Mark sighed, running his hand through his hair. He had forgotten how quiet this place was when it was only him there. Jason was at the track getting in some practice before his next race, and Princess was doing a shift at Jill's. He couldn't stop himself smiling at the thought of his wife. He wanted to give her the best possible in life, and that meant he actually had to make his flying business pay; which wasn't easy when you had to keep cancelling jobs because of Spectran attacks.

He shifted through the paperwork in front of him and sighed again. He could pay the bills, but it left precious little left for anything else. He grimaced and wondered what the world would think to know that the Commander of G-Force had barely enough to cover basic living and business expenses. His pride had refused to allow Jason to lend him money to buy Princess an engagement ring, but he wasn't too proud to turn down Jason's contribution to the household by providing the groceries.

Mark sat back in his chair, remembering Princess' cryptic comments before she left that morning. He didn't know whether to be pleased or pity Jason. She had something planned for him and all Mark could do was go along and hope it didn't end up in disaster. He had confidence in his wife – things she planned usually went well. But... well this time it was people's emotions she was playing with, specifically Jason's, and Mark wasn't sure if he approved.

His musings were interrupted by a pounding on the front door. He checked the clock – far too early for either Princess or Jason to return. He removed his boomerang from the hidden pocket and went to the door opening it warily. "You!" he exclaimed disgustedly. "What the hell do you want now?"

"Aren't you going to invite me in, Mark?"

"Cronus. Give me one good reason why I should."

"I can understand your antipathy, Mark. However, I do have something that I think you should have. Or, more to the point, that Princess should have. Please. May I come in?"

Mark was perplexed. What on earth would Cronus want to give to Princess? "If you have a wedding present for Princess, she's at work at the moment." He stood aside and let his father in, and then his innate politeness got the better of him. "Would you like coffee?"

Cronus sat down on the couch. "Yes, please Mark. There are some other things we should talk about as well."

Mark made the coffee and brought it out. "I don't see that we have all that much to discuss, Cronus. You made it quite clear what you thought of my choices, and I told you to go to hell. The only reason you're here and not on your ass outside is because Princess told me I had to be polite to you."

Cronus took a sip of coffee. "She is a remarkable woman," he said. "I've always thought so."

"Then why..."

"Mark, I'm the last person you should listen to about relationships. I was wrong when I kept telling you to deny your feelings for her. I had good reason to. My own marriage was a disaster – the only good thing to come out of it was you."

"You gave me away."

"I had no choice! At the time that mission came up, it was a godsend to me. Your mother had just left saying she had better things to do than play housewife. Shortly after, Anderson and I discovered that she was actually a Spectran agent who had been sent deep undercover to Earth. I later discovered that her leaving me was in response to orders from Spectra. All of their deep cover agents had been activated. It was the first step in their plans."

"My mother? Spectran?"

"Actually, she was Rigan, but her family had been working for Spectra for generations. When I finally did catch up with her some years later, she was commanding a team of Galaxy Girls. I had hoped that I could persuade her to come back with me – my mission was nearly finished and I hoped we could be a family again. It was then she told me that she had never loved me. We married because she was ordered to do so. The only reason she left you behind was because you were a boy. If you were a girl, she would have taken you.

"She hadn't wanted a child. Especially mine. But... a lapse on her part apparently. It nearly destroyed me. She tried to kill me, but I got in there first. I made the decision then that I wouldn't return. I was worried that if I did, Spectra would know who I was – more importantly, they would know who you were and try to take you for their own ends."

"Father... I..."

"I'm not finished Mark. I worried when I saw you falling for Princess. You see, your mother was one of the best pilots under my Command. I always thought she was teasing me when she said I ruined her career. She wasn't as it happened.

"All I could see was my own experience. I knew Princess was different, but I just couldn't move on. I'm sorry Mark. Princess is so different from your mother – she would never behave as your mother did. She doesn't have it in her."

