Rei walked back home after spending the day with her friends including Usagi. She had been terrified when her closest friend had gotten an amazing boyfriend. She feared that Usagi would ditch her in favor of her new hot med-student boyfriend. She blushed lightly over that; she had been completely wrong about her.

She realized she should have known better, but it had been her fear speaking. After all, her own father had ditched her when he remarried after her mother's death. She was never part of his "new" family. And that stung and left a lasting scar.

She sighed as she walked up the long stairs to the shrine. The milkshake stairs, as her friends all called them. Usagi had pointed out that surely all that exercise burned off a whole milkshake and justified the calories.

She made sure to walk up the long steps today. They all had a milkshake today. She noted wryly that she was the only one walking the stairs though.

She crested the stairs, and she noticed he was there. Her grandfather had hired a new worker four months ago to help around the shrine. He was much younger and much better looking than the ones they had living in the handyman cottage before.

She noticed he was looking right at her, and she blushed.

Then she noticed she had been wrong about her friends. Minako was there already, staring at her with her hands on her hips, looking very pissed.

She motioned for Rei to follow her, and she did automatically. She knew it was better to just get whatever it was over with.

When they got to her room, and the door was closed, Minako spun and, pointing one finger at her, hissed, "I came here to ask you something about getting Makoto and Nephrite together, and I discovered that you have a hottie living in the handyman cottage! What the hell?"

"Do you want him?" Rei asked uncomfortably. She really felt drawn to him every time he was near. In fact, she never felt like such a sexual being as when he was close.

"No! He's all horny over you! You dope! Ride that man and leave him all sweaty. He has massive feet; I told you what that means."

Rei laughed, relieved. "That's not me."

"That's the fucking point! Pun absolutely intended. You're stressed, and he can help you with that. When he looked at you, it screamed hot sex."

"Still not me."

Minako rolled her eyes. "It should be. Knock on his door late one night. He'll be up for anything you want. Trust me. I know."

Three weeks later and after a lot of nagging from Minako, Rei couldn't get Jadite out of her head. It didn't help that every time he looked at her, he looked hungry for her, making her panties wet.

What really got her was the genuine care he showed her grandfather. It went way beyond the possibility that he was just trying to impress her.

Which was why she was now sitting at the hospital with her friends surrounding her, she was now staring at the operating room door, trying to will a nurse to come out and give her an update.

Mamoru had come with Usagi, and as a med student, he was invaluable. He had called his professor and picked out the best heart surgeon as her grandfather was still in the ambulance. The call from the Dean of Medicine at the University got Dr. Ito to come in and do surgery despite the fact that he was off that day. She was thrilled Usagi was dating such a wonderful and connected man.

Rei looked over at Jadeite, who was leaning against the wall, slightly apart from them, staring at the floor. He had a grave look on his face. She desperately wanted to run to him and hug him. He was the reason she was at the hospital. Had he not been there, she would be preparing for a funeral.

She didn't know because no one told her; when she was gone, he checked up on her grandfather regularly.

It had been a hot day, and she was having a milkshake with her friends at the arcade. Then she got a call from her grandfather's flip phone. She tried to get him a fancier phone, but he insisted it was all he needed. She was glad, in hindsight, it didn't need his code to unlock it, and Jadeite could call her.

First, he had called the ambulance; her grandfather was having a heart attack. As he stayed on the line with the emergency services on his cell, he called her on her grandfather's. The message was clear. Get to the hospital –now.

Five hours later, a nurse finally came out looking like hell but smiling. Rei burst into happy tears, and Usagi had her wrapped instantly in a hug. The nurse said to her, "It's a good thing you got him an ambulance when you did. He had what we call a widow maker. The doctor is finishing up, but unless something unforeseen happens, he should recover."

When the nurse walked back into the operating room, Rei stood abruptly and walked over to Jadeite before she could second guess herself and wrapped her arms around him and cried happy tears. "You saved him."

Jedite wrapped her in his arms. He was incredibly relieved that Hino was going to live. He had been terrified for the man who he respected and who treated him like family. He finally felt like he had a home.

A home that almost died today with the man. A new Shinto Priest would have hired his own man and not necessarily him. Plus, the idea of losing their daily talks devastated him.

