AN: This chapter is quite long because of the emotional content, human connections. In this chapter we see a lot of emotions flying around everywhere and a special a moment between Mika and Raizo. I personally enjoyed writing this chapter, it's my favorite so far! Review!
Mika stood shyly a little behind Raizo when they entered the main house's kitchen.
"Marlene, Henri, this is Mika Coretti" Raizo said to a pint sized grey haired woman and a blonde boy seated on the kitchen table playing with building blocks. Raizo took Mika's hand and bought her forward.
"Welcome to our home Mika, come stai?" Marlene asked in Italian. Mika grinned stepping forward'
"Molto bene, grazie" she replied and embraced Marlene. Raizo gave a skeptical glance,
"What, my grandfather was Italian Raizo" she blushed.
"Yes, I knew from the surname and the beauty too" Marlene teased.
"My grandmother and my mother are all Jamaican, guess my dad wanted to follow in his father's footsteps, he met my mother after nana took him to Jamaica" Mika further explained shyly.
"And this young man is Henriech"
"Oh, he's so cute, hie Henriech" Mika smiled sweetly at the little blonde boy.
"Don't let the looks fool you" Raizo ruffled the boys hair which shocked Mika and it didn't go unnoticed by Marlene.
"It's you turn now boys, Mika and I will be waiting in the lounge" Marlene ordered.
"Men, oma" Henriech corrected. Mika laughed.
"Okay men" Marlene rolled her eyes then she took Mika's hand leading her to the lounge.
The astonished look on Mika's face didn't go away. She had never seen this side of Raizo nor did she think he would ever do something like this. He was so relaxed; he smiled a lot and talked a lot too. Her jaw had almost dropped to his reaction to Henriech, Raizo and children was something new altogether.
"Some wine Mika?" Marlene asked holding a bottle of red wine.
"Sure" Mika nodded and watched Marlene pour some wine for her.
"We're so happy to have you here, when Raizo said he was bringing someone home we were excited, he has never done that"
"Uh yes, he's quite a loner" Mika agreed. Marlene seemed to read her mind however.
"He wasn't always like this you know, when he first came here, have you known him long? Marlene asked.
"Not very, we once worked on a case together, he saved my life" Mika said fondly.
"It took Henriech to draw him out of his shell that is why they are close; my grandson is the only person who broke through his walls"
"I can see they have a strong connection, he must an amazing child"
"Raizo was withdrawn, I sensed this sadness inside him, this anger, he was a tragic work of art, somehow my grandson saw through it all."
"My nana always used to say children know better, they see through everything in their simplified view of the world" Mika thought of her grandmother warmly.
"My grandson is an orphan too, you know, my son and his wife perished in a car accident, of course he's too young to really grasp death but I believe God sent Raizo to us, Henri sees him as a friend, a father figure, he needed a male figure in his life"
"Raizo is such a beautiful soul, I'm sorry about your son" Mika squeezed Marlene's hand. Being in the company of an older woman was refreshing and insightful.
"I'm so proud of them both, Henri as young as he is for reaching out to Raizo and Raizo for wanting to be found, for the man he is becoming"
"Dinner is served" announced Henri followed by Raizo, another surprise again for Mika. He caught her eye and smiled at her with his characteristic smirk.
"I hope Marlene wasn't telling you any more lies about me "Raizo teased at the dinner table.
"Ah uh, girl talk" Mika winked at Marlene.
"I hardly have any females in this house it's a relief" Marlene said superiorly.
Henriech dropped his fork and whispered something in Raizo's ear. Raizo grinned and looked at Mika who blushed looking down.
"See, I live with gossips in this house and they are men, men!'" Marlene said in mock outrage. Raizo was still studying Mika with a grin on his face then he spoke.
"Henriech wants to know, if Mika, is my girlfriend" he smirked. Henriech giggled embarrassedly.
Mika noticed everyone had gone quiet waiting for her to reply.
"Uh, Henriech, Raizo and I, we're very good friends' she explained with a blush.
"She's my very special friend" Raizo added giving her a look of adoration which Marlene noticed.
Dinner was a noisy affair, with all of them contributing to the conversation. Mika understood why it was hard to keep secrets or stay in your own shell in this house. Their transparency and respect for each other drew her in. even if they were all different ages they treated each other as equals. She could see why Raizo had thawed out; he had found his place here. They had given him what he had never had, a true sense of family, what family was supposed to be and what it meant, through Marlene he had found a feminine touch as well as motherly love and through Henriech he had seen what childhood was supposed to be and feel like. He had found a place where he truly belonged at last; Mika felt a warm feeling spread inside her.
"So basically, you never use your kitchen? Mika noted once they were in Raizo's quarters after they were done with family night. She was in his kitchen getting tea things ready. She noticed Henriech's childish crayon drawings stuck on the fridge as well as photos of him and Raizo.
"Marlene makes sure of that". Mika gave a start; she hadn't noticed he had come to join her.
"Wow, still creeping me out Raizo!" she frowned a bit turning to face him, he was smirking well naturedly.
"You were great, they liked you" he said of Marlene and Henri.
"Seriously did they" Mika wanted his reassurance, the "meet the family" aftermath always made her nervous.
"Who wouldn't like you Mika, gorgeous, funny and stubborn" he teased with affection ringing in his voice.
"And you; have changed a whole lot, I liked the old you but I like the new you more" Raizo looked down at her, her brown eyes brimming with sincerity and admiration. He slowly raised his hand and touched her face.
Mika forgot to breathe for a moment her eyes still glued to his; there was a mystified expression on his face as if trying to figure her out.
