Chapter 47: Coming Back to Reality

Sirius' POV

I caressed my lady while she maintained her slight smile with closed eyes, very relaxed and happy. We didn't have 'sex,' as she called it, but we did immerse ourselves in a looong session of kissing and caressing. Without realizing it, we had started talking about ourselves.

It was another way of making love, without a doubt.

"That's why, in some way, seeing my aunt with her children and the family gatherings during holy days made me want to have a big family, too," she told me. I loved listening to her and knowing about her life before me five years ago. "Then, when I felt lonely, remembering it made me want it more. However, for a while, I gave up because of work... But now, with you," She looked at me. "You know. You know I want everything with you."

"You know I want the same." I thought for a second. "Well, five years ago, I... Well, I was fifteen, and..." And Marien laughed and moved away a little. "What?"

"Don't make me remember that while I was already a twenty-year-old woman thinking about family, you were still a teenager, playing around," she said, laughing. "Gosh, I'm old!"

I laughed, too, and shook my head.

"Hey, you're not old. Besides, at fifteen, I also had to think about my future. Here, it's like that," I calmed her down and kissed her.

She sighed long and looked at me, "Can I ask a stupid question?" That seemed strange to me. "What made you fall in love with me? What did you like about me? Like, when you saw me..."

"Your sweetness," I answered without delay and smiled as I remembered that moment. "The light and peace that you transmitted to me. Your innocent look was so different from the looks of suspicion and hatred of others. My mind, always alert, went completely silent as soon as I saw you." She smiled and caressed my chest. "Then, of course, that feeling of freedom that just having you around gave me... Also, I must admit that finding you beautiful was something new and fresh, too," I finished. "I don't understand. That's not a stupid question," I assured her sweetly.

She gave a soft chuckle.

"Yeah, well. It's usually younger girls who ask something like this, aside from the fact that it's considered silly by many people. It's just that since you haven't grown up in human society, I guess your vision is different... And, of course, your answer has also been different." She kissed me. "But that's what fascinates me about you."

"Oh, I see." I continued stroking her hair. "What about you? What did you like about me?"

She bit her bottom lip.

"I'm a little embarrassed to admit my answer is a bit human, but... The first thing I liked about you was your eyes." She shrugged, pursing her lips, and I laughed silently. "But I fell in love with you as I got to know you, even after seeing that you were an evolved man." She ran her index finger over my chest. "You and your innocent questions... The purity of your mind."

"My purity?" I shook my head with amusement. "You're the one that is pure."

She laughed again.

"I'm not so sure about that anymore." Her hand continued to lower, and I took a deep breath.

"If you don't believe you are, then I'm even less so," I purred, bringing her against me and squeezing the back of her thigh.

She bit my lower lip with some force that stole my breath.

"Well, I think we both changed."

"Yes, that's exactly what I think," I said enthusiastically. We were connected.

She nodded and snuggled into me.

I was fascinated to talk to her and continue getting to know her.

"So, my purity, huh," I mused and smiled as I remembered. "Like when I asked if we would have kids just because you were taking off my shirt?"

Another laugh.

"What did you think would happen? Were you worried about breaking any rules?"

I shook my head and raised an eyebrow.

"I just wanted you to do whatever you wanted with me," I purred.

She raised an eyebrow, too, looking at me in that seductive way of hers.

"Like what we did earlier?"

My cheeks felt hot, but I nodded.

"I wouldn't have minded..."

She laughed, pulling her face back slightly.

"Insatiable," she whispered and bit my lower lip.

I continued stroking her soft hair.

"Why do you say that only young girls ask that? You are not old, and it's always good to know."

"Well, as I said, they are different perspectives of our cultures, but yes, it is good to know." She shook her head after a short, silent laugh. "What are you going to do when I'm all old?"

"What?"

"Five years older than you, my boy." She touched the tip of my nose.

I shook my head in amusement.

"You're young. And believe me, it's a matter of lifestyle and diet. I'm going to show you what it's like living here. I assure you that you will last even longer than me."

"Oh..."

"After you have recovered, and if we stay here, we can go out in the mornings for a walk around the lake. The temperature is perfect, the ground is moist, and the trees release fresh air."

She smiled widely, probably imagining it.

"I love that idea. We can also jog, but, of course, I may not keep up with you."

"I'll go at your pace." I kissed her forehead. "Always with you."

