Love Reincarnated

Part Three: Bubbles of Love

Part 3

Henry stood from his desk-he couldn't shake the thought that had been nagging him since they got home. Stepping out into the living room he saw that Jean-Rene was sound asleep on the couch. He stood watching; debating if he should wake her or just carry her to bed. As he walked to the couch he had decided.

Crouching down beside her he laid a gentle hand on her cheek. Her dark eyelashes were like lace against her pale cheek. Her dark curls framed her in silk. He ran his fingers through her hair and smiled as she murmured his name. Slowly her eyes opened and she looked up at him. Her eyes filled with joy at the sight of him. Henry felt his heart swell with emotion. She made him feel human again. Very human and there was no other woman in the world who could do that for him.

"Sorry to wake you," He whispered.

She nuzzled his hand with her cheek, "It's okay."

"I wanted to talk to you."

She nodded, "I am listening."

Henry settled more comfortably on the floor; absently taking one of her hands in his. He kissed each finger gently; taking careful time with each one. He kissed the tips before moving onto the knuckles and down to the back of her hand. He kissed it once before pressing it to his cheek and looking at her. There was such love in her eyes; it was the look she always had for him. It said that he was the single most important person in her world. There was no competition for her attention; no struggle to have her close to him. He could talk to her about things and there was no critical comment; no confusion. She understood him better than anyone else.

"This is a fantastic conversation," She mused lightly, "Perhaps you should repeat that last part, I didn't quite catch it all."

Henry shared a laugh with her. "I was just thinking of how perfect you are for me."

"Ah," She smiled softly, "Thta's good to know."

"You know what else?"

"Tell me,"

Henry drew a breath as he spoke words he'd never said before, "The night Christina found me, I was coming back from the jewellers."

Jean-Rene tensed, "Oh?"

Henry kissed her hand softly, "I was having a necklace made for you."

Her body relaxed, "Really?"

He watched her face, "I had already spoken to father about marrying you. He was going to give me an answer in the morning."

Jean-Rene remembered the great king coming to her family home. Her father had been so surprised and yet delighted whilst he was also afraid. She was his only daughter and it was no secret she was the lover of Henry. She had been ordered to her room when the king arrived. Jean-Rene had disobeyed the order and hid her self so she could hear the conversation.

"Jean-Rene?" Henry touched her lips with his finger tip- she jumped and shook her head, startled. "Where did you go, my love?"

"Somewhere far in the past." She relaxed again, watching him. "Why tell me this, Henry?"

"i wanted you to know how I felt then and how I feel now." He paused a moment, "We should not have fought on the way home. I am sorry. I left Vicky get me angry and did nothing to stop it. I should not have been such a child.

"It's fine," She squeezed his hand in hers. "I was not upset with you. The woman obviously has no idea who you were and still are."

Henry snorted, shaking his head. "I am not a prince anymore."

"Yes you are." Her tone was firm with him, "You're still Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond. You are still the same man who bested the whiney French king at wrestling and you are still the same man who knocked that pompous ass, Lord Edward from his horse using nothing but a jousting shield. Or the time you threw Captain Lewis off the ship because he cheated at poker. You're the only man I know who ever rode his horse inside the palace just to prove the ceilings were tall enough."

Henry was laughing when she finished; those were all good memories she brought up.

"Most importantly, you are the man would be king of England. But you are always king in my heart."

Henry watched her for a long time, "Didn't you marry after my...disappearance?"

"No." She sat up on the couch, holding his hand; Henry sat beside her. "Father tried to force me; and you father supported it. But I couldn't bring myself to marry anyone. I loved you and only you. There was no else who could ever take your place. So I remained unmarried and died that way."

"In the five hundred years we have been a part, did you ever marry, in any if your past lives?"

"No." She shook her head, "Not even when I couldn't remember you, I still knew it was wrong to marry anyone else."

Henry sat quiet for a long time. "Did you ever wonder about me?"

She looked at him; her eyes wide with surprise. "I missed you with each beat of my heart, Henry. Then when those stories came...I couldn't bear to show my face at court. Your father was very upset with me. I guess he had his eye on me and when I refused to be in court, he didn't have any chance to see me again."

Henry frowned, "What stories?"

"The story was that I had lost favour with you and I was barren; so you had chosen someone else."

Henry put this arm around her, cuddling her. "No, that's not what happened. I wanted you so much."

Jean-Rene heard the truth in his words and it brought tears to her eyes. She held him tightly, weeping against his chest. Henry gently rocked her as she cried.

"I am sorry I left you, Jean-Rene."

"I am sorry too."

That sat holding one another until the sky began to grow lighter and lighter; "Time for me to sleep." Henry stood up, she tugged on his hand. He looked back at her. The look on her face was enough to shatter his heart. He pulled her up and lifted her into his arms, "Why don't you keep me company?"

The following night Henry woke with Jean-Rene draped over his chest. Her dark curls fanned out down her back like a curtain. He put a hand on her head; smoothing it down that soft mass of silken hair. She stirred and lifted her chin; her sleepy eyes focused on him. Her eyes filled with love and Henry could not deny the humanity in him with a look like that.

"What shall we do tonight, my lord?" She whispered; her voice still sleepy.

"Hmmm, I was thinking we would go grocery shopping."

She arched a brow, "Really? What happened to leaving the city right away?"

Henry put an arm under his head and sighed, absently stroking her hair. "I have been thinking of that. And you're right. I can't just walk out on Vicky. I need to finish helping her before we can leave together."

Jean-Rene smiled at him, "I am glad you thought about it. Perhaps after five centuries you are learning to tame that temper of yours."

He shook his head, "No, not really. I just don't feel right about it." Jean-Rene sat up and slid from the bed; Henry frowned as she stood up. "Where are you going?"

