Disclaimer: Do I have to say in each chapter that I don't own DBZ? Or is it enough to drop a line when I actually do own it?

Warning: Contains a lot of mushy stuff and a lot of Saiyan cliches. ;-)

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By then I was breathing raggedly, my heart feeling as if it would burst out my chest if it sped up more.
My whole body felt as if it was on fire and my skin tingled all over, every nerve ending highly sensitive and ready to explode at the slightest touch. The only thing that came into my mind was an awed "Woah…."
I couldn't believe it, I never had a powerful and intense reaction before that had went up to such a high level, only because of a simple touch.

When we had been all over each other before it had been different somehow. I can't really explain it, but when he had woken up the first time and kissed me, it had triggered emotions and a passion that had been pent up for some time. We both had dreamed about the other before I had come to this reality, a result of the bond we had formed, sensing the others emotions and subconsciously reacting to it. But in a faceless kind of way, only our minds and imagination being involved. And when we had actually met in person and finally had the opportunity to touch… Well, I don't regret I had bolted. It would have felt wrong somehow.

But this was something totally different. It was with the definite knowledge the other was real, and that it wasn't only a hormonal-induced spur of the moment. Or at least that's how it felt for me.

It was seduction, plain and simple. And I  had no wish to end it.

We seemed to be frozen in our positions for some seconds, with me still sitting against the wall and he kneeling in front of me. His hands were laying lightly on my shoulders and  his breath fanning my neck lightly every time he exhaled. I don't know what would have happened if I hadn't had the wall to support me. My limbs were feeling like jelly, and a part of me wanted that stop time, to feel this tingling and exciting apprehension forever.

In that moment I realized I didn't care anymore about circumstances and explanations, answers to my questions.
I only knew that I wanted to be with that man, one way or another. I seldom had been so sure about something in my life, and to be honest, that scared me a lot.

Call it a rash and thoughtless decision, I don't mind. You'd be right.
But all his actions, the way he moved, what he said and did… everything in a forward and demanding manner, but every time giving me with an opportunity to back out, never forcing me. I think if I had really wanted to I could have stood up and walked out (right, as if I had control over my body *snorts*) , or simply say no and he would have accepted it and bear the consequences. The way he had acted was a clear and simple statement, saying 'I want you. But I also want you to want me.'
And I certainly did. And damn the consequences, I didn't care then. What counted was the moment.

I reluctantly lifted one arm, wanting to savour the feeling of his fingertips on my skin but needing something different, something more. I placed  my hand on his cheek and let it glide softly down  his neck, feeling the warm sensation in my belly increase when he pressed his face against my palm.
He turned his head and leaned closer. Our faces were only millimetres apart and I could almost feel his lips on mine –

And the door banged open. We jumped in startled surprise and leapt away from each other, or rather he did. I still had the wall behind me, so my backward movement was stopped rather quickly and hard. Epin had leapt to his  feet in front of me, crouching in a battle stance, eyes wild.

Barging in through the door came three widely grinning Saiyans, crowding around a baffled Epin and talking excitedly. "Back up again, huh?!" "Didn't think you'd make it." "Right, but when we came back and felt your energy level being way up we knew you'd be okay."

I was startled, to make an understatement. Only a few seconds ago I had been on the brink of kissing Epin, and now I felt I was in the middle of an invasion of Genghis Khan and his hordes. Only without horses. And only very few. Er.. anyway. I was staring wide-eyed at the newcomers, totally at a loss for words.
They noticed me pressed against the wall behind their comrade and stopped talking, regarding me curiously. "Hey Epin," the largest of them said, "who's that?" And with a look at Epin's confused and irritated expression he raised an eyebrow and asked grinning "Oh, did we interrupt something?"

I blanched. Oh shit, if they had come in a little bit later…

Epin growled in response, clearly annoyed at the interruption, and obviously in no mood for a chat with them.
The guy from before snickered. "Okay, okay…" he turned around and walked to the door, grabbing on his way the other two that were looking back and forth between me and Epin, and pulled them along. He turned his head around again, flashing Epin a suggestive smirk. "See you in the morning then. Or later. Have fun!"

"What is the meaning of this?! Etain?" came a very pissed off voice from the doorway.

Oh great. The last thing I needed was more audience.

"Prince Vegeta!" the large one, apparently Etain, exclaimed startled. "We were just visiting Epin to see if he felt better, because his energy le…." "I know!" Vegeta snapped angrily. "Now leave and don't pester him again. And next time you decide to have a stampede in the house past my sleeping chambers, make sure to check my energy level before. Go!" And they did, shooting guilty glances at their fuming prince.

 "They won't bother you again." said Vegeta and stared hard at Epin. "And you better start explaining. It's hard to control yourself, but it has to be cleared up before. Anything else can be dangerous, for you and her. I know what I'm talking about."
And with no further words he shut the door firmly, leaving us alone again. Once again an awkward silence descended. Gods, I was so annoyed. The whole mood was gone, and I expected another person to storm into the room any moment. Great, what a way to destroy a moment.