"I used to jog with Mom many years ago." I felt her tighten her grip around me, and I reciprocated. "But, in the city, you don't breathe the fresh air I have breathed here." A slight smile lit up her face again. "After some time, Marcos and I also tried to run so I could stay in shape, and he... well, he would lose weight." She shrugged, amused. "Our initiative didn't last long," she laughed silently. "You know, the studies, the research."

"I understand."

I held her against me and breathed in her sweet scent. The night had passed by as we talked about random stuff.

Without even realizing it, she fell asleep in my arms. Her arm felt better to the touch. There was no longer that slight warmth from before, which meant it was healing. I continued caressing her. I preferred to watch her than sleep and have nightmares.

I sighed, thinking that we should come back now. There were things to do, but Marien didn't have to be in danger, not again. I couldn't let anything happen to her. I would give her everything she dreamed of: a quiet life, all the love she deserved, and a family...

***

A sweet caress made me aware that the night was over. A soft kiss on my chin sent a slight electricity through my body. I smiled as I felt her lips give me more kisses on my neck. I caressed her hair. She looked at me, and I took her chin to kiss her.

She pulled my hand, and we entered the stream of water. She had wanted to shower with me, and finally, she had been able to remove the bandage from her arm, too, which relieved me.

She clung to my neck to kiss me, so I grabbed her thighs to move forward. I pinned her against the wall and bit her lower lip. I kissed her neck and growled playfully, and she laughed.

"My savage," she said between laughs.

After showering, I covered her with the towel, and we stood looking at each other. Then I realized that her happy expression was gone. It had been replaced by seriousness. She took my face in her hands, making me look down at her beautiful eyes, and hugged me tight.

"Are you okay?" I asked with concern as I hugged her back. She nodded, but I knew what was going on. "It's fine... forgive me."

She was still scared and sad, and it would take her a little longer to calm down. As long as Orion continued chasing me, this wouldn't end, and her anguish wouldn't go away. I stroked her hair to relax her—my beautiful and sentimentalist lady.

"Don't leave me again. How did you think I was going to live without you?" She complained lowly.

"Better that than letting them hurt you..."

She sighed deeply and kissed me on my neck. I picked her up and carried her to the bed, sitting with her on my lap. She didn't stop looking at me the entire moment, so I smiled at her with closed lips.

"It's over. Don't give me that sad face," I asked her tenderly.

She smiled at last. She kissed me, and her hand roamed over my still-wet chest; she bit my lip and growled in her own way, making me laugh a little. She was very cute when she did that.

She took off the towel from her body and wrapped it around us both. She leaned against my skin and closed her eyes, snuggling. I had her like that for another long time, caressing her hair and untangling it with my fingers. My arms were her home, where she would always be safe.

Although...

Her cell phone rang, startling me. She clicked her teeth, reluctantly stood up, grabbed the device, and came back to straddle me, lifting my spirits.

"What?" she replied dully.

"Are you coming yet?" Max asked.

"We're leaving today. However, we'll get there tomorrow since we'll walk..." she murmured while her free hand caressed my body. I took advantage and hugged her, filling her neck and shoulders with kisses.

"Okay, I'll go pick you up in the truck."

"Thanks! We'll be waiting for you." She hung up, smiling, and launched at my lips. Her soft and sweet kisses melted me as always. "Thank you," she whispered, "I'm better now. You're already with me. That's what matters."

"Of course." That reminded me again of what I had to do. I sighed and gave her many quick kisses, making her chuckle. "I leave you to dress in peace," I whispered, giving her two more fleeting kisses. "I'm going to help with breakfast, okay?"

"I can also help."

"Don't worry."

She nodded.

I stood up, although reluctantly since I left her naked on the bed. My eyes roamed her shamelessly, and I leaned in again to give her another kiss while purring. She ended up laughing, and I finally walked away. I put on pants and a shirt quickly and went out.

I heard Dad out there. I found him and Mom in the main room.

I bowed my head slightly.

"Father."

I knew I had a slight blush on my cheeks, and my hair was wet and messy. I also had the scent of my beloved, but now, all that wasn't important.

"Sirius. You didn't do what I advised you," he murmured.

My lips became a line.

"Sorry, they caught me off guard."

"That's what I explained to him," Mom said.

Dad crossed his arms.

"What are you going to do now? Your mother told me you are going to confront Orion and that you are also going to continue helping humans.

"I have to do it." I looked down for a moment and faced him again. "I need to ask you something. Please, I know that as an adult, I shouldn't, but it will be the last thing I ask of you."

He looked confused.

