Sorry this chapter has taken so long, I wanted it to be perfect as we have all waited for this moment. After rewriting the entire thing about what feels like every day I opened the file, and being awake enough most days with work. We finally get to see their reunion! I really hope you all enjoy this chapter! Cannot wait for you guys to see what else I have in store! I apologize in advance if it is not the reuniting we were hoping for but... I liked it. :P

SO

In reading over earlier chapters I have noticed an error on my part with Jana's current age. She was 18 in chapter 1, it's been 6 years since her journey started making her not 28/29 as I have said but; 24.

My whole body felt like it was on fire, and yet I felt so cold. So numb to what was happening in front of me. My robes were soaking wet and my hair matted against my face and yet there he was. It had been nearly five years. Five years since I had heard his voice, felt his warmth, tasted his lips. Yet no words would spill from my lips as I stood there staring at him with such a mixture of emotions.

I was both sad and angry that he had never once tried to get word to me of where he was or what he had been doing. Happy that he was still alive and standing before me, terrified that he would not accept the woman I had become. Lastly, heartbroken that I still felt as if he was so farm from reach even being but steps from me.

His eyes were on me, looking me over with the same disbelief that I must have shown on my own face. His eyes traveling all over my body, almost to see what I had become over the years he had not seen me. Though I had always felt that I was the same, that nothing had changed. Though from the look in his eyes, much had changed,

There was so much that I wanted to say, to tell him. His eyes soon made it to my own, his lips slowly parted leaving my entire body almost instantly craving him as I moved a small bit closer to him. I raised my hand to reach out to him only for Agron to call me from a short distance away.

"Get over here now." He told him his eyes boring into me with fury as I looked back towards Gannicus who stood there his mouth slightly parted as he stared at me his eyes slowly filling with sadness and longing. I opened my lips to speak to him but no words came out, quickly I turned from him and ran over to Agron.

"You don't speak to that Celtic fuck, do you hear me?" He told me as I felt my heart break.

"You cannot forbid me from speaking to him." I told him.

"That shit, accepted coin to kill your friends." I couldn't help but look back at Gannicus, he would never do such a thing. Not after everything he had been forced to endure within that house. He would have been right there with us that day had he not been given the rudis.

"You're lying." I snapped at him.

"Jana, get dressed in warmer clothes. We have to get Oenomaus and Crixus back to the temple, they both need the medicus." He told me as he walked away from me leaving me alone, my heart beating heavily against my chest. I was scared to move, or even think.

I felt a tear slowly slide down my cheek, this entire day was an emotional nightmare. Why would the gods ever wish for me to go through such a thing. Was it a sign or a warning? I could hardly find the motivation to me, the only thing running through my mind besides the shock of seeing him again was what my brother had just revealed to me.

"Jana…" His deep sultry voice broke from behind me, the way he said my name sounding more like a question than anything. I bit my lip fighting back the tears now almost completely threatening to spill from my eyes.

Slowly I turned to face him, his head was down and his hands seemed to not know what to do, he wiped them on his bottoms revealing he was sweating. I pushed my wet hair behind my ear as I looked up at him our eyes once again connecting. Why was this so uncomfortable, so awkward. Seeing my brothers after even more time apart was such an easy transition, why did this need to be so complicated.

"Gannicus…" I managed to get out finally, his mouth moved to open once again when Spartacus shouted for us all to hurry and change into warmer clothing for the journey home, it would be at least a full days walk. I was sure we would have chance to speak, if Agron would even allow either of us to get closer a second time.

"Jana, get over here." Agron called as I looked over my face revealing the pains inside my chest as his grew upon seeing Agron, clearly not knowing our familial bond. I licked my lips feeling them dry up, "My… um." I stammered out as I cleared my throat. "Brother… he calls." I said as I turned only to feel his hand take my wrist gently.

"Jana, please." He spoke softly. "I thought of nothing else but this moment since they moment you left my arms." He told me as I could feel my heart break, he had not a lie in his eyes. If only he knew that I had waited these past years for him.

"I longed for nothing else but your touch, your smell, I had sent letters to Dom- Batiatus many times in hopes you were alright…I never got responses, I just assumed he burned them all." My eyes widened to the revelation that he had in fact tried to send word to me.

