Mara went back to the bathroom and straight to Duke's side, resting her hand in his hair. As tiny as she was, she still looked serious and imposing. "It's time to get Duke into the shower so he can get dressed. Gloria is coming for dinner." Her voice gentled as she said, "She's crying, but they're finally happy tears. Audrey, you can say no, but would you mind running the vacuum in here, especially over the bed? Duke was- is- still all covered in sand. I don't want it in the bed. If it's already gotten into the sheets, just leave it and I'll change the bed and wash these sheets."
"I'd be happy to. Thank you for letting me do something. You've done so much and I haven't-hell, I don't think I even can thank you properly." Mara smiled, her face beautiful and sweet without anger or fear in it.
"I don't need thanks, Audrey. I wanted to save you, all of you. I hate that you suffered so much because of me, but no more. No running or hiding. No lies. I'm going to prove myself to you, I'm going to let you in because I trust you and I love you. I never hated you, Audrey, you're my sister now and I love you. I love you too, Nathan. We have the chance to honestly start over. I want that. I want us to be a family."
They smiled at each other and Mara pressed her hand to Audrey's cheek. Without another word, Mara pulled out some pajama pants and a t-shirt for Duke, coming back to take his hand. "Come on, Crocker, up you get. Let's get you showered and dressed, okay? I made you something special for dinner."
Audrey went to get the vacuum while Duke got up and when Mara looked, Nathan had a blissful smile on his face as he stared at Duke, truly relaxing for the first time since everything had gone to hell. Seeing Duke in that silly robe finally proved to Nathan that Duke was indeed back to stay. Mara patted his arm, smiling and nodding as she brought Duke to the bathroom.
She slid the boxers and chemise off, folding them neatly by the sink before untying Duke's belt and pulling the robe off him to throw it in the hamper. He watched her as she started the water, tilting his head and narrowing his eyes as she fiddled with the temperature for several minutes.
"Mara, what's up? Is the shower acting up?"
She blushed. "It's fine, it's just something I have to do now. This will work though, come on, I want to wash you."
He stepped in and when the spray was hitting him and blocking most of it from her, Mara climbed in behind him. She took the hand sprayer out of the cradle while Duke let the regular shower head pour over him and she wet his hair, putting the sprayer back as she poured shampoo into her hands, massaging it into Duke's hair and gently scrubbing his scalp with her nails. He groaned low in his chest, giving her goosebumps. She grabbed the sprayer to rinse his hair and shampooed again, careful to scrub all the sand out and working conditioner through the long tresses and into his scalp with small, strong fingers.
"God that feels good. I feel like my bones are melting."
Mara pressed a kiss to his arm, laughing quietly. She wet his loofah, gently scrubbing him- his neck, shoulders, back... she ran her slick, soapy hand over his ass, squeezing. Duke grinned, opening one eye to look down at her . He wiggled his eyebrows and she laughed. "I'm getting you clean right now. You can give me that look in a few minutes."
She washed his chest, arms, legs and even behind his ears before she rinsed the loofah, putting it away as the water cascaded over him, rinsing the soap away. She poured his body wash into her hands, rubbing them together before she wrapped her hand around him, washing him and teasing him at the same time.
His head fell back and he groaned, the sound making Mara jumpy and full of crazed excitement. He was home, he was alive and he wanted her. He loved her.
She rinsed him with the sprayer, lowering slowly to her knees while his eyes were closed, and she leaned forward, wrapping her mouth around him. He was already half-hard from her washing, and when her lips closed around him he swore, hands tangling in her hair as she grasped his hips, feeling him grow large and rigid in her mouth.
She hummed happily, sucking and swirling her tongue around the head each time she pulled back. He was panting, a wild growl that sounded like the purring of a lion rumbling through his throat. She pushed to take as much of him in as she could, her fingers squeezing and rubbing his hips, and she gently scraped her teeth against him, making him jerk and groan.
"Mara, I can't- fuck that feels so good. But I want to be inside you right now. We've got our whole life for games."
She took his hands to pull herself back up, rubbing her lips against his chest in a kiss. "Anything you want, baby."
