Not alone

[Lovely]

June 23, 2010
3pm


Aless had simply not been the same since the night she'd spent with Kain, yes she'd been sore for awhile after but that wasn't the real problem. She went back to work a few days later but just wasn't herself and never really regained that sparkle that made her, in the weeks that followed. She'd never been depressed like this, had never felt so strongly for anyone, nevermind it hitting her so quickly, hurt or not she loved and missed Kain. She didn't know how to accept what he'd done, on one hand she understood it but she wasn't an animal and it felt wrong to her. She felt terrible knowing and not being able to do anything, three men were missing and had people worried about them but who would believe her if she did tell the truth? Then again did she even want to tell anyone and risk causing trouble for Kain and his family? So far the answer had been no and she'd said nothing, twisting herself in knots over it. She hadn't dared to go on another date or even anywhere with a male friend, worried that Kain would see it as a threat. He'd warned her that he would be watching and there were times when she just sat by the window or stood in the doorway looking out, wondering if he was there but she didn't call out to him as she wanted to. Most of the time she sat on the couch in the dark or stayed in bed if she didn't have to go to work, she cried alot.. more than she ever thought she could. Today was another day which had been like the others, she didn't have to work and at 2:30pm she was still in her pjs. She caught her reflection in the mirror and it nearly made her start to cry, she just looked so sad. She didn't want to keep going like this but didn't feel up to being around people, she settled on going for a run since she'd put on some weight in the past few weeks ob inactivity. Ten minutes later was dressed in a pair of jogging pants, a t-shirt with a zip up sweatshirt over that to hide the belly that was starting to show, and her running shoes on. She drove out to the park by the dam and headed out on one of the trails, her ipod in her pocket and some light music to keep her company she started off and kept going, deeper and deeper into the woods. Aless tried to clear her mind and focus on nothing more than her breathing.

Kain hadn't expected she'd get in her car to go anywhere other than work. She'd made no calls and, as far as he knew, received none to meet anyone. He followed her as well as he could from the vantage point he'd set for himself, so close, yet out of her reach down her street. He could sense well how upset she'd been. She still needed time, but his patience was nearly gone. She was a trick to keep up with while keeping himself hidden along the streets on foot, even on four, until he recognized where she might be going and he turned away from following streets to take advantage of going across country on a more direct route to the park. He was nearly winded when he came to a spot ahead of where she would pass him to park. She did so thankfully not far from where he met up with the road again and he took his time now. Following a scent was easier than following by line of sight. He could catch his breath. He trotted deeper into the woods, curious why she would choose to, too, knowing what he was and there were others like him that he'd mentioned. Was she looking for him? He licked his jowls and grinned, it seemed, sniffing the air ahead to see if her scent would tell him anything more. His eyes narrowed, a snarl beneath his nostril curling the scent more solidly into his awareness. They weren't alone out here. If he recalled, she listened to her music when she jogged and would be blissfully unaware of anything or anyone crashing toward her. He hurried his pace to catch up with her.

Ahead on the path, two figures converged, cutting her off from running any deeper into the woods. They both looked like they worked at the mill, but the clothes seemed old and torn, one of them like his shirt was caught with a rake and split with four, long, evenly spaced holes with rust outlining them. "It's like drive-thru," one of them said, nudging his friend. "Running in for a quick bite, though she's the one running into us." His tongue was running the inside of his cheek and his lip glistened a little as if he truly watered at the mouth, thinking of having that bite.

[Lovely]

Aless had sort of tuned everything out with the help of her head phones and she started to feel more calm. She wasn't looking for Kain but did know coming out here might bring him out or closer and she found herself hopeful that she'd see him. With her thoughts on what she wanted to say to him she felt better than she had in weeks and the shine started to come back to her face. The smile that had begun faltered as she looked up to see two men on the path in front of her. Her steps slowed and then stopped, trying to keep herself from getting too close to them. Her eyes ran over both as she pulled her headphones away from her ears, the torn and stained shirt caught her attention and she took in a deep breath. "Afternoon.." She greeted them with a faint smile and a nod, she didn't know what to say or do.

