Heart to Heart

Chapter 60: Optics

Jaune checked his scroll again, the place he was to meet Yang and Blake should be close by. The city of Mantel was just like it always was. The city of Atlas above seemed to be in the way of the sun so it was literally in its shadow. A part of him was wondering if that was someone's intention, some kind of constant reminder just hovering over the city.

"Hey Jaune, over here!"

He knew Yang's voice anyway as he looked up to see his girlfriend and Blake sitting in an open restaurant. He smiled walking up to their table he leaned down to share a quick kiss with Yang before seating next to her. Blake could only look on with a small smile at the two of them.

"How was the Kindergarten Squad today?" Yang asked him.

"Chaotic as ever," Jaune joked. "One of them keeps asking if you'll show up again."

"Oh really? Maybe we can swing by for after school?" Yang looked to Blake as it might be fun to see all the little kids again. There was also the fact that she wanted to make sure none of those thirsty mothers got it in their heads to flirt with her man.

While she was certain she did lay it down that Jaune was not on the market, you can never be too sure sometimes.

"Maybe, if another Grimm attack doesn't keep us busy," the cat Faunus sighed.

"Yeah, is it me or are things just getting busier with that?" Yang asked.

"I do hear the alarm going off more and more," Jaune nodded his head. Looking around at the city you could almost feel the negativity in it. "I hope things get better soon, because this city is starting to become a magnet for Grimm."

Yang reached out with her flesh hand and took hold of his, Jaune returned the gesture as he ran this thumb caringly over her hand tracing little patterns into it. Blake saw this and couldn't help but smile at the small display of effecting. Looking back, she never figured they would have gotten together but both of them had been in a dark place when things between them started to happen.

They were good for each other; their shared trauma had led to something wonderful. Watching them her thoughts turned to a certain other blonde she knew. She hoped Sun was okay and thing were going well for him. As soon as Amity was up and running first, she would call her parents, she wasn't going to worry them so much anymore. Then she was going to get in touch with Sun and the two of them could catch up.

Watching them interact with each other, the little things they did, the shared looks, shared little laughs. She remembered how both of them where when she rejoined with everyone. Blake was happy that they were happy, and that she was glad she repaired her relationship with everyone. Especially with Yang, she knew she had hurt Yang in leaving after her injury. Blake had to resolved to stop running away from her problems and face them head on.

Watching the two of them catching up with each other about their day so far, she was starting to wonder if she was being a third wheel here.

"So, what's the plan after lunch?" Yang asked her boyfriend.

"I wasn't sure," the problem with the school job was that he was only needed in the morning and afternoon. It left him with free time which he sometimes used to train but he didn't really feel like it. It was always better training with others anyway.

"Well, you can join us if you want," Yang said casting a look to Blake who nodded.

"We've been getting more and more Grimm," Blake sighed leaning back in her chair. "And extra set of hands would be welcome."

She was being serious, while she and Yang had been holding their own things would go more smoothly with some help. There was also that time she and Jaune had been trapped under the ice and both had wanted to improve their friendships given how close they were to Yang but for different reasons. So, she figured working together might help with that.

That was the moment she picked up some words nearby with her cat ears. Her sense of hearing was above a human so normally she just tried to tune things out. The only reason she caught it was because someone said her name.

"You sure that's her?" It was from the table behind and to the right of her.

"Yeah that's her, I recognized her from the picture."

"And here she is eating with two other humans."

"I guess Faunus are too good for her."

Blake's expression darkened, what in the world were these people going on about? So, what if she was eating with humans, they were her friends. Also, picture? What picture where they talking about?

Yang noticed her partner's face and suddenly tensed up a little. "Blake? What's up?"

Blake shifted a bit uncomfortably. "It's…nothing."

Yang's eyes narrowed she knew that Blake wasn't one to open up easily when something was bothering her but the fact was, she was too easy to read. Especially now that she let her ears out in the open as they were very expressive.

Jaune picked up that something was going on and instead of looking at Blake like Yang was, he was scanning the crowd. That's when he noticed that a table with three Faunus behind her were whispering and kept glancing their way, mostly at Blake.

He nudged Yang to get her attention as he whispered to her. "Ten O'clock past Blake."

Yang looked and saw the table she noticed them looking at their table and then she locked eyes with one of them who quickly looked away.

"Can we help you with something?" Yang boldly challenged them.

