A/N Strange fact about this song, but there used to be a video on youtube of Diwan singing the start of this, the person dubbed the song over videos of Diwan. The funny part of it is that its sung in a really high girly voice. With giggling. I think the video's gone now, the person closed their account, so they were deleted. A shame really, she also did dubs of Oslo as foamy the squirrel. Just imagine him saying "I will kill you all...nothing you can do about it." in a high pitch squirrel voice. Comedy gold.

CREDITS: The references to Marcus and Mila's past are almost all references to Stratocumulus' story Escaping prophecies. She owns. Like, literally. Except for the name Devanté which Spicemeisje will undoubtedly recognise. I apologise, but I won't be using it as the name of Dahlia and Mahad's child. There is a VERY good reason why. But I can't tell you at this point. I thought I'd use it in another way though, if you don't mind.

One final WARNING: In case you didn't get the hints before now, this chapter contains a Lemon. (For anyone that doesn't know the fanfic lingo too well, that means a sex scene.) Admittedly, not a very over the top one, but one none the less. We are in M territory people *cheer*

Chapter Ten: Popular

Whenever I see someone
Less fortunate than I
(And let's face it - who isn't
Less fortunate than I?)
My tender heart
Tends to start to bleed
And when someone needs a makeover
I simply have to take over
I know, I know... EXACTLY what they need
And even in your case..
Though it's the toughest case I've yet to face
Don't worry - I'm determined to succeed
Follow my lead
And yes, indeed
You will be:
Popular!

( Popular - Wicked the Musical )

"Right. Bags first." Maria hauled Dahlia along behind her, pounding through the shopping centre and grinning at people's mystified faces. Nobody could see them, but they could hear the girls' laughter all around them.

"Stop, stop. I can't run anymore." Dahlia panted. Maria just ignored her and tugged her into the nearest shop. "Why are we getting bags first? Don't you get the bag to match the outfit, not the other way?"

"Yeah, but we're going to need to nick a bag first to put all our shopping in. But first." Maria wheeled around suddenly, eyebrow raised. "Describe your wardrobe to me."

"Clothy? Erm. I wear a lot of jeans and I don't know...mainly jeans and T-shirts if i'm not in my work stuff..." Dahlia tailed off, embarassed by the shocked look Maria was giving her.

"Right. I am building you up your own wardrobe of entirely FABULOUS clothing."

For the next few hours, Dahlia wasn't sure whether she wanted to cry or just laugh at Maria's totally honest reactions to things. She couldn't count the number of times she'd held up an item of clothing that she thought looked nice and Maria had either sad a flat NO, or in extreme cases burnt the offending garment with her seijin powers. They'd got some really nice clothes for Dahlia, including five new skirts, seven various different tops, TWELVE dresses (She had no idea why she needed that many, although they were all stunning) and more accessories than she could count. She'd also been dragged into a cosmetics store and now had more different lotions and potions than was necessary. Now that the day was drawing to an end her feet were aching, but she did have to admit that these new shoes looked incredible. Even if they were ridiculously high.

"Stop bending your knees girl! Walk straight! Just walk normally!"

" I caaaan't" Dahlia wailed, tottering about and gripping Maria's shoulder firmly.

"They're only four inches, they're not THAT high. I've seen people wearing heels so high they're probably experiencing vertigo from that height."

"But why do i have to wear these anyway?"

"One day you'll have to. For a wedding. Or a posh dinner. Or a funeral. So its good for you to practice so that upon that day you don't fall smack on your arse in public."

"I already have fallen on my arse in public!"

"Yeah but this public can't see you can they?" Dahlia stumbled again, scowling. She could pick most locks. She could rewire any motor, build an engine from scratch, shoot a moving target with her bow from fifty paces, but put her in a pair of slightly heeled shoes and suddenly she was like a newborn foal. All knees wobbling around everywhere.

"That's not the point, Maria." Her friend laughed enigmatically, slapping Dahlia's side gently.

"You'll thank me later when Mahad is falling at your feet"

"I don't think he's going to be the one falling over to be brutally honest..."

