Disclaimer: I do not own Howl's Moving Castle

A/N: I did a cliffhanger. I did a cliffhanger. Okay, okay I'll stop. I was just teasing. I know some people go crazy over it and since this such a big, important chapter which everyone I'm sure has been waiting for I'm going to dedicate this to someone. Drum roll please...

Chapter Twenty Five

For run4life

She couldn't believe it. He...He would love such a little thing such as herself? Had he loved her all this time? Was that the reason why he helped her all these years? Out of love for her? She didn't doubt that he was doing this out of some goodness. There was no doubt about that at all. Although he was a dark wizard after all...There had to be some level of self-interest in his intentions. She knew that he hated Lady Belladonna for more than many reasons, which he had never told her either. But...How could he love someone like her? Someone so dependent as her? People thought she was so independent, in more ways than one but she knew deep down she was more dependent on him in more ways than one. Who was she to love? She had no time for such things. She would be selfish and careless if she allowed herself to fall in love. Especially with the person she was working with to achieve this aim as well. Did she deserve such a thing? Was she capable of being loved? She could hear Lady Belladonna's taunts hissing in her ear, telling her that she wasn't worth anything to any man. She wasn't capable of being loved. She was small, plain, worthless. What could she offer to any man other than a moments pleasure? She had nothing to offer. Nothing. She was nothing.

Don't believe her.

She looked up startled. Her sapphire eyes met his dark pools. She shivered all over at this gaze, it made her feel naked. This spurred him on even more. He was so close now. It was like a shark was about to approach the bait. Looking at them sent her back to tha night. It sent a shiver across her body. She was so brave. They were so brave in what they had done. In what they had confessed. They could have continued to live in the shadows. He could have chosen to not tell her, but he did. She felt herself slowly sink into them, by each moment they were both falling into one unified soul. She held herself against him, holding onto the tops of his arms and leant her head against his chest, feeling and listening to his heartbeat. She was home. She was safe. The heartbeat was slow but strong, as if his heart wanted to leap out of his chest and be given to her as a gift. As an oath of their love. Was their love even certain? They had both seen it but nothing had been said yet. Was someone going to protest against it? Say it was too irrational? Too impossible? Sometimes, in the midst of chaos and complications, love seemed impossible but somehow it had been able to break through those boundaries.

"Is it possible?" She whispered. He laced his fingers through her hair, stroking it gently.

Was it possible for them to love one another? They were so different in some ways but in others they were exactly the same. Was he possible to love another? To let someone in and for them to love him just as he is? Without the secrets. Without the hiding. He wasn't that selfish, surely? He had come this far for her. The thought of abandoning her was the most painful thing he could imagine doing. That was a true crime. Not his study of the Dark Arts. The Academy didn't know what a true crime was. There was a time where he scoffed at the idea of love, but then again Morgan didn't exactly demonstrate a good example of it. Now, he couldn't imagine living with his heart. A heart he was willing to give over, completely to her. He was beginning to feel like he was becoming a part of her and vice versa.

"I hope so. For you..." He struggled to call her something. Not Daniella. Never that name. The name she branded herself by guilt. "For you, my love...I hope that more than anything."

My Love. It had been a long time since he said those two little words. Those two sweet words that for a dark soul such as himself for him to even dare utter was almost unnatural. It sounded so strange, yet so natural for him to say. He remembered the one who had called him that before. All those years ago when he was just a boy, unaware of the existence of this woman in his arms in this very moment. Mother. She was the only one who had called him that and knew to give that to someone who had loved as he loved the woman he was now holding. It was the name you gave to all that you wanted. All that was enough to live for. Something you would never betray. Something that you would be as honest to as you would be to yourself. Never to contradict. Never to abandon for something fickle. Then he remembered the letter. They had both forgotten it. He knew that it would be a letter about the 'betrayal' the Academy would request Daniella to commit. Something now that would punch a hole through her chest. Just like he, she could never bring herself to betray her other half. She might as well rip out her own heart.

"Daniella the letter you received from the Academy. It is a letter asking you to report of my activities..." He began.

Her eyes shot open and she stared up at him. "Activities? They want me to spy on you? Why?"

He held her by her arms and looked into her eyes again. "It was a plan Morgan formulated. The only way I could be elected was for a student to be entrusted to spy on me for my interests. There couldn't be any other reason for me to be seriously considered. They want to find something to accuse me with. Damn me with then persecute me. It's alright, you can tell them you found nothing."

"What if they try to read me?" She demanded weakly.

"They won't. That is a Dark Art." He admitted uncomfortably. "They would only use that as a last resort and I'm sure they wouldn't use it on you. But if there was the case that they would use it on you I know you are strong enough to defend yourself against it."

She shook her head, frowning. She hadn't found anything that was worth a criminal offence. He-She-Both of them had done in on numerous occasions. Sometimes even Lady Belladonna did it when she wanted to find out whether Daniella had done something without her permission. It would explain why she sometimes felt so disconcerted when he was in her thoughts. Did he not know until this point? Did he not realise until this day then, about how she felt about him? Kain was right, what it was studying wasn't evil it was truth. It was just on some occasions they had been venturing into some morally grey areas. Areas which needed to be ventured into in order to take another step forward. Her emotions weren't clouding her judgement she was sure of it. She had thought about this logically and she knew that there was nothing amiss in Kain's conduct or in his investigations. It still worried her. What if Morgan really was with the counsel and was working against both of them? She closed her eyes. She didn't want to even dare to think about that. She didn't even want to consider it right now. She dismissed the dark, cloudy thought. She shook her head like a helpless child and smiled up at him meekly.

He tilted his head to the side, his eyes twinkling gently with affection. "You don't think I'm too old for you?" He asked in a husky voice. She shook her head. "You don't mind that this will cause a scandal?" She shook her head again, wordlessly. "You aren't troubled at all by my practices?"

"No, Kain. I'm not. It is yours. I can't take that from you. I can't damage something that I love otherwise that would cause me more pain than anything else."

This and the afternoon welcomed Kain to steal a kiss from her. He tilted his head slightly. He was gentle. Slow. His lips brushed against hers gently. It was a virginal kiss. Gentle. Cautious. Bitter-sweet. It promises nothing and everything. Her face glowed at her first touch. Her body shook all over with surprise and desire. He could feel that much from her without having to intrude within her thoughts. He ran his thumb across her lower lips, teasing another kiss from her. She stared up at him. Her eyes were bright and seductive. Daring him to go further, but reminding him of the fragile soul that she was. His thumb slid down her chin, down her throat which seemed to shiver at his touch. He wanted her throat. His breathing became heavy and impatient. His eyes were wandering and ravenous. His hand brushed against the curve of her waist and pulled her closer. She moved her face away playfully allowing him to brush his lips against her neck and kiss her hair. Her body began to buzz. A warm, tingling sensation ran through her body. She opened up herself for him. Eventually his lips found its home again, then the world exploded.