Epilogue

Trent and his daughters' miraculous return from the supposed grave threw the media into a predictable tizzy, not to mention causing some pretty spectacular ripples in the elven world. The "official" story ended up being that Trent and his body guard (me) had been seriously injured protecting his children from the attack on his family which had tragically claimed Ellasbeth's life. Quen had stashed us all somewhere safe and secret for the sake of our protection with caretakers sworn to absolute secrecy. He'd then succumbed to his own injuries, leaving no one aware that we were all still alive. Eventually, Trent and I woke up and ta-da! I felt it stretched credulity on a few points, but the general public seemed to accept it.

The elves got the truth. I can't say that a lot of them were very happy with Trent, but with the much more current and tangible threat of the vampires superseding their older and less currently tangible enmity towards demons Trent seemed to think that he was going to be able to re-consolidate his power base again in a relatively short amount of time, although I could tell he knew his hold was going to be more tenuous than previously.

Interestingly enough, the Withons were on his side, and that would help matters. I wasn't sure of the details, but it seemed that the war had left Ellasbeth's mother, Mrs. Withon as the current head of the family. She had apparently always liked Trent and was overjoyed that her grandchildren were still alive. She would do what was best for her people and her faction, but I got the feeling there would be a lot more cooperation between the Withons and the Kalamacks now that she was in charge.

Trent had been pleased to discover that his mother's spelling hut and most of the gardens had been undamaged by the destruction of the main house. He had moved himself, the girls and their staff into an old estate outside the city while his house was rebuilt. Quen had been moved there as well, tended by a fully vetted nursing staff. Trent and I had worked a healing spell together for him, and he was doing much better. He'd woken up for the first time yesterday and already he was trying to take over Trent's life again from his hospital bed. I had a feeling that meant he was going to be okay.

Belle's kin had all survived as well. They were still living in my desk right now, but Trent was having his greenhouse repaired and had cordially, officially gifted it to them as their own in thanks for the way they'd attempted to defend his home and been instrumental in uncovering the truth behind the sabotage.

The weather had taken an unseasonably warm turn the past few days and Trent and I were currently sitting across from one another at a small stone table in the garden of his rented estate. I knew he had a million and one things to be doing, but when I'd come over to check up on them he'd insisted on taking a break and coming out here for tea while the children played about us. I got the feeling he had been taking a lot of breaks to watch his children play over the past week or so since our return. Maybe that's why, despite the intense pressure I knew he was under, he didn't look quite as completely stressed out as I might have expected.

Trent did look tired as he sipped his Earl Grey, though. The elven world was still in a state of controlled chaos and the war with the vampires was not something that was going to just go away any time soon. There was also no way to know when Al might show up to call in the favor Trent owed him, or what he'd demand. But life was full of uncertainties and those were worries for another day. For the time being Trent and I were home, in our own world, with his daughters laughing and running around us in a breathless game of tag and I was more than happy to count all of that firmly in the win column.

I think Trent must have as well, because although he definitely appeared tired, he also appeared happy, or at least content. Trent had seemed as if he wanted to talk to me about something, but thus far we'd only gone over basic things like how Quen was doing and how Ivy was faring with the broad reaching effects of the increasing chaos in the vampire world. We weren't really talking about anything now, but the silence was comfortable as he sipped his tea and I sipped my coffee (apparently, he remembered that tea wasn't really my thing).

The air was still crisp, but the scent of spring was strong in the gentle breeze rustling through the evergreens and the sun was warm enough that even Jenks could have been outside today with no problems.

Several yards away, I saw Lucy trip over a paving stone as she chased after her sister. They were playing some kind of game that wasn't quite tag, but clearly involved Lucy chasing her sister around while they both laughed. I saw Trent stiffen in paternal instinct when Lucy went down, clearly ready to hurry to her side if tears were forthcoming, but the girl landed on the grass rather than the paved walk and did not seem hurt or distressed by the sprawl.

Lucy simply scrambled back to her feet, appearing to be put out by the lead that her sister had gotten on her, rather than troubled by any minor bumps and scrapes. "Mother puss bucket!" I heard her exclaim in perfectly clear tones of frustration before she gleefully ran off after her sister again. "Just you wait, I'm gonna flaaaay you!" she sing-songed teasingly. Ray shrieked and giggled in mock fear as she scrambled merrily away.

Eyes wide, I cringed and looked over at Trent. "Crap, I'm sorry, Trent," I muttered, not knowing why I felt responsible for the girls picking up Al's language but feeling embarrassed all the same.