The women laughed and continued to stagger their way through the shopping mall, oohing and ahhing at various outfits in the windows. Maria tugged at her arm when they reached the shop Dahlia had been dreading most of all. Scantily dressed women smiled from the posters in the windows, displaying their underwear with an easy smile. Oh lawwwwd thought Dahlia desperately Maria actually meant it. Lingerie shopping with my best friend - well, i guess a lot of women must do that sometimes, right? Jesus, just get over the embarassment dahlia. It's just a few bras, and noone in there is going to be judging you 'cause they're buying that stuff too. Plus they can't see you. Dahlia relaxed. It was just a little bit of shopping with a gal pal. What harm could there be?

"So, first we'll get you measured-"

"What? I thought we couldn't be seen by anyone in case they recognise us?"

"Meh. We'll risk it this once. Don't worry, it's easy. You just go into that little private room at the back and one of the ladies who works here measures you and will tell you what size you need to be buying from here. Well, in our case stealing. But you know what i mean." Maria beamed and shoved Dahlia up to the door and knocked, wavering into visibility. The door was opened by a woman slightly older than them, who smiled reasurringly.

"Hello girls, you need measuring?"

"I don't need it" Maria pushed Dahlia forward, "She does."

Hating her so called friend, Dahlia stepped through the door awkwardly and closed it behind her. She shifted uneasily from foot to foot as the woman raised an eyebrow at her in amusement, whipping a tape measure off from where it hung around her neck.

"I don't bite you know. This your first time getting measured?" Dahlia bit her lip and nodded. The woman clucked exhasperatedly, hands on hips.

"I don't know...It's never a good idea to just be guessing what size you are you know. Wearing the wrong size bra will seriously damage your ahhh assets shall we say." The woman winked and continued. "Well, all i need you to do is take off your top and i'll measure you."

"Don't I take off my bra too? I heard-" The shop attendant giggled and shook her head.

"That's a myth. You never actually take your bra off when you get measured. Couldn't have us invading your privacy too much, can we?" Seeing that Dahlia was still nervous, the woman kept talking.

"Think of it like this. You've worn a bikini, right? Well, you wouldn't be embarassed of me seeing you in a bikini, would you? So why should you be ashamed of me seeing you in your bra? They're both practically the same really, when you get down to it."

Dahlia considered this. What she was saying was true, of course. There was no shame in it. Still, it was a little weird to strip off in front of a complete stranger. Better to get it over with, really. She shrugged out of her top, tugging it over her head. The shop assistant wrapped the tape measure around the underside of her bra, then around her fullest point.

"Oooo-kay. 32 and 35. Which makes you a 32C. Done." The woman wound up her tape measure and Dahlia blinked.

"That's it?"

"That is honey. See how easy it is? Nervewracking on your first time though. Say...You look familiar..." Dahlia shoved her top on and left quickly, searching for Maria, who was nowhere in sight. Panicking, she made her way swiftly to the door and felt a hand clamp down on her wrist. Instinctively she twisted with her other hand and punched her assailant square in the face.

"OWWW FUCK ME THAT HURT!" blood trickled from Maria's nose as her eyes squeezed shut for a second. "Ouch, ouch ouch. What the hell was that for?" Maria winced at Dahlia through streaming eyes.

"Thought you were someone else." Everyone in the shop was watching them with varying degrees of suspicion. "Come on. The woman started to recognise me. Oh and i'll pass on fucking you, ta very much."

Maria looked at her for a second then roared with laughter. The people around them had gone back to their business, only occasionally glancing at the pair in the doorway. Maria grabbed her wrist and turned them invisible again so they could look through the shop in peace.

"I think i'm a bad influence on you Dahlia."

"Definitely" Dahlia winked in a deliberately Maria-like way and looked around in interest. Some of this stuff was actually quite nice...

A full hour later they were done with their shopping and had decided to stop for some lunch before heading back home. Maria had acquired some chicken and bacon sandwiches, sticky iced buns and some fruit cocktails from a vendor. Acquired meaning blatently stole them. It was funny that Dahlia didn't feel too bad about all this stealing going on. When the pirates went on raids, generally what they aimed to bring back was water and food. Fashionable clothes and delicacies weren't exactly high priority. Any clothes they had were generally made in Ningxia, or one of the other neutral blocks and then traded to them secretly. Even then, the clothes on offer were expensive, so what people bought was mainly functional. You can't afford to have a fashion sense when you're on the run from the law. They're just not compatible.