The one who'd spoken first watched her carefully as she removed the plugs from her ears. "Too bad she missed all that. Would have loved to see the look on her face if she'd heard me the first time. Guess she doesn't have good ears. Wonder what she's got that works," he pondered, walking up toward her.

His companion waited a moment, staring hungrily at her. He began to walk around the side of the path to walk around her, maybe to get himself behind her. Neither one moved quickly, seeming confident - perhaps too confident.

Aless licked at her lips, her eyes darting from one man to the other, were these Kain's brothers? She heard the comments they made now and it made her think they were like him and she thought of how terrified each of her three dates must have been when Kain went after them. As the one came toward her, she started walking backward, it was instinct to move away from the danger she sensed, though she knew they could move much more quickly than she could. "I'm sure my expression wouldn't have been anything too thrilling for you.. You know, in fact.. I don't think I have anything that you'd want.."

The quiet one started to snicker. He was tall and dark-headed like Kain, but otherwise bore little resemblance. He even appeared older. "A sweet thing like you, alone out here? I can think of many things you have that I'd want," he said, coming closer to her in heartbeat, enough to grasp her hair.

The first one, the one wearing the ripped shirt, took a few more steps closer as she tried to step back and was blocked by the other one. "Didn't ask for your opinion about it, sweetheart. I was talking to him."

Behind them on the path was the wolf that had followed her from her home. Kain didn't need to speak to tell them what was on his mind. The bristling fur and deep red glare in his eyes as he stalked forward was enough, but he growled to make sure she knew he was there.

Aless tried to be tough and brave but the dark haired one moved so fast and had ahold of her hair, she gasped and let out a soft startled noise. Her eyes widened at his comments and as the second one came toward her, basically telling her to shut up. She was about to call out for Kain, hoping that he'd be close enough to hear her as he had promised he would be when he left her house after thier night together. She heard the growl and felt a bit of pride swell up in her, was it really him? "I'm not alone." She said quietly but fiercely, glaring toward the one she could see and trying to pull away from the other.

Ripped Shirt looked up at the growl and grinned. "Really? That's not a spaniel, sweetheart. Seems you've mixed up your four-footed friendly kind with one of ours." He looked at Kain without fear, but a wash of concern did knot his brow. He didn't smell a dog anywhere near or on her and hadn't heard any fearful yelps. Kain had no blood on his snout, either, though he was usually the prissy primping one who'd likely washed up first. "Just in time for the party, Kain. I know you like dark-eyed meat."

[Lovely]

The one with his fingers in her hair jerked tighter. "My kind of party, too. Mmm. I'm definitely a leg man," he growled out, reaching a hand behind her thigh.

Kain growled louder and charged ahead of Aless to block Ripped Shirt from touching her as well.

Ripped Shirt laughed. "Of course you can have first bite, Kain. I wasn't going to bite her. Marc here, though. He's always hungry, you know."

"I know exactly what he is." She all but hissed at the ripped shirt guy, but couldn't help the fear she felt as the other one gripped tighter in her hair. "Let go of me!" She jerked her leg away from the touch behind her thigh. "Don't touch me!" Kain moved in front of her, putting himself between her and the ripped shirt guy but the way he spoke to Kain, she began to wonder if Kain was protecting her or going to join with these others? "Kain?" She nearly whispered his name, had she taken too long.. had he decided he didn't want her?

Kain pushed forward against Ripped Shirt with a fierce snarl and appeared he was ready to launch at him if he advanced further. Aless spat her warnings at Marc who was now more of a threat. Hadn't he warned her himself about the others she -did- like? They didn't want her for her, they wanted her only for gratification, and then there were the likes of his pack brothers who were even worse. He turned on Marc now, careful to gauge how he held her and how he could get her loose of his grip without hurting her. His choices were few and he stood a chance of having her neck snapped with the way Marc was tangled in her hair. Getting him to let go wasn't easy unless his own life might be threatened. The threat was delivered in another snarling, frothing and angry bark with his teeth bared. He would kill Marc if he hurt her.

Marc, amused by the display of prowess, slipped his fingers loose. "As you wish," he murmured smilingly at her shoulder as though it were her threats, not Kain's that made him let her go.

