Chapter 25

John listened to Lizzie patiently, finally just shaking his head and pulled her to him for a hug. "She's just dealing with something right now." He said softly, knowing exactly what it was. What she had been dealing with and what she probably never would stop thinking about. "Just...give her some time, alright?" He looked down into his wife's brown eyes, grinning suddenly. "I built that crib!"

"So THAT'S why ya got a band-aid on yer thumb."

Caressa sighed heavily when she couldn't pump her legs any longer, the swing slowing to a stop, and buried her face in her hands as she began to cry. It just wasn't fair. How could fate be so cruel to her, to give her a piece of heaven and rip it away so easily? Caressa sat there as the sun set over the horizon, not caring about anything anymore, knowing no matter where she went, what she did, who she was with, Mark would always be in her mind, haunting her.

"Please stop it. I can't take it anymore." She whispered heartbrokenly, closing her eyes painfully shut, and sniffled.

"Lizzie, I think I need a doctor!"

Lizzie rolled her eyes, busy in the kitchen making cookies, she was craving peanut butter and coconut cookies. John was still thinking he was the mighty man and building furniture. His current project was a changing table. Popping the cookies into the oven she walked back to the bedroom, frowning when he held up his hand, seeing his thumb was now discolored. "Hit it again?"

He nodded, popping the appendage in his mouth with a slight whimper.

A few days later, Caressa decided to take up Lizzie's offer to go shopping again for the baby, knowing she needed a distraction. She'd cried herself to sleep again for the fourth time that week and hated herself for it. Caressa walked up, wearing tight blue jeans with holes in the knees along with a black Harley Davidson tank top, her hair pulled up in a ponytail to keep it out of her face. "Hey Liz." She greeted with a smile, the two women embracing before starting their day of shopping off.

"Hey honey, I was thinkin' we could look for furniture today." Lizzie said as they set off down the sidewalk. "John's thumb is disfigured and a very ugly color." She tried not to giggling in spite of herself. "I know it's wrong to find it funny, but the way he looked after the last time he hammered his thumb, them big blue eyes all wide like he was six years old..." She shook her head. "He said he was done tryin' to play with the big boy toys." She loved her husband, but Lord help her he was sometimes such a ditz.

Caressa giggled at her brother's pain, shaking her head. The man had absolutely NO sense when it came to building and constructing furniture. She'd found that out first hand when they first moved to Houston. "Well hopefully his thumb won't turn purple and fall off." She snorted before walking with Lizzie down the sidewalk, looking in the windows, nodding when Lizzie pointed out something she liked, giving her opinion.

"I'm gonna go inside and find out how much it is, honey, I'll be right back." Lizzie said, seeing how crowded the shop was and figured Caressa would much prefer the fresh air and outside. Whipping out a notebook and pen, she darted inside, having no problem in elbowing her way through to the clerk.

He stood behind her, hands tucked in his jean pockets as he took in the long auburn hair, finally just clearing his throat awkwardly. "Hello, darlin'." He said softly.

Her entire body froze when she heard that voice, closing her eyes, and knew it had to be a figment of her imagination. It had to be. She had convinced herself of that in the full minute of standing there as still as a statue until the smell entered her nostrils. Every tendon in her body came alive as her eyes opened, tears forming in them, and wondered if this was a cruel joke. Taking a deep breath, Caressa slowly turned around until amber met green, covering her mouth with her hand as a tremor tore through her body. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be happening! Any second she would wake up from yet another dream and her heart would break all over again.

He couldn't get enough of her, his eyes raking her up and down eagerly. He stood there in the light of day, wearing faded blue jeans and a white t-shirt, his long black hair tied back in a loose tail. People were gawking at him as they skirted around his massive frame. "Caressa?" He said hesitantly, reaching out to touch her face, his fingers trembling slightly. "Darlin', it's me, I'm really here." He whispered.

