I do not own nor did I create any of the original Tin Man characters, only Sophia (nick name Soph) is mine. I would like to thank everyone for the reviews!!!! Also forgive me spelling and grammar, I'm really trying to work on it and hope it shows. On another note, please forgive for the long time it has taken for me to update; for some reason this chapter just hasn't flowed right. Any comments or any pointers would be great.

Chapter Ten: Close Encounters

The water was freezing. Sophia had never felt anything like it. After her and Cain hit the ice they started to sink into the waters below, her whole body felt as though a thousand nails were driving into her skin. That feeling was the only thing that kept Sophia from passing out and continuing the descent into the arctic waters.

She had managed to keep a hold on Cain as they fell to the ice. It took all of her strength to pull Cain with her to the surface. It was tiring, for a long while all she could do was hang onto the edge of the ice. She looked over to Cain and tears came to her eyes but she didn't let a single one fall. He was still breathing but she couldn't tell how badly Cain was hurt. She didn't see any blood on him; at least that was a good sign.

"Cain…if you can hear me we need to get out of the water. I'm going to get out first and then I'll pull you out. I need you to hold on to the edge so you don't fall back in…" Cain still didn't open his eyes but Sophia saw his hands grip the ice. She pulled herself from the water; the snow was falling very heavily now. They would need to get to some shelter. Sophia pulled Cain out of the water and came to sit next to him in the snow, "Cain, are you able to walk? We need to get out of here…" Cain just laid there and did not respond.

She knew that she wouldn't be able to carry him. Sophia took hold of Cain's hands and started to pull; they had to get out of the snow and if she had to drag him the whole way, well there wasn't away around it. The man wasn't getting any liter and part of Sophia wanted to give up and just lay down next to him and sleep. She knew she couldn't, they would both freeze to death if she did. Sophia started to list all the times that Cain has made her angry since she met him. From his confusing the hell out of her to him being the most stubborn person to be born.

It gave her the will to keep dragging him. When he woke Sophia was going to give Cain more than a piece of her mind. She would unleash hell on him. How dare he let himself get shot? Didn't he know he was best thing that came into my life…Sophia stopped dragging Cain and dropped his hands. She looked down at him in the snow and couldn't believe her own thoughts; she was falling for the Tin Man. She didn't understand how it happened so fast.

"Cain…Sophia. What happened?" Sophia looked over and saw Glitch calling out to her from the front of the castle. She didn't realize how far she had dragged Cain. "He was shot…..we fell from the window. Where's DG?" Glitch could see the Sophia was on the verge of passing out. Both she and Cain's skin looked blue from the cold. "She was taken…we need to get you two warm and dry."

Sophia could only nod. The shock of everything settling in and realizing that she loved Cain was making her mind fuzzy. She saw Glitch walk over to her and Cain; he picked Cain up and threw him over his shoulder. "Sophia, we're going back to the wagon." Glitch said as he begin to walk thought the blizzard. She followed him slowly. Sophia was starting to feel numb all over; she wasn't even paying attention to where she was walking.

As they made there was though the snow, Glitch turned very now and again to make sure that Sophia was keeping up. He was really worried that he would end up having to carry her to the wagon too, but she surprised him. They made it to the wagon and Sophia had managed to walk into only a tree or two. It was just as cold inside the wagon but at least here the wind wouldn't cut into them. When Glitch got into the wagon he laid Cain down on the floor and started to check him for injuries and removing his clothing.

Glitch saw Sophia was leaning against the wall watching him with half closed eyes. He knew what needed to be done to make sure they didn't die from hyperthermia but he was worried about her reaction. "Sophia, I'll take care of Cain but I need you…..this is going to sound bad….I need you take your clothes off." Sophia saw that Glitch started to take Cain's coat off but her mind didn't comprehend Glitch's requested. "Why…" Glitch looked back up to Sophia again seeing that she didn't understand. "I need you to take you clothes off, I have to rap you and Cain together to bring up your body temperature until you both out of danger….also I'm going to try and dry you clothes. I think I'll be able to make a small fire to help with warming up the wagon…."

Glitch went back to undressing Cain. Sophia saw him unbutton Cain's shirt and pulled out the small tin horse that was his son's. The bullet that would have killed him was embedded in the toy. "You're lucky." She heard Glitch say to himself with a small smile on his face. Sophia was starting to understand Glitch's request, "I shouldn't be next to Cain when we're…not dressed…" Sophia almost kept talking but Glitch had finished removing Cain's shirt and started to take off his pants. She couldn't help but admire his well toned chest and the thought be being so close to him made her heart skip a beat.

Glitch looked back over to Sophia and notice her stunned expression, he believed that she was nerves. "Sophia this is for survival. I won't look at you and Cain will understand when he wakes up why we had to do this……" Sophia knew he was trying to put her at easy but Glitch didn't understand even with her clouded mind she knew being next to Cain's while unclothed was not a good idea. She could barely keep from kissing him when they close, she didn't want to think what possibilities being naked would bring. Sophia slid down the wall and came to sit on the floor, she closed her eyes while Glitch continued to undress Cain and cover him with a blanket.