"Seems he's a little sweet on you," Ripped Shirt said, puckering around the ideas of Kain's possessive display.

Aless was shaking a bit as Marc let go of her, she wrapped her arms around herself, her lips turned down in a pout. "Thank you." She stared at Kain for a moment and then brought her gaze up to ripped shirt. "Seems he is... could be it's mutual." She chanced to glance over her shoulder at Marc but decided for now she would rather not look at either of the other men - they scared her.

As soon as Aless was in the clear, Kain launched at Marc who appeared ready for the attack, melting down into a creature of Kain's size and strength though darker fur seen only in a blur as he was tumbled off the path. The shreds of the clothes he'd borrowed were strewn in a trail as they bit and swung at each other.

Ripped Shirt laughed as the two fought. "Over her? Boys, what's the point?" He turned back toward the girl. Without them in his way, he was ready for a little snack of his own now. "Better hope Kain wins," he suggested, moving toward her and expecting her to run. Even more amusing if she tried to put up fight.

[Lovely]

Aless was left standing there in complete shock and dismay as Kain and Marc tumbled off in a fight she didn't begin to understand. Marc had let her go and neither man had hurt her, sure they'd scared her but they obviously hadn't known who she was.. but then again there was obviously still so much she didn't understand about Kain and his kind. Her gaze snapped to ripped shirt and she shook her head slightly. "Why are they even fighting?" She realized how he was moving toward her and her hand came up. "What are you doing? Do you guys make a habit of trying to eat the girls your brothers are dating? Don't you have girlfriends of your own to go bug?"

Kain was tired already from the run, but not too tired to put Marc down for the time being. He emerged from the side of the path alone, snapping through branches to get to the man who was coming up on Aless now. He'd taken a few deep bites and his face was scratched, but he plowed forward to keep him off of Aless.

"That's what he just said - teeth and all," Ripped Shirt grinned, ready to take Aless to the ground himself as Kain emerged again. Kain's apparent victory made his grin flatten and his eyes narrow. Surely he hadn't killed Marc? Ripped Shirt changed form into a more golden-furred wolf as Kain leapt at him, too, the ripped shirt and remaining clothes left at Aless's feet where she could now see the rips were recent and the rusted tint around the claw marks was still wet.

Aless didn't care if the rips were recent on the clothes that were left at her feet, she didn't really even look at them, once again left staring in shock as Kain leapt at the second wolf. She didn't understand any of this or why they were fighting like this.. all she knew is she didn't want any part of it. This was insane and all the peace she'd started to feel drained away as the violence continued. She stepped over the pile of clothes and started back down the path the way she'd come, already feeling the sting of tears in her eyes. After a few steps she stopped and waited, she owed Kain that, to wait for him to finish the fight.. to tell him to his face. If the other one happened to win, then he'd kill her and it would be over.. she didn't want ripped shirt to win.

She began to run, but something made her stay. Kain had a good hold on the other's leg, but let go and rolled back, kicking and scrambling away from the fight now, nettles and bits of leaves kicking up in a dust as he fought to get to his feet and get to her.

Ripped Shirt wasn't getting up as quickly, lamed already with another bite to his own hindquarter that made him stagger and shake off the fight as he stood and watched Kain try to stop the girl.

Marc had dragged himself out of the underbrush as well, still on four feet though his head was low and the cut on his neck was staining his fur darker. It looked more like he'd taken the sharp end of a branch than a bite, but he would live in either case. He approached the golden wolf, stepping forward to nip the discarded clothes pile from the ground and pull them back to where they stood. He shrunk back from Kain who was all paws and balls in the air, nearly flying to right himself and get to the girl.

Kain stopped near her but not too close. He reverted himself enough that should could see 'him' in the face, but he was clearly tired and hurt, trying to keep her from getting killed and eaten. He seemed shy now and hardly angry. "Thank you. You didn't leave," he said, though the strain in his voice may have made it unclear to her at first.

[Lovely]

Aless wiped at her cheek, her back was to the fight and the other two so she didn't know what they were doing, she heard Kain's voice and turned only partly to glance at him. Her breath caught as she saw the marks on him and her head shook a little. "Don't... don't thank me.." She couldn't get more than that out at the moment, seeing him hurt upset her so much.

