Chapter 49- Hearts Never Breakeven

Kyra studied Bray curiously. He hadn't yet answered her question, but his silence said it all. She didn't know which of her emotions would take over from here; she was both angry and incredibly sad. Would she let her anger or tears speak?

"Do you love her?" she asked when the amount of silence was so deafening she couldn't stand it anymore.

"I...don't know," Bray was finally able to push something through his vocal cords. "It's not that simple..."

"What do you mean it's not that simple? She's pregnant with your child!" Kyra's anger was definitely speaking.

"Of which is the result of unclear thinking and too much liquor. We're old friends...it just happened."

"Old friends or old lovers Bray?"

"She was in love with me, but not I with her...Not in the way she wanted me to be at least."

"So you do love her and now there's a baby involved?"

"Yes, there is a baby involved but that changes nothing between Salene and I. She's not in love with me anymore."

"It changes everything Bray...between you and I. There's so much standing between us. I come in last place next to four other people..."

"Salene won't be a problem...she's actually encouraging me to pursue you."

"It doesn't matter! Wherever your kids are is where you belong, remember? I am not a Mallrat, I don't belong on this island...I'm the leader of The Technos!"

"So your job takes precedence over everything?"

"Well…" she began but he allotted her no time to answer.

"There is always something standing between us Kyra...before I was your prisoner...now it's your job..."

"Not to mention you are the fertile Myrtle of the male species," she rolled her eyes.

"I waited Kyra. If Josh wasn't alive...if Tai-San had never set off her homing device I would still be waiting."

"You are right," she said, furiously running a hand through her thick hair, "I should not have expected you to sit around and wait forever. I just thought we had something special…"

"We did under the circumstances. Maybe that's all it was meant to be. You needed me and I needed you."

"Yeah and now she needs you," Kyra whispered, her voice threatening to crack if she spoke at an audible volume. She stared into the eyes of the man she thought was the 'one' then quickly turned on her heel refusing to let him see her cry.

Bray watched forlornly at her retreating figure. He wanted to chase after her, to grab her, to kiss her and never let go, but then flashes of Salene so closely molded to his body, their clothes littered on the floor in her dark hotel room, kept him rooted where he stood.

He was unable to distinguish lust from love with both women and it was costing him the loss of them both.

~0~

Ebony's heart drummed wildly between her rib cage as she and Slade awaited instruction from Tai-San. They were on a stretch of the beach farthest from the hotel, for privacy, but also for its beauty. It overlooked the west in which the sun was beginning to set over the horizon of the ocean and to their south was a beautiful wall of flowers. It was so easy to see where the island got its name in the wake of such beauty.

Ebony sighed looking backwards at her son in Salene's arms as Tai-San and Lex prepared a stone circle enclosing a pit for fire she assumed. Also in attendance were Josh and Danni.

"You okay?" Slade asked squeezing her hand.

Ebony numbly nodded her head muttering words she had only so long ago muttered to Moz, "It's all or nothing."

She wanted this as much, if not more, than Slade did. She loved him deeper than she had Jay, Martin, or even Bray. It was slightly disturbing to her, but at the same time it was comforting.

"All right," Tai-San said as a plume of smoke ignited the evening with the smell of sweet perfumed flowers and smoke signaling the fire pit was ready. She handed Slade and Ebony each a make-shift lantern lit by the big fire.

"We are all gathered here to witness the unity of two souls. These lamps are representative of your individual lives," she told the couple. "You each will take turns taking one step towards the fire reciting a part of your vows. Slade will begin."

Tai-San and the others made a half circle around the fire facing the couple. It seemed silly to them all, but Tai-San, but no one spoke against her. They were just as in shock as the couple that Ebony was going through with this.

Slade took a step towards the fire, silently calculating that it would only take them three steps to get there and smiled. As he began speaking he couldn't help but feel a little smug. In just a short time, Ebony would be his wife. Not Ram's, not Bray's, Jay's, or some artificially intelligent hologram's wife, just his alone.

"Ebony, you are a mystery I love unraveling with time. I've been smitten with you from our first fiery kiss."

She smiled at the memory as she took her first step, "You are magnanimous. You see more in me than my past and you give me the strength to overcome that past."

"Through you I found the brother I thought I lost forever and now you've given me the family I never thought I'd have," he filled in without skipping a beat.

This caused Ebony to smirk. He was just as anxious as her,"You've brought joy I've never known into my life."

Slade took his last step with pride, "I've never met a more aggressively tenacious woman in all my life, but my life would not mean as much as it does today without you. Tonight our lives are becoming one because I can't imagine loving anyone else as deeply as I've fallen in love with you. I promise to be there for you and our son never letting anything divide our love."

Ebony drew in a deep breath as she took the last step, "I was lost and you found me. At a most dark time in my life you restored in me the trust I lost with my childhood's faith. You've given me a beautiful son and my life also would not mean as much as it does today without you. I've never loved anyone else as deeply as I love you. I promise you that I will be there for you and Thunder never letting anything divide our love."