The three of them, an ox, a deer and what she guessed was a dog type from the ears on his head looked at her.

"No, nothing," the ox one said.

"Really? Because you keep looking our way," Yang told them.

"Yang, don't." Blake quietly told her.

"Maybe if you weren't sitting with a traitor to all Faunus then we wouldn't." the deer one said as his other two companions didn't like what he had said. One of them hitting him lightly in the arm and the other giving him a warning look.

"Excuse me!?" Yang stood up glaring at them. "You better explain that."

"What's to explain to the Schnee lover?" The same one said glaring at Blake. "We all saw her with that woman. Hope you don't mind all the blood money that you're rolling around in or are you more her 'pet' that she keeps on a leash?"

"Okay that's enough," Jaune spoke up by this point. This was getting out of hand and that was uncalled for.

"Weiss is a huntress, she has nothing to do with her father's company and she's a part of our team," Yang shot back getting angrier now.

"Doesn't matter," This time the dog one said this time. "The Schnee's are all the same, my cousin's leg got mangled working for them, and you know what they did? Fired him because he couldn't work and replaced him. No compensation or health benefits and now he limps everywhere."

"Again, what does that have to do with her?" Yang challenged it. "She didn't run the company."

"But I bet that didn't stop her from enjoying the benefits."

Yang was about to say something, but nothing came out. Thinking back to their Beacon days she remembered how Weiss always had the best clothing, dust supplies, all that luggage she brought with her or how she paid for their meals with a credit card that her father most likely had paid off until he cut her off.

"And here is a Faunus with her, going to a fancy party paid for with the broken backs of how many Faunus that work his mines?"

Blake felt that cut a little deep with her, her old White Fang self would be appalled by that.

"Let's just go," Blake told them getting up. Thankfully they hadn't ordered yet and she really didn't want to be here anymore.

"What? You can't let them get away with that kind of crap!" Yang shouted out going with her with Jaune following.

"The truth is…there was a time in my life I would have been just like them," Blake hated to remember how she had been in the White Fang. She had been so blinded by so much, she still believed in equality for Faunus rights but looking back. She had been blind to what the Fang was turning into until it was too late. Those Faunus right now what exactly as she had been when she left home to join them full time.

"I hated the Schnee company and the whole family before Beacon." They were on the sidewalk now moving away from the store.

"Yeah, but you never once thought of slitting Weiss' throat in the middle of the night or something." Yang said. "Granted some days early on did make me want to throttle her a couple of times."

Jaune placed a hand on her shoulder. "You know that Weiss isn't like that or that you're like that too. You two were there as friends because Ironwood wanted us there."

"I know but I still feel shame when I think of how I was back then," Blake wasn't just uncomfortable with what they said but because it reminded her of how she had been.

"Well, they're wrong," Yang told her. "You can't pick what family you belong to or what they do. Weiss choose to be something else, a Huntress. Just like you did, you both decided to be something more and you shouldn't let things like that get you down."

Blake paused in her walking. "Thanks, it was just a dark mirror that I had to face, and it made me uneasy."

"Besides shouldn't the fact you were two seen together at an event like that show the world that you can't generalize people?" Jaune offered. "Isn't that what your parents were helping to build when we left them?"

"Yeah, that's right," Yang nodded her head. "If anything those losers took the wrong message from those stupid articles. Showing that you don't have to live with hate."

Blake felt a bit better thinking of it like that, she had no idea how many Faunus looked at her like the way those three had but she hoped that there were others that saw the opposite. That saw something positive out of it all.

"Now let's find a new place to eat because I'm still starving." Yang groaned feeling the hunger set in.

"I think I saw a nice place down the street." Jaune offered.

Blake nodded her head.

-Winter's Office-

Winter was someone who considered herself poised and in control. She liked everything ordered since she believed that everything had its place in the world. However, she had noticed some looks cast her way throughout the day. Whispers behind her back, normally she didn't mind but these seem to be uncharacteristically in greater number for some reason. So, when she finally had enough, she had turned on two such gossiping military members and demanded to know what was going on.

She had not been prepared for the answer.

So, here she was, sitting at her desktop computer staring at the articles of her apparently having a romantic relationship with Marrow of all people.

Granted there was nothing wrong with the man, he was a respectable member of the military, he was in the elite Ace Ops, his service record was exemplary. Given the short time they had that night together he was pleasant company.