She fell asleep in less than a second. Glitch looked over to Sophia and knew he would have to undress her now; he only prayed that when Cain woke up he wouldn't kill him. Glitch may have no brains but he wasn't senseless, he saw the sparks flying between them, the looks they gave each when they thought no one was looking. Glitch knew that if Cain thought that he mishandled or looked at Sophia wrong he'd be a dead man; but he had no choice.

He went over to Sophia and picked her up and drought to next to Cain. Glitch laid her between Cain and the wall before he began the awkward task of undressing her. Although he had no memory Glitch was certain that he never undress a woman that fast before; he just wanted the task done and did his best not to look at her. Glitch thought he had done very well while getting her shoes, socks, pants and shirt off; but her under clothes were a different story. He'd never see anything like them in the O.Z. before. He decided to leave the short under pants on her and looked at the contraposition on her chest. It looked be about as comfortable as having a pole stuck in ones back.

He placed part of the blanket over her so he wouldn't have to see her intimate places. Glitch hadn't seen a place to remove to thing from the front; once she was covered he pulled her up into a sitting position. He saw the little hooks on the back part. He didn't waste time and unhook the thing before removing it from under the blanket; he was very careful to only touch the clothing. He laid Sophia back down once he had the article removed.

He started to work to make a fire in the small stove in the wagon. There was a little wood in the wagon; he would have to go out for more. While working on the fire Glitch saw Sophia move nearer to Cain. They seemed to be made for each other was Glitch's thought as one of Cain's arm moved to bring Sophia even closer to him. Glitch continued to work the fire and starting to dry their clothing. Hours were by and Cain and Sophia continued to sleep. He got the clothing dry and folded, laying them next to the couple. Glitch realized that he still had Cain's gun and place it on top of the clothing.

He noticed that they were now out of fire wood. Glitch got up and started to walk toward the door when Cain's hand came aiming his gun at him. Glitch saw that his eyes were still closed and realized that Cain must be starting to wake up as he pushed the gun so it wasn't pointing at him. "You have been sleeping for hours. Like a baby with his pacifier." Cain eyes fully opened and he took in his surroundings. He saw Sophia curled up next to him with one of his arms around her. He couldn't stop the sigh of relief, she was alive. He could feel her soft skin under his hand and couldn't stop his fingers from trailing along her shoulder.

Cain remembered they weren't alone and looked back to Glitch. "I thought you were dead." Cain saw Glitch nod his head, "Dido. You know I may have saved you from hyperthermia, Sophia from the water; but this save your life." Glitch held out the small tin horse and handed it to Cain. "It stopped the bullet." Cain took the toy and had a moment of clarity as he remembered everything that had brought him here. He looked at Sophia's sleeping form, he was meant to help her, to protect her and DG; to love her. He remembered the fear in him when she tried to get in front of him to stop the bullet. When Sophia did wake up he decided to give her hell, she couldn't be so careless with her safety. "DG?" Cain asked trying to bring his thoughts away from what could have happened to Sophia.

"Azkadellia." Cain already knew they had to find a way to get DG back. "Raw?" He was almost afraid to ask. "I don't know I can't find him. Either they took him too or he's dead….I'm going to try again to find him when I go out for more firewood." Cain wasn't holding his breath about Raw, "Maybe he ran away."

"You know you really should something about the bitter cynicism of yours Cain."

Cain couldn't help but smile a little, "Why someone's got to keep your wide-eyed optimism in check." Cain was again going to close his eyes to sleep when he felt Sophia turn her whole body towards him and placed one of her legs on top of his. He just realized that both he and Sophia were naked. Cain grounded his teeth together to keep the groan from escaping. The feel of her satin skin was almost too much for him; all he wanted to do was to run his hands all over her body. "Glitch; why are Sophia and I naked?" Cain tried to keep his voice even but he was sure that he failed when Glitch looked at him with wide eyes. "I undressed you both so you could share body heat and Sophia isn't completely naked. Your clothes were wet as well and if you both stayed in them I don't think either of you would have made it. Don't be mad and don't upset Sophia. She seemed very….uneasy about being next to you unclothed and like I said she's not naked I left her underclothes on."

"You undressed her…" Cain knew why Glitch had but he couldn't help the fact he wanted to beat Glitch within an inch of his life. He knew Glitch didn't do anything wrong but the thought of another person touching or looking at Sophia. His Sophia. It was almost too much for him but he couldn't be angry for Glitch saving their lives. "I did but I didn't look at her and I undressed her mostly under the blanket, I didn't see anything and she was asleep. Listen you're clothes are dry. I'm going to get more firewood and see if I can find any sign of Raw; why don't you try to wake her up and get dressed." Cain could hear the panic in Glitch's voice as he walked to the door of the wagon and was just about to walk out when Cain stopped him. "Glitch, I owe you one." Cain saw Glitch nod his head as he walked out the door and heard him muttering how easy it would be for Cain to get psychological help.

