Author's notes: Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Life was already difficult now it's become nearly impossible in light of recent events.

The ~\./~ symbol indicates a short passage of time.

Please enjoy the new addition. :)


Phoenix winced when Viktor inserted the needle into her arm. She observed with morbid fascination as he slipped a test tube into the plastic device attached to the needle and her rich red blood shot up into the glass tube. He filled four test tubes in total; each with a different colored tops and each for a different test, before pulling the needle out of her arm.

"Hold this," he ordered her, pressing a folded square of cotton gauze to the small hole the needle left behind in her arm.

"Holy Sol, Viktor, you damn vampire," she grunted, holding the piece of gauze in place to stem the flow of blood. "Did you get enough?"

"For now," he replied dryly, pulling her hand and the gauze away so he could place the adhesive bandage on her arm. "Want me to kiss your boo-boo?"

"Nah, I'm good, thanks," she muttered, rolling down the long sleeve of her black silk shirt.

Phoenix winced and bit her tongue to avoid the temptation to tell him to kiss her ass because he probably would. Viktor had developed something of a crush on her during their many interactions on her information gathering expeditions to Haijima Labs. At that time, she had used his feelings to her advantage. Presently she felt quite guilty about manipulated him. However, now, particularly after learning of her true identity and her present relationship status, she was pretty sure he was just messing with her in his awkward attempts at flirting.

"You've been having problems with the overheating?" he asked, picking up his pen to write in the chart lying on the counter in front of him. "How often had it been happening?"

"It's only happened a few times in total. The problem is it seems to be happening more often and more closely together," she admitted, strolling over toward his lab table.

Phoenix detailed the recent occasions when she overheated and woke up in an ice bath. Viktor filled a page with notes then flipped to a blank sheet and kept writing.

"You're greatest fear is turning Infernal? It doesn't happen often to a pyrokenetic, but - "

"But it does happen," she cut him off, nervously chewing her lower lip. "I just-I just don't want to die that way. The way my mother did."

"No one does, Phoenix," he returned bluntly.

"I don't want to become a Demon Infernal. I'm sure you read the report that in Asakusa there was a White Clad who ate one of the bugs. Not only did he become an Infernal, he became a Demon Infernal."

Viktor approached her, file in hand, his pen held above the paper. His big, round black eyes studied her with a piercing, clinical gaze. After madly scribbling notes on the paper, awkwardly propping the file on his forearm, he looked at her with a more concerned expression.

"I'm going to do everything in my power, use every bit of knowledge I have and can get, to make sure it doesn't happen," he promised her. He shrugged, giving her a lopsided smile. "And don't eat any damn bugs. Think you can do that?"

"Yeah," she laughed lightly. "I think I can do that."

At times Phoenix had almost considered Viktor a friend. Then she reminded herself that he still worked for Haijima Industries so he was the enemy in their midst. But here they were under completely different circumstances. Could they be on the same side this time? Perhaps they had always been on the same side - their own.

Viktor worked for Haijima to have unlimited access to their database and files along with virtually unlimited resources to conduct his own research. Her mother had worked for them which gave him free and clear access to her notes and findings to use as he pleased. Maybe he had no real loyalty to the company after all. She really could not see him being a staunch company man.

"You know, Viktor, it's a fucking miracle you're still alive doing the work you do...studying Spontaneous Human Combustion. My mother wasn't so lucky when she worked for Haijima," she stated bitterly, anger tainting the fringes of her menacing tone.

"I'm aware of both of those of those facts," he sighed. "But you know why I worked for them. I have questions that I want to be answered. Haijima Industries has the resources I need to get those answers. I want to know everything!" he exclaimed, growing visibly excited. He always did when talking about science. "I want to know the who, what, why, where, when, and how of Spontaneous Human Combustion. Then there are thousand questions in between. You can understand wanting to know, to understand...can't you?"

"Yeah, I do," she replied. "So does this mean we can really trust you? You're not going to report anything you discover about the eighth to Haijima? These are good people Viktor, a family...my family...I don't want anything bad to happen to them."

"Wow," he crowed, letting out a little whistle. "You really have changed. You're not as cold hearted and mean as you used to be. So is it because you fell in love with that Shinra guy?"

Phoenix could feel her face heating with a blush. She leaned against the table behind her, lowering her gaze to the floor while she self-consciously twirled a lock of her short hair around her finger. Viktor moved to stand next to her, laying the file on the table.