"Will it hurt you if I pick you up?"
"Your touch doesn't hurt me." She pressed close, wrapping her arms around Duke's neck and he lifted her so she could wrap her legs around his waist. Breathing hard, he turned her back to the wall, keeping one hand behind her to keep her skin from brushing the wall and he pushed into her, moaning as she surrounded him. She gasped against his lips and kissed him hard, one hand gripping his hair.
"I missed you so much. You feel so good." He thrust up into her, the primal sound of his moans surrounding her, searing into her brain.
"You won't hurt me, Duke. You're the only thing that makes it better. You don't have to be gentle." She nuzzled her face against his throat, first sucking and then biting, and his response was instantaneous. He picked up speed, thrusting harder as her legs squeezed him, her fingers pressing into his neck and massaging all the tension away as she panted, tightening and squeezing around him.
His need took over and he was everywhere- around and inside her, driving into her and when he looked at her, Mara felt beautiful and powerful.
She continued to kiss his neck and face, tracing his skin, reveling in the feeling of him loving her, touching her without fear or shame, not controlled by his affliction. As he thrust, her breathing stuttered and then stopped completely, the orgasm tearing through her, the scream in her throat coming out as a hushed moan as she pulsed around him. His breath rasped in her ear and she hear the small stutter, the urgent inhalation and she squeezed around him, his body trembling as he thrust erratically, moaning her name as he came.
Panting, she rested her head on his shoulder and they stayed locked together for several moments while their breathing slowed. When he started to soften, he pulled out and she unclamped her legs as he lowered her until her feet touched the the bottom of the tub. She moved her arms to wrap around his middle, still holding him tightly.
"You're amazing," she murmured, "you're brilliant and resourceful and beautiful. I love you."
She could feel his smile as he kissed her hair. "I love you, too. And you're all of the things you just said."
She chuckled and looked up to meet his eyes, letting hers flare bright, shining violet for a moment as her voice dropped to a threatening growl. "That being said, if you ever leave me again, if you ever give up on life? I will hunt you down, bring you back again and I will make you pay. It's not just you anymore. I need you and this child deserves to know his father. Swear to me, Duke. Swear you won't leave me."
He leaned to kiss her lips. "You said you'd marry me. So I guess when you order me around I have to listen, right?"
Her eyes faded to normal and she smiled, laughing quietly. "You're a quick learner, Crocker."
"I want to wash your hair."
She didn't have time to stop him as he turned to move her under the water, and she screeched, scrambling to hold on to him and get away from the spray.
"Fuck, Mara, what happened? Are you okay?"
She shook, gasping. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just need to adjust a few things. Turn the spray down to the lowest setting and cool the water a few degrees, please."
His brow was lined in concern but he did as he was asked. She reached out a hand to test the water and took a deep breath, clutching his arm as she forced herself under the water. She still jerked and grimaced, but she was quiet and her breathing evened out.
"I'm sorry," she said, "it's just my skin. Too hot or cold, too strong and I can't take it. It's not really any different than Nathan and his shower thermometer. You can touch me though, any way you like. You don't hurt me. I don't know why- you and James are the only things that don't hurt me." She handed him the shampoo. "Did I freak you out too much or do you want to still wash my hair?"
Duke's voice was rough. "Don't be sorry. I'll learn. Of course I still want to wash your hair. Come here."
Relieved, Mara pressed against Duke, closing her eyes and letting her head fall back as his nimble fingers soaped and rinsed every strand, rubbing the conditioner into her hair.
Not needing to be asked, Duke squirted body wash into his hands and rubbed them against her skin. The feeling of being cleaned without constant agony was so delightful, such a relief that tears fell from Mara's eyes to mingle with the water.
Hands slick with soap slid over Mara's belly. "My god, that's our kid. You- I did hear you say you're full term, right? So that means she could come any time?" He smiled with childlike delight as kicks and rolls shot out against his hands.
"For my species, yes, I'm full term. But I don't know how your genes will affect time. Could be five minutes, could be weeks. I've never ever done a scan because I wanted you there for everything."