His joy crumbled at the edges and he tried to come closer, appearing shaken now that the adrenaline was ebbing away. He had enough energy to fully change his form, but he was going to regret it soon. "Why?" He reached out to her, afraid now to touch her or she would fight him herself. "Azarius and Marcus? They needed to know the truth or they would have killed you in a heartbeat, Aless. I didn't even want Marc touching you. You didn't want him touching you. They know how important you are to me now... strangely how important I am to you. They find it funny, actually."

She started to fold her arms around herself again but when he reached out for her she moved toward him to try to gently embrace him. She was afraid to touch him as well, seeing him hurt because of her, her head shook again. "Well I don't find it funny!" She bit back the rest of her words for a moment but she couldn't pretend. "..and yes, it's because of them.. of what just happened.. now I know I can't stay with you.. I can't be what you want me to be.."

"Why?" He asked again, more concerned now and digging gently for a reason he could live with. He would have killed them for trying to hurt her. He wasn't sure if she was grateful for the protection or not. "Their humor isn't like my own. If that's what offends you...?" He tried to find words, questions that he could fathom answers to, but faltered, trying not to let her go.

The tears blurred her vision and ran down her cheeks as she tried to hold him tighter without hurting him more. Aless really did love him and trying to tell him goodbye was breaking her heart. "It's not their humor.." She licked at her lips and tried to explain. "It's because... they didn't stop.. I can't be a part of your family if they'll still try to kill me. I can understand when they first saw me.. they didn't know.. but when you came up.. and tried to protect me.. they didn't stop.. you backed down the one in the ripped shirt and Marc let me go.. but then you still went after him.. and the other started going after me again.. and he didn't stop until you went after him too.. if you had taken another minute... I just... I can't.. and you shouldn't have to."

"It's over now, though. See? They're my brothers, not sworn enemies. They didn't know, but now they do. They won't ever go after you again for any reason... well, unless you encourage and taunt them, but you're not silly. Aless, please. Don't leave, not now. I had to make it clear that you're with me, now and forever. Please... don't change that."

The other two stayed where they were, though if she turned, she'd see Azarius and Marc were both standing again, Azarius putting the ripped shirt back on again.

Marc had gathered enough of his own scraps to cover himself, but seemed not worried about anything that wasn't.

He pleaded with her and she felt it tug at her, making it harder to leave, making her want to stay with him. Her fingers slipped into the longer hair at the back of his neck and she turned her face into his shoulder and neck, almost hiding there for a moment. "I don't want to leave you.. I love you.." She told him honestly and turned her face to kiss his shoulder lightly. "You're hurt because of me.." She pouted, he'd likely feel it against his skin as she sort of nuzzled in her hiding place against his shoulder.

[Lovely]

"I'm hurt?" He put his hand to his face and brought back the blood on his fingers. "I'll be fine," he said, realizing it probably looked worse than it was. It likely looked better now than it had started, though, healing already as he stood with her. "Explains why my nose itches, hm? If you don't want to leave... then don't. Stay and be with me. There won't be any more fighting like this."

She leaned into him a bit, letting her head rest against his shoulder and closing her eyes for a moment. "I've been miserable since the moment you left my room that night.. I'm sorry I made you leave.. I'm sorry I reacted like I did.." She apologised to him for how she'd acted when she found out about what he'd done to the men she'd gone out with. "Are you sure they won't try to eat me anymore?.. Do you have any other brothers? Will we have to go through this when I meet them?" She shifted to look over his shoulder at the two who'd tried to make her their lunch.

"Several, but no. You shouldn't have had to go through this now, but my scent was too faint for them to know it. Aless, please, don't be miserable and don't apologize. This is a world you never knew existed. I can't blame you for being terrified of it. I'll tell you a secret, though," he said, trying to get her to look at him now. "It took me months to decide. I kept going to that clearing, and talking out loud... to no one, I thought.. and telling myself I was crazy and dreamt it all, but it was real. I didn't want you to take months. I don't want to wait that long again to be happy. I want you to be happy, not miserable."

