As always, I am very grateful for the reviews, so thanks.

Chapter 8: Control

Dr. Kasshu, Han, and the Neo-Japan team stood looking at each other in silence on Han's boat. Domon and Rain were in fact speechless after Dr. Kasshu had suggested that he should sleep between them. The young couple just stood there with their mouths open, with nothing coming out.

Shaking his head, Dr. Kasshu looked at his new friend and said, "Han. It sure is easy to make these two wordless."

"Well...Dad," Domon finally said managing to keep his voice calm, but feeling he had to explain something to his father. "Rain and I are adults who have slept in the same room, in separate beds, almost every night for a year now, and nothing happened."

However, Domon began to think of one of the times when they hadn't slept in separate beds, but that situation too had been innocent. The King of Hearts had thought about that time quite often actually, but never did he confront Rain about it. This time that had crossed his mind frequently happened back when Chibodee had challenged Domon to a Gundam fight. It had taken place in a hotel room that the Neo-Japan team was occupying in New York. Rain had been sitting on a chair on the side of Domon's bed taking care of him after he had received one of Chibodee's punches in the boxing ring. Domon recalled Rain catching him off guard when she had popped a pill into his mouth right when he was in the middle of complaining. She had always managed to take care of him whether he liked it or not. He'd never forget the scene when he had later woken up on his own without an alarm clock. It was like that when there was a Gundam fight to compete in. Like clockwork, his body just automatically sprung to life at the right time knowing he had a fight. However, the fight had suddenly left his mind when he felt something resting on the right side of his chest. His eyes soon focused on Rain who was still sitting in the chair, but now sleeping with her left hand resting comfortably on him; her head down on the bed. Evidently she had stayed close to him the whole time he had been asleep. Without moving, he began to study her face, which was turned towards his resting on her right arm on the bed. Her beautiful, blue eyes were hidden under their lids as she gently breathed through her small, perfect, pink lips. He wondered what had made her stay so close to him this long, and if she knew that her hand was on him; almost as if he was her possession. For a few minutes he just watched her, taking in the light, weight feeling of her small hand on him. Remembering the fight, he had soon found himself gently removing her hand from his chest and placing it on the bed. Moving very slowly, he was careful to get off the bed without waking her.

"Domon...Domon," Dr. Kasshu repeated trying to get his son's attention. "My son. Where are you?"

Finally hearing his father, Domon took Rain's hand in his, and said very seriously, "I'm sorry, Dad. But I don't want Rain out of my sight." Though Domon had always respected his father, even when he was very young, he was a man now and wasn't going to be treated as a child.

"After all that you have been through, if I were you I wouldn't want her out of my sight either," Dr. Kasshu said not wanting Domon to think any differently.

Rain looked from one man to the other to see that they understood each other. And even though she was a woman who could take care of herself, she was glad that Domon insisted that she be close to him.

Already having his own plans, Dr. Kasshu said, "Actually, I have decided that if I do sleep, it will be in my hotel room. But after being in a cryogenic state for so long, I don't plan to sleep for awhile."

"You have a hotel room?" Domon asked as if disappointed.

Han cut in and said, "Your father knows that he is welcome to stay here."

"I have a room, complements of the Neo-Japan government," Dr. Kasshu said with a grin as if he was a celebrity. "However, I just want to roam Neo-Hong Kong for awhile and take in the air now that I'm not in a frozen state."

"It's so late, Dad," Domon said as if worried about his father.

Dr. Kasshu smiled and said, "You sound like the parent, Domon. Now, I shall be on my way. I'm sure after what you and Rain have been through that you must both be exhausted." With that, Dr. Kasshu thanked Han and then turned to leave the boat.

"Wait, Dad," Domon said as he released Rain's hand, and laid his hand on his father's shoulder. "When will I see you again?"

