Lucy sits in the drawing room of her home with Gray. They just recently returned from their two week honeymoon in New York City. She loves it there, and it has only gotten better over the years. They stayed at the fanciest hotel one could dream of. Gray made sure she had any and everything she needed. He treats her like a Queen. And she loves and hates it. It's nice to be treated like a normal person at times, so she knows for herself that she is not made of the glass he sees her as.

Lucy fiddles with the paper crossing her legs to catch it when it starts to slide down her un crossed knees. The tea cup is shaky in her hand as she reads. 'Seabrook's New Restoration for Sale' She looks at the house. His house. The photo is much like the one she saw that day she fainted, trying on her gown. And 2 months later the house is back in the paper. This time because it just got put on the market in a big way. Her eyes widen as she starts to read the small tid-bit at the bottom of the photo.

"Lucy love" Gray comes in fixing the cuff on his sleeve, he looks at her when she doesn't acknowledge him. "Hi" He says his hand smoothing down her head and resting at the base of her skull. He leans down and finds her lips. Her head still not lifting to look at or kiss him. "Lucy?"

Lucy pulls her eyes away from the paper, and her tea cup drops when Gray's face is directly in front of hers ready for a kiss. "Oh!" She exclaims actually startled by him. "Oh the rug" She says standing up now that he stepped back and she has room.

"Leave it" He bends a little to take her hands. His hands hold her upper arms. The paper still firmly in one hand. "What has gotten you all jumpy?" He says taking the paper out of her hand. "We should buy this house" He says as he looks at what she was reading about.

"We can't" Lucy says looking down at the tea.

"Someone will clean it" He tells her. "It can be our summer home, we can vacation with your parents"

"My parents summer home…I'm just going to" She says of the tea, wanting to clean it up. Lucy turns around and grabs her cloth napkin off of her tray. She goes swiftly to the floor, to dab the wet patch and pick up her cup.

"Satisfied?" Gray questions her, resting the paper in her empty chair, he gets a nod from his wife, as she throws the cloth onto the tray. "We should buy it"

"You just bought this house" She tells him, Gray surprised her with this house in Charlotte when they got back from New York. "And we can stay in my parents summer house, it is large enough"

"I don't know" He says making a thinking face, as he wraps his arms around her waist pulling her close. Gray takes his time as he kisses her neck gently.

"Gray?" Lucy moans his name her hands are wrapped around his neck, staying close also.

"Hmm" He mumbles. "Work, I know" He pulls back kissing her nose and letting her go. "I'll look into this house, just incase" He tells his wife who is looking extremely apprehensive about the whole idea. He knows why too but he just can't seem to muster the strength to care she and her lover shared a night in that house a few months ago. The ball is in his court if he ends up owning it, the changes he could make would make her fully forget about that night. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Yeah" Lucy smiles a bit and nods, moving her hands over the front of her robe and she adjusts it to be more shut than it already is. She watches him turn and head out the door. Lucy waits for a second or two, her eyes look at the door when she sees it open again, wondering if Gray forgot something. She sighs softly when Fran enters her maid. Lucy grew up with wealth and a great deal of service in her home. But living with Gray now she is slowly turning into a child. Her every need is being cartered too. When she was growing up though she had the service she did for herself.

"Good morning Mrs.Gildarts, I am here to help you dress"

Lucy looks at Fran for a moment. "I-I don't" When she hears the car, she turns and runs to the bedroom window. That window has an amazing view of the front drive. There is a small fountain in the center, forming a circle. Cars drive around it to enter and exit the small but grand estate. She watches Gray's car pull out of the heavy iron gates.

"Mrs…"

"Call me Lucy please Fran" She turns and interrupts the older woman. "I can dress on my own, thank you"

"Mr. Gildarts told me to come up here and help you" She explains to the lady of the house.

"No" Lucy shakes her head. "There will be no more helping me dress" Lucy makes it clear. She looks at Fran's worried face. "Don't worry I will talk to my husband, but can you do something for me?" Lucy holds onto the ties of her robe as she takes a few steps in Fran's direction.

"Anything Mrs…Lucy" She quickly corrects herself. "Anything"

"Can you make sure my car is gassed up and out front ready for me"

"I will get right on that" Fran tells Lucy with a smile, happy to be able to do something in her job description.

"Thank you" Lucy calls when Fran leaves shutting the door. She runs quickly over to the closet to find something to wear for the day.

Loke sands away in the shed. He is making a side table for a living room. The offers have been coming in for his house, not pouring. But when he gets a good offer he will sell. He needs to move on, a move, out of Seabrook, Charlotte, just move away. He is hoping to fix up his truck and drive the open road. There is nothing left here for him. He didn't think anything was left after his father died, but he had the house. He built the house again, that obstacle has been taken care of, it's time to fully let go.

"What are you doing?" Her voice is high pitched and slightly out of breath.

Loke heard a car, he wasn't bothering with it, because he was hoping whomever it was would just leave when no one answered the front door. Lucy knows better clearly. Loke says nothing he only looks up from his task, not even dropping the sander.

"Loke…the house?" She says with a questioning voice and face as she waits for him to say something, say anything. "Say something, Loke"

"Do you want to buy it?" He says almost joking, not trying to be funny or to joke just to say it.

"No" She whispers shaking her head. "Why?"

"It's time, to move on" He says looking back at his work, and he picks up his lost pace again, he knows she hasn't moved but she is not talking, just watching him he is sure.

"Gray wants to buy it" She tells him, hoping that will make him change his mind.

"For you?" He says not looking at her, just listening to her.

Lucy looks at the top of his bent head. "Yes"

"If he has the right price it's his" Loke mumbles.

Lucy can't quite believe her ears. "Loke" She whispers.

"Look Al, I'm kinda busy here" Loke looks up at her, resting the sander down.

"Don't sell it to him, please"

"If I sell it, and he still wants it, the man I sell it to might end up selling it to him, so really" He says shrugging just a bit to get his point across to her.

Lucy looks at him and sighs heavily. Her entire chest expands. She looks around the place, just because she can't bare to look at him anymore. His eyes staring at her make her almost feel naked. "This house was our dream" She says looking around, anywhere but his eyes as she talks. "You're going to give it to my husband"

Loke frowns watching her, because she is making no sense. It was their dream, but they are not together, they haven't been together in seven years, the point is very moot.

"I loved the art room" She turns around to face the outside, her back to him now. Lucy folds her arms lightly over her middle.

"I'm glad, feel free to take the things, I packed them up" He tells her back, and he sees her head bed slowly and her body start to tremble. "You should head back home"

Lucy listens to him and when she blinks the tears fall from her eyes. She quickly wipes them with one hand.

Loke watches her not sure what he should do. They don't share heartbreak. They would if they were a couple, she has Gray to wipe her tears for her now, it's not his job. Loke rubs his forehead, leaving a trace of light dust on it as he does.

To hell with it, Loke stalks over to her and takes her upper arm, turning her and pulling her close he embraces her lips with his own. "Lucy" He whispers into her mouth. His hands cradle her face, not letting her pull away, though she doesn't feel like she wants to pull away. Loke takes steps with her, making her walk backwards.

Lucy moves with him, her hands on his shoulders as they move slowly up towards the column of his neck. She holds him securely. Her back crashes into the side of the large shed/barn where he works. The cool summer sea breeze blows into through the door and right up her skirt cooling her down. The material moves against her skin as her legs hit the wooden wall. "oh" She gasps softly into his lips. Lucy smiles into his mouth as moves a leg, her feet are pushing up on the balls of her heeled shoes, as she attempts to get closer. Her feet come out of the backs of her shoes as she tries more to get close to him.

"Yesss" Loke hisses pressing her against the side, his tongue licks her upper and lower lip. He smoothes his hands down her cheeks and to her neck, moving his kisses to the side of her mouth. Hearing her gasps when her mouth is finally free is music to his ears.

"Loke" She says there is a bubble in her throat as she speaks.

"Yeah?" He breathes into the skin of her neck, his kisses now there, moving up and then down, then up to her jaw again. His hands slide down her body and grab a gentle hold on her hips, pulling her closer.

