Healing a Wounded Soul (Junpei)

[Junpei]

He didn't get to answer as another kiss came and he melted once more, gods how he wanted to take her now, but his mind demanded he attend to her health first. Breaking the second kiss he reached up and stroked her cheek, his thumb running from just below her eye to the corner of her mouth, the whole while he smiled, lovingly.

"Forget it for now Phaedra, love, my fiance'. We can talk about all that later, for now we should get you some food and some more rest... as hard as that is to do."

He leaned down an kissed her again, his tongue seeking out hers this time and his hands roaming over her, finding the spots he used to always caress and touch, he ones that he knew made her spine tingle and her blood rush. He remembered every little inch of her body in his mind, the hot and passionate love they shared.

He broke their third, and now final kiss for the moment, and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear.

"I'll be right back. I'm just going to go grab some food and then I promise to be back in... five minutes OK?"

He knew she still needed this kind of silly re-assurance, no not silly, needed. She needed to know he would be back again, because last time he hadn't said when, or how, or why, so now every time was going to be as fast as possible.

[Phae]

Phaedra was finding it increasingly hard to keep her hands off the man she loved. Especially when his hands began running over her body. She let out a slight moan and then he broke the kiss leaving her aroused and wanting more as he kissed her cheek and then said he was going to leave for five minutes.

Her heart and stomach lurched at the thought but she knew he was going to get food and they didn't have any here. She nodded when he said he was going to leave and she inadvertantly glanced at the clock noting the time. This was the first test the first test of trust. The first test in many tests that it would take to get the old Phae back.

While he was gone she picked up the pink puppy in her arms and pulled her knees up to her chest stroking the puppy her eyes never leaving the door as she waited silently for the love of her life to walk back through it.

[Junpei]

AT two in the morning, with only pants and slippers on, and trying to be stealthy... no good. Junpei managed to make it to the cafeteria in a minute thanks to a couple of fancy teleports and within thirty seconds he had loaded up two trays. He paid, got out, and got back in four minutes thirty four seconds, new record. When he came into the room he took a deep breath, juggled the trays a second, and then moved to the bed where he set them down.

Anything he had found that was recovery food, he had grabbed for both. Chicken broth, hot ham and cheese sandwich, mashed potatoes with white gravy, jello, cheese sticks, and even a few slices of various melons dotted the trays. Hell it was a meal to get better on. Not only was it high protein and vitamin, but it tasted good, and Junpei loved to savor taste.

"Eat up."

He said as he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss before pulling back to dig into his hot ham and cheese. The tender ham with a rye roll and melted american cheese was great, each bite perfectly cooked, damn magic could be handy. Smiling over at her he took a sip of the orange juice e had grabbed as well, full of vitamin C, so she could recover faster and faster. Gods how he was being protective and nurturing now. He even went so far as to make sure she had enough knives and forks for everything... twice.

[Phae]

And he had come back. In four minutes and some odd seconds he had returned ladened with food and she smiled. He had passed and she was thankful. She looked silently down at all the good foods he had brought back for them and immediatly saw what she was going to dig into first.

She picked up the bowl of mashed potatoes and began to eat slowly. She hadn't eaten in days and so she knew that if she ate too fast she would only get sick and loose everything she had eaten. She took a spoon full and nursed it slowly. She smiled a little her eyes a bit brighter again.

"Mashed potatoes are my favorite." she said to Junpei as she ate another spoon full slowly. "I think you got a bit much though. I haven't eaten in days there is no way my stomach can handle this much food."

Oh crap! She thought to herself. She had just admitted to not eating for days and now she knew that wouldn't get passed her love. What he didn't know was how she had worked out every day for at least six hours and slept none except the night with Jonathan and the half hour with Xeryth. She had so many people to thank for thier care and had no idea how to do it.

She suddenly became very interested in her mashed potatoes as she began to suck on a new spoon full her eyes never meeting Jun's.

[Junpei]

She hadn't eaten in days, what else hadn't she done while he was gone. He was a bit panicked now, but managed to hide it behind a few coughs, chocking on ham. He finally swallowed the bite with teary eyes and looked over to her, more worried than ever. So that's why she had been in that hospital bed, she was neglecting her body for him, destroying it because of him. A look of guilt crossed his face and he slid over, behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her into his lap and continued to let her eat, but nuzzled into her back as well.