"It is, isn't it? You're head over heels in love with him. Aren't you?" he asked, waiting for an answer. When none came, he nudged her gently in the arm with his elbow. "Huh? Huh? Inquiring minds want to know," he teased. "I can't believe he got through to the Ice Queen."

"Did you seriously call me that?" she inquired, her face growing hotter by the second.

"Everyone who knew you called you that. But," he said, examining her closely with those large eyes and critical gaze of his, "you're definitely not the person you used to be. You've changed. A lot."

"You think so?" She was actually quite pleased by this observation even coming from him. "Oh, I want to show you something."

The phoenix raised its elegant head over hers, its flaming crest unfurling and flowing like long yellow and orange feathers behind its head. Viktor's gaze moved from her face upward to gape at the fire bird.

"Whoa," he breathed, blinking at the creature made of fire that seemed as alive and sentient as either one of them. "That's incredible. You've developed an amazing control over your flames."

The fire bird opened its beak and released a terrible scream. The ear splitting sound startled Viktor causing him to literally jump straight up in the air as if he mgiht jump out of his skin. He slapped his hand over his ears to shield them from the bone jarring noise. When he was positive the shrieking had stopped, he tentatively lowered his hands from his ears.

"You can even manipulate the flames to make that sound? Incredible," he repeated, snatching up the pen and flinging open the folder to begin writing.

"Am I done here?" Phoenix asked.

"Yes, yes," Viktor responded absently, waving her away.

Writing his recent and captivating observations as well as testing her blood would keep him busy for the next few hours so she would not have to worry about him bothering her again. In the meantime, Phoenix decided to return to the office to finish some work she had been knee deep in when Viktor insisted she come to the lab for tests.

Captain Obi was in the office in the corner by his weight rack performing arm curls with the massive hand weights. He stared straight ahead at the wall, his teeth gritted. His jaw worked incessantly as if something alive were writhing under his skin and ready to come out. Something was bothering him.

What now?, she wondered. What horrible new revelation or disaster in the making had come down the pike today?

"Captain, is everything okay?" she dared to ask while taking a seat at her desk.

"We have to recruit an engineer," he answered curtly, putting down the weights. "Your buddy Viktor gave me a great suggestion, but the man is a highly unattainable and elusive individual. He's turned down every fire company, less than politely, who has tried to recruit him."

"So when will you be sending someone to talk to him?" She shuffled the papers on her desk to look busy, pretending to sort them for filing which she should probably actually do.

"Tomorrow." He straddled the weight bench being careful not to smack his head on the bar as he lay back. His fingers gripped the metal bar and his jaw tightened with determination as he prepared to lift the barbell out of the holder.

"Who's going?" Phoenix picked up a pen, preparing to write the names down; then she would know who to collect reports from later. For their own purposes, to protect the interests of Company Eight as a whole and each individual, they wrote detailed reports on every move they made.

"Shinra...Arthur... Sister Iris," he informed her, giving her a name between each upward press of the weights that probably totaled at least two hundred pounds.

"Very good, sir. I'm guessing Maki, Tamaki, and the Lieutenant will be going on the supply run?" she verified, writing that down as well.

"You are correct," he confirmed.

Tomorrow is Tuesday and the day they always go to the store to gather essentials such as food, cleaning supplies, personal necessities and other items required to keep the Cathedral and its inhabitants cared for and well maintained. Sometimes she went along. Somehow she had the feeling the Captain had other plans for her. But what?

"Viktor has research that needs to be done. I will be here to listen out for the phones," he announced giving her the assignments of everyone.

Apprehension made goosebumps erupt along her arms as a frigid chill ran down her back. "And me, sir?"

Captain Obi blew out a breath furiously as he deposited the barbell back onto the holding rack with a raucous clanging. Slowly, he sat up then took the towel from around his neck and dried the sweat from his face.

Come on, come on!, she screamed impatiently inside her head. TELL ME!

"You have an appointment at Company One," he informed her, his placid, kind eyes meeting hers that became clouded with confusion.

"Wh-what?" she stammered, gulping loudly.

"Captain Burns will be expecting you at eleven."

Her belly quivered inside of her like gelatin. She swallowed repeatedly in an attempt to dislodge the lump in her throat. How could you?! How dare you?!, she wanted to scream but the words would not come.