"You can always ask us for favors, son," Mom murmured,

"What is it?"

I took a deep breath, glanced briefly over my shoulder, and approached them.

"I need Marien to stay here. As soon as I finish, I'll be back."

"Is it that dangerous?" Mom worried.

"I trust everything will turn out well, but I don't want her to be at risk, not even for a second. I couldn't stand it if an evolved or a human hurt her."

Mom looked down, and Dad nodded slowly.

"But... Does she accept that you leave?"

"Dad. I want her to be safe. Please promise me that you will take care of her. She is my partner."

"That's for sure. What I mean is if you have asked her if she wants to stay," he said, and I winced. "Remember that you can't make hasty decisions when you have a family."

"This is not a hasty decision," I insisted. "Dad, I don't have to think twice."

He sighed and shook his head. Maybe I was doing wrong. I shouldn't decide for her, but... It's just...!

Mom took my arm and made me sit with them.

"You're very tense. I know you're going to be fine. The humans are going to help you, right? They have weapons, at least."

"Enif," my father was stupefied.

Oh, as if he didn't know what mom was like. I laughed quickly and patted his shoulder a couple of times. Then I noticed Mom seemed to be calming him, stroking his hand.

Marien came and was surprised to find us.

"Good morning," she greeted.

"Good morning," my parents responded as I stood up to go with her, who had smiled when she noticed their hands together.

I took her to the kitchen.

"They've hardly ever held hands before, at least not in front of me," I whispered.

"It'll be because now they consider that by you joining me, they no longer have to hide in front of you because you already know certain things," she whispered in response with a mischievous smile.

Taking advantage of her closeness, I kissed her cheek.

"It's a valid theory." I turned away, smiling. "What would you like to eat?" I turned to see if there was anything to cook, then remembered that it was egg season...

I guided Marien towards the chicken garden. The chickens were in their little wooden houses, so we went in. I searched the nests, picking up the plump birds to make sure my sense of smell wasn't deceiving me.

As they cackled in surprise, Marien let out her beautiful, light laugh.

"This one has one," she said suddenly, and I turned around.

The hen beside her had stood up, like a good gossip, showing the eggs she had laid. I smiled and left the one I had in my hands to take those of that other bird.

As Mom taught me, I left one for her and put the rest in a small basket. The enraged rooster stood in the way, daring to threaten us, so I growled at him, and he bolted. Marien laughed again, and I looked at her tenderly, taking her hand to return to the kitchen.

I loved that she liked all of this. She was undoubtedly meant to live with me.

"I'll help you," she said with great encouragement once we had everything ready.

She prepared the eggs with a skill I had only seen in Mom, so I hurried to warm the soy milk. I took out the bread given to Dad in the morning, and we went to the table.

"Do you like soy?" I asked her, noticing that she was thoughtful as she watched it.

She reacted and smiled.

"Oh yeah. Not when I was little, but then I understood it was very nutritious. Although, how do you make it?"

It relieved me.

"We get it from the town's farmers. We boil it over low heat for a couple of hours. Yes, it is nutritious and has more protein than meat, but it's vegetable protein. We also need animal protein."

She came up to kiss my lips, and I received it with great pleasure.

"I want to learn to cook your favorite food," she whispered, making me smile.

"I know how to cook too, and I also want to learn how to make that Asian food you like so much," I tempted her.

That made her smile widely.

Max must have been very close by now. I put on regular clothes, not the pajamas I wore when I went out to talk to my parents. Marien was ready, too, and I felt Dad's inquisitive look because I still hadn't said anything to Marien.

I sighed and watched her for a moment. I felt unable to leave her, but it was for her safety.

I looked at my parents again.

"Please take care of her while I finish this."

"What?" Marien whispered and reacted, realizing. "No. I'm going with you."

"It's okay, dear," Dad soothed her. "We've already talked, and we're going to keep you safe. Don't worry."

Her breathing hitched slightly, and she shook her head.

"I appreciate it. I really do!" She bowed her head briefly as she had seen us do. "Thank you so much! But I must go with him."

"Okay."

But...!

"Father!" I complained.

"It's a logical decision," my mother said. "She wants to follow you; it's how it should be. She's your partner."

"No, and I don't want to discuss this anymore."

I didn't understand. Why did everyone demand that I behave like an adult if no one wanted to take my decisions seriously?