The couple tossed their lamps into the fire just as the orange sun settled behind the horizon. They faced one another as Tai-San handed them each a necklace. Ebony's was respectively red thread braided together with a spiral and at the end hung an abalone shell in the shape of a lightning bolt. Slade's was hemp colored braided together in the same way with an abalone shell resembling a flame.

"These necklaces represent your commitment to only one another. Ebony yours adorns an aspect of Slade and Slade yours an aspect of Ebony."

As they exchanged the necklaces, Tai-San said a silent prayer. When the couple joined hands she smiled, "As you walked together your love and friendship became concrete and as you tossed your flames into the fire you became one soul that will remain inseparable as long as you continue to walk firm together. The spirits and all of us before you have witnessed this union. You are husband and wife. Slade, you may kiss your bride."

As the small group erupted in awkward clapping and Slade's lips touched hers, Ebony felt something new, a smoldering as warm as the fire burning behind them; as warm as it had ever been between them. She didn't know if this marriage would last forever, but right now that didn't matter. Right now she was just happy. Happy to be wrapped in the arms of a man who loved her just the way she was.

~0~

Trudy watched her daughter lovingly as she played on the floor with her dolly. It wasn't that long ago that her baby girl had to endure so much a child should not.

She would often lie on the bed with Brady watching the child sleep. She wandered meticulously what the little girl dreamt of. Did she remember being kidnapped and worshipped? Or was she dreaming of ponies and rainbows?

These were all the things Trudy still worried about. Would Brady's mental health be alright as she grew older?

She hadn't even wanted her daughter in the first place for sad, silly reasons and now she had it in her to kill anyone if they ever tried to take Brady away from her again. Like any mother she would lay her life down if it meant saving her child's.

"Why are you sad?" Brady dropped her doll and came to crawl in Trudy's lap. Her nimble, little fingers wiping at her mother's tears, "I love you mama."

Trudy hadn't even realized she had begun to cry. She smiled hugging Brady tight to her chest, "I love you too Brady."

Brady squirmed, "Too tight."

Trudy loosened her grip, but didn't let go. And neither did Brady. Probably because even though she was four now, Brady still had an early bed time, and it was close to that time. But Trudy pretended it was because she craved her mother's warm embrace.

"What are my two favorite girls doing?" Ram asked entering the room.

Brady leaped from Trudy's arms to run and hug the man.

"Well there went my two minutes of bliss."

"She's still your number one fan, I just happen to be the cool one," he smirked.

Trudy rolled her eyes playfully, "Well Mr. Cool it's nearly B-E-D time, so you get to do the honors of informing Brady."

"No problem, right Brady? You'll be a good girl for Uncle Ram and go to sleep without a fuss?"

She nodded groggily against his shoulder.

"Unbelievable," Trudy walked around the room picking up Brady's play things. "She falls straight to sleep in your arms."

"Isn't that a good thing?" he questioned.

"Well yeah...I mean she obviously feels safe in your arms. But why does she give me a hard time with getting her to bed?"

"Trude you are her mother, it's her biological duty to give you a hard time. Just be glad she's four and not a hormonal teenager," he smiled.

"Good point. I'm glad those days are far away."

Ram smiled going to lay Brady in her bed. She looked angelic with a half smile on her face. He knew she wasn't deep in sleep yet, but she wasn't awake either.

"So why'd you bust in here all giddy?" Trudy asked him once he returned.

"Guess who just eloped?"

"Don't tell me I'm cooking all that food for nothing!" she frowned.

"No you're cooking it for a reason; it's just going to be for a double wedding like originally planned. Slade and Ebony just said their vows."

"Wow. I truly thought Ebony would be petrified to recite vows again."

"She was. But maybe those two are truly in love. I'm just glad Slade won't be moping around anymore. It was unsettling."

Trudy looked sadly at Ram, "Have you told Jay?"

"I stumbled upon him watching the whole affair. He's not taking it too well."

~0~

It was true when someone once told Jay that when a heart breaks it doesn't breakeven for he was in pure agony right now and Ebony was happy. He had let her get away time and again and this time she was actually someone else's wife. All hope for him was gone.

He loved Ruby, no lie in that, but he was 'in love' with Ebony. He hadn't truly grasped the differences in the love he held for both women until he had watched the elopement taking place between Slade and Ebony.

"I thought I'd be alone up here," came an old familiar voice.

Kyra had been like a sister to him in the past, a big sister type, although they were the same age. He hadn't even heard her approach him up on the roof of the hotel, which obviously had a purpose for parties once upon a time.

"Come to chew me out like Ved?" he smirked.

"Nah got some woes of my own."

"Ah ha," he smirked, "Problems named Bray?"

"I don't wanna talk about it."

"Good because I'm the last one you want giving you advice."

"Maybe love just isn't for us General."

"Maybe… do you have room for one more on that boat?"

She looked him over with a sad, but playful smile on her lips, "You're thin enough. Do you mind sharing a bunk with your ex bffs Dragon and Josh?"

"It'll be better than having my heart ripped out my chest."

"Then welcome aboard the 'Shattered Hearts'!"