Chapter 24

Children and holidays have a way of either bring people together or tearing them apart. Weeks had past since Dave and Britain had spoke, let alone shared a mind blowing kiss that left both of them clinging to the memories of their past relationship. But with every passing day Britain felt that too much time had past, that it would just be too awkward now to pick up the phone and profess her undying love to him. He on the other hand took her silence as meaning that she was serious in her decision to end it all. He was stuck between showing up on her doorstep one last time and just letting her go so that they both could attempt to get on with their lives.

All I have to do is knock on the door she thought, standing on his porch. She had been to that house a thousand times, she lived in that house…all of her belonging were still inside; that is if he hadn't boxed them all up and shipped them to a storage facility. So why was it so hard to knock? Because two months of agony made it hard to just say, hey…Happy Thanksgiving.

It would have been so simple for her to have stayed at her parents, but no, Maddy had to call and guilt her into coming to dinner.

"So Alli and I were wondering if you could make a Strudel for Thanksgiving…like the one you did last year." Maddy spoke into the phone. She held her breath and smiled at her sister. This plan to get Britain and Dave back together was fool proof. Maddy was a master manipulator, a seasoned liar and a girl that would stoop as low as possible to get what she wanted; including turning on the waterworks, if it deemed necessary. She was the female version of Dave as a child and Britain's protégé.

Britain looked confused. "Maddy, honey…I'm not coming to Thanksgiving. I'm staying home." She felt her heartbreak when she heard the slight sniffle from the teenager on the other end of the line.

"But you promised." She said before nodding to Alli who sat quietly on the other extension with the mute button depressed. "So because you broke up with Daddy, that mean you broke up with us, too?" She couldn't help but to smile; she was laying it on pretty thick. "First Chase... now you."

Britain felt her eyes sting. The last thing she wanted to do was to hurt Maddy or Alli; she loved them. "Maddy…you and Alli are still the coolest chicks I know. I'm still your friend, no matter what." She sighed and flopped herself down on the couch. "I just thought it would be awkward, you know. So I made other plans. I'm having Thanksgiving with…" She looked around the room to see X standing there with her arms folded and shaking her head. "Christina."

"Oh no your not!" Christina yelled loud enough for Madison and Allin to hear her. "I'm going to John's for Thanksgiving and you're not invited."

Britain's eyes got wide. "John's? What the hell…" She tried to ask her friend, but was cut off.

"Don't worry about what the hell…you need to take your ass home and fix this shit with your man." Christina started to pace the room. "I'm tired of listening to you whine about him. You are crazy in love with that man and this is the chance for you to stop being so stubborn and do something about it!"

"So, you'll come?" Alli asked, while getting a look from Maddy because she was supposed to be the silent partner.

Britain blew out her breath in frustration. "It's just one dinner right? Your dad's not cooking is he?" She heard herself ask.

The girls laughed. "No we are. But I don't know how to make deserts that aren't in a box, so can you do the Strudel?" Maddy asked again.

"Sure." Britain reluctantly agreed. If she could make it through this meal, it would be a miracle. But it was just dinner. It wasn't a promise for happily ever after. She was going to do her best to avoid Dave, questions about their relationship, the fact that his picture was in WWE Magazine at The Marine's Premier, sporting WWE Diva, Kristal, on his arm.

And now she was on the porch, afraid to knock. What if it was weird? What if he didn't even know she was coming? How long does an average meal take anyway? She raised her hand to knock on the door, but it flew open before she could. She was standing face to face with him, her overnight back falling off her shoulder; the grocery bag lying uncomfortably in her hands, her hair was wet and sticking to her face from the rain. It wasn't exactly the impression that she wanted to make, but there she was.

Even though she looked uncomfortable, his heart still skipped a beat…she was beautiful. "I didn't think you'd come." He said with a smile before grabbing the groceries from her hand.

"Well…your girls are persuasive." She said entering the house behind him. She noticed that everything was exactly how she had left it. The large white pillows she put on his black leather couch to make the room feel more welcoming, still sat where she had left them. Her pictures mixed with his adorned the walls and the fireplace, including the large black and white of them that he and Chase loved where still in place. Oh, this wasn't going to be easy.