Trent watched his daughters scamper off with raised eyebrows and a slightly disturbed look on his face. "Well," he said slowly. "I suppose, if the worst thing they came back from the Ever After with are a few ... questionable metaphors, that's not so bad."

I grinned at him. "Yeah, you say that now, but wait until they start spouting it in church or something. Kids always say the worst things at the worst times."

Trent laughed. "I look forward to experiencing that, then. It should be most amusing."

I laughed too. "Damn, you really are a great dad," I whined.

"You were right you know," Trent said after a moment, a soft smile on his lips as he watched the girls play. "Loving may be dangerous, but it's ultimately a price worth paying. Thinking I lost the girls and then getting a second chance ... it taught me something, Rachel." Trent's gaze turned on me. His clear green eyes were breathtakingly open and earnest, displaying his unmasked emotions to me in a manner that was very rare for him.

"I've always been a long term planner, I have to be, but when so much of your focus is on the future you can take the present too much for granted. While you're trying to figure out how something can fit into the big picture, you could lose it and only afterwards realize that you'll regret that loss forever. I suppose we all know in our heads that each moment is precious, but this whole situation took it from an abstract to a concrete for me, Rachel. It taught me that I have friends I never thought I would have, and more than that, it taught me there are a few, special people in my life whom I love more than anything. People for whom it is worth taking any risk, no matter how seemingly ill advised, because the alternative is worse than any risk ever could be. People whose influence helps me be who I want to be, and without whom I would be lost. I can be what I need to be, Rachel. I can do what I need to do, for my people, for the world ... but not without those I love. They are not my weakness; they are my strength."

There was a beautiful, burning intensity in his gaze and I found myself lost in it, willingly trapped in the simple complexity of the soul he was sharing with me. For once there was no magic involved, except perhaps the oldest, most inexplicable kind.

"I've been alone for so long, it took me a while to understand," he admitted with a hint of ruefulness. "But now I've been blessed with three such people in my life," he added quietly. Trent reached across and placed his hand lightly, almost hesitantly over mine.

I froze. His simple touch seemed to radiate throughout my body. My lungs forgot how to work. We were talking about his daughters, right? It wasn't like Trent to miscount. My mind didn't search for explanations though; Trent's earnest, adoring gaze was already supplying them. Still, I struggled to swallow, struggled to find my voice and find my way out of the hopeless tangle of emotions suddenly choking my heart and mind. "Three?" I croaked, stupidly. He probably meant Quen, right ... right?!

Trent knew I knew what he was saying, but he also seemed to know that we'd gone past the point of unspoken understandings. Wherever this was going, it needed to be stated. His fingers curled around the back of my hand. "Yes," he murmured. "Lucy, Ray ... and you, Rachel."

I could just drown in his eyes. There was so much unexpected love and openness there. The idea it was for me was as beautiful as it was terrifying. This was never supposed to happen. He was never supposed to let me in this deeply, nor I him ... but I realized it was too late. I looked in my heart and found Trent already there, logic and common sense be damned.

"You are a strong, brilliant, caring, crazy woman, and I love you, Rachel Morgan," Trent whispered and I knew those were not words he said easily or lightly.

My eyes welled and my throat was too tight to speak. Everything in me was drawn to him. Everything in me wanted him, wanted what he offered. I knew then with sudden clarity that I loved him too – and it terrified the crap out of me. What had I done? This complex, noble, irritating, vulnerable, lonely man ... what had I done to him? Trent couldn't love me. He mustn't. I would destroy him. Or he would destroy me. Hadn't I already seen that much too clearly?

I was on my feet and walking away before I even knew what I was doing, the need to flee driving me like a physical force as my eyes began to burn and my vision blur. I was several paces away before conscious thought returned above the whirling clamor in my head and the maelstrom of pain exploding in my chest and I realized what a cruel reaction this was when Trent had just exposed his heart to me. A perfect example of why I was completely wrong for him. Why he should never trust his heart to me. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

"Rachel," Trent caught my arm from behind, halting me and not letting me run. I could have easily shaken him off, but the warmth of his hand on my arm and the rasp of pain in his voice fixed me in place more certainly than any bonds.

I didn't turn around. I couldn't face him. I was a coward. The tears burning my eyes escaped down my cheeks. I hurt so badly. Looking at him and seeing the openness gone, seeing the pain I had caused, the destruction that was already beginning, it would break my already hurting heart.