"I'm glad you realise that," said Mark softly. "I... well I wondered why Anderson told me of my father – lies though it was – but never mentioned my mother."

"For your safety. It was better that she was completely forgotten."

"So why do you bring this up now. I can't see it doing any good. Or is it another way to salve your conscience?"

Cronus sighed. "No, Mark. I wanted to tell you the final part of your puzzle. And to give you something. Something that I know Princess will treasure." He took out of his coat pocket a velvet case and put it on the table between them. "I left one more thing in Anderson's keeping when I left." He tapped the case. "This is all that I have left of my family, Mark. It has been handed down since the nineteenth century by the oldest male to his bride." He looked ashamed. "Mother hated Erika. She refused to hand it over until just before she died – just before I left on the mission. Another reason to hand your care to Anderson. But these should be with you now, Mark. You should give them to your bride. I think she'll look beautiful in them."

Mark was silent, his eyes wide and he opened the case. Inside was a gold necklace, earrings and ring set all set with emeralds. The setting was delicate and Mark smiled. Yes. Princess would love this. And she would certainly look beautiful in it. His father lifted the ring. "Traditionally we've used this as an engagement ring. Unless you already have one."

Mark shook his head. "It cost Princess and me all the extra we had just to get our wedding rings." He gazed at his father. "Thank you, father. This really does mean a lot to me. I want to give Princess pretty things. She deserves them."

Cronus looked around the shack. "That's another thing, Mark. Before I went, Anderson and I put all my estate into a trust to pay for your schooling and my own expenses. I'm arranging for some of the trust to be released to you. It's been administered well, and there's more than enough to still keep some for your children. I hadn't realised before now that you might be short."

"Father, I don't know what to say..."

Cronus stood. "Don't say anything Mark. I've not been much of a father to you before. I only hope that I can make amends for that and possibly become a good grandfather in time."

The two embraced. "Don't do anything stupid, Mark. You've got a wonderful woman and I don't want to have to come after you."

Mark smiled. "You'd have to stand in line father. If I hurt Princess, then it's Jason who says he has first dibs on my ass."

"Goodbye, Mark. This has been a flying visit. I need to get back to Riga. I'm proud of you, my son."

Princess finished loading the dishwasher and sat down gratefully at the counter, sipping a cup of coffee. Thank heavens this shift was finished! Her feet were killing her after an unusually busy day at the Snack J.

She was also a little disappointed that her previous day's e-mail had not had a result. At one stage, she had thought that she had seen the person outside the window, but must have been mistaken.

"See you tomorrow, Jill," she said heading out the door before climbing on her bike and heading home.

As she entered the airfield she saw the small plane coming in for a landing, the setting sun behind it turning it into a firebird. She smiled at the irony of it but her heart also leapt. He would be just landing as she arrived at the hangar. Just the thought of Mark made her heart feel like it would burst with happiness.

Princess kicked off and headed for the hangar, determined to get a satisfying hug and kiss from her husband before he did his post-flight checks.

She kicked the stand on the bike just as the plane came to a stop. Mark sprang down and grabbed her into his arms "I've missed you darling," he said kissing her and holding her tight. "I was lonely without you."

She held him tight and returned his kisses. Only twelve months ago she had been in despair that Mark would never acknowledge his love for her. Now here she was married to him.

Princess helped Mark wheel the plane into the hangar, and then pushed her bike in there. She perched on it and watched while he checked it over and they then walked back to the house, arms around each other, stopping frequently to kiss in the last light of the setting sun.

As they entered the small house, Mark turned to her. "My father came by today," he said, drawing her down to the couch and snuggling her against him. She sighed with contentment.

"What did he want?"

"To talk about my mother, apparently. And to give me something for you. A family heirloom."

"Your mother? I've never heard your speak of your mother," she said turning and looking at the picture of Mark's family.

"I've never known about her. Anderson never spoke about her. And I could always vaguely remember my father, but never my mother. Now I know why." Mark took a deep breath, snuggled close to his wife and recounted what Cronus had told him.