He kept one hand on her belly as he continued to wash her with the other. "So, when you do a scan, is that something I can see?"
"I can make it show up over my hand, same as I do with memories." She hummed happily as his hand roamed over her, pooling the water to help rinse the soap off without hurting her.
"Tonight, after we get rid of everyone, can we look?"
Mara smiled, closing her eyes in bliss. His first day back to life and the only thing he'd truly asked for was to see their child. It made her chest feel tight. "Of course. I would love that."
Both clean, they kissed lazily for several moments before Mara pulled back. "I promised to let people see you. But oh gods, have I ever thought about taking the boat out to sea so I can have you to myself."
Duke grinned at her as he turned the water off. "I think that sounds like a great idea. As soon as we have a few days, we're going to do that. Take off and forget the rest of the world."
Mara wrapped her hair in a towel on her head before she grabbed another, slowly, meticulously drying Duke. She took the opportunity to check him everywhere for any kind of injuries or marks she hadn't seen, but he was perfect. The only difference appeared when she was drying his left arm.
She stared in utter shock as she saw a birthmark that she knew hadn't been there before. A perfect, small handprint, black with a faint golden-red outline that looked like it could have been part of his tattoo.
The sound that left her was half laugh, half sob. "What, what'd I miss, are you okay, Mara?"
She pressed her finger to his skin next to the tiny handprint.
"What the... that wasn't there before. Did you do that?"
She shook her head. "If I did, it wasn't intentional. But look." She twisted her body and pointed to her left hip. Visible even through the scarring was a coffee-colored birthmark in the shape of a hand, the exact size and shape as the one on his arm, though his looked more like an Aether-handprint. "I was born with this."
Duke traced her birthmark, smiling. "Must be a sign. We belong together."
She hugged him, pressing a kiss over his heart. "You're right. There's still magic in the world after all. I had stopped believing, but you're here and you want me. You're proof that there's something bigger than us."
She wiped her eyes and finished drying him, and he hesitantly asked, "Will you teach me to dry you off without hurting you?"
Mara cocked her head, looking into his eyes. "Sure. Here." She handed him the towel. "Just blot. Don't rub."
He carefully covered every inch of skin, tenderly drying each drop and leaving kisses every few inches. When she didn't flinch or cry out, he smiled proudly. She grinned back at him, pressing a kiss to his lips before she bent to unwind the towel from her hair, giving it a quick drying before she rubbed the towel against his hair, rubbing until it was just damp. "Can I comb your hair? I have always wanted to play with your hair."
"Really? You have? Sure, go for it. But I get to comb yours after."
She grabbed the comb and focused on making sure there were no knots without pulling, and he said, "I never got to tell you this, but I really love long hair on women. I love your hair like this."
"Well, then I guess I can tell you I'd been really wishing you'd grow your hair out again. I always wanted to run my fingers through your hair, but by the time I could, you'd cut it all off. There you go, all combed." She handed him the comb and he turned her away from him, working on her hair.
"I didn't now that. I'm glad it grew while I was gone, then."
"I've always wanted to pull your hair while we made love." Her voice was a hushed murmur and she heard his breath catch.
"That's something else for us to look forward when we get our visitors off out boat."
She laughed as he finished combing, leaving her hair loose. She handed him his clothes and pulled her boxers and chemise back on. "It is your boat again. I have the deed and the title to your car in the safe you told me about. Oh, and some of my money. They're helping me get ID so I can open a bank account, so right now I have an envelope of cash and a cashiers check that either needs to go to one of the bigger cities to cash or go into a bank account."
Duke looked confused. "How much is it? And where did you get money?"
"I'll show you the check when we go out there. Dave helped me- every lifetime, in the hopes that I'd find a way to come back, I left myself a little something. Mementos, money, letters, journals. When I was here as Sarah, Vince and Dave got me this lovely wooden chest, and when I knew I had to go I put everything I had worth keeping in it. Savings bonds, gold, silver, pictures and letters. Then when I was Lucy, instead of making another box, we just added to the old one. It looks like every couple of years they added things. More money, certainly, and pictures, but I haven't gone through everything, so there could be other things."