But he was someone she worked with, there couldn't be anything between them. She had needed a 'date' for that night, and he was the most suitable individual. Granted, on the outside she could now see how it looked. This looked like she was dating a Faunus (again nothing she found wrong with) despite her father's lack of morals with dealing with the Faunus under his employ. Even her sister was getting some coverage for the same reason because she went with Blake.

And Winter knew for a fact that her little sister was not dating her teammate.

'Now everyone assumes I'm dating Marrow,' she sighed. Of course, she could have done much worst. The image of a drunken Qrow came to mind of how much worst of a person she could have been with. Not with the man himself, he was old enough to be her father, but someone like him.

Of course, the problem wasn't just that everyone else thought it was true, it was what if Marrow thought it? It was just a mission he knew that right? He hadn't thought it was an actual date…did he?

She went over it again in her mind, but she couldn't remember if she had stated it was just for the mission. Now she was worried, worried she might have given him ideas. She really wished she had someone she could talk to about all this, but the truth was, Winter didn't really have any close friends.

She had been so focused on her career that she didn't really leave herself time off, and even if she did have time off, what would she do with it? Most likely read or train. The friendships she made in the academy were gone. Her original team members had all went their separate ways. Looking over at the side of her bookshelf she saw a small picture of her with her old team.

Team FRST (Frost) had been good times. Her old partner had gone on into the navy, one was in intelligence and the last member of her team had joined the Atlas Rangers, the group that went out to protect the settlements outside of the Atlas or Mantel. She was the only one that went into the Specialist. Those were simpler times back then, now everything was just so complicated.

Learning about Salem and the secret war that had been fought with Ozpin, who was also an immortal wizard and the origin of several fairy tales she knew about. The maidens and that she was to become the next winter maiden, even her own name of Winter was making her start to think she had been born for this role in life. What were the odds of someone named Winter becoming the next winter maiden?

And now there was her in the tabloids with someone she worked with, with them spouting nonsense of them dating. It was insane because she hadn't had a date in…well…now that she thought about it, when had been the last time? She hadn't had time after graduation as she had been focused on her career. In school maybe?

The truth was Winter's dating life was pretty baren.

Even her little sister was seeing that Flynt boy. She had looked him up and he was a top student with no issues on his record. And she had looked hard to find anything, but so far, he was totally clean. The only reference she found was that her father had forced Flynt's father's dust store to close down. At first when she learned this she was wondering if the boy was planning some type of revenger but over time she learned it wasn't so.

Not only that but her sister seemed much happier now.

Winter always felt that she was just fine being alone but lately something had been worming itself into her mind. The time she spent with Weiss and her team and friends, she saw how happy they were. Winter's eyes looked to the old team photo again and remembered those good times and even the bad, like when they had lost in the semi-finals of the Vytal Festival.

Seeing them so happy was starting to make her realize just how alone she was feeling. Not only that but most of them seemed to be dating as well which only compounded the sense of isolation she was starting to feel.

Her day was getting up, going to work, training, read for an hour before bed and then the next day she just repeats it all.

Then she thought of her time with Marrow at the party, how easily they had just slipped into the role. How nice it had been to dance with someone that wasn't out for her family name, her money when she was younger, or influence. He was just dancing with her, Winter Schnee. He hadn't been a bad dancer, sure she had danced with men that had better skill but again those men usually were only trying to seduce or impress her.

And all they did was just talk and not always about work. She got to know the man a little and it was just…nice.

She grunted in irritation these stupid articles were getting her worked up over nothing. It had been a mission nothing more. Why couldn't people just see the obvious? Marrow had to have heard or seen these articles by now as well. That was the most embarrassing part of all this, she would have to face him because of all this. He had to be facing the same looks and conversations behind his back too and worst, she knew it was all her fault.

Because of who she was, because of her family and her background it meant anyone who had come with her would be scrutinized by the press. She chided herself for forgetting, she had been out of 'high society' for so long now she had forgotten what that life was like.

She was going to have to speak with him, alone. She just needed to set things straight. She just needed an opportunity to do so.

-Ironwood's Office-

Ironwood sat behind his desk his fingers steepled together listening to the report by Ruby and Weiss. They had informed him of it earlier, but he wanted to hear the whole story, he also had the everyone he trusted to listen in. They had gone through how Robyn Hill had stopped one of his convoys. The audacity of that woman, she wasn't even a council woman yet and already she was throwing her weight around.

"I should have that woman arrested for what she did," Ironwood was not happy about this.

