The final chapter is here! I'm sad to see it come but I never meant for this story to be a long one. In case you didn't notice, the rating has been bumped up to M. I wasn't planning on writing anything steamy but it just worked out that way. Let me know what you think about that scene - if it's good, cringy, or just all out terrible.

I'd love to hear from you in a review or PM about what you thought of the story as a whole. Much love to all of you, especially those who have reviewed, favorited, and followed. Your feedback has been amazing.

Oh, and PS - - To anyone that was hoping this would turn into a GaLu, there's hope for you. I've already started writing a new story with that pairing. Full disclosure, I wrote the first couple of chapters for that story to put off ending this one, which is why this update didn't happen earlier this week. It'll be posted today or tomorrow.

"Maybe we could work out some sort of deal if you tell me."

As they walked to the train station hand in hand, Rogue shot down another of Lucy's attempts to figure out where they were going. "Bribing me isn't going to work, either."

"Oh, come on!" The blonde protested and stomped her foot. "You didn't even let me get to the good part and explain what I was going to offer."

"Did you even have anything in mind or were you just hoping I'd give in without knowing?"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him, hoping her expression looked more like a glare and not like she was fighting off the urge to laugh. "Stop knowing me so well."

Rogue shrugged and smiled down at her while pulling his hand out of hers to wrap his arm around her waist while they waited to board the train. He couldn't seem to get enough of touching her. When his thumb brushed beneath the hem of her shirt and she didn't object, he decided to push his luck and slide his entire hand under the fabric to feel her tight, smooth stomach. The feeling of her soft curves pressed into his body and smooth skin beneath his fingertips was exciting him in a way he was trying to ignore. He didn't want to rush things with Lucy, she was much too special to be treated like a one night stand, but their earlier activities had his mind headed in the wrong direction.

The sound of the train attendant's announcement that passengers could begin boarding broke the dark haired man from his dirty thoughts and he let his, hopefully, soon to be lover out of his grasp to board. His eyes stayed glued to Lucy's body as she walked, taking in the way her hips swayed sensually with each step of her long, lean legs. The man was so captivated by her that he barely registered her movement stopping in time to keep from knocking her over.

"You want to sit here? I don't think anyone else will come this far back and I doubt you want to be surrounded by people when your motion sickness kicks in."

Reminded of his weakness, Rogue groaned under his breath and nodded as he took a seat. He didn't expect Lucy to sit as close as she did. Not that he expected her to sit far away, but he didn't think she'd sit so close that her bare thigh touched his and then lean against him slightly, giving him a perfect view of her cleavage even out of the corner of his eye. How the hell was he going to make it through an entire day like this? He felt like a hormonal teenager again.

He didn't realize his hand had migrated to touching the leg closest to him, the pad of his thumb making small circles on her inner thigh. It wasn't until she moaned lightly and started talking that he jerked his hand back to his lap. "You're going to have to stop touching me like this or we're going to put on a show for the other passengers. I already feel like I've been sitting on a fountain."

The mental image that came to mind with those words wasn't helping the dark haired man at all, but he was saved by the train beginning its journey. All sexual thoughts fled his mind instantly when the debilitating nausea kicked in. Lucy scooted a little further from Rogue and patted her lap saying, "Here, lay down in my lap and I'll rub your scalp. It might help."

Doing as instructed, Rogue settled with his face pressed to her stomach and legs stretched across the bench. "Any better?"

He nodded, unable to speak without vomiting his breakfast all over her lap. The dragon slayer inhaled deeply, taking in her relaxing scent and trying to ignore how wonderful she smelled while aroused. It wasn't something he could do anything about right now, so he'd just have to enjoy lying here against her.

Lucy leaned her head back and hummed to herself as she enjoyed the way Ryos' hair felt in her hands. It was such a simple thing, running her fingers through his hair like this, but doing it made her feel connected to him again, almost like she hadn't lost out on so much time with him. The blonde quickly shoved away the depressing thoughts of what things could have been like if they'd never lost touch, knowing it was dangerous to think of such things. Dwelling on possibilities that were impossibly out of reach wouldn't help anything.

Instead, she focused on figuring out where they were headed. She wasn't certain, but Lucy had a fairly good idea of where Ryos wanted to go with her that morning. The only thing he'd said during her interrogation was that this wasn't part of their date and he still planned to take her out properly later that evening. So, that meant this wasn't meant to be romantic and simply something he wanted them to do together.

Close to two hours later, the train stopped and Lucy's nauseated lap warmer sat up slowly as he said, "This is where we get off."

