Shyra was sore the next morning. Her abdomen ached, her side just plain hurt. She reached for the pain killers on the shelf next to her side of the bed. Thane was still asleep beside her, his arm draped over her waist. She dry swallowed the slickly coated pills and lay on her back so she could watch him dream. She rested her hands on his arm over her stomach. The pressure hurt a little, but the pain killers would kick in soon. It was worth the bit of discomfort. She grinned at him when the corners of his mouth turned up in his sleep. She wondered what he was dreaming.

The lights are off. The room is shadow. He holds her in his arms, her legs wrapped around his waist. One of his hands supports her lower back, pressing her into him. The other arm holds her weight, his hand cupping one clothed cheek. The fabric is rough. She slips the straps of her jump suit over her shoulders. His face is turned up to hers as they share a passionate kiss in the darkness. Her tongue is sweet in his mouth. Her hair falls around her face tickling his. Her breast press against his leather vest. He sees them out side of himself. The two forms appear as one silhouetted against the light from the ships core. He can smell her musk and her desire. He takes a few steps back.

He leans against the large rock cliff behind him. The sun slowly sinks in the distance below the horizon of a living desert. The evening flowers bloom on the cacti as the day flowers close their petals. Her hair is a dull fire around her as it dances in the breeze. Her white tunic is all that remains on her body. His chest is exposed. Delicate fingers trace the curves of his musculature. Her wetness soaks through the thin material of is pants. His fingers tangle in her hair. Their tongues taste the other's sweetness in a dance that is the rhythm of their hearts.

Her body writhes in passion beneath him. The metal of the necklace she wears, the one that binds her to him, glints in the light of the moons. Her soft, smooth skin surrenders to his touch. She moans softly into the sensitive folds of his throat and calls his name. Her voice is the whisper of an angel. He purrs. The deep ocean of her eyes drowns him as he joins her in ecstacy. She arches into him. He cradles her head in one hand and takes her lips.

The points of her hips fit perfectly into the palms of his hands as he holds on to her. The two webbed fingers of each hand ghost over the frill of his cheeks and down the stripes on his skin to rest at the base of his neck. The gleam of the stars is put to shame by the light in her violet eyes, like the sky at sunset on the creamy canvas of her skin. Her hair is like the corona of a red star. The blue of her aura glows around them. Her wings spread wide, protecting him from the darkness. He can feel her love like heat from a flame.

"Sihana..."

Thane's eyes fluttered open. Shyra grinned at her waking Mëhana . He grinned back. The hand on her stomach reached up and cupped her jaw. He kisses her lips, gently.

"Did you sleep well?" She asked sweetly.

"Indeed." He kisses her again. His smile widens.

"I'm on bed rest, lover." She says, guessing the intent of his smirk.

"Light bed rest. You are fit to Command the deck. And, if I am gentle, you are fit to be commanded..." He locked eyes with her.

"I don't know... oh!"

Thane slipped the webbed fingers of his free hand over her skin, pausing to tease her pink nipples, into her morning wetness. His own morning arousal throbbed against her hip. The hand beneath the pillows found it's way to her hair, cradling her face as he pressed his lips to hers. Closing his eyes, his tongue sought hers out tenderly but with want. He knew her body well, and his fingers quickly found the right strokes and touches to bring her heat to a boil. The wet sloppy sounds of his talent inside her encouraged her soft moaning. She cupped his face with her hand closest to him. The other desperately gripped the one between her thighs. He was quickly working her to climax. Her legs spread wide for his access, then they would close over his hand in a spasm of pleasure as she arched her back, mindful of the wound.

He brought her quietly to fruition that way before he slid his hips over hers and poised himself for entry. He supported his weight on his hands to either side of her chest so he would not put undue pressure on the wound. He found her eyes with his before pushing himself gently inside her. She moaned her pleasure, her desire spasmed around him. His trusts were deep, but slow and tender. The wet sounds of his passion mingled with their moans and echoed off the walls. He made love to her for forgiving him, for loving him. She breathed his name as a moan when they climaxed.

"Thane..."

He was careful of her side when he lay next to her once more. He left one leg over hers and lay his head on her shoulder with his arm across her chest in a 'v' so his hand rested on the shoulder opposite him.