There was also the fact that they would have to increase security for the project. If one of her people followed the route that far, they might risk following it further. Granted the security perimeter was large enough to hide what they were doing and the increase in Grimm were making land travel unsecure, but he couldn't just overlook this.

"General that might be a bad idea," Ruby stated seeing the man look right at her like he was, it was a bit unnerving. "I mean if you do, people won't stand for it."

"Mantel is already a powder keg," Blake nodded. "This could set up riots if you do something like that."

"She interfered with a military convoy," Winter stated by her place next to the General.

"While true she had valid reasons to want to know why Mantel is being stripped of resources," Weiss countered.

"It's not being stripped we're reallocating materials for a much needed project." Ironwood told her.

"By our point of view yes," Weiss nodded. "But she doesn't know that no one outside of this room really knows that and so by their point of view the military is taking away from Mantel."

"The people have it rough enough as is," Yang threw in her two cents into the conversation. "We've seen how bad Mantel is doing every day and it's only slowly getting worst. There is less food, less jobs and because of it more negative emotions which brings more Grimm."

Ironwood stood tall his hands behind his back. "I know it's not easy but once this project is done then we can focus on Mantel. The border has to remain closed until then, we can't allow any of Salem's people to infiltrate this kingdom like what happened with Vale and Mistral."

"You saw the results; Beacon is still covered in Grimm, and we nearly lost Haven Academy and the Relic. I will not allow that to happen to Atlas, not on my watch. We need this project to continue forth because with no communication between the kingdoms she can pick us off one by one."

"Isn't there any way we can give them something?" Ruby asked. "I know you don't want her to know everything but there has to be something we can do?"

Winter thought on that. "Perhaps some kind of cover story?"

"It might be too much," Ironwood stated. "No matter what we say it will hint that there is something going on."

"They already know something is going on," Blake told him. "The fact she knows about the convoys is proof of that."

Being an ex-White Fang member, she knew all about learning the routes of convoys. She had hit enough of them back in the day, of course she always made sure to use non-lethal means back then. She had a feeling this Robyn Hill was of the same mind, at least she hoped so.

"Giving her something might make her backoff, at least for a time." Qrow said. "She knows something is up but not what. We throw up some smokescreen it might keep her at bay but once she becomes a Councilwoman well then, you're going to have an enemy that knows you're up to something secret and now will have the power to legally go at you."

Ironwood turned to face the window of his large office. He knew how the public would react if he arrested her, especially this close to the election. He also heard the rumors of how certain people who have been vocal against him have been showing up dead. He already had a small team investigating it but so far there had been no links other than the same poison was found in their systems and the same weapons were most likely used.

It was just one more headache he was dealing with, but it wasn't the top of his priority list.

Ruby looked on with worry, she wished she could tell Robyn Hill the truth but how would she take it? It was why they hadn't told Ironwood everything that they had learned from Jinn because they weren't sure how he would take the news. Given the shocking examples of what he had done when they had arrived, working with him for all this time hadn't exactly helped.

It just seemed like Ironwood once he set his mind to a task didn't deviate from it. No matter what he would press forward, justifying any action it took to do it. It didn't make him a bad person per say, but that inflexibility also worked against him and what he was trying to do.

Penny tilted her head as she was thinking. "Perhaps scenarios of building bunkers for the population or a new settlement under the guise of making our own dust mine to subvert SDC operations?"

Ironwood paused at that, that last one might appeal to Robyn Hill given her dislike to the Schnee Dust Company. That might make her back off for a time plus she had to know they were using an old SDC mining site as a modified facility to help put on the modifications to Amity Stadium.

"Winter," He looked over at his right hand woman who snapped to attention. "Work with Penny to draft up fake reports, we'll work out a way to give it to her."

"We could provide security for her at election night and hand over the 'confidential' information." Clover offered.

The general nodded his head, at least this would ease one more headache out of his way for a time. By the time she realized it was all a lie it would be too late as Amity would be up in orbit. He paused as he thought about it. "Wait, whoever gives her the documents she might use her semblance to see if they are lying."

That made everyone pause as they looked around.

"And because we all know it's a lie she'll know," Qrow sighed running his hand through his hair.

"Her semblance might not work on me," Penny stated. "While there is no evidence of how her semblance can work, it might only work on organic beings."

It was the best they could hope for, even though she had aura she was still a machine. Either Robyn's abilities could read a person's mind, or it was linked to their aura. If it was the aura, then she could tell Penny was lying but she was the best bet.