Rogue looked at her and knew from the brilliant smile on her face that Lucy knew exactly where they were and where they were going. "I haven't been here in a long time."

The couple departed the train and made their way through the town where they'd met so many years ago. Both recognized the sound of pigeons squawking in the distance and knew right away they were loose. Seemed like some things never changed. They talked and laughed about jobs they'd done at the time, marveling at how much they'd both grown since then.

"Remember the time we were helping that guy catch fish in the pond behind his house and I dropped Aquarius' key in the water?"

Rogue laughed openly, unable to contain the sound at the memory of coming so close to death. "How could I forget? I almost drowned that day. I still think she felt sorry for me when she realized I could barely swim and pushed me back to dry land. She didn't seem to mind leaving you out in the middle of the whirlpool she'd created."

Lucy laughed along with him, "Yeah, she probably did. Aquarius has a temper but she really does have a good heart. She didn't actually want us dead. Well, not you anyway."

They were still chuckling lightly as they entered the inn they'd stayed at so long ago. Not much had changed in the time they'd spent away, just the carpeting had been updated and walls repainted. The same old man sat behind the desk, though he looked much older now. Lucy felt a little guilty that she couldn't remember the man's name; she'd just always called him Grandpa.

The elderly man stood up from his seat when he saw the pair come inside, though he moved slower than they remembered. His wrinkled face split into a huge grin when he recognized them. "Well, I'll be darned. I always wondered what happened to the two of you. Ya look so grown up now! Turned out nicely, a big fella. And look at that! You're holdin' her hand! Good for you, boy."

Rogue couldn't hold down the blush that crept onto his cheeks as the old man praised him and patted his back. Lucy noticed and just giggled lightly, not denying the man a hug when he reached for her. With his hands on each side of her face, he gasped and said, "You've hardly aged a day. It's true, isn't it? You were one of the lost Fairy Tail mages?"

Lucy nodded, her smile losing a bit of its light at the reminder. "Yeah. We were gone for seven years. I came by once right after we got back but you weren't here." She left out how she'd wanted so desperately to find Ryos and had sat on their bench for hours wallowing in heartache. That was the day she'd realized what she was to him but had no idea where to begin looking for him.

Noticing the sadness now showing in the young woman's eyes, the old man lightened the tone of the conversation. Turning to the dark haired boy whose name he'd somehow forgotten, the elderly man asked, "So, are ya gonna marry her now or what?"

Rogue's eyes nearly bulged out of his head and Lucy laughed at the reaction. He seemed unable to form any words, so Lucy helped him out. "We've only just recently been reunited but we'll see how it goes. I wouldn't mind keeping him around, though."

Chuckling at the reaction he got, the man waggled a knobby finger at Rogue as he said, "Alright, but you better not wait too long. Somebody'll come along and snatch up a pretty one like this. And I better get an invitation."

Not knowing what else to say, Rogue just nodded and said, "Of course."

His answer pulled another giggle from Lucy, making Rogue realize what he'd just agreed to. He didn't think he'd ever stop blushing after this.

The three of them sat at a table behind the desk and sipped on tea as they caught up on major events since the last time they'd spoken. Not much had changed in the small town, but the old man was happy to hear about the young mages' accomplishments. They'd both looked so lost and alone all those years ago when they stayed in his inn, but now they were both well established mages in powerful guilds. He couldn't have been more proud of his surrogate grand children.

With more hugs and promises to return soon, the couple left and made their way through town until they made it to the park where they'd met. They sat together on the weathered bench in silence, both lost in memories of the past. Lucy was surprised when Ryos spoke first.

"I haven't been here since just after the Magic Council announced the lost mages to be presumed dead and called off all future search efforts. Before that, I came here regularly hoping I'd find you or some small trace your scent to let me know you'd come back." When he turned to look at her, the haunted look in his eyes nearly broke Lucy's heart. "By that point, just over two years had passed since the last time I'd seen you. Each day it was harder and harder to control the dragon in me. During that time, I realized what you were to me and prayed everyday to any gods out there that you'd be returned to me, but you never came. The last day I came here and still didn't find any signs of you, I left all my hopes here and turned my back on who I was. It wasn't until finding out you almost died on the streets of Crocus that I realized how dark I'd become."

Tears flowed freely down Lucy's cheeks as she listened to Ryos' story. She knew things had to have been hard for him, but everything he said combined with everything she knew he didn't say made her heart ache that much more for him. The pain she'd endured paled in comparison to what he'd gone through.