"But...Sir...I c-can't..."

"Of course you can. You will be there to negotiate an information sharing agreement like we have with the Fifth," he explained.

"He's going to say no, Captain. I shouldn't waste my time going there for something we both know is not going to happen," she argued vehemently, although she doubted that was the real reason he wanted her to go there.

"You have given been given an order, fire soldier," he remarked sternly, folding his arms across his broad chest as if forming a shield to buffet her argument.

How dare he play the Captain card like that? Negotiate information sharing, indeed. Karim Flam has already visited Company Eight Cathedral several times to speak with them since the Captain's conference for unsolicited and much appreciated information sharing. Captain Obi was not very good at being underhanded or sneaky with his true intentions. A little subtlety would be nice, but he did not have within himself either.

Phoenix sighed dejectedly. Standing to her feet, she raised her hand to her brow to crisply salute him in a manner that would make Lieutenant Hinawa proud.

"Yes, sir."

~\./~


After dinner, Phoenix and Shinra went to the kitchen together to do the dishes. Shinra went to the sink to prepare to the soap and water while she transferred the leftovers to plastic containers and put them in the refrigerator.

"Are you okay?" he asked as she vigorously scraped food off the plates into the trash can.

"No," she confessed without elaborating.

"Wash or rinse?" he asked rather than prying at the moment. Her candidly truthful answer gave him pause to allow her to take her time in talking about what was bothering her.

"Wash," she answered, bringing the stack of dishes to the sink to place them in the hot soapy water in the basin.

Phoenix set to work, scrubbing the plates with the sponge as if she meant to rub the glaze right off the ceramic.

"Soooo..." he began, hesitating as she rattled the silverware loudly when reaching for another plate. "What's bothering you?"

"I'm going to see Captain Burns tomorrow," she said, adding the squeaky clean plate to the stack for him to rinse off the soap.

"Oh, really?" He tried not to sound surprised or confused but failed on both accounts.

"On orders from, Captain Obi," she added as if to clear up some of his confusion.

"Seriously?" he returned.

"Seriously," she sighed, exhaling so deeply her chest caved in and her shoulders sagged as she leaned over the sink. "I have purposely avoided being near that man all my life and now I've got to go talk to him face to face. He doesn't even know who I am. Doesn't care. As far as he's concerned, he will just be talking to some annoying, nosy member of Company Eight."

"Are you sure?" Shinra asked, placing the completely clean dishes in the bamboo drying rack.

"What? Am I sure about what?" she inquired, standing up straight and tall.

"Are you sure he doesn't know who you are? That he never found out about you?"

"But why wouldn't he have said something? Why wouldn't he reach out to me?"

"Well, what efforts have you made to reach out to him? What if he's afraid to bring it up like you are? You both are scary people. You're a lot like him actually," Shinra mumbled which garnered a growl in response from her. Shinra cleared his throat and started speaking hesitantly, cautiously choosing his next words. "Are you really so sure your mother did not tell him? What if someone else knew and told him? You're not the only one who has seen her diary, her research. What if Captain Hibana said something?"

"Surely she wouldn't," she muttered. "But then again, she is who she is. I don't know." She exhaled a deep breath she had been holding. "All these years I just took it for granted that my parentage was a big horrible secret my mother took to her grave...that the diary was handed over with her other personal belongings without anyone having found it...that there was nothing about me in her research. I don't recall seeing anything, but - "

"Captain Hibana and Viktor Licht could have hidden those parts of the information from you," he said, completing her thought.

"Dammit," she muttered.

"You can be surprisingly naive considering your area of expertise was once deception," he remarked, taking it for granted her hands would stay busy with the dishes and not slap the hell out of him. "Don't worry. I'm sure everything will work out fine no matter what happens."

"I wish I had your confidence about that."

"Hey, you trust me don't you?"

"Of course, I do. But what has that go to do with - "

"Then believe me when I say this is a good thing," he interrupted her. "You should talk to him. Get answers to your questions. Besides, you will have to talk to him sometime for any number of reasons that have nothing to do with you being his daughter considering you're both members of the Fire Force. You almost had to talk to him at the Captain's conference, remember? It's just a matter of time before you find yourself face to face with him. At least this way it will be private so neither one of you risk public humiliation."

