::Chapter 15: Affection::

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"You can explain?!" Cammy shrieked. Vega noted that her once eloquent and softly spoken voice had turned to a high pitch scream. Though she had just awoken, her eyes were wide open with rage. If he could back away any further he would have.

"Where the hell are we?!"

"I'm sorry, just let me explain, Cammy. We're on a boat and we haven't reached Shadowloo yet. I have to explain!"

"You don't deserve to explain this! With every bit of torment you've put me through, everything you've said to taunt me, everything you've done to me... How can I trust anything you say?!" Vega winced as she rose herself off of the bed slowly.

"You are all the same... I remember the night you took me away from Shadowloo, all of the times you kissed me, every time I saw you secretly... All the while you were just a pawn in his game. You just want to take me back to him, so you can watch as I am tortured!" Cammy stormed over to him, glaring with more anger than ever. She stood next to him, her body only inches from his, cornering him. With Cammy's petite frame and height, normally no person would be intimidated by this, but Vega was certain that the glare in her eyes could even threaten Bison. When she came closer, Vega could see that her eyes were now filled with water.

"Please, Cammy... Let me--" Vega whispered, but Cammy cut him off with an angry screech.

"You don't think I remember anything, do you? I trusted you! But you are just like them! I loved Juni and Juli, we were like sisters, but they hurt me too, because of him. You are no better, you sadist! I remember now. Nights ago, it all came back to me... I remembered when we were both rather young, the one night I was with my mother, at my favorite place in London and you...." Cammy twisted her fingers into a clenched fist. "You just stood there holding me away from Bison... While he killed her!"

Vega didn't know what to say. Cammy stood there, shaking with tears trickling down her pale cheeks uncontrollably. He felt that nothing he could say would ever make her less angry or hurt by his past actions. Before he could think of anything to say at all, her clench fist pulled swiftly and struck his chest, hard.

"You bastard..."She said, while sobbing and striking him again and again. Surely there were bruises beyond his apparel, but Vega didn't even wince. He felt he deserved every punch she could deliver. For once he felt compassion for her when she cried, not some sick sadistic amusement. Cammy finally stopped hitting him and placed her hands to her face.

"I can't take this anymore..." Her broken voice said. "I just want to be left alone without the anguish of this life, in an eternal sleep... Without ever knowing of Shadowloo. I just want to be dead, Vega. I hope he kills me quickly."

Not knowing what else to do, Vega took her into his arms. However mad Cammy was, she accepted his embrace and cried into his shoulder. It was the only comfort she had felt since her mother held her close in her childhood. Vega ran his fingers through her hair, in effort to comfort her.

"I'm sorry... Cammy, I..." He said, holding her tighter. "I don't want to take you back to him forever... Please, listen to me..."

"Only if you promise," Said Cammy. Now her tears had stopped, but her eyes were still wet. She looked upon his face. "That you won't hurt me…"

"I'll never hurt you again... I can't..."

Cammy frowned. "How can I trust you, after everything that's happened between us, Vega?"

"I've never been more sure in my life..." Vega looked down at her, his finger traced the curve of her scarred jaw-line, until he place it directly under her chin. "And I am the only one you have to turn to... If that isn't enough to make you trust me, I can list more reasons..." He sighed, smiling at her. He grasped her waist gently with his hand and began walking forward, causing her to walk with him.

"My second reason is that I am working with a woman, called Rose, to destroy Bison. This boat is hers. We will arrive at Shadowloo in a few days. Once we are there we shall kill him, by destroying the Psycho drive..."

Cammy let a weak smile curve her lips. She didn't need any other reason if he were to kill Bison. She wasn't at all skeptical, something inside his eyes her made her believe his words.

"Third... Is that I have no reason to hurt you, unless you want me to..." He whispered into her ear, scratching the skin of her waist ever so slightly with his well manicured nails.

"And now, for my fourth reason..." Vega sighed and walked a bit further, until he finally reached the four-poster bed. He lay her down gently upon it, lowering himself only inches above her.

"You are everything to me...."

Cammy's eyes widened upon his words. She could feel his heart beating faster, as his chest touched hers.

"Are those enough reasons for you to trust me" He whispered, lowering his lips to the tip of her jaw.

Cammy had only made a soft sound, to approve.

"Good..."

He leaned in slowly, until their lips met with a light kiss. As it deepened, he pulled her closer to him. His hand idly traced down her waist to her thigh, slipping past the attire that covered her skin. He touched her slowly, and she gasped as it became too much for her to handle. He had her in a position she wanted to never end, but she wanted so much more.

"May I finally have what I've wanted for so long...?" He breathed, looking into her eyes intensely.

Cammy simply grabbed his hair and pulled him down to kiss her again.

"I will take that as a yes..." He smirked.

She gazed up at him longingly, as he placed his other hand around her thigh, slowly digging his nails into her, making her arch back with a mixture of pleasure and pain.

"Then I will show you how I feel... tonight..."

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::Author's Notes::

Finally! I have updated after waiting so long to get a zip drive that works, because my fics were stored on zip disks. The cursed zip drive blew up. I'm so, so sorry, but I couldn't work on my fic at all for months now. =(

I thank you all, for being so patient with me. I really appreciate that people are still reading this after so long... And hopefully no one will have to wait that long again. ^_^