"I-I" She says shutting her eyes tightly trying to think with him kissing her and her feet actually aching as they try to get her body closer to his. She is in a small duel. Her head is saying one thing offering her mouth the ability to talk, and her brain to function yet her body is still fighting to get as close as possible. "Um" She shuts her mouth as he nips her skin.

Loke sighs softly and rests his head on the wall next to hers. "You need to stop being around me" He says head pressed hard against the wooden wall of the shed. The pressure is making his head ache. "I won't stop kissing you til its too late" He tells her, lifting his head to look into her eyes. Her face is flushed and she is breathing deeply again. He takes his hands off of her body and rest them on the wall on either side of her head.

"We can't do this"

"Then don't come around" He tells her, his eyes watch her and he feels her wiggle, moving her leg to put her heel back into her shoe. "Go" He says gruffly.

Lucy takes her lips into her mouth and looks at him her eyes moving back and forward watching him watch her. "I can't"

Loke just stares down at her, he makes a sexy sound, it comes from deep in his throat, and he lets his arms bend, causing himself to fall against her gently, pressing himself to her. Loke smiles when she gasps softly and turns her head to the side to look out of the shed. "Yes you can"

"No" Lucy shakes her head, bringing her eyes away from the outside and back to him. "Loke?" She whispers, her hands come up again and hold onto his neck, her thumbs stroking over his ears and cheeks. "I want to go inside"

"Loke" Lucy whimpers kissing his neck. She smiles her eyelids heavy. She feels his hand smooth down her bare back. "You are so" She smiles, her laugh sounds very weak. Lucy lets her head drop and rest against his chest. "Stop" She smiles into his skin.

"Now you want me to stop?" He jokes lightly. "I wanted you to stop an hour ago" He chuckles deep in his throat.

"Oh you didn't want me to stop" She laughs, Lucy rolls off of him and falls the inch to the floor next to him. "I have to go" She turns her head and tilts it up to look at him. She finds his head bent looking at her. "Okay?"

"Okay" Loke says with wide eyes and a little tiny shake. He just looks at her, lick her lips. "I'm finished trying to stop you" He tells her gently. His hand moves to brush her hair off of her neck, letting his fingers tip around her skin. Her neck is resting over his arm, so he puts his fingers to good use on her neck. She doesn't flinch or move because it is clearly now tickling her.

"I don't want you to stop me"

"Good"

"Loke?" She rolls using his stomach to push herself right over onto her side. She lifts her head off of his arm freeing it. She hears him make a sound, his eyes are shut now. "Are you okay with this?"

Loke thinks about his answer. He wants to strangle her and say no he is not okay with it, because he is not okay with being her seconds. With her leaving his bed and going into her husbands. No he is not okay with it, the situation is not at all ideal or what he ever imaged it would be like with Lucy. Having to share her. Loke chalks it up to at least he gets to have her, no matter how small. Loke rolls over resting on her, he slowly kisses her lips.

"I have to go" She mumbles into his mouth, her hand rest on his waist.

"I know" He says, but he doesn't move off her, he just makes love to her for the millionth time today.

Lucy pulls up to the house and she looks in the mirror. She looks a mess, but she is glowing she feels her skin radiating heat. She runs a finger under her eye trying to fix her make up. She has been sneaking off to be with Loke almost every day for this past month. Her first month of marriage, she has been having an affair. Affair is such a dirty word, so we won't use it. Lucy checks to make sure her hair is all in place.

Lucy walks in and she sees Gray sitting in the living room holding a drink. "Hi" She smiles, Lucy moves and kisses his cheek.

"Did you have a good day?" He looks at her standing up. His eyes run over her form, checking to see…just looking at her.

"Yeah, sorry I'm late" Lucy smiles shaking her head. "I'm going to wash up before dinner"

Gray watches her and nods slowly. He watches her smile and walk off. "Lucy?"

Lucy stops in her tracks and turns smiling. "Yeah?"

"Who were you out with?"

Lucy shrugs and smiles. "You know Muffy, Jane, just the girls"

Gray nods and lets her walk off again, knowing she lied to him, again and this time he knows about it.

Loke walks to the front door and pulls it open. Martha smiles, and waits for him to kiss her cheek like he always does. Loke leans in and kisses her cheek softly. He knew it wasn't Lucy, she doesn't knock she just comes in. He remembers her saying she would be over after lunch today because she had something's to take care of.

"Do you want to come in?" Loke questions her.

"No" Martha shakes her head and smiles. "You look good Loke" Loke just nods his head once at her. "Sleeping with a married woman will do that" She says tipping her head to the side.

Loke would have been upset if that would have come out of anyone else's mouth, but Martha has a way about her, were it didn't sound pointed; even though it was. Were it didn't sound vindictive. Loke just leans against the doorframe, waiting incase she wanted to say something else to him.

Martha says nothing, she just turns around and heads back to her car.

Loke looks at Gray. "Why are you here?"

"Well I want to buy your house" Gray says in his very proper southern drawl. He stares at the man that has been sleeping with his wife. The man who holds her heart completely. Gray doesn't lose, he does his damn best never to lose, fighting like hell to prevent it. Losing Lucy, would be just that, losing, and that is not acceptable.

"Does Lucy know you are here?" Loke wonders because Lucy is due to be there shortly.

"No, this is a surprise for my wife" Gray says, looking at the other man.

"I see, what is your offer?"

"One hundred thousand dollars" Gray says very firmly. Offering a price that he is sure Loke will not refuse. He would be a fool to decline.

"Is that how much love cost now days?" Loke stares hard at the man dressed in a swanky business suit. "You drove out here to offer me the price of love"

Gray listens to him. "You're love of mine for her?"

"I love her more than one hundred thousand dollars" Loke takes this time to goat Gray. Saying Gray doesn't love Lucy as much as he does because one hundred thousand is nothing.

"Do you have one hundred thousand dollars?" Gray asks him and Loke looks at the man wondering if he is serious. "Well then I doubt you could wrap your head around how much that is, therefore young man" He says to his age equal. "I do love Lucy, I love her a great deal"

"Why are you trying to buy her love then?"

"Why did you?" Gray questions. His statement claims that Loke did all this to get Lucy back to him, so in all fairness he was in a sense trying to buy Lucy with it.

"Is it because you know we have been making love for a month now?" Loke finally spits it out, the lack of surprise on Gray's face tells him that he already knows. "So it is, buying the house won't make her forget"

"It's worth a try" Gray admits.

Lucy smiles as she pulls up to the front of Loke's house. She sees a car parked outside again. It is not the same one as yesterday with the couple. Her face turns angry, because she knows Loke said he was going to sell but she hates seeing it happen. She doesn't want this house to be out of reach, if it was sold it would be just that. Now at least even though married she can still have a part of it, to come to it and enjoy herself. Loke is more a part of that enjoyment than the house but she wants to do it in this particular house, it makes her feel something. Alive.

She parks and runs up the few steps to the front door, when she opens it she walks through quickly, ready to make the same statement as she did yesterday to the other couple.

Both Gray and Loke turn their head to the doorway at the sound of heels on the hardwood floor. Loke looks at her wide eyes, she looks like a deer caught in headlights.

"Gray?" Lucy whispers looking at him, then looking at Loke. "What…why?"

"I saw Muffy yesterday" Is all he says because he doesn't need to explain any further.

Lucy's eyes are wide as she looks at her husband, not sure of what to do. She doesn't know what happens right now.

"I'll wait for you outside" Gray offers politely. "So this can be over, once and for all" Her husband finishes strongly. Lucy hears what he is saying, he is giving her one last shot to be honest. "I will be back about the house"

"Don't bother" Loke says to his back when he is walking away towards the door. Loke looks at Lucy for a Grayg time once Gray is gone to wait outside. He feels pressure as to what to say when to speak, and that fact that Gray her husband is outside waiting for her when they are through.

"Loke I…"

"Stay with me now" Is all he says.

"What?" Lucy whispers furrowing her brow she looks at him as if he is crazy.