"Very nice, Kain. You should have brought her flowers. It would have saved me a nice shirt," Azarius said from down the path as he and Marcus begain to head away. He joked about the shirt and slipped his thumbs through the gashes that had ripped further into ribbons.

Azarius didn't seem angry, though with Marc his expression was much the same as before. He seemed to grin a little as he rose his head, sniffing the air as if to confirm the direction of the smoke from a fire in the distance. "Going to tell her the rest or make her wait six months like you did? You think we scared her?" He chuckled a little and turned to walk with Azarius, disappearing off the path to head into the deep woods where they'd sprung from.

Aless looked up to him as he told her about what it had been like for him. She managed to smile a little and shifted her hand to his cheek. "Aaaand now you're getting crap from your brothers because of me." She chuckled a little though, realizing they were teasing him and glanced over to see them moving away. She brought her gaze back to Kain with a soft sigh. "I don't want either of us to be miserable.. I've been.. pretty awful.. I've been so depressed, I'm getting fat!" She shook her head and sighed again, rubbing the small belly beneath her shirt, that had 'popped' out in the past few weeks. "So.. what 'rest' do you have to tell me? You've explained alot already.."

He was all too happy to see her and answered first with a kiss he stole gently. His hand rested over hers on her belly. He hadn't noticed at first, possibly because of his own blood on his face and his nose had been cut, but Marcus was right. She wouldn't be able to wait six months to decide even if she wanted to.

[Lovely]

Aless hummed softly as she was kissed and reached to his neck again to hold him to her lips for a little longer, it felt like it had been longer than three weeks since she'd kissed him last. She pulled back with a gentle smile and brought her thumb to brush some of the blood from below the cut on his nose. She licked at her lips which had been smeared and realized she'd tasted it in the kiss as well, she was intrigued by it rather than disgusted or shocked as she'd been before when she'd found out that there had been the tiniest taint on Kain's breath from Dale after their night together. "I missed you." She told him softly.

"I think I did too. Miss you, I mean. Driving me crazy is not something I would recommend. Don't worry, though. I've eaten no one," he admitted shyly.

"You think you did?" She hmphed and pouted at that, rubbing her thumb against her fingers and watching the blood give the tips of them a light red stain. "You have eaten.. something, though.. haven't you? Are you hungry now? We could go ho.. back to my place, I could make us some steaks.. I know it's not the same but.."

"You'll need to have more than that. A lot more... for you. For the both of you," he said, watching how the blood affected her now. The changes were already starting and his hand rubbed her tummy lightly. "It's not the same, but it's a start with something you know."

"Why will I need more.. for both of me? Did you hit your head on a rock? There is only one of me here.." She was chuckling but wondered if she should be more worried about his injuries. He rubbed her belly and she reached to move his warm hand to a different spot. "It hurts here.. I have a wicked cramp from running.. I haven't been in weeks, I let myself get so out of shape." She laughed again at how she distracted herself and sort of jumped around from one thing to another. "I'm sorry, my attention span has been crap lately.. and I'm sorry I keep saying all these things and I don't mean to.. well like I'm blaming you.. I did it to myself."

"You had help," he chuckled. "And you're not getting fat, or out of shape. Aless, you're distracted for a reason." He reached to her hand with the blood smear. "You're curious and not repulsed... for a very big reason."

"No.. Kain.. please.." She shook her head looking a little sad again. "You didn't.. I kicked you out.. and I wouldn't let myself call out for you to come back.. do you know how many times I wanted to but.. didn't? I'd stand at the door looking out, wondering if you were out there and I missed you.. I did this to myself. I made myself so miserable because I could have asked you to come back.." She shook her head again and looked away for a moment, trying not to cry again. "I almost left you again today.." There was anguish in her voice and tried to wrap herself around him again.

"I walked slowly, made you breakfast and promised you I'd be back. No one kicked anyone," he said, shushing gently and embracing her. "I was there, you know? Saw you on the stoop, looking to the alley and wondering. You might have walked away today, but I would still be there, waiting for you to change your mind. I'm here now, though, and so are you. Look at that, hm? I think you want to say yes... but you don't need to wait for my permission to say it. Just stop apologizing and say it, please?" He teased a little and perhaps hoped too much, kissing her hair and blinking away tears of his own that threatened as he looked down the path where his brothers had gone.

