Seven years. Had it been so long? Seven years, since one Remy LeBeau's life had been completely and utterly turned around. Seven years ago, he'd been a street urchin. Today, he wore well fitting jeans, a Saints jersey, and a bandana around his forehead. It kept the spilling reddish-brown hair out of his face, and any sweat out of his eyes. He wasn't a dirty urchin without shoes, anymore. He'd gained most of his height – at least he hoped so. Already he towered over most at 6'2", and his build was enough to make most Olympic contestants in the triathlon jealous.

Seven years of learning. How to fight, how to talk, how to read and write, science, security, physics, geometry, foreign languages. Even now, he still had lessons every weekday for the bulk of the day, despite the fact he'd already gone beyond high school education levels – at least in most subjects.

While those seven years had seen him as one of the most sought after young men in the city of New Orleans, they'd been every bit as kind to his Angel. She stood tall for a woman, almost 5'8" with her heels on. That long blond hair was still in braids, and her eyes had deepened a touch more towards violet colors. The smile she favored up at him, while nipping at his neck, was that of a woman totally in love with a man.

And while it would surprise many of the women who tried to go after Remy LeBeau, who said he was untameable, that no one woman could ever hold his heart – he smiled the same way at Bella Donna Boudreaux. She'd held his heart solely for years, and while he flirted with other women, hers was the only skirt he'd ever truly chased. A fact she was quite aware; or she'd probably have used one of those knives secreted about her bodice on him long ago.

"Ya look beautifu, mon amour. Happy Sweet Sixteen." His lips brushed her reddened lips in a series of soft gentle kisses, while his arm tightened around her, holding her close. She wasn't dressed from her birthday party still. Instead just a tank top and jeans from when she'd snuck out of her fathers house. His trench coat rumpled underneath them as they twisted in their kisses and hold of eachother, before they finally broke their lips apart, both gasping for breath.

"An just what gift ya gonna give me, Remy LeBeau? I know ya been planning something for weeks now. After ya vanished outta town for a few days wit' Henri like dat, ain't nothing else ya coulda been doing but getting me a gift." He had to chuckle, she sounded so sure. A part of him always wondered if he'd gotten her something she'd like, but as the years went on that part had diminished. He'd come to know his femmes heart and soul, he had. Bel wasn't just his love, but his best friend. She was surprisingly happy to have things he'd stole for her. Surprising from an Assassin. Usually they scoffed at thieves, but Bel was different.

Maybe she wasn't still his Angel, but she'd become something more. She'd become all that was bright in his life. Especially after Etienne had died.. Non, don't be thinking bout that. Tonight a night for celebrating Remy, and time ta show Bella what I got for her. Mebbe she actually wear it.

From the coat underneath them he reached into a pocket. "Close ya eyes, ma chérie." He instructed her, and waited until those purple eyes closed. He still chuckled a little. He could sense, just lightly, her feelings. Love. Excitement. Trust. He was used to people feeling excitement around him, but love and trust.. were a lot rarer, outside of the LeBeau household. Even in the Guild. Some never forgot he wasn't born into the Guild, adopted by Jean-Luc or not. Etienne's death hadn't set well with some either; despite the fact he was older then Remy when it'd happened. That was the way of it sometimes though.

He slipped the pendant upon it's sterling silver chain about her neck, and then stole a kiss. He'd intended to tell her to open her eyes, but that one kiss turned into another, and somehow his hand ended up on her rear. Tracing the fine contours of his chérie's bottom. She was every bit as fit as he was, and it'd done wonders for her sensuality. Like all things though, just as both of his hands had ended up on her curved rear, they finally broke for breath and she punched him in the arm lightly.

"Watch de hands, ya dirty t'ief." She murmured, before licking his lips, and leaning up some so she could get a look at the pendant he'd slipped onto her neck. Worked in silver, with a polished violet stone that offset her eyes set in more silver. It was worth a few grand, he knew. Well he should know, he'd spent a lot of time searching for her gift, and then longer convincing Henri to go with him to steal it.