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Thanksgiving at the Hardy house was unlike anything that Chase had experienced. It wasn't better or worse…just different. To start, Jeff, Matt and their father argued most of the day over who was going to cook what.

"You ain't makin' the mashed potatoes, Jeff." Matt yelled from across the kitchen. "We'd be waitin' all night for you to put designs in 'em with the butter and pepper."

Jeff rolled his eyes. "Well it'll be better than your dry ass turkey!" Jeff shouted back washing off the potatoes.

"Both of you need to shut up and start cooking!" Mr. Hardy yelled walking into the kitchen. Every year it was the same thing…Jeff took hours to create designs in whatever he was cooking; Matt overcooked the turkey and blamed Jeff for taking too long with the sides for the charbroiled bird…just once he wanted a peaceful Thanksgiving with his boys. "See what you gave up to have dinner with us?" He asked turning to Chase.

She thought about it…right now she could be at her Dad's house, helping her sisters make dinner, they would be working together, trying to keep Dave out of the kitchen. If it didn't involve steamed vegetables or a grill, he was pretty useless. Then her mom would have made homemade rolls and they would all be getting ready to sit down for an early dinner before watching football for the rest of the day. She had to admit, she missed it.

It wasn't that Chase didn't want to be with Jeff for the holiday, she just hoped that maybe they could have gone to Tampa. But Jeff didn't want that…he didn't want another altercation, and her dad…well he wasn't too happy about her not coming home, but he was stern in the fact that he didn't want Jeff to come.

So there she was, in Cameron, caught in the middle of a Hardy feud.

"I have a suggestion." She said talking loud enough for the three bickering men to hear her. "Why don't I cook?" It was simple and it made sense. She was a pretty good cook, not like her mom or anything, but she could hold her own. "Jeff and Matt, you can both help me."

The brothers looked at each other, then at Chase. It was a pretty sweet deal. Not only would they get out of cooking, but they still got to feel like they were involved. They agreed and sat down as Chef Chase looked around the kitchen for a place to begin.

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It took Britain 15 minutes to wash 10 apples. Normally it wouldn't take that long, but Dave was standing too close to her. It was all she could do not to turn around and throw her arms around him.

"So…who's this guy?" Alli asked bringing one of Maddy's magazines up to Britain's far off gaze. It was a simple picture snapped at a charity event a few weeks before. She was at a table with a very attractive blonde man; they looked to be involved in a serious conversation. The caption under the picture read Is this Anders Styles new love?

Britain couldn't help but to laugh. "Oh that's Anders." She answered turning her attention back to the apples. She noticed Dave peering over her shoulder to get a look at the photograph.

"Are you dating him?" Maddy asked casually. She knew damn well that Britain was too hung up on her dad to be seeing anyone else, but at least she could spark a conversation between them. They hadn't said anything to each other since she walked in the door.

Britain glanced at Dave then back at Maddy. "Who Anders? We've gone out a few times, but we're not dating." The thought of her dating him was gross. She had known him for years, and he was a sweet guy, but Anders? He was so not her type.

"Are you sleeping with him?" A deep voice asked quietly from behind her.

She turned around to look at Dave. His posture had changed; there was almost an ache in his voice at the question. How the hell could he think that she would do something like that? Britain turned away from him and looked back at Maddy.

"It's too bad…he's really hot." Maddy said with a slight laughter in her voice. Her dad was jealous; that was a good sign. Now all she had to do was get them to have a real conversation.

"He is really hot, but he's also really gay." Britain answered before rolling her eyes at Dave. "And who I do or don't do is no longer any of your business." How dare he ask her something like that? She didn't ask him was he fucking Kristal; although she was dying to.

He lowered his head and cursed himself for asking her that. He was an asshole and he knew it wasn't his place. If she had wanted him back, she would have come without being blackmailed by his daughters. If there was even an inkling of hope, he had just ruined it.

"I don't actually sleep with everyone I date." Britain said coldly. He could still piss her off, without trying. She grabbed the colander and placed the wet apples inside. "I don't believe you would ask me that." She said to herself but loud enough for him to hear.

He shook his head. He wanted to talk to her, but all he had managed to do was insinuate that she was a ho. "I give up." He said throwing down the towel in his hands. He walked out of the kitchen. "I'm going to get Grandma. I'll be back later." He said to his girls then looking at Britain and with that he left the house.

