I'm leaving you with some really wicked cliffhangers, huh?? So sorry, but that's where it seems best to end and start a new chapter! Thanks for following!

And no, I didn't name her father Phillip after seeing Perdition on Saturday. I had started this a few days before that episode.

Reunion (Chapter 3)

"Father," Kahlan spat out through gritted teeth, her eyes narrowing with the anger she felt at seeing this man again. He was dressed in expensive clothes and carried an air of dignity that she knew he didn't earn but likely stole.

"I'm sorry; I know that this must come as a shock seeing me again," Philip apologetically began, trying his best to convey humility. Trying to win his daughter's trust was going to be a huge obstacle, but trying to win the Mother Confessor's trust would be require his best performance yet.

"That would be an understatement," Kahlan heatedly replied, placing her arms across her chest.

"I know that I do not deserve your forgiveness, but I would like to talk to you if you would allow me that. I've been searching for you for weeks. May I talk to you in private?" Phillip softly requested.

"Kahlan…" Richard began. He did not like this one bit and the idea of him taking her somewhere that they could be alone he hated even more. He was not about to let her out of his sight let alone go anywhere with this vile excuse for a father.

"Anything you have to discuss with me can be said in front of my friends, otherwise, you can leave," Kahlan answered, her face set like stone.

Casting nervous glances at the glares surrounding him, he slowly pulled a chair out and sat down at the table across from his daughter.

"I'm Phillip Amnell…Kahlan's father," Phillip introduced himself to the glowering stares around the table, hoping to ease the tension. No one, however, responded to his introduction.

Kahlan and the others slowly returned their chairs, Richard scooting his closer to Kahlan's. Tensions hung in the air like a thick shroud threatening to envelope and suffocate them all.

Reaching under the table, Richard quickly grasped Kahlan's hand that had been lying in her lap. Taking her hand in his, she tightened her hold on him as if he was her life-line. Richard's face conveyed hatred as he smiled to himself at the death grip that Kahlan now had on his hand. It made his heart swell with love and a burning desire to protect her even more.

"What is so important that you felt the need to find me after all these years?" Kahlan flatly asked, her Confessor's face firmly set in place.

"Kahlan, I need your help," Phillip sighed, hoping to play on her emotions.

"What makes you think I would even want to help you?"

"I deserve that after everything I did to you. I had no right making you and Dennee use your powers on innocent people in order to steal their money, to do so many horrible things, or to try you up with rope."

Richard felt her stiffen beside him and her grip tighten on his hand even more at the mention of the rope. His heart hurt for the abuse she had endured. If there was anything he could ever do to take that pain away from her, he would do it in an instant, without a second thought. At the same time, the rage continued to simmer in his soul. As he massaged the back of her hand with his thumb, he could feel Kahlan relax slightly. He was a breath away from putting a stop to all this.

"You had no right to treat us like you did. We were just little girls!" Kahlan replied with venom in her voice.

"I know and I'm ashamed of what I did. I was so angry when your mother died that I took it out on you and Dennee and for that I am truly sorry. I do not expect you to forgive me, but I hope you can find it in your heart to help me. After this, you will never have to see me again."

With that, Phillip rose from his chair. Richard released Kahlan's hand as he bolted upright from his seat, unsure of what her father would do next.

"I do not wish to hurt you any more than I know I already have, Kahlan. Please just think about it. I will return tomorrow for your answer and to discuss my situation if you're willing to help me."

Kahlan could only sit and stare as she watched her father turn and walk out of the tavern as Richard slowly returned to his seat. Turning towards Kahlan, he clutched her hand again.

"Kahlan, are you alright? Do you want me to go after him, tell to never come back?" Richard asked, ready to burst from the helplessness that threatened to consume him.

"I would be more than happy to teach him a lesson if you would like," Cara scowled. She had not known of the Mother Confessor's painful childhood. Hearing the parts she heard tonight caused her to feel a bond with Kahlan as her own childhood had been taken from her as well.

"No, leave him be. If you don't mind, I think I'm going to turn in for the night," Kahlan answered as she released her Seeker's hand and rose to leave the table.

Watching her as she slowly climbed up the steps towards their rooms, Richard's heart hurt for his Confessor. Everything inside of him screamed to go after her, but he knew deep down that right now she just needed some time to herself.

"We need to keep an eye on that one," Zedd finally broke the silence.

"I don't trust him one bit," Cara interjected. "He's definitely up to something."

"I agree, but he's still Kahlan's father. We don't have much of a say in the matter," Zedd sighed, a grim look on his face.

"We'll give her some space tonight, but after that Kahlan does not leave our sight," Richard heatedly swore as he continued to stare at the steps Kahlan had just climbed moments before.

XXX

Richard lay in his bed unable to sleep, his mind consumed with worry about Kahlan. He stared at the ceiling as he mind raced with possibilities as to what her father could want now after all of these years. None of the possibilities he could come up with were any good and only served to further fuel his anger over his return.

Suddenly, Richard heard a soft knock at his door, causing him to sit bolt upright in bed. His name softly came through the door.

"Kahlan?" he responded as he got out of his bed.

