With the story of Ash and Jane's return having been told, the survivors relaxed by the fire, as they often did, reflecting on the day, chatting, and just generally enjoying the evening respite. While there was no set timetable for trials, it seemed once the sun fell on the survivor camp, they were done for the day.

Amanda and Nancy had been coaxed by Kate to stand beside her while she played an acoustic version of The Bangles "Walk Like an Egyptian." By unspoken telepathy, Kate sang Vicki Peterson's opening verse, while Nancy sang the middle verse originally from Michael Steele. The short, dark-haired Amanda, like the short, dark-haired Susanna Hoffs before her, closed out the song with the final verse.

Steve wrapped an arm around Nancy, smiling, as she returned to sit on the ground beside her. Jake grinned at Amanda as she trudged through the dirt and muttered, "You're a regular karaoke queen."

She whispered, "Before I turned into an undead murderer, I actually was lead singer of a punk rock band for a few years."

Jake looked at her as though she'd just told him she'd discovered the cure for cancer. Amanda looked at him questioningly. "We've been a couple for over 23 years. How is this the very first time I'm hearing that you were once a punk rock singer?"

Amanda giggled and shrugged. "It was so long ago, and we never like, cut an album or anything. We just played in dive bars and stuff like that. I wasn't the female reincarnation of Paul McCartney. I wonder what she'd be called. Pauline McCartney?"

"Ok, tell me. What was the name of the band?" Amanda's face reddened and she shook her head. "Come on, what was it? Cannibal Sex Vibrators? The Devil Bangers? Come on, fess up."

Amanda was silent for several moments. Finally she whispered something in his ear, but he couldn't make it out. He gestured for her to say it again. In a louder whisper, she said, "Fydolla Ho."

Jake shook his head. "I can't believe that didn't just immediately come to mind." He put on an expression of mock disdain. "I bet you attracted a lot of attention from the groupies, with what I assume were ensembles of short skirts and fishnets. You didn't shave your head, did you?" Jake's lips broke into a grin.

"No, I didn't shave my head, I wasn't that deep into it," Amanda retorted. "I'll admit some of the hot groupies were deep into me...But not as deeply as you've been into me. Definitely not as well-endowed." She tweaked his nose, squeezed his crotch, and smiled as he gawked at her trademark bluntness. "Don't act shocked, I know from your obvious experience in bed that you were no virgin before I had you."

Jake nodded and chuckled. "No groupies, but I'll admit, you are the best. Very...Um...Creative."

"I bet. I never met her, but I bet Blair was pretty boring in bed. Anyone with the name Blair sounds like they'd be boring." She shot him a confident stare. "You're lucky I decided to claim you, and marry you, and make you my fucktoy for eternity, among other things." And with a smile, she planted her lips on his. Jake loved the feel of them on his own, like they were made for him to kiss.

Their lips parted, and they both smiled the knowing smile that only couples who have been together for a long time share with each other. Amanda glanced over to where Ash and Jane were doing a bit of canoodling themselves and said, "Should we snag them now?" Jake nodded.

So they stood and collected the returning pair. In a way, they were kind of glad. Now having a second pair of lovebirds leave and return formed an even deeper bond between them. It was a unique experience that only the four of them now shared.

Ash had arched a brow when they'd asked him and Jane to come with them, but Amanda insisted that it was nothing major, and definitely no big deal. So they followed the pair as Amanda and Jake led them into the interior of the automated shop that served to provide the items they used to survive in the trials.

"As you may have suspected, when it was clear you were gone for good, everyone else cannibalized all the leftover items you two left behind," Jake said.

Ash nodded, "Fair is fair, the same thing happened to all your stuff. Obviously we haven't done hardly any trials since we got back, so we don't have much store credit."

Amanda set a stack of bloodpoints on the counter. "Well, it's a good thing we have extras then. We decided it would be nice to let you restock on some things so you're prepared when you go into the upcoming trials."

Jane's eyes widened. "How many do you have there?" Her eyes darted over the red stones, trying to count how many were currently stacked on the counter with the calculator in her head.

"Well, Jake have a stockpile of stuff, and we don't use stuff often in the trials, so our points have stacked up," Amanda said. "We each had just shy of one million in bloodpoints, so we each gave up about 500,000 each."

