PREFACE

With the return of my laptop, I have been able to begin writing again. This chapter update has been sitting in my mobile device for weeks, and so this was already ready for upload for quite some time. My update for "I Think I Wanna Marry You" is in progress and I'll be honest- I am suffering a writer's block even if I have created 60% of the next chapter which is the last one for the story, so I apologise for the long hiatus time. But as always promised, I finish all of my Ace Attorney fanfiction stories therefore unless some crazy accident happens, I can deliver on that. Thank you for reading this update, and I hope you will enjoy it!

-L

Rated M for Language and Adult Situations. Standard Disclaimer Applies.

Chapter 2

"What was that all about?" Klavier madly whisked a bowl of raw eggs while Ema was setting the bread in the toaster.

"Your mother has recently suffered a heart attack, your grandmother told me, and she wants to see you settled down so badly." She poured the coffee beans into his espresso machine and pushed the buttons for a fresh brew. "I can't risk giving her another attack when you tell her this was just a misunderstanding. Can't you see the look on her face?"

"Well, I did ask you to pretend to be my lover, but a pretend-fiancée isn't exactly as easy." He began tossing the scrambled eggs into a heated pan. The smell made Ema's empty stomach cry out.

"Are you, mad?" She asked. He was dumbfounded at her concern for his feelings.

"No of course not, fraulein. Are you okay with this though? We don't have to keep this up, maybe just until she becomes well-enough to accept the truth." He said.

"We only have to pretend in front of them, right?" She placed thick slabs of honey-cured bacon and began frying them.

"Yes." He looked into her eyes for a moment. He knew there was a spark between them. Kissing Ema Skye made him feel all sorts of sensations he never felt before, and he wanted to explore it further. They didn't particularly like each other, but deep down, he was attracted to her spirit, and her strength.

Ema paused, thinking about what she had just done. There was no turning back. She was going to pretend to be this man's fiancé, the one awarded with Sexiest Man Alive from the last issue of Cosmopolitan. But he annoyed her to death- that was the problem. He wasn't all that bad though. Even if he is essentially a veritable modern-day rake, he was still chivalrous and took proper care of her last night, until she acted like a total whore and took advantage of him.

"Careful, you'll burn yourself." He slipped his arm around her and took hold of the frying pan, spouting out traitorous drops of heated oil. Ema was conscious of his body so close to hers. He placed the bacon on a large plate and smiled at her, offering a penny for her thoughts. She blushed and walked away with a batch of plates to set the dining table.

"Well? How goes your relationship, dear?" Helene had a mischievous smile on while asking Ema. "Looks like my son has been busy with you all night, and I'm sure last night wasn't the only time!" Ema turned into an adorable shade of pink, and while Klavier enjoyed her virgin-like shyness, he felt his ears warm up as well.

"He's... Not bad." She puffed her cheeks in bashfulness. Helene and Greta laughed excitedly. Not bad? Klavier sardonically smiled to himself. Was that a challenge?

"So... Don't tell me you both haven't planned on children yet! I know kids these days control their baby-making too much." Greta pointed out, which made Ema and Klavier remember- they did not use protection. He cursed at his irresponsibility while Ema was feeling the beginnings of anxiety. Helene noticed right away.

"Oh, don't worry too much about it Fraulein Skye." Helene poured a generous serving of maple syrup on her fluffy pancakes.

"Please, call me Ema."

"As you should call each other by first name as well! It definitely sounds cold if you call each other by surname. You're going to be a Gavin soon too anyway." Helene gently chided her.

"She works as a forensic scientist under me Mama. She's sometimes too professional, but it's one of the things I love about her." He looked at her affectionately. Ema felt her heart beat faster. He must be a really good actor to elicit these reactions from her. She didn't plan to lose.

"What have you got planned today?" Greta casually asked, finishing her cup of tea.

"I was going to accompany Fra-, Ema to the locksmith. Someone has breached her apartment security."