"Just stay, get your things and come back here" He tells her shaking his head a bit. "Gray knows, again its no point in going back, go forward with me" Loke pleads taking steps closer to her to hold her upper arms in his large hands gently.

"I have to see my husband" Lucy explains. "To talk to him.

"About what, unless you are going to explain every detail of our month Grayg encounters, just leave him and stay here"

"It's not that simple" She says her voice rising.

"Yeah it is"

"You're not married, you don't know" Lucy points to the side and shakes her head.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Loke looks at her. "I'm not married because you went and married him" Loke shouts at her pointing towards a window, indicating him is Gray.

"What?" Lucy says like the wind has just been knocked out of her.

"Don't you pretend like you didn't know"

"You want to marry me?"

Loke listens to her question, and he pausing thinking about the answer. He wanted to marry her, he wanted it something fierce, but now…he just wants to sell this house to get away from her, to get her out of his head. He wants her, but not just this small part he is getting, it is not enough anymore, he is not sure it ever way. "I wanted" He corrects her after having thought about it quickly. "I wanted to when I, when I thought that was what we both wanted. After our first night together, then our second, you left" He tells her, it can't just be one sided. She has to have wanted it too for it to work. As much as he begged her to stay, as much as he begs her to stay, she can only do it if she really wants to. Clearly she doesn't, so he has to go.

Lucy's chest heaves, she moves a hand to rest on her stomach, pressing lightly because she hopes that will ease her sick feeling. "Why are you doing this?" She asks of the house.

"You don't want me, you want Gray, you are a woman who wants…needs a man with a great deal of stability" He tells her watching her eyes widen to large orbs.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"You know what I mean" He tells her. On top of her not wanting to leave Gray or having to marry him, going through with it all, it is because of what is expected and money.

"No, I don't" She shakes her head.

"Down the road I might find a woman who is just like you, yet I can't help but love, when I sell this place at least I will have a good start" He tells her.

"What do you mean?" Lucy questions him slightly confused and angry.

"MONEY!" He yells at her face, causing her to flinch. "You need security, you get it from Gray, he is a keeper" Loke says he used two fingers to explain that like he was counting. "Me" He points to another finger. "I was simple to cure your boredom when your husband was at work"

Lucy listens to him, she shakes her head slowly, tears are forming in her eyes. "I hate you" She whispers harshly, and breathlessly. "I hate you Loke Calhoun"

"I hate you!" Loke shouts back. "You want to know what for?" He says taking a step closer to her, he watches her turn her back and sob just a bit. It does tug at his heart but he is mad and his heart is pounding almost through his chest. "For coming here day after day and making love to me, for sleeping with me, then running back to your husband!"

"Stop it"

"For using me, I let you use me, so it is my fault too, you are a selfish little…"

"You bastard" She turns around and looks at him with wide eyes. Lucy takes her fist and hits it right into the right side of his chest.

"You missed my heart" Loke growls, he watches her pull her hand back again at hit him on the left side. "Don't hit me" He says sternly to her. Loke watches her huff, and shiver, before she turns and stalks out of the house. He pauses for a moment as he hears the screen door shut and her heels click down the steps.

Lucy walks quickly to where her car is, she sees Gray leaning on it, her mind briefly wonders where his car is but it is quickly forgotten when she hears Loke behind her.

"Will you just stay with me?" He says, he knows he is being confusing but he needs to try one more time for what he really wants, what he really loves. He doesn't want to sell he just needed a way to get away from her, because it was killing him to be with her everyday but not have her.

Lucy whips around. "Stay with you, stay with you" She says with wide eyes. "We don't do anything besides fight"

Gray looks at his wife, he moves and takes her upper arm.

"Don't touch her" Loke says grabbing Gray's hand from around Lucy's arm. His eyes are stone cold as he looks at the man who is her husband, whom he hates for one reason and one reason only. He has Lucy.

"Stop" Lucy says before anything starts.

"Lucy get in your car, we are going" Gray tells her.

"Stay with me" Loke brings his attention to his main focus what he always only sees.

"Loke we fight too much"

"That's because it's what we do" He tells her.

Lucy wipes her tears and shakes her head. "It's no way to live"

"It is for us" Loke moves and takes her hips in his hands. "What do you want?" He questions her again, the same thing he asked her the first time she left him. He feels her body shake in his hands. He watches her turn and look at her husband. "Look at me" He commands gently. "Tell me"

"Loke" She breathes her chest heavy. "I have to talk to my husband" She wipes her eyes, looking at him. She feels his hands come off her body and he takes a step back. She watches him sigh and run a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry" She says moving to her car, she gets in and drives off quickly.

Loke looks at Gray, he says nothing, turning around he goes into the house he is now more determined than ever to Gray looks at his wife. "You want to leave me, for him?" Gray questions her.

"I love him" She takes her lips into her mouth and nods a bit, sad for hurting Gray, for hurting Loke for months. "I'm in love with him" She adds. She looks back at Gray as he looks at her, she knows he has nothing more to say to her, she knows because of her actions this past month and before they were even married.

Loke falls into unconsciousness, due to heartache, headache and the alcohol, all three contribute to his dead like sleep state. His breathing is shallow as he sleeps, his body is warm from the air and the blanket covering him.

Lucy drives her car, which is loaded with her belongs towards Loke's home. She thinks about him and how wonderful he is. How wonderful he has always been to her and with her. Gray has never hurt her or been harsh. Loke has but she loves being challenged by him, and pushed. She knows she thrives on it. Now she finally realizes how much he makes her the Lucy that she loves, the Lucy she was born to be. And it is the wild and carefree girl, woman, the one who matches his soul full on. Lucy sniffs a bit not crying anymore just tired and sad, but happy she is on her way to a new life.

Lucy parks her car, she leaves all her things in it, and runs up to the house. She opens the door and all is dark and quiet. Outside is now dark, night has taken over all Charlotte. She moves swiftly around the house, the windows provide her with a lit path so she can find Loke. "Loke?" She calls out to him. "Loke?" Lucy walks into the room which they have been spending most of their days. She sees him curled on the bed with the blanket over him. Her heart jumps and soars. Lucy walks quietly into the room her eyes see his bag on the floor, full. 'He was going to leave' She thinks and she feels a panic attack coming on. Lucy sinks to the floor and rests her hands on her chest, breathing in and out deeply wanting it to pass. When she finally gains control over her emotions, she is just thankful she arrived when she did. Her eyes spot the empty beer bottles next to the bed, and she sighs. Pulling herself up Lucy walks to the empty side of the bed. Watching him she unbuttons her dress slowly. Plucking at each button, and letting it fall to the ground. Lucy pulls her under things off and climbs into bed next to him. She takes some covers to cover herself with and falls asleep next to Loke.

Loke groans and he feels a arm over his middle. He rubs his eye with two fingers before lifting his head and seeing a head. He sees the top of a sleeping head, he hears her snoring softly. Loke frowns, his head spinning a bit, he slept more of the drinks off, but he can still feel it some. Loke rests his head back against the pillow and looks up thoroughly confused as to why Lucy is here, why she is naked and when she got here. "Al?" He finally says, lifting her arm to move out from under her. His hand touches her upper back, her face is snuggled down into his side and the bed, as she sleeps. He lets his fingers brush over her smooth back, and the mole high on her back. His fingers dip into the indentation on her back mid line, it follows the length of her spine. Loke licks his lips as he looks at her. When she wiggles and lifts her head from the hole which she made around him and the bedding to snuggle into she has red cheeks. Loke smiles a bit, brushing her hair out of her face.

"Hi"

"Hi" He copies, just looking at her.

"You were sleeping when I came" she clears her throat. "In" Lucy looks at him, and moves a hand to rest on his chest, touching him gently, he eyes go to his body that she is touching. "I" She keeps looking at his chest and not in his eyes. "You make me feel alive" She says to him finally lifting her eyes up to look at him. He is just staring at her.