I opened my mouth to speak yet still no sound. "I had thought you were dead, tried to convince myself of such. Though the thought of a world without you in it seemed more dark than one were I could not be near you."

"Gannicus… I…." I began to say as Spartacus made his way towards us, "Jana throw something warm over yourself, we will make camp as soon as the sun dies down…" He told us as I nodded before he walked away.

"Yet you have found… another man." He told me as he looked away.

"I have done no such thing, but love you since the moment your left. There stood no equal to you, have there been men yes; one. Though I am not naive enough to think you have not sought comfort in women over the years… my heart will always belong to you… and only you." I told him as we continued to walk alongside the group.

"I would not call any woman beyond you comforting." He sighed, trying to relax himself around me. "I assumed the wine helped with that." I teased him slightly.

"When I had first heard of the attack on the Villa, I was told there were no survivors save for the gladiators… I had agreed to serve as executioner to give Oenomaus a gladiators death upon the sands… myself hopefully to follow soon after." He explained to me.

"Would it surprise you to know I had hand in orchestrating the entire attack on the villa?" I questioned him, wanting to avoid speaking with him about his hand being in the near death of Crixus and Oenomaus.

He stopped me from walked as a few others nearly stumbled by us, "That would indeed surprise me… much has changed though I would suppose." He told me as I lowered my head, "Much, though I would hope you would not think less of me with what you learn in the coming days." I asked.

"A thing I do not believe to be possible." He smiled to me before he helped me put a warmer robe over my shoulders. "I suppose I should have allowed you to change before taking up conversation with you." He half laughed.

"This is uncomfortable for you is it not?" I asked him as he nodded, "All the things I want to say sound so…" He started to stammer out.

"Dated?" I asked him, "I would love to know, where you have been, what you've seen, done, eaten… though I feel none of it would matter." I told him as he nodded.

"I look forward to getting to know the woman you've become, and the things I lost chance to see… Where we are headed… did Barca make it out of the villa?" He asked me as I looked away feeling the heaviness on my heart.

"No, he… his life was taken from him by Batiatus. For thinking about freedom." I told him as he seemed to slowly shut down. "I...Is there no one left?" He asked me.

"Gnaeus was kicked off the side of the cliff by Spartacus, for causing harm to Barca's lover days after Barca was killed. Justified death." I sighed, "We lost many of the Gauls in the mines when they had left to rescue Naevia." I told him, "I think you may see a few familiar faces, though I would hazard to say few friends."

Gannicus just nodded uncomfortable; "Gnaeus was a-" I turned to him and cut him off. "The boy he raped and beat was a friend of mine, and a sweet boy. He lost his privilege to be a gladiator the moment he laid hand on him… He's only lucky it was Spartacus who ended his torment and not me… I would have done… much worse."

Gannicus took my hand in his, "I was only going to say that he was a good fighter but a terrible man, his days were numbered the moment he gained any sort of attitude."

I shrugged; "I suppose you are not wrong though had he lived long enough to join the rebellion I would have slit his throat in his sleep." I remarked as we noticed everyone had begun to set up camp. I stopped walking and let out a deep sigh in frustration, "Apologies, I shouldn't be speaking as I am. I guess I am just still unsure how to be anything but a stranger with you… with how my heart yearns and my mind is racing I have really no idea how to engage." I told him as he nodded.

"You and I are of like mind, Jana. Though I will not give up thought that we will find our way to be as we were again… I will prove to you I am still deserving of your heart." He told me before he walked off to find Spartacus.

I sat down on the ground after quickly removing the wet robes throwing them into the sack that I had hidden the dry ones in. I looked around seeing Gannicus kneeling down next to Oenomaus who was still unconscious from whatever happened to him in the arena, Mira was attending to Oenomaus as best she could. Spartacus and my brother were a bit away from the group and they seemed to be arguing; or well Agron seemed to be very upset about something.

The rest of the men were spread about near fires warming up and cleaning up from the water, and the trek we had just made. I felt a body move and sit next to me placing a hand on my knee, I looked over to see Crixus as he smiled to me. "Reunited at last." He told me he voice filled with pain from his injuries.