Phoenix inhaled sharply, casting a glimpse at Shinra. He smiled at her, a gentle, sincere smile quite unlike that nervous grin of his. Her eyes met his which further conveyed the genuine smile meant to comfort and reassure her. She found herself smiling in return.

"You're right," she agreed, leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips that he willingly offered to her. "How'd you get to be so smart?"

"Just came along with the good looks I guess," he joked in return, stealing another kiss before she moved away. "You're a very lucky woman."

"Oh, am I, am I?" she giggled lightly.

"Of course you are. I'm a triple threat. Smart, handsome, and talented. Don't forget about my mad dancing skills," he said, attempting to execute a dance move but almost busting his kneecaps instead when they hit the cabinet doors under the sink. "Owie!"

Phoenix could not stop herself from laughing uproariously. Shinra glowered at her while rubbing his injured knees.

"You could have at least asked if I was okay before laughing," he groused, poking out his bottom lip in a pout.

She instantly sobered, ceasing the gales of laughter and her lips turning downward into a concerned frown.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes," he replied.

She immediately started laughing again.

"You're a mean, mean woman," Shinra said, unable to hide the amused grun turning up the corners of his mouth.

"You know I love you, Shinra Kusakabe," she said.

"I know," he rejoined, washing the soap off the last dish and setting it in the rack.

Phoenix waited patiently for him to return to the sentiment. When the seconds stretched to an excruciatingly long minute, she prompted him with a soft, "Well..."

"Well what?"

"Don't you have anything you want to say to me?"

"Hmmm," he hummed, pretending to ponder what she could be talking about. "No. Not really. We're almost done here, right?"

"Almost," she replied, flinging bubbles at him which landed on his chest. She lifted her hand and blew on the suds that floated toward his face and landed on his cheek.

"Hey!" he exclaimed, raising his shoulder and lowering his cheek to wipe the soap off on his t-shirt.

She blew more of the densely packed bubbles at his face. This time they landed on his nose. In retaliation, he splashed her with water by flicking his wet fingers at her. Soon they were embroiled in a full on splash fight, cupping their hands and throwing water on the other until they were soaked through to the skin and there was no water left in the sink. They chuckled madly as they stood in a layer of soapy water on the floor and beside a sink still half full of dirty dishes.

"Well, hell, I guess we need to mop the floor now too," she pointed out, stomping her feet to splash in the water as if playing in a puddle after the rain.

"I guess so. Then we need to get a shower," he added, glancing down at his shirt that was glued to his chest and belly.

"Ugh," she groaned, trying desperately to dislodge a lock of hair stuck to her nose. "Yeah. We got a bit carried away. But it was fun."

"It was," he agreed.

Once they had completed the task of washing dishes, they both grabbed mops to make quick work of the floor to clean up the mess. What Captain Obi or Lieutenant Hinawa did not know wouldn't hurt them. Once everything was cleaned and put away, Phoenix sighed and leaned against the counter to observe their work, part of which they would not have had to done if they had not gotten carried away playing in the water.

"Now for that shower," she proclaimed, standing up straight to leave.

"Hey, Phoenix," Shinra called to her before she could reach the door. "After your shower, meet me on the roof. Okay?"

"Okay."

~\./~


Phoenix saw Shinra sitting on the wall in their usual meeting spot as soon as she exited the door to the roof. Her heart sprouted wings and took flight when he smiled at her. She loved him. She adored everything about him - especially when he smiled at her like that rather than wearing that somewhat sinister anxiety grin.

"Hi," she greeted him, giving him a peck on the lips.

"Hi yourself," he returned, placing his hand on the back of her head to pull her forward for another kiss.

"Did you want to talk about something?" she asked, hugging him tightly.

"I pitched a tent for you," he said, pushing her back to gaze at her face.

"E-excuse m-me?" she stuttered, snorting to hold back a giggle.

"Ugh," he groaned, rolling his eyes when he realized what she was laughing at. "You have an awful mind sometimes. I do like that direction it went in. However..."

He took her by the hand, leading her toward the back part of the roof behind the storage buildings and large air conditioning units. There a small, two person tent had been set up.

"Oh, I see," she laughed, blushing hotly.

"Dirty girl," he chastised her with a smile on his face, pulling her into his arms.