"I came here once when we returned, just like I told Gramps. What I didn't tell him, though, was that day I realized I was your mate. It was strange to realize, but it made so much sense. I already knew all about what mates were since I was Natsu's partner and the idea excited me more than it frightened me, but I had no idea how to find you." The blonde turned away from him at this point, unable to look him in the eyes as she continued. Though she only did what she had to do to survive, Lucy still felt a bit of guilt about how things had gone.

"Life went on as if I wasn't dying a little each day. I only survived because Gajeel's magic somehow calmed the chaos of your magic created inside me. He explained some of it to me and was surprised I hadn't lost my mind during the time we spent apart, but he helped me without question. Before that, I'd thought he was just a cruel, heartless man, but now I know why you always looked up to him."

Rogue nodded, unsure of what to say. He'd known Gajeel kept Lucy alive and he should be thankful to the other man for that, but he couldn't completely quench the jealousy that crept into his heart as he listened to her speak, not missing the fact that she cared for his former mentor. The dragon in him paced restlessly, urging him to mark her as his own so no one else could take her from him, but Rogue stopped those thoughts from progressing. He'd done his share of horrible things to survive their time apart and refused to hold this against Lucy. Regardless of his feelings on the matter, the fact remained that if she hadn't gone to Gajeel, she would have died and they never would have been reunited.

His possessiveness calmed slightly when Lucy leaned to rest her head against his shoulder. Rogue wrapped his arm around her petite form and pulled her fully against him, ignoring the tears he felt wetting his shirt. The dragon slayer wrapped his other arm around his mate and held her tightly, comforting her as much as himself. She was here, this was real, and they were going to stay together this time.

When her tears stopped and her breathing was calm again, Rogue spoke without removing his face from her hair. He wasn't quit brave enough to ask this while looking at her. "Did you really mean what you said earlier?"

Confused by the question, Lucy tried to move to look at Ryos but couldn't when his arms tightened around her. "Which part?"

"What you said to Jiji earlier."

The blonde paused as she tried to figure out what he meant but her mind was still a mess from their conversation. When it finally hit her, Lucy laughed quietly, the sound a little off after so much crying. "You mean when he asked if we were getting married?"

She felt him nod hesitantly against her and laughed a little more. "Yes, Ryos, I meant every word of it. I'm not letting you go again. We'll have some things to figure out since we're in different guilds but I'm not going to let that get in the way of being with you."

Rogue felt like a weight lifted with each word she spoke, freeing him from a fear he was carrying. He didn't try to fight the urge to kiss his mate and pull her into his lap. The taste of her on his tongue while she straddled his body and eagerly returned the kiss ignited the passion he felt for his mate. He couldn't resist pressing his arousal into her heat and growled lowly when she responded by grinding her core against him.

They broke apart breathlessly, both feeling overheated from the intensity. Rogue's voice was husky as he spoke, "We have to go if we're going to make the last train back."

Lucy nodded but didn't move right away, her body begging her to finish what they'd started. After taking a few deep breaths, the blonde felt composed enough to stand, but took hold of Ryos' hand as soon as he was standing next to her. They made their way to the train station in silence, both resisting the desire to pull the other into a dark alley to continue their explorations.

When they were seated on the train, the pair found themselves in the same position they had been on the bench. Lucy's body felt like it could melt into a puddle at any moment with the way Ryos was running his hands over her bare legs and up into her shirt to cup her breasts. The way he rolled his thumb over her barely clad nipple made her shudder and press her center more firmly against his length.

Rogue tipped his head back at the action, hissing under his breath. If only she'd been wearing a skirt, he could just slip beneath it and find relief in the heat he could feel even through her denim shorts. As Lucy made her way down the column of his neck teasing him with her mouth, he strongly considered simply ripping the denim apart and taking her there on the bench. But then the train moved.

All their activities stopped immediately as Rogue fell victim to the vehicle's relentless torture. Lucy sat next to him and sighed in disappointment as he resumed his earlier place in her lap. Embarrassed by the wetness between her legs, the blonde mumbled, "Maybe I should ask Virgo to bring me some dry panties."

She was surprised when her lap warmer grunted and shook his head. He used his nose to nudge her shirt out of the way and inhaled deeply against her skin. Quietly, he muttered, "You smell even better now."

Blushing brightly, the blonde flicked his ear and said, "You're such a perv."

"Maybe," he said while grinning against her stomach. "You like it, though."

