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-Mr. Michael and Mrs. Cara Anderson

(Liliana Vess)

Garruk is holding me fast by the neck, against a wall of the one of the many building that populate Ravnica. He's shouting obscenities at me, demanding that I lift the curse that binds him. In stark contrast to my former self, who would be thinking about blowing Wildspeaker to bits, the only thing that I can focus on is the black-haired, blue-eyed mind mage. I yell Jace's name at the top of my lungs, so that there would be no mistakes as to what was important to me in this moment. Mere seconds after I yelled for him, a wave of blue magic crashes down over me. My runes, once purple, are now glowing blue. Garruk is blown back by the sheer force of shockwave of blue magic. He is sent rocketing off into the distance, and I am slammed against the wall. I feel a sharp in my head and I see a sharp image of the Mind Sculptor before my world turns completely black.

I feel my body rock as if I am being carried. I look up to see Jace, who is carrying me bridal style back through the streets of Ravnica. I suck in a sharp breath, and breathe his name.

"Jace…"

"Shh, Lili. Sleep, we'll be home soon."

It takes all of my energy to keep my eyes open, so I let them shut.

When I wake, I have a pounding headache and look around for Jace. He's nowhere to be found, and I look at myself in the looking glass. My hair's a mess, my headdress is gone, and I'm in a thin cotton gown. I wonder for a second how I got into it, because the last thing I remember is being in my dress.

Jace, I chuckle. What a gentleman. Before I can get myself in order, I hear a sharp knock on the door.

"Lili," says the mindmage, "Are you decent?"

"If I say that I'm not, will you come in anyways?"

"I'll see what I can do."

"Come in, Jace."

I am sitting on the edge of the bed, trying futilely to pull a brush through my matted hair.

"You couldn't have washed it?"

"I.. um… I will, if you want me to, that is."

I smile, and head down the hallway. As we both turn into the washroom, I feel Jace inhale and exhale sharply. Before I can blink, Jace's strong hands are stripping the nightdress off. His hands don't linger, but I feel electricity on my skin where his hands have been. Jace takes his shirt off, and I admire his sculpted physique, smiling. I step into the warm water, and Jace pulls a stool to the edge of the bath.

"You are so beautiful, Lili.."

I look at the kind, amazing man that has done so much for me. He has never thought twice about taking me in, fighting for me, and going up against people that he has to see every day for me. He looks at me like I'm the sun, the moon, and everything beautiful. I've gathered from people giving him a hard time that he never moved on. What Jace doesn't know is that after him, I haven't been with anyone else. No one. His head snaps up, and he cocks his head. I know he's listening. I steel my resolve.

"Wet your hair, Liliana."

I do, and he lathers his hands, and begins to run them through the long black mane. I inhale a sharp breath.

"I am truly sorry."

"For what, Liliana?"

"For leaving you. It was truly the biggest mistake I've made in two hundred years."

"Lili, you did what you had to do. The past is exactly that. The past. I'm just glad you came back."

He pours water over my head and I shut my eyes, tight. As he rinses the suds from my hair, I feel his hands tremble. I don't know what he could possibly be nervous about, but that's the only time that his hands shake. A thought surfaces to the front of my mind, but I mask it, quickly. I want to be the one to tell him this. He senses me covering up my thoughts, however.

"You don't have to, but you know that you can tell me anything, right."

A burst of color rises to my cheeks. It seems that as much as I want him to know, I don't want to be the one that has to say it.

"It's just… it's just that.. being with you is the happiest I've been in two hundred years. I don't want to have to leave again, Jace."

"Then don't, Lili. I have to run Ravnica, but you can stay here, and we can hunt your demons together. You don't have to be alone anymore."

"I can't endanger you anymore, Jace!"

"If it means I don't have to lose you again, Lili, then I'll put myself at Death's Door every single day!"

I grab the towel and wrap it swiftly around myself. I steel myself, ready for an argument to ensue.

"Jace, I can't let you do that!"

"You don't let me do anything, Liliana Calliope. I'm choosing this."

I choose to ignore this. I step out of the bath, and hitch the towel up around my chest, under my arms. I walk out of the washroom, hyper-aware of Jace's eyes on me. I try to swallow the lump in my throat. I drop the towel and pull on another cotton nightdress.

"I'm going to go get you some soup and some tea. Please rest."

"You got hurt, too, Jace. You should rest as well."

"I'm fine, Liliana."

I give him a look that he used to quail under. He leaves the room, and returns with two bowls of soup and two cups of tea. Our meal is pretty much silent. We seemed to have reached an impasse. I'm not willing to let him endanger himself for me anymore than he already has. He's already proven that he isn't scared to put his life on the line for me.

He put the bowls and cups to the side, and heaves a breath.

"Nothing, not one thing, in our lives is ever going to be easy. I am powerful and so are you, Liliana. We both know that there's always going to a price on our heads. I'm not saying that there won't be days that we are ready to kill each other. But I want you, all of you. We don't have to be the people that prance around throwing hearts at each other. But I want you to be mine. We don't have to yell it out, but I need you to let me in, Liliana. We can take it as slow as you need to."

"Jace.. I… yes."

He looks at me, a smoldering look in his eyes. He leans in, his eyes closing. This time, I let our lips meet without any sort of hesitation. His hands grip the back of my neck, firmly. His other hand is trailing down my side and finds its way to my hip. He takes the lead, and his lips are firm, but still soft. I drape my leg over his and his lips find my neck. I feel like my body is on fire, and a small moan escapes my lips. He moves his hand to the small of my back, and bites my lower lip. His name is on my tongue, and a throaty growl is the mind mage's response. Jace pulls me on top of him, but before things can go any further, he stops. I have a small look of protest and then understanding.

"We need to take it slow. It wasn't because I don't want you, because it's obvious that I do. But I want to do this right. I don't want it to be quick and dirty like it was last time. I want to get to know every part of your soul before we do this again. You mean more to me than just a quick fuck, and I intend to show you that."

"Jace…"

"Don't leave tonight."

He gives me a look of questioning, and then acquiescence. He understands that we came so close to losing each other that I need him to be with me tonight. He leans over me and turns the light down. As I snuggle into his chest, he plants a kiss on top of my head, and his hands drop to around my hips.

"Never, Liliana. Never."