"I see you live separately as well. I think I'm beginning to like her more, Helene." Greta approved, emphasizing her pre-war conservative beliefs.

"Oh, be a little more open-minded Mama. They're in love. I don't mind whatever they decide to do with their own lives as long as they remain unhurt." Helene turned to Ema. "Security breach? What happened? You didn't get hurt, hopefully."

"No, I didn't, just that a few of my clothes are missing." She replied. Klavier's anger was barely contained. Why didn't she turn to anyone for help?

"You're going to move in with me." He calmly, sternly insisted at her. "We're going to pick up your things. I'll cleanup the guest room."

"That won't be an option!" Ema blurted.

"She's right. Helene and I will be using the guest room." Greta grinned. "She'll be staying with you in your room." Ema now knew where Klavier got his rockstar grin.

"Mama, I thought you were against the idea of two unmarried lover coha-" Greta nudged Helene before she could speak further.

"Now, you two get ready. We'll clean up here." Greta winked.

"No, Oma, you both came from travelling, you must rest."

"We may be old, but we're not invalids. Now both of you run along!" Helene waved them in dismissal.

O-o-O-o-O

He was clothed in a dark plum-coloured bathrobe, and his hair was darker as it was damp. He was in search of his hairdryer.

"Klavier, I can't find my clothes." Ema blushed as she was preparing to get inside the shower after he had his.

"I figured. You look lovely in my shirt anyway." He mischievously remarked. He wasn't lying. His button shirt looked large on her slender, smaller frame, and stopped short of her thighs. It was almost a vague memory, he too had a glass of whisky or two- but he remembered her pressing all that soft flesh against his own hard body all night. He couldn't help but touch. He was only human. "Don't worry, I'll find something. Just have your shower." He watched her silhouette behind the semi-opaque glass doors to his crystal shower box and felt his mouth run dry.

Ema watched his silhouette from her end as well as he stripped off the wet bathrobe and began to put on his clothes. She looked at her own body in the mirror. She had a few red spots, but aside from them, nothing really changed about her- except she was no longer inexperienced.

She wished she had a better memory of what happened last night. She couldn't recall pain or discomfort, and now she thought about it, she had just remembered she missed her pill two mornings back.

She stepped out of the shower after a few minutes to find a change of clothes on his bed. Damn, he even knew her bra size. Of course he would know, Ema you dummy. You probably gave him a free pass to study them all night.

On the bed was also a beautiful blue-green dress. Trimmed with chiffon and lined with warm silk and velvet, perfect for a chilly spring. It had short sleeves, and when she put the garment on, its hem was slightly above her knee. She never wore dresses so much before, and certainly never one as flattering as this.

"Where did you get this dress, anyway?"

Klavier never saw a lovelier image in front of him. Ema's hair was loose and slightly damp, and she was wearing the dress that framed her shoulders perfectly, displaying lovely collarbones and a tantalizing peek of cleavage hinting at her ample breasts, its blue-green cloth gracefully falling, hugging her body at the right curves until it ended along her thighs revealing long, slender, unblemished legs. He decided to insist her to wear skirts to the office now. Wait, no, that means other men can see those legs too.

"Hello? Earth to Gavin?"

He cleared his throat. "There was a boutique downstairs. Consider that dress, and everything else, a gift." He plastered on a flirtatious smile. Everything else, Ema realised, meant the lingerie as well, which made her instantly blush pink.

"I want to apologise, Ema. It was extremely irresponsible of me to forget protection last night. Are you alright? I can assure you, I am healthy and clean as I can be, but if you want to be sure, I can bring you to a gynaecologist."

"No, it's not about that. I... I never expected to have, you know-"

"Sex?" He chuckled at her reluctance to complete her sentence. So unlike herself when drunk.

"Yeah, that. I missed my pills." She waited for him to throw a fit. But he did not.

