Sugar Ending Continued

I ran through the dark streets, holding my dress out of my way. At last Sebastian landed on the roof of a particular building, and I stopped as well.

"Oh!" I stood still for a moment, trying to catch my breath. Then I looked up, and realized that there was someone standing in front of the building—someone I knew. "Sid?" Sid was leaning against the wall of the building, his expression dark. I pressed my hand against my chest, trying to slow my ragged breathing. Sid straightened up slowly, watching me carefully.

"This is the home of a certain back-alley doctor. He'll accept any patient so long as they have money." He stared down at me, his face serious. "Are you going in?" My breathing was calmed at last, but now my pulse was racing. I nodded silently as I gazed at him. Sid stepped closer to where I stood, and patted me gently on the shoulder. "Sorry, huh?" He walked past me and headed off down the street. I caught my breath as I turned to watch him leave. (What are you saying, Sid?) I turned back to stare at the building again. (A back-alley doctor? Are you saying that he's here?) I closed my eyes tightly—I was almost too scared to get my hopes up. But I opened my eyes and stepped towards the door before I lost my courage. I entered the clinic and was met by a doctor who stank of alcohol. I explained to him I was looking for Leo, and what he looked like.

"He must be something for you to come looking for him dressed like that." The doctor's teasing tone was gentle, but I was too anxious to smile.

"Um, about Leo—"

"Leo? Ahh, the young man. He's alive and well." He took a sip from the bottle in his hand, and then pointed further down the corridor. "He's down there. Feel free to go on in." I was too tongue-tied to even thank him. I stopped outside the door he'd indicated, my heart pounding madly. At last I opened the door slowly, ignoring the screech of protest from the hinges. I pushed the door open all the way—and there was Leo, sitting in the bed. His body was wrapped in a score of bandages, and he looked fragile and thin.

"Huh?!" Leo stared up at me in shock, his eyes wide. "What are you doing here?" I bit my lip as hard at the sound of his voice—a voice I'd missed so desperately. Then I walked silently across to where he sat. I stopped in front of him, and then I reached out my hand and smacked him hard across the cheek. "Ahh!" The sound of the slap echoed in the room, and the force turned his head away from me. Leo grimaced, his expression stunned.

"You idiot, Leo!" He slowly turned back to face me again. His expression wavered with confusion as our eyes met. "That—" I clenched my teeth, voice strained. "That was for Alyn."

"Alyn?" At the sound of his voice, I raised my hand again.

"And this—" He looked at me expectantly, not flinching against what he surely knew was coming. I scowled as I stared down at him. "This is for—for—" I tried to finish my sentence, but tears were streaming down my cheeks, and my voice was gone. (I told myself I wouldn't cry when I finally found him. After all, there's so many things I want to say—so many things I need to ask.) Leo stared up at me in silence. Then he slowly, hesitantly reached out his hand. His fingers gently brushed tears from my cheeks. "Oh, Leo—" At the touch of his fingers my tears began to flow in earnest. "Leo—Leo—"

"I know." Leo slipped his arms around me in a gentle embrace, his hands stroking my back smoothly. The old bed creaked as he pulled me to sit down next to him. "I'm sorry, Maya." His husky voice whispered in my ear. I wrapped my arms tightly around him. "I'm so sorry." I leaned into Leo's embrace, reassuring myself he was real. I closed my eyes for a moment and breathed in deeply. (His scent—I've missed it.) I moved my hands against his back, and my fingers brushed against the bandages.

"Ahh—" I buried my face in his chest, and spoke in a hoarse whisper. "Leo—come home, please." He was silent at my words, and I gripped him tighter. "Stay with me." As if in response to my words, Leo gently let go of me. He sat back a little, and his hand cupped my cheek, his fingers gently wiping away my tears.

"And here I thought it was all over for me." I raised my tear-streaked face at the wistful tone of his voice.

"It's not over." My voice was still hoarse, but I spoke as firmly as I could. "You can't just end my story however you like." Leo's eyes widened a little in surprise. His fingers on my cheeks trembled slightly, and then he moved his head towards me. His lips pressed against mine, as if stealing my words away. I closed my eyes and moaned softly, clutching him tighter against me. His kisses were light touches, barely there. Yet he kissed me again, and again, as if he couldn't get enough. At last he pulled back and whispered softly, his gaze intense.