Lucy rolled her eyes as she began massaging his scalp like she'd done on the earlier trip and tried to ease her embarrassment by reminding herself that he liked her arousal.

It was early evening by the time the couple made their way off the train again. Lucy wasn't sure how determined Ryos was to take her on a date that night, but she was feeling a little too tired to go through the trouble of getting dressed up and going out. He must have read her mind because he said, "We can go out tomorrow, if you'd like. We could just pick up something to eat and I can show you the house I've been working on."

"I thought you lived with Sting."

Rogue realized Lucy would be the first person he told about his house. Even his partner didn't know about it. "Essentially, I do. I haven't actually moved out, but I also haven't spent much time there in the past few weeks."

The dark haired man considered keeping the next part to himself, but decided she needed to know. He would just have to suffer through the embarrassment of blushing the entire time he spoke. "After the games, I knew I wanted to be with you but also realized I wasn't a suitable mate. I found and bought a home that needed some work and spent most of my time putting all my energy into that while trying to sort through the bit of madness my mind had succumbed to in the past few years. Most of the home's issues were things I was able to fix myself but I hired civilians for anything I couldn't do."

Lucy smiled at that, unable to contain the happiness she felt at knowing he had planned to come to her. Even though they'd been brought together unexpectedly by her arrival at the Sabertooth guild, it still would have happened eventually when Ryos was ready for her.

The rest of their walk to a restaurant Rogue suggested was quiet, neither feeling the need to fill the silence with unnecessary conversation. They placed a to-go order with the hostess and sat in the waiting area while their food was prepared.

A few minutes into the wait, Lucy realized a pair of women sitting within her line of sight was watching them. More specifically, they were watching Ryos. Their whispering and girlish giggling irritated the blonde, awakening intense, possessive jealousy unlike any she'd ever felt.

Rogue noticed the change in Lucy's demeanor and asked, "Is something the matter?"

Inclining her head in the direction of the women, she asked, "Is that something I should know about?"

He didn't have to look up to know who Lucy was referring to and felt a familiar twinge of regret at his past behavior. Without looking away from his mate, he answered, "They're no one important."

"Looks like they think otherwise." Lucy grumbled. She remained irritated during the last few minutes of their wait, barely managing not to cause a scene with the other women. Couldn't they see she and Ryos were together? Did they have any tact? Probably not, she thought to herself, they didn't look like the type.

As they walked away from the restaurant and Lucy's antagonists, the blonde realized she was being a hypocrite. She'd done her share of unsavory things in the time she spent trying to fill the void left by Ryos' absence. He had barely even reacted to her telling him about Gajeel, and yet here she was ready to snap over two women that were clearly the type to throw themselves at anything remotely attractive with a functioning penis.

"It's alright. I understand." Rogue looked over at Lucy when she spoke, wondering if she meant what he thought. He'd sensed the sudden change in her mood, though didn't expect her to say anything. He definitely didn't expect her to be understanding when she began speaking again. "I went through a time of looking for anyone or anything to fill the aching void I carried around constantly. I can't imagine what it was like for you to endure the same thing for so much longer than I had to. No one ever came close to filling the gap, though. Not until now."

Lucy looked at her mate and smiled sweetly at him. "Want to get there the fast way? I don't really feel like walking after we already spent all day doing it. Besides, you can always show me the way tomorrow morning when we leave."

Rogue watched Lucy for a moment before responding, wondering if she meant to imply she intended to stay the night with him. There was no way he could spend another night with her without claiming her. The mischievous look in her eye gave her away, and Rogue realized Lucy knew exactly what she was saying. The dragon slayer pulled her in close and kissed her lips once before pulling them both into the shadows.

When they surfaced outside the front door of a house, Lucy noticed the familiar tingle of Ryos' magic circulating through her body. The blonde realized she'd felt it ever since leaving the guildhall with him in his shadow form the day before and briefly wondered if that's how she'd ended up with so much of his magic in her before. They traveled that way regularly in the months they spent together before she disappeared. The thought didn't concern her, though. She had no intention of getting far enough away from him to begin suffering again.

Suddenly nervous, Rogue didn't open the door immediately. He wanted this to be their home, but what if she didn't like it? He knew, logically, Lucy wasn't going to be unhappy with it and would likely want to help complete it, but it didn't stop him from feeling unsure.

"I like the door. I've always loved red front doors." Her comment gave him the courage to open the door and pull her inside.

