I just realized that the role of Jane would be better filled by Piper and that change will come up as we go along. I also went back and changed it in the previous chapters. It probably won't show up a lot but I figured I should let you know. A little ooc-ness i but that's what love does to you, add in the fact that they were dead-tired and the ooc-ness is explained away.

Nathaniel POV

Unfortunately for me, with Bartimaeus there never is "one problem at a time", it's always 5 problems you have to solve simultaneously lest you want to die. Luckily this time there was no threat of death hanging over my shoulders and I could take all the time I wanted with me. If Bartimaeus would let me of course. I'm not sure why but he always seems to be moving even when standing still. Maybe it's the effect of the Other Place that he loves so much or maybe he's just a manic djinni. I'm pretty sure I'll never know. At the moment he is coming up to me to no doubtingly add another problem to the already growing list.

"Can we go home yet?" Bartimaeus was scowling, probably from being touched by William, and I couldn't help but think that he was cute. In a totally unrelated observer way, of course! I couldn't think of him like that even if we…My train of thought was broken when I heard my name called. I looked up to see an amused looking Bartimaeus and realized I was blushing. I could feel another blush come up and fade into the last.

"What?" I couldn't help but snap, a conditioned response from my years with Bartimaeus. "Home. Are we going home?" He was definitely amused and while I was glad he wasn't smiling anymore I wish it hadn't been at my expense.

"Home?" I was feeling a little slow due to lack of sleep and he seemed to notice.

"Yes, home. The place you sleep and eat and read and summon. The place with nice comfy beds that we can sleep on. Ever heard of it?" Oh yeah, way too amused for my liking and even sleep-deprived I could pull up a proper comeback.

"Who ever said you were coming home with me?" I said it innocently enough that he looked confused for a second. I smirked and continued "I was actually thinking of asking good Doctor William's over here to take you home until I could figure this out." I'm pretty sure he knew I was joking but I couldn't help it his next comment threw me off.

"And what'll you do when I come back pregnant?" He had that eyebrow raised again but his voice was completely serious. "What are you talking about? Guys can't get pregnant," It was a stupid joke that only he would pull but for a second his serious tone had actually had me fooled. " Yeah but you do remember that djinnis don't have a set sex, right?" He was right, of course, but that didn't mean I had to overreact to it the way he wanted me to so I just calmly stated " True, but did Doctor William actually check this to make sure?"

Said doctor popped up. "I did and it's truly a feat , to have a womb and testicles. Now," he continued as if he hadn't just said what he'd said, " let's get going Bartimaeus, can't be home too late."

I realized that he had thought I wasn't joking and quickly stepped in to save Bartimaeus as thoughts of what could happen if I let him go ran unbidden through my mind. " Ah, it's okay doctor, I'll take him home with me. He has been there already." The good doctor sighed "Oh well." He turned to Bart and his voice went from gloomy to cheerful. "I'll see you for our next monthly check up!" I could see a shudder run through the man? in question and was glad to have saved him for the time being.

"Well. Natty-boy let's get going," I heaved a sigh as Bartimaeus grabbed me by the arm and dragged me back out to the limo, maybe I should've let Doctor William take him home.

Bartimaeus POV

I watched through the windows of the car, feeling slightly better to be moving. "Hey Nat. Where am I going to sleep?" When I got no response I turned to find that he had fallen asleep and had his face pressed against the window. A smile stole across my face. He trusted me enough to fall asleep in a car with me. It may not seem like much but I had seen him before , dead-tired but refusing to sleep because there were spirits in his his position wasn't very comfortable I took him and maneuvered it so he was lying down, head resting on my lap. He really was too beautiful for his own good, someone walking down the street might see him and just decide to take advantage of him. I tightened my hold around him instinctively.

What was I doing? He's a magician who had me enslaved for years without letting me heal my essence. How could I be thinking about things like this with him? I was getting ready to push him off my lap when he shifted around so he was facing me and when I saw his peaceful sleeping face I knew that I couldn't do anything to harm him. Hadn't been able to for a while, even when I was pretending to hate him for keeping me bound to Earth, I also hadn't minded because it had meant I could be with him for just a little longer. I had been lying to myself for a while and I still didn't know if I could stop.

I looked back at his sleeping form and realized that I truly did care about him. Not like I had cared for Ptolemy, though. I had been ready to die for Ptolemy but I knew I couldn't do that for Nathaniel. Not because I didn't love him but because I loved him too much. I wouldn't be able to die, knowing that I would never see him again. I loved him. I loved this stupidly arrogant magician who bound souls to do his bidding. I loved the shy boy who still resided somewhere inside that magician. This epiphany brought on a multitude of emotions. I was shocked that I could ever feel this way because djinni weren't supposed to have emotion. I was scared because he was so fragile that I could lose him at any second of any day and that fear inspired a lust within me to have him and never let him go. To love him until he promised to never leave me. How this human could do something like this to me I'm sure I'll never fully understand (1).