He held her close and realized she was shaking and sobbing all over him. He was surprised Usagi hadn't come over and pulled her into her arms. He'd seen the group together, and her blond friend with her unique hair was the emotional center of the group. Her love for Rei was evident.

He watched Mamoru, who he quite liked, pull Usagi into a hug and whisper into her ear. Her response was to smile and nod, and he was curious as to what was said. As Mamoru walked away, Usagi spoke up, "he's thanking his professor. But Rei, he's also going to work on getting his advisor to call in and request his charts and to be notified about any testing."

Jadeite noticed Rei didn't release him when she turned her head and said, "Usagi, no man except that one could possibly be worthy of you. You know what this means to me."

"We all love him," Usagi said. And to Jadeite's shock, she added, "he evidently sees it too. You can tell he had been terrified."

Rei turned her head and looked up at him with wide eyes. To Jadeite's credit, it was the first time his body viscerally reacted to her being in his arms. He leaned a bit forward to put some distance between venerable Rei and his now very present erection.

For him, there had been a time two weeks ago where he had to check that his attraction to Rei wasn't due to a desire to be related to Hino. He genuinely cared for the man and loved him like the family he never had.

As he held Rei, he mentally confirmed something he had already. He loved her. Her strength floored him. She was crying in his arms, but all he could think about was how strong she had been until she knew her grandfather was okay. She didn't let herself fall apart until she knew she didn't need to be strong.

He knew he loved her absolutely, not with his hormones but with his brains. His hormones quickly followed, though. He couldn't lie about that fact.

When she looked up at him with hopeful, wide, damp, venerable eyes, he felt like a real man for the first time in his life. He tightened his grip on her.

He quickly realized all her friends were watching, but he didn't care. She had come to him for comfort, and he was more than happy to provide just that for the woman who owned his heart.

Rei walked out of her grandfather's room and looked at Usagi standing there across the hall, leaning against the wall waiting for her. She smiled and rolled her eyes, "it's after two in the morning. What in the world are you still doing here?"

Instead of answering, Usagi walked to Rei and hugged her. "He's going to be okay."

Rei nodded and hugged Usagi back. "It will be a long road, but yeah, it looks like he will. The doctor is cautiously optimistic. I think it's the best diagnosis he can possibly give me. I know there aren't any guarantees in medicine. Your great boyfriend has said that quite often."

She then dropped her voice to a whisper. "I won't say who, but someone here on staff told me confidentiality that he only survived because of Jadeite and then Mamoru getting him that surgeon. They said no one else could have done what he did, but even then, the timing was crucial. I owe those men for my grandfather's life."

Usagi released Rei and gave her a devious smile. "Let me thank Mamoru for his part. I have a very sexy nightie Minako made me buy. After all, I love grandpa Hino too."

Rei laughed, "I'm sure he'd like whatever you come up with better than my idea of a thank note and flowers."

"Oooh, yeah I got this."

Usagi then grabbed her hand and said, "don't tell him what's coming when he drives you home."

"What are you talking about?"

"He's dropping you off at the shrine before taking me home."

"Mamoru?"

"Of course. Jadeite is already at the shrine. He says he knows what your grandpa needs done in the mornings, and he's gotten it taken care of."

Rei let Usagi pull her to Mamoru's waiting vehicle and squished into the back of his sports car. Right before he pulled away Rei asked, "wait. You said he was taking you home. Who's?"

She watched as Mamoru blushed, and Usagi said smiling, "his place."

Rei was still chuckling at the idea that Usagi called his place home. It didn't surprise her, after all, marriage was obviously coming for the two of them.

She walked up the stairs to the shrine and paused at the top. Looking around she smiled, she would still have days with her grandfather there. That brought her joy.

With determination, she bypassed her room and walked to Jadeite's cottage. If he happened to be up, she wanted to let him know she appreciated him and that grandpa was doing well.

She knocked quietly not wanting to wake him if he was sleeping. It didn't take long, and she heard him coming to the door.

She was not prepared for what she saw. He was there, shirtless, with sleep pants slung low on his hips, and bed head. He had obviously just woken up.

Rei's mouth went dry. He was a work of sexy art. Muscles covered his body and arms, and he had a few scars. He looked like a street fighter from a movie.