"Are you staying?" Loke questions her, and Lucy just looks at him and nods. "Then we need breakfast"

Loke walks down to the kitchen, he just left her in bed. He is trying to adjust to Lucy up in his bed, how just yesterday they were yelling at each other, and she left him again for her husband. Now she is back here, he sees her car outside and the luggage in it. His heart is mending itself right now as he looks at the car with her things. Loke gets into the kitchen and starts to make breakfast for the two of them.

Lucy lies on her back straighter and lifts her hand to touch and rub her forehead, not sure what Loke is thinking or feeling right now. She bites her lip and thinks. He didn't say much of anything to her just now. She doesn't know if he is happy or not. Lucy rolls over and reaches for her dress which is on the floor near the bed. She gets out and buttons it up, heading down towards the kitchen in bare feet. She stops off at the room he made for her, the art room. Lucy sees the boxes of supplies near the door. Walking in she sinks slowly to the floor and pulls a box open looking inside. She sees the art things, brushes and paints, jars. Lucy picks up a few things and rests them on the floor next to her. Slowly she unpacks the box.

Lucy comes into the kitchen her feet on the warm wooden floors. "Hi" She says again greeting his back. She watches him look over his shoulder.

"Hey" Loke turns holding the pan he spoons food onto two plates already set on the table. Loke watches Lucy push her wild hair off of her cheek, and he smiles a bit before looking at his task. He likes that look on her. "You hungry?"

Lucy nods. "Are we going to talk?" She question after him, walking more into the kitchen to look at what he made for them. It looks amazing, eggs, bacon, and some homemade bread. She didn't know he could make home made bread.

"No" He answers her. "You are here, I am happy" Loke turns to rest the pan on the stove, when he looks back at her he questions her. "Are you happy?"

Lucy's breath catches in her throat. "Yes" She says breathlessly. "Yes" She nods a little this time.

"Then we eat" He says extending his hand for her to sit.

Lucy smiles and pulls out her chair across from him and takes a seat to enjoy this breakfast.

They eat in almost silence Loke knows it is because they are still unsure of what is going on now. They spent years apart and when they got together it was in hiding, and very wrong the way it happened. Now they are sitting together and allowed to be together, for lack of a better word. Loke watches Lucy push out looking a little nervous with him. She didn't look like that the first night they met up again and had crabs for dinner. But she does now. He needs to comfort her. As Lucy walks by him to rest the plate on the counter near the sink, Loke puts his hand out. Stopping her effectively. His hand comes out and touches her abdomen, stopping her from getting to the counter with the sink right away. He feels her stomach muscles clench under his fingers and palm. Loke looks at her face and sees her eyes are shut. He watches her tongue dart out and touch her lips.

Lucy grips her plate hard as she holds herself still or tries to, waiting for him to say or do something, letting her know the reason he stopped her.

Loke smiles a bit when she lets out a ragged breath, he loves that. She is always taking deep breaths, she can't help it. He knows her heart races a mile a minute sometimes, now is one of those times. He knows when she gets excited because she starts to breath rapidly, like now, the same goes for when she is nervous. She is a mixture of nerves and excitement at this moment. Loke finally puts the wonder of his reason for stopping her to rest with five words "I love you, you know". Loke's hand moves over her stomach gently still, his eyes are now solely focused on his hand touching her.

Lucy remembers the first time he told her that he loved her. When they first tried to made love all those years ago. He told her then, in this house, when it didn't look like this. It is fitting that he tell her a second time in the same house just 7 years later. "I love you too" Lucy responds to him. She looks at him now first she sees the top of his head before he tilts his head back up to look at her.

Lucy is exploding on the inside as Loke moves against her. She cries out clinging onto him. Lucy moves her head and kisses his chin, she feels him hold her leg keeping her close. "Loke" She moans his name. And falls back, her head now resting on the pillows behind her. Lucy pants gently trying to catch her breath. Loke kisses her parted lips as her breath comes out ragged. He moves down to her neck then collar bone before moving gently off of her.

He rests on his back and sighs softly. His hand moves and finds her. "You okay?"

"Yes" She says managing to find her voice. Lucy turns her head and looks at his profile. "Are you okay?"

"Very okay" He says shutting his eyes, as sleep over takes him again.

Lucy is cleaning up the breakfast dishes as Loke sleeps upstairs. She is wearing her floral silk robe. When there is a knock on the door Lucy dries her hands and walks to it, opening it she looks at her mother.

Lucia Heartfelia looks at her daughter hard. She steps to the side and lets her exit the house. She notices Lucy pull the door shut when she comes out, figuring Loke is there. "So you did it" Lucia says to her daughter both women have their arms folded as they stare at one and other. Stare down one another almost. "You know you father has no words for this"

Lucy listens to her mother. "Mother just stop" She puts up her hand to make her mother stop talking.

Lucia shuts her mouth, but only for a moment. "Do you know that people are already talking and you just left Gray last night?"

"I had to"

"You Lucy Heartfelia have lost your mind" She tells her. "You knew what was going to happen when you came here before your wedding, you sleep with this man god knows how many times before you get married" Her mother shakes her head. "Then after you are married you go and find your way into his bed too many times too count"

"Do you want me to give a rough estimate mother?" Lucy asks harshly.

"Don't get fresh Lucy"

"You did this!" Lucy shouts. "You took him, took the letters, I want those letters" Lucy adds.

"You have him, what are you two now?"

"We are going to get married, and have children a life" Lucy explains touching her chest as she thinks about how amazing that will be. To experience that with him.

"You are making a huge mistake"

"I'm sorry you feel that way" Lucy tells her mother, she is sorry she feels that way but she is not going to be sorry or guilty anymore for loving him. She has loved him her whole life, and will continue to love him for the rest of it.

Lucia Heartfelia turns and walks towards her car and opens the truck, pulling out the stack of letters. Lucy walks down on the grass which is damp it was raining while they were making love again she remembers hearing the beat of the rain and Loke's heart mixed together.

"Good luck Lucy" Lucia hands over the stack of 365 letters to her daughter, a daughter she has to get to know again because she hasn't seen this Lucy in 7 years.

Lucy nods and embraces her mother while taking the letters. Turning on the damp grass, her bare feet getting tickled by it. She walks back up and into the house, ready to do some reading.

Loke walks down the stairs, he looked into her art room but there was no sign of her. When walking past the upstairs windows he saw her car still parked out front, so the worry that she left, that left as he past by the window.

He sees her sitting in a chair in the living room. The very bare living room. When he sees what she is doing, he walks more into the room and smiles. Her attention is fully on the letters in her hand. "I see you got my letters…finally" Loke says with a tiny smirk.

Lucy looks at him and wipes her cheeks, she smiles and nods a bit. "You were tired" She rests the one she was reading down, so that he knows her attention is on him now.

"You wore me out" Loke smiles at her. He watches her blush.

"You Mr. Calhoun are something else" Lucy says with a laugh.

"Hmm, you want me to make you something?"

Lucy thinks for a moment. "No, I'm fine" She watches him nod towards her once and head out, leaving her with her letters.

Loke finishes the kitchen, he noticed Lucy had a good start on it, but must have left it when the letters got here. He can only imagine they were via her mother. He wipes his hands on the kitchen cloth, drying them. When someone clears their throat he turns around and smiles with his whole face. "What?"

Lucy smiles back at him. "What?" She says with wide eyes giving him a face, he gives her one back more of a questioning one, and there the games start.

"Stop it" Loke tells her slightly sternly as he stares at her smile.

Lucy sighs and rolls her eyes a bit. "Boring" She breathes out, turning to rest her back against the doorway frame to the kitchen. She looks at the wood on the other side, her eyes just running over it. "It must have been a lot of work"

Loke nods, even though she is not looking at him, he nods.

"I'm still slightly overwhelmed by it" Lucy turns her head to look at him. "Are you?"

"No" He answers. "I did it for us"

"How did you know we would be together?"

"I didn't" He answers her honestly. He saw her at the restaurant and all hope vanished for them to be together but that didn't stop him from doing it for them.

"Oh" She turns her body resting her shoulder on the frame now. "I never stopped loving you Loke" She tells him.

"You just started loving someone else" He finishes.

"I did" She nods at him once.

"It's normal"

"You think?" Lucy questions him, her brow furrowing a bit as she waits for him to answer her.