She felt all eyes on her. She didn't mean to blow it out of proportion like that…but while all she could think about was jumping into his arms, he seemed to only be thinking about who she was jumping into bed with.

"I don't even know why you're here." Emily said walking into the kitchen. Britain didn't sign up for this shit. First she had to try like hell to pretend that Dave wasn't there and now she had to deal with the mother of his children…the woman who threw cheap shots at her whenever she could.

Britain turned around and looked her in the eye. She didn't want to cause a scene in front of the girls, so politely as she could she spoke to Emily. "Do you have a problem with me being here?" What she really wanted to ask was why the fuck was she there. That was still her house too…even if she didn't live there and wasn't with Dave anymore and technically her name wasn't on anything…on second thought, she kept her comment brief.

"I have a problem with you." Emily had just about enough of Britain flaunting herself in front to of her. "For years, I've watched him with you and even though you're not together it's still the same; only you're too much of a bitch to see it." Emily shot her girls a look, causing them to exit the kitchen. "I was married to him for six years…six years! Do you know what that was like?" Emily refused to cry about it, but she was tired of this. "Never once in the whole time we were together, did he ever look at me the way he looks at you. And you have the nerve to just stand here and put him through that. He fucking loves you and you're too proud or whatever to give him another chance."

Britain felt her lip twitch as she tried to control her tongue. "You don't know shit about our relationship or why it ended. I suggest you mind your own business." Her tone of voice let Emily know that she wasn't playing.

"Dave is the father of my children. He will always be my business." Emily said softening her voice. "You're right. I don't know why you broke up, but he's a good man and for reasons that escape me, he loves you. I would have given anything for him to feel that way about me and you're willing to throw that all away? What's wrong with you?"

Britain stood in the kitchen alone, trying not to cry. Emily was right. She was throwing away all of the memories and she was having a hard time remembering why. All she could remember was she was mad at him and the rules said there were no second chances. But she made the rules, so she could break them if she really wanted to? But that would mean that she might just be setting herself up for heartbreak. Why did she have to be so tough? Why couldn't she just let her guard down, just one more time?

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Christina walked into the Cena household and instantly felt uncomfortable. What the fuck am I doing here? She asked herself as John introduced her to his family. Everyone was so happy that he had actually brought a girl home. They knew his reputation, the skank's man…but she didn't look like a skank, at least not right then.

"Everybody…this is my girl, Christina." John said putting his arm around her waist.

She shot him a look and drew her brows together. His girl? They had gone out a few times, slept together on a couple of occasions but when did she become his girl? She wasn't looking for romance or that fairytale shit that Britain was into. She was looking for a friend with benefits, nothing more.

"When did I become your girl?" She asked John quietly. She could tell by the look in his eye that he was truly shocked by her question. She had known all about his reputation, so she thought he would be cool with the old 'stick and move' routine.

He pulled her into the other room. "X listen…I was gonna talk to you 'bout this later. But, I kinda got a thing for you…and I was hopin' that you did too." He felt weird talking to a woman like this. For once in his life he wasn't trying out a bullshit line on some random chick he met at a strip club. "I know we don't know each other all that well, but I don't want this thing with us to end."

All she agreed to was dinner. But what did she expect? He was taking her home to meet his family on Thanksgiving no less. If that didn't say, I want this relationship to move to the next level, then what did?

"John, I'm not looking for a relationship. I like what we got going on too, but you want something more than I can give you." She said quietly trying to still look happy when his brother entered the room.

John was down, but not out of the game. So she would be a challenge. Christina would soon learn that what John Cena wants, John Cena gets, point blank end of story. He smiled and leaned down for a kiss. "For now." He said before claiming her lips. He had marked his territory and even she couldn't deny it.

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"I liked you more than the others." Evelyn Bautista whispered to Britain. She was seated next to her and decided since they had a few minutes to themselves while the others brought out the food that she would talk to her. "Can I see the ring?"

Britain looked at the happy woman's face. She didn't know…and she was not about to tell her. "It's getting resized." She lied, although she didn't know why she was lying to Dave's mother. He should have told her that they weren't together anymore.

