A/N: Thank you all for reading and reviewing! I hadn't even realized that I was posting the last chapter on the one year anniversary to the first posting of this story!

Thanks for the name of the complex, too. And, not that I think it'd be a huge plot point, but while it may not be the Lich King looking into our world, there are some who've taken an interest. Not saying anymore on that now, though.

I hope to continue to keep the updates weekly and, just a heads up, I kind of suck hardcore at romantic stuff. You've been warned.

…-…

Okay, so. Eric is apparently crushing on me.

I have to admit, for the most fleeting moment, I was kind of excited. Not because I had some secret thing for Eric, too, but because I've never had two guys like me at the same time before.

Well, then I remembered what happened when Brath and Fizz fought that one time in the Exodar and since, you know, Eric is a mage, too, it occurred to me that any 'fighting' over me would be really, really bad. For everyone involved.

So that deflated my ego a bit.

And then, of course, I remembered the whole mate thing and got depressed again.

That led to me tracking down Hendric for some more beer.

Don't worry; I drank alone—pathetic, I know—so I didn't spill my big secret.

When I woke up, though? Dear God, I'd have told anyone just about anything to get the jack hammer in my head to go away.

It didn't help that I woke up to yelling.

At first I was all panicky and stuff, because yelling out here generally means something demonic is on the verge of tearing someone in half or melting their face off or something. Well, a quick, terrified glance around the room showed me that almost everyone was gone—on patrols or just to get breakfast, I couldn't say—but at least there were no demons. Just me and my assailant.

Brath.

He was already well into his rant and pacing like a madman, so I had no clue what was going on, or why he was so angry. Or why his anger seemed directed specifically at me, judging from the glares he was giving me.

I couldn't well take part in an argument that I didn't know the subject of, but it occurred to me that I hadn't done anything wrong and he was the one chasing skirts, so I decided to make the argument about something I did know about.

Granted, this was a hung over fueled lash out, so it was sort of doomed from the get go.

I managed to untangle myself from my bed sheets and realized that somewhere along the night, I'd decided that pants were for losers. It normally would have taken the fight out of me to realize I was in my undies, but like I said, hang over, muddled thoughts, anger.

I stalked up to Brath, who seemed almost incredulous that I knew how to take my clothing off at all and grabbed his arm. I think I'd meant to stop his pacing, but my scantily clad self had already done that, I guess. However, as I grabbed him, he nearly breathed fire on me. No metaphor. There was literally smoke curling out the corner of his mouth.

Again, I didn't care. In my angry stupor, I figured if he did fry me, I'd just add it to his list of douchebaggery.

So I kept my grip firm. After all, I was the one who had the right to be angry. I was the one who'd been told how much he missed me only to find out he'd been…doing whatever he was doing with Zaercia. Well, I mean, I know what 'mating' means. But you know…argh. I was the one who had the right to be angry. "What is your problem?"

Okay, so that came out way meaner than I'd meant it to.

Brath straightened up, and I had to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact. At first, he looked surprised. Then, he narrowed his eyes and his pupils almost disappeared into the color of his eyes, they were so thin. "Weren't you listening?"

"You should make sure the person you're yelling at is awake before you start bitching!"

Fun fact: I'm kind of horrible when I have a hangover.

Brath could have done any number of things, really. He could have blown through the window, turning into his drake form as the debris squished innocent bystanders below. He could have stormed off, incinerating any poor fool who crossed his path. Heck, he could have picked up his bromance with Mr. Blackheart.

Any of that, I would have expected.

However, instead, he stopped and just…calmed down. Then he looked me over with this critical gaze. I was so tired of him analyzing me and being smarter—well, I think really I was just tired of being other people's pawns and of him yelling, but that's beside the point. Even as I was ready to start spouting some half-baked insults that I would have totally regretted later, he crossed his arms and spoke. "You haven't actually slept with Eric, have you?"

Well.

That made my mind go blank.

I mean, what?

Which is, by the way, exactly what I said.

Brath was so calm it was almost eerie. Especially considering he'd nearly torched the room just a few minutes before. He sniffed the air, looking around the room with more care and then he leaned down and sniffed my neck, which made me feel really self conscious that I hadn't taken a shower in a few days—water is sort of a precious commodity, so daily bathing kind of got thrown out the window, by the way—and that I probably smelled like beer. When Brath straightened back up, he tilted his head. "So Eric was in the room, but not you?"