"Yeah, what's life without love, you didn't know our love was still double sided, Gray gave you two way love"

"Hmm" She responds because he is making sense. "I want to share the rest of my life with you"

"I kinda want the same" He smiles and wrinkles up his nose to her, and she mirrors it back with a smile.

Lucy rests her head on his chest as she relaxes, their schedule is so messed up, they are awake half in the day time and half of the night. She breathes trying to slow her heart beat. She never knew it was like this, if she did she would have hurried it aGrayg when they were 17. "God your heart is racing" She says her ear flat on his chest, his hands rest on her hip as her legs are on either side of him.

"It happens" Loke mutters his eyes falling shut.

"Where did you learn that?"

"Huh?"

"How did you know" She lifts her head and looks at him. "It would work that way?"

Loke laughs a bit his chest moving makes her move too and when he stops he lifts his head and smiles. Touching the side of her head he brushes her hair back gently, looking into her questioning eyes. "I just did"

"You have been with other women before, others aside from Martha" Lucy tells him, she doesn't ask.

"I have" Loke tugs on her earlobe gently as he tucks her hair behind her ear. His hand strokes down her cheek and his fingers hold her chin between his thumb and forefinger, touching her lower lip, he studies her. "Are you okay?"

"Of course" Lucy nods and smiles pushing up his body using her hands, she presses a kiss to his lips. "I love you"

"A day ago you hated me" He smiles into her mouth, when she pulls back she hits his chest lightly. "Hey"

"You hated me too"

"No I hated you with him" Loke tells her.

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be sorry anymore…you haven't?" He says not really asking but sort of.

"You and Gray" Lucy tells him right away. "You were" She looks away from him and then back. "You know" Lucy shrugs a bit.

Loke smiles he knows, leaning up he also takes the back of her head and kisses her roughly on her lips.

Lucy is in her art room and she is smiling looking at her work. Her lip is being held captive between her teeth, as she studies what she has already done.

Loke is in his shed/workshop working away, the air is starting to get cooler now that Fall is coming in with vengeance. He looks up when he hears the house door shut, waiting for a moment to see if Lucy makes an appearance or if it is just the wind.

Lucy runs on her toes towards where Loke is. "Loke…Loke?" She calls holding onto the side she stops herself from flying into the shed where he is working. She smiles and catches her breath. "Hi"

Loke looks at her breathing and she pushes her un-brushed hair out of her face. "I like your hair like that" He tells her gently, looking at her.

"Thank you, I am going into town" She watches him make a questioning face. "For books, a book really" She shrugs. Lucy answered his question before he even asked it with words. "Be back in a while" She bounces a bit and runs off towards her car.

Lucy walks slowly around the Seabrook book store. She can feel eyes on her. 'Obviously Charlotte and Seabrook both love gossip' She ignores it and keeps browsing. She wants an art book, a few art books if she finds nice ones.

"Good afternoon Miss" The desk clerk says with a smile.

Lucy gives a bright smile over. "Good afternoon"

"Will that be all?"

She pauses for a moment and looks around once more before turning back and nodding. "That's it thanks" She says with a smile.

Loke walks out of his shed, fully spent in everyway possible. He brushes the dust off of his shirt. Turning he looks at his work, and the collection he has made, just since recently he has wanted to sell his stuff off to a potential buyer. He has no source of income, the need to take care of Lucy has become more prominent since she moved in a week ago. He needs to be a man and take care of her in someway now. He knows she wants a family and both of them not working is not going to feed the child or children they will have. His eyes run over the work, he has gotten so good making tables, chairs, headboard, toys, anything. He can make anything. He has even thought about opening a small place and selling things directly from his own small store. He looks at the car pull up and park. It is not Lucy.

Loke watches Gray walk up to where he stands. "What do you want?"

"She is still my wife" Is all Gray says.

"She doesn't want to be with you" Loke tells the man.

"You have nothing to offer her, nothing…is that what you want for Lucy?"

Loke thinks as he looks at Gray. Loke being a man of few words doesn't really have anything to say to him.

"She deserves the best, and you can't give her that, is that fair?" Gray looks at Loke and knows he is thinking. "Is it?"

"I want you to get out of here" Loke says his voice calm but very stern, boarding on angry.

"Just think about what you are taking away from her life, what she could have, and what she is getting here" Gray says walking away. He looks at the blue car drive in and park next to his own.

Lucy frowns when she sees Gray walking towards his car and Loke standing over by the shed. She gets out quickly. "Why are you here?" She says to Gray because he is the closest person.

"Nothing" He says his eyes running over Lucy's features. He notices how difference she looks. She looks very uninhibited, not the Lucy he courted. "You look well"

"I am" Lucy says looking at Gray but her eyes shift and look Loke he just looks at her from near the shed, she sees him lick his lips and run a hand to rest on top of his head before he turns away and walks slowly into the shed. "I have to go" She says holding the books to her chest with two hands.

"Art books?" Gray says.

"I told you…I used to paint" Lucy says reminding him of the little talk they had in his office before she went to Seabrook to see Loke.

Gray thinks for a second, then nods with a smile. "I remember"

"Did you start the papers?" She questions him.

"For our divorce?" Gray questions. He watches his wife nod. "Sure"

"Huh?"

"No I didn't start them but I will"

"What are you waiting for?" Lucy looks at him questioning.

"You to come back to me" He says very softly, looking down.

Lucy bites her lip and her heart strings are tugged just a bit. "I'm sorry" She whispers.

"You know I should go" He says looking at her. "I will be in contact"

Lucy walks towards the shed and she sees Loke sitting on a bench that he has in there. "I got my books" She smiles tipping her head to the side. He is looking at the ground beneath his feet.

"Good" Loke finally speaks up.

"What did he say to you?"

"Did you two have a nice talk?" He looks up at her face.

"He is going to start the divorce" Lucy tells him, hoping he thinks that is good news. "Then" She rests her books on a table, walking over to him. "We can" Lucy sinks to her knees, pushing herself between his knees, she rests her hands on his legs. "Get married" She touches his chest and smiles, her hand comes out and caresses his face.

Loke looks at her, and takes her hands in his standing, his standing forces her to either stand with him or fall backwards. He makes sure she is steady before walking past her.

"You don't want to marry me?" She looks at his back, wondering what is wrong with him.

Loke runs a hand through his hair, and sighs, thinking how he can afford to buy her a ring, or how he can pay for a wedding for her, one that she deserves. He told her once he will never have nice things, and it is true. At that time she said she didn't care, but her 17 years of nice things don't even compare to 25 years of having nice things. She had an extra 7 years to get fully accustom to the nice things that Gray has, and her parents.

"Loke?" She walks up to his and places a hand on his back and one of his side, trying to turn him to face her. "Talk to me?" She waits. "Please"

"Is this the life you want, the life you dreamed of?" He says turning around, her hands slide around his body with his movement, and they feel worried but amazing. She holds onto his shirt at his waist now.

"What happened with Gray?" She questions because he was fine this morning.

"Nothing, I just realized how am I supposed to take care of you?"

"What?" She says shaking her head. "You have been doing a great job so far"

"A week, you have been here a week, what about 5, 10 years down the road"

"Loke we can…don't do this" She says shaking her head.

"I am just thinking, Gray could give you what you deserve"

"Don't you do this Loke Calhoun, don't" She takes her hands off of him and steps back pointing a finger at him. "Don't doubt us now"

"It's better now than 5 years from now"

"What?" Lucy wipes her stray tears. She sighs and looks down for a second before meeting his eyes again. "I don't care about money, or any of that other stuff, you know that"

"You don't have to care, but you deserve to have it"

Lucy turns her back on his and sobs softly. "Fine" She lifts her head. "Do you want me to go back to Gray?" Lucy waits she turns around to look at him, waiting for his answer. "Is that what I should do, get what you think I deserve and not have what I want?"

Loke sighs and looks at her.

Lucy nods slowly before moving to walk out of the door which he is standing near. As she goes by him he takes her arm gently.