So now they were walking casually through the local park, bags hanging from their arms. Dahlia was wearing one of her new dresses and a bit of perfume wafted around her subtly, not too strong or too obvious. At first she'd felt a little uncomfortable in the soft white cotton of the dress, but the feeling had subsided when she'd noticed a few men looking her way and smiling or winking at her. For the first time in her life she felt...pretty. She'd always known that she wasn't an ugly hag, but getting attention from people was nice and unexpected.

It was a beautiful and mild day. The sun beat down on them and Maria selected a nice spot in the middle of the grass for them to sit and soak up its rays. Maria wanted to get a little bit more energy into her before she attempted to fly them back to Puerto Angel. The girls lay there awhile, basking in the sunshine and caught in their own thoughts. Dahlia broke the silence.

"So you and Wayan. You think it'll last? I don't mean any offence. But he's a good guy and I like you. I'd hate it to go sour or end badly. I might have to choose between the two of you if that happened."

"I...I really don't know. I mean...He's quite a few years older than me, which I don't mind. Don't get me wrong, I'm absolutely crazy about the guy." Maria's omnipresent smile faded and genuine worry crept into her tone. "But I don't know if I'm good enough for him. No, let me finish. Would you believe me if I said that I've never had a proper relationship?" Dahlia rolled onto her side to look at the suddenly sheepish Maria and raised an eyebrow.

"No, I wouldn't. You seem pretty...experienced for someone who's 'never had a relationship'" Maria snorted.

"Oh I've had sex. Don't get me wrong, I've had some mind exploding experiences-"

"I don't wanna know-"

"- Okay, lil' miss prissy. But they were all one night stands. I don't regret it, but I've never had anything meaningful until Wayan. Last night was...I won't say magical, because that's so overused. But it was sensual. I really felt like there was something there other than just, well, lust." Maria shrugged and smiled wryly. "Guess i'm just scared that i'll mess up the first good thing thats happened in my life. Wow...that sounded so cheesy"

The women both laughed and, after a while, decided it was time to leave after visiting one more shop...

Back on Puerto Angel, Mahad was getting the reprimand of his life. Cortes' little rages tended to go through three basic stages; Stage one was silent rage, in which he would simply allow his victim to sit under his steely, furious glare, usually for any amount of time up until half an hour. Mahad had been treated to 48 minutes of cold shoulder in which cortes sat opposite him behind his desk, alternating between slamming papers down and glowering at Mahad over steepled fingers. It was designed to make his victim feel as uneasy as possible for as long as possible. When Cortes had finished with that, stage two had began. Incandescent with rage, Cortes would make up for the long silence of stage one by suddenly barking out quick, sharp remarks until his face turned bright red with anger. Currently, they were in the third and final stage. Cold and bitter negotiations took part in this stage. Cortes was slightly less loud but no less nasty and blunt with his words. The pirate captain had quite the temper when provoked. This time, he felt VERY provoked. His right hand...woman had been impregnated by a boy who couldn't avoid danger if he hid in an underground room for the entirety of his life. The boy who was currently blabbering away in the back of his mind. Probably best to listen a little bit.

"Cortes. We love each other. I am going to support her through this. I swear."

"And what if you die on one of your little escapades, hmm Mahad? Who will look after Dahlia when you snuff it? How will she look after a baby on her own? What if it's a young lad, needing a daddy to look up to?"

"Well, I would hope that you would look after her in the unfortunate event of my death. Unless YOU'D leave her on her own and not support her? I can't say that I'll never be in danger again. Because there is always a risk. There's a risk for all of us. I may as well ask you what you think you're doing putting yourself in danger when there's Cheng to consider. Or why you'd even let your son on a battleship. But I don't. Because I know there's no choice but the dangerous option." Mahad snarled and Cortes stood.

"Aye. You're right there. But it doesn't make what you said any less rude. How dare you insinuate that I deliberately put Cheng in danger-"

"But you do. Because you have to. Because the kid is a frickin' genius when it comes to computers. Because if he wasn't on the ship, some of us might not be here now. I never said that you wanted to put Cheng in danger. I said that you had to. Now, I will support Dahlia. But I won't stop helping the rebellion. Wanna know why? Because when my kid is Cheng's age, I don't want him or her to have to fight. I want them to be able to be a kid. My little sister is fighting for survival every day Cortes. You think that doesn't kill me a little inside? To watch my baby sister turning into a soldier? Turning into an adult before she's even 13? I don't want that for anyone else."