Yeah. That's right, he went there.

That's exactly how he phrased it, too. My cheeks flushed and I just felt all kinds of embarrassed, mainly because I was suddenly picturing Eric naked and that was just a little awkward. I mean, what if he's into doing…you know, in his wolf form? That would be really kinky…

And now I'm imagining a naked werewolf. Bad Amy, bad.

Anyway, I was angry and embarrassed. "You are such a jerk!" I let go of him. It was my turn to pace. "No, I haven't slept with Eric, because unlike some people, I happen to be loyal!" I whirled around to face him. As I crossed my arms with extra emphasis, I added, "And I'm also monogamous!"

…

The look he gave me as he tilted his head and let this coy little smile play on his lips….it was the sort of expression you get when you watch a puppy try to get out of a big box so that it can snuggle with you and get attention.

He was looking at me like I was his freaking puppy.

The condescension did not help our situation.

However, again, before I could snap something really hateful and cruel and only half-meant, he reached out and cupped my chin, amusement still making his eyes glitter. "Good to know your monogamous."

I batted his hand away. "Yeah, well. I am." It wasn't fair. He was going to somehow win this, like he always did. And I wasn't the one screwing around with someone else. It fueled my own fire. Even as I spoke, I realized what was really making me angry was the thought of losing Brath. After everything else I've lost, I didn't want to find out that he was gone, too. Or worse, that I'd never really had him. "And where you do get off being mad about Eric when you're out mating with this Zaercia chick?"

His humor slipped at the name and it didn't take draconic intelligence to know that he was not fond of this other dragon.

"We should talk," he murmured and then walked over to my bed and sat down, catching my hand as he went past me and dragging me along with him. I stood defiantly in front of him as he patted the spot beside him. After a moment, he sighed and took my other hand, running his thumbs over the smooth skin on the backs of them. It was so….gentle. Not Brath-like at all.

I eyed him suspicously.

"I believe I told you before that my species was being hunted?"

"By Nicolas," I murmured. I was still in a mood for an argument, but something about how abruptly defeated he'd become took the zeal out of it.

"Yes, among others," Brath murmured, a flicker of anger in his eyes. As he looked back up at me, the emotion disappeared behind an expressionless mask. "My flight is nigh extinct," he hesitated for a moment, taking in a slow breath. "That is, save for Wrathion—the devil child as you called him—myself…and Zaercia." His thumbs stopped moving and he tightened his grips on my hands. Not enough to hurt me, but I knew I wouldn't have been able to jerk free, if I'd tried. "Wrathion wants the earthwarders restored because he fears that the Legion will be setting its sights on Azeroth again."

I felt a knot in my stomach as I remembered yesterday's speech from Derres. "So…even though you don't like her—"

"I loathe the wretch," Brath hissed. "She's so…do you know why she's still alive?" He shook his head slowly in disgust. "She wouldn't associate with the rest of us. Somehow, she beat back the voices and maintained her 'integrity'." He spat the last word like it was the most vile thing to ever leave his tongue.

So Zaercia is a saint. At least that's a…bad thing? Wait, if he considers me a 'good' catch—assumptions were being made for this leap—what sort of monster did he think I was to want me over her?

I didn't realize I'd verbalized my question until he'd released my hands and was doubled over laughing.

"Not a monster, Amy," he whispered, reaching for my hands again. When he caught them, he pulled them back over his shoulders so that I stumbled forward into his lap. He let go of my hands and slipped an arm around my waist as his other hand cupped my cheek and he nuzzled my hair. "Not a monster, but not so self righteous, either." His hand around my waist had slipped up the back of my shirt and I felt my heart thump hectically. "It's just that you allow gray in your world…and I find that I need a lot of gray in mine."

"Oh?" It was all I could say. I was a bit too focused on the warmth of his hand on my back.

"Otherwise, how would I live with all the things I've done in my father's name?"

Huh. Never figured Brath for angsty or regretful. Perhaps that was because the voices were finally out of his head?