"Shower, we humans need to do that."

He gave her a wicked grin, "Not by yourself."

She laughed brightly as he threw back the covers and got out of bed.

**

Vicky and Mike stood in the elevator; neither of them were happy to be here. "So he stormed out of your office?" Mike muttered, "What did you take away his toys again?"

"Mike, come on." Vicky shook her head.

"No seriously. Just cause he used to be a prince back in the day, doesn't mean he should stomp around when he doesn't get his way."

Vicky sighed as she rubbed her temples. She could see where this was going and was sorry she had witness another fight between Mike and Henry.

The elevator doors opened; they got off and went to Henry's door. It was unlocked for a change which surprised Vicky. Henry had taken to locking his front door. Mike and she walked in; Vicky shut the door.

"Henry?" She called out. At first there was silence.

"Perhaps he's out?" Mike ventured.

Then they heard the laughter from the bedroom. Henry and a woman were laughing and it sounded like they were having a wonderful time. Vicky and Mike looked at one another for a minute; Mike took the first step but Vicky hauled him back. If anyone was going to catch Henry with another woman, it was Vicky.

She opened the bedroom door; Mike at her back. The bedroom was empty. The laughter came again and it was from the bathroom.

"You know maybe we should come back." Mike muttered; he flinched at the look Vicky gave him. "it was just a suggestion."

Vicky hurried to the bathroom door and opened it. Nothing in the world could have prepared her for the sight she saw. Even Mike was taken back by it.

Sitting in the massive orgy-sized tub- as Vicky had called it- was Henry. He was covered in bubble bath. Foamy white bubbles crowned his head and clung to his face and shoulders. He was wearing a huge grin as he ducked under the water and the woman with him roared with laughter. She jumped and moved around the tub as if being chased. She laughed happily as pale hands covered in bubbles went around her waist and stopped her. Her face was flushed; her eyes happy as Henry came out of the water and soundly kissed her.

"I win." He mused.

"Not fair, you don't need air to breathe." She was teasing him.

"Part of my charm." Henry nibbled her neck.

"Oh yeah?" She brought a handful of bubbles at him and his was hit with it. She squiggled her way out of his arms, lobbing more bubbles at him. Henry wiped them out of his eyes. He blew them off his lips and even through the bubbles he glared at her.

The woman laughed harder and swam away from him. She stood up; her pale back glistened with bubbled. The woman turned and finally noticed Vicky and Mike. She gasped; put a hand to her mouth as she immediately sank into the water; only her head visible.

Henry spun around; immediately putting him self between who ever was there and the woman with him. He held his arms out to the side in a shielding manner. Even covered in bubbles his vampire face was scary.

"Get out!" He snarled, "Get out of here, Vicky."

"I am going to wait in the living room; we need to talk." Vicky turned quickly and stalked out; Mike lingered; she grabbed his arm and hauled him with her.

Vicky paced the length of Henry's couch. Arms crossed, head down. Mike stood idlly, hands in his pockets.

"I never would have pegged, Fitzroy for a bubble bath kind of guy." Mike mused to himself, "bloodbath sure, he's a vampire. But peach scented bubbles?" The cop shook his head.

Vicky stopped her pace and glared at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing." Mike held up his hands. Vicky went back to pacing.

The bedroom door opened; both oif them looked up as Henry stepped out followed by a woman. Henry wore black dress pants and a bright red polo shirt. His hair was loose around his shoulders. The woman who came behind him was dressed in a blue jeans and a grey t-shirt- the shirt belonged to Henry.

Henry glared at Vicky and Mike.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." She said, stepping around him. "Who wants tea?"

The woman came around him and his put his arms around he waist. She was startled, looking up at him. He shook his head. "No tea for them."

She rolled her eyes, gently slapping his hand. "Henry John Fitzroy, where are your manners?" She stepped out of arms and went to the kitchen. "We have a selection of teas; do you want herbal or black."

Mike sauntered over, "Anything is fine."

Henry watched as Jean-Rene took out the kettle, the tea pot and a basket of tea boxes. She handed them to Mike. "You pick, just as long as you like honey in your tea." She set the squeeze-bottle of honey on the counter.

"Jean-Rene..." Henry realized it was a lost battle; but it irked him- Mike Celluci having tea in his home-the thought was almost unbearable.

Mike caught the name, "Oh so you're the reason Henry's not helping us anymore."

She shrugged, filing the kettle with water from the tap. "I wouldn't say that officer. Henry can make his own choices. I support him in anything he decides."

Mike glanced over at Henry; surprise in his eyes. "Where'd you find a woman like her, Fitzroy?"

Jean-Rene answered, "I hit him with a cup of wine; the rest is as they say, history." She flashed a grin to Henry, he returned it.

"Oh come on now," Mike muttered, "You're not a vampire too, are you?"

Jean-Rene shook her head, "Nope. Human as you ."

"Then how?" Mike glanced back at Henry again, "you two feel like a couple who have a long story."

"Yeah, you could say that." Jean-Rene chuckled, "A very long history."

Henry came over to her and put his arm around her, "That's enough of that. If he wants to know more he can read about it."

She laughed, her cheeks flushed. "I had forgotten your book about us."

Vicky joined Mike, "Henry we need to talk."

Henry glanced at Vicky before looking down at Jean-Rene. The kiss he gave her was full of passion; she was flushed and breathing hard when he let her go. Mike glanced at Vicky.

"We never kissed like that." Mike eyed the woman beside him, "Why is that?"

Vicky shook her head. "We should talk in the bedroom."

Henry followed her, gently shutting the door behind them.

Mike looked to Jean-Rene and smiled; she returned it. "So, Jean-Rene, that's French right?"