[Lovely]

"The sandwich fairy." She chuckled into his neck, smiling at how angry she'd been when she saw the food he'd made and left by the door of her bedroom. Her fingers curled into the back of his shoulders as she held him a little more tightly and nodded her head. She wanted to say yes, she wanted to be with him and not feel the ache of being without him. "Yes."

"Not a fairy, thank you. I'm a mean and nasty, terrible man," he said teasing still and making fun of his own description as he said it. "Raaarrr," he play-growled, elated she said it and from every sense he had he could tell she meant it. He let her hang on his shoulders where she clung and started to lift her from the ground and spin around with her.

"You are not!" She laughed as he described himself and playfully growled at her, though she couldn't deny that there were a few times when she tried to convince herself that he was those things. She hadn't been able to, no matter how conflicted she'd been over what had happened to Dale and the others. She felt him start to lift her and spin. "What are you doing?"

"Being happy with my wife!" He shouted and even his human voice was elated enough to sound like a howl of joyous triumph. He didn't spin her far, realizing after even halfway around he had been bit enough to feel it on top of the fatigue from trying to keep pace with her and a car. He let her feel the ground again. "As happy as can be until I've had some rest."

Aless laughed, sharing his joy even in the half spin before he set her back to the ground, it was strange that she felt a little dizzy from it. She held onto Kain with one arm and brushed his cheek with her other hand. "Your wife that has already caused you so much trouble!" She kissed his other cheek and kind of nuzzled there for a moment. "Will you be alright to get back to my car? I can give you my sweatshirt unless you want to.. go on all fours.. you're a little naked."

"I'll borrow the shirt for now," he said, realizing that it could be a problem not to have clothes on. "I'll be fine," he reassured her, nuzzling back and nipping gently at her neck, though not enough to break the skin. "Just get us home before you think you're hungry."

She gasped softly at the bite against her neck, arching up toward him a bit, feeling delight and longing for him, remembering the way he'd nipped and touched her when they'd been together. "Mmm yes we need to get home quickly.." She sighed the words, almost completely distracted again but catching it a little and she remembered to unzip her sweatshirt to give it to him. "Why before I think I'm hungry?" She asked as she held out the shirt and pulled her t-shirt out a little since it now fit so snuggly around the new bulge of her tummy.

"Because you'll want everything you see on the way there and I don't want to wait in the drive-thru," he said, giving her a suggestive raise of his eyebrows that perhaps he wanted all of what he saw as well. He fit the sweatshirt she gave him around himself, zipping it and folding it down awkwardly like a skirt, but it covered him for now. "She'll be beautiful like her mother," he added.

"Well it's a little late for that.. I feel like I'm always hungry lately.." Right now it wasn't just for food either. "It will pass, now that I'm feeling better.. now that I'm with you." She smiled sweetly at him and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "It looks nice on you." She reached back to goose him and tugged at her shirt again."Who will be beautiful like her mother?"

[Lovely]

The pinch was certainly not helping his particular hunger to diminish though the zipper of the sweatshirt was altogether uncomfortable and made him wince slightly as he jumped and wriggled against it to relieve its placement. He groaned a bit at the sneaky teasing, but stopped as his thoughts ground to a halt. He thought she knew, that he'd made it clear, but he must have been clear as mud. "The reason... that you're hungry, hm? Alessandra, darling, you don't understand, do you? Our daughter, or son... perhaps more than one, but I can't tell yet, is the one making you nibble more than you've known you could, not me. Well, me, in the respect that I kept you quite busy, but that is the reason. It's not a beer belly," he snickered, trying to scramble her back into his embrace before she fainted, exploded or began wanting to hit him again.

