you're in for it now,"

"Prove it, little man,"

The armor vanished and Rowen took a prowling step forward and entrapped her in his strong arms. "You're tempting a lion with a fresh steak, darling,"

"Then eat it!" Giggling, Leora kissed him with enough heat with it to have made the house go up in flames, had Rowen not known exactly how to contain it.

YAY! I finished chapter one, FINALLY. Revisions are going terribly well, despite the lack of time I have to work on anything. Gau, work has consumed meh! But love? XD reviews are appreciated and much wanted!