:-: Love Conquers All :-:

: : : Chapter 12: An Unexpected Reunion : : :

An extremely excited Lucy Kinkirk clung to Kevin's arm as they strode towards the cruise ship destined for Hawaii. There getaway would consist of a five night cruise and a five night stay on the beautiful island of Maui. They were to depart around ten o'clock in the morning. Running a few minutes late, they jogged to the dock. Grateful that the liner had not yet departed without their presence, they hurriedly boarded.

It was an incredible cruise ship. There were plenty of activities to take part in, like swimming in the pool, a day spa, and a nightclub. They first found their room, and after thrusting their luggage aside in the corner, they sat on the edge of the bed. Kevin put his arm around Lucy's shoulder and smiled at her adoringly. After a few moments, Kevin finally snapped out of their blissful trance and inquired to what Lucy would like to do on their first day of the cruise. "Well, I thought it'd be fun if we checked out the pool today. You know, to soak up some sun? I'm as pale as a ghost and I want a tan!" Lucy said, laughing. Kevin loved hearing her laugh. It was music to his ears.

"Sure, sounds great to me! Let's change and head out," Kevin said, kissing Lucy's forehead.

After they both had changed into their swimsuits, they walked hand in hand to the poolside. It was a beautiful day out. It was only seventy-seven degrees with a slight breeze and warm sunshine. All in all, it was a brilliant day for swimming and enjoying the weather. They approached the edge of the pool, and Kevin proceeded to dive right in without hesitation. Lucy, on the other hand, was not in any hurry to dive in. She stuck her toes into the surface of the water, testing its temperature. Shivering, she whispered, "I'm not going in there, it's freezing right now!" Placing the side of her hand across her forehead to shield the sun from her eyes, she scanned the pool surface for Kevin. He was nowhere to be seen. She was about to turn around and sit in one of the poolside chairs, when suddenly she felt a tightening around her legs. Before she could even get a yell out, she found herself underwater and she realized she had been pulled in. Not expecting to be pulled in so hastily, she rose to the surface, gasping for air. Kevin surfaced and met Lucy's gaze. She was standing there like a statue, dripping wet, angry as could be. If looks could kill, Kevin would have been a dead man. He began to crack up laughing as he saw how flustered she had gotten. She continued to stand there, unmoving, until she dove at him and tackled him into the water. "Ha!" she yelled in triumph as he resurfaced like she had just a few seconds ago, surprised at the action. He just laughed, and they enjoyed the rest of their time in the pool.

Later, after hours of swimming and sunbathing, they began to tire, and decided it was time to take their entertainment indoors and into one of the nightclubs the cruise featured. They got out of the pool, dried off, and went back to their room. Lucy changed into a knee-high casual summer dress, and Kevin put on some nice pants and a Hawaiian shirt. They were going to a club named Rhapsody, the ship's most popular nighttime entertainment.

While Kevin went to get some drinks, Lucy went to find a table. She picked a U-shaped booth, and casually slid onto the seat, setting her purse beside her. While waiting for Kevin to return, she began to finger through the ship's entertainment pamphlet. As she was engrossed in the attractions of the cruise, she did not notice a figure slip into the seat next to her.

"Hello Lucy. Long time no chat," spoke a very familiar voice. Lucy jumped a bit, startled by the sudden interruption of the calmness, with the exception of the music playing. She brought her gaze to the man's face, and suddenly gasped when she found out who he was.

"Jeremy? What are…Why…What do you want?" she stuttered uncomfortably.

"Relax, Lucy, don't worry, I'll make you feel good," he garbled, having trouble stringing a sentence together. He was apparently a little bit drunk.

"Jeremy, I have a husband. Please, just leave, before things get ugly," she enforced.

"Aw come on. You know you still want me," he said, as he placed his hand on her upper thigh. She quickly pushed it off and scooted a little farther away, uneasy.

"Will you just leave me alone already? I'm a married woman. You had your chance, it's too late now. So leave, before I get my husband- who is a police officer- to arrest you," Lucy threatened, disgusted by his actions. He once again ignored her request and went to place his hand near the edge of her dress and try to kiss her. Just as Jeremy was about to force his mouth onto hers, she heard Kevin's voice.

"What the hell do you think you're doing to my wife?" he asked, enraged at Jeremy, knowing for sure that it was not Lucy who had begun the whole situation, "Didn't anyone ever teach you some manners," he said, setting the drinks down hastily, and grabbing Jeremy by the shirt collar. "Don't dare touch my wife again, do you hear me? Because if you do, I'll have you arrested and incarcerated," he said in a threatening, stringent tone. Jeremy's eyes blazed with anger. He was about to say something, but didn't. He turned around to leave. While Jeremy was walking away, he whispered icily into her ear,

"You can't win this game, Lucy. You'll see…I always get what I want." Lucy swallowed nervously.

Afterwards, Kevin sat down by Lucy. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his tone.

"Yes, I…I'm fine. He didn't do anything to me, thankfully," she said, grateful that he had come to relieve her of her ex.

"I love you."

"And I love you." He kissed her and took her hand into his. "May I have this dance?" he asked, grinning. They smiled at each other as they made their way to the dance floor. However, they failed to notice that Jeremy hadn't left, but was watching the couple from a shadowed corner of the club.

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(A/N: Well, here's another chapter. I finally got the chance to update. So many projects, so much schoolwork, and so little time… Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. I like a bit of a twist every now and then… Makes things interesting... anyway, sorry it took so long, I do try to update as soon as I can, but sometimes you just don't have the time. Thanks to all who've stuck with me! I really do appreciate the reviews!)