"I'm sorry Phaedra..."

It was all he could say, no yelling at her for not feeding herself, no long winded speeches about needing food and nutrition, no he just needed her to be in his arms. She did indeed feel lighter, that was no surprise, and at best she had been on those Nutritions three hours, maybe. Damn himself. At least she was hydrated, and able to move around a bit that was a good sign. She certainly was good enough to return those kisses earlier with... more than ample passion and love. So what was it that had him so worried right now?

[Phae]

Phaedra watched the emotions roll across his face and she knew he blamed himself. She knew that it wasn't his fault not really. He had started it yes, but it was her decision not to eat and to not take care of herself.

However something good came out of it. When he appologized he pulled her up into his lap and Phae melted. She put her potatoes down pretty full as it was and she nuzzled back into him.

"Dearest Jun. It was not your fault. Truth is it is my fault. I didn't take care of myself. But I was hurt and worried. I should have taken better care of myself but I thought I had lost you and so I gave up." she told him. She reached up and kissed his neck softly her eyes closing and her lips lingering.

"I'm so happy you are back Jun." she whispered. "I need you. I cannot survive without you."

[Junpei]

He listened to her words, felt her lips on his neck, felt every movement of her body, and was so happy she was letting I'm back in, no matter how slowly. He carefully moved aside his food and hers, giving it a quick freeze to make sure it stayed awhile. He set the trays down on each night stand and then pulled Phaedra back into his lap, being sure to handle her carefully.

"I love you Phaedra."

He whispered as he wrapped his hands around her waist and kissed her neck softly, just on her pulse point. How much she had endured since he had been gone, all thanks to that damned Onira, he wasn't even a friend anymore, more like an enemy to be removed. Well not removed now, he was gone, but it wasn't all Onira. Junpei had also hurt her, and for that he was apologizing for everything, right now.

"I'm sorry I left, sorry I broke your trust, sorry I let you et this way, sorry I made you dought, I'm sorry for everything Phaedra, so sorry, so so sorry."

[Phae]

Phae heard his words and she listened. These were the words she had needed to hear truthfully. Not only was his touch important to her but his words about leaving her and about breaking her trust with him so easily in the angry moment.

"Junpei. I cannot ask you or tell you to promise that you will not leave me again because I'm not sure at this moment I could believe those words. What I want is your devotion. I want to know that you do still love and care for me. That you want to marry me. I want to know why you left and why you couldn't tell me where you were going. I want to know why you merged... yes I noticed... with Harlow without my presence when you said you wanted me there. I need comfort from you I need your love..." one tear fell from her right eye. "I need you.. damnit I need you so badly it hurts."

Well she had cursed. She never did that but she still hurt. She was going to hurt for a while and at least he was back and she was slowly very slowly coming back to herself.

[Junpei]

A sharp intake of breath followed her words, they were true, she knew, and now he would have to tell her, and the words would probably hurt more than him leaving... no they wouldn't, but they would sting for sure.

"I still love you Phaedra, as much as ever, and yes I still want you to marry me, and I want to marry you on my own will as well, god how I need you Phaedra."

He leaned up and kissed her, a little passionately but still he broke it quickly, continuing soon after.

"I bonded without you... because I read... the weekend you got here actually, that if any part of me regretted it it could kill me. AT the time... I had a small, very small piece of me that was aching because of what he did. So I left to clear it and at the time I bonded, I don't know why but I did. After it happened... I knew you would hate me for it..."

He lowered his head at the end and hid his eyes under his bangs, not daring to look at her for fear to see anger and hate. He knew she loved him and still wanted to marry him, built something like this... could even his love pull threw this with him?

[Phae]

Phae shifted in his arms quickly after he said he knew she would hate him. Because nothing could be further from the truth. She lifted his chin up with her finger and the other hand reached up and moved his bangs out of his face.

"I need you to listen to me. I need you to believe what I am about to say." she told him her own sapphire eyes now with half the luster they originally had staring into his own gray eyes. She smiled at him first before she began. This was important.

"Junpei Taltos. I have never, will never, could never hate you. I love you with every particle of my being. When you left I threw myself into a dark depression but now that you are here and helping me find my happiness once more I am coming back. But my love for you has never wavered. The full week you were gone I never lost any love or caring for you. I will never leave your side unless you force me to. You know that through all this I never left my flame never flickered. I will forever be yours and I want to marry you as much today as I did the day you asked me." she spoke truthfully and her voice and her eyes conveyed the truth of the statement and the sincerity.