She went on her toes and stretched to kiss him, taking his hand to lead him out. "The height difference really stands out more when I'm with you."
"I can't believe you're only 4'11."
"Let's just call it 5'0 around other people, huh?"
They had just come out of the bathroom when Gloria appeared out of nowhere, grabbing Duke in a death grip and crying her eyes out.
"Oh, my boy, I can't believe it. I trusted her, and I knew she wasn't lying when she called, but seeing you- I can't believe you're here. Never again, Duke Crocker! Do you hear me? Don't you ever put me through that again."
Duke held Gloria while she cried herself out, giving Mara a panicked look as he patted Gloria's back. She smiled and shrugged, mouthing, 'I told you' as she headed to finish making dinner.
"Gloria, it's okay. I'm fine. Totally healthy. See, I've got this amazing woman who can bring people back to life. Oh! I get why you were laughing now, Mara!" He broke into laughter himself and the others looked at him like he was crazy while Mara giggled as she pulled out plates.
"I still just can't believe she did it. She brought you home. I missed you so much, I've never been so glad to see someone in my life."
"I missed you too, Gloria. I've got to get something from my room real quick, get comfortable, I'll be right back."
They joined Mara around the kitchen as she finished tossing a salad and pulling the pan out of the oven.
"Little girl, I don't know what to think sometimes. In three days you've brought back Audrey, brought Duke back to life, and you're standing in the kitchen making dinner for everyone, and you're pregnant. How can a girl your size be responsible for... well, all of this. For Haven?"
Mara smiled, shrugging. "I try to help. It gets screwed up sometimes, but I do try. Thankfully body size isn't related to Intent. I'm only 'special' because I was born different."
"Not the only thing that makes you special, Mara. Not even the main thing." Nathan spoke in a matter-of-fact tone that made Mara blush.
"Audrey, I know you're nursing James, but does he like much table food yet? I have berries I can cut in small bites for him so he can eat with us, if he can have them."
Audrey bounced James in her arms. "Berries! Did you hear that? Yes, that would be great, Mara. Can I do anything to help?"
"If you could just make sure everyone has something to drink, I would appreciate it. There's a pitcher of iced tea and several bottles of water in the fridge." Mara pulled the berries down, quickly cutting them into pieces small enough not to choke a baby and mixing them in a bowl. Nathan set the small table and pulled over an extra chair, and Mara just had everything prepared when Duke came out, hand behind his back and a smile on his face.
"Good timing, dinner is ready." Mara put the pan on the table with the salad, putting the bowl of berries between Audrey and Nathan's plates. She directed everyone to a seat, but stopped when she realized Duke hadn't moved, just smiling at her. "What? Is there something on my face?"
"Nope. You're missing something. Close your eyes and hold out your hands."
Curious, Mara followed directions, and after a moment Duke took her left hand, sliding a ring onto her finger.
Her eyes snapped open and she stared in shocked silence. Not only did the ring fit her perfectly, it was beautiful. Sapphires, aquamarine and bluish diamonds circled the white gold band, a large princess-cut diamond nestled in the middle. The colors reminded her of the ocean and the silver color of Dukes Aether-eyes.
"Duke, this is... it's beautiful. Where did you get this?"
"I bought it years ago in a little shop in Barcelona. I wasn't even sure why, but I knew I had to have it. When you said yes, I understood that I'd just been waiting for you. It fits. That's gotta be another sign, don't you think?"
Mara wrapped her arms around Duke, wiping her eyes against his shirt so nobody would see her cry.
"Wait, wait." Audrey sounded excited. "Said yes? Are you guys saying what I think you're saying?"
Mara blushed brightly and Duke beamed at them. "If you think I asked her to marry me and she said yes, then yes, we're saying what you think we're saying."