"And yet my mind and heart feel two very different feelings towards current events. I am unsure how to… speak to him Crixus." I told him as he just sighed, "With words is usually best." He teased as I rolled my eyes.

"Does your heart yet still burn for the man?" He asked me as I nodded. "And your mind is just scared this is yet a dream?" He questioned, followed by another nod.

"Then what you are is reacting fairly normally I would wager to think, I myself am not sure how to speak to the man though… I knew him less than a year." He laughed softly.

"I just know I cannot touch him, lay with him, kiss him or hold him. It is far too soon, and what if we realize we do not yet still burn for each other?" I asked him.

"If it is love then it is never too soon, you waited for him for… what a lifetime?" He asked me, "You do what you wish most, Jana. There is not a person here who can say otherwise to your heart."

"Agron would-" He cut me off, "Agron is your brother, not your keeper nor your mother." He told me. "It is about time he stopped treating you as he did Duro. You are not fragile and there are enough men in our camp that would protect you… he need not worry for your safety." He told me.

I just nodded, as Crixus handed me the necklace he always wore around his neck. I was surprised the Romans did not take it from him. "Gannicus gave me this when he left. Though it really always belonged to you, didn't it." He asked.

"Gratitude." I told him as I took the necklace from him holding it in hand. "You should get some sleep however, you look…" He began to say as I glared at him, "You look exhausted." He laughed before getting up extending a hand to me. "That fire is the biggest, it will keep you warm." He smiled to me as I nodded before heading over to the fire with him.

"I like the white and light blue on you much better. Brings out your eyes, you seem so keen on hiding behind your mop of brown hair." Gannicus' teased me as he entered the cart.

"Charming." I threw back at him.

"At last! The girl defends herself." He smirked at me before letting out a sigh, "Are you nervous?" I asked him as he looked over towards me.

"Nervous? Not at all, if I were to die today I would have preferred it to be in the arena. However today is not the day I die, you will no be a witness to my death Jana." He told me as I shook my head.

"Do you treat everything as a joke or just your life?" I asked him as he roared with laughter. "Just this match, it is no doubt a joke on it's own." He grinned to me as I again shook my head.

"Are you scared for me Jana? Worried I will die today?" He asked me.

"I am worried of your death as I would worry of any of the Ludus' men's deaths." I lied; I was worried he would fall today in the marketplace. (From Chapter 3)

I remembered that day almost as if it had happened the night before, as if he and I were back sitting in the cart sharing such awkward small talk while my crush on him festered in my heart like a hive of bees. Each moment with him I had never wanted to end, every glance he would take with me sending me to insanity.

I sat up seeing Agron sitting off with Donar talking while Spartacus and Mira slept near Oenomaus. Crixus was not too far from me, asleep like everyone else. Though I could not find nor see Gannicus. I slowly stood up making sure not to capture the attention of my brother, not wanting to have to deal with him or his anger towards Gannicus at this how of the day. Slowly making my way into the forest I saw him, he was sitting in a small clearing looking up at the sky, so beautifully littered with stars.

Slowly I made my way towards him, each step careful and as silent as the one before. "I spent many nights looking up at the stars wondering if you were looking at them with me." He spoke softly as I finally made my way towards him.

"I likely was." I told him as I sat down next to him, "I often dreamed of what it would be like had I just escaped and gone with you." I told him, "What sort of life we would have had."

"I would have taken you to where I came from… fields of grass nearly as tall as you, lakes and rivers, vast deep forests, the ocean." He told me, "Animals everywhere roaming as free as we would have been… We could have had a family." He told me finally.

"We would not have been ready." I chuckled as he soon joined. "No, but with the passion we once held… I do not think it would have been possible to avoid." He told me.

"Still the joker." I smiled as he nodded, "I wished every day to come back and free you." He told me, "Though my gut kept telling me he would kill you before he would ever let you free. With the things you knew about the house."

"Sometimes a woman has to do things herself, Gannicus." I teased as he just stared at me. "You're so much more beautiful than I remember." He spoke softly as I looked away from him uncomfortably.

"Age does that, I suppose. Gannicus… you know I've done some… awful things." I told him as he shrugged, "Nothing that wasn't ever forced upon you. I was there the night Batiatus forced knife into hand to help end a man's life. I can only assume from that moment on, Oenomaus felt fit to teach you how to fight." He spoke softly.

