Pico's Pov again.

Sorbet and I still sat together in the piles of ash from peoples (otters?) I'd killed. Sorbet and my tears had both dried. I couldn't believe I had lost control of myself like that in front of her. Those otters hadn't even stood a chance.

Those pirate were touching my girl; my Sorbet in her special places. My places… I bit my lip at the raw memory and made a mental promise that I wouldn't let her out of my sight again. I glanced at her.

Sorbet's dark waves were falling over her eyes and the white frills of her dress were now blackened from ash. She was still so pretty to me; even in this state.

"Pico we should get out of here, before more pirates come by. They came out of nowhere and dragged me to this place," Sorbet whispered.

I gritted my teeth. I nodded and pulled myself to my feet. I swept some of the ash off of me. I offered Sorbet my hand.

Once she held my hand tight I pulled her to her feet. I grimaced when she touched a part of my neck. I still had those freaking beestings. Just then I realized how much of a toll they had on me. Where the bees had stung me was leaking white pus and all around it hurt like hell.

"What's the matter?" Sorbet asked noticing my face. She placed some of her cool fingers on my jaw bone. Her gloves had been torn in several places; especially around her fingers which were now exposed.

"Oh, some hornets got to me on my way here," I shrugged but it hurt; a lot. Sorbet nodded and then stifled a grin.

She grabbed my hand gently and played with my fingers as we pushed through the forest and to the steam. Sorbet got on her knees on the mossy riverbank and pulled me beside her. She kissed my fingertips and told me to get down with her.

"Let's get you cleaned up," Sorbet said pulling off her ripped blue gloves. She soaked her gloves in the cool stream water, wrung them out and then began to gently clean my face. I closed my eyes and let her do her work.

When she had stopped I heard water slap as she placed her gloves back in the creek.

"Better?" She asked rubbing the excess water off my eyelids with her thumbs.

"Much," I laughed. I opened my eyes only to see her still grimy face smiling back at me. I reached for her gloves.

"Here let me handle this. Close your eyes," I said. Sorbet's dark lashed closed as if on command and I wrung out her gloves.

I wiped traces of grime away from her jaw line first. Careful along the edges. I smoothed over to her nose and left clean streaks behind. I saved her eyes for last, with two gentle sweeps I washed away the dirt gathered there.

I placed the gloves at my side and admired my work on her face. Her cheeks were pink from my scrubbing and her lips were full and ripe. Her eyes were still closed.

I leaned forward and tasted her fresh lips. It was only for a brief moment because I pulled away just as she started to kiss back. This probably meant she wanted to have a lot more than I was giving her; actually reverse that I probably wanted a lot more than she was giving me.

She opened her eyes and they were their normal shimmering blue color. She looked happy, like she was actually glad to be with me.

"Let's go back to the cave and I'll take care of those stings," Sorbet whispered standing up. I noticed that her knees were muddy as she stood up.

"Wait, can I do something first?" I asked feeling slightly nervous about what I was about to try.

Sorbet shrugged, "Sure, why not?"

I looked down at my grubby arms and legs. The last time I had taken a shower was on Kovomaka. I pulled off my shirt to reveal my tan chest. Wading up to my knees I looked back.

Sorbet then realized what I was doing. She raised an eyebrow and tossed me a silent smile.

I next removed my pant and stripped until I was in nothing but my boxers. I walked out deep into the water until I had to swim and I looked back to shore at Sorbet. I figured she would find what I was doing too awkward and embarrassing and make me look like a butt.

"Are you coming?" I asked. Sorbet threw me a nervous glance and then nodded. She unstrapped her boots and placed them beside her. Next thing she did was remove her dress.

Her undergarments were black and her pale skin contrasted with them beautifully. She dipped her toe in and then began to wade out to my level.

Once she was right next to me I found myself more confident. Sorbet giggled and then swam up and put her hands on my shoulders. She massaged them through the cool water and it was a weird numbing sensation.