"No" He whispers. "But I want to give you what and deserve" His thumb smoothes over her upper arm that he has captive. His other hand comes to touch her cheek, and she shuts her eyes and leans her head into his palm.

"Tell me you love me?" Lucy whispers with her eyes shut.

Loke licks his lips, and looks at her angel face. "I love you" He says before moving and crushing her lips with his. Once the kiss gets started he lets her arm go and takes a step so he directly in front of her, both hands come to hold her face. He proceeds to make love to her mouth.Lucy arches an eyebrow as she looks at him. "Still Loke" She tells him like one would tell a small child.

Loke glares at her. "This isn't fun" He reminds her of his un-comfort. "My ass is sore"

"Oh poor baby" She says from on the other side of the easel. "You will thank me when this is over"

"I don't think so Al" He refutes. She has had him sitting in the same spot for over an hour. "At least give me something good to look at"

Lucy leans out again pausing her portrait of him. "No" She says simply.

"Yes, or I am getting up"

"Then I will just have to find another willing body" She answers him in a sultry tone, lifting an eyebrow to him. "And I am sure someone in town will help me"

"The painting is of me" Loke laughs at her attempt to get him to stay put without any compensation. "Strip" He tells her.

Lucy widens her eyes. "What?" She says slightly flabbergasted. "You are kidding right?"

"No" Loke shakes his head a bit, not wanting to move too much. "You paint nude all the time"

"You've been spying on me?" She questions him now shocked.

"You're usually on the upper porch…anyone could see you if they wanted" His answer sounds carefree.

"You're right, but no"

"Yeah, your work is better when you do it nude" Loke smiles slyly at her, he watches her stick her chin out and step from behind the easel. He has a full clear view of her. He watches her nimble fingers work at a few buttons. His mouth curls into a smile.

"Don't smile" She says her hands pausing. "You drive me up the wall Loke" She growls.

"You love it, now strip" He says controlling his laughter.

Lucy lets the clothing fall from her body as she watches him, her heart is fluttering so much she thinks she might pass out. She wonders when it will wear off, when this feeling of being naked with him, or just being with him will fade. Deep in her heart she hopes it never does, but it has to at some point. They have been living together for over two months now, and the flutter hasn't faded yet. The honeymoon stage is still here. She reckons when they do get married and have a honeymoon the feelings will continue from the start again. She can't wait. Lucy stands in her under things, sighing she smiles a bit. She pulls the pins from her hair. "Satisfied?"

"Hardly" He answers her honestly. "You have more Al"

Lucy cuts her eyes at him and removes the rest of her clothing. The air is rather cold now, the winter is coming over the plantation. It is almost October, they have more blankets on their bed. She smiles to herself for a second when she thinks about Loke telling her they don't need any more blankets on the bed, because he will keep her warm.

"So you are beautiful" Loke says looking at her body.

Lucy turns red and smiles. "I'm cold"

"Let me move and we will fix that"

"Stay put" She points a finger to him, comfortable in her own skin in front of him. "I need to do this Loke" She pouts just a bit, and Lucy can see in his eyes that he is staying. "Okay lets get this done" She makes a cute face and heads behind the easel again.

"Hey now" He exclaims, because he can't see her body anymore.

Lucy leans over only her head showing. "Loke…love" She says, telling him in her own way she doesn't know what he expected, she has to paint…behind the easel.

Lucy looks at him over her shoulder, he has been working all day. Loke works at the lumber yard, he is doing that for money, and in exchange he also gets the extra unused lumber. Fin's father owns the lumber yard and is forever grateful to Loke for looking out for Fin. He knows they were the best of friends. "You okay?"

"Yeah" He comes over and gets a glass of water, "How was your day?"

"Hmm" She moves and kisses his sweaty cheek.

Loke rests his water down after taking a Grayg drink and he takes a hold of Lucy's cheek, causing her lips to pucker out he presses a kiss to them. "I missed you"

Lucy looks at him and her face goes back to normal when he lets her go.

"I brought you something today" Loke takes a step back and reaches into his pocket. He pulls out a ring.

Lucy looks at him and she smiles a bit, shaking her head. "You…I" She laughs covering her mouth not sure what to say.

"I got this…I know it is nothing like the one you had from…" He is hushed when she places two of her fingers over his lips. He looks at her shake her head, telling him not to even go there. Loke kisses her fingers are she removes them. "Well it's for you" He changes his direction and finishes that way.

Lucy holds out her left hand to him. "Put it on me" She smiles as he takes her hand and holds it gently in his. "I think you picked a really good one"

Loke slides the gold band up her finger, it is simple, elegant…beautiful. He pulls her hand to his mouth and kisses it. "Good fit?"

"Yeah" Lucy takes her hand away from him and looks at her new ring, she curls her hand into a little fist and holds it close to her heart. "Good fit" She smiles.

Loke smiles as he lifts his eyes to Lucy, she is painting with such a concentrated look on her face right now, it is possibly the sexiest thing he has ever seen. Her tongue is peeking from between her teeth as she tries to stay focused.

"You know this is hard work" Lucy says putting down the brush.

"You are an artist this should be easy"

"I don't paint chairs" She looks at him.

"Paint is paint Al"

"This is not my paint" She reminds him.

Loke says nothing and goes back to work, he lifts his eyes every now and then to watch her work. Recently he has made an item that will be Lucys to do with what she wants. He doesn't know when the right time would be to give it to her.

"What? She says feeling his eyes on her. He makes a sound and shakes his head. "What?" She says again. "Do you not like it?"

Loke just lifts his head to her tiny outburst. "I want to show you something" Is all he says.

Lucy feels instantly stupid. "Oh" She looks away and smiles a bit. She looks at him hold out his hand to her. He has some paint smudges on it, Lucy reaches out and takes his hand. She smiles as he clasps it and pulls her ever so lightly.

"It's up top" He says moving so that she can climb the ladder herself. He made it at the top because he didn't want her seeing it by accident. He has no clue as to how he is going to get it down from there.

Lucy climbs the ladder slowly, she feels the pressure of Loke coming up behind her, slowly, she is sure he is watching her ever step. When she gets to the top she sees an item covered over.

"Don't touch it" He says hurrying up the ladder as she is already off of it and on top standing.

Lucy turns to watch him stand from the ladder. "What is it?"

Loke presses a kiss to her lips and smirks. "Get it" He tells her.

Lucy gives him cut eyes for a second then she walks over slowly to pull at the covering. Her eyes look upon a beautiful wooden crib. She turns back to look at him standing with his hands in his pockets. "You…"

"Do you like it?" Loke says he watches her whip her head back around to look at the crib, he sees her nod. "You can paint it"

"Oh Loke,I'm not pregnant yet " Lucy says touching and looking at the crib.

"You will be" Loke walks to stand behind Lucy , one of his arms go around the front of her waist. He inhales the scent of her hair and kisses the side of her head gently. "Do you want to be?" He mutters, his hand flat on her stomach now. He feels Lucy's head nod quickly but she says nothing. "Good"

"It's really beautiful Loke…you are just amazing with your hands" She turns in his arms to tell him honestly. Her lips turn up into a smile when he gives her a look. "Stop, I meant" Lucy pauses and laughs. "Never mind" She mutters lowering her eyes for a moment as he hands rest on his shoulders. "You make me uncomfortable sometimes"

"You love it" He says kissing her cheek.

"How are you gonna get this down?"

"I dunno yet" Loke looks behind her at the crib. "We can't have the baby stay out here" He says making a face.

"No" Lucy smiles shaking her head. "We can't"

Bisca looks at Loke as she sits at the dinner table with Lucy, and then alzack . "So Loke" She starts, she has been warned many times to be nice. Lucy took it upon herself to invite her parents over for dinner. Loke went out and caught crabs there weren't as many as last time because the seasons have changed, the water is much colder now.

Lucy lifts her eyes to her mother, giving her a warning look.

"Lucy tells me you are quiet the carpenter" Lucia smiles from her spot, glancing at her daughter.

"Yes" Loke answers not knowing what else to say about that.

