WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS SEXUAL SCENES. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO READ THEM, THEN SKIP EVERYTHING THAT IS ITALICIZED AFTER THIS MARK: - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Chapter Twenty Five: There Once Was a Love Story

"Adrienne…"

A red haired woman rolled over in her sleep, seemingly oblivious to her name being called. She looked ruffled and had dark circles under her eyes.

"Wake up, Adrienne."

She stirred slightly, her torso rising off of the bed and her eyes opening slightly.

"Good morning, sleepy head."

Suddenly, she sat up fully, the top part of the blanket that had covered her torso falling off, reveling naked flesh. With a squeak, she pulled it back up and asked, her voice trembling, "Wh-where am I?"

"Don't you remember?" asked a silky voice from behind her. Breath hit the back of her neck, making her body tense. "You came back here with me after the Showdown."

Adrienne felt her eyes grow wider as the previous day's events returned to her mind.

"Did- did I- did we-"

"Have sex?" Chase finished bluntly, his voice smug, "Yes."

The woman groaned and put her hands over her face. "Christ," she muttered, "What is wrong with me?"

Somehow, his hands found their way to her shoulders and he cooed in her ear, "You make it sound like it was terrible, dear." His voice was laced with a sugary sweetness that made her stomach churn. "And if I remember correctly, you quite enjoyed it."

Adrienne pulled away from him, tears stinging her eyes. "Why can't I remember it?" she asked, her voice soft. "And where the heck are we?"

"To answer your second question," Chase said, still amused, "We are now past third base."

She shot him a scathing look over her shoulder, only to notice that he was unclothed as well. She blushed and stammered, "What about the first question?"

He smirked at her discomfort. "I don't know why you can't remember anything about it. Can you recall the Showdown?"

She nodded slowly. "A little…"

"LET'S GO! XIAOLIN SHOWDOWN!" Wuya, Adrienne, Amanda, Omi and Chase all stood silently next to each other, not a one daring to make a sound. Immediately after they all got their bearings, Wuya went straight for Adrienne.

The red headed young woman nearly let out a squeak of terror as she threw her arms in front of her face. There was a defining clang as the witch bounced off. Although she said nothing, the anger and humiliation was written on her face. As she glared at Adrienne, Omi hit her from behind. Unprepared for the sudden attack, she let out a small yell, disqualifying her from the game.

The young Monk landed gracefully, a slightly triumphant look on his face. That small smile was wiped away when Amanda came at him from the side with a kick of her own. He dodged it artfully and countered with a well-aimed punch. The silent fight quickly absorbed Adrienne; the grace and power behind every move was amazing to watch.

She was startled out of her passive state by a pair of hands on her waist. She started and tried to turn around. She knew the feeling that quickly took over her brain- fire spreading across her skin and butterflies taking elegant flight in her stomach. There was only one man who could do that to her.

Chase Young's grip on her midriff tightened, a sure sign that she was to stop struggling. She quickly took the hint and froze, her heart rate doing the exact opposite.

Chase's head moved lower, towards her neck. His mouth covered the sensitive spot, where he could feel her quickened pulse. He smirked against her skin and gently nipped.

It took all of Adrienne's will power not to groan at the feeling of his mouth on her flesh, but she somehow managed. Her breath followed her pulse, quickening at an alarming speed.

Chase's hands slowly moved up and came to a rest on her ribcage, the pressure moving with them. Adrienne let her head fall back, her mouth opening and closing as his hands and mouth continued to work their magic. His skilled hands moved in circles on her belly and his lips continued their exploration of her throat.

Her undoing was when he took his skilled mouth off of her exposed neck and he blew on the wet skin. The cool air moving back in that quickly on the warm area made her moan. "Chasssse…"

The tundra changed back with a flash, but the pair hardly seemed to notice. During their romantic encounter, both Amanda and Omi had stopped to watch the actions of the two older players. Omi had gotten out by saying, "What are they doing?" and Amanda by squealing, "AWWWWW! THAT'S SO CUTE!"

"I win," Chase murmured, his lips pressed against her neck again.

"Hmm." was all Adrienne could manage.

Chase chuckled and whispered, "Care to continue this…" he kissed a new place along her windpipe, "Elsewhere, my dear?"

"Christ, yes."

Adrienne shuddered as she felt his hands creep over her skin again. In her revere, she had let the blanket slip off of her shoulders; it was now pooled around her waist, showing off what she had wanted to hide.

"Remember what came next, Zhen?" he breathed against her ear.