Lucy stepped in and looked around. The front room was empty, save a table and chair Ryos likely used to eat. It was bare but nice. The walls were obviously freshly painted in a welcoming, warm tone but the trim hadn't been finished. One of the walls had a large window-like opening that revealed a very nice looking kitchen on the other side. She found herself moving further into the house without prompting to explore it further.

The beginnings of a hallway opened first to the kitchen. This room appeared to be completely finished. The countertops were perfectly polished dark granite and the cabinets were stained a deep brown that completed the look. Each of the appliances was new and the tiles on the floor looked recently laid. "This is amazing."

Rogue set the bag of takeout on the counter and closed the distance between them to wrap his arms around Lucy's waist from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder and said, "I'm glad you like it. I know how much you like to cook, so I thought it would be important to make sure this room was finished."

Pointing ahead towards a door, he added, "That door there leads to the back porch, but it isn't finished. If you walked out the door, you'd just drop straight to the ground."

Lucy laughed lightly at the thought as she stepped out of his embrace to keep moving through the house. Back in the hallway, she passed two doors that opened to empty rooms that had been painted but were in need of carpeting. Opposite of the rooms was a decent sized bathroom, but she was a little disappointed to see a normal sized bathtub instead of one like what she had in her apartment.

Tugging the blonde's hand to keep her moving, Rogue said, "Come on, you're not done yet."

Excited to see what else he'd done to the place, she followed him eagerly to the last door in the hall. She stepped through it into the most beautiful bedroom she'd ever seen. The walls were done in a neutral gray that blended well with the rest of the room. A large bed was in the center covered in a comforter the same deep shade of blue as the night sky during the summer. Light colored wood furniture offset the dark tone of the bed and the oversized chair in the corner would be perfect for reading. Breathing in deeply, Lucy realized he had the exact same candles she kept in her own bedroom in Magnolia. "I love those candles."

The smile that came to Ryos' face when she spoke made her heart flutter a little. He was so handsome and his smile made her melt a little where she stood. "I thought you'd like those. You haven't looked up yet."

Wondering what he meant, Lucy looked up and gasped when she saw a massive skylight just above the bed. The sun had set enough that she could see the stars beginning to light the night sky. Her mind was blown knowing she'd be sleeping in a place she could see the stars, the source of her magic, so clearly every night. When she felt another tug at her hand, the astounded woman asked breathlessly, "There's more?"

With the same smile still plastered on his face, Rogue nodded and pulled his mate into the bathroom he knew she'd love. Her squeal of excitement didn't disappoint him when he turned on the lights and she saw the massive tub he'd had installed.

"I think I might faint, or maybe just combust right here." Lucy stepped forward and ran her hand along the tub as if it were an altar she might worship at. "I can't wait to get in it."

Rogue had to force his imagination to stop giving him images of exactly what that would look like. He was already struggling having her in his bedroom, the bedroom he hoped they'd be sharing after tonight, after so many sexually charged encounters that day.

When Lucy turned back to look at him, he could tell she had the same thing on her mind. She wasn't holding back, though. The blonde put her arms around his neck and pulled Rogue into a hungry kiss.

Lucy poured all of her gratitude, love, and desire into her actions, hoping he understood. He was everything she'd ever wanted and had now become a man she could trust to take care of her until the last breath they shared on this planet. She would never let anything separate them again.

Rogue's own actions were a mix of desperation and hunger. He'd waited for this moment for so long, needed this woman to be his. The heat of her body seemed to set his on fire and the way she moved against him made him want to rid them both of their clothes to see exactly what it felt like to be inside of her. But he couldn't do that here. He wouldn't take her for the first time on the bathroom floor.

A moment of clarity had Rogue breaking the kiss to ask about the one thing he needed to be sure of. "Are you sure you want to be my mate? We can't go back after this. I highly doubt I'll be able to be more than a very small distance away from you for quite some time."

Lucy smiled up at Ryos, her heart warming at how considerate he was being. "I've never been more certain of anything in my life. It isn't like we met yesterday. I feel like I've known you my entire life. This connection we share is so much deeper than what could have formed in the few months we spent together years ago and then two days getting reacquainted. You're part of my soul and I'm part of yours. I was made for you. There was never any going back for me. You've been my mate all along, even when I didn't know it."

Rogue stared at Lucy as she walked seductively out of the bathroom and over to the bed, crawling onto it as she looked back at him and said, "You want to help me out of these clothes or should I do it myself?"

Moving faster than she expected, Rogue joined his mate on the bed and immediately reached for her tank top. Once it was out of the way, his tongue and hands were busy exploring the exposed skin while her hands worked to undo the buttons on his shirt. When his chiseled abdomen and chest were beneath her hands, Lucy moaned out, "Take it off. I want to feel your skin against mine."