Ash and Jane both gawked. Neither were very thrifty with the points they collected from before, usually quickly spending them as soon as the trial was over and they found the stones earned on the corner of the bed.

"One million? Holy Toledo, I didn't think we could even earn that much." Ash stared at the pile, astonished.

The cut off seems to be once you've collected a million or so. Once we get there, if we do a trial, we get nothing for it other than the satisfaction of survival or the pain of sacrifice and death," Jake explained.

Jokingly, Ash said, "Uh oh, be careful honey. They want something from us. They're trying to buy us into some crazy foursome or something. They've got a copy of the Kama Sutra, I've seen it on their little bookshelf. This is the initiation into the sex orgy."

Jake and Amanda both burst out laughing. "Sorry Ash," Amanda jokingly shot him down. "You're too much like a..."

Ash held up a hand. "Don't say father. Do not say the word father. Do not make me feel old."

"...Big brother," Amanda said quickly, though she had been about to say dad. "I'm sure it would be hot, but we all know that if I was to step out with someone other than Jake, it would be Jane that I'd fuck." Amanda smiled, once again reveling in her usual bluntness.

In response, Jake laughed, Jane's face went red, and Ash's face gawked in surprise. Amanda shrugged. "Facts is facts, but don't worry, I don't spend my day leering at her like Ace does with all the girls. I know she's off limits." She winked at Jane, "At least until you and Jake tell me it's ok."

Jane was definitely sexy, and she admitted to herself if Jake and Ash DID give their ok, and Jane reciprocated, Amanda would take her to heights of same-sex pleasure that Jane would never have dreamed of. After all, who knew how to pleasure a woman better than another woman?

But it would not be anything frequent. She loved the feel of Jake's cock fucking her FAR to much to make a permanent switch to the other team. Before him, before the connection of their souls in addition to their bodies, Amanda felt the same about sex from either gender. Jake had done things to her body that not only left her committed to cock, but committed to HIS cock, and none other.

Jane's face reddened deeper, but ironically, she found herself flattered. She'd never been with a woman, nor had she ever considered it, but if she did, she admitted Amanda would be one of the hotter girls of the camp to experiment in it with.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way," Amanda said, matter-of-factly, "There's no catch. These blood points are free of charge. A gift for not only making us no longer the oddballs of the camp, who left here and came back, but also as a thank you to Ash for volunteering to accompany Jake to Lery, even though you insulted the Hell out of my cute car."

In a tone that was questioningly sarcastic, Ash said, "So the real one you had, this one is a replica of it obviously, but your real car, did you park it in a garage, or did you just carry it up the stairs to your apartment for the night?"

Amanda giggled, sticking her tongue out and flashing Ash the middle finger salute. "I'm a sweet little thing now. A sweet little thing needs a sweet little car that gets more than two miles per gallon on the streets of New York."

"Sweet little thing. Uh huh. Sweet on the outside, but with a nice, salty center," Ash shot at her with sarcasm.

Jake ruffled the blood point stones. "Better spend these fast before you unleash the beast. Also, you might want a few extra arms to help you carry them back to your cabin."

So Ash and Jane stepped forward and started buying. And despite having four pairs of arms, they still all had to make more than one trip after they'd spent a half and hour in the shop burning through the million blood points.

After they dropped the final load, Amanda glanced at Jane's feet in the strappy sandals she wore and said, "Oh, Jane, your poor nails. What did this barbarian do to you when you went back? Did you have to walk through gravel? We need to fix that, pronto." Amanda wiggled the toes of her bare feet, where the sparkly purple nail polish she wore glittered in the light."

Jane grinned. "Having the constantly restoring power of the Entity's realm was definitely a gift that I missed when we were back in the real world." She ran her hands down her only lightly-curvy figure. "But there were a few things in the real world I'm glad I was able to take advantage of before we returned."

Amanda whispered in her ear, "And I bet you're going to be enjoying a century of the, what, 20 pounds lighter Ash?" She winked. Jane winked back. "Already took a taste of it before we came out to the fire. It took some training, but he's good for his age." Amanda and Jane giggled conspiratorily.