"You know…" Evelyn put her hand on Britain's, "David Sr. use to make me so mad sometimes. I felt like he was the most insensitive man in the world. But that's just how they are. The men in this family are passionate and sometime they hurt people close to them, just to show how much they care." She patted Britain's hand. "Just don't be too hard on him. He learned how to be an asshole from the best."

Britain smiled and put her head on Evelyn's shoulder. "Thank you." She whispered back, just as Dave walked in with the turkey.

This is how he imagined it, Britain back home, his family around him, everything would be how it should be…only she wasn't back home, not really and this whole thing was a charade. But the smile she had given him as he walked toward the table, made him forget all his doubts. It was the first real smile he'd seen from her in months and he couldn't help but to let the small spark of hope, burn brighter.

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Chase and the Hardy men sat down for dinner. She had really outdone herself. Even she was impressed with the spread before them. Now if it only tasted as good as it looked. She wasn't sure about putting brown sugar in Sour Kraut…isn't that why it's called Sour Kraut…but Jeff had insisted.

"You really out did yourself." Jeff said smiling at her. His heart was full, even if the food tasted like Styrofoam; it was the effort that he loved. She reminded him of his mom, the way she took charge, stopped all of them from fighting and brought them together around the table. It was right…it was good…it was love.

Gilbert Hardy spoke first. "Before we start eating, I would like everyone to say what they are thankful for." He looked at Matt and nodded for him to start.

"Well…I'm thankful that we're all together again this Thanksgivin'." It was short and to the point. Matt was really too busy thinking about what he wanted to put on his plate to really think about it. He turned to Chase.

"I'm thankful that you let me come and share in your holiday with you…and I'm thankful for Jeff." She said with a smile. She turned to Jeff noticing Matt grunt.

"Jesus dad, he's gonna take all day." Matt said looking to his father to put a time restraint on the overly dramatic Jeff. But his father shook his head.

Jeff threw a roll at Matt. "Shut up, Matt." He looked around the room and smiled. "I'm thankful for a lot of things. First, I'm thankful for Chase, because without you I don't know where I'd be. I'm thankful that you know how to cook, or else we'd still be arugin'. I'm thankful for my family, and even though y'all get on my nerves, I love y'all. And I'm thankful for Kelly, because she showed me that I needed to change."

Chase felt herself get choked up. He was healing, emotionally. Even Matt and Mr. Hardy were shocked; Jeff never talked about her before. But at least now they knew it was a start.

"I'm thankful for my boys. I just wish your mom was still here to see you two. Y'all are fine young men and no parent could be prouder." He admitted before getting grunts from his son's for being too sappy.

Without further ado, they dug in, complementing Chase on how good everything was. They didn't argue for the rest of the evening, maybe because they were too full or maybe it was because they were too thankful.

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"Well, I'm going to try to find a hotel." Britain said before grabbing her bag. She hadn't been able to book one do to the short notice of coming to town and on Thanksgiving night it wasn't looking like she would be finding one anytime soon.

Dave touched her shoulder. "Why don't you just stay here?" It wasn't a come-on, it was an honest question. Why should she have to pay for a hotel, when she had a home…their home to stay in?

She tried not to look in his eyes, but they were so inviting. "Where would I sleep?" She looked around at Maddy and Alli both with their shit eating grins.

Dave smiled too. "Let's see…Maddy and Alli have their rooms and my mom is staying Chase's room." This was getting better and better. He had to hand it to Maddy, she was good. "You can stay in our room, I'll take the couch."

Britain frowned. "You're too big to be on that couch. I'll sleep down here." She said. She knew that he would protest, in fact, she was banking on it. So maybe she didn't have the balls to go running back into his arms, but all bets were off when they were alone, in the dark, in the bed…especially since he had been so nice to her for the rest of the night, after they shared silly stories with the family on their travels together, and after the talks she had with Emily and Evelyn. Maybe she could let her guard down; just this once.

"We're both adults. I think we can be mature about sharing a bed." He said trying not to sound too eager. It had been months since he had her in his bed and if he had to take her hostage, he was going to get her back…tonight.

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Hunter had finally been invited to spend the night into his bed with Stephanie. Dinner with her parents hadn't been as horrible as he imagined. Although the look on Vince's face, when Stephanie told him that they were going to try to make it work, was priceless. They'd had a good day; he minded his p's and q's even with Vince taking potshots at him.