Mahad finished and realised that Cortes was silently watching him in something vaguely resembling awe and respect. The gruff, ginger haired man he'd come to respect was speechless. He watched as Cortes leant back and folded his arms, surveying Mahad thoroughly before stating;

"You sound like your father. I never heard a man talk with more passion about the cause than him. When I was 19, I was on Angkor for market day and I saw a big crowd all gathered around in a tight circle. There were little children, old men, young men, women all gathered around this kid maybe a year, a year and a half younger than me." Cortes snorted, half smiling to himself, " I remember thinking why are they listening to this guy? He's just a kid. Then he open his mouth and he began to talk. The things he said, Mahad! Marcus was a canny fellow. He could make you want to give up all your worldly possessions and follow him and that battered old tin can of his. God knows, he managed it with me."

"My...My dad was the one who made you want to join up?"

"You got that right. Marcus was enigmatic. I went up to him that very day when he was done talking and said I wanted to join up. He said you got a ship? Then he looked at me and christophe and we both joined the rebellion. One speech and he had us hooked. He was a 17 year old, running around in the hyperion, which in the early days before Dahlia's dad fixed it up really was a tin can. It was his ultimate way off putting his middle finger up to the sphere. He used to flaunt that ship right in their faces."

"You knew him well then?" Mahad heard the eagerness in his own voice. He felt like he barely knew this famous rebel he had for a father. The memories were so vague, innacurate memories of a four year old. Memories of being held and wearing a hat with goggles that slid down his forehead. He remembered the smell, wafting through the fuzzy memories with a sharp, direct smell of Gunpowder, engine oil and underneath it all, burnt leather. It was a comforting smell.

Cortes sighed and shrugged. "I know why you're asking Mahad. But I'm afraid I wouldn't presume to know him. I respected him, we all did. He was very vocal against the sphere. But when it came to himself? He was a mystery wrapped in an enigma. Mila was his confidante. His closest friend after her would probably have been George. Thos two spent an awful lot of time tinkering away in that garage of Dahlia's. But that was a gradual friendship and I'm not surprised that it happened. George was...lively. He was one of those people who are impossible to dislike, impossible to annoy. Dahlia absolutely worshipped the ground her father walked upon. I think she's still grieving, in her own way. But enough of that. It doesn't do to wish that he was still here. He's been gone for years and though i wish it wasn't so, he won't be coming back anytime soon. So your best bet is to ask your mother about Marcus. I'm sure she'd be glad to tell you anything you want to know."

Mahad nodded, realising that Cortes had by now forgotten that he was meant to be yelling at him still. He quickly stood and exited the room while his luck was still holding. Time to have a chat with mum. She'd never talk about him in the past incase we let something slip to a friend, but now maybe she'll tell me about Dad?

Mila was humming quietly to herself as her hands glid over the dishes, washing them thoroughly with a lemon scented soap. There was the sound of a door opening and Mahad arrived in the room. His face was set into determination and she quickly assumed that he had something important to either tell or ask her. How did she know? Well, Mahad had just come to help her dry the dishes without her even having to ask him, so he clearly wanted something from her and was trying to get into her good books.

"Well? You have something important to say. If it's that you and Dahlia are getting married, naturally I'm delighted but-"

"NO! No, I have something to ask"

"Oh?" She smiled secretly to herself at Mahad's reaction, knowing the thought of marrying Dahlia would linger in his mind. It had clearly never before occured to him.

"Well...It's about Dad."

The plate slipped through Mila's wet fingers and hit the edge of the sink, chipping at the edge with a dull clip sound. She let out the breath she'd been holding and planted her hands firmly on the edge of the counter, gazing into the murky washing up water as if it was a crystal ball that would reveal the best way to reply. She'd known that they would ask one day, of course they'd be curious about there father. But thinking about Marcus' laughing pine-green eyes and the way they used to glint in the sunlight or when he had a particularly ingenious idea...It was something she'd always reserved for herself. The memories of the Marcus she had been priveledged to know and love had remained locked inside her for years, private thoughts that she would think of often when she was alone at night. When she would roll over onto her side in the morning and see the other half of the bed empty and her heart would shrivel inside, because for that glorious moment between sleeping and waking she'd forgotten that he was gone, that he was missing and she would never see him again...