"That sounds naughty, Shinra," she rejoined, placing her palms flat against his chest. "Oooh, someone's been working out."

Her hands squeezed his pectorals like a man honking a set of boobs.

"Can I do that to you?" he inquired boldly.

"Oh, my," she gasped in mock astonishment while leaning into him. "I think you should kiss me first."

"I can definitely do that." Shinra took her face between his hands pressing his lips squarely to hers.

His fingers trailed down her cheeks, pressing lightly on her jaw on one side to tilt her head a little. Her hands glided around his torso to press flat to his shoulder blades. His lips pushed harder against hers, and she returned the ardent kiss. His fingers drifted down her neck, her ever quickening pulse vibrating his fingertips.

When touched by the tip of his tongue, her lips immediately parted. His big hands grasped her shoulders, pulling her chest tight against his as his tongue tentatively, teasingly entered her mouth. His heart beat against hers, making an enticing heat spread throughout their chests and their entire body as they shared an intimate kiss.

Phoenix's hands skimmed down his back while his hands did the same to her back. Goosebumps erupted across her back and down her arms from his tender but stimulating touch. Her fingertips moved across his forearm noting the bumps covering the smooth, hard muscled flesh underneath. The hairs on his arm stood on end with excitement tickling her fingertips as they continued toward his hand.

Peeling his hand away from her waist, she reluctantly broke the kiss so she could make a small amount of space between them. Her eyes met his that glittered in the moonlight. She placed his hand over her breast covered only by a scant eighth of an inch of cotton cloth that comprised her black tank top.

"Oh," he gasped, squeezing gently, then massaging her breast to get a good feel of the delightful flesh filling his hand. "It's nice. It's soft...yet firm too. It feels good."

"Mmmm," she groaned when his thumb brushed across her sensitive hardened nipple. "That feels good."

Phoenix pushed her hands through his hair, lacing her fingers together at the back of his head. He did not need much urging to lower his mouth to her neck. She exhaled with delight and pleasure as he kissed her neck, once then twice, then three times, making his way down to her chest. When his fingernails scraped across her skin after his fingers curled under the strap of her shirt, a heavy, hot sensation formed in the lowest part of her belly. The heated sensation filtered down through her thighs as his fingernails scratched down her arm lightly while pulling the strap down to reveal her breast.

"Shinra," she whispered when his lips pressed to the top swell of her breast.

Her hands cradled his head, resisting the urge to make him hurry while he patiently placed kisses in a circle around the light brown aereola. At last his tongue darted out, taking a tentative taste of her skin, poking at the almost painfully rigid nipple. She pulled his head forward, arching her back to push her nipple into his mouth which he willingly accepted with a grunt.

He alternately licked and sucked the flesh crammed into his mouth, noting the differences in the texture of her skin between the tightly drawn nipple and the smooth aereola surrounding it. He pulled down the other strap of her shirt to uncover her other breast which he cupped and fondled, exploring the textural contrast of her skin using his fingers and thumb before using his mouth and tongue.

Shinra had been planning this intimate encounter for quite a few days. He wanted everything to be perfect. So far the experience had exceeded his expectations. Being with her here like this was nothing short of a small miracle.

Removing his mouth from her breast, he stood up straight looking down at the woman he held in his arms. She was gorgeous with her half closed eyes, the love drunk expression on her face. Her lips lifted at the corners but remained parted, the pink tip of her tongue sneaking out to moisten her full lower lip.

Taking that as an invitation to kiss her, he did, pressing one of his hands to her jaw. He liked touching her, holding her, and kissing her. Everything about her excited him, pleased him. How sublime would making love to her be?

After sharing the sweet kiss with her, he took her by the hand again, pulling open the front flap of the tent to usher her inside. He had used every blanket and pillow he could find inside the Cathedral to make the soft, comfortable pallet. He had even taken the pillows from their beds to add to the pile to make it as comfortable as possible.

Holding her hands in his, his eyes delving into hers, they both lowered themselves down to their knees. Wrapping one arm around her waist and the other around her shoulders, he carefully lowered her onto her back. His eyes skirted over her body, lingering on her already bared breasts. Everything about her was beautiful.

His hands grasped her shirt gathered at her waist as well as her shorts and underwear underneath. He pulled them all down together, his eyes following the length of her legs as he stripped off her clothes for her to lay completely naked in front of him.