Of course he wouldn't. He was a flirt, can be insensitive at times, and had the tendency to overwork her, but he wasn't unkind. She realised that as she saw the expression on his face change from shock to concern.

"What would you like to do next, Ema? You still have options for emergency measures." She noted his use of her name, not Fraulein.

"I... I don't want to do anything. It's my body but, I'm... Scared."

"Then you don't have to." He held her hand firmly to show his support. "Let's wait. Then whatever happens, we'll think about what to do next again."

He sounded so reassuring; Ema did not want to betray that kind of kindness by being cold and unfeeling. True, this waiting game is not the wisest course of action, but if ever she did turn out to be pregnant later, she would want to keep her baby- their baby. She imagined a blue-eyed, blonde boy with his charm and giggled to herself.

"What's so funny?" He asked. He discovered she looked adorable when she laughed. He wanted to kiss her again.

"Oh nothing." She smirked at him as they stepped out his bedroom door.

"Nothing, huh?" He made two big strides, inducing Ema to run, making him chase her around the living room.

"Oh Klav, such a skirt-chaser you are!" His mother commented, laughing from the kitchen bar.

"I caught you!" He grabbed her waist from behind, out of breath from their laughter. She turned to look at his smile. She never thought she would be in Klavier's arms like this. But then, she was. Plain old Ema.

Enough was enough. She had no idea what expression she was showing on her face, but it was making warm, melting knots of his insides. He had to kiss her.

And so he did- not caring about his mother and grandmother giggling like schoolgirls. Dipping Ema backwards as he shamelessly plundered the wealth of the kiss she had instinctively returned.

-Cosmic Cosmetics, LA, CA-

January 26 5:46 PM

"There's something different about you. Your mood seems better nowadays." Lana commented as she was browsing through lipsticks on sale.

"Nothing much." Ema smiled. "Just laid off the snackoos for a while. My work load has been better too."

"That's nice, but none of those ever made you wear a dress or actually buy makeup." Her sister took the back of her hand and dabbed a nude-pink shade on it. Ema nodded in approval.

"You're dating someone, aren't you?" Lana laughed.

"Sort of. I'm being that fo-, Klavier's chick repellant." She answered.

"Hmm. I see." Lana gave her a knowing smile. She thought her younger sister detested the man, but decided not to tease her about it. "You slept with him, didn't you."

"No! It's not like that, I mean..." She groaned at seeing her sister raise an eyebrow. "Yes. I did."

"Hey, that's not a bad thing. Actually I'm happy for you." Lana placed two bottles of hydration toner in their beauty basket. "Prosecutor Gavin is a good man, those rumours be damned. He's in line for a promotion soon."

"About time." Ema nodded. "But this is actually more complicated than it seems." She confided in her sister as they were browsing for more beauty products together.

"You're saying that his mother and grandmother think you're both engaged, and that you're living with him now 'because someone broke into your apartment?"

"Basically, yes. I mean the locks on my apartment will be ready tomorrow after two days of waiting." They had their items checked out at the counter.

"Her heart problem certainly complicates things." Lana sighed.

"Last night I worked an all-nighter at the office. Despite getting in bed with him one night, I still don't feel too comfortable doing it again soon, and I'll have to keep doing it if I'm going to keep up with this ruse. Lana, what am I going to do?"

"You have one more night until your apartment is liveable again. You'll be fine. You can still move back there tomorrow. You can both talk about your next steps by then."

"You're right. We only have to do this in front of his family anyway." Ema's phone began to ring. "Hello?"

"New case. Homicide at Hill Park. The team is on their way, see you here Fraulein."

"I gotta go. Work." Ema looked at Lana apologetically.

"Catch you later. Bye." She kissed her sister on the cheek then watched her walk out of the shop.

-Hill Park, Midtown, LA-

January 26 6:12 PM

The victim was sprawled on the park concrete. From the waxy, deathly pale colour of his skin, and the degree of rigor mortis, Ema estimated around 9 hours since he breathed his last.

