Part 4 of 4

His breath chokes in his throat. She thrills to hear it. Somehow she just knew this would catch his attention. "Oh, Camille, I can't ask…"he stutters in hopeful dread, "I mean, if you WANT to then…"

She mumbles against his ribs, "Then you won't stop me?" She doesn't wait for an answer. She already knows. She can feel his excited anguish thrumming up and down his body.

She tortures him for a long time. She's never made a man wait like this before and it is heavenly! The power! The sheer pleasure of making him wait! And he DOES wait. That's the wonder of it. It never occurs to him to rush her or force her. The last man that tried to make me do something I didn't want to do may never be a father but that's not MY problem! THIS man is something else altogether. THIS man is new and thrilling and it's Richard. My Richard! Finally and at last! She smiles in utter contentment.

Oh, this is so exciting, they both think (almost think) just before maneuvers get under way!

Things got a little hazy after that.

Later, resting once more upon his shoulder, she drawls, "We were made for each other, obviously."

"So it would seem," he hums, hesitates, says low, "I never thought I would ever say this… or even THINK it… but… are we done? Please, don't take this the wrong way but…"

She pouts and stresses her accent, "Ou! You are done with me? So soon? But you are so strong, so desirable. I want you now more than ever! Please, please, please, don't throw me out the door!"

He laughs self-consciously, "OK, OK, enough sarcasm. Play nice. Aren't you tired at all? Lord have mercy, please tell me we're done for the night."

"Well, we're done for NOW. I don't know about the whole night. Let's wait and see, hmm?" She snuggles against him. She never realized before how nice it is to actually snuggle up against someone you really really want to snuggle with!

He groans, "Oh, Christ, I'm a dead man." Nevertheless, he is snuggling right back.

She kisses his flushed cheek, "Non, you are my live man, properly captured and tamed at last."

"Oh, I am that! I've been broken to the saddle, as it were." He seems to find this very amusing.

She is slightly affronted, "Don't be rude, Richard! Are you calling me a ride? An amusement?"

"God, no!" he blurts out. "That's not what I meant at all! I didn't mean to offend you. It was just something I thought to myself earlier today. I'll shut up now."

"No, don't. You have different words from mine. What is this 'saddle' that you refer to then?" She yawns mightily, trying to stay awake.

He dares to slip a hand down her body, cups her most intimately, "I think you know."

She smiles, "Ah! Oui, I DO know. And I predict you are going to learn quite a bit of French over the next few weeks. Feel free to use some of it on me, if you like." Her eyelids flutter. She's fading fast.

"How will I know I can? Certain terms apply only to the masculine or feminine, as you well know."

"Time for a French/English dictionary, I think," she murmurs, sleep stealing over her like glue.

"You mean an English/French dictionary, I believe," he murmurs back, feeling her actually falling asleep in his arms. Somehow she is condensing, getting heavier, sinking. He rustles her just a little bit closer to his heart and breathes in her scent, THEIR combined scent now, and sighs happily.

"Non," she whispers, "I mean…" and then she is gone.

He holds her in the dark and marvels and hopes and despairs and rejoices and worries and… the thoughts come. Relax, man. Take a cue from her and get some sleep. She will be awake within 3 hours and you will have another emergency on your hands.

He starts, surprised to suddenly hear the voice once more, this voice that doesn't sound exactly like his own inner voice, not quite. It's close. Similar, but not quite. Who ARE you? WHAT are you? Where were you all those years I struggled and tried and was rejected and hurt? Why didn't you help me then?

Because, mate, none of them were Camille.

Richard has absolutely no comeback to this because it is true. None of them, not a single solitary ONE of them, came even close! How could they? She'd been waiting here… in this place… at this time. And now I'm here, in this place, and this time. With her. We're both here together and joined at last.

Well, he grouses a bit, you might have given me a hint, something to tide me over all those lonely empty years of waiting. If I'd only KNOWN!

Uh-huh! And if you'd known, you wouldn't have suffered and grown and learned what you needed to learn in order to earn her. Think about THAT, little Rich.

He stills utterly in shock. When his heart starts up again, he is almost too afraid to think. Little Rich! No one calls me that. Not for over 30 years! No one except…

Mmm-hmm, the voice sounds a bit smug, there are many ways to travel and other planes of existence. It's just chance that I was asleep and my mind drifted to childhood memories. But it's time for me to wake up now, I have to get back to my 'gang'. There's major trouble afoot here in California and I'm needed. Goodbye, Richard, I'm glad you found someone. I'll keep you both in my thoughts…

He lies awake for a long time, remembering another life when he was much smaller, defenseless, terrified, and abandoned. He remembers the person who took him under his wing and protected him and molded him. Did he actually set me up? Send me out into the world so that I'd end up HERE? That's ludicrous! Ru was just a boy who took pity on a poor waif that was sure to have the beejeezus pounded out of him on a daily basis. Besides, he ate all my puddings! I never got a single one!

Sleep is beating on the back of his eyelids now. He takes one last look at his beloved snoring gently beside him, hair now a tangle that is going to need SO MUCH combing in the morning, Oh, yes! He settles himself against her, so warm, so sleek, so Camille… and closes his eyes.

He will think about all this tomorrow. Yes, tomorrow. Tonight is over. Dusted and done. I hope.

Maybe I'll try to find Ru. There are records. I'm a good detective. I'm SURE to find him then I'll have an amusing little anecdote (strongly redacted!) to tell. He drifts down and down and… he is gone.

A soft breeze wafts in through all the little nooks and crannies. It gently rearranges her hair to curl around his face to tickle his lips until he smiles then leaves as a deep devoted silence falls at last.

The silence of destined lovers found and a life begun.

END

**As to Ru's identity, this is revealed in 'The Loa' series which has yet to be released.**