Chapter Two: Stay the Night

"In the still of my heart, there's a fire that burns my soul's desire, touching me like the sun. Here and now I give my love so faithfully that I will always be the one. I wanna stay with you tonight; I don't want to leave 'cause I feel the time is right. Don't wanna go before I say what I have to say. Don't ask me to walk away. I wanna stay the night."

Jin let out a long sigh. Why had his mind been pestering him with such thoughts as of late? This was completely out of character for him. He shook his head and closed his eyes. Here he was, meditating (as was his evening routine before undressing and laying in his current "bed") and trying to relax, when her face crept into his vision, AGAIN! That was the third time today he had thought of her when her physical form was nowhere in his sights. He didn't understand. This type of thing had only occurred in his life once before. His eyes shot open as a thought occurred to him.

"Could I be... no! That's not possible." He shook his head and rose from his kneeling position. His long arms reached up and removed the tie holding back his dark mane. He always loved the feeling of his hair down. It made him feel free in a sense. As was the rest of his evening routine, he removed his Gi and neatly folded it next to his cot.

"She is so... Fuu." He smiled. There's really no other way to describe her, he thought. Kneeling down once more, he outstretched his body and started on his two hundred push-ups.

"One... two... three... beautiful... four... jovial... five... six... breath taking... when the... sun shines... through... her hair. Twelve... adorable... her smile... her energy... the way... she eats... her food. Nineteen... twenty." And so on. He got to number one hundred, eighty-three when his outspoken thoughts walked into his room. He went down to do number one hundred, eight-four and didn't rise when her perfect feet came into his view.

"Jin... umm... I'm sorry. I knocked..." He felt the blush hit his cheeks immediately and dared not look up at her, afraid his face would give way to his current thoughts.

"Gomen... gomen. I should go." That caught him and he sat up and was on his feet before she could take a second step towards the exit. His hand reached out and gently grasped her arm. He could tell in her voice there was something wrong.

"Fuu, don't go. You came for a reason and I'd like to know what that is." His heart beat so fast he was afraid she'd hear it too. She didn't turn to face him as she spoke very softly.

"I... I just can't be alone tonight." He could hear the tears in her eyes. "I'm afraid of what I'll do." Jin gently turned her to face him and felt his heart crumble into his stomach. Her eyes had lost their usual Fuu shine and were replaced with a broken spirit. The sights of her in this state made him want to wrap his arms around her and never release her into the world again. What could cause this usually exuberant woman to look so devastated?

"Fuu, what is it? What happened?" He caught himself trying to reach up and erase the wetness from her flushed cheeks, yet instead he tightened his grip on her arm a bit more.

Her clouded hazel eyes looked into his so deep as the tears fell.

"Today would have been my mother's thirtieth birthday. But it's not, because she's not here." She feel into his arms and her palms grasped his moistened back. He quickly wrapped his arms around her and set his chin on top of her messy hair. "Please, don't ask me to go." It came out of her broken and muffled.

"You can stay as long as you like."

"Holding you close to me, the first time as your body moves with mine. Let the moon ease your fears, caressing as I whisper in your ear that I will always be the one."

Just the feel of him close to her was enough to calm her tears. His understanding demeanor and his close embrace made her mind fill with thoughts that she couldn't escape. "Jin." She pulled back just enough to look up into those mysterious eyes. This time, what she found there surprised her. Could he really be gazing at her with himself opened? For as long as they've traveled together, not even once has she looked into those eyes and not seen a wall blocking his soul from her. Her heart beat so wildly at the look of him. He was slightly leaning down to her, his shoulder length mane slightly falling into his face. She moved her palms a bit more open to feel the moistened skin under them. Her breath caught as she saw the redness creep across his cheeks. He's never appeared so irresistible to her.

Oh no! He was leaning down to her. She couldn't help but close her eyes and wait for what she was hoping would be next.

"Now is the time I've been waiting for so long. Just give me a sign 'cause it's here where I belong."

((Song is courtesy of 98 Degrees, titled Stay The Night.))

Kimmy-Sama: Sweet Pea did this chapter by herself! Great, no? YAY!:hugs her Mugen doll seeing how he's not getting any here::