Chapter 16

Legal Disclaimer-This is a work of Fanfiction. The rights belong to Marvel, Alliance Atlantis, and folks who I don't know. They don't know me, I don't know them, and I don't have money, so don't sue me.

Authors Note-OKAY, HERE'S THE WARNING-THIS CHAPTER IS PG-13 Heavy on the 13. There are things that might get me in trouble here, so, if you notice a large hole in the middle of this, the reason is that it's well, for adults at a certain point. Don't ask me to tell you...you can figure it out.

Chapter 16

Kari tried to find the ability to breathe. The emotion behind the kiss, mostly desire, longing and fear were completely and totally overwhelming.

"You okay?" Jesse asked, a sly smile crossing his lips.

"I don't know whether to slap you or let you do that again," Kari returned the smile, "You've been holding that back for a while."

"Yep, sure have," Jesse laughed. It felt good to laugh again.

"You going to be okay after all of this?" Kari asked, her change of subject more of concern than the emotion just shared.

Jesse stepped back, never breaking contact with her eyes.

"I don't know," he said.

She reached for his hands. They were calloused from overtyping, but they were shaking.

"Jesse," Kari started, "You had to. There was no other way. Don't go killing yourself over this, he's a spirit. You can't kill spirits but you can stop them. You did. You saved my life in the process. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Jesse's response was barely audible, "Thank you for helping me see that I could do that."

Kari didn't answer, just gathered him in her arms. He needed the hug more than he would admit, and the sheer closeness of her, alive, in the flesh in front of him, real time was a relief that he was having trouble putting words to.

On the other side of the cave wall, Logan smiled at Shalimar.

"So, they tell me that you are a feral," he began, taking a sip off of the tea that Shalimar poured for him, "How's your fighting level? You have any preferences?"

"I can take you," she smiled back, her eyes begging him for the challenge, "If you want the chance."

"In a heartbeat, miss," Logan returned her look, "Name the time and place."

"In a little while," she looked toward the kitchen, "You think he'll be okay? She seems all right."

"Well," Logan began, "He's upset, but, I think he just needs time for soul searching. He killed and cannot help that. It's just putting it all into place. Not easy for him, easy for me."

"Kill or be killed?" Shalimar asked.

"Yes," Logan's reply was curt, "So, when do you..."

"There's a dojo right down the hall," she smiled.

Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Jesse and Kari simply held each other. The trauma of almost losing Kari and the acts that repulsed Jesse caused them to want to comfort each other.

Kari knew that she wanted to cry and cry badly. The emotions of her nearly dying had finally hit and she knew that she had dodged a bullet. Jesse cared for her, she felt that the second he touched her. He was scared to lose her. She finally discovered that she was scared to lose him.

Kari pulled away from him and slowly looked into his eyes.

"We have got a lot to talk about," she said, "And I don't think that I want to talk about it now."

"I don't think I want to either," Jesse said softly, "You want to go somewhere alone?"

Kari smiled, took his hand and walked down the hallway to his room.

Chapter 17

The hardest thing for Shalimar to dodge was the claws. She backflipped over Logan's charge, her bare feet playing on the edge of dojo wall. She flicked his wrist away from attack then spun, her elbow hitting him in the chest.

Logan laughed.

"Wow, you're very good."

"That's what I have been told."

Logan lunged for her, full berserker style. She ducked under his attack then hit him in the small of the back. He turned, grabbed her wrist mid turn and flattened her on her back.

"And you're very good as well."

Logan stopped and smiled. He let go of her wrist and extended his hand, pulling her up.

"Thank you," she said, sitting up, "Nice workout."

Logan reached for the towel that Shalimar put on the bench for him. He wiped the sweat from his brow and his face, as Shalimar did the same with her towel.

"You think those two are okay?" he asked, thinking more aloud that making it an actual question.

"I hope so," Shalimar said, patting Logan on the shoulder, "You want to go again?"

They both flashed feral grins at each other.

Jesse and Kari were wrapped up in each other's arms, staring at the lights in the cave room that Jesse called home. They had held each other quietly, not talking about what had just happened, just savoring the moment that both of them were together, and alive.

Jesse was alone in his thoughts as Kari tried not to dose. He could feel her heartbeat, her warmth, and her spirit close to his. She had known immediately what he wanted and hadn't been afraid to share her soul with him, that was a bond he knew that he would always have. Lexa crossed his mind. He felt like he had betrayed her.

"We probably won't work out," Kari said aloud.

Jesse felt cold.

"Will you get out of my head, please," he said softly, "You know better than that."

"I wasn't," Kari said, her voice growing cold, "You have a life here that I don't fit into. Face it Jess, we aren't meant to be."

"I don't believe that, Kari," Jesse said, sitting up, "You aren't going to tell me that we don't have something between us."

"No, I'm not going to tell you that, Jesse Kilmartin," Kari said, shifting so that she didn't fall out of the bed, "We have a bond, that's been well demonstrated in the past few days, and I am not denying it."

"Why are you saying that we aren't going to work then?" Jesse kissed her shoulder, "You think we're doomed?"

"No, Jesse," Kari looked at him, "We're not doomed, we're just not meant to be. You have a life here with Shalimar, Brennan and Lexa."

"And they want you to be part of it," Jesse said, "Only if you want to be."

"Jesse, I left once," Kari sat up, gathering the sheets around her body, "I don't want to leave again, but I know that I will have to. We're too close. With me here, the risk is run of you having to face the same guys twice. I don't want that to happen to you, demons are only meant to be faced once."

"Sometimes twice," Jesse interrupted, "You deserve to be happy, Kari."

Kari found the tears that had been hiding behind her eyes.

"Thank you, Jesse," her voice cracked, "You make me very happy."

"Then enjoy the moment," he said, gathering her back in his arms, "We'll think about the future in the morning."

Kari settled back in his arms and did just that.

The End