"Uh—hey, the water's just boiled, why don't we make the tea" she said wildly in an effort to diffuse the tension that had taken over. She looked around and quickly crossed over to where the steaming kettle was. She didn't dare look back at him to see the look on his face for fear she would rush back into his arms.
"The cups are-"she didn't get to finish that statement. Raizo's hands rested on her waist and he gently leaned her against him.
"You talk a lot when you're nervous" he murmured in her hair with a smile reminding her of what she once said the first night they met after she had just rescued him in the Europol car park.
"I get nervous a lot when I'm around you" she admitted turning to him.
" I know" he whispered then bent down and begin to kiss her.
Mika had imagined kissing Raizo before, but the real deal was more than what it was in her imagination. She wrapped her arms around his neck on tip toe getting lost in the moment. It was like a volcano, slowly simmering beneath the surface then suddenly bursting out with so much force. They drew apart for a brief moment to catch their breath, she risked a glance at him, his eyes were darker and his jaw was tightened, his expression so tender. She wondered what her face looked like to him, she could only imagine, eyes wide, face flushed, all the signs of an aroused woman. He took her face in his hands and this time she was more than ready for him. She trembled feeling his fingers in her hair as their kissing intensified with each passing minute. She didn't want to let go, for fear that she would wake up and it would be just a dream or a cruel joke.
Raizo chuckled momentarily at her struggles to move closer to him and be even with his height. He effortlessly lifted her up and set her on his kitchen counter without stopping the kiss. He groaned when she came into contact with his hard on. His hands tightened on her hips and drew her close to him, she made a purring sound and wrapped her legs around him. He trailed kisses on her neck inhaling her familiar strawberry and magnolia scent. He wanted her, he wanted to get lost in her. Raizo ahd never felt like this before, he never had an overwhelming desire to sensually dominate someone.
It was one thing to have a dream and quite another to have it come true thought Raizo, how many times had he dreamed of holding Mika in his arms? He realized there was nothing to be scared of, that's how it was supposed to be and if it was up to him, for always.
There was a buzzing sound coming from somewhere, it took them a while to realize it was Raizo's phone vibrating on the kitchen counter. He reluctantly stopped the kiss and leaned his forehead against hers breathless. He wanted to ignore the phone call, but he also knew who it was, it was Maslow and it meant he had something important to say. Without letting go off Mika he reached for the phone with his free hand.
"What, Maslow?" he asked in an oddly distorted voice that didn't sound like his own at all. He took a deep breath to make himself sound normal after Maslow asked if he was okay. Mika played with his hair while he talked; she loved its texture and deep ebony color, he shot her a brief look and they smiled at each other. He was half listening to what Ryan was saying now and half watching the woman in his arms.
"Is everything okay?" she asked as soon as he hung up.
"I'll switch that off next time" he grumbled and she laughed.
There was a little moment of silence as the reality of what they had just done dawned on them. For a while, both of them thought the other was going to apologize and say it had been a mistake, it wasn't supposed to happen but the look in each of their eyes said it wasn't, if anything it felt right.
"Nae sarang" Raizo whispered drawing her into his arms again and held her stroking her hair.
"Care to share the meaning?" she murmured her eyes closed.
"Hmmm it's Korean, since you're the forensic researcher you're going to have to find out for yourself what it means" he teased.
"I think I should get going home now Rai"
"What did you just call me?" he drew back to look at her, with a grin.
"What?" she giggled and drew his face down then kissed him.
"You were saying?" she continued with a pretentious expression. Raizo just gazed at her wordless, she laughed at him and then suddenly he lifted her up and slung her over his shoulder.
"Raizo! Put me down!" she giggled trying to get down
"I'm taking you home before you mess with my head any further" he picked up his car keys and strode outside to the garage with Mika still protesting. Mika groaned when he put her on the seat and buckled her seatbelt, she gave him a sulky look; he smirked and kissed her forehead then closed the door on her.
"Hey do you ever listen to any music in here?" Mika asked fumbling for the radio switch.
"Rarely" he admitted focusing on the road. Mika searched on for different stations with eligible music.
"Wait, I love this song" she grinned nodding her head turning the volume up and began singing along.
Raizo wasn't really a fan of music; he had been raised to revel in silence most of his life.
You think I'm pretty without any makeup on
You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong
I know you get me, so I let my walls come down, down
He glanced at her with a smile, now this he would listen to, if she sang, even all day. She kept amazing him from time to time; he was yet to see a less uptight side of Mika. He enjoyed everything about her and when she was happy he was happy too.
Before you met me I was all right, but things were kinda
Heavy, you brought me to life
Now every February, you'll be my Valentine, Valentine
"And now the forensic researcher sings" he teased
"Uh she does a little of both" Mika blushed
"She's terrible" he joked and she gave him a little punch on the shoulder
"Did they have choir at Ninja school?" she used the term that had made him smile the first time they had a conversation in the car.
"I was the lead singer" he replied with a straight face making her laugh, his dry humor always caught her off guard.
You make me feel like I'm living a teenage dream
The way you turn me on, I can't sleep
Let's runaway and don't ever look back, don't look back
My heart stops when you look at me
Just one touch, now baby I believe this is real
So take a chance…
She was surprised when they arrived at her place. They quietly walked upstairs holding hands.
"So….." she began, after they arrived at her door.
"So-this" he slightly lifted her off her feet with one hand to be even with and kissed her.
Mika slid down her door after closing it with a grin on her face. She did feel like a teenager falling in love for the first time and it was a good feeling, that someone her age could still feel like that about a person. Wasn't this the age where you had done it all and seen it all that it didn't feel so overwhelming? She strangely felt a little dizzy from the feeling, she felt like her heart was on fire.