"Your turn," she said, her voice husky with desire.

Sitting up, Phoenix slid her hands under his shirt as he knelt beside her. She pushed the material up to his shoulders where he grabbed a handful at the back of his neck and snatched the shirt over his head. She thoughtfully chewed her lower lip as her eyes moved over his chest, his arms, his abdomen. Her delicate, slender fingers lifted to his shoulder, the tips pressing against his collarbone. Her fingertips brushed over his skin, discovering the feel of him where her eyes had explored seconds earlier.

Her soft, gentle fingers rested on his waist above the folds of his jumpsuit gathered and tied there. His fingers found their way into her thick hair when she leaned forward and pressed a seductive little kiss above his belly button. She untied the sleeves of his jumpsuit from around his waist, pulling the material down to his hips. Her fingers traced the thin line of black hair leading from below his belly button to the top of the material holding back an incredibly hard, pulsating part of his anatomy. Using both of her forefingers, she followed the alluring lines created by the underlying musculature of his abdomen leading from his hips downward.

Shinra's breath caught in his throat and for a moment he could not breathe at all when her mouth touched the extremely sensitive spot where the trail from his navel met the widening patch of curls of his pubic hair. Placing his hands on her shoulders, he pushed her down on her back once more. Laying down on his back, he lifted his hips pushing the jumpsuit and his underwear down to shimmy out of his clothes. Tossing the clothing aside, he prepared to make love to her.

Before he could move over on top of her, Phoenix straddled his hips. Hovering above him as his manhood stood hard as a rock, straight and tall between her thighs, her eyes held his for a longing look as intimate as one of their kisses.

"I love you," he said, placing his hands on her waist.

"I know," she replied, grasping him with her hand to guide him inside her body.

Shinra groaned from deep his in chest, the sound rolling around like thunder before bubbling up his throat and exiting his parted lips. He held her securely with arm hooked around her waist, the other around her shoulders as she continued to lower herself onto him. Being inside of her was like nothing he had ever felt before bringing him indescribable pleasure he had never imagined.

Phoenix enclosed his shoulders with her arms, her legs wrapping around his waist. Taking him in little by little as to allow her body to accommodate him without causing herself too much, she closed her eyes to concentrate on every feeling both physical and emotional. Discomfort, but not pain, would be how she would be describe having him inside of her for the first time. But she wanted this intimate encounter. She wanted him. She wanted to experience that ultimate intimacy and the bonding of their bodies as well as their hearts.

At last she settled herself into his lap, fully encasing him with her body. She kissed him, briefly and sweetly, resting her chin in the crook of his neck as she embraced him.

"I love you too. I have given you all of me. Mind, heart, and body," she whispered, stroking his head.

"I'll cherish the gift you have given me. I'll give back the same to you," he returned, tugging on her hair slightly so she would lift her head and he could kiss her.

His hands gripped her waist, pushing her upward a little before releasing for her to slide back down. She sighed in response, receiving pleasure rather than pain. Spurred on by her positive reaction, he repeated the movement lifting her higher. They made love slowly, carefully, treating each others bodies like fragile glass. Only their emotions were far more fragile, threatening to crack and shatter from the overwhelming poignancy of the moment.

Tears leaked from the corners of Phoenix's eyes. Shinra kissed them away. His fingers stroked her face, her chest, her back in an effort to comfort her as well as heightening her pleasure. Her hands moved over his shoulders, down his back. When she did feel a twinge of extreme discomfort, her nails would press into his skin bringing him to a higher state of enjoyment.

The delicious pressure began to build slowly in his thighs, across his scrotum, all the way up through his lower belly. The end was coming so he held her close. He opened his mouth and moaned, calling out her name as the flames of pleasure combined to form a full on inferno deep inside his body. His lips found her breast, suckling the nipple as she brought him to that glorious end.

"Oh, Shinra," she whispered in his ear, her voice quivering.

Her body trembled in his arms as he clung to her, never wanting to let her go. He wished they could always be like this. Set apart, just the two of them, safe and secure in a world of their creation.

Shinra lay back, pulling her down on top of him without relinquishing his hold on her. His body tingled from the tips of his hair all the way down to his toenails. He felt weightless, lighter than air even with her body pressing down on him. She was no burden, but the woman he loved, the woman he adored - the woman he wanted to be with - always.