A single tear slipped down her cheek as she stared back into those emerald green eyes, finally letting out the breath she'd held in, the shock slowly wearing off. Her hand reached up and covered his, feeling him tremble along with her, nobody else existing around them. "H-How?" Was all she could ask, her voice a whisper, not trusting her real one at the moment because she was afraid she would either faint or hyperventilate.

"I don't know, Caressa." He murmured, his eyes drifting shut at her touch. When they opened again, the usual sadness that had seemed instilled in those emerald orbs was nowhere to be found. Nothing but wonder and love in them now. "I just...found myself layin' on the side of the road a few weeks ago, buck naked mind you." He tried to get a chuckle out of her. "Darlin', it's me and I'm really here. I guess the fates decided to give me a second chance."

For the first time in a year, a genuine smile crossed her face as Caressa started laughing, the sound soft and happy, tears flowing down her face. They were not of anguish and pain, but of happiness and delight. She seen all the love shining in those green eyes and knew it was for her. "If this is a dream, I'm not waking up." She stated firmly before pulling his face down to hers, passionately kissing him and squealed when he lifted her up in the air, spinning her around in circles, their lips never leaving one another's.

"Young people." An older man passing by with his wife said, though he was smiling.

Mark chuckled, cradling her against him. "Mmmm darlin', I missed ya." He rumbled, nuzzling her neck, laughing throatily when she purred. "You have know idea how this feels...bein' alive again."

"Hey Care, guess- Oh my God..."

Caressa couldn't stop smiling as she rubbed her cheek against his, running her fingers through his black tresses, her legs wrapped around his waist since he was holding her against him. "You feel wonderful..." She murmured, pressing her forehead to his and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, burying her face within it. She couldn't believe he was back and instantly felt the void in her heart fill, the pain diminishing. "I love you." She whispered in his ear before kissing his neck, never wanting to be away from him again.

"I love you too, darlin'." He murmured, frowning when a woman stepped into his line of vision. "Liz?"

"You. Are. Dead."

He shifted Caressa onto the side of his hip, refusing to put her down for even a second. "Um... apparently not." He quipped amusedly.

"You..." Lizzie looked at Caressa, clearly confused and knew she was missing a lot. "You two um, know each other?"

"Yes, we know each other." Caressa ran her finger down the side of his neck before kissing his lips softly. "Let me down." She smiled when he reluctantly did, but pulled her into his strong tattooed muscular arms, leaning her head back against his chest. "Would you mind if we cut this shopping trip short?" She needed to be alone with Mark, wanting to talk to him privately. When all Lizzie could do was nod, Caressa squealed out as Mark lifted her over his shoulder, carrying her away as she waved back at Lizzie. "Mark!"

"You need to let me know where we're goin' darlin'." He chuckled, grabbing a handful of her pert ass, squeezing and smirked when she shrieked again. "And ya best hope yer well stocked because it's gonna be awhile a'fore I consider lettin' you out of the bed." Mark set her carefully down before him, sliding her body down along his, his eyes locking with hers again.

"That sounds like heaven." She replied softly before taking his hand in hers, feeling the warmth of it, not believing this was happening.

Mark was alive, he wasn't a ghost, and people could actually SEE them together. She guided him back to her apartment and opened the door, tossing her keys to the side before turning around, their lips instantly meeting as he kicked the door shut behind him. Caressa melted against him, wrapping her arm around his neck while pressing her hand over his beating heart, which was thudding rapidly against her hand. Not that he didn't have a heartbeat before, but this one was real and he was real and he wouldn't vanish after a few hours. He would be here with her until it really was his time to go, knowing Steve had taken his place.

Growling, Mark pulled her up against him, guiding her long legs around his waist. If this by chance was some cruel trick being played on him, he was taking advantage before the timer went off so to speak. He found his way to her bedroom, dropping her in the middle of the bed and just stared down at Caressa, his eyes once again raking in her beautiful form.