Now she had to see what his reaction would be.

"My biggest dream is to be Mrs. Junpei Taltos." she whispered.

[Junpei]

Her words, he listened intently and his heart soared at them. His whole body seemed to warm a bit as she spoke, how could he have doughted her? No he had doughted himself, he had doughted whether or not he could really allow her to still love him. He had been a jerk, a straight up jerk and she was forgiving him and still loving him.

Sighing happily he leaned in an nuzzled his nose to hers, softly and sweetly. Finally he spoke, in just a whisper, it was important but she needed to know that his affections were behind every move he made tonight.

"Phaedra, I would love nothing more, nothing more than to call you my wife. To wake up with you every morning at my side, to be there threw the good and bad and have a guiding light. o enjoy every second with you as I do now, even in the rough times. To have my one true mate, the one person I know I'll be happy with, there with me forever. Phaedra, I love you, always have and always will, and now you need to know, that I want you to be my wife always and forever."

He leaned his head back a little and that put his lips on hers in a short kiss, one that left him desiring more but he had more to say.

"Phaedra... you need to see the full effects of the bonding, but not here. We'll do it tomorrow, when you're feeling better."

[Phae]

Those words. The sweet and beautiful words that came out of Jun's mouth after she had spoken her own words of love made a bright smile come to her face and a swelling of her heart. She looked into his eyes and then the kiss came. She loved those lips the ones that made her crave so much for him. After being gone for seven days she was hard pressed to keep her hands off of him even in her weakened state.

"Please, don't spare me. I need to know now or it will definatly keep me up all night." she said with a smile but she knew it was true. "I can take it. Please. I have you back I can survive anything."

[Junpei]

Should he? Could she really handle what he was about to show her? Yes, she could, but he would have to break his hold on her, and that he did very reluctantly. Slipping his arms out from around her he slid off the bed and then moved into the center of the room. He close his eye sand let his breath out smiling a bit.

"Now don't freak love."

Junpei tapped his new found power and pain crossed his face. Seconds later his hair flickered silver, bright silver, and then stayed that way, growing out a bit. On his back the two tattoos glowed and from each it's respective colored wing emerged, a full angelic wing. Finally he opened his eyes and they were a piercing emerald green, very bright, and very alert. He had also grown about two inches, his whole body was changed practically. He was more in tune with his black magic, he had yet to test this new found power, but he was sure he would have time later.

Letting out another breath Junpei stood, facing Phaedra, with his wings spread and his whole appearance changed, save the skin and build. He smiled at her and nodded, meaning he was done.

"Well?"

His voice now had an underlying tone to it, Harlow's.

[Phae]

Phaedra felt him leave her and she knew he was going to show her what he had acquired by merging with Harlow. She had never met Harlow and she felt there was probably some reason for that but what she did see she was definatly not prepared for.

She had expected some new spell or new ability but to be able to change ones own appearance was something else. Phae watched him change from her love to... this stranger. The hair alone freaked her out. He asked her not to freak but seriously who wouldn't. She stood up slowly as if she was afraid he would attack her or something her face full of not fear but more curiosity.

She walked over to him and walked around him. She ran a hand down each wing as if she wasn't sure they were real. Once down the white and once down the black. She touched his hair the silky strands running through his hair. She moved around in front of him and stared into those odd green eyes. The green eyes of a stranger. She really didn't have anything to say. Speechless for one fo the only times in her life.

If she hadn't seen him change with her own eyes she would never have believed it in a million years. She stepped back and her eyes rolled back in her head as she collapsed fainting. Apparently, this hadn't been the best idea. Maybe he could have prepared her a bit.. more. But then again how do you prepare one for this?

[Junpei]

She fainted, he caught her, he sighed. He should have seen this coming and he told her to wait but damnit, she was always so stubborn. Hefting her up into both arms, holding her bridal style Junpei casually made his way to the bed and set Phaedra down, leanign over her he gave her forehead a gentle kiss. He would have to stay like this a while now, so he folded both wings under his arm, crossing over his chest to sort of hide the majority or him in a black and white sheet, and laid down next to her. He carefully stroked a couple strains of hair out of her eyes and watched her, trying not to think of what she might do should she wake up and find him like this once more.

"I knew this was going to happen..."