CHAPTER SIXTY-SIX:

Breathe

AN: to: FLEEING DAWN: Long time no speak. And such a short review! (pouts) The short chapter came after a very nice long one, in case you didn't notice.

THREE CHAPTERS IN ONE NIGHT FOLKS! HOW'S THAT!?

~last time~

Victor has just given Cassie the speech of his lifetime! Managing to stifle his feral side long enough to bare it all. How will she react?

Her jaw dropped. She was pretty sure if she looked in a mirror, she would see that her eyes were as round as dinner plates. In her head, Victors speech swirled round and round like a tornado, random words spitting out in her mind.

`Cellar? What was that about a cellar? And CHAINS!? Did I seriously hear the word CHAINS!?`

Her vision started to go strangely blotchy and she heard some very fierce curse words as strong arms held her up. "*&^, frail, ya have ta BREATH! Come on!"

A strong hand hit her on the back and a huge whoosh of air went into her lungs, bringing back her vision but not helping at all with her shock.

`Home…..I think he said I was his home…I did hear that, didn't I? Am I dreaming?`

Then a pair of warm firm lips were on hers, a tongue forcing her lips apart and a rush of oxygen was pushed into her lungs like she was being given CPR and she gasped. His voice came to her through the thick thoughts of her own mind.

"*&^% , if this is what a guy gets fer show'n his emotions, no wonder men don't do it. Come on, Cassie, BREATHE…That's it… Come on, my mate."

A rough, calloused hand gently patted her cheek, then she felt the ground fall away from her as he swept her bridal style up into his arms. "You better be alright, mate." He held her so firmly, so securely, she might as well have been floating instead of being carried, his gait was so smooth she was hardly aware he was walking.

Time seemed to pass in a blur. Then Hanks voice.

`The blue furry guy….` her brain offered up the information along with a picture of the mutant who looked as if he should be on Sesame Street.

"Oh my stars and garters, what on earth happened Victor?!"

"We….we were talking and she fainted." Victors voice came out actually a little panicky, something she bet very few rarely ever heard. And if he was letting a little panic come out in his voice, that meant that on the inside he had to be panicking A LOT.

"What?" came Hanks voice "So suddenly?".

"She stopped breath'n, Blue. I had ta hit her then put some air in her lungs."

"Oh dear." Furry fingers were pressed to her pulse point but they barely registered to her mind. Something cold on her chest, a stethoscope probably, roused her a little more, but not by much. Those things were always too cold. "Well, she's not asthmatic, so we can rule that out. May I ask what you were talking about?"

"NO!" Victors response was immediate and firm.

A short pause.

"Very well then, Victor, lay her on the table."

"She stays in my arms, furball." Victor growled back.

`Love…..` Cassie's mind was still on that life-altering speech that she wasn't sure really happened. `He spoke of love….about going without it for so long and then finding it….Does that mean he loves me? I mean, really? What does he even know about love!?`

He loved the kids, she was pretty darn certain about that, she had seen him play with them, feed them, calm them…..

"Victor, I can find out what's wrong with her much faster if she lyes down on the table."

Victor was adamant, and his alpha growl just reinforced that. "No way in hell, fur-face, now get on with it!"

"Do you know if she's allergic to anything?" came Hanks voice.

An annoyed growl. "I don't think so."

`I'm in this for the long haul, aren't I.` she realized suddenly and the thought made her breath stop again.

"Oh &*^#, not again. BREATHE Cassie!" a mouth descended on hers again, forcing air into her lungs.

`Oh good grief!` she shoved weakly at his chest and his mouth left hers after a final puff. "Give a girl a break, Vic."

She could almost swear she heard sighs of relief from both ferals, then Victors voice again, equal parts fear, relief and anger all rolled into one.

"A break!? A BREAK!? You just shaved off seven years of my life, Cassie, and you tell me to give you a break!?" he pulled her to his chest very gently, holding her firmly, but still as if she were made of glass. "You stopped breath'n, mate."

She patted his back weakly. "Uh, sorry?"

He gave a gruff growl. "Don't do it again."

She couldn't do much but just kind of lay there against his chest, her head still swimming.

Victor let out another few choice curse words. "Yer not goin' anywhere, mate. Not now. Not after that. You stay in my arms, got it? But if….but if being with me makes you stop breathing…makes you stop wanting ta live…then…then I guess I have ta let you go."

He couldn't believe he was saying this.

SHE couldn't believe he was saying this.

Victors Sabretooth side was slamming his head and yelling that was six ways a fool and thrice damned if he even THOUGHTof letting their mate go. But the next words made HIM want to faint.

"I guess I'm in this for good, huh."

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 000000000000

VICTOR CREED

His heart had almost stopped beating, he was certain of it. A terror like he had never known had swept over him that first time her breath stopped, the first time she didn't allow air into her lungs. He was the closest thing to immortal that he knew of, without tampering, but he swore he had almost died.

Then that sentence. "I guess I'm in this for good, huh."

His heart almost stopped again. "Not if...not if bein' with me makes you stop live'n, Cassie. I'd die first."

He had forgotten that the blue-butt was in the room. Forgotten that there was anyone else in the world except for the two of them.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000 0000000000

CASSIE

"Not if...not if bein' with me makes you stop live'n, Cassie. I'd die first."

How could any woman compete with that?

How could any woman say no to that?

"Let's just go to bed, Vic. Suddenly, I'm tired."

VOCABULARY:

GAIT: a way of walking.