Princess was horrified and she could feel Mark shudder in her arms as he told her. All she could do was hold him tight, kissing his forehead every now and then. Doing all she could to reassure him of her love.

When he finished they sat holding each other for a long time, before Mark stirred again. He leaned forward and picked up the velvet box from the coffee table where he had left it. He put it in her hands and rested his chin on her shoulder.

She opened the box and he heard her gasp of surprise and pleasure. "Mark, this is beautiful!"

"I know. My father even said you'd look lovely in them." He kissed her deeply. "I think you'd look lovely in them. In them and nothing else."

"Mark!" She blushed and he kissed her. Incredible, even after this time, with everything they tried with Jason, she could still blush when he gave a slightly naughty suggestion. He leaned over and lifted the ring out, holding it to her eyes.

"They're beautiful stones," he said, "but your eyes are still greener, Princess." He leaned over and kissed her eyelids. "Father said that this has been used as an engagement ring in our family. His mother – my grandmother – last wore it." Mark slipped it on her ring finger. "One of these days, Princess, I'm going to buy you an engagement ring that's all your own. One we choose. But until then, will you wear this one?"

It was her turn to kiss him. "I can wait for us to buy a special ring, Mark. And in the meantime, I'd love to wear this one. Even if we know so little about your family, it still gives us a connection."

Their embrace was longer this time, and Mark started to remove her clothes. Suddenly, he was consumed by need to see her wearing the beautiful emerald heirloom jewellery and nothing else. To see the gold and green jewels resting on her creamy skin…

He nibbled around her throat where the necklace would lie. "Undress, darling, and then put these one," he gestured at the necklace and earrings. "Please, love."

Her own need answered his, and she swiftly undressed and then allowed him to put the jewels on her. She could feel their coolness against her skin, before her body heat warmed up the gold settings. Her legs opened and she stroked herself as she watched her husband undress, his own gaze intent on her hands as she touched her own body. She knew he loved to watch her bring herself to climax, and she opened her legs wider, one hand rubbing her clitoris, the other playing with her nipples.

Mark moaned, normally he could watch her doing this all day, but his need for her was too great. He came back to the couch and lifted her onto his lap, his erection rubbing against her. He gave her support whilst she shifted to allow him to enter her and he leaned forward, taking one of her breasts in his own mouth.

"Beautiful Princess," he said softly as he thrust up into her. "Beautiful, beautiful."

The jewellery was so beautiful on her, and yet her own self was just as glowing a jewel. He thrust harder, bringing them both to climax and loving how she collapsed into his arms.

It wasn't enough. For some reason, neither of them could get enough of the other. He lifted her and carried her through to their bedroom, before dropping down onto the bed with her and using his mouth to make her gasp with pleasure, before she did the same to him.

But he was still hard, and she was still crying for him. Mark thrust deeply into his wife lying before him, her breasts bouncing with each thrust, her cries of pleasure loud and echoing his own.

Earth-shattering climax after earth shattering climax as they made love in every way they knew how; adapting, changing, loving. Time disappearing before their own need for each other.

They never even missed Jason's presence, so totally were they involved in their own world.

He couldn't ever remember how many hours later it was when she collapsed under him, and he withdrew from her, stroking her ass as he withdrew. The musk from their sex was almost tangible in the room. He bent down and kissed her ass cheeks, caressing them and marvelled that the same act he was unable to do with Jason seemed totally natural with his beautiful wife.

He rolled her over and she smiled up at him, eyes half closed with pleasure. Another low growl from him as he gazed down at her, something deep inside pleased at the evidence of his loving on her body. He could smell his seed in her, splashed onto her creamy skin. See the marks of his fingers, his teeth. And he could feel on his own body the evidence of her passion.

She held her arms to him and he sank into her embrace, his face buried in the ink of her hair, inhaling deeply, trying to imprint her on all of his senses.

"Mine," he growled.

"Yours," she agreed.