Lucia, nods, she looks at her husband. "John likes to dabble, maybe you can show him a thing or two"

Loke looks at Lucy, who looks at her father, then mother, and back to Loke giving him a little shrug.

"I'll come over and we can see what you got" John says with a nod and smile.

Lucy looks at her plate and smiles to herself, happy that her mother is trying, and her father too. Her father has always been rather somber, like Loke, maybe that is why she is drawn to Loke so much. "Well that sounds nice" She adds looking up.

"Can I offer you some tea Mrs. alzack?"

Bisca looks up at him from her spot on a chair in the living room. "Loke" She reaches out to touch his forearm, ever gently as he holds a tea pot. "My Lucy loves you"

"Yes" He agrees with a small nod looking down at the woman.

"You, I think you have always treated her right, you gonna continue that right?"

Loke looks at this woman who is trying to break peace, after years of war. Even though they have not been in contact, he has been at war with her. Even more so when he found out Lucy didn't get his letters, then the war was strong. He blew up at Lucy when she wanted to leave, part of him would have never done that, not after he had made love to her, somewhat tarnishing the moments with the words of anger. It is over now, she has the letters. He sees her still going through them on the porch swing, she would sit in his sweater and the red wool blanket and read. He would never go out there and disturb her, she always came back inside to him and said nothing, just curl up where ever he was. "Yes, I will keep her safe"

"I think all mothers want to hear that" Bisca smiles a bit and pats his arm. She takes her hand off of him when they hear alzack and Lucy come back into the house. She said enough to Loke, she feels they are okay now. "Yes tea sounds good"

Lucy looks at her mother and…her Loke, she smiles. She stands for a second waiting for her father to catch up as she watches Loke pour tea for her mother.

"Loke" John makes his presence known. "You have a fine workshop out there…have you thought of" He looks at the young man, the man who has changed so much since he saw him last, that summer at lunch. "Opening a shop"

Loke smiles a bit and rests the pot down, he looks at Lucy who is playing dumb, he knows she must have said something about him wanting to have a shop. "I have, and I am working on it"

"I may know a place" John tells him, he walks over to Loke and wraps his arm around his shoulders and upper back. "We should talk"

'This is me' She looks at herself in the mirror. Her hands smooth down her dress as she smiles. Her heart is laughing in an uncontrollable way right now. It's hard to know what is going on. They have been engaged for almost 8 months. May, a May wedding was something she wanted. Something for some reason she always wanted. The wedding to Gray is just a mere distant memory right now. Something she won't forget but also that she won't need to remember. Lucy and Loke are having a private wedding that's enough for them. She is not flashy or showy, just Lucy. The girl who fell in love with a boy 8 years ago.

"I take you Lucy Heartfelia to be mine, forever, to live with me, to love, to honor, to cherish" His voice breaks ever so slightly as he stands facing her. Under a willow tree on the land of the plantation. "We met as teens, and again as adults and in between the love just grew. You are my life" Loke says moving in to kiss her out of order. He doesn't care, His hands take her face gently as he kisses her with everything he has. "I love you" His lips whisper against hers.

Lucy sniffs when he breaks away from her. She has waited for this, for him, and is so happy now. "Loke Lionheart, I love you, I will honor you, and live with you for the rest of my life. My love for you has grown so strong and it is unbreakable" Lucy says as he wipes her tears away with his thumb. "I am your wife, and have been from the first day we set foot on this plantation" She looks into his eyes and says. "I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you" Lucy looks up at him and smiles.

Loke licks his lips a little as he looks at Lucy's all beautiful smiling face. The priests voice is just a faint sound in his head as he takes her face gently in his hands and pulls her close, pressing their lips together. He is kissing his wife when he hears, 'You may now kiss the bride'.

Lucy smiles at him through lowered lids.

"So your not mad about having your honeymoon here?" Loke questions her, he watches her squeal while shaking her head and running the short distance to jump on him. Loke catches her easily. "Good" He says smiling and kissing her, her arms are holding onto his neck as she kisses him back.

"If anything I think it's the perfect place" Lucy says breathing up in his arms looking directly at him. "I want a baby now"

"Right now huh?" Loke jokes lightly with her.

"Well not now, now" She laughs, holding him tighter and shifting up a bit as her legs hold his waist. "But I do want one" She smiles kissing his nose. "What do you think?"

"I made the crib so you know I want one…or two, maybe 5" He says with a smile.

"Five huh, five girls or five boys?"

Loke looks at her intensely the passion he has for her shows in the way he is looking at her right now, as she rests in his arms. "How about 5 boys and 5 girls"

"Hmm, sounds amazing" Lucy smiles. "You made my dreams come true…did you know that?" She questions him kissing his cheek and then jaw line, then to his mouth. Lucy pulls back so she can look at him again. "Did you?"

"You made mine come true also"

Loke looks at Lucy sitting on the porch swinging lightly with a cup of tea in her hands. "I am so ready"

"You and me both" He joins her, causing the swing to move faster for a moment before his feet stop it and they slow right down, just enjoying the view. "Time for you to come on out" Loke says looking at her swollen belly as his hand rests gently on it.

Lucy rests her head on her shoulder and smiles. "I don't think he is listening"

"He better start I am his father"

"Well" Lucy smiles. "One day he is going to become a rebel like you, and our words will fall on deaf ears" She sighs touching his hand with hers as they both rest on her stomach.

"You were the rebel Al" Loke informs her of his take on their young adult hood. When he feels her eyes on him he turns his head to look at her, her face is bright and happy, just the way he likes it. "You were"

"Only after I met you" Lucy says speaking the truth.

Loke says nothing more and just swings with his wife and baby.

Luke Frank Calhoun. Lucy licks her lips as she looks at her little boy. He came so quickly she almost had him on the kitchen floor. Loke was amazing. His round little face is something she can never tire of looking at.

"Hi" Loke knocks lightly on the bedroom door. Lucy is back from the hospital and he was there with her the whole time but he wasn't allowed in the room. He looks at her in bed holding max.

"Where were you?"

"Chopping some wood, how are you?" He questions her gently as he comes to sit on the bed next to his wife and son.

Lucy turns to look at him and she pushes in close to him and kisses his lips. "We're good, real good" She strokes a finger down the side of her sons little face. "You know Loke…he looks like you"

"Hmm" Is all he says he is lost in the face of his tiny son. "I have lots of plans for him" He leans in and kisses her shoulder.

Lucy looks out of the kitchen window. She feels like she has grown up so much here with Loke. They have both grown up as their own person but also together, as a couple, as lovers, as a family. She smiles when she sees Loke walking up the lawn with their children in tow. Her eyes light up. "Daddy's back" She turns around and looks at Mary Allen in her high chair. One that Loke made especially for her. She painted her name on the back of it. Mary is a doll, she is a pleasant little girl, even at age one Lucy knew her temperament was that of her father. She is all Loke in a female child form. Lucy goes over and lifts her baby out of her chair and carries her to the kitchen door.

Loke has Leocy on his back his head is looking down as the sweat is running off his body. Leocy is heavy but she is his first little girl, his princess, just like her mother. She should be carried if she wants. Loke stops his step and bounces her up higher on his back. He smiles when she squeals at the sudden movement.

"Daddy!" Leocy yells.

Loke looks at Luke who is now 9 years old run up ahead of them to their house. Leocy is wiggling around on his back, she has her mothers eyes and spirit, at 4 years old she shows great strength the same courage and wisdom that Lucy has. max is a pleasing mixture of both him and Lucy. Enough said.

Lucy steps onto the side porch with Mary on her hip. She waves to her family. "Can you wave hi to daddy?" She leans in a questions her baby, Mary waves.

"Da!" She squeals, getting Loke's attention.

"Mama, hi!" Leocy shouts from Loke's back. "Mama look at me!" She screams loudly right into her fathers ear.

"Oh you are loud" He says grabbing her and swinging her into his arms. Loke puts her on her feet. "Go get Luke" He tells his little spunky girl, smiling he watches her run towards her brother, she causes Luke to make a mad dash towards his mother and other sister. "Get him Leocy!" Loke yells laughing lightly.

