A/N: We didn't say how many reviews we wanted, cuz we never get it up at that amount anyway, sooo… ya get the picture. Oh, and 8 is just being weird for some reason, sorry if it was harder to read.
Crane pushed through the flames, he could feel everlasting, immense heat pushing in at him from all sides. He made his way to the stairwell, he took a gasping breath, their wasn't as much fire in there. He sat down a moment to rest.
Rosethorn, where was she? Crane thought hurriedly, the top floor, yes, that was it!
He ran up the rest of the steps to the top floor, bursting into the chemical testing room that he knew Rosethorn would be in if she were testing the Roscra, flames engulfed the room.
He looked wildly around the room, seeing nothing but fire and destruction. Then he heard a moan and spied her underneath the table covered in soot, her clothes burned, half unconscious.
He hurried to her and seeing that she wouldn't be able to walk lifted her up in his arms and carried her out of the room.
In the stairwell he sat her down and gradually her ragged breathing became smoother. She was still unconscious though. He picked her up again and carried her back into the flaming first floor.
Bursting out of the building the crowd cheered, he took her 10 yards away from the building and laid her on the cool grass.
Kneeling he brushed her hair away from her face, "Rosethorn? Rosethorn, my love," he whispered to her so softly no one else could hear.
Rosethorn blinked slowly, then coughed, "Crane?"
"I'm here," he said, his eyes soft and full of love and concern.
She sat up slowly and Crane put his arms around her, leaning in kiss her. He then pulled her to her feet, still kissing her.
The whole crowd, those that knew Rosethorn, expected her to shove him away and use her temper on him, so they were quite surprised when in turn she put her arms around him and leaned in closer to him.
Standing at the front of the crowd Lark put her hands over Briar's eyes.
"Hey!" he said in protest, "I wasn't looking anyway."
When they finished kissing Rosethorn leaned against Crane, head resting on his chest. Lark pushed her way out of the stunned crowd, "Rosie!"
Briar was close behind Lark. Rosethorn turned to face them, a smile on her face.
"Your okay?" Lark asked.
"Apparently," Rosethorn told her friend, "if I can kiss someone, I must be okay."
Crane stood next to Rosethorn, uneasily being quiet.
Turning her head to look up at him she whispered, "I thought you were joking."
"What?" He raised his eyebrows.
"You said you were joking when you said that we could let everyone catch us kissing," Rosethorn told him, a smile playing on her lips.
"Oh yes, that. I was joking," he told her.
"Well, everyone knows now," she stated.
Everyone was watching Crane and Rosethorn, except of course, the water mages who were still busily stopping the flames in the burning building.
"Lets go," Crane said, "and get cleaned up."
"I'll take her to Discipline Cottage," Lark told Crane, who nodded.
Rosethorn glared at the crowd, "you all have things to do. Go do them!"
They slowly dispersed, many with a few last glances over their shoulders at Rosethorn, Crane, and Lark. Soon only Briar and the girls were left standing there.
"I meant you too!" Rosethorn said and they ran off to Discipline, "and Lark, I can take myself to Discipline."
"No you can't!" Lark and Crane said together.
Rosethorn shrugged and started walking off. Lark and Crane hurried after her. As Crane stepped up next to her, she slid her hand in his hand. Once they got to the door to Discipline Crane kissed Rosethorn once more and then left to get changed.
"So," Lark said as she and Rosethorn walked through the cottage to Rosethorn's room.
Rosethorn smiled, "I guess there's no need to tell everyone."
"No need," Lark agreed as Rosethorn went into her room to get changed and wash up.
***
There was a knock on the door of Discipline Cottage and Crane stepped in. He was wearing a clean robe and had evidently taken a shower. He looked at Briar and the girls seated at the table, eating breakfast.
"Is Rosethorn here?" he asked.
"Yes, in her workroom," Briar said, pushing a spoon full of mushy oatmeal into his mouth.
Crane nodded and walked off to Rosethorn's workroom. He disappeared behind the door.
Briar and the girls all stared at the door for a moment before Tris giggled. She couldn't help herself. Briar, Sandry, and Daja and looked at her. Tris stared back.
"What?" she asked.
They just shook their heads and went back to their breakfast, except Briar. Briar stared at Tris a moment longer before he shook his head and went back to his oatmeal. Tris, who was already back to her oatmeal, didn't notice.
And now back to Rosethorn's workroom…
"Someone broke into my greenhouse," Crane said after he kissed Rosethorn and then sat down in a chair.
"Why?" Rosethorn asked as she closed a notebook she had been scribbling rapidly in.
"We don't know. Nothing was stolen and nothing was broken into. Its as if, the person broke in, looked around, and left."
Rosethorn put down her pen and closed her notebook, "maybe that's what they were there for. To look around."
"Maybe. I bet they used the commotion to get in without anyone noticing," Crane sighed.
"You should be more careful," Rosethorn suggested.
"More careful? As if I wasn't careful in the first place…" Crane replied, but a smile playing across his lips proved that he was not being sarcastic.
"Really?" Rosethorn asked, astonished, "you actually put protection spells on your greenhouse?"
"Yes, I do. I suppose that means you do as well?" Crane demanded.
"Of course," she retorted.
They were both silent for a moment before Crane spoke up again. He had been acting a little nervous the whole time.
"Would you like to go for a walk?" Crane inquired.
"I'd love to," Rosethorn said, grateful to get away from her recording things about the Roscra.
They stood and walked off. They actually left Wind Circle and went to the place where they watched the Roscra for a pollinator. The field was still covered in Roscras, but a few were wilting already. Apparently they were a one season flower.
Rosethorn sighed as she stared at the wild beauty and peacefulness of the forest. Crane stared dreamily about the field, hands in his pockets, fidgeting.
Suddenly a herd of deer burst into the field, fleeing, white tails high. They dashed almost straight at Crane and Rosethorn before veering away suddenly. About ten feet behind the main herd was a smaller deer, and it was limping as it ran, and it seemed almost crazy with terror.
Then, apparently out of thin air, a cougar leaped up from the grasses and flowers with a vicious snarl and landed on the small deer's back, snapping the neck with a fatal crack.
"Oh my god!" Rosethorn exclaimed her face pale; as she watched the cougar carry off its prey.
Crane raised one of his eyebrows, his face pale as well, "That was quite, interesting."
Rosethorn said nothing, took a breath as though she was going to say something, then let it out again.
"Come, my beloved, let us walk a different way," Crane said putting an arm around her waist and steering her off in a different direction. In return she rested her head on his shoulder.
"Maybe the forest isn't as peaceful as I thought it was," Rosethorn said thoughtfully.
Soon they game to a little creek.
"This is the creek we all jumped in when the bees came after us," Crane remarked.
"And the mud bank we covered ourselves with mud in," Rosethorn said remembering.
"Should we cross?" Crane asked, looking upstream and downstream for a bridge, and seeing one.
"Lets," replied Rosethorn, and they walked upstream the bank of the creek until they came to a beautiful arched stone bridge.
Crane suddenly paused as they stood in the center of the bridge and turned to face her.
"Rosethorn, I love you, more deeply than I ever thought possible," he said.
"And I the same," Rosethorn replied, a small smile playing about her lips.
"So that's why I'm asking you, will you marry me?" Crane asked, "I'm not sure that Dedicates even can marry, but I'm asking you anyway because that's what I truly want to do, to live out the rest of my days with you, and I want you to know that."