(Short Disclaimer: This story has turned out much longer than I originally anticipated. This chapter is technically optional. If you wish to skip straight to the next and final chapter please fell free. You won't miss anything except a little more development between Tad and Stephanie. This chapter may also be considered a little too risqué for the PG reader. Thanks for reading this far.)

Stephanie sat cross-legged in the rain atop a nearly empty slum building. Nearly empty except for her new teacher who slumbered restlessly waiting for dusk to fully claim the city. The late spring drizzle was still a bit chilly but it steamed off her bare skin which was flushed and hot from exertion. She wore only shorts and a cropped tank.

Tim had only taught her three actual martial arts forms but she'd recently begun making up her own routines out of moves she felt blended together naturally. A few of these she had memorized using them as often as the set forms, and some she changed a little here and there as felt right at the time. Tonight she'd given her body free reign to move how it would. By the time the downpour began she'd been at it for over an hour. Yet she did not collapse when her body finally told her it was finished. Instead she sat slowly and meditated. She found herself centered and intensely invigorated.

She heard Tad, who was apparently not asleep any more, step out onto the roof and come toward her. It was then, in her calm, uber-lucid state that she realized two very disturbing things. The first was that she was powerfully attracted to Tad. Of course, she'd realized this to a point from the moment she'd seen him but now she accepted it as a part of herself and looked inward at the emotion from an objective distance. This was good as it steadied her to accept the other part of the revelation: Tad was a monster.

In the moments it took him to reach her, Stephanie methodically retraced the past month in her mind.

She had told Tim she was going to lay off the costume gig to recover but that she didn't want to see him for a while either. She'd returned to this god-forsaken hole every night there-after. There would be no physical training until her ribs healed. Tad said, it didn't bother him that much to not patrol here. It wasn't his turf and besides the crooks had this unnatural fear of really dark places, as though they were always expecting something to jump out at them. This made it really hard to sneak up on them.

Steph stayed true to what she'd said. She never donned her costume. They mostly sat and talked about their adventures. She was especially attentive to his account of a vigilante in Bludhaven who tried to take him off the street. She could totally relate to having to fight for her right to be out there. They happily ranted about it for days.

Tad showed off some of his better moves for her. Stephanie realized quickly that what he lacked in developed skill he more than made up for in passion. She gingerly showed him a few simple things that would improve his technique which he shrugged off at the time but she saw him integrate them later in his performances as though he'd thought of them himself. She just rolled her eyes and smiled.

Once in a while he'd get edgy, itching for a fight, so he'd go out for a couple of hours. This was usually late so she'd call it a night and take off. But that night she'd stayed and fallen asleep in a corner of the room. In fact that's what started the problems in this last week. He returned limping and bloody, groaned and slumped down on his make-shift bed. Stephanie rose and came toward him concerned.

"Are you alri-" But he lunged for her knocking her back with speed that belied his obvious injuries. She realized her mistake instantly. He did not expect anyone to be here and was feeling vulnerable. Fortunately, they landed in the stark street light blaring through the window. His hand was around her neck as he straddled her. Recognition dawned in his eyes and she felt his panting slow. But his hand did not move. It occurred to her that there was no pressure on her throat; he was supporting most of his weight on his fingertips. She closed her eyes and shuddered, becoming aware of the smells of his body. Sweat, blood, but she sensed another, weaving through the two, that hinted his desire. Then, she tasted salt and copper. Again she sensed in his lips a lack of skill almost totally eclipsed by zeal. She demonstrated with no attempt at subtlety and it wasn't long before the kiss was entirely his again. This time she didn't roll her eyes.

She noticed his hands didn't need such guidance though they did not stray to the usual places. His right, which had been poised to crush her wind pipe slipped easily under her head and his left snaked around her waist. All the while he balanced on his knees and right elbow, touching his body to hers but with no real pressure. She marveled that even now he was careful to avoid her sore spot though she was almost fully healed. He slowly twisted, deftly reversing their positions, and both his hands slid just under the hem of her shirt to wrap around her waist. She responded reflexively and began to take it off. Just as unexpectedly as it had begun the magic was over.

His body slackened as though he were suddenly totally uninterested and put his hands behind his head. She froze, her shirt barely revealing the bottom of her bra. There was no hiding her red face this time. "What?" she breathed through an embarrassed laugh.

"Gonna put on a show for me or somethin'?" He smiled but waited for an answer. She lowered her hands letting her shirt fall back into place.

"I...I thought..." she shrugged. "You know..." she felt childish and his next words stung all the more for it.

"Sorry sweetie." he chuckled "you're still Jail Bait. I can only give you so much of what you ask for, ya know?" She sat there stupefied for a moment then sputtered.

"Jail...what I ask...what I ask for..." she tried to slap him but he caught her wrist in mid-swing and pushed her off him with another laugh. She skidded a little ways and looked up from hands and knees. "You Bastard!" She got to her feet and headed for the door but turned before actually exiting the room. "You don't know me. You don't know what I'm capable of." she heard herself ranting but didn't really think about what she was saying. She hadn't ever told him her age.

She turned and stomped a few steps but then came back to the door to yell some biting comment about his bad kissing. She'd always thought she appeared older to most people, she knew experience had aged her in many ways. She got as far as the stairs this time before turning around to holler.

"And you have no idea what you're missing!" Stephanie stomped down each stair as though trying to break it. Then, she tossed another quick one over her shoulder as loud as she could without looking. "Heaven knows I'm probably not missing much."

She nearly jumped out of her skin when his large hand touched her waist. How had he gotten down the stairs so quickly with no noise? She swung away and missed the next step stumbling precariously. Tad caught her hand easily and as he pulled her to him out of danger, inquired "Then why are you still here?"

"I was on my way out." the retort faded on her lips as his closed in.

There were no more words between them after that. She still came every night and he enjoyed all those mostly innocent pleasures that only the very inexperienced indulge. But even as experienced as she was, it never got old. She was pleasantly surprised that his absolute passion could make a kiss more sensual than wantonly prancing bases.

The first few days he'd made some sharp remark to break the mood when he wanted her to leave so he could sleep. To her own surprise, Stephanie, didn't react, just left calmly only to return the next night. One night he opened his mouth and she put a finger over it, pulled him firmly into her arms and didn't let go until his breathing told her he was asleep. Then she slipped away.

That night walking home, the guilt that had been building inside her broke to the surface and she cried most of the way. She vowed to herself that she wouldn't go back. "He'll leave and never come back and I won't ever have to tell..." She couldn't say his name for fear of bursting into sobs again, too risky so close to her own door. However, the next night she used the very same thought to justify one last visit.

"And now here I sit, soaked and suddenly cold for no other reason than he's about to touch me." she thought dryly. She couldn't imagine why after so many caresses that made her burn. He was so alive, a force of nature it seemed. Yet, for all of that, she knew he was incapable of the love she already knew from Tim. How had she strayed this far? How had she been so blind as to follow him into this fantasy?

Too late. Tad knelt and traced the riverlets down her arm with his fingers. She closed her eyes and her mind instantly clouded. She half-heartedly tried to remember what she'd been thinking.

"Let's go together tonight." he stated. There was something in his voice that hinted at more than the patrol but she didn't let herself entertain such a hope.

"Where?" She grinned up at him, ready for anything.

"Come on, you'll see."