"Two gunshot wounds, neck and chest. There were definitely signs of a struggle." She reported to Klavier. "Has the medico-legal doctor arrived?"

"Mobile unit arrives in an hour. Until then we have this place to ourselves." He replied.

"I'll take care of examining the body. I'll need someone to do those footprints and search for possible clues around. I've set up the perimeter so the guys can search by area." She slipped on a pair of latex gloves and fastened a fresh face mask over her nose and mouth.

"Achtung! Men, you heard her. Let's get to work before the medico-legal team gets here for the autopsy." Klavier ordered the detectives and assistant to begin their legwork. After overseeing the searches in two areas, he returned to Ema who was spraying luminol on the ground nearby.

"You're hovering over me. You're blocking the light." She spoke flatly as if scolding an annoying child.

"Haha. You're looking extra pretty today." He bent over to brush a stray lock of hair from her face.

"Thank you, but you don't need to do that. We're not really fooling anyone here." She said.

"I just wanted to say thank you for doing this. Even if you're doing this just for my family."

"...You're welcome." Ema shrugged. "Your mother and grandmother are really nice. Greta came to the office this morning and brought me breakfast."

"Oma's a real sweetie. I bet when we come home she's cooked up baked chicken with peas and potatoes, a whole boat of her mushroom gravy, bright looking couscous, and mixed berry pie."

"Damn, you're making me hungry." She groaned in frustration. "But I'm not going home until we get as much as we can out of this crime scene of course."

"So dependable as usual." He chuckled. "In behalf of the prosecution team, thank you."

She blinked in surprise. "You're welcome." They knew each other more or less for three years, and Ema Skye had only discovered Klavier Gavin also knew how to praise his employees and thank them. I mean he always did, but she was too busy pitying herself back then to pay attention to the feelings of others at times.

She suddenly felt a stab of guilt.

She watched him study the floor plans one of her men sketched. He stood and walked around the crime scene, scanning for any discrepancies. It definitely wouldn't do to mess up a floor plan or the defense would have the time of their lives. She returned to dusting the dead body for prints.

Klavier knew she was watching him and he could not help but watch her as well. There she was, bent over, scanning the body for unusual traits. She was in her usual lab coat, green vest, and capris pants, and yet he found it amusing every time her long brunette hair blocked her view. She had tied it into a bun and delved deeper to dust the body for prints.

He definitely missed that scenario. It was warm, and familiar, and during the two years she was gone to get her licence and work abroad, he kind of missed her presence. He certainly noticed a change, yes. Back then, she was a hardworking detective and accepted (and sometimes questioned) orders well. But since her return, the aura around her had changed- became brighter, and it was as if she acquired a vast amount of charisma and self-confidence. She no longer just accepted her orders, but she became wise enough to make them for her team.

It was an immensely good decision for the precinct to hire her in a more advanced position. Definitely his advantage. A forensic scientist who wouldn't sass him with too much attitude.

O-o-O-o-O

"That concludes today's report on the crime scene. Any questions?" Ema had finished briefing the investigation team on the day's work. With a satisfied smile, she handed copies to the prosecution.

"Are you and Prosecutor Gavin dating?" One of her longtime colleagues mischievously asked.

"Haha, Stanley, very cute. Anything related to Mr. Hudson, the victim?" Ema brushed it off, failing to hide the scarlet hue on her cheeks.

"It's not a question Miss Skye, but if you're interested, that lady who harassed you at work has recently been badgering us on your relationship too." Another colleague followed.

"For those matters, I suggest you contact security. Fraulein Skye has more important things to deal with, as we all do."

"You're right sir. Our apologies, Ema." Stanley nodded contritely.

After the team cleared out the premises for the coroner and medics, Klavier approached Ema casually. "Got a ride home?"

"I am NOT riding that deathcycle of yours even if you beg me to."

"Don't be silly. I brought the car." He flashed that teasing smile of his.