"I'm sorry," I whispered hoarsely, my gaze fixed on the ground. "God, I'm so sorry." My chest hitched the tears flowed harder as I tried not to break down completely. I wanted to blame the stupidity of my reactions on the suddenness of his confession... but I couldn't, not really, because I realized that deep down I had known for a while now. I had refused to acknowledge it, like a child thinking I could make something go away by pretending it wasn't there. Now I couldn't hide anymore, couldn't pretend. I had to face it, and I didn't know how.

Trent stayed behind me. He stepped up against my back, his hands light on my shoulders. When I didn't resist the contact, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, holding my back gently to his chest.

"Shh," he murmured soothingly. "Don't. Please. I'm sorry, Rachel. I didn't ... I didn't mean to scare you. I don't expect you to return my feelings; I don't expect anything from you that you don't want to give. Please believe me. I wouldn't change you or try to chain you down for the world. There is no need to apologize for what your heart does or doesn't want." He pressed a soft, chaste kiss on my hair.

Trent was warm against my back, his arms comforting about me as he sought to sooth my distress. He thought I was rejecting him and he was trying to comfort me. Damn it, why did he have to be so ... so ... so?!

"If the only place I can hold in your heart is that of a friend, I can accept that. I promise. I'll not pressure you for anything else. I just wanted you to know what you mean to me. That you are important to me and I treasure everything you are. You make me a better person just by existing. Your friendship means the world to me. Please don't run away." Trent's voice was still gentle and reassuring, but there was a soft, unmistakable desperation in his plea.

"When I thought I had lost the girls ... I was drowning, Rachel. You're the only reason I didn't. You touch me in ways I can't explain. I'm a selfish man, Rachel, I need you in my life, but however you wish to be there is fine. I'm sorry, the last thing I wanted to do was drive you away. I ... I spoke out of turn, I said it all wrong ..." he was struggling to keep his voice soothing, but the rawness of his pain was coming in around the edges and making him hoarse.

I couldn't take it. His tenderness and desperation were killing me. I felt like the most horrible person on the planet. I turned in his arms and looked up into his face. Through my tear-blurred vision I saw all the pain I'd feared to see, but unexpectedly, the openness was still there too. His green eyes held the deep shadow of heart ache, but they still looked at me like I was some amazing, precious thing. I realized Trent was in earnest. He was fully ready to spend the rest of his life pretending he wasn't in love with me and that it was totally fine for us to just be friends if that was the only way he could keep from losing me completely. Trent had enough determination and was enough of a masochist to be able to pull it off, too. He was used to wanting things he couldn't have. He didn't even see how hideously unfair he was to himself.

I shook my head, trying to speak without sobbing. "No, you didn't," I choked out. "What you said was beautiful, Trent. Your heart is beautiful. It's a treasure, and you can't give that to me, you can't," I said miserably. "You don't need me in your life, Trent. You really don't. Not like this. Not in a way that makes you vulnerable, because I will hurt you." I was losing the battle with my tears and my shoulders shook with silent sobs. It hurt so much, but I was trying to do the mature thing for once. Trying to do what was best for him, because Turn take it, I did love him.

"I won't mean to, but I will. People who get involved with me always get hurt. Most of them die, unless they realize the mistake they're making and get out first. Do you have any idea how terrified I was when we thought the girls were gone? How afraid I was that it was somehow my fault? I can't do it. I can't do that to you, and I'm tired of getting my heart broken. Sooner or later it's always just me left to pick up the pieces and ... I don't know if I can, after you. I ... I think I may love you too damn much, Trent, and I can't. Not this time. I can't." It wasn't the most coherent or rational thing I'd ever said, but there was pretty much nothing either coherent or rational about the way I was feeling right now. I felt like I said too much and not enough at the same time and it all sounded totally stupid by the time it came out of my mouth. Trent's embrace was so comforting, felt so right, I just wanted to grab on to him and not let go. I realized that it was already too late. Despite what I was saying, despite whatever it was I should do ... I wasn't going to walk away from him. Not if he asked me to stay.

A soft, hopeful, elated awe flared unexpectedly to life in Trent's eyes. Painfully lovely to witness, it spread a traitorous warmth through my aching chest even if I couldn't understand what had put it there. He pulled me closer, the pain bleeding out of his face to be replaced by happiness. He leaned forward and kissed my brow gently. "You love me." It wasn't a question, but there was a world of wonder in his eyes, like he'd just been given something he never thought he'd have.