The door slowly opened and Kahlan entered, clad only in a creamy silk nightdress that revealed her every curve, hitting just below her knees. Her long dark hair cascaded past her shoulders and rested along her partially exposed breasts.

Richard stood frozen by the site that greeted him. He had to remind himself to breath as he flushed with a rush of desire for the woman he loved. If it weren't for his concern for Kahlan with the return of her father, he would take her right there.

As she made her way to him by his bed, she herself found it difficult to breath. Seeing him dressed in nothing but his pants always caused sparks to fly, sending warm tingles through her body.

"Kahlan, what is it? Are you alright?" he asked after finally finding the ability to talk again.

"Richard, I…I just…I don't want…" Kahlan began as tears suddenly began to cascade down her cheeks.

Pulling her to him, Kahlan buried her face in his chest as she wept uncontrollably. Her pain and anguish was almost more than he could bear as he held her to him. He whispered his love for her into her hair as he let her cry, helplessness once again flooding his soul.

After several moments, the tears finally ceased as Kahlan pulled back to look into his warm, loving eyes.

"I'm sorry, Richard. I shouldn't have bothered you," Kahlan softly said, averting her eyes.

"Kahlan, you are not bothering me. I love you. I want you to come to me whenever you want," he heatedly replied as he took her face in his hands, making her look at him.

Seeing the love reflected in his eyes caused the sparks to ignite in her all over again. As she let her gaze fall to his lips, down his neck, along his collarbone, she saw her tears glistening on his chest.

"Look, now you're all wet," she softly laughed as she attempted to brush her tears from his warm flesh.

Her touch on his skin sent shockwaves coursing through his system as he slowly closed his eyes in an attempt to maintain control. He found out it was a battle he was rapidly losing as his breath was becoming more ragged by the moment.

Seeing the heated desire for her mounting within him only caused her own desire to burst into flames as she replaced her fingers on his chest with her lips. The saltiness of her tears mingling with the taste of his skin made her heart pound.

Feeling her lips against his chest, he moaned as his urgent need for her began pulsating through his body. She slowly began making her way along his collarbone, up his neck, pausing to pleasure his ear before continuing her journey licking and kissing along his jaw line before he could take it no longer.

Grabbing her face, he crushed his lips to hers in unrestrained passion, finally giving into his need for her. She immediately responded to his kiss, parting her lips and bidding him entrance. Their tongues danced a fiery dance, each fighting for control, each reveling in the taste of the one they loved.

Kahlan was rapidly losing control, sparks going off in her mind, her heart, and body. She felt as if her body was on fire and the only remedy was Richard. She wanted this more than she had ever wanted anything in her entire life, but bells were blaring in her head telling her to stop this before it was too late.

Kahlan moaned into his mouth causing the molten lava of desire that smoldered inside for her to erupt and flow wildly through his body. Pulling back for air, he breathlessly began devouring her neck with wet hot kisses as his hands roamed over the silk material of her nightdress finally resting on her hips. The feel of her under his touch was thrilling but his body demanded more.

Running his hand up her arm, he began to play with the strap of her nightdress before slowly sliding it off her shoulder. His lips followed its course down her shoulder before making his way to her breast. Her hands wrapped tightly in his hair held him to her. Her mind was screaming at her to stop this as her body was begging him to take her now.

"Richard…" she panted.

The throaty moan of his name caused him to press himself fully against her, his body demanding complete contact with her as his lips returned to hers. He could never get enough of this woman he held in his arms as her hands roamed over the smooth muscles of his back, slowly making their way down to his pants.

The feel of her hands skimming the top of his pants and making their way around to the front was about to send him over the edge. She quickly began tugging on his laces as he pulled back to gaze into the vivid blue eyes he loved so much. What he saw made his body shudder with want for her.

The moonlight that was filtering through the window above his bed was playing off her hair creating an ethereal glow around her. The longing that was smoldering in her eyes shook him to the core. He had never felt such love, such passion for someone in his whole life nor had he seen such passion for him reflected in a woman's eyes like it was now reflecting in Kahlan's.

As their lips continued to devour each other, Kahlan began pushing his pants down, pausing to caress his hips with her hands, pulling him even closer to her. Her touch elicited a throaty moan from her lover as his hands slide her nightdress to the floor.

As Richard gently laid her down, Kahlan could hardly believe this was happening. She knew she needed to stop this but every fiber of her being was crying out for him, crying for his touch, his kisses, his warmth inside of her.

Richard tortuously began covering her breasts with kisses, relishing in the feel of her soft flesh beneath his touch. As one hand remained buried in her hair, his other hand continued its exploration, finally stopping to caress her thigh as he pulled her leg up.

"I love you Kahlan…with all my heart," his pledge a whisper on her lips before capturing them in a heated kiss as he entered her.

Arching her back into him, she released her hold on his lips long enough to softly proclaim, "I love you Richard, forever."

As they made fierce, passionate love that night, all the fears and hurts of the world fell away. There was no rift in the Underworld, no abusive father, no Stone of Tears or the Keeper. There was only a man and a woman and the intense love they shared…