"Okay. But just this time because Lana's having dinner with her family." Ema scanned the unread messages from her sister.

"You are having dinner with family too. My family."

"I almost forgot." She had an uneasy look on her face. She froze when he suddenly took her hand as they were walking the concrete path strewn with fresh leaves and plum blossom petals in Hill Park.

"What is it?" She turned to him.

"Can we stay like this for a bit?"

"... I'm not..." She began. "What is it you want from me?"

He turned to her as well with a questioning look.

"I know we totally got on the wrong foot, the wrong order, and the wrong side of the bed." She began.

"That side of the bed was mighty comfortable to me." He smiled wryly at her astonished gasp.

"I'm not kidding. Anyway-" he was amused at her decision to keep her hand unmoving in his.

"If you're just teasing me, you better quit. I don't want any of that. Not at my age." They continued walking hand in hand.

"I'm not teasing you." He said. Ema stopped walking. He stopped as well.

"I wasn't drunk that night, if you needed reminding." He looked into her eyes with a clear sincerity; it threatened to penetrate the defenses she built around herself all those years.

"Then what is it you want to say?" She mustered up her courage to ask.

"I don't know." He smirked. "I don't know what to say." He let go of her hand and walked to the parking lot, leading with a few steps.

Ema glared at him. "That urrrrggghhh! That glimmerous fop!" She stomped her foot on the ground, trying to fan herself at the same time.

-Gavin Penthouse, Gatecastle Tower-

January 26 7:46 PM

"Your grandmother has been making that the past month for you and your fiancée." Helene declared proudly as Ema unwrapped a package with Christmas wrapper although it was a late gift.

"I wasn't sure of how she'd look like, but I think it'll suit your complexion well." Greta giggled at seeing Ema inspect the wool cardigan she had in a crème colour, which perfectly matched Klavier's beige one.

"It's... It's so lovely." She felt the beginnings of a lump in her throat. Helene and Greta looked so loving and genuinely happy; she suddenly missed her own deceased parents. "I'm sorry. I'm a little emotional right now."

"It's alright." Helene pulled her into a hug. "We're happy you like it." Greta poked Klavier directing her gaze at Ema. He approached her and gave her shoulder a supportive squeeze.

"Will you be okay?" He smoothed her hair and handed her his handkerchief.

"Yeah." She blew her nose. "But I didn't get anything for you both yet."

"Nonsense. We're happy enough you're here with us. You're family now, you know." His mother began to serve dessert. As her son predicted, it was mixed berry pie.

"Oma, remember your blood sugar levels." Klavier gently reminded his grandmother who was about to take a piece of the confection.

"I know, kind. This is for Ema." She slipped an extra slice on her plate. "You'll be eating for two soon anyway."

"Mama, we don't even know that yet!" Helene laughed, "Do we?"

Ema was about to speak when Klavier interrupted. "We'll tell you when the time is right."

They spent the evening sharing stories of their childhood and browsing through old family pictures Helene had brought with her. Ema laughed at Klavier's mischievous antics as a child. He was always more outgoing and loose compared to Kristoph, but it was clear to her how he really looked up to him. She felt sad at him remembering everything that had happened between them. She noticed he became distant when they began reminiscing about his brother.

"I think it's time I cleanup. Klavier seems tired already. Long day at work." Ema gave her excuses.

"Indeed. We'll see you in the morning." The older women took their leave. It was just both of them left by the fireplace.

"Are you okay?" She asked in concern.

"Of course I am." He answered casually.

"Even if it's been years, I know you still worry about your brother."

"Yes. Yes, I do." He admitted.

"I know how that feels. But, I would never fully understand because Lana is a lot different from him. I'm sorry."

"Nothing to forgive, Ema." Again the use of her given name. It perplexed her.

"I had no idea you know. All this time, he hid that darkness in his heart away so well. I couldn't believe it." He expressed, pouring himself a glass of brandy.

