Hello all. Thanks again for your continued patience that I am almost certain I don't deserve. Have some Camsten fluff because you deserve it.

Chapter 26: A Love that Defines Us

Cameron was trying very hard not to be petty. The words "I told you so" hadn't yet left his lips, but his smug expression probably said as much. Kirsten had been struggling for the last five minutes to get out of her jeans. Even with the medication, her shoulder was still tender, hence why she was writhing on the bed, trying to yank her jeans off with one hand. She'd taken Cameron's offer to help as a challenge and promptly banished him to the loveseat in the corner. This was precisely the reason he'd told her to pack sweatpants, but he kept that to himself.

After another minute of mumbled swearing, Kirsten went limp and jutted her chin out in Cameron's direction. "Boyfriend."

Cameron cocked his head innocently to the side. "Yes, girlfriend?"

"Help me."

Why should I? was almost the first thing out of his mouth, but he couldn't even muster a straight face. Beaming, he made his way to the foot of the bed and grabbed the ends of her jeans. With the combined effort of him pulling and Kirsten's wiggling, the pants came off with a swoosh. Something landed with a heady thud against the carpet beside Cameron's foot. He bent down, holding the piece of quartz between his thumb and forefinger.

"I think this fell out of your pocket." He said, tossing it to her and throwing her jeans onto the loveseat.

Kirsten looked at the stone intently, running her thumb along one of its ridges. "I really need to find a better place for this. I'm going to end up losing it."

She turned and placed it on the nightstand. The lamplight sunk into the stone, illuminating every vein and fissure. Kirsten continued to study it, her brows knitted, focused. Cameron crawled onto the mattress beside her, settling on his knees and wrapping his arms around her waist. She made a small noise as he kissed behind her ear, a sweet, pure sound that stirred very impure feelings in the base of his stomach.

He asked quickly, "How long have you been carrying it around?"

Maybe it was his imagination, or another trick of the light, but he thought a faint blush had spread over her cheeks. Instead of answering, she slumped against him and tucked her chin against her chest so that he couldn't see her expression.

Cameron chased after her, nuzzling her cheek and making her squirm. "Come on, Dove, tell me."

Her mouth quirked in a reluctant smile, their faces barely an inch apart. "You're really broadening your horizons in the nickname department, aren't you?" He raised an eyebrow and she finally gave in. "I've had it on me since you gave it to me."

That surprised him. Honestly, Cameron hadn't much of a game plan that night – probably would have thought of something less cheesy to say if he had. He'd expected her to toss it as soon as he'd left, and the fact that she didn't felt like an honor.

Kirsten went on. "I remember the next morning I almost didn't bring it to work. I was halfway to the car and… I don't know. I couldn't leave without it. I kept telling myself it was just a rock, but it didn't feel like that. It felt special."

"Like a good luck charm." Cameron murmured.

"I don't think good luck charms work on me." She joked, but there was a sad truth to it. She amended, "No, this was more about having something from you. It almost felt like you were always with me. Whenever I get frustrated over a case or some emotional thing I don't understand, or I go into one of my obsessive episodes, I hold the stone in my hand and think about you. It helps." She pressed her lips together and looked at him, shy and expectant. "Is that crazy?"

Cameron was breathless and practically trembling as he reached out to cup her face. "Not to me."

He began to lean in but it was Kirsten that closed the distance, possessing his lips with hers. Cameron felt his entire body changing form, melting against her mouth and fingertips as they ghosted across his jawline. The kiss was drugging, reducing his mind to singular thoughts. Hands. Hair. Teeth. Tongue. Cameron gasped as she seized his bottom lip and nearly whined when she sucked on the tender spot.

His hands splayed over the small of her back and she arched into his touch. Cameron wasn't sure if he pulled her into his lap or if she came on her own volition. It didn't matter, because she was there, her body flush against his and he'd never felt more alive. Her fingers were electrifying as they traced down the length of his chest, diving swiftly beneath his shirt to the hem of his jeans. His deeply intoxicated brain ground to a halt, his eyes flying opening.

"Kirsten," he exhaled, "I don't want to hurt you."

She was already pulling him back. "You won't." His protests were lost to another kiss. When he tried to pull away again, she moved her lips to his throat. "We'll go slow." Her hot breath sent a tremor down his spine. "It'll be fine."

Cameron bucked his hips involuntarily, making her gasp. The sound had him biting his lip to the point of pain, desperately trying to regain his self-control.

Kirsten wouldn't allow it, kissing a sweet spot just below his ear. "Please, Cam." God, she was actually begging. "Please."