But that had to change because her child was watching her with her own eyes shining in Marcus' face. She often saw a lot of Marcus living in Mahad. They were different as the sun and the moon, but sometimes she'd see that devious look in Mahad's eyes and have to look twice because for a second she thought she saw green eyes laughing, not blue eyes and Marcus, not Mahad. Mahad was still watching her with concerned love, so she had to reply now. Slowly, she started to talk.

"Well. I didn't expect that, but I suppose I should have been more prepared. Let's...Let's sit down in the living room. This might take a while. Call your sister downstairs, will you? She's in her room with Cheng. Homework, or a project I think. Poor boy." Mila sighed to herself as Mahad jogged upstairs. The little Chinese boy clearly had a soft spot for her daughter. But unfortunately, her daughter took as much notice of him as Lee did of her. A shame. Cheng was such a nice little boy. Childish, but only in comparison to Lena, who was much too mature for her age and for all her incredible powers, absolutely blind to how others felt about her.

The stair creaked and all three children were there, looking at her curiously. Cheng smiled at Lena, who didn't notice and left. Mila indicated that they should sit and curled her legs underneath herself so that she'd be comfortable.

"Now. Where would you like me to start?"

"Just...What was he like? How did you meet?" Mahad began before Lena interjected with;

"Did you love each other straight away?"

Mila chuckled and held up a hand. "Just those three for now. Then i promise in future i'll answer any others, but now it's all we have time for. I met him when I was on my first real mission for the sphere. I'd already been having a few doubts about the sphere...there was a girl in my class. On graduation day her brother broke in to rescue her and they...well. I'm sure you can guess what they did to him. But it wasn't what they did. I thought that I'd have to kill Mutinous rebels who ran around looting and killing. But he wasn't that much older than we were. I-I don't think he even was older, he was younger... I don't remember much about him. But I remember that he had ginger hair and he was crying so badly his face was swollen. Then they just killed him. Right in front of her when she refused to do it herself. The noise she made...God that scream. I'll never forget that. She sounded like someone had torn her into pieces and danced on the remains."

Mila fell silent until Mahad cleared his throat loudly. She blinked and continued her story, slower this time. "I met your father then. To answer your question Lena, no I didn't love him straight away. I'm pretty sure he didn't either since he tried to hit me around the head with a metal pole. But I decided to save him. So maybe there was something in me that knew there was something a little different about him. But probably I just felt guilty about the other boy's death. Anyway, we ended up on Babylonia-"

"Where we used to live?"

"Yes, Lena. In fact, exactly where we used to live. The house belonged to Marcus' parents before us. Your grandparents. But well...we grew closer. Stopped trying to fight each other while we fixed the hyperion. It was ALWAYS needing fixing back then. I always told him he should get something more inconspicuous, but that was Marcus alright. He thoroughly enjoyed laughing in the sphere's face and flaunting their prototype ship right in front of their noses. It became his icon, really. You'd look out onto a battlefield and see the hyperion and think 'Marcus Farrell's in this fight. We're going to win this thing!'. People would see the hyperion and know that their leader was out there with them. It would give them hope. Because nobody ever Dared to fly Marcus' ship. In fact, I can count the amount of people who have flown as passengers in that ship when it belonged to him on one hand. And I'd still have fingers left over." Mila smiled and took a deep sip of her water, waiting for the look of wonder to fall off of Mahad's face.

"The ship was that important?"

"It was that important. I often used to think to myself that he loved that hunk of metal more than he loved me. But it wasn't so, of course. He never saw you Lena, but he loved you both. He had a little nickname for you Mahad. He used to call you Devanté - It means Rebellious fighter, because of how much you used to kick at me in the womb. You'd always calm down whenever he started talking nearby though. Used to make him very damn proud of himself. However," She smiled, noticing Lena's disappointment, "He also had a very big soft spot for his baby girl. He was convinced, right from the start that this time it would be a girl. Absolutely convinced. When i was pregnant, he used to sing to you sometimes. Lay his head on my stomach and just hum or sing away. You used to kick at him and i don't really blame you - he wasn't exactly a great singer."

"What did he sing?" Lena was amazed that her pirate father would ever do something as un-macho as singing. It wasn't what she'd expected, from what she'd heard about him.