"He did…" I spoke confused looking over at him, "I asked him before I left to make sure you could protect yourself while I was unable." He told me, which made Oenomaus offering to teach me so much more obvious.

"I should have left with you…"

"No." He spoke with a short laugh, "This was the woman you were meant to be… even from the few moments I've been allowed with you… you are so much more brave, outspoken and well fierce. Melitta would be proud of you." He told me.

"Melitta should be here with us, and Diona, Barca and Auctus… so many others. I've grown into something I'm not sure you could ever love again Gannicus. I've taken lives with pride, I have stolen, I helped plan this whole mess…" I drifted as he placed his hand on my leg.

"They are here, Jana. They will always live on in our memories and in our hearts. All of them. I do love you, every part of you. I will probably love who you've become even more than I loved who you were. What man could not?" He smiled. "As for helping with this rebellion, though I may not fully understand it… you did what was needed to survive and to protect those you love… who could ever fault any of you for such a thing?"

"The Romans." I smirked.

"Fuck the Romans."

"We have been." I sighed as I moved closer to him, "Then perhaps I will allow you such grandiose opportunity to get to know the new… me."

"Ah! I look forwards to it."

"Come, we should get some sleep. It will be warmer by the fire." I told him as he nodded. "I will be right there." He told me as I looked at him furrowing my brow. "I promise you Jana. When you awake I will be right beside you." He told me as I shrugged before getting up and walking back to the fire.

I woke up the next morning to the feeling of someone slightly shaking me awake. I quickly opened my eyes to see Gannicus sitting in front of me his arm on my shoulder. Much like he had said, he has a smile on his face much different from the sullen, confused, happy, sad…. Emotions of his face from the day before.

"Did you think I would have left?" He asked me.

"Many things can happen to a man through the night." I told him as he helped me up, "You are not wrong though, as promised… I was right here."

"He watched you sleep." Donar called from a few feet away. "Oh, how pleasant." I sassed.

"I watched over her. I did not watch her sleep." Gannicus groaned.

"Same thing, is it not?" I questioned him as we walked back towards where Oenomaus was, clearly not doing so well still. "I was worried that perhaps you were something of my imagination. Your brother seems like he hates the sight of me." He offered.

I looked back over at Agron who was glaring in my direction, "Safe assumption, you are probably not wrong with. Come we need to get Oenomaus back to the temple, he needs medical treatment." I told him once we reached the others.

Spartacus looked over at us as we reached them, "We should not have stopped." I spoke as he looked over at me slightly shaking his head. "We must hurry, we can reach the temple by run rise if we hurry."

"You take his one arm, Spartacus you his other… the rest of us will form up around you… in case of attack." Agron spoke pointing at Gannicus, "Since you're responsible for his state."

"Agron." I warned him as Spartacus went to speak only to keep his mouth shut. "He is not wrong, though had I not been there and holding back in our fight… a good man would have died." Gannicus spoke.

I had not meant for it to come out yet it did, with more anger than I had even meant to use. "Yet a good man did die. Rhaskos is dead." I snapped as Mira's eyes widened only for her to rush over to me pulling me away from the men.

"What was that?" She questioned me.

"Suppose I am still upset by him having been gone all this time… my heart swells at the sight of him and I long to be in embrace, lips upon his… yet my heart hurts, Mira." I told her as she nodded, "And it will." She spoke softly as we stopped walking waiting for the men to start walking towards the temple.

"It will take time for the anger to soften from your heart, but he is your man. You have waited and longed for this moment. Have faith in the gods, Jana… they would caution patients and time." She smiled.

"We both know you are right, I'm just stubborn." I laughed softly to her. "Just like your brother." She told me as I rolled my eyes, "Agron hates him." I sighed as Donar approached us.

"He doesn't hate the man, he just doesn't wish for his sister to be hurt by a man who already left her alone once before. Anyway we are ready to go do you both have everything?" He asked as we both nodded. "Alright, I'll walk with you too make sure everything goes smoothly." He grinned.

"I was hoping you would be the sap we get to run the rest of the way with." Mira sassed.