Audrey squealed and hugged Duke with one arm, James on her hip, then took Mara's hand and kissed her cheek before admiring the ring. Nathan hugged Duke as well, thumping him on the back. "Be good to her. You were right the whole time. I should have listened. She was everything you said. I was an ass and I'm sorry. I'm really, really happy for you." He took Mara's hands and brought them to his lips. "Thank you. Especially for forgiving me. I want you to be happy."
"I am happy, Nathan, and I already told you there was nothing to forgive."
"Okay, let me through." Gloria scooted in and took one of Duke's hands and one of Mara's, studying the ring. "Beautiful ring for a beautiful girl. I only have to say one thing, because I think you both learned the rest already. It's about damned time."
They laughed and Mara herded them to the table before dinner could get cold.
They chatted as they ate the mushroom lasagna with white sauce, which even Duke raved over, and as they were eating, Audrey said, "I've noticed several times you've seemed to understand what James is... saying? Is he actually talking, and how can you tell?"
Mara was trying to get used to eating again, but it wasn't as easy as it should have been. She was grateful to have an excuse to talk instead. "Yes, he's actually talking. Part of the way I can tell is by cheating- the Aether inside him says the words or plays the image he's trying to convey as he speaks. If we fix you, you'll be able to do that naturally. But a lot of it is about his reactions. He doesn't speak aloud unless he thinks it's important."
She took a sip of her drink. "Right after we brought you back, for instance; the baby had just done a big roll and bumped his leg. When James felt that, he realized I was pregnant and and said 'baby'. It came out more like 'ba', but he's still so young. Talking without teeth isn't as easy as you'd think. James is special. Gifted."
"What do you mean fix me?" Audrey honed in on those words and Mara could clearly see she wouldn't rest until she knew exactly what that meant.
At the exact same moment, "How do you know what it's like to talk without teeth?" Duke asked, looking bewildered. His hair was falling in his face and she'd never seen anything so beautiful in her life.
Mara held her hands up. "Whoa, whoa. Calm down. One of those answers is mostly polite dinner conversation, the other answer is not, so Duke, we'll discuss it later."
She eyed Audrey thoughtfully, trying not to sound offensive. "When my mother dispersed me, she was able to funnel a small amount of my Aether straight into your body. It's what's kept you healthy since I was sent away. It won't last forever though, and if you want to stay exactly the way you are, I'll have to give you regular infusions. I don't mind doing that.
"That being said, she wasn't trying to join us, she was trying to send me away and sideline me long enough that I couldn't stop what she was going to do here but if I lived, I could still be useful later. Did you stop to wonder why she even had a 'kill all the Troubled people' button? For what possible reason would she have the knowledge or reason to know anything about such a thing? It was for her experiment, but that's a tangent.
"She couldn't give you all my Aether. I doubt she could if she wanted to. So you have way, way less Aether in your body than you're supposed to. Not enough to actually bind to your cells and it can't just replicate itself inside a body, so your burn through it. If you were fixed, filling you with the actual amount you need and letting it choose to bind to your cells, it would make you like you were when we were together."
Mara picked up her fork and played with her food, taking a small bite when she realized Duke was watching her.
Audrey frowned. "How much am I supposed to have and how much do I actually have?"
"You're an offshoot of me, so you should be what I am. 80% Aether. The body you're in has about 7%, half as much as William. And you do burn through it since it's not bonded."
"When you talk about being like when we were together do you mean... everything?"
"I mean you'd be who you are now, not reliant on me, but you'd have full access to our abilities. You would be stronger, the way we were before the split."
Audrey's eyes were wide and she sounded shocked and relieved. "Oh my god, it's not my imagination! I couldn't understand why I was feeling so weak and hopeless. It was more than just the depression, I even told Nathan that I felt wrong, more than just being sick. You can fix that?"
Mara nodded. "You are technically weaker than you were. And I can fix it, and will if you want me to. But you'd have to let me use the Aether on you. Bright side, you'll also be immune again."
Nathan's voice was slightly panicked as his head snapped up. "Why would she need to be Immune again? The Troubles are gone."
She could feel his panic, hear his pulse race as his eyes darted to James. She knew how he would take this.
"Nathan, the Troubles aren't gone or cured. They're temporarily dormant."