"Well, when we met we found this ceedee. seedy? CD? I think they pronounced it CD back in the old days. Who knows. We don't use them now, they're too outmoded. But it was of a man named Elvis. Your dad particularly liked to sing one called "love me tender" to you and me late at night when your brother was all tucked up into bed and asleep. I've got a copy of it on the music player over there. You should listen to it sometime." Mila waved her hand over to a battered Stereo near the side of the room before standing and brushing herself off.

"Now if you don't have any more questions..." She headed for the kitchen, determined to finish off those dishes. Mahad wandered out of the house, determined to find where Dahlia had got to and think some more about what he'd learned. Lena hesitated and caught her mother's arm as Mila passed.

"Mum...Do you miss him?

Mila pulled her daughter into a hug and muttered "Always." She drew back and smiled. "Even his...slightly annoying parts."

Lena giggled, "Like...?"

"Your father had quite a fondness for animals. In fact when we first staying together that week in Babylonia, he adopted a rat for a while. He called it Pete for crying out loud. Pete the rat. I think he just looked after it to annoy me really - I hate rats. We thought about maybe getting a pet when we moved in together, but decided it was on responsibility too many. We were having to move around too much, stay hidden. It'd be hard to do that with two children and an animal"

"Plus Mahad's practically an animal anyways..."

"Lena!"

Mahad hammered on the door and Maria spat out her tea, rushing to the window. She turned around and waved frantically at Dahlia, mouthing 'He's here' and 'good luck!' before running towards the back door. Dahlia took a deep breath, assesed the army of shopping bags beneath her and checked her reflection one last time before whirling around and grabbing Maria's back.

"Do I smell alright? Look okay?"

"You look fucking gorgeous and smell like a bundle of roses. Now go get 'im!" Maria embraced her and left quickly, closing the back door just as Dahlia opened the front door. Mahad blinked in clear bemusement. His spiky natured little hell's angel was dressed in a floaty white summer dress with a thin halterneck strap. Her eyes were accentuated by the tiniest amount of mascara and eyeliner, her nails were painted and filed instead of in their usual ragged state. He entered and immediately noticed the enormous amount of bags littering the floor of the hall. He smiled and leaned down to kiss her cheek softly and wrap his arms around her, one hand remaining on her face in a gentle caress.

"Had a girls day out?" Her body felt so good next to his like this. Made him almost want to- No. She was pregnant. He had to treat her carefully after all the recent stress on her body.

"Mmmm." The seductive sound of her agreeing shot straight through him as she moved dangerous close. Quickly breaking off the hug, he abruptly changed the subject.

"Hungry? I'm starving..."

Dahlia resisted the urge to growl as Mahad walked past her quickly into the kitchen. He hadn't even said he liked her clothes! He barely noticed them! And she'd gone to all this effort dressing up for him! Well she'd damn well show him...

Striding forward as powerfully as her aching side would allow, she tapped him on the shoulder and crossed her arms impatiently. Without even turning around he remarked;

"I was thinking we should order a takeaway, pizza or chinese?" Without warning she grabbed his shoulder and spun him around so that his back hit the counter, where he stood stunned, takeaway leaflet still in hand.

"Like my clothes?" She asked bluntly.

"Erm...Yes? They're...clothy."

"Well that's good for you honey. However I would prefer them to be off of me, right now, in THERE" She indicated the living room, "With you. Do. You. Understand?"

Mahad's lips watered. A pissed and definitely willing Dahlia was an irresistible turn on...But he didn't want to hurt her still.

"But the baby..."

"SCREW THE BABY! Well, don't. Screwing your unborn child would be impossible and rather disgusting. But screwing me is GOOD." Without warning, Dahlia grabbed Mahad either side of his face and pulled him down to kiss her.

For about half a second, Mahad entertained the idea of resisting and then he gave up. Running his hands down her sides before taking a hold of her just below her bum and picking her up. She laughed and he groaned as it vibrated against his lips. He opened his eyes so that he could carry her from the room and was rewarded with the sight of her looking into his eyes with a mischevious and highly satisfied look. He paused at the threshold of the room, wondering something.

"Don't tell me you've already changed your mind" Dahlia moaned and he shook his head.

"I was just wondering...Why did you get all dressed up today?"