He sat on the bed and watched as Stephanie changed her clothes. It had been 5 months since he had seen anything more than the skin on her arms or legs. But seeing the smooth skin of her back, the gentle curve of her belly…the curve of her belly? Had it been that long since he'd seen his wife almost naked that he didn't realize that she had picked up some weight? She wasn't fat by any means, but her belly had a definite rounded curve to it that became more solid in the middle.

Stephanie blushed at his face. "I didn't tell you because I didn't think we'd be together. I was willing to do it on my own." She said approaching him.

He turned his head to the side and tried to process it all. Without thinking he reached his hand out and touched the small curve, it was hard under his fingers. "How long?" He whispered because the cry in his throat was robbing him of his words.

She rested her hand on his. "Almost six months. It's a girl." She said sitting down beside him. "I want to make this work for her…for us. I don't want to this alone, I want you there Hunter, in every way."

He shook his head taking in the look of disappointment on her face. "I don't want to be Hunter with you…not anymore." He said pulling her closer and kissing her. "I just want to be Paul."

Finally after four years of marriage, he could honestly say that he was more interested in being her husband instead of Triple H. This is what he wanted, not the money, fame or a title…he wanted Stephanie and the little baby that they made together.

He had had it all and almost lost it. He would never be that shallow again. He had once accused Dave of being whipped, but he knew that he was too. He was whipped by the prospect of being a husband again and a new father … and that was fine with him.

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"How much longer?" Chase asked. She was laid across the bed with a strategically place sheet on her. She was tired of laying there, she wanted Jeff to finish.

He looked at her and pursed his lips. "I'd be done if you'd hold still." He said walking across the room to her. He laid next to her and adjusted the halo made out of aluminum foil on her head. "Perfect." He gave her a small kiss and went back to his easel.

She waited a few more minutes, but her impatience took over. "Ok, I'm done." She said sitting up. She went to him and sat on his lap. "Jeff, it's beautiful." She said looking at the painting of herself.

He wrapped his arms around her. "That's how I see you, Chase. You're my angel." Everyday, he thought it would be impossible to love her more and everyday he was wrong. She was his everything. She showed him how to live again, how to love, how to be himself and be ok with it.

She got up and led him by the hand to his bed. "Then let me show you what heaven looks like." She smiled looking his eyes. There was nothing in the world more urgent than needing for their bodies, hearts and souls to become one. As soon as he kissed her, she knew, this is where she wanted to be. No matter what came tomorrow, they had each other and they would face the future together and that's all that mattered.

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"Dave…" Britain whispered, taking the time to nudge her face against his arm. He smiled as she ran her leg over his causing his body to ache at her touch. It was her idea, to put the pillow barricade between them, but as soon as the sleep washed over her, those were the first things she kicked out of the bed. So now, she was touching him, her flesh on his flesh. It was time, we was getting her back…come hell or high water.

He had been watching her since she fell asleep. The soft glow from the lamp, made watching her face settle into wrinkleless perfection illuminate and hearing her soft breaths calmed his mind. And now, she was dreaming…about him. He couldn't have hoped for so much.

He touched his finger to the bridge of her nose and smiled when her eyes fluttered open. She looked around room confused. She hadn't meant to fall asleep, but waiting around for him to make the first move found her drifting into dream land. And now he was touching her, that gentle, innocent touch…smiling at her, making her feel embarrassed.

"You were dreaming" he said softly, now running the back of his finger across her eyebrows.

"And now I'm not." She said trying to move her head away from the delicious tickle of his hand.

His hand cupped her cheek and turned her head back to his. "You want to talk about it?" He smiled hoping that she remembered that she had been dreaming about him. She tried to think of something smart to say, but the way his fingers started to slowly touch her cheek made sarcasm impossible.

He couldn't touch her enough. He had to remember every curve of her face, and he closed his eyes against the feeling. He proceeded to feel the comfort of her face that his finger tips had been so desperately missing for the past two months.

He was affecting her, no matter how hard she tried to deny it. Her brain was growing fuzzy and she couldn't remember how to form words. She could only concentrate on breathing, as his fingers gently traced her lips. "Dave?" She breathed heavily causing him to smile.