Obeying her command, Rogue didn't bother unfastening the bra from beneath her back and just ripped it down the middle. He watched with rapt attention as her breasts bounced slightly when they were freed and didn't waste time to find out how they tasted. The blonde moaned loudly when his tongue made contact with her pebbled nipples and worked his shirt the rest of the way down his arms.

When his shirt was off, she reached between them and cupped his hardened length, loving how it felt in her hand. Her actions brought a groan from Rogue as he bucked against her hand. He had wanted to take the time to explore her body properly on their first time together but he couldn't wait. He'd already waited so long and been teased all day.

Pushing himself up onto his knees, Rogue loosened his belt and opened the buckle of his pants to quickly shove them off while Lucy rid herself of her shorts and panties. When she was fully bared before him, the dark haired man took a moment to really admire his mate. She was beautiful, especially spread for him like this just waiting to be taken.

He placed his hands on her knees, sliding them up towards her center as he leaned forward to place a kiss against her clit. Lucy shivered at the action, her body already highly sensitive with the way he'd been working it. Rogue gave her opening one long lick before kissing his way further up her body, pausing at her breasts to enjoy them again. "I'll explore you more later."

Lucy rolled her hips in encouragement when she felt his arousal pressed against her, moving back and forth as he coated himself in her wetness. "Please, Ryos, I need you."

Her pleading broke the last of his restraint and he slammed home in one swift movement. Lucy cried out at the sudden intrusion, the feeling a mixture of pleasure and pain. He waited until her body had accepted him, knowing she had to stretch to accommodate his size, and then started rocking his hips. His mate met him thrust for thrust, rolling her hips in rhythm with his movements. Her channel was so tight that it felt like it had been made for him to fill.

Rogue increased his pace, loving the way Lucy responded to his every touch. He sucked on her neck, uncaring of the marks he left in his wake. She was his and he wanted everyone to know it. The way she turned her head to the side baring her neck to him reassured him she felt the same. Her breathing and heart rate became more erratic as she began to flutter around his shaft, signaling her coming orgasm. When his dragon instincts pressed him to mark her, he didn't resist. His fangs sunk into the flesh of her shoulder just as she peaked, her cry of pleasure urging the slayer on.

As she crested and came back down, Rogue pulled away with the taste of her blood on his tongue. His movements slowed slightly as he took in the sight of his mark on her. Lucy wasn't done, though. With an experienced maneuver, she reversed their position and began to ride him in earnest, driven by something she didn't understand. She couldn't explain the desire she felt building within her, it was unlike anything she'd ever felt before.

Her body was alight with power she felt coming from where Ryos had marked her, her own magic stirring in response. His hands running along her thighs and hips up to cup and squeeze her breasts brought her dangerously close to coming again, but she wasn't ready. The blonde leaned forward to break the contact and started rolling her hips in a way that made her mate groan. She could feel how tightly wound he was and knew his own orgasm was close. When he grabbed her hips and thrust upwards roughly as he neared his peak, she fought through her own building orgasm and bit into his shoulder in the same spot he'd bit into hers, releasing the pent up magic she felt waiting to break free.

Lucy marking him sent Rogue tumbling over the edge into blissful oblivion. He could feel the light of her magic coursing through his body, settling his shadows in a way he'd never know was possible. As he came within her, he could feel her walls contracting around him as she came a second time. Her body shuddered over his just before her weight collapsed against him in exhaustion.

The room was silent with the exception of their labored breathing until Lucy gained enough thought to wonder if what she'd just done was normal. She raised her head to look at the mark she'd left on him, noticing what looked vaguely like a shooting star forming above the bite. She turned her head trying to look at her own mark but couldn't see it well.

"It looks like the dark scales that cover me when I enter Dragon Force." Rogue sounded slightly awed as he answered her unasked question while gently tracing the marking.

Lucy hummed and shifted her body to lay next to him with her head still resting just above his heart and her arm draped over his chest.

"Let's just stay here forever," she murmured tiredly.

"I don't think I'd mind that. We might get hungry, though." Rogue smiled as he hugged her nude body against his own nakedness.

A contended peacefulness settled over the room and they lay there together. Rogue could hear his mate's breathing becoming shallow as she drifted closer to sleep. He kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I love you, Lucy. I always have."

Rogue felt complete when she said, "I love you, too, Ryos. I'll never leave you again."