Chapter 3

The house was big, very big, at least that was the though running through Hanna's mind as she gazed around the foyer while Caleb and his mom talked quietly behind her. She stopped listening after Caleb informed his mom that she would be staying with him in the guesthouse.

Nerves ate at Hanna as she came face to face with Caleb's mom for the first time. That it came under these circumstances made her uneasy on top of being nervous. What would his mom think of her when she found out she ran away? Would she call her mom and send her home? Kick her out? Tell Caleb to stay away from her? That last thought had Hanna panicking, her breathing picking up and her body beginning to shake.

"Hanna come on look at me." Caleb said as his arms came around her and pulled her into his chest. "Breath with me Hanna, come on you can do it." He said as he began to take slow, deep breaths and watched her eyes. She began to copy his breathing and soon enough she was calmer but her body would not stop shaking. Caleb rubbed her back soothingly as he spoke. "What happened Hanna? What triggered it this time? Was it fear again?" He asked gently. His mom stood there wide eyed not sure what exactly was going on.

"Don't leave me." She whispered to him desperately.

"I'm not gonna leave Hanna. I'm right here and I'll be right here." He promised her.

"Promise no matter what happens or what anyone says you wont leave me." She beseeched him.

"I promise Han. I promise." He vowed as he pulled her into him and held her tight. His mom watched confusion in her face yet pride there as well as she saw exactly how much her son cared for this broken young woman in front of her.

"Hanna dear you look tired maybe you'd like to lay down for a while." She spoke up finally noticing the dark circles under her eyes and the heavy way she was holding herself up.

"Oh…um…that's okay I'm fine." She mumbled quickly pulling back from the comfort of Caleb's embrace.

"My mom's right Hanna. You should lay down for a while. Try and get some rest." Caleb said as he continued to rub her back where she stood against his side facing his mother.

"I don't think I could sleep Caleb. There's too much going through my head. I'd probably have nightmares anyway." Hanna said mumbling the last part.

"I'll stay with you. I'll help keep the nightmares away." He said with a gentle smile that turned into a smirk.

"It's okay if you want to visit with your mom I'm sure I'll be okay." She said quickly not wanting to sound too needy.

"I have all the time in the world to catch up with my mom. You need me more right now. I'd rather stay with you anyway to make sure you get some rest." He told her.

His mom watched them quietly again avidly noting the deep connection they shared, the easy way they touched each other, and how gentle he was with her. Her son obviously still cared a great deal for Hanna, the intense yet gentle way he spoke to her and held her a testament to that fact.

Love was obvious between these two but whether or not they would move past all that had happened between them remained to be seen.

"You really don't mind?" Hanna asked worriedly.

"Not at all." He responded.

"Okay then I would like to lay down for a while." She said slowly.

"Okay. I'll grab our bags and show you to the guesthouse so you can get some rest."

"Here honey, take the keys. The guesthouse is locked right now. I'll be sure to keep your brothers away so you two can rest up." His mom interjected calmly as she handed Caleb a set of keys.

"Thanks mom." Caleb said with a grateful look and giving her a hug. He lead Hanna through the house and out the back door towards a large building beside the pool. The guesthouse.

"It's nice here." Hanna said.

"Yes it is. This is where I usually stay when I come here. Too used to being on my own to want to be crowded in a house with people." He explained.

"It's very nice." She said looking around at the expensive décor. "I feel so drained though. Like my body is worn out." She told him quietly.

"After the emotional roller coaster you've been on you're bound to feel overwhelmed. You need to take some time for yourself. Relax and regroup. Things are gonna be tough for a while I'm sure but they will get better. Believe me I've been through many upheavals and traumatic events myself, not quite to the extent of you and your friends, but enough to know how you're feeling." He told her comfortingly as he showed her into the bedroom.

"Yeah, I guess with all the foster homes and finding your parents again, plus all the stuff that went down with us and 'A' you have been through a lot too." Hanna agreed.

"Very true." He responded. "Come on get changed and we'll get some rest." He told her.

"Do you think I could wear one of your t-shirts?" She asked shyly. "They're more comfortable then my pyjamas." She added quickly.

"Yeah sure. Here you can wear this one I don't wear shirts to sleep anyway." He said as he whipped his own t-shirt over his head and handing it to her leaving his chest exposed.

"You'll lay with me like you did at the lodge?" She asked as she stood in the door to the bathroom with the t-shirt in her hand.

"'Course I will. Now get changed." He replied.

Hanna entered the bathroom and stripped down to her bra and panties and then slipped his shirt over her head. It was still warm from where it had lain against his body. She emerged a few minutes later in his shirt with her face freshly scrubbed to find Caleb already laying in the bed, a pair of pyjama pants resting low on his hips. Hanna stood staring at him for a long moment remembering when she used to see him like this all the time. Remembering how she used to touch him before she came to her senses and found him looking at her curiously.

She still just stood there swaying from one foot to the other nervously unsure what to do now.

"Come here Hanna." Caleb said as he held his arm out for her to lay on. She climbed onto the bed and sank against his side immediately wanting the comfort and safety she hadn't felt since he left her that last time.

His arms around her felt right, natural. It was as if they had never been apart. "It feels like a dream." She whispered against his chest.

"What does?" He questioned looking down at her.

"Laying here with you like this again." She answered looking up at him. "I've missed you so much." She confessed.

"You had Travis and your friends." He shot back a bit sharply making her flinch.

"They weren't you." She told him honestly. "How'd you hear about Travis anyway?" She asked.

"Toby." Was his quick reply.

"Oh. I never told him I was leaving." She confessed.

"Why not?" He asked curiously.

"I dunno. Never thought you I guess."