"Mr. Wright told me that man was in too deep." She glanced at him. "Do you blame yourself?"

"I know I'm not supposed to, but sometimes I can't help but feel responsible."

"You definitely sound like your brother's keeper." She smiled knowingly.

"Mm." He nodded.

Hours later, Helene came out of her room to get a glass of water. She lovingly looked at Klavier and Ema curled up together on a soft flanelle blanket spread on the carpet in front of a dying fire in the hearth. She added a piece of wood and stirred the embers back to a hearty glow.

Ema woke at dawn. She was encased in the warmth of his arms. They talked last night until their eyes could no longer keep themselves open. They didn't have any intimate physical contact, but she felt being there with him was right.

She stared at the long golden lashes that kissed his cheeks, then gently slid her fingers along his firm jaw, gone a little rough with dark blonde stubble, then lingered her fingers teasing his ear, touching the piercings on the side. She noticed a light rumble from him then shivered when he in turn smoothed his palm over her waist. She dared herself to continue, telling herself he was continuing to slumber as well. She stroke his head lightly, running her fingers through those soft golden locks, then whimpered when he lazily ran his palm down to her hip and pulled her close.

"Good morning, Ema Skye." He buried his face in her neck, greeting her in a sexy sleepy voice. She almost forgot he had such a glorious voice.

"Good morning to you too." She responded timidly, pausing her hand.

"Please continue. It feels nice." He snaked his arms to wrap around her body. She couldn't help but nestle in closer.

"You can touch me." God, Ema please touch me. He thought.

She didn't say a word but explored his face, his shoulders, and his chest. She had no idea what she was doing to him and it took all his willpower to remain motionless under her soft, slender hands. She was wearing a tank top and loose pyjamas- such thin material he felt her softness too clearly. She wasn't even wearing a bra.

"Did you ever consider going out with me?" She asked casually, trying not to betray emotion.

"Yes." He admitted.

"Did you... ever imagine hooking up with me?" The provocative question made him raise an eyebrow and give her a suggestive smile.

"Of course you did." She rolled her eyes.

"Let me ask you the same question then." She noticed his body grow warmer, his muscles tense.

"I would lie if I said I never did." She blushed. "Even if you get on my nerves often, I still respect you as my boss."

"Is that it?" He shifted his body, hovering over her.

"What kind of woman wouldn't anyway? You're easy on the eyes, and you're Cosmopolitan's godforsaken sexiest man alive, and- your voice." She blushed further. "When you sing your love songs, it's like; you're making love on stage." She boldly described further.

"You know," he took a strand of her hair and kissed it, without taking his eyes off hers. "I want to kiss you. Again, and again, and again." He slipped a hand beneath her tank top, brushing his fingers over the flat plane of her stomach, teasing the underside of one breast. Her traitorous body instantly grew hot and her nipples tightened in response. "You know why I sometimes look at you while I sing on stage?" His hand moved to her other breast.

"Klavier... I..." she was deeply flushed and his name sounded like a breathless plea. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes dreamily misty.

"Like you say, I sing like I make love on stage. You should know now who I imagined making love to." It was as if she fell into a trance, and he took his cue, dipping his head low to kiss her like he said he wanted to.

His kiss was sweet and tender, his lips soft and dipping the lightest of pressures on her lips, as if coaxing a response from her. He gave a little playful lick at the edge of her lower lip, which she answered with her own version on his. She initiated this time, slanting her mouth over his and stroking his jaw, wordlessly commanding him to open his mouth. He delightfully submitted and met her tongue with his, warming each other at the same time. She proceeded on full instinct, but he loved every single thing she did- every stroke of her tongue, every nip, every suction as she yielded her body to his adventurous hands.