Caressa peeled her tank top off, throwing it to the floor before unsnapping her jeans, sliding them off to join the clothing that was going to rapidly form on the floor, leaving her clad in her black bra and panties, just staring up at him with those amber orbs of hers. Her auburn hair was splayed all around her as she ran her hand up and down her toned stomach, smiling invitingly up at him. This was the man she was destined to be with and nobody was going to tell her differently. Her parents would have a field day, especially with how menacing he looked, but she didn't care. Mark was her other half, her soul mate, he had to be after everything they'd been through.

He knew eventually he was going to have to be introduced formally to everyone, smirking at the very thought of officially meeting John. Now THAT was going to be a very entertaining introduction. He could already see the expression on the younger man's face, chuckling softly. Though when Caressa peeled off her clothes, all thoughts but one flew out the window as he bent down to kiss her, his hand caressing her stomach, wondering just when she had traded the soft curves for some muscle.

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Caressa pulled her down on top of her and allowed him to take her to places only he could, loving every second of it.

Later on that night, Caressa laid in bed curled up against Mark, not believing he'd been with her the entire day, closing her eyes and sighed in contentment. They were naked and she loved the feeling of his warm body pressed against hers, both completely spent after the seven rounds of love making they'd done, properly reintroducing each other. Their fingers were entwined and pressed over Caressa's heart, refusing to let them go, staring out the window as the moonlight drifted through the window.

"I tried doing what you asked, but I couldn't do it." She softly said, after catching her breath from their seventh bout.

"Apparently I couldn't either, darlin'." He murmured, surprised to find himself feeling...exhausted. It had been so long since he had felt anything it was taking time to get readjusted to being alive. How odd did that sound? Mark kissed the top of her head, inhaling her scent with a soft groan. "You tried, Caressa, that's what matters most. But I'm here now darlin', and I'm not goin' anywhere." He promised softly.

That was a promise she knew he could keep. "I love you, Mark. I never stopped. I fell in love with you when you first entered Shadow Riders that night. I just knew instantly and could feel the connection." She sighed gently before rolling over, staring deep into those green eyes, kissing him softly. "How did you know I would be here anyway?"

He smiled awkwardly. "I knew yer brother was plannin' on takin' ya back here." He admitted. "I didn't completely go away during that time like I said I was. I just stayed invisible, darlin'." He sighed at the hurt look on her face. "I wanted you to try to go on without me Caressa and I knew as long as I was around, ya wouldn't. I overheard ya'all talkin' bout goin' back. So when I found myself breathin' again and you weren't anywhere to be found, I knew you'd come back East."

"I understand." She softly replied, the hurt slowly diminishing, snuggling further in the pillow as their hands entwined together in front of her. "Just don't ever run away from me again. I don't think I could take that." She cleared her throat, trying not to cry, but the emotions were so intense as they rushed through her. "Don't ever leave me again, Mark." She wrapped her arm his body, burying her face in his chest, his rough, yet soft skin against hers feeling like heaven on earth and that's exactly what he was. Heaven on earth.

"Not plannin' on it, Caressa." He sighed contentedly, stroking her back, one hand after the other. "You are definitely stuck with me this time. You'll probably get so sick of me, you'll wish I was a ghost again." He snorted, hearing her own derisive snort and grinned, teeth flashing in the darkness. "I love you, darlin'."

"I love you too, Mark. It was you again who brought me back to life and it will always be you forever." She whispered softly, rubbing her nose gently against his, and snuggled against him.

Through all the pain and anguish over the past year that Caressa suffered through, nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to what she felt with Mark. By getting his revenge, he'd gotten his second chance and he was spending it with her. Caressa could not have been happier than she was at that moment, not even when she first met Mark that night in Shadow Riders. Shadow riders who had become shadow lovers. There were no more shadows though. Now, they were just lovers and it would stay that way until they were finally taken to the next life.

The End.