Sorry for the delay in this chapter...I was in the city from Thurs until yesterday...

Anyhow...here you go!

I will ask you all to mind the rating for the next chapter. ;)

-Nico

Rae didn't expect heaven to be so…

Dark.

She strained to see in front of her. She could barely make out a figure on the other side of whatever room she was in.

Slowly, she pulled herself to a sitting position, moaning slightly.

The sound caught the attention of the figure, which moved closer to her.

"Who's there?" Rae asked, frightened.

"It's me," Gerard said quietly, coming to sit on the bed next to her.

"Gerard?" Rae questioned.

"Yes," he replied, grasping one of her cold hands. "Are you alright?"

"Could you turn on a light?" She asked.

Gerard got up, clicking on one of the dimmer lights in the room.

Still, Rae squinted as the soft yellow glow filled the room she now recognized as the hotel both she and Gerard had been staying in.

She looked up, watching as Gerard moved back to his spot on the bed.

He wore all black, which didn't surprise her.

What worried her, however, were the dark circles under his eyes, which, for once, were not the effect of the eye make-up he usually wore.

"Are you alright?" Rae asked, moving over slightly to make room for him to sit.

"Yes," Gerard replied. "I am now."

"How long was I out for this time?" Rae asked.

"Nearly 20 hours," Gerard replied.

Rae gasped.

"I had a doctor come look at you," Gerard continued. "You're fine; your body was just in a state of shock."

Rae regarded him. "I actually felt her leave my body," she revealed.

Gerard looked over at her, his eyes encouraging her to continue.

"It was this completely overwhelming feeling of happiness and sadness all at once," she said. "She had become such a part of me, I guess I wasn't ready to let her go."

Rae lowered her eyes, hiding tears from Gerard.

"Believe me," he said softly, "no one understands what you mean more than I do."

Rae lifted her dampened lashes to meet his eyes.

They had taken on a golden, greenish hue…from exhaustion or relief, Rae could not be certain.

His dark hair hung partially over his face, the rest hanging in stylishly cut locks.

"You look different," Rae said, raising a pale hand to his face.

"Do I?" Gerard asked, allowing her to run her fingertips down his cheek.

Rae nodded. "Your eyes are brighter…and your skin isn't as pale." She let her fingertips wander to his lips. "And your lips seem fuller."

Gerard chuckled. "My lips seem fuller?"

"Shut up, they do," Rae said, playfully shoving Gerard. "Even your hair seems more…alive."

Gerard looked down at the woman in the bed. Truth be told, she looked different too. Her cheeks were rosy…her eyes seemed to carry none of the despair they once had. Her hair seemed shinier…more luxurious, if that was possible.

"Perhaps their effects on us were simply too much for our bodies to bear," Gerard suggested.

Rae considered this. "Maybe," she said, stretching. "All I know is that I feel better than I have in ages."

Gerard slowly placed one hand on one side of Rae's body, his other on the other side of her. He looked down at her face, which bore a smile. Rae twined her fingers in a particularly long lock of his hair. Playfully, Gerard dipped down, brushing her lips with his own, pulling away just as Rae tipped her chin up to receive his kiss.

He licked his lips, his brow coming together as if he was considering the most serious of matters.

"You taste better too," he commented, dodging the teasing swat of Rae's hand.

Instead, he caught her wrist, bringing her palm to his chest.

Beneath the thin layer of his black shirt, Rae could feel the warmth of the steady beating of his heart.

For some reason, this action seemed more intimate to Rae than any other contact she had had with him.

He dipped his head again, tracing the outline of her lips with his tongue, eliciting a soft sigh from Rae.

"So," she said breathlessly. "Would it be safe for me to assume that your sway on me is entirely your own?"

Gerard lifted his head. "Mostly," he teased, rubbing his nose against hers.

"I'm serious!" Rae protested, walking her fingers up to his shoulder. "I need to know that you are here for me, and for no other reason."

Gerard smiled. "Why would you doubt that?"

Rae sighed, adjusting herself beneath his weight.

The effect was almost torturous on Gerard.

"Because it's been so long since I've been myself," she replied. "It's been too long."

"And you doubt that someone could love you without Christine?" Gerard asked.

Rae blinked, her wide eyes meeting with his. "L…Love?" She stammered.

Gerard bit his lip. "Well…I mean…" he sputtered.

Looking down at the smiling Rae below him, he sighed. "Yes, you irritating thing," he tickled her waist. "Love."

"You love me?" Rae asked meekly.

Gerard nodded, lowering his mouth to hers.

Rae's heart felt almost too full to be contained within her chest. She wrapped her arms around Gerard's neck, pulling him closer to her, connecting his chest with her own.

Gerard pulled back, looking confused.

"What's the matter?" Rae asked anxiously, her breath raspy.

"This isn't right," Gerard proclaimed.

A nervous knot pulled at Rae's insides.

"It's not?" She asked nervously.

"No," Gerard shook his head. "It's not."

Rae pulled the silken covers up around her, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

Just as soon as she had, Gerard grasped her waist, pulling her on top of him.

Rae shrieked and then giggled as Gerard wove his hands through her hair, pulling her lips down to his.

"This," he said, "Is much better…"