Just a big thank you to all my beloved readers! I really do love each and every one of you! :D Just in case you haven't checked, I recently added the previous chapter- wouldn't want you to miss one! :P X

I didn't need to tell Alice not to bother going to Chipenden, Grimalkin told her to come straight to the farm and so she was there, waiting for me, when I arrived. I'd gone straight up to my room after dinner, not really in the mood to listen to one of Jack's rants about sharing his own home with witches and their cohorts, and found the love of my life draped seductively over my bed, her naked body illuminated by the candle light. Her pale loveliness displayed like an erotic portrait. I approached and took her left hand, kissing it, and held it against my face, lying down beside her. I took her face in my hands and kissed it and she smiled softly, relaxing against me. I stroked her hair and she wrapped her legs around mine.

"Have you missed me?" she whispered teasingly and, in truth, I felt a little confused. Was she about to seduce me or were we just going to hold each other?

"You know I miss you when you're gone," I said, nuzzling her. I lay one hand gently against her bared flower; she'd shaved again (which, personally, I didn't favour, she had the most gorgeous hair) and it only served to emphasize her injury: she was a little jswollen still, and had a vascular blush, the tiny purple veins showing through the skin, evidencing her pain. She was hot to the touch and jerked a tiny bit when I touched her so I quickly withdrew my hand. "I'm sorry" I said gently.

"I might yet be generous," she breathed, making my ear tickle.

I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her close to me so we were laid next to each other on the bed. I put one hand behind her head, stroking her hair and catching her lips in mine. Our lips passed over each other softly at first, almost as if they too were caressing, I stroked her chin with my thumb as we kissed, and Alice's fingers ghosted soothingly over my temples. I traced her bottom lip as we kissed and she gently ruffled my hair with one hand. She sucked my bottom lip into her mouth and tapped my tongue with her own, sliding up and down its length; I shifted our weight so I was lying on top of her, cradling her beneath me.

I moaned against her ear contentedly. "I love you" I mumbled, sucking her ear into her mouth, nibbling it tenderly before releasing it and nuzzling her cheek.

"I love you too, Tom," she whispered, caressing my face adoringly, as though committing it to memory. Perhaps she was.

"There's something I wanted to mention to you though, Alice." I placed my hands on my waist and rested my forehead against hers, "about something you said that morning, after we'd called the doctor to you. You said what we'd done last night and you called it fucking... and I don't see it that way. I see it as something more intimate than that- you're my lover, my future wife; not my whore."

"I know, Tom!" She exclaimed; holding my gaze, entrancing me, drawing me in. "I was only joking! Don't really know why I said it." She added apologetically.

"Don't be silly," I whispered, kissing her forehead. "I'm not cross; I just want you to know how much you mean to me; I want you to know that this is for life. You know I'm no good with words!" I added, smirking. We laughed softly together and I took both her hands in my own. Alice playfully twiddled our thumbs and cuddled against me.

She looked up at me, bemused, when she felt the evident hunger in my breeches.

"Ignore that- it's got a mind of his own!" I chuckled. "I don't think it knows we're staying away from that for the moment! How are you, my love? Are you still in pain?" I added, hearing the remorse in my voice in the form of a petulant, almost whiny edge. It was a far cry from the masculine depth I knew would spark Alice's desire but I thought she needed to know that I hated what I'd done to her.

"Hmmm, well it is still sore," she replied, her face hidden coyly against my chest. "Take off that shirt and we'll see how I feel..."

"Alice, no! I'm not going to risk hurting you again! The doctor said we'd need to wait at least a week and it's only been a few days."

To my surprise, she sighed irritatably and turned her face away. "I'm sick of everyone treating me like a child! You ain't the boss of me, Tom. I can be with anyone I want, whenever I choose!" She snapped, springing up off the bed and out of the door, slamming it behind her as she pulled her dress on over her head.

It took me a couple of seconds to realise what had just happened and I scrambled up after her and down the stairs. I caught up with her as she was tearing open the back door and striding down to the where the witches had begun their encampment.

"Alice!" I screamed, my voice deep and commanding to compensate for my slow progress, as I tried to run without revealing my evident desire to the encampment of witches although, judging from the cackles and whoops of laughter, I think I failed. "Alice!" I screamed again and this time she turned around; I'd manage to catch up to her and as she turned I saw that she was wiping away tears. I could think of only one way to show her that I loved her and that I truly meant for us to be together.

"I love you!" I announced before taking her lips in mine. I caught her up in my arms and spun her around in the air, feeling the vibration against my lips as she laughed into the kiss.

Thank you soooo much to my amazing readership! I love you! The second part to this is coming soon, I thought it'd be too long if I added it now :) going to start writing it ASAP- I'm afraid I don't know yet if there'll be a Christmas special but I definitely want to try and get one out for you guys! X