He leaned in close to her ear. "Say my name again." He whispered running his finger from her lips to her chin and down to the hollow of her throat. "Please? I missed hearing you say it." He wanted to taste her lips, but she had to want it…he refused to give into temptation.

"Dave…please." She swallowed hard. "Don't."

He took in her face feeling rejected; but her eyes closed softly as he stroked the space between them. "Why do you want me to stop?" He brushed the baby hair on her hair line. "You use to love it when I touched your face." The husky whisper of his voice was making it hard for her to stand her ground.

"I still do." She said breathlessly as his thumb traced her earlobe. She heard a soft chuckle erupt from his masculine voice.

"Then why do I have to stop?" He whispered. He knew she was under his spell, but he had to be cautious because one wrong move would send her back into defensive mode. He watched her eyes as they fluttered open.

She wasn't putting up much of a fight, she knew. But she hadn't planned on making it that easy for him. But it those damn fingers, those masculine fingers connected to that huge body, were so gentle. "Because…we can't do this." She rubbed her cheek into his hand. "Your daughters are down the hall."

He curled the corners of his mouth for a smile. "We'll be quiet." He said softly, looking into her eyes.

She thought back to the night that Chase first came to LA. They were having the same conversation again. "You're never quiet." She smiled back at him.

She tucked her bottom lip between her teeth, forcing him to touch the corner of her mouth to withdraw it. Her lips were moist from her mouth, pouting softly, he traced it with his thumb. "Can I kiss you?" He whispered, with his own lips threatening to jump of his face and attach themselves to hers if he didn't move soon. He couldn't take his eyes off her lips as he lowered his head closer to hers.

She felt her hands move on their own volition to his face and pull him down the rest of the way until their lips met. She kissed him with the fervor and passion of a woman who hadn't kissed the love of her life in two months could.

His lips still knew hers so well, they knew to move, giving the gentlest pressure, convincing hers to part so that their tongues could touch. Nothing short of beautiful was that kiss…so full of longing, and love remembered. This kiss was what they both had in mind and it was going to remind them of just how special their love was.

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Britain held Dave's gaze as her hands remembered every taut muscle of his neck, shoulders, chest and stomach. She sat astride his legs as his back rested against the headboard. His one hand trailed down the curve of hip while the other got lost in the softness of her hair.

"I missed you so much." She was the first to speak. There was no need for boisterous speech, because the gentleness of their voices, the caress of their touch and the conversation of their eyes said everything that their mouths might have wanted to say.

He took her face in his hands. "I'm glad that you're home." For the first time in months, she wasn't at X's, not at her apartment, not at her father's…she was at home with him.

She touched his lips as he gently nibbled her thumb. "Tell me what you want." He said with a soft smile.

Without hesitation she replied, no longer afraid to share her fantasies whether they be sexual or otherwise. "You…I've always wanted you." And she was did. She wanted everything about him, the man that never remembered to take out the trash, the man that flexed his pecs to the beat of a song just to make her smile…the man that spooned against her and held her so tight that she couldn't get up to go the bathroom, the man that refused to let her believe that she could beat him a fight, the over protective father that was willing to kill anyone who he thought might hurt his girls in any way, the man that only owned one pair of jeans, the man that had the stupid friends…all of that made up Dave Batista and she wanted it, all of it.

He closed his eyes against her words and felt the butterflies in his stomach start to settle.

"Tell me what you want." She whispered running her finger across the lone tear that escaped from his eye.

He looked into her eyes and smiled. "I have everything I need. My girls are safe and happy and you still love me…I couldn't want more than that."

They kissed hungrily as she slowly lowered herself onto him. She remembered every inch of his rigid body as his joined with hers. Feeling him, like this again, she knew she was home back where she belonged…back in his arms.

He used all of his restraint to still his movements and let her move how she needed to. He felt the soft roll of her hips under his hands as he continued to tease her lips with his own. He whispered to her new promises of fidelity, honor, respect and undying love. He whispered his dreams about their future, which included marriage and children; until finally she surrendered to pleasure and let out a gasp before crumbling against his chest crying.

"I love you." He said softly holding her in his arms.

"What if it's not like it was?" She questioned, still feeling the pulse of his neck.

He smiled and lifted her head to his eyes. Without a doubt in his mind he told her. "It won't be…it'll be better."