Cain waited a few minutes to be sure that Glitch had really left and turned to his side to look at Sophia. The girl slept like the dead, she didn't wake up the whole time him and Glitch were talking. She looked peaceful in her sleep; if he hadn't known her Cain would have thought she was an angle. He knew better; she may look sweet but there was a fire in her. He almost regretted that he had to wake her up. Cain reached out and lightly touched her cheek with the back of his hand. The urge to touch and kiss her had become too much. Cain move closer to Sophia's face, "Soph…wake up…" Cain heard her moan a little. At the sound he wasn't able to stop himself from placing small kisses on her neck, her jawbone.

Sophia woke with a sigh of contentment. Her eyes were still closed but she didn't really want to wake fully; she felt warm and someone was placing pleasant little kisses a long her neck. Sophia opened her eyes and was relieved to see Cain. She wasn't use to waking up next to man; she especially wasn't a custom to waking up with a man kissing her. "Cain…you're alright, think god…" she was cut off when Cain kissed her fully on the lips.

The kiss took her attention. Cain drew her lower lip into his month and gently sucked on it before he swept his tough into her month to mate with hers. Sophia was the sweetest thing he very tasted. He heard her whimper; oh how he wanted her. Cain's grip around Sophia shoulders tighten and pulled her even closer to him. He felt her breasts flatten against his chest and his hardness press into her leg. Cain felt her nipples harden against his chest. He had to break from the kiss and low growled escaped from his lips at feeling Sophia touching him. It was Heaven. He kept his eyes closed while he enjoyed the feeling of her satin skin. "Cain…."

He opened his eyes at the panic he heard in her voice. Cain looked down at Sophia and saw her wide eyes looking at him with confusion and fear mingled together with want. "Wyatt, call me by my name for now on Sophia." Cain correct while his hand came up and was lightly caressing cheek. He'd forgotten that she was innocent and he would need to slow down. He felt torn; he knew he shouldn't take her here, not when Glitch could return at any time but the desire to touch her was too great. He wanted to claim her.

Never had anything felt so wonderful to Sophia. The sensation of their skin together was almost overwhelming. Cain's skin was warm and hard, she could see his muscles in his arms and shoulders. He was a very fit man. "Wyatt…I've never been close to a person…man like this….." She saw Cain smile, she was nerves and Sophia wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to stop him from touching her but at the same time Sophia didn't want to lead too…. "Maybe we should stop while we're still a head. We can't let this go too far. We need to save DG and I don't know where Glitch is but he could back anytime…."

Cain smiled at Sophia as he claimed her lips in another kiss. Sophia moaned when he deepened the kiss. She raped her arms around Cain neck and didn't even notice that he had laid her on her back until Cain came to lie on top of her. She pulled away from the kiss tried to still herself; the sensations that Cain was invoking was too much too fast. She was confused; yes she wanted to slow everything down but at the same time she needed, craved, his touch.

Cain saw the emotions fly across her face. He would never have to worry about what she was thinking; Sophia wore her mind on her sleeve. "Don't worry…this won't get out of hand, I just couldn't have you so close and not touch you…" He kissed her forehead, the bridge of her nose before moving to her lips for another steering kiss.

While continuing to kiss Sophia, Cain pushed her legs farther apart so he could lie between them. When he came on top of her; Cain braced himself on his arms so his weight wouldn't crush her. He deliberately placed his hardness against Sophia's warm center. Cain could feel the heat of her even though the fabric of her underclothes. Sophia gasped and pulled away from the kiss at the contact; her hips automatically rolled into Cain, seeking out more contact. He grounded his teeth together when Sophia pressed against him.

"Sophia…" Her name sounded like a pray from his lips. Cain took hold of her hips to still her when she continued press against him. "Easy now...You're going to be mine but if you keep that up..." It took everything Sophia had not to move; she moved her hands to her side and tried to take hold of the carpet to steady her. She hadn't been able to stop herself when she felt Cain against her; it seemed natural. The way Cain was kissing her and the feel of him on top of her. It was irresistible; she knew that they should stop now but Sophia craved more of his touch. On its own accord one of her hands left the floor and reached up to touch Cain's should, traced along his collarbone and down his chest.

The woman was going to be the death of him. Her light touch made him feel like there was fire running in his veins. He needed to stop this now, he was enjoying this too much. "Soph…you really know how to tempt a man." Cain put his hand on top of hers to stop it from moving. He was going to move in for another kiss before he suggested that they started to get dressed but he felt Sophia tense and her eyes too on a faraway look. "What's wrong?"

"Glitch….he's back…." They didn't even have time to move before the door opened and Glitch started to walk in carrying the firewood. He was muttering about the cold and at first didn't seem to notice the couple on the floor. Glitch sat the firewood by the stove and was getting to sit down; he stopped when he saw Cain and Sophia. Glitch quickly looked up so not to stare at the scene in front of him. "I didn't find any sign of Raw…" he said just trying to say thing the fill the dead air.

"Glitch…"

"Yes Cain."

"Go look again. Come back in five minutes."

"What a good idea." Glitch said as he all but ran out the door.