"Hi" Lucy smiles when Luke crashes into her and then when Leocy crashes into him. "Did you guys have fun?"

"The ducks mama, so many!" Leocy says her eyes wide as she speaks to her mother.

"I know" Lucy nods smiling.

"He took her before" Max tells his sister, he knows his father took his mother out to see the ducks and geese before, he always takes their mama out on the lake. When their mama and daddy go on the lake, they stay in the house with Fran. That is what their daddy calls private time.

Lucy smiles at her son, she lifts Mary on her hip adjusting the little girls weight. "Hi" She says to her husband as he finally makes it up to the house. She smiles when he pulls her in for a quick kiss.

"Hi, and hi" He presses as kiss to his baby's head and then takes her from Lucy as she reaches out for him.

"How was it?" Lucy questions her husband, her eyes look at Luke pushing Leocy on a little home made swing which is hung from a tree on the lawn.

"Leocy almost fell in from excitement" He says kissing Mary again on her head, the baby pulls at his beard.

Lucy smiles, she knows Leocy sees the birds each year more than once but she also knows the little girl forgets, so her excitement gets to her.

Loke sits next to Leocy in her room. "So you can never leave me" Loke tells his mini Lucy.

"I won't daddy" Leocy looks up her eyes serious and big as she tells her father. "I won't have no place to go anyway"

"Even if some handsome boy comes along and hangs from a ferris wheel" Loke says and smiles.

Leocy covers her mouth with her hand and giggles. "You will hurt yourself if you do that!" She tells her father. "That's silly"

Loke nods at his daughter, he agrees but doing it back then to see Lucy's face after she walked away from him was worth it. "That's right, so you don't want a silly boy"

"Mama says your silly" Leocy tells him.

"Your mama loves me" Loke leans in and kisses her forehead his hand brushes her curls back from her face.

"I know" Leocy's eyes are always so wide and intense.

"So no leaving daddy right?" He questions her again and she nods vigorously.

Lucy blows Luke kisses as she shuts his door. She already said good night to Leocy, and now Loke is in there, and Loke already said good night to Luke. She turns as her hand is still on the door knob of Lukes room and she sees Loke shutting Leocy's door gently also.

"Not all the way daddy!" Leocy shouts in her always loud cute squeaky voice.

Loke leaves the door partly opens so that the light from the hall shines in. He turns when he hears Lucy clear her throat. "Done?"

"Yeah, you?" She walks over to their bedroom.

Loke follows her in shutting it behind himself. He watches his wife of 10 years undo the buttons to her dress. She is 35 years old and still as amazing as she was when she was 17, and 25, and now ten years later. The light in their room is that only of a small night lamp which is creating a soft glow. He watches her slide her dress down and it pools at her feet. Her slip is very thin and slightly see through. "Lucy?" His voice comes out harsh and raspy, Loke licks his lips and swallows to wet his throat. He is still in awe of her all these years later.

Lucy lifts her eyes, she doesn't even realize that he is staring at her until he says her name. Lucy smiles a little and she pushes her hair back from her eyes. "I love you Loke" Is all she says.

Loke walks the little way to his wife and he pulls her close, his lips press light kisses over her shoulder, as his hands hold her gently pressing her lower back causing her to get closer to him. Loke inhales her scent, she smells like a woman, and a mother, he smells Mary on her skin, from the day. She smells of the peaches she cut up for the children after dinner, and the soap she washes with.

Lucy moves her hands to hold him on his strong hard working shoulders, and arms. She feels the muscles move beneath her fingers and each time she feels that she remembers why they have three children. Lucy rubs her cheek against his face, kissing him, and his neck, she feels her feet off the ground as he lifts her, crushing their chests together. Lucy smells the lake, the lake has a smell and Loke embodies it all the time, he rows each morning and each night, and he takes the children out on the lake sometimes. He smells of wood. She loves the smell of wood, she loves the smell of him and sweat when he comes from the shed. He smells like a man, a man who takes care of his family, and he does take care of them, all of them.

"Yes," I answer.

"Loke, you know what happened the last time you saw her at night. You shouldn't be doing this."

"I miss her."

"I know you do, but I can't let you see her."

"It's our anniversary," I say. This is true. It is one year before gold. Forty-nine years today.

"I see." She looks away for a moment, and her voice becomes softer. I am surprised. She has never struck me as the sentimental type. "Loke, I've seen hundreds of couples struggle with grief, but I've never seen anyone handle it like you do. No one around here has ever seen anything like it." She pauses for just a moment and her eyes begin to fill with tears. "I try to think what it's like for you, how you keep going day after day, but I can't imagine it. I don't know how you do it. You even beat her disease sometimes. Even though the doctors don't understand it, we nurses do. It's love it's as simple as that. It's the most incredible thing I've ever seen."

A lump has risen in my throat, and I am speechless.

"But, Loke, you're not supposed to do this, and I can't let you. So go back to your room." Then, smiling, sniffling and shuffling some papers, she says: "Me, I'm going downstairs for some coffee. I won't be back to check on you for a while, so don't do anything foolish."

She rises quickly, touches my arm and walks towards the stairs. She doesn't look back and suddenly I am aGraye. I look at where she had been sitting and see her coffee, a full cup, still steaming, and once again I learn that there are good people in the world.

As I begin my trek to Lucy's room, I take tiny steps, and even at that pace my legs grow tired. I find I must touch the wall to keep from falling down. Lights buzz overhead, their fluorescent glow making my eyes ache, and I squint a little. I press on, and the movement forces blood through banished arteries. I feel myself becoming

stronger with every step. A phone rings in the nurses' station, and I push forward so that I will not be caught. I am young and strong, with passion in my heart, and I will break down the door and lift her in my arms and carry her to paradise.

Who am I kidding? I lead a simple life now. I am foolish, an old man in love, a dreamer who dreams of nothing but reading to Lucy and holding her whenever I can. I am a sinner with many faults and a

man who believes in magic, but I am too old to change and too old to

care.

When I finally reach her room my body is weak. My legs wobble, my eyes are blurred. I struggle with the knob and in the end it takes two hands and three truckloads of effort. The door opens and light from the hallway spills in, illuminating the bed where she sleeps.

She is lying with the covers halfway up. After a moment I see her roll to one side, and her noises bring back memories of happier times. She looks small in her bed.

I do not move, on this our anniversary, for almost a minute, and I Grayg to tell her how I feel, but I stay quiet so I won't wake her. Besides, it is written on the slip of paper that I will slide under her pillow. It says:

Love, in these last and tender hours, is sensitive and very pure Come morning light with soft-lit powers to awaken love that's ever sure.

"I love you" Loke says softly as he pulls back to look into her eyes, he moves so they fall together on the bed, and her legs hug his hips. "I have always loved you" He brushes her lips with a gentle kiss.

I think I hear someone coming, so I enter her room and close the door behind me. Blackness descends and I cross her floor from memory and reach the window. I open the curtains, and the moon stares back, large and full, the guardian of the evening. Though I know I should not, I sit on her bed while I slip the note beneath her pillow. Then I reach across and gently touch her face. I stroke her hair, and I feel wonder, like a composer first discovering the works of Mozart. She stirs and opens her eyes and I suddenly regret my foolishness, for I know she will begin to cry and scream, for this is what she always does. But I feel an urge to attempt the impossible and lean towards her, our faces drawing closer.

When her lips meet mine, I feel a tingling I have never felt before, in all our years together, but I do not pull back. And suddenly a miracle, for I feel her mouth open and I discover a forgotten paradise, unchanged all this time, ageless like the stars. I feel the warmth of her body and allow myself to slip away, as I did so many years ago. I close my eyes and become a mighty ship in churning waters, strong and fearless, and she is my sails. I gently trace the outline of her cheek, then take her hand in mine. I kiss her lips, her cheeks, and listen as she takes a breath. She murmurs softly, "Oh, Loke... I've missed you." Another miracle-the greatest of all! and there's no way I can stop the tears as we begin to slip towards heaven itself. For at that moment, the world is full of wonder as I feel her fingers reach for the buttons on my shirt and slowly, ever so slowly, she begins to undo them one by one.