Aless was smiling at first as he explained but the shock was clear in her face as he finished and all of his odd comments were explained. She put up no protest to being pulled back into his embrace, curling close and wrapping her arms around him. "Are you sure.. that I'm.. that we're..? oh my.. isn't it too soon though.. I mean to have a belly? It's only been a few weeks.. I'll be ginormous in nine months!" She laughed but it was a nervous sound, could she really be pregnant? Yes, she really could be.. she hadn't thought of precautions the night they'd spent together and he'd given her his attention for hours. Her hand shifted to her tummy, cupping over the small bulge.

"It won't be nine. It won't even be six," he said gently, putting his hand over hers again. "That's what Marc was talking about and the two of you standing there. I'm very, very sure because I'm right here where I can smell it even better than he could. His nose is exceptional - the only good thing about him, actually."

"It wont even be six?" She paled at that thought and swallowed hard, her fingers dug a little where she gripped him, the hand on her belly shifting slightly over the bulge as if to try to figure out how long it would be by the size of the bump. She hadn't really felt it before, it wasn't squishy like just fat would be, it was sort of hard where she pressed her fingers against it. "Of course.." She reasoned with herself, giving a noise like a half hearted laugh. ".. wolves don't take nine months to have thier babies.. and since you're a wolf.. I don't know how long they take.. You must know.. so tell me.. how long will it be?"

"I think we'd better get you home first," he said, not sure she'd want to hear the answer out here and be able to drive them anywhere. He'd offer the den, but his brothers had already upset her enough for one day.

"It's that soon, huh?" Even though he didn't give her a direct answer, the way he put it off told her enough to make her panic a little already, she did well to keep herself mostly calm for the first few moments. She uncurled from his embrace and reached to grip his hand tightly. "Start walking.." She really wasn't sure how long she could keep from freaking out with her own ideas spinning in her head and waiting for him to tell her more.

[Lovely]

The wash of panic was almost palpable. "Aless...," he started, wanting to tell her the rest, but didn't want to distract her too long. He walked back with her toward the car. "It is soon. Perhaps it is too soon." Of course it was too soon. She'd only just found out and now only had a little over a month for her entire world to change.

"Kain.." She answered him and half turned to give him a small smile, her fingers clasping his very tightly for a few minutes. "It's not too soon.. I promise.. I may freak out but.. it's not too soon.. not now that we're together. I loved you the night I asked you to take me upstairs and you loved me.. and we made something amazing that night.. so no matter what, I know it's right and it's not too soon.. or too much.."

He was relieved by that much, but was still concerned how she truly would react with a more exact answer. "Well, I don't want you to freak out here. I can console you far better there. And repeatedly," he suggested as well. "There's much to be done, including coming back here to meet my family under far better circumstances."

"I appreciate that, but of course you know not telling me is almost just as bad." She had relaxed enough to loosen her grip on his fingers slightly and flashed him a brief smile as they walked.. she was walking rather quickly. "I'm sure I'll need lots of consoling before I'll be ready to meet the rest of your family... and lots of take out.." She bit at her lower lip a little. "Will they tell the others what happened today? Would Marc tell them about me.. and my package..?" She rubbed her belly again, trying to get used to the idea that it wasn't just laziness and too much comfort food. ".. or will it be your surprise to tell them?"

"He might, just to be annoying, but I'm hoping he does to make my life a little more pleasant there for a change. Rumors that I'm all bark and no bite, hm? Seems you've been bitten perfectly," he said, reaching back to goose her this time as the car came up in view.

She let out a small playful laugh as he goosed her this time and if he looked, he would see the sparkle of it in her eyes. "It seems I have." She agreed with a quick kiss to his cheek as she frisked him to retrieve her keys from the pocket of her sweatshirt. "Do your brothers.. know anything about me? All the trouble I've been.. I just wondered what you told them if anything and if it contributed to those rumors?"

"Very little, or they'd have been expecting you. I told them I'd found a girl, yes. They thought I'd meant a cheerleader, aparently. He's right though... I do -love- your eyes." He watched them dance with the delight, so much better than the tears.

"Rah-rah." Aless did a little impression, shaking imaginary pom poms for him. She clicked the button on her keychain to turn off the alarm on the car and unlock the doors and draped her arms around Kain's shoulders. "You love my eyes?" It kept the smile on her face though her cheeks warmed with a light blush at the compliment.