"Look out Jake, those two are conspiring about something. Thick as thieves." Ash waved an admonishing finger.

After they stacked the items, Amanda said, "So has it hit you yet? A hundred years is a long time, but the ability to remain unaged and without physical changes definitely sweetens the deal. And it really feels like home here now. I loved Jake's swanky apartment, don't get me wrong, but I really enjoy the simple life, and Jake's right at home sort of off the grid."

Jane sat on their couch. "I'm sure there are going to be times when it will feel like an eternity, I'm sure you'll have days when you feel the same, but...It did feel like home. When I turned around and saw Jeff working on the generator, I felt peaceful, almost serene. I'm truly glad that he fucked up and now we have an extra century to spend with each other before he drags me off to fight the Deadites."

Ash nodded. "I would agree. There's only one real regret that I have from leaving the real world in a short amount of time."

He looked at Jane. "I regret that I didn't have a chance to propose and get married like you two did while you were there. I didn't have any access to a jewelry store, but I sure thought about it and wished a lot while the two of us were there."

There was a silence. All of them knew Ash's personality. Devil-may-care, seat of his pants...Even only seeing the relationship between the pair from the outside, Jake and Amanda both knew that the words Ash had spoken were from deep within his heart, and were not said lightly.

He walked over to where Jane was sitting and dropped to a knee. He reached into his pocket and fished out the unique wedding ring he'd bought quickly at the automated merchant while Jane had been momentarily distracted in conversation with Amanda and Jake.

"Obviously, this ain't the real deal, but to me, it means the same until I can take you back out of here and get you one that you deserve...And that I can afford. I've been an asshole who only thought of himself for a decent portion of his life, and you saw, and continue to see through my bullshit. I'm not the best guy in the world, but every day, you show me that you think I am. And because you think it, I try to be, for you."

He glanced at the ring in his fingers. "You're definitely the brains of the outfit. You saw long before I did that coming back here wasn't a punishment, it was a gift that would allow us to be together, and love each other, for two lifetimes instead of one. But I see it now, and like you, I'm grateful for it."

The trio remained silent as Ash continued reaching for, and finding the right words. "Before you, I always expected I'd die alone, probably from alcohol poisoning after fighting one last Deadite. You changed that. You made me want more, you made me want you, and you opened up a vulnerable part of me that I kept locked away for a long time. You've made me a much better guy than I ever would have been if you'd never been in my life, and you've helped me grow into this vulnerable fella that I really enjoy being."

He took her hand in his. "I don't say it often enough, I guess maybe because i want the words to be important, and not lose their meaning. I love you, Jane Romero, and I'd like to give you this ring as a proposal before a proposal. I'd like to give it to you to show that for the next hundred years here, we're a team, and I want you to be mine forever."

"You know I'm going to say yes," Jane said with tears in her eyes. She held out her finger, with minor effort, Ash was able to slip it onto her all-important ring finger on her left hand. Then she pulled him into an embrace. They held each other for several moments as Jake and Amanda watched silently, their eyes misty.

Jane looked over at the pair. "You mind getting the Hell out of here? I think I'd like to fuck the Hell out of him now, if you don't mind."

Giggling, Jake and Amanda hustled out of the cabin as Jane pulled Ash on top of her. They kissed for a few minutes before making their way to the bed. Jane was about to fall back on his side, and Ash remembered Steve and Nancy and pulled her back up.

"Better use your side." Jane looked at him, eyes mixed with love and confusion. Ash said, "I'll tell ya later," Then he lowered her onto the bed.

*************************************************************************************************

As they wandered outside, giggling, Jake said, "I knew he liked her, but after his stories of sleeping in more places than George Washington, I never expected him to actually settle down. Committed, yes, but married? Never thought that would be in Ash's capabilities. I wish them well, though."

Amanda reached up and put her hand on Jake's arm, which was wrapped around her shoulders. "And you are much more the marrying type, right? I seem to recall I didn't have to wait very long before you slipped one of those rings on my own finger." With her free hand, she touched their realm "wedding rings" on the chain around her neck.