Unable to stand it any longer I asked "What did he mean with dangerous?"
Epin sighed and walked over, seating himself next to me against the wall, legs touching. "He's right. I have to tell you before…" He paused and cleared his throat. My face took on a red shade when my mind finished the sentence for him and  I found myself grinning.
"The bond. How to put that in a few words…" he muttered and looked down. He lifted his head and shifted around so he was facing me, looking at me with a serious expression. I stared back, feeling instinctively that this was important to him.

"The bond is a mental and emotional link between two people. It didn't happen very often in the history of our species, but it wasn't uncommon. It can't be forced to happen, it just does, usually when two people decide to become life-mates. But what's uncommon is for two people having a bond before they had mated. That had been recorded only a few times. There are theories… that the two people had been soulmates, being mates before they even had met. As far as I know it hadn't happened between different realities before. It seems we are the first." He stared at me helplessly. "There is no way to break a bond. Once it's there it can't be undone. The only way it can break is when one of the pair dies. Usually the other follows soon after. And with a really strong bond physical distance for a long period of time has the same effects. It's called bond withdrawal. That's why I was ill." He looked away. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before. But I had hoped that it wouldn't affect you as much, and that I was wrong somehow. But I wasn't. The fact that since you came here I recovered that rapidly is a clear proof. And  the way my body reacts to you…"

My complexion changed rapidly from pale to deep-red and back again. That was serious, really serious.

"There are two possibilities." he continued, looking at me again, suppressed emotions flashing across his eyes. I could see this was hard for him, and my heart went out to him. "You can go back to your reality and hope you won't suffer the withdrawal symptoms that much. I can't give you a guarantee for that, though. The other option would be that we complete the bond." At my questioning look he said "I mean the physical aspect."

Oh. Back to blushing again.

"Understand," he said, "that by doing this we'll be bonded forever. And I mean forever. As in life-mates." He groaned and shook his head. "Damn. Why does it have to be that hard… I hate to put that upon you. And I want to be honest with you; there are only those two options. I'm feeling… bad that I can't offer you a way out. One way or another, you won't be able to get back to the life you had before, at least not completely. I'm really sorry. I never wanted to put you in that position, but there's no other way."
He took a deep breath and said in a low and serious voice: "If you decide to go back I promise to do anything to suppress the bond as long as I can. If you take the other option, you have to know a few things. We both have sensed each other's thoughts and emotions before. Sometimes stronger, and other times weaker or not at all, that depends on the ability to shield yourself mentally and the concentration you put behind it. When we complete the bond we'll be permanently linked. We'll still be able to put our shields up if we want, and it's not as if we merge into one person, but the bond will be much stronger, and we… "he searched for words, "we share."
He looked at me smiling sadly. "It's up to you now."

I was speechless. But not for very long. "Hey, wait a minute! You mean I have to decide right now? And why is it up to me, huh? If I understood correctly you have a big part in the decision, too!"
"I made my decision already." he answered quietly, his gaze never leaving my eyes. "But both people have to agree on the bond." I blinked at him, numerous different thoughts tumbling through my head.

I stood up abruptly and looked at him. "I need to get out. No, not that way " I hurried to say when I see his face go blank before he could hide it. "I mean out of the room, the house. I need fresh air." He nodded and got up, leading me through some corridors and out onto a terrace.

It was dark outside, the moon currently hidden behind some clouds and I couldn't see much of the area, but it didn't matter. Taking some deep breaths I started pacing back and forth, my mind racing.

I was sure I'd still could go back to my own world to clear things up, so the connection to wouldn't be cut off completely. After all, I had come here, so I could go back again if necessary, right? The other reality was my home, but what did I really have there?
I had no family except some distant cousins I've never met, and I met my friends only a few times each year since we were living so far away from each other, and the contact had lessened considerably. I hadn't been exactly happy and content with my state of being.

And as stupid and unrealistic as it sounds, but I had fallen for Epin in that short time. Maybe it had started before we had met, perhaps the theories he told me about were right, I didn't know. But I knew I wouldn't go back to my reality just like that, everything in me screamed in outrage at that notion.

But that bond and forever-business scared me a lot, did I really want that? Was I ready for it? Or would I ever be? To be honest I had no idea. But I was ready and willing to take the chance and find out. I wanted to get to know him, wanted to be with him.

Epin really had been honest with me, I could feel that through the bond we had. Anything else I might have felt was carefully shielded, he didn't want to influence me in any way. He wanted the decision to be mine alone.

That was the final factor that cemented my decision.

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How will Kate decide? I'm sure you already know ;-)

I'm sorry this chapter is shorter than the previous ones, but the next one will be a lemon chapter and I didn't want to rip that apart. Or get beaten to death by certain people *coughs*