Hot, hot water poured over Chase's skin and washed the ivory soap from his body. He titled back his head ever so slightly and let it rid his hair of ginger scented shampoo. The familiar scent sharpened his focus as it permeated the steam around him.

Puffs and curls of the warm steam slithered around the large, dark blue/slate bathroom. It spilled over the stone floor and fogged up the full mirror over by the sink.

Chase gripped the silver knobs jutting out from the wall behind him, cutting the flow of water, and stepped out of the open shower.

Just then, a soft gasp alerted him to someone else's presence. The Heylin Master wheeled around to find his newest almost-apprentice taking him in, in all his glory.

***A LITTLE BIT EARLIER***

After a relatively smooth, hour-or-so long ride that Jack had claimed broke the sound barrier "at least once.", we arrived at the enormous and kind of creepy looking entrance to Chase Young's lair. The Den itself had been carved out of the mountain hundreds of years ago, or so Wuya had begun telling me as we left my house behind.

"It's the only home Chase has ever known." She'd said.

"What about the Xia-"

Jack was instantly cut off.

"Maybe you should concentrate of not killing us, Spicer." Wuya snarled.

Nobody talked much after that.

In fact, I'd gotten so used to the silence that I nearly jumped at her comment of : "You can get out now, dear."

"Right." I muttered, unbuckling my seatbelt and standing.

As I stepped out of the space age vehicle, the large stone door swung open-

"Oh sh-" Jack muttered.

and effectively slammed Jack into the nearest jagged stone wall.

Wuya seemed unfazed, prompting me to ask: "Does that happen often?"

She only laughed in response as she glided through the doorway, which I assumed meant 'Yes.'

I hesitated just outside of the door's reach.

Wuya turned when she didn't hear me coming.

"Oh come on Regina," She sighed "I'm sure the entrance has no problem with you."

"The fact that it can have a problem with anyone is what freaks me out." I muttered, but I followed after her.

Suprisingly, I remained un-pancaked.

"What about Jack?" I asked as the door began to close behind us.

Suddenly the boy rushed across the threshold, narrowly avoiding being crushed. As soon as he was all the way through he collapsed to his knees, panting as he flashed me a quick thumbs up.

"He thinks we should go on without him." Wuya insisted, linking arms with me and gliding us down a shadowy stone hallway.

I looked at her skeptically, but didn't protest.

After a few minutes we arrived outside of a tall, navy blue door. The faint scent of ginger hung in the air.

"Chase is just inside." She prompted, letting go of my arm and leaning back against the wall. "I'll wait out here, to give you two some privacy."

I bit my lip and let my gaze pace between her and the door momentarily.

I don't think she has a reason to lie about this, but...

"Well go on, dear." She said, giving me a light push towards the door. "You do want answers, don't you?"

She had a point.

I took in a breath, suddenly nervous, and opened the door.

As soon as stepped inside and the steam curled around me, I knew something was up, but never would I have expected to see what I saw. Mr. Young- Chase-, Whatever- naked.

Shower water clung to his olive toned skin in glistening droplets. With his hair dark and straight from dampness, his features seemed sharper, but no less stunning. My gaze roamed his body with a total disregard for the blush burning my face. In a matter of seconds I had taken in his long, muscular arms, firm chest, and sculpted abdomen. I couldn't bring myself to see any farther down than his hips, though the temptation was nearly impossible to resist.

Something that Cara had said echoed in my mind:

'You are so having an affair.'

I ran out of the bathroom, leaving Chase to stare after me.

***

According to Karma's golden rule it was really only fair that Regina should see him naked, especially fresh out of the shower. After all, he had been the one to (rather unprofessionaly) watch her bathing as he tried to get into her body. Dirty as that sounded however, Chase Young was not in the mood for acknowledging the Universe's Justice system.

In fact, he was certain that there was someone else he could blame. Someone with a physical manifestation that he could better take his anger out on.

With a frustrated growl, he grabbed the long, tan towel lying on the marble countertop and wrapped it around his lower half before storming out into the hallway.

"How's that for alone time?" Wuya insolently cooed.

Chase turned sharply to face the snickering witch.

"You-" he began, his body thrumming with the energy that could turn him into his reptilian form.

"-can be thanked later, but right now your future apprentice is running scared."

She had a point, unfortunately.

Still, Chase had to make his. In one swift motion, he had her shoulders pinned painfully back against the wall. Her discomfort showed in her skewed expression.

He leaned in close to her and spoke in a dangerously low voice.

"I am not laughing, Wuya. You will pay dearly for this mistake, understand?"

"Gotcha." She squeezed out.

He released her and turned to run after Regina.

***

Halfway down the hallway I stopped running and started thinking. Flight had been my first instinct and I went with it.

What else could I have done?

"Hey Mr. Young , nice bod." ?

No way. Not even in my dreams.

Well, maybe one or two, but really those were just daydreams and anyway-

Anyway, I had to figure out what I was going to do.

Could I really let a little thing like nudity ruin my chances of finding out more about the Heylin?

"Regina."

I was about to find out.

I turned and found an all too familiar figure walking towards me.

"Mr- I mean, Chase?" I stammered, wondering what to call him now that I had seen... so much of him.

"Chase will be fine for now." He said calmly, stopping a few feet away from me.

I noticed the towel slung low on his hips and was a little relieved, although-

"Can we continue this when you're not..." I tried to come up with a phrase less embarressing than "Distractingly naked."

"Of course." He interrupted, saving me from that awkward sentence. "If you'd like, You can wait in my quarters till I'm decent."

"Sure." I said, nervously pulling at the hem of my tanktop.

"Second door to your left." He said, pointing down the hallway.

With that he left, moving through the shadows back to the bathroom.

A/N: Sooooo? What d'ya think?