I half laughed, half choked. Out of everything I'd just said, leave it to Trent to only pick up on that part... and to sound so damn confident saying it. "Good God, Trent! Were you listening to me?" I blurted, snuffling and wiping my eyes on my sleeve and feeling inexplicably annoyed to realize I must look like hell now.

"Of course I was," Trent smiled at me. "You love me; you just think you wouldn't be good for me, or that I might change my mind, both of which are complete rubbish," he summarized dismissively. The calm self-assurance that I had come to associate with Trent was back in his voice and his expression now. It irritated me ... but it was a fond, familiar kind of annoyance because it was a part of him and our weird relationship.

"It is not!" I protested, wanting him to take me seriously. "Trent, you know me, my life is barely controlled chaos on a good day. Besides, I'm a demon and you're an elf. We're the freaking Montagues and Capulets for God's sake. You and I know that's total crap, but let's be real – it's gonna be a problem for almost everybody else. Sure, we could hide it for a while, but really, what kind of future are we setting ourselves up for? I mean, your people did kind of try to burn us just for fraternizing if you recall and it'd be one hell of a balancing act to keep the demons from thinking I'm selling them out by being with you." I could manage it though, I thought. Most of the important ones already knew Trent. He had helped them and fought on their side for the Ever After. That didn't mean they liked or trusted him at all, but bridges were built one brick at a time.

"Oh, you'll keep them in line, you always do." Trent was smiling at me, that confident, adoring smile that made me either want to kiss him or punch him, I hadn't quite decided yet. "As for the elves ... you're right, they already tried to burn us, what else can they do? Let me worry about them. Things are in shambles right now anyway, there will never be a better time to buck the system and make new rules. The world needs to change, Rachel. I see that now more clearly than I ever have. It needs to become a place where it is not a problem for you and me to be together. It needs to become a place where the Rosewood babies can grow up safely and have a future that does not involve them having to hide their whole lives or become monsters. It needs to be a place where we are no longer fighting wars that happened centuries before we were born. There are plenty of challenges and dangers in the present to worry about without dragging around the burdens of the past."

I liked the fire in his eyes. It was passionate but patient. Trent did not chase fleeting fancies; he dedicated himself to the long haul. He wanted to remake the world and probably already had the plans in place, or soon would. I realized that what he was saying, the things he wanted, they were the same things I wanted. This was something we shared.

"You think that's possible?" I asked quietly. I liked to believe it was, but in my experience people were reluctant to let go of the past.

Trent nodded. "I do." His lips curved in a small smile. "I have to, Rachel. Because I will not live in a world that would keep us forever apart."

I smiled despite myself. "Do you listen to yourself talk?" I teased him, still trying to dry my leaking eyes. "I'd think you were feeding me a line if it didn't sound so darn natural when you say crap like that."

Trent grinned, one hand caressing the outline of my shoulder blade while the other slid up to brush lightly through my hair. "Well I find it amusing that you're the one who wants to stop and look at the big picture and all the long-term implications while I'm the one who wants to just take the chance and go with my heart and instincts. Don't we usually flip that the other way around? You're the one who taught me to believe in the 11% chance, Rachel."

I gave a soft laugh, reaching up and letting my fingers trace the hair above his ear lightly, aching with the need to just touch him. "Well good, because that's probably about as much of a chance as we have of this actually working out," I said, but I wasn't sure I really believed that. Or maybe I simply felt we could make those odds ... we had before.

"Maybe so," Trent agreed with a wry grin. "But that's a chance I'll take. I've come to learn you always beat the percentage, Rachel. I know your life is not simple," he continued, ticking back through my earlier objections with the precision of someone used to dissecting and disarming opposition. "And I know that you like it that way," he added, his smile fond and his eyes glittering with that hint of deviltry that made the tingling in my gut spread a little lower. "You wouldn't have any idea what to do with a safe, boring existence."

I looked up at him, realizing both that he was right, and that I found it deeply reassuring that he understood that about me and accepted it ... no, more than that, he actually seemed to like it. Wow, he was kind of screwed up ... but that sort of worked for me.

"You weren't meant for white picket fences, neither was I. My own life isn't exactly ... uneventful." Trent raised his eyebrows. "I know it won't always be easy, and you're right, we will have to keep a low profile for a time, but I think our paths and our goals could merge better than we might expect. At least, life will never be dull, right?"

I smiled and Trent leaned a little closer. I hesitated a moment, then tipped my chin up and closed the distance until our lips touched. The kiss was slow and gