DISCLAIMER: This story was made up by a pair of twins; the plot and its characters, however, belong to the queen of Snakes, Hawks, Falcons, and Vampires (No not Buffy!): Amelia Atwater-Rhodes. This is post Falcondance and contains Snake Charm spoilers. Also be warned that some important dates are changed to fit out purposes.

A.K.A: Read and enjoy, we happen to think it's very good, but R&R:-P

I slipped into the room unnoticed to the five women in there, well four watching and one dancing. I was dressed in the most colorful clothing I owned, just to blend in with the background. The only thing that gave me away was the red, demonic eyes that marked me as a Cobriana. But I really didn't care who saw me as soon as my eyes set themselves upon the dancing woman; my mate Danica Shardae-Cobriana. Danica had been coming here for days on end, never telling me what she had been doing and it was driving me insane.

My eyes caught every movement of her body as it swayed from side to side, in movements very familiar to me. I took a small intake of breath as I realized what she had been coming here to learn: The Namir'Da. With a few excellent moves she ended the dance and opened her eyes. Choosing to reveal myself I started to clap and clap loudly. I was grinning like a Wildman, knowing also that my eyes were over bright. Danica golden eyes instantly met mine not angry, but a little upset. "Why are you here?" asked A'isha. "I wanted to see where my pair bond has been going night after night, doing her duty and then disappearing. Can you blame me if I was getting worried?" I said a little too harshly. Danica looked down at her currently bare feet. Then she looked at me and said, "Sorry Zane, I wanted to surprise you, by dancing the Namir'Da with you this year at the winter festival, but you walking in on my last practice is kinda ruining it." She looked at me with glass eyes, basically saying that she was pretty pissed at me. She turned to A'isha and her company and asked, "Was that good? Did I do it right? I could have sworn I made no mistakes! Right?" A'shia laughed. "You did very well, Naga. We are proud of you. Very proud of you." She smiled at her and the others clapped. Danica blushed and jumped down from the stage. Ignoring me, she grabbed her clothes and went for the dressing room.

A'isha turned to me and crossed her arms. "Do you know how much work that girl put in to surprising you?" I was already feeling bad but that look was enough to make me slither into the ground and not come up for a while. "Every day it was: Zane's gonna be so surprised and He's gonna be so happy to know that I can finally dance! He might even go flying with me! She's been on cloud nine! You'd better come up with the nicest apology ever, buddy, or I don't think you're going to be spoken to for a while." I felt like a part of the ground that she had decided to plant a guilt tree in. I turned away from A'isha started for the door; she didn't stop me. I'd wait outside for my mate.

I leaned against one of the closed shops across from the Sha' Mehay, waiting for her to leave. I needed to apologize and fast. I didn't think I had done anything wrong (and I really didn't like apologizing), besides she had danced wonderfully. She exited the door sort of laughing in the white and gold outfit I had seen her leave the castle in. She walked up the block and started to sing softly.

"I love you, wherever you are,

My darling, my darling

I can sing as you can dance

You can sing as I now can dance,

My darling, my darling."

I heard every word (she made it up herself; I knew) and decided the way I was to apologize, even if I wasn't gonna like it. But first I decided that a little bit of caressing was in order. I needed to be forgiven first, even though by the song, she really wasn't all that mad. I hoped.

I tiptoed over to her, trying to make no noise at all. When she had her back completely turned to me I slid my arms around her waist and whispered the song she was singing in her ear. She froze completely when I had grabbed her, but when I finished the song she smiled. "I'm sorry, Danica." I whispered. She tensed a little less in my arms and nodded, "It's alright, Zane. I wanted it to be a surprise, but as long as you know, did I do it right?" I looked at her as I would a little child looking for praise, for she sure sounded like one. "Yes, you did it wonderfully. The dance was perfect." I kissed her hair. She smiled and completely relaxed in my arms. I found it so hard to believe that I had once wanted to kill the lovely Hawk that now rested against my chest in the middle of the market place.

"C'mon we'd better get back to the ever vigilantpalace and its guards, before all of your guards decide they'd like to kill me dead for keeping you out this late. " I said sarcastically. She laughed and walked away from me though keeping her hand tightly wrapped around my own. We walked back to the palace quietly each thinking our own thoughts.

Back in our room, a little while later I was sitting cross-legged on our bed feeling guilt rushing through my veins and knowing the only things that would make it up to Danica and feeling very scared of it. Flight. I would much rather stay with both feet on the firm ground, but actually I owed it to her. I promised I would go flying with her when she learned to dance. Now that I had ruined the fact that she knew how to dance, I owed her even more now. I got up to find her.

As I expected she was on the balcony, staring at the stars looking far away to the future for escape from the present. Slowly I approached her as to make no sound, and as always she heard me. She turned around quickly, the feathers in her hair turning. I had gotten used to them, but not entirely. "Hello Zane" she whispered. Goosebumps rippled at the thought of flying, even with Danica.

Instead of saying something I reached down and took her hands in mine and slowly kissed her lips. The kiss was slow and sweet, it was a kiss of lovers to whom time would never end. Breaking the kiss, I pulled her to the bench and sat down, setting her into my lap.

"Do you remember the promise we made, you were singing it just before?" "Yes, Zane but I thought you were joking." Zane turned her to see her face and said "Danica I meant what I promised. I never break a promise especially not to that of whom I love. When you learn to dance I will fly. You've definitely fulfilled that requirement form what I saw earlier tonight. Now I have to fulfill my half of the promise. Danica, will you take me flying?" I said with a lump in my throat at the mere thought of my feet off the ground, though I didn't let her know it.

Danica looked up at him with new found respect. She knew he had said that as a joke to provoke her but it never crossed her mind that he would uphold his half of the promise. "Are you sure? You always said you would keep both feet firmly on the ground. Are you sure you weren't just joking?" Zane quickly kissed her and said "No, I'll keep my promise."

As he said this Danica stood up and started to change shape but suddenly stopped. "Zane, do you want to go flying right now? It's a beautiful night, and I promise I'll fly low, I know you're not crazy about heights." Instead of answering Zane changed into a full snake and looked up at Danica from the bench. She bent down and ran a finger under his chin then changed halfway to hawk form. She knew in full hawk form she would not be able to carry him. Zane snuggled closer to her hand as she caressed his head.

"Hmmm, now how are we to do this, Zane? Where are you to ride?" Suddenly he slithered onto the floor and up her leg settling on the top of her waist. Danica looked down with an approving look and said "That'll do!" He looked up and nodded his head in agreement. Danica took off in flight with Zane wrapped tightly around her waist.

She was flying close to the ground but not close enough to alert the palace guards. Danica took me flying around the small lake on the palace grounds. When I first saw the lake form the sky, I tensed around Danica terrified that I was going to fall. When I realized I wasn't going to I looked at the lake in a new light. It was a stunning view form the sky. I loosened up a little; it wasn't so bad after all. Danica slowed her pace a little bit so that she was practically hovering over the lake. "Are you enjoying yourself, Zane?" She asked trying to look down at me. Since I knew she couldn't see me I inched my head up the small opening in the bottom of her shirt and rubbed my head against her belly. She giggled, I knew she was ticklish there, as I continued to brush against it. "Zane, stop it! I'm going to fall!" She was laughing and slightly losing altitude. I stopped instantly, took my head from inside of her shirt, and clung slightly tighter to her waistline. She quickly regained the height that she had lost and went back to the palace; this time I tried to see everything that I could.

We landed back on the balcony and Danica changed back instantly. I slithered down her leg and, back on the ground again, I changed into my human form; the only thing I kept snake was my tongue. I turned around and moved towards Danica, who was standing very still. When I reached her I took my arm and slid it around her waist, framing her body with my own. I leaned down ever so slightly with my lips very close to her ear and whispered, using my tongue to trill the words I was saying, "I never thought I would be saying this, but that was magnificent! I love you Danica, my darling." I moved my head away from her ears and tilted it sideways in front of hers. She stood on tiptoe, threw her arms around my neck and kissed me with a passion I didn't know she possessed. Releasing my lips and staring into my eyes she whispered, " I love you, Zane." I grinned wildly, knowing that she was going to finally let me have what I've been wanting, waiting for. Her.

I pressed my lips to hers and almost immediately asked for entrance. Danica hesitated for a second, knowing exactly what this was going to lead to, but she let me in anyway. The kiss grew more and more passionate as I slowly lead us backwards to the doors that lead to the bedroom. Her fingers started to twist in my hair as one of my hands found a use in starting to unclasp her top. The other hand fought with the door handle. I got it open and I broke the prolonged kiss I was sharing with Danica. She looked up at me completely confused, yet amazed. I smiled at her, telling her it was alright and that she didn't have to be afraid of me, without words.

I opened the door and gestured inside. She walked in first and I followed, closing the door after me and locking it nice and tight. I turned around and jumped on to the bed. She crawled in right after me and placed kisses down my neck and collar bone. When she ran out of places to kiss she started to open my shirt and placed kisses along my chest. "Danica…"I whispered, not believing we were actually going to not believing we were actually going to give our selves to each to each other finally.She lifted her head to meet my eyes. "I am more sure of this than I have ever been of something in my life." " Well then, I whispered, let's get on with it." I whispered back. She continued to kiss me.

I woke up at the first light of dawn, thinking about the magic of last night. I looked down at the little Hawk in my arms. She was so beautiful and until this point had been left untouched. Not anymore was that true. "I love you Danica." I whispered into the feathers of her hair. She stirred a little, but slept all the same. I smiled and went back to sleep, my face buried in her golden hair.