My musing were interrupted when the driver announced that we had arrived. I got out of the car when he opened that door and carried Nathaniel bridal-style into the house. He shifted into me and I smiled lightly. I knew that if he was awake he would have given me hell for it but apparently that was just a show. I took him to his room (2) and changed him into his pajamas before placing him on his bed. I was about to leave when I turned around and decided to sleep with him. I would deal with the consequences later, I was too tired to really care. When I sat down I saw Nathaniel shifting closer and grabbed him, wrapping my arms around his waist before sinking gratefully into sleep.

1: Even with my exceedingly awe-inspiring aptitude

2: I remembered where it was due to the time I had spent in there doing odds and ends for him.

Nathaniel POV

I fell asleep to the rocking of the car, never realizing just how tired I was.

I felt someone shift me and I wanted to protest but them I was laying down my head on something incredibly soft and I was asleep again.

The car jolted to a stop and I was jerked into a state of semi-consciousness. I could feel someone pick me up and carry me inside bridal-style. Bartimaeus, my mind supplied sleepily. With that thought I allowed myself to drift back to sleep.

What seemed like hours later but could've been a couple seconds I felt gentle hands on me, taking my clothes off. I wanted to protest but remembering who it was I sighed internally and allowed myself to indulge in the feel of him, something I couldn't do when I was awake. I was put on my bed, covers pulled up when I heard soft footsteps walking away. I was mourning the loss when I felt the bed dip and was exaggeratedly happy. I tried to get closer when I felt arms around me pulling me closer. I sighed and quickly fell back to sleep.

I woke up slowly too comfortable to really think about anything. I rolled around before feeling a pair of arms tighten around me. I snuggled back into the chest behind me before I was jolted awake by what happened last night. I shot up and looked down next to me and found Bartimaeus lying there, asleep. He looked truly peaceful and I hoped he wasn't going to wake up anytime soon, I had to figure out what I was going to do. Little did I know he was already awake. I sat there staring at him and realized that I really hadn't minded. Waking up in his arms, feeling safer than I had in who knows how long. I looked down at myself and realized that he had changed me into my pajamas. I couldn't bring myself to get angry when he had done so much for me. But why had he? I turned to find the puzzle staring at me, fully awake. I blushed, who knows how long he'd been awake?

"Good morning," he said it in a light-hearted tone but I could hear the caution in it , like he was waiting for me to blow up. For some reason, this made me feel ashamed and I just looked away. I could feel him shift behind me. "Are you okay?" I could hear the concern even clearer and it just served to highten the shame I felt. He was always looking out for me and all I ever did was blow-up on him. What kind of person am I?

I could feel a tear roll down my cheek, but I couldn't bring myself to care if he saw or not. Apparently he did because he came up behind me to hug me. It felt good and that scared me. He was making me feels things and I had no idea what was going on. The tears started pouring down and I couldn't stop them. It was like everything I had ever suppressed had decided to wait until this moment to make itself shown.

"Shhh,shh. It's okay, it's okay," He rocked me and held me while whispering comforting things in my ear. When I found myself in control of my body again I turned to face him. I knew I looked like shit, but I also knew he wouldn't judge me for it. I saw his face, strained and loving, and felt something snap. It wasn't a bad snap though. It was the snap signally my dam breaking. The dam that had held back all my feelings since I had become a true magician and with the flood came my feelings for Bartimaeus. The ones I had tried that hardest to suppress. An epiphany, much like the one he had had, hit me full force and I threw myself at him.

We fell back onto the bed , me straddling him. He didn't move for a few seconds but then he seemed to regain his senses and I felt myself being flipped around and kissed passionately. The kiss turned hot, wet, and dirty and I lost myself in his lips on mine, his tongue attacking my mouth, and his hands caressing me ever so gently. I didn't realize his hands had slipped under my shirt until I felt them brush against my nipples. I moaned and arched in his touch. He pulled back, panting only a little less than I was, and laid his forehead against mine. "They're…expecting…us," he said between the kisses he was placing on my jaw. I didn't want to think about anyone else at the moment so I just grabbed a handful of hair and pulled his mouth back to mine. He kissed me deeply, but with less force before pulling back. "We can't do this now." He was contradicting himself by sucking on my ear and it took me a few minutes to come up with a witty response.

"Why?" He stopped kissing me and I could feel my senses slowly get back to normal.

"Because I won't be able to finish you off," he smirked at some inside joke. "They'll be here shortly to see why we're so late and if you want to take a shower, cold's probably best, you'd better do so now." He seemed way too calm and it pissed me off so I got out of bed with as much dignity as I could muster and stalked to the bathroom door. "Don't worry though," I heard him call after me, "…we'll finish this later." I blushed before slamming the door behind me. As it was, he was right as usual and almost the moment I was finished changing I could hear someone banging on the door.

Bartimaeus gave me his "I-told-you-so" look and I rolled my eyes before walking away towards the door. He spun me around and gave me a breath-taking kiss. "Later," he mumbled against my lips. Never before had I felt this impatient for night to come.

oOoOoOooO

Okay, so I know you guys were expecting a big lemon scene but that'll probably be next chapter if I decide to move the scene with Kitty until after . If I do decide to add it next chapter( and reviews wanting it will definitely influence my decision) it won't take too long to get into it. Tell me which POV you want it from and your wish just might come true! Also, I'm taking a vacation next week so I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up, whatever it ends up being.