"They live!" A rebel yelled as we finally approached the temple, the men had decided to carry Oenomaus on a blanket, one man at each corner to allow him to lay down.

"Get the medicus!" A girl shouted as Mira and I walked through last, Donar in front of us and Crixus slowly behind us.

"Someone get water and cloth to tend wounds!" Spartacus shouted as I watched Mira chase after him, "He will be alright." Crixus told me softly before letting out a heavy sigh. "You have someone we need to reunite to your arms." I reminded him as he smiled.

"Gratitude, Jana." He told me as I half nodded softly as I watched him walk away.

"What news?" A man asked as Agron and Donar soon walked up the steps standing next to me. "The Arena is burned to fucking ground. With many Romans among the ashes!" He shouted out as many of the rebels cheered with him as I looked around the people, Chadara making her way to the front of the group asking about Rhaskos even though I knew the sentiment she was holding was both false and empty.

"He is sadly among those who died." I spoke as she looked down, part of me wanting to tell her to find another cock to wet her thighs with false hope of position. Yet, such words would remain forever within my lips.

"As she said, he fell as every man should." Donar called out.

"With sword in hand and blood upon his thoughts." Agron finished. "He died with great honor." I added my eyes firmly on her before turning on my heel and heading into the temple to find the others.

I entered the room where everyone was gathered around Oenomaus body. Naevia spotting me with a great relief in her eyes to the sight of me still being of breath. I smiled to her trying to spot if Crixus had made it here, as he had clearly not found Naevia yet. Gannicus was somewhat hunched over top of his fallen friend. My attention was taken from the men when I watched Naevia rush out of the temple's room towards her man, causing my heart to flutter with joy for her. After all they had both been forced to endure such a thing was most welcomed, they deserved this happiness.

I waited outside on the steps of the temple as Donar began to embellish details of the fall of the arena to many of the slaves surrounding him. Heavy footsteps approached from behind me before quickly taking place next to me on the steps. "I feel the fall was much quicker than that." He told me as he nudged me.

"I would imagine there was more screams of fear and panic than the wailing of children." I told Gannicus as I let myself lean my head on his shoulder. "Though I would much rather live in this moment than a single moment for any Roman. I have waited for you, for this… for so many years." I told him.

"However now that you are here I worry and wonder for how long."

"Until the day you send me away." He told me without a note of hesitation. "I will stay by your side until the gods take me from you."

"Lift trouble hearts." Spartacus spoke from behind us. "Oenomaus stands a titan. One that shall live to raise sword again." He spoke as we both stood up, Mira as usual trailing behind him.

"To fight by your side?" Gannicus asked him. "If he chooses to take up cause against the Romans." Spartacus told him.

"Cause?" Gannicus questioned him before looking to me. "The man has a cock to rival Jupiter himself."

"Gannicus." I sighed, "I told you about this…"

"You told me you helped plan your escape from the villa. Not a cause to kill Roman legions." He told me as I rolled my eyes, he wasn't wrong.

"You have few errant slaves that amounts to flies circling a bull's ass." Gannicus told him as I could tell from the look on Spartacus face, he was less than impressed with the man I constantly spoke highly of, fought to be free for.

"Did he miss the part where we pulled the arena down on his head?" Mira asked looking between Spartacus and I.

"That did nearly kill Oenomaus." I muttered.

"Rome is propped up by more than a few wooden beams." Gannicus pointed out. If your cause is to see your lives cut short, then you march towards certain victory. Though I think I along with Jana's… brother are of like mind in this… she will not be joining such cause."

"The cause is as much her's as it is any of us here." Mira spat out.

"Is it your cause to die, Jana or to be a free woman?" He asked, "I remember many late night talks when we were last in each others arms of a life together, such a thing would not be possible should you continue with this… cause."

"Enough. The cause is not just about, Spartacus, Me… or anyone here but of all those who have yet shackles to their necks and whips to their backs." I explained. "It is bigger than just the few errant slaves around us."

"Then why did you choose to aid us, if you believe such? You did not even know she was among us then." Spartacus asked him as I curious to the response looked up at Gannicus.

"You mistake choice for repayment of a debt." Gannicus told him. "One owed to Oenomaus. Only with the new knowledge of my heart being among those that went to save him did I care to aid any further." He told them, as much as I loved hearing him call me such… I yet still felt hurt by the words.