"Not good considering your relationship." He told her.

"No it's not. He probably hates me by now." She mumbled.

"I doubt anyone could ever hate you Hanna." He responded amusement lacing his voice.

"Don't you?" Hanna asked remembering her reaction to him staying in Ravenswood.

"No. I love you too much to hate you Hanna Marin. I told you once that nothing could ever change what I feel for you." He said fiercely tilting her chin up to look into her eyes. "You have every right to hate me though." He added.

"Hate you? I could never hate you Caleb. I was hurt yeah and for a while I was very angry, but I never hated you. I love you. I never stopped loving you." Hanna responded just as fiercely. He leaned forward and kissed her gently. It was brief but sweet, a sign of comfort and affection something that they both realized they had been missing from each other.

"You still taste the same." He said with a smile watching her face.

"Like how?" She asked curiously.

"Sweet. Like strawberries and sugar." He responded.

"Strawberries and sugar huh?"

"Yeah. Must have been the lip gloss you were wearing." He quipped. She laughed briefly.

"How do you know I wear strawberry lip gloss?" She questioned.

"I know a lot about you. At least I used to. You switched to Strawberry gloss after Mona was arrested because she like the toffee tango lip gloss you used to wear." He explained.

"I can't believe you remember that." She said a bit amazed. She laid there stunned for a moment staring into his eyes before leaning down a pressing her lips gently to his.

What started out as a gentle kiss quickly turned hot and passionate. She was on her back with him hovering over her within minutes, their tongues exploring each others mouths making them both hot. The intensity of the kiss escalated even further when he ran his hand up her leg, past her thigh, over her belly to her left breast where he gently cupped it in his hand, squeezing it gently and eliciting a deep moan from Hanna.

"Should we stop?" He asked when they broke away briefly for air.

"No. I don't want to stop." She told him harshly pulling his head back down to hers for another hot wet kiss. Words weren't needed after that as they both began to explore the others body Caleb using his hands to slide the shirt up over Hanna's chest and off over her head with her assistance. She was left in her lacy underwear and bra his gaze raking over every inch of her sun kissed, toned body.

"Still so beautiful." He whispered. Her bra was removed next leaving her chest bare to his hungry eyes. He began to trail hot, wet, open-mouthed kisses down her neck until her got to her left breast where he began to lick and suck making her arch her back and hiss when the pleasure became too intense. His left hand came into play on her right breast squeezing and pinching that nipple until it too was a tight hard bud.

He switched his mouth to her right breast as he trailed his right hand down her stomach to come to rest on the waistband of her panties. He slipped his hand beneath the lacy fabric and down until he found her swollen flesh. She was hot and wet for him already and when he pressed against her clit she moaned loudly and pulled his head up to hers for another deep kiss. Her arms ran up and down his back her nails leaving marks on his skin as she dug them in when he would pinch her clit and make her body tremble.

Without warning an orgasm ripped through her body making her arch her back and cry out his name loudly holding him tightly to her own body as she rode out her release against his hand. She watched with glazed eyes as he removed his hand and pulled her panties down and off to throw over his shoulder then he was kneeling up between her legs to take off his own pants leaving him exposed to her heated gaze. He was long, thick, hard and ready for her. He came back down over her quickly after his pants too were thrown carelessly over his shoulder. He stared into her eyes intently looking for something in her face. He must have seen what he wanted because he nudged her legs open wider with his knees and settled himself against her intimately.

"Now Caleb. Please." She begged breathlessly her thighs hugging his hips and she tried to pull him into her. He much have gotten impatient himself because he quickly lined himself up with her opening and thrust in quickly causing Hanna to gasp and clench her legs around him.

"You okay?" He asked quickly afraid he'd hurt her.

"I'm good, just haven't done this since you." She whispered back reassuringly. At her words he leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet kiss as he began to move his hips pulling out before pushing back in quickly each thrust making Hanna moan and dig her nails into his back.

He began to pick up the pace as he felt her body getting wetter, and beginning to shake. The moans were coming faster and louder into his mouth as she continued to kiss him, sucking his tongue into her mouth and making his own body tighten with the eroticism of that gesture.

He was close and he could tell she was too she just needed that little something extra to put her over the edge. Reaching down he began to pinch and rub her clit making her body shake even harder and she got even closer to her release.

"Come for me Hanna." He whispered harshly. He watched her face as his words caused her to come apart in his arms. The tightening of her inner muscles around him sent him over the edge as well. "Hanna!" Coming from his mouth in a guttural groan.

Their hips continued to move against each other as they both came down from their releases both wanting to prolong the end. Caleb collapsed against her breathing heavily against her own heaving chest trying to regain the use of his muscles as well as his voice.

After several minutes he was able to push himself up onto his arms so he could look down into her face. She was smiling softly at him.

"That was intense." She said with a wide smile. He smiled back before pulling out of her body and shifting onto his side leaving his hand resting on her soft, flat belly.

"Yes it was." He agreed softly. Something flashed in her eyes he couldn't name but realized what it was when she spoke.

"Do you regret it?" She asked haltingly almost afraid of his answer.

"No." He answered simply making her smile again. Neither said another word as they lay there together but both new that things between them had changed. What was coming in the future was going to be hard but at least they would have each other. For Hanna it was knowing that he would be with her in this that helped her fall asleep right then. For Caleb it was the fact that he was laying here with Hanna again. Nothing had felt right since he walked away from her and now that she was in his arms again he was determined to never let her go again. He fell asleep with that thought on his mind as he pulled the blankets up over them his hand still resting on her belly.

There were going to be tough times ahead but as the two slept they knew that they would face whatever came together neither one knew exactly what the next few days would bring but they were about to find out…