She shivered again. "Yes…"

Chase chuckled. "Would you like to…" He moved his hands around to her chest. Adrienne's eyes widened. "Relive the experience?"

She took in a shuddering breath before gasping out, "Not particularly."

The immortal clicked his tongue, disappointed. "Are you sure? I could make all of your troubles disappear. Like I did last night."

-The pair of warriors appeared in the hall of the citadel in a very similar position as when they left the tundra in Antarctica. Chase spun her around and captured her lips, pressing her body between a wall and his own body.

Adrienne shook her head quickly to negate his statement and to rid her mind of the thought.

Adrienne's hands were on his chest, the cold armor impairing her exploration. She grunted her displeasure. He chuckled and snapped his fingers, the armor vanishing.

"Stop," she murmured, pulling away from him. "I don't want to remember anymore. I don't know why I ever did. I don't care."

"But you do." Chase chuckled lightly.

He bit her bottom lip as he had the day she left. Only this time, it was gentle.

Tears started down her cheeks. "No. No, Chase, no." Her voice was soft and vulnerable as the words pushed past her lips. "I wasn't supposed to lose that part of me yet. I was supposed to be married."

Chase's hands snaked back around her waist. "I know what your ideals were," he whispered.

She pushed his shirt up and let her fingers roam across his muscled stomach. His eyes sparkled as he returned the favor.

"Then why? Then why did you continue on?" Adrienne pulled away, suddenly repulsed.

He lifted his hands up her back and inched towards her chest.

"Because, my pet, you wanted me to."

"Oh, Chase…" her voice was husky, "Please, take me. I've wanted you for so long."

The dark warrior smirked and whispered silkily, "As you wish, Zhen."

"I would never say anything like that…" Adrienne said, her body shaking.

"Sad, but true." Chase said, not at all remorseful. "I could hardly believe it when those words came out of that dirty little mouth of yours."

In a flash, they were in Chase's private quarters. He unclasped her bra under her shirt and slowly lifted her shirt above her head.

"This- that- I don't- NO!"

After her shirt was completely off, he gently pushed her back onto the bed. She laid down willingly and watched as he took off his shirt. She had little time to stare at his chiseled abdomen because he was down upon her faster then the eye could see. She moaned under the kisses he placed on her neck and chest and the explorations of his hands.

"It did happen, Adrienne. And nothing you can say or do will change that."

Her hands went down to his waistline. "Togliersi i pantaloni." Adrienne murmured.

"Come volete."

Adrienne stood up, the blanket falling off. "Chase…" she breathed.

Chase stood up as well, the covers falling off of him as well. Adrienne looked away, unable to look at all of him.

"I- I gotta go." Adrienne grabbed a blanket off of the bed and rushed over to the door. Much to her surprise, Chase didn't stop her.

He pushed her farther up on the bed and quickly disposed of his pants. Adrienne propped herself up on her elbows as he came over and sat down next to her on the bed. He placed his hand on her stomach and running it over the slightly shaped muscles.

Adrienne ran down the hall, tears streaming down her face and the memories still running vividly through her mind's eye.

His hand reached the top of her pants and stopped. He looked into her eyes, as if asking for permission. Her glazed eyes urged him on.

Adrienne was so preoccupied she ran into a wall. The blanket fell from her slim form as her body slammed into the hard surface. With a strangled sob, she used her shaking hands for support.

He unbuttoned the fasten on her jeans and slowly, teasingly, pulled them down her thighs. She shuddered as his cool fingers dragged themselves across her warm flesh.

Her hands clenched into fists and she slid down the wall, her breaths coming in gasps.

His head lowered down and he placed several opened mouthed kisses along her stomach. Her hands clenched into fists on the blankets.

She made her body as small as possible on the cold stone floor, her eyes squeezing shut as she wept.

She closed her eyes as he reached the top of her panties, but she quickly opened them again as he slid his hands back up her body.

She rocked back and fourth, trying to calm herself.

Chase positioned himself back on top of her. Her panties had been removed, as had his boxers.

She let out a halfhearted cry.

He raised himself slowly off of her and then pushed inside.

Adrienne barely noticed the sound of approaching footsteps in her state of relived pleasure and new pain.

"Adrienne," the woman froze and went silent. "You should stay here. You are in no state to go out into the world. You are to fragile."

She considered his words for a moment. It was true. She was weak and fragile and she knew the prices of going out into the world weak.

She opened one eye to a slit. "F- f- fine." She whispered. "I'll stay."

End Chapter 25