"Absent the debt to Oenomaus, we would not be breaking words." Gannicus told him.

"Then you would never have found Jana again." Mira spat. "A thing I would likely regret for the rest of my life, though it does not make it any less true." He told her before moving past them to see to Oenomaus leaving me alone with them both.

"He is right." Mira spoke finally. "We were mistaken. To have placed faith in his intentions."

"His intentions are towards lifelong friend, he will stay though I cannot say he will be eager to help." I told her, "He is without his rudis which means… he couldn't go back to the Romans he would be a fugitivus."

"He stays only for you, and his own selfish needs." Mira spat. "Selfish?" I questioned her.

"What is selfish about wishing to be close to someone you love? One does not have to agree with what a person does to support and be with them…" I told her as I looked over at Spartacus.

"Jana is right...Nasir once made attempt on my life, and yet now he stands trusted among us. Perhaps as Jana says, Gannicus can be swayed as well, with desire towards being closer to her."

"May take a while for him to agree to put his swords towards cause, but I do not believe he would leave my or Oenomaus side… not again."

"Or perhaps you should have killed him in the arena." She growled as Spartacus looked to me, "Than you should have slit my throat before leaving him and his corpse on the sands." I snapped before walking after Gannicus.

We both sat quietly in the room where Oenomaus lay, occasionally asking each other questions of the lives we had to live while apart. He apparently spent much time wondering from city to city drinking the taverns out of wine. He was not even shocked to hear that I had been chosen to replace Santos as a body slave to Batiatus. Claimed my wit and cunning were always going to see me placed above any others.

That and I had forced myself to be more useful than ever needed, along with my knowledge and ability to know many languages was more than helpful in my growth in that house. Though pointless now that we were rebels to the Empire. I could hear soft footsteps approach as I just shook my head and leaned against the wall, as Gannicus told me to be quiet and keep myself hidden.

I had told him all about Chadara, and her annoying need and desire to be in position when there were no such things in this rebellion. Not yet anyway. "I have heard tales of your victories in the arena." She spoke as I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

"Days long past." Gannicus spoke flatly to her.

"Mira tells you were just upon its sands. Standing as executioner for the Romans." She asked him.

"I stood for a brother. To see him to an honorable death." He told her, "And Rhaskos?" She asked. "Did he find the same?"

"The man held some meaning to you?" He asked her as I watched him turn slightly to face her.

"He elevated position. I gave comfort."

"It appears that bargain has come to an end." He told her as he turned back around to face Oenomaus. "I would see another struck." She spoke eagerly.

"With a man of greater worth…" She had begun to speak.

"I hold no position among these men. Nor do I seek it." He told her, "Yet you stand among them."

"I seek only words with an old friend, and to regain the love of a woman long absent from my arms." He told her as I could almost hear the annoyance in her voice when she asked who.

"Jana. The only woman I would ever wish to be granted comfort from. She elevates me to the heights of the gods." He told her as I could hear her huff something before storming off.

"I elevate you?" I questioned nudging his knee. "Always." He smiled down at me before joining me on the floor.

"I am not even sure this is such a good idea." I told him.

"I would wait until the end of time to have your love returned to me Jana. Even longer still in the end of time was too short a time to wait." He told me.

"Are you making a jest?" I arched my brow to him.

"I have waited nearly five years to have you this close to me, done unspeakable things, heartbreaking things in the thought that you were gone from my arms forever. Now that you are here… I will stay until as I said… you ask me to leave." He told me as he lightly caressed my cheek. "You hold the next step in your hands…"

"And if I sent you away?" I asked him.

He looked at me sternly, "I would die." He told me, "Life without you was a waste enough as it was… knowing I lost you would be the end of everything." He told me.

I looked away from him, than over to Oenomaus. His everything was Melitta and without her, he still lived on even though his life and anything he did was to honor her and her memory. Though I knew deep in my heart Gannicus would just waste away in some tavern seeking out death until in would come in the form of a fight with the wrong person.

"Stay with me, fight with me."

"I will fight for you, but I will not fight for their cause." He told me "I fight to earn your love once again."

"You always have it."