"Maybe we can leak the information to her," Winter stated. "Use someone not in this room to deliver what they believe is the truth."

"I'll think on that," Ironwood told her. "Draft it up first and I'll take a look and we'll go from there."

Ironwood dismissed everyone after that, but Ruby cast a look to her team and friends. They didn't seem pleased they were going to have to lie to Robyn about all of this. Although she had only met the woman once, she felt she was a good person just trying to do her best for the people. She could respect that and so she felt bad tricking her.

Weiss placed a hand on her shoulder. "Sometimes we have to do things like this to protect others. You know how painful the truth can be."

She was referring to what they found out about Ozpin/Ozma and Salem's origins. Ruby looked a bit downcast at that. She always thought that the good guys were always there to save the day, that the truth was important, that lying was wrong, that if you just tried hard enough thing could work out.

But then she saw Pyrrha die in front of her.

Her friend was killed, and she had been too late to do anything, then she saw how hurt Yang was, Blake and Weiss had left, one by choice the other by force. Just when things were starting to look up, they were kicked down again with the truth of the world.

The world wasn't black and white or it wasn't just black and white. The good guys don't always win and sometimes people got hurt or killed.

"When did things get so complicated?" Ruby wondered out loud.

"Welcome to being an adult squirt," Qrow heard her and ruffled her hair as he passed her by. "It's just something you have to deal with growing up."

"Growing up sucks," Ruby crossed her arms with a frown.

"It has some perks," Qrow stated moving to the exit.

"Where are you going uncle Qrow?"

"To enjoy one of those perks," he said over his shoulder.

"You don't think he's going out drinking again, do you?" Yang came up from behind looking a little worried at her uncle.

Ruby thought about it but then shook her head. "I don't think he's had a drink since we arrived in Atlas."

"Huh, I think you're right." Yang hadn't even seen him pull out that flask of his. Then her brow creased in thought. "Then what 'perk' is he talking about?"

Ruby shrugged, she just hoped he didn't get into any major trouble with whatever he was doing.

-Schnee Manor-

Willow sighed as she shut the door behind her. Honestly some days she wondered why she even bothered to leave her room. Taking off the blue shirt she tossed it aside leaving her in just her blouse as she fell into one of her chairs. Day in and day out it was all the same, she had tried to get some time with Whitley, but he was kept busy by his father. Apparently, he was grooming him as the successor.

She wasn't sure how she felt about that, she loved her boy, but he was learning to become more like his father every day and she didn't know what to do about it. Her husband already forced both her daughters to leave home.

Willow felt she needed some air she went to the large doors and opened them up to the balcony. She felt the wind lightly wash over her. She heard flapping sounds and looked up to see a large black crow of some kind on a statue that was below her bedroom. It was strange because she wasn't sure she had ever seen a crow this far north.

She shrugged it off, maybe someone got a pet bird and it got loose. Going back into her room she went to a small round table with a bottle of wine already there. She had instructed the staff to always have one ready these days. Finding the corkscrew next to it she popped the top off and poured herself a glass, which also had been left next to the bottle. There was no need for another glass, she drunk alone after all.

She brought the cup to her nose smelling it and taking in the scent. She was just about to bring it to her lips when suddenly someone was behind her. An arm wrapping around her waist, the hand resting on her stomach as a face was next to hers, his chin resting on her shoulder.

"This a bad time?" Qrow stated.

Willow gasped as she jumped and dropped the glass. Qrow's free hand darted out and grabbed it, spilling some of the wine on his hand but saving the glass from shattering on the floor.

Willow too a step forward and spun around in shock. "You!? How-how did you get in here!?"

"I have my ways," Qrow handed her the glass.

She looked at it and gently took it from his hand looking at the man before her. She was dressed much more casually in mostly greys with some red here and there. The man had let his stubble grow out and his hair was a little wilder. He was the picture of the word vagabond.

And for some reason that only enhance a slowly burning desire in her.

Maybe it was because this was the type of man her father would have been disapproved of. She mentally laughed at that her father was so sure her husband was the perfect man for her. He knew business, was from the upper crust, was the picture of prime and proper. Oh, how her father had misjudged him, then again, she wasn't free of blame herself.

She had been fooled by honey words and a young girl's perception of what 'love' was supposed to be. Reality had been cruel in showing her how the real world worked.