"Well, you're a family now," Dad insisted. "Don't blame her for wanting to follow you. You're one." I growled low in frustration because he was right. We were one, but our rule could put her in danger. "You're breaking the rules again, but in a bad way, because you, as her man, would follow her. However, you don't want her to follow you."

The sadness mixed with my frustration. It wasn't the same.

"I burst into her life without telling her my true intentions, and I got her into this mess for the same reason: It didn't seem fair to drag her to the end. And I've already made her suffer too much."

"I have decided to be by your side," Marien clarified in a severe tone. "Isn't it clear to you after I joined you in every possible way?" ...Wow. "That you came into my life was no mistake. It was my salvation. So don't you dare leave me again!"

I was left with my eyebrows slightly raised in surprise. Although angry and determined, she was still very beautiful. I had again made the mistake of underestimating her.

Suddenly, Dad chuckled, and I turned to look at them with the same surprise.

"She reminds me of you," he told Mom, and she smiled with her lips closed. "That's the attitude."

"I told you, she's good for our son."

I raised an eyebrow.

...Huh?

Marien looked at them smiling, and I was the only one frustrated, but now what? Maybe they were right, to a certain extent, when they said I was stubborn and still had to grow up. I had a lot to learn, but that didn't mean I didn't know when to protect my beloved.

I sighed and scratched the back of my neck.

A characteristic engine sound was approaching, so I knew what it was. He stopped outside, and I opened the door.

"What's up, resurrected man," Max greeted and entered, but when he saw my parents, he became serious. "Oh, good afternoon."

"Good afternoon, young man," they responded together and stood up.

They asked us to let them know when everything was over, and they said goodbye, briefly touching their foreheads to ours. We were a family now. I knew Marien felt that way, and her face lit up at my parents' gesture as they said goodbye to her.

We followed Max to the truck, sat in the back seat, and Marien leaned on my shoulder. Max smirked through the rearview mirror, and off we went.

"I must say it was a relief to see you alive," he commented, "because this woman was already dying. She had become a total drama queen."

Marien got embarrassed and sighed, so I put my arm around her and kissed her forehead. I understood her. She didn't have to feel bad. I really regretted having hurt her like that.

We heard some calls, and I turned around. The twins and Ursa were chasing the truck. Max stopped the vehicle.

"We want to go."

"No."

"Hey," Rigel insisted, "we already decided."

"I don't want them to catch you and do what they did to me!" I interrupted with a somewhat stern voice.

"That won't happen," he insisted again, downplaying it.

"Sirius," said Ursa, "we want to help you. Please let us."

"Don't hurt our pride," Deneb reprimanded.

I gave a heavy sigh. These kids never knew when to stop.

"I'll come for you later if I need you," I tried to dissuade them.

"I don't think you'll have time. Don't lie." Then something made him turn around. "Sirius..."

I saw Altair coming and growled, quickly going to face him. I continued to growl threateningly, almost baring my fangs, letting him know that if he took one more step, I was going to attack.

"Wait!" Marien clung to my back, and I stopped breathing for a second. Then I continued growling with anger because Altair had seen her.

However, he didn't move forward.

"I didn't come to fight," he said. "I have come to warn you."

"What are you waiting for? Say it."

"Orion has made his followers believe that, by having escaped, you have committed further dishonor. He has manipulated them in such a way that they are saying the words of the elder leaders are no longer worth anything. He has put together a plan and has gone to look for you in that city of humans."

"I already assumed that." It had been strange not to have heard anything from him these days. "I haven't forgiven you, but... Thank you."

He nodded slightly. I took a few steps back without turning my back on him, guiding my girl to get into the truck. When I saw he was finally leaving, I got in with Marien. She sighed.

"Does he help you because you were friends?" she asked quietly. "But, I don't understand. He helped Orion hurt you in that place."

"No, he retired; it seems he regretted it; he said I had not killed him when I could, so he was not going to participate in my death either." I put my arm around her again to calm her down. I knew she was tense about the situation. "But it doesn't erase the fact that he wanted to kill you and that he betrayed me."

"At least now we know for sure where Orion is. How does he plan to enter the city?"

"He probably has the governor," Max spoke.

"Well, I won't hide anymore. I'll finish this myself."

"Sirius," said Rigel, "if you take long, we'll go."

I accepted so they would calm down, and Max turned on the engine.

Max was driving at full speed. The city had been attacked, and his brother had warned that it was Orion. I hugged Marien as I noticed she was scared by the chaos outside.

I had thought about leaving her safe at the hospital with her friends or at the training place, but we were going into danger without time for me to do anything.