::Iole smiled as she closed the door, feeling a tremendous weight being lifted from her shoulders. She glanced down at the makeshift ring, more precious than silver in her eyes. Things were finally starting to look up for her. Maybe she could finally leave it all behind; all the ghosts and all the regrets. Once things were over in Doma she could be a family with Oliver and their son surrounded by their friends. It seemed like nothing could touch her. She was flying high and indestructable::
--Later That Night--
www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSM6-JBzQRQ::The moon shone beautifully over the waters that graced the shores of the cliff below Leah Garden. In a small enclave high enough to escape the tides sat a small headstone, plain and unadorned with only a single name scratched into its surface by hand. The times she had visited this place had been far and few between, but she had never failed to lay some wildflowers at its base::
Happy Birthday Rena.
::Her bare feet glided lightly along the sand of the shores in a slim white shift. The night breeze wrapped its fingers around her and lifted her night black hair. But it did nothing to her. The cold had ceased to bother her long ago. Somehow she was always warm. So her shiver had nothing to do with the frigid night air or the biting cold of the water as she dipped her feet inside::
??: Do you still blame yourself?
No.
::She lied::
I know she would't want that. Not after what she gave up for me.
??: But what else could she do? You'd already given up so much for her. That's what I love about you. You hold life in such high regard. You never give up, even on those who've given up on themselves. It's that spirit of yours that gave me a reason to live.
::She laughed, not looking at him::
You had plenty of things going on in your life before I ever came.
??: And when you did I saw just how empty all of them were without you to share it with.
::She felt his hand on her shoulder, so strong and smooth. Wait, smooth? For some reason she expected fur to meet her flesh. But the thought suddenly vanished as his hand slid down to wrap his arms around her. The warmth of him added to her own. It was like she had just donned a coat. No, not a coat, her skin. It was like part of herself had just come back. She got to her feet and turned to look into his glistening yellow eyes. Her heart stopped, and suddenly she felt very cold. The eyes she had expected were steely blue::
Wait... you're not...
??: What's wrong Iole?
::She felt shivers course up her spine when that silken voice said her name; like warm honey sliding from his tongue. His scent was overpowering, spices and herbs with a just the faintest trace of sulfur. And for some reason that scent above the others appealed to her. It filled her nostrils as the night wind blew through his long dark hair. His V-neck top was without sleeves letting the moonlight shimmer on the muscles of his arms as they wrapped around her, smooth as the skin of a snake, and just as tough, but so warm::
It's nothing.
::She breathed::
It's just...
::She didn't know what frightened her more; that she couldn't escape his embrace, that she didn't want to, or the fact that she couldn't think for the life of her why these two things should frighten her. It was as if she had forgotten something very important. His eyes creased in sympathy::
??: Oh my lovely Iole.
::Again she felt her whole being tingle at the sound of her name dancing on his tongue. He pulled her closer and tucked her head beneath his chin::
??:I know it's hard. But I promise I will always be here. Through all the years we have ahead of us, I promise I will be at your side.
What are you talking about?
::But at the moment she didn't care. The his touch and his scent was all that existed to her right now, pushing any other thoughts she had to the back corners of her mind. She let her eyes wander back to the little grave beneath the cliff, but suddenly the moonlight showed her that it was no longer alone. There were others now, all lined up in a neat little row. She broke away from him and raced to the grave markers. A lump welled in her throat as she read the names etched on their surfaces; Kenny Avalerion. Lillith Domani Avalerion. Dante Shadesang. Eva Natsuki. Rainii Loire. Galeon Chaos. Julie Loire. Simon Dante Avalerion. Each name she read felt like a knife was edging its way deeper and deeper into her heart, filling her chest with ice that made her breath stop. She wanted to scream, but she felt more like she was being suffocated. There was one last grave, and this one she refused to look at. Refused to believe it was there. Refused to believe what it said it did, even when she saw the old pair of goggles and the golden combs lying in a place of honor before it::
No.
::She shook her head violently as hot tears spilled down her cheeks::
No. No!
::Her hand felt light, disconnected, like it was moving on its own as she traced the name on the headstone; Oliver Fray Tipp. She was only vaguely aware of the hands that pulled her back to her feet, and the voice that filled her ears::
??: It's alright. I'm here. Nothing will ever change that.
::All she could see were the endless gravestones that surrounded them, spanning without end now. And they stood in the center of them all, the only ones left::
::Iole gasped as her eyes opened, feeling like she had just broke the surface of a frozen lake. She groped around in the darkness, finding her bed exactly as she'd remembered. She felt herself start breathing again when her fingers brushed against Oliver lying peacefully next to her. She ran her hands over him, his fur, his warmth, making sure he was there with her. It was him. Steel gray fur, steely blue eye, long matted brown hair. Her Oliver. She breathed a sigh of relief::
www.youtube.com/watch?v=v83gu2bvZfE