Dr. Kasshu turned around and nodded his head to an area a little further away from Rain and Han. The two Kasshu men walked over to it for privacy and the doctor said, "Don't worry son. After you ask Rain that...question that you said you have for her, and you two figure out where you want to be, I will follow behind. You're all I have left, and I don't plan on losing you. But for now, I just have some thinking to do...by myself."

"Okay, Dad," Domon said understanding. He knew his father was still in great pain over losing his wife and oldest son. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yes. I suspect that you will," his father said knowing they'd stay in close touch.

"Are you sure you won't stay here tonight?" Domon asked wanting his father to know that Han had sincerely meant the invitation.

"Thank you, son. But I'm sure. I want to go for a very long walk," the doctor said as if it was the cure he needed. "Sleep is the last thing on my mind."

A small part of Domon hurt as he watched his father leave with much sadness to think about. Turning around, the sight of Rain with such concern in her beautiful eyes had been enough to make Domon feel better. He walked over to her and stopped very close in front of her. "Where's Han?" he asked looking around before his eyes fell back on Rain's.

"He said he wanted to leave us alone," she said as the water could be heard brushing against the boat.

"Oh," Domon only replied, glad that Han was kind enough to give them some privacy.

Concerned for Domon after seeing him and his father in such a deep conversation, Rain asked in a soft voice, "Are you okay, Domon?"

The King ofHearts stared down into her concerned eyes knowing that she was once again worried about him. Wanting her to know that he was there for her too, he answered her question with a question. "Rain. Are you okay?"

Instantly knowing that he meant that he was worried for her over the loss of her father, Rain bit her lip and turned her face away.

Domon then gently placed his hands on her shoulders and pulled her against him to hold her and comfort her. He recalled how miserable he was when he had found out that his family was gone just before he was forced to become a Gundam fighter. It had to be similar to how she was feeling now since her family; her father, was gone. Domon continued to hold her in his arms in silence; wanting to protect her from the pain. Though he couldn't hear her crying, he felt her tremble as she silently let out some of the ache in her heart. When Domon felt the shaking from her crying stop, he just continued to hold her for a long while wanting to smother her with his love. He knew his love was just as strong, if not more, than the love that he had been feeling from her. Finally breaking the long silence, he said in a soft voice, "Rain. Remember when I fought Schwartz/Kyoji? Just after you came back to the Neo-Japan team...to me, he told me that I was no longer alone...because of you. I'm telling you now.You will never be alone because you will always have me." Loyal wasn't a strong enough word to describe Domon Kasshu when it came to the things or people he loved.

Rain gasped at his words of love and hugged Domon tightly to her as if afraid that he might disappear. Even though her heart hurt for her father and what he had done, it was also filled with so much love for the man holding her now. This man who had seemed so distant at times, had actually always been there watching over her.

"Domon," Rain said lifting her head from his shoulder to look deeply into his eyes, "You're all I need."

Domon stared into her eyes; the biggest, bluest, honest eyes he had ever known. He had to wonder what made him the lucky man to receive her love. He could feel it just by looking at her, and then felt himself wanting more.

Feeling it too, Rain knew he was truly the king of her heart. Lifting her hand, she gently ran it through his hair and began to caress the back of his neck.

The King of Hearts felt his heart start to race and his eyes grow heavy from her touch, and he thought he'd melt when her other hand slid into his hair as well and began to pull his face down to hers. His eyes closed just before her lips touched his; bringing his mouth to life once again as he began to move it over hers very tenderly. His hands began to caress Rain's small back by slowly moving beneath her jacket. Domon's cloak gently blew around them as their heads soon slowly tilted in opposite directions to deepen their kiss. Unintentionally, a low sigh escaped each of them as they began to experience the same delightful feeling they had felt with each other earlier when they had been locked in a kiss.

Rain knew she may have initiated this kiss, but Domon had taken over making her feel a strong passion from inside of herself that seemed to be beyond her control. She practically forgot that she was suppose to be standing on her own when he leaned into the kiss more and pulled her body even closer to his; almost feeling as if he was holding her up. Chills ran up and down her spine at the thought that he was actually hers; that they would only kiss each other this way.