"You don't like the water too much do you, Hothead? You're awfully tense," Sorbet laughed and gave my shoulders a final squeeze before she swam back in front of me.

"I'm not a big fan of water. You know it's kinda wet… and uh, cold," I laughed realizing how lame I sounded.

"Can you hold your breath?" Sorbet asked placing her head on my neck so she could talk into my ear.

"Yeah, why?" I answered nervous about what she was gonna do next.

"Let me show you something," Sorbet grabbed my wrist and ducked her head under pulling me down with her. I struggled a bit; after all she was a water mage and water made her strong; she could hold her breath longer than the typical person underwater.

Once she managed to pull my head under I opened my pinched shut eyes and she was there. She had a bubble of air surrounding her mouth that allowed her to breathe. I reached my hand up and felt around my mouth, only to find out I had a bubble of precious oxygen as well.

"Don't be such a sissy!" Sorbet said through her bubble of air. Her voice sounded muffled and full of echo throughout the water but I still understood her. I rolled my eyes.

She could swim better than I could as she led me around her underwater world. It was murky and all that I could see was her and her pale body dragging me along. I clung onto her hand like a lifeline.

There were plenty of colorful tropical fish that Sorbet stopped us to look at; there was even a striped water snake that slide past us. We seemed to be following a current underwater but that might be Sorbet manipulating the water.

She looked back at me; she was so gorgeous. Her hair float and several bubbles came loose of her nose. Her undergarments hugged close to her body causing my eyes to be drawn away from her face. Even underwater I could see her blushing as I checked her out.

In a weird way I felt completely relaxed down here. Normally when I'm in water I get really tense, stressed and uncomfortable but right now I felt safe, protected; I was in a whole other world.

Out of random curiosity I snapped my fingers to start a flame but of course nothing happened; I mean what did I expect, we were UNDERWATER. It would normally make me uneasy I could cast spells but for the moment I was cool with it.

Sorbet laughed when she realized what I was doing.

"You can't use fire magic down here Smarty!" She laughed.

"Well I, you know I was just trying it," I answered smartly.

Sorbet seemed to have gained an awful lot of strength from being in water because the next thing she did was shove me against a rock and into a sitting position.

"Ow," I muttered.

"Sorry," She mumbled.

Sorbet swung one of her naked thighs over my lap and then pushed the rest of her close to my body. I felt my body heat up and I felt her breast push against my chest. She brought her lips down to mine and her dark hair made a curtain around our faces separating us from the rest of the world.

I placed my hand on her thigh and her hips began to sway close to me and sensitive places.

Sorbet's hands traveled up and down my back and traced along my bare chest.

We were in our own little world; no one could stop us. I had a stray thought just then; how many people had Sorbet brought down here?

I broke my lips free and placed them on her neck just below her ear.

"Do you bring all your boyfriends down here?" I asked teasing her.

She shook her head and I inhaled to laugh when I found myself unable. I choked and sputtered finding my lungs getting filled with water. I looked both the oxygen bubbles that had surrounded my and Sorbet's face were gone. Sorbet hadn't noticed yet but I tried to swim up to the surface out of panic.

Sorbet grabbed my hands and placed them on her torso. She began to swim fast towards the surface and before I knew it she had me on the mossy bank of the stream. I spit out the water I had choked on and looked back towards Sorbet.

"I'm sorry," She said. She had her lips pushed out into the frown I hated.

"It's ok, just… Is that air-bubble-thing a water mage trick?" I asked.

"Yeah, I learned it a while ago. You're the first person I've ever brought underwater with me," She smiled.

"I am?" I asked in disbelief. Sorbet nodded and gave me a sexy smile. She walked over gave me a soft punch on the shoulder and then gave me a quick kiss.

"Love you, big guy."

Sorbet pulled her blue frilly dress back on and covered up her hot body.

"Love you too," I answered pulling my clothes back on.

"Well, now we're all clean," She said hugging me tight.

"Yep," I wrapped my arms around her in agreement.

This chapter was just supposed to be sweet. I hope I accomplished that.