"Sometimes, you just know." He'd looked into her eyes very intently. "And I knew in my heart that you were just as anxious to wear one as I was to give you one to wear. It wasn't real, but we both knew it was as real to us as it possibly could be. And what happened after that was further proof of how real it was to us. The same day we reunited in the real world, I *did* give you a real engagement ring, and you showed me how much you were wanting to wear it as I was to give it to you."

He took her left hand in his and his thumb brushed the precious metal and the stone. "I don't think you've ever taken it off since, have you?"
"Only once," she said as she smiled at him. "When they attached the wedding band you gave me to it. That's the only time, and it'll stay that way, I think. Even after all the things you've done, the patience and support you've given me to make myself better, I know there are probably millions of girls who are still more healthy and sane than I am, and you wouldn't pick a single one of them. You picked me. That gentle little pressure around my finger is a constant reminder that fills me with so much pleasure and comfort at being chosen by you."

As they turned to face each other and kissed in the moonlight, neither could have guessed that Amanda would soon have to do things that would be against their vows and push her healing mind back to the breaking point in her guilt. Jake would never have guessed that his uncanny ability to bring her back from the depths of darkness that the demons tried to drag her back into with his healing touch or words would be needed just as badly as it had been needed in the beginning of their uniquely special relationship.

Jake never would have imagined that he'd be not only giving her permission, but also his support, for her to do a number of things that she'd never once thought of doing since that moment, over 23 years ago, when she'd looked at him and told him that she was his if he wanted her, and he had claimed her.

Amanda would not have imagined that it would require her to once again become that thing that over the many intervening years, she had long grown to loathe and hate, the Pig, while using the powers that the Pig brought her for the purposes of good, rather than evil.

They definitely wouldn't have imagined, nor believed, that the Entity would be not only be requesting the pair to do so, but that the omnipotent being would actually express something like guilt over requesting them to do so, and that all three, two mere humans and one God, would feel as though even though it was terrible, it needed to be done anyway.

It would all come about from one choice. The choice itself wouldn't even be life or death, simply a random decision that was made to play a game, and see who was better at it. The game that followed would reveal a hidden rot buried deep in the realm that no one had noticed, and that needed to be cleansed. it would require all three of them to do things that they didn't want to do, because the end result, they decided, would be worth it.

It would not be a life or death battle to save the realm, merely an opportunity to deliver swift justice and karma. But by the end, all would feel it was just as important, and the deliverance would be necessary to heal the cuts Jake and Amanda took as they sought victory. As the events that were coming unfolded, it would deepen the bond between the humans and the God, and surprisingly, create something of a kinship between them.

The Entity was not something to trifle with, and no infraction, big or small, would go unpunished. It was almost something like fate that in attempting to deliver it's punishment, it would be aided by the two people in the realm that knew that more than anyone or anything else, and made sure never to cross it, even slightly.

Possibly the biggest surprise to them, had they known what was shortly to come, would be that the Entity would decide on its own that the unique pair of humans deserved a rich reward, and pledge to use its powers in such a generous way that made doing what was necessary impossible to refuse. It had already done so much by allowing Amanda immortality. The Entity would eventually offer them even more for doing its bidding.

But all of that was yet to appear on their radar, and so, after their kiss in the moonlight, the happy couple had continued walking, hand-in-hand to their cozy little cabin to turn in for the night. Many more important conversations and questions were to come, but at that moment, Amanda's question was currently the most important thing on her mind.

"Do you think, after a century passes and they go back...That we'd be able to find a way to go to Ash and Jane's wedding? Just the ceremony, I ain't greedy."

She stripped to her underwear and tossed herself on the bed. Jake said as he undressed, "If we do something to earn it, maybe. And of course a lot would depend on what would happen to you if we did. I'd love to see it, but not if you'll die in the pew from the thing that almost killed you before."

Amanda snorted. "Pew? At best, Ash strikes me as a justice of the peace kinda guy. At worst, I'm thinking Vegas and reverend Elvis."

Jake slipped in beside her, chuckling. "Not anymore. I think Jane has been enough of an influence on him that he'll go for all the bells and whistles of she wants to."

He kissed her in the darkness and she snuggled in, pressing her warm body into his. "But if it's possible, I'm willing to earn it if you are," Jake told her.

"You bet I am," she answered, and savored the warmth of his chest under her cheek as sleep claimed her.