Domon himself was amazed by their new closeness, and he wasn't embarrassed that Rain must have known that she was the first one he had ever kissed. Quite frankly he had to wonder how people could go around just kissing anyone this way. To him it seemed so personal. Now that he had only done this loving act with someone he was so utterly in love with, he couldn't imagine it any other way and didn't want to.

Minutes and minutes later, they were still in each other's arms as Domon made a path of small kisses to Rain's ear. In a hoarse voice he whispered, "Rain, I want it to always be this way with us."

"Oh, Domon...so do I," she said fairly breathless as she continued to enjoy the feeling of his lips now giving her kisses behind her ear. She uncontrollably smiled as she whispered, "If you keep kissing me this way, I may never let you stop."

Suddenly realizing how out of control things were getting and too remembering where they were, Domon forced himself to let go of her and to gently pull himself out of her arms.

With confusion in her eyes, Rain watched Domon as he backed a few feet away from her. "Domon. What's wrong?" she asked seeing his serious face and his chest moving up and down from his heavy breathing. Without even realizing it, she began to fan herself with her hand since her temperature had risen as well.

That old, cocky grin appeared on Domon's face as he folded his arms not saying a thing while watching her fanning hand.

Rain smiled somewhat embarrassed when she realized that she had been trying to cool herself off from their actions. However, it didn't stop her from moving towards Domon again.

"If I were you, I wouldn't come any closer," the King of Hearts said in a serious voice.

Rain stopped and folded her arms as well as she continued to smile and lift a questioning eyebrow at him.

Not wanting to tell her how much he had felt his body wanting hers, Domon turned the tables on her. He forced himself to look even more serious as he said, "I'm afraid you might...take advantage of me."

Rain almost burst out laughing at his line, but then realized though the line had been a joke, he was trying to be a gentleman. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel...uncomfortable," she said forcing herself not to laugh since she knew that he had been enjoying their kisses very much.

"Well...this is our first date, you know," he said with a smile as if she was the only one who needed to be reminded.

"Oh...I suppose you're right," she said agreeing. However, she wanted him to know that she didn't think of this as a typical first date because she would never kiss like they had been kissing on a first date. "Who cares that we have put our lives on the line for each other in the past and been with each other almost everyday this past year."

"Let's not forget that we've known each other our whole lives," he said as a matter of fact while feeling himself being drawn to her once again.

After being reminded of their childhood, Rain asked with a look of disbelief on her face, "Did you really scare the other kids away from playing with me when we were little?"

"Damn right," Domon said at first sounding very defensive, but he soon couldn't help but smile again as if knowing he had been a very bad, little boy. "I didn't like those kids. Besides I thought the two of us had enough fun with just each other." Unfolding his arms and sticking his hands into his pockets, he almost sounded embarrassed as he said, "After that last kiss, I'm pretty sure that we only need each other to have fun. That's why I should probably go take a cold shower now before it gets out of hand."

Rain knew that he was right and blushed at his admittance of needing to control his desire for her. He was trying to respect her, and she loved him even more for that.

"Really Rain," he said seriously as he moved to stand closer to her. "Before we can...express our love for each other in a different way, I have to ask you something. But, I can't ask you tonight because there are things that have to be taken care of first."

"I understand," she said knowing him enough to not to push him to ask her this question now. Her heart began to beat fast because she had a good idea of what his question was going to be. After all, this night had been very emotional, and they had said more than a few times that they would always be together. "Domon. I just want to be near you tonight."

"I know the feeling," he said as he took her hand. Right now it was physically impossible for him to leave her side. In silence he led her over to the end of the boat. Sitting down, he leaned against the inside of the boat and gently pulled her down to sit next to him. "Let's just stay out here together for awhile," he said putting his arm around her.

"I'd like that," Rain said softly as she leaned into him.

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What will the kids find the next morning?

Thanks for reading, Jen