She laughed and threw back her head, exposing the slender curve of her neck which he immediately began to place hot, sweet kisses upon. She sighed and replied; "To make me feel girly and pretty. Oh and to get you to sleep with me. Why didn't you like what i'm wearing? You didn't say I looked pretty or-"

"I didn't say you were pretty because you're beautiful Dahlia. Without the clothes. The clothes are nice - but it isn't them that makes you look good. You'd look good to me in a bin bag skirt with a little shred of newspaper to cover up these lovelies.." He trailed off, smoothing one finger over the swell of her breast as she smiled tenderly up at him.

"You really think that?"

"Yes love. I really think that. I love how you look anyway. If you want to feel girly, then you go ahead and dress girly." His mouth twisted up into a smile. "But I want you to know that you don't need to do that if it's just to impress me. I think you're beautiful already."

"You're being very deeply emotional Mahad. I may have to break into tears..."

"Yeah. We should really stop talking-"

He slid his hand craftily up her skirt, pushing it upwards past silken skin before pausing when the view of a pair of satiny red panties came into view. The sides of them were sheer lace and through them he could see a delicious portion of skin, but not quite enough. He licked his lips in shocked admiration and glanced up.

"However...I DO like these new clothes..."

"I have many other pairs...You can thank Maria for that idea."

She had a wide smirk across her lips which he instantly kissed away, laying her back onto the sofa. Her eyes watched him as he pulled his top over his head and threw it down, followed by her dress which she had removed while he wasn't looking. He swallowed at the sight of Dahlia stretched beneath him, clad in only a set of matching lingerie and a smouldering smile beneath fiery brown eyes. His fingers moved against his bidding, stroking down the centre of her stomach and curling beneath the fabric or her panties, peeling them down agonisingly slow. She was already slick with excitement and he trailed his fingers down her entrance before slow pressing his index finger into her and rolling his thumb over her clit. She whimpered slightly and he quickly went to withdraw before her hands grabbed his and stopped him, pulling him back deeper into her.

He continued to massage his finger within her before carefully adding another, widening her until she was comfortable with three of his fingers and gripping the edge of the sofa with a glazed look on her face. He undid her bra one handed with a little difficulty and she cast it aside as he leant down on top of her, continuing his ministrations all the while. Her face was close to his now and he kissed it once before moving steadily down her neck and arriving in the sloped valley between her breasts. Here, he looked up at her and smiled deviously at her, loving her heated gaze upon him, before ever so slowly pressing his mouth to her left nipple, kneading the supple flesh beneath his right hand. She cried out and arch her hips upwards into his hand, inwardly hating how much control her had over her.

"Mahaaaad. Please." He looked back into her eyes and instantly knew what she wanted. Casually flicking her hardened nipple one last time with his tongue, he withdrew his hand from inside her (noting her dismayed whimper with pride) and reached for his boxers. Dahlia got there first, yanking them down quickly and taking him into her hand. He hissed quietly at the feel of her delicate porcelain hands wrapped around him and shook his head, pushing her back to lay down again. She complied half reluctantly, wanting to explore him more, but too caught in the moment to complain. He trailed his hand downwards, lining himself up precisely before swiflty and surely entering her.

Dahlia groaned slightly at the sudden size of him, remembering with a grimace how painful the first time had felt. But this was all pleasure and she hesitantly bucked her hips upwards towards him, filled with satisfaction when she saw Mahad's facial morph into pleasure. Slowly, he began to move, building pace gently in a way that drove her mad. She wanted more, but knew he wouldn't be anything but careful with her. She loved how much he cared about her - but she wasn't made of glass. Hesitantly, she began moving up against him, matching his pace with powerful movements upwards. Her eyes rolled back as all of the nerves in her body began to sing with contentment, fast approaching climax. Mahad winced. God. He'd forgotten how tight she was. He would have to hold on though. He wouldn't allow himself to finish before her. He could tell she was close and he moved faster, hurrying her release before he himself reached his peak. A gasp floated to his ears and he stopped a secong before moving in that exact way again, rewarded with another contented groan and a tightening of her fingernails on his back. He repeated it again and again, hammering that one spot that made her sigh until she came in sharp waves around him, gripping him in a vice-like hold as he gladly followed her into and oblivion of peace and pleasure...

A/N Yeah...First sex scene that i've actually ever published online. I've written them, but never had the guts to publish, i've always avoided them. So i'd love to get feedback, even if it is just you chucking stuff at me for befouling your innocence. Hey, you don't like it? Shouldn't have read it then, should you? RnR