"Do you usually break into a lady's bedroom?" She asked taking a sip.

"Oh, trust me you're worth fighting my way through a horde of security," he grinned at her taking a step forward.

"You didn't actually have to fight anyone to get here, did you?" She hadn't heard any security alarms and honestly it would spoil things if security had to be called up.

"Naw, nothing like that," he shrugged. "I know how to get into places and out without letting people know I'm there."

Well, most of the time, when his stupid semblance wasn't working against him. Like that time, he snuck in with that Iliya girl and his semblance nearly got them caught. Thankfully it hadn't gone off so far yet. Maybe hanging around with Clover was helping but at any rate he just wanted to be here with her.

Willow couldn't help but feel a bit of a rush that this man was so skilled. He was a huntsman, someone whose whole life was one of danger. She had to admit that it excited her a little, maybe reading all those trashy romance novels affected her. All those fantasies of some handsome dashing rogue sweeping her off her feet and taking her away from it all.

Plus of course the memories of last night, last night had been wonderful for her. All these years being denied even the simplest of pleasures. It had been like getting drunk on something else other than her wine collection.

But something did nag at her as she placed a hand on his chest. "What is this to you?"

Qrow stopped feeling her warm hand on his chest looking at her. "What do you mean?"

"This, whatever this is between us," Willow explained. "You know I'm a married woman."

"You seemed married only in the loosest sense of the word," he countered.

"Be that as is may," She took a breath. "Is this just some fling for you?"

Qrow took her hand with his own laying it on top of hers. "I'll be honest, I have no idea what this is. I've been with plenty of women, I won't deny that."

He hadn't been very picky at times, he was on the road a lot and sometimes a man just had needs. Sometimes his charms failed, other times they won out. But he always moved on, he never thought about staying because he had a mission in life. That and he was afraid his semblance would harm those that were close to him. It was why he stayed alone his whole life, he felt he was a jinx to others.

Looking into those eyes in front of him something changed.

Willow felt a sting at him admitting to being with women and it sounded like he was implying he got around. She cast her gaze down, she had a feeling she was just another in a long line. She felt a familiar cold rising back up in her core, the kind that only seemed to dull with drink.

"But that night I saw you at the party, I don't know. For the first time I can remember something about you made me feel things I haven't before." He let go of her hand and pulled her against him as she looked up in surprise as their eyes locked.

"I see someone who I can understand," he told her looking into those lovely but hurt eyes. "When I saw your eyes, I knew."

"Knew what?" She looked back and she could see so much pain in his gaze. Pain so old she couldn't guess how long he carried it.

"Knew that you know just how cruel life can be." He reached up with a hand to gently caress her cheek. "I know what it feels like to be alone in the world even when you got family, you still feel alone. Wanting to drown out your pain in any kind of drink, just for a moment's peace. So, you don't have to think or feel anything, even for a moment."

Her fists balled slightly into the clothing on his chest as she felt his words cut deep.

"I saw someone who was like me," Qrow always felt like he couldn't really be with anyone because of both his bad luck and because who could understand him? "I don't know what this is, but I do know that I want this. Last night was one of the best nights of my life and I don't care if Jacques doesn't care or appreciate the woman he has. You deserve something more, we deserve to be happy if only for a bit, right?"

'Deserve to be happy?' Willow wondered. When was the last time she was happy? The memories of last night came making her blush as she had felt happy, happy and other emotions she hadn't felt for years. Maybe one of the reasons she never left her husband was because she never thought anyone else would want her.

"Do you really want me?" She asked him. She was past her prime, he could most likely charm younger women into his bed and most likely had.

Qrow looked deep into her eyes. "Yes."

It wasn't just because she was a beautiful woman but because he felt she could understand. Understand that life can kick you hard and wanting to just crawl away from the pain and curl up and want to be somewhere safe. Qrow only felt that a few times in life, at Beacon with his team, at Tai's home with his nieces and last night with her.

Last night he had pushed it all away, it was better than any drink because he felt the same emotions coming from her that night. He couldn't get that night out of his mind all day, he found that he missed the sensation of her skin, the feeling of her hair, the hot breath on his skin. The touch of her gentle fingers, the taste of her lips. The passion and most of all the sense of peace it all brought him.

He captured her lips again and this time she didn't put up any protest, she eagerly returned it. Two people broken by life embraced each other hoping that the other could help them put the pieces back together.

TBC…