"Could you say it again?"

"Huh?" (Does he mean—) "Stay with me." His face broke into a smile at my words.

"Thank you, Maya." Leo smirked suddenly, and then pressed his lips against mine again. His tongue slipped into my mouth, toying with mine as I moaned softly. I responded hungrily to the kiss, my mouth moving against his in return. We kissed again and again, and I moaned helplessly. I gasped for breath each time our lips parted for a moment.

"Leo—" As I clung to him, I became aware of the feel of the bandages under my fingers. Our lips parted again, and I pulled back a little and spoke in a small voice. "You're hurt—are you okay?" From what Sid had told me, Leo's injury was serious. Leo smirked a little, and tilted his head to the side.

"Yep. But never mind that—" He looked me up and down. "Maya, your dress—" I looked down at my filthy, torn dress, and gave him a wry smile.

"There was supposed to be a ball today." Leo's eyes widened at my words. Then he fell silent, his expression pensive. (Leo?) As I waited in silence for his response, I noticed the smell of antiseptic in his room. Finally Leo spoke again, his words halting.

"Being with me means you can never return to the palace again. Are you sure you're okay with that?" I stared up at him, startled by his words. I closed my eyes and thought back over everything that had happened so far. (I can never go back to being the princess?) The face of some people I'd met flitted through my mind—Alyn, Giles, Nico and Robert. I took a deep breath, and opened my eyes again. I looked up at Leo and nodded firmly.

"Yes. As long as I can be with you." Leo's expression wavered, and for a moment I wasn't sure if he was going to laugh or cry. His expression relaxed into a half-smile, and he reached out his hands and gently cupped my cheeks.

"Then I want all of you. Your mind, your body, your soul—all of it. Every moment of your every day—" He slid his hands slowly down and wrapped them around me and pulled me close.

"Of course." I slid my arms around him in return. (I will gladly give them all to you.) "Just don't ever leave me again." Leo's arms tightened around me. Then he pulled us both down onto the bed. He kissed me softly, his hands moving gently across my body. "Ahh—" He slowly removed my torn dress, and at last I felt his warmth against my bare skin.

"Oh, Maya—" Leo's fingers traced slowly across my skin, and I gave myself over to the sensation.

Later that evening—I rolled over in bed, and Leo slid his arms around me, speaking quietly in the darkness.

"After I ran away from the manor—" Leo told me about the injury he'd received and how he'd rushed to the home of the doctor, an old friend of his, and asked for sanctuary. "You asked Sid to look for me, didn't you?"

"Yes." I nodded quietly, my head resting against his chest.

"I told Sid to say that I was dead. I just—I thought that would be better for you." I closed my eyes at his words. (I thought it must've been something like that.) I remembered how Sid had looked, standing outside the building. "I'm sorry." Leo's voice was tired and a little mournful. I shook my head, even as I sighed.

"I found you—it doesn't matter anymore." Leo squeezed me tighter against him for a moment. Then he placed a soft kiss against the top of my head.

(No I can't—I don't want to sleep.) I was tired, but I desperately tried to fight it off.

"It's okay to go to sleep ya know?" Leo peered down at me, smirking as he spoke. His voice was gentle, and I tightened my grip on him.

"Leo, you won't disappear again, right?" Leo's face relaxed into a soft smile. He cuddled me tightly against him.

"I'm here for you." I bit my lip gently in the surety of his tone. (Leo—I believe you.) I closed my eyes and slowly drifted off to sleep, reassured by his warm arms around me.

Leo narrowed his eyes as he stared down at Maya, sleeping quietly in his embrace.

"To think you've been searching for me all this time, never losing hope." He tenderly traced the tracks of her tears that were left on her cheeks. "Even though I have nothing to give you." For so long, he'd been living for nothing more than revenge, and now that was gone. "When did you come to mean so much to me?" He raised his gaze and stared out the small window at the full moon shining in the sky. "That's why I can't—" Leo sat up just slightly and placed a soft kiss on Maya's lips as she slept. Then he whispered again, his voice husky. "I can't yet tell you how much I love you."

I will get around to posting the other endings soon, and the Garden Gacha version of each endings. But for now I'm going to do Nico's Route. I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I have! Leo is amazing!