"It's beautiful Remy. I like it." She didn't need to say the words. He could feel her approval shining off of her, as she pushed him into another kiss. It was a palpatable thing with Bella, when she was happy, the whole world knew it. She had a smile that could light a swamp at midnight for miles, and a frown that could kill a man. That smile sent his heart aflutter, it always had. Reinforcing it, was the waves of emotions he could dimly feel coming off of her. Love stronger then ever, and something more. A hint of decisiveness beating off her now? Why decisiveness..?

"I gotta present for ya too, Remy."

"Why ya get a present for me, Bel?"

"Cuz we never celebrate ya birthday. Sure, we celebrate de day ya got adopted by Jean-Luc, but dat ain' ya birthday. So ya getting your birthday gift tonight, on my birthday."

"Well.. ya didn' have to get me nothin, chere."

"Ya might change ya tune when ya figure out what I got for ya."

Remy tilted his head, eying the blond ontop of him, as she wriggled off him slowly. His eyes widened though, when instead of pulling a gift out, she began pulling her top off, then began undoing her pants. It was enough to make him blink a few times. They'd never ventured that far before. Kissing, petting, even second base, but they'd never gone beyond that. Was she..?

"Bel?" His voice cracked. His eyes enchanted by the woman revealing herself to him, with that beating smile on her face. High perky breasts, an incredibly toned body. Legs that never seemed to stop, and even shifting he could see muscles playing along her whole body. He felt his mouth going dry, his throat going dry. Fire began pounding through his veins.

"Dis my gift for ya, mon amour. Ya already got my heart an soul, it time we be sealed t'gether in body too." Her eyes grew mischievous then, as did her chuckling. "Now get naked, or I gonna cut ya clothes off wit' my knife, and ya can explain to ya Père why ya come home without clothes."

She'd do it, too, he knew. Yet he didn't hesitate, in shifting forward on his knees, to kiss her knee. Up her thigh, against her black panties, up her smooth stomach. He lingered at her breasts, teasing her through her bra as his fingers played along her back. The whole time slowly rising from the ground, until eventually his lips brushed hers again.

"T'ink.. I de luckiest t'ief in de world."

"Not t'ink, Remy. Ya know. I know dat I de luckiest Assassin dere is."

Words were cut off then, between kisses, and clothes being discarded. For the longest time, the only sound was of bodies pressing together, moans elicited from both of their throats, as they shared the one part of themselves they hadn't yet shared with each other. Yet such things were never simple with him or her. Even as the initial fires of passion died down, Bella played with his hair.

"Done already, Remy? I disappointed. Was figurin ya'd be good for more den once."

"Seems t'me dat you be done who's taking a break, chere. You de one on top. Guess I better fix dat, non?"

Competition. It would never let them stop until both had been sated well beyond when they probably should have stopped, leaving them both sore. Competition, and a need on both of their parts to make the night feel like it might never end. Even if they'd have to break apart and return to their fathers houses at some point.

Hours later, as they lay sweaty and entwined, Remy laughed softly.

"What ya laughing at LeBeau?"

"Nothin Bel. Just dat until t'night, I thought dat ya lips was de most perfect t'ing in de world."

"Ya sayin dat dey still ain't?" A dangerous shift in her lilting voice.

"Non. Non. What I mean t'say dat everything about ya Bel. Everything. Ya lips, ya breasts, ya nipples, ya.." Her cheeks reddening horribly, and he allowed himself to be silent.

"Glad dat ya approve, Rems. But ya don't gotta charm me or start talkin like a snake charmer. I love ya. Ya love me. We both got amazing bodies." She winked at him.

"Bel?"

"Oui?"

"Ya believe in soul mates?"

"Not until de day I met ya, Remy. But since I was nine, I known dat ya was mine."

"I called ya an Angel dat first day... Was wrong."

"oh?"

"Ya a goddess."

"Got dat right. You ain't gona sweet talk me into goin down on ya again though."

"Wasn't trying."

She pinned him with her eyes then.

"Wasn't, Bel. Was trying to talk ya into one more time before we gotta go though.."

"Ya are incorrigible Remy. Gonna be sore walkin as it is, an ya damn near got us both worn raw." She was smirking though, and shifting over him once more already. Grinding against him, while biting hard on his jaw.

"What's a lil pain, for dat kinda pleasure though?" They were both laughing, even as they fell into their already familiar rhythms that would lead them both to release once more.