He was no inexperienced lover, but with her, he found it hard to control the impulse to go fast and rough with her. She was too sweet to eat in one bite. He had to savour every part of her. He left her lips swollen and cherry as he trailed more kisses across her jaw, behind her ear. He took a little bite on the lobe, making her moan, and soothed it with his tongue, then proceeded to take a few gentle bites across her neck as well. She began to feel braver as the heat between her legs became more intense. Her want turned into need, and she arched her body up against his, offering her breasts against his palms. She didn't mind when he lifted her tank top to expose them, in fact, she tried to stifle a cry when he took one breast into his mouth and began loving each globe. He slipped a thigh between her legs, feeling her dampness, and smiled.

"Oh God please, there..." she breathlessly mouthed, pulling him closer. He slipped his hand beyond the waistband of her pyjamas and began to grant her request, prodding the wet swollen flesh down there with a featherlike touch. Slowly, he coaxed her higher, sliding his finger against the smooth, wet flesh of her down there, gradually reaching deeper, opening her wider, until he slipped another finger. She held onto his shoulders, writhing her body against the mercy of his fingers, almost weeping every time he brushed against her most sensitive nub of flesh. He would suddenly stop, teasing her shortly with more kisses, and continued with his unique rhythm, making her ascent slow yet exponential in intensity.

"I don't know if I can... It was never possible to get higher from this." she had a need clear in her eyes.

"Believe me, you can." He lifted her hips slightly with the other hand and delved deeper, making her arch in pleasure. She no longer cared. She climbed higher, feeling exhilarated, more daunting, utterly shameless until the moment she shattered, and Klavier absorbed her cries into an invasive tongue kiss, as they rode out her climax.

O-o-O-o-O

"Oh my God, did they hear me?" Ema blushed madly as she sat up, righting her clothing.

"They wake up late lately. It's the jet lag." He yawned and smoothed his bed hair.

"Oh God, I just..." she tried to digest what had just happened. She behaved like an utter who- "Klavier, how long are we gonna keep doing this?" She was anxious and restless. Mainly because she hated lying especially to her elders, not because she was scared she was starting to crave Klavier Gavin's kisses even more. Yes, that must be it.

"Ema." He sat up as well and leaned his back against the bottom of a suede sofa. "I think we should talk about getting married for real."

"WHAT." She nearly shrieked, but remembered they weren't alone in his house. "Do you have any idea what you are asking of me?"

"My family is relentless. They will not stop until they see me get hitched, and believe it or not, they think you are perfect. They want you."

"But do you want me?" She bluntly asked.

"Mein Gott, Ema Skye, you know I do." He said exasperatingly.

"Not like that!" She blushed. She was a cynic indeed, but she wanted what Lana had too. Her sister married for love. She wanted to ask if that was his only reason for asking her to marry him. But she couldn't. She could only stare at him in disbelief because she didn't want to be a crybaby about this and say she wouldn't marry him if he didn't love her. She was more realist than hopeful to know that Klavier Gavin was not the type of man who would fall in love with a woman like her.

Ema the nerd. The oddball who would care more to remember areas of luminol reactions on a crime scene than anybody's birthday.

"If you really dislike the idea of it so much, we won't get a church wedding. We'll get it done on paper, easy to annul, if you hate the idea of a divorce." He looked at her gently. "You can consider the next few days a trial period. Give me an answer soon, but don't make me wait too long."

"...Okay." She sighed. "I'll give you an answer when I get the test results."

"What test results?" She jabbed him on the rib. "Oh. Those results." He coughed and remembered. She could barely look at him. He understood how prideful of a woman Ema tends to be. He wasn't sure if Ema would decide to keep him in the picture whatever the results were. He knew she didn't exactly like him, but he dearly hoped she didn't hate him.

He looked at her longingly. She was so strong and beautiful at the same time. Seeing her struggle along the past years they knew each other, he could only admire her from afar. It was there as he watched her fingercomb her brunette hair and fold the blankets they used last night, that he realised-

He was in love with Ema Skye.

-and he planned to make her fall in love with him too.

to be continued…