Suddenly she thought Usagi had a great idea on how to thank a man. That said she knew it wasn't just because she was grateful to him. Minako's constant teasing and sexual suggestions came roaring to the forefront of her brain. Her friend was right. He did just ooze sex appeal.

It was almost three in the morning and she was tired until he opened the door. But now, she was tired for another reason. She was tired of fighting her strong attraction to him. And now, emotionally wrung out, she didn't have any fight left.

"Is your grandfather okay?" He asked obviously confused why she was just staring at him.

"Because of you he will live. Thank you."

She then shoved him hard and as he stumbled back, she stepped into his place and shut the door behind her. "I need your help with something."

"I have to admit I'm confused about what's happening right now."

Rei pulled off her shirt and tossed it on the ground. She then clung to him and kissed him. He quickly let her deepen the kiss. He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to him.

She then fisted his hair as she kissed him desperately and passionately. She quickly decided there was too much clothing between them. She moved her hands and pulled off her bra, then pressed her bare chest to him and loved the masculine growl that came from him.

Quickly he moved and she was pressed to the wall with one of his hands grabbing her breast as they kissed.

Jadeite was out of his mind with sheer pleasure. Rei's body was better than he had pictured and he had pictured it a lot. And her breast in his hand felt so erotic to him. He would pinch himself, but if it was a dream, he didn't want to wake.

He pinched her nipple and the way she whimpered drove him half mad. He was finally able to bring her pleasure and he was. He wanted to make her wild with the way he touched her.

He nibbled on her neck as he moved and fisted both of her plump breasts. He whispered praises against her skin.

Still, with all that he was feeling and doing he was shocked when he felt her warm hand slide down his pants and grip his penis. He almost came on the spot.

As she stroked him his knees weakened, and he locked them. He moaned out and kissed her hard on the lips.

When she sank down onto her knees and pulled his sleep pants down with her he braced his hands on the wall as her mouth slid onto his cock. He fisted one hand and pressed it into the drywall, trying not to cum down her throat immediately.

As she licked and sucked him, it took everything in his power not to rut into her mouth and choke her with his big cock. The power of his sexual desire for her had completely enveloped him.

One hand moved from the wall and he carded his fingers through her hair. He encouraged her on, and to take him deeper into her talented mouth. When he felt the head of his penis hit the back of her throat, he hissed in pleasure.

When she sucked and played with his balls he came down her throat hard. He did sag a bit at the knees then. Completely sapped of his energy.

Before he got his wits back Rei was naked and in his room. He surged up and ran after her, and then he crawled on top of her on the bed.

He locked eyes with her as she spread her thighs for him. He then flicked his eyes down to her pussy and noticed she wore a patch. He'd seen pictures of those. It meant she was on birth control.

He knew she was a virgin and he was too. That patch excited him since he'd forgotten about condoms.

He slid his cock into her warm wet heat and felt her maidenhead tear as he had her.

Jadeite locked eyes with her as his cock was deep inside of her and she adjusted to his girth. "You spend your nights with me now. I belong to you."

She gave him a sassy smile and said, "I'm glad you realize how this works. Your ass is mine." She then grabbed his butt and dug her nails into his taught flesh.

He kissed her tenderly and began making love to her. He set a slow pace but having her trembling from pleasure underneath him made him feel like a king.

They were both sweaty and clinging to each other when they orgasmed. Jadeite tenderly kissed all over her face, and he stayed seated inside of her.

"I love you," he whispered against her hair.

He heard her let out a breath. "I love you too."

He got under the covers with her then and wrapped her in his arms and a blanket. "So," he teased, "I assume I'm taking your last name."

She giggled and lay on his chest. "You just want to have the same last name as grandpa." She sassed. Then teasingly added, "I think you're using me."

"And I think you're using me for my hot body," he joked back.

"Now, that I won't deny."

"Anytime, my love."

She stretched like a kitten and closed her eyes. "Once I'm not ridiculously tired."

He kissed her forehead and held her while she drifted off to sleep. He was the happiest he'd ever been.

Despite his recent surgery, when grandpa Hino discovered Rei was sharing Jadeite's bed he went after him with his broom. Jadeite had several lumps on his head before he was able to scream out that he was going to marry Rei.

Grandpa was not impressed.

But, much to their mutual satisfaction, Jadeite became Hino Jadeite less than a week later at a Shinto ceremony presided over by grandfather.