All of his air – and the last of his resolve – left him in a fierce breath. He curled his fist in her hair, drinking in the moan that escaped her. His other hand took it's time, clutching at her hip, then moving up her side, across her ribs to palm at her breast. She smiled into the kiss, pulling frantically at his shirt until it was over his head and discarded somewhere neither of them would remember.

Instead of reconnecting their lips, Kirsten splayed her fingers across his chest, right in the center of his scar, and pushed him back. Cameron went willingly, convinced that any moment he'd wake up from this dream. Her hands drifted along his chest, his arms, his sides, eyes devouring every inch of skin she explored. Cameron gasped when she found a sensitive spot below his ribs and she smiled as if to say I'll be using this against you later.

He surged up to kiss her in an attempt to even the playing field, but she thwarted him with a single finger to his lips.

"Now, now, lover boy." She said in a low drawl that had him feeling lightheaded.

She gave him a closed-lipped kiss, using her body weight to push him back against the mattress. Then she straightened, fingers slowly working at the buttons of her blouse. "You've got to be patient."

He made an incredulous noise, "You started it."

Kirsten laughed and he couldn't decide whether to smile or groan. Finally – finally – the buttons came undone. She didn't have to ask because Cameron's hands were already there, easing the fabric over her shoulders. He cast the garment aside, ready to kiss her senseless, but instead he froze.

The bandages were less egregious than when she'd first been released from the hospital. Her shoulder no longer needed to be immobilized, so a simple gauze pad – granted, it was the size of his palm – was enough. Gently, Cameron wove his hand around to her back, where there was a second pad covering the exit wound. The bullet may have come out clean, but from what Cameron could tell, the scar would be anything but.

Tears came to his eyes before he could stop them and he ducked his head hoping she wouldn't notice. Of course she did.

"Hey, hey, Cameron." Her hands framed his face, running her thumbs along the rise of his cheeks. "I'm okay."

He kept his eyes down and his fists at his sides, refusing to touch her. Kirsten sighed and shifted so that their foreheads were touching. Cameron tensed but didn't pull away, didn't resist when she took his hand and raised it to her heart. He kept his touch feather-light, still wary of bringing her discomfort, but the feeling of her heartbeat beneath his palm was calming.

"Feel that, Tinman?" Her voice was as soft as her smile. "I'm alright."

He swallowed. "I know."

And he did, truly. Kirsten had been making a steady recovery and medically she was well out of danger. That didn't change the fact that she'd be branded for the rest of her life. She'd have to live with what that monster did to her. Cameron was aware, perhaps subconsciously, that he would have to live with it, as well – a constant reminder that he'd almost lost her.

He shook his head, bringing himself back into reality. Kirsten crawled out of his lap and tucked herself against his side. His arms wove around her on their own accord and he kissed her temple. They sat like that for a while until Cameron decided she'd been waiting long enough.

"I've hated mine for such a long time." He explained. Kirsten placed her hand over his scar as if to shield him from the memories. "I always felt like it… marked me. Weak. Fragile. Not strong enough… and you, Kirsten Clark, are so strong. You shouldn't have to be marked like me."

Kirsten sighed, untangling herself from his arms and shifting so that they were eye to eye. He couldn't look at her for a few moments so she sat quietly, taking his hands and stroking his knuckles with her thumb. When he did look at her Kirsten was glad he didn't try and mask his expression. It was sad and maybe a little embarrassed, but also trusting.

"Cameron," she said, "do you think I'm weak or fragile just because of this? Do you think it defines me?"

"No! No, of course not."

A breath of a laugh escaped her. She couldn't help it. If only Cameron defended himself half as fiercely as he defended her. She'd never have to worry about him again.

Kirsten folded her arms and pulled his hands against her chest, holding them tight. "Then it doesn't define you, either." She could tell he wanted to argue or look away, but he held fast. She kissed the top of his hand. "Cameron, you have the strongest heart I've ever known."

That earned a smile – small and reluctant, but it felt like a victory. He grumbled, "You don't exactly have a large subject pool, Stretch."

"Oh hush." She pulled him even closer, snuffing out the last millimeter of space between them. "You showed me how to love, Cam. You don't think that's impressive?"

Cameron started to reply, then stopped. He probably had many things to say to that, but he settled on, "You don't give yourself enough credit, Stretch."

"We have that in common, then."

He snorted, nuzzling his cheek into her hair. "God, I love you."

Kirsten turned just a fraction. She could feel his breath on her lips. "Kiss me and prove it."

Thank you so infinitely much for reading!