We sat there in silence for what damn well could have been forever before I couldn't help myself. If I didn't say something, I was gonna go crazy with these signals on top of what I'd heard. "So…are you or are you not sleeping with Zaercia?" Before he could answer, I blurted out, "Because I can't share you. I won't."

"Sharing implies you have me."

It was so easily the worst thing he could have said. Remember all of my angst about losing him and all that? His words really struck home, hurting almost as much as if he'd actually slapped me or something. However, even as I snapped my gaze up to his—I'd kind of been avoiding looking him in the eye after I'd landed in his lap—he kissed me.

It wasn't like before. Not like the time he'd just been screwing with me or the time I'd kissed him. There was a neediness to him, if that makes sense? His hand slid way up my shirt as he pulled me closer and my fingers found my way into his hair. The hand he'd hand on my cheek slipped down and gripped one of my thighs and for a moment, everything was so…perfect.

And then I realized something and pulled back.

Some of his hair had fallen over his shoulders and he looked gorgeous…and pretty annoyed. However, even as he leaned toward me to try to kiss me again, I frowned.

"You never answered my question."

Brath moved his hand off my leg to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I didn't think it honestly needed an answer." When I untangled myself from him and crossed my arms he took in a slow breath. "No. I would sooner let Nicolas castrate me with his teeth than ever lay a finger on that presumptuous little bitch."

Okay, one: not a fun image. Two: hostile much?

And at the same time, I suddenly felt sorry for Zaercia. It must suck to be loathed so completely…

I tried not to imagine Nicolas nibbling on Brath as I uncrossed my arms and let my hands rest against Brath's chest. Of course he still had all this clothes on, by the way. What is with that? Why is it always the girl who ends up naked before the guy?

Meh. Whatever, off topic.

I eyed him suspiciously, wondering if he would actually lie about something this important. After all, maybe it's not so important to him, what with dragons having more than one lover at a time and all. "But what about your species?"

"We had a good run," Brath said rather dismissively and then just dropped backwards onto my bed, dragging me on top of him, as his hand was still on my back and all. He arched his eyebrows as he looked up at me. "Besides, if Wrathion wants a flight so badly, he can wait until he's mature and then he can take the wench's bed."

I wanted to be happy, really, but my hang over was beginning to win some of my attention again and I couldn't help but feel this was too good to be true. "How can you not care about that? They're your species, your family."

Brath smirked. "Someday I'll have to tell you about how I became a mount." When I proved too out of it to make any connections that didn't involve sex, he clarified, "I have…never cared for my brethren, or anyone or thing other than myself, to be truthful. Being made into a mount was my punishment, that one such as myself would have to serve and cater to the interests of others."

"Wow."

He reached up and ran his fingers down the side of my face. "Which is why everything about this…" He motioned back and forth between us, "is so baffling to me."

I really felt like…we were talking. Like, really, talking. And listening to each other. And I just wanted to tell him that I loved him and all that, but before I could, his gaze wandered to the ceiling and he shrugged into my bed covers. "I didn't intend to. I mean, when we met, I figured you were just some other foolish, weak minded…plaything."

I narrowed my eyes, trying to joke. "I knew you were planning to take me somewhere and eat me."

Brath laughed, but didn't deny anything.

That kind of made me pause, but before I could let that soak in, he pulled me closer and kissed me again. "I suppose your proclamation of monogamy and refusal to share means that I must subject myself to the laws and customs of lesser creatures, hmm?"

When I first looked back at him, I was annoyed, but then it was like in those cheesy songs and stuff; our gazes met and I got all melty inside.

I leaned into him and nearly kissed him, taking a small victory in the way he seemed kind of annoyed that I paused in the last second. "You do if you want to keep me around."

Brath's fingers brushed up my leg, one of them slipping beneath the cloth of my underwear. "I believe that I do, Miss Amy Ford."

Our lips met and then his brushed along my jaw line and against my neck. His other hand slid down my back and I just as he started to pull off my clothes, I remembered something else and lightly caught his hands.

"Hold that thought."

"Woman, I swear…" There was a playful sound to his voice as I hopped to my feet and hurried across the room.

I went to the door and made sure that it was locked, giving the handle a good jiggle, before I tumbled back into bed with Brath.