"What is 'Sihana'?" She asked. "You whispered it in your sleep."

Thane didn't answer right away. He wasn't aware that he did anything more than breath in his sleep, much lest speak. He lifted himself up onto one elbow, resting his cheek in his palm. He looked down at her, searching for evidence of a lie. He found little. It was a partial truth at least. Perhaps she had heard his prayer. He sighed. It wasn't something he'd prepared to answer.

"Sihana is similar to Arasiha and Siha. It is a kind of union of the titles."

"Why have I never heard you mention or use it before?"

"Because there is more to it, and I did not wish to... confuse you."

"Confuse me?" She cocked a brow at him.

"It can be difficult to explain."

He looked into her eyes. She wasn't going to give up. Eventually he would have to tell her.

"Do you remember when I told you that few are lucky to meet even one siha?"

"Yes."

"When... if one meets a siha and the siha loves that one, becomes bound to them, it is believed that the siha is theirs... sent to only them by Arashu. To meet a second is rare. Rarer still is when that siha is a rekindling of the first. That is called a Sihana. A warrior angle of Arashu that has bound it's soul to another's." He sighed again, steeling himself. "Irikah was my siha. You are also my siha. No man deserves to meet two, even less so to have two bound to him. I wasn't sure at first, but I have come to believe that you are a Sihana. I have reasons to believe that Irikah may live inside you, that your souls have shared themselves with each other and have become one."

Shyra looked up at him with utter nihilism. It took her a long time to process what he was telling her. To his credit, Thane waited patiently.

"So, you're saying that my soul somehow merged with Irikah's?"

"Yes." He was impressed by her understanding.

"When? How? I'm human."

"Perhaps when you died and Cerberus brought you back. I'm not entirely certain. The how is an unknowable. We shall have to wait until we give our bodies to the sea to answer that question."

More time passed before Shyra spoke again.

"Is that why you love me? Because part of me is her?"

The question he knew would come and dreaded most of all.

"I... do not know." He confessed. "I began to care for you before I believed it was true. I loved you in my heart before I loved you with my body. I loved you with my soul when your mouth spoke her words."

"As lovely as your cryptic poetry is, Mëha"

"At least she is not angry with me." He thought when she used the name.

"I don't think I understand."

Her face was not marred by a questioning look or furrowed brow. Only a deep curiosity was in her blue eyes.

"I began to suspect you were a siha because of the choices you made, the sacrifices to save and help people. I came to care for you through those actions and your kindness to me. When I came to you before the Omega-4 relay I loved you. When you... "

His eyes unfocus.

"I look into your eyes. They are like the sea. Your soft hand, warm on my cheek. Your smell, a sweet musk. 'Be alive with me tonight.' you breath the words to me. It surprises me as words spoken long ago to comfort me are spoken again. You kiss me. I have doubts that cloud my mind. The emotions I feel from you wash them away. I close my eyes and return the kiss, new tears welling with the joy of having her with me."

His eyes focus for a second and then lapse again into memory.

"I've just told Irikah I am leaving in the morning for another contract. I tell her I will return sooner than I did on the last job. She nods. 'What did the doctors tell you today?' She asks. I tell her the news of my condition. Tears well up in her eyes, but she blinks them back. I look at her. I wonder what she will do when I am gone. Kolyat is asleep in his room. The moons shine brightly through the dome over the city. The light beams in through the window and catches in her eyes... She looks at me and smiles. 'You are here, now. We should enjoy the time we have,' she whispers and nuzzles my neck. I feel the love and pain in her words. I take her in my arms. Her body is warm against mine. I tell her I love her. She whispers, 'Be alive with me tonight.' She smiles up at me as we lay together for the last time."

Thane closes his eyes. The pain the memory brings with it a heavy burden. A single tear from each eye escapes the flood he's holding back.

"Oh, Thane..." Shyra says softly. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to..."

She takes his face in her hands and brings it to hers in a loving kiss. He covers her hand with his.

"I don't know if it's true. I don't care if you believe she's part of me. I love you. We are together, bound for life. I have no regrets about that."

Thane smiled then, a smile she'd never seen. There was so much expressed in the simple gesture. It was impossible not to love him.

Reviews welcome, let me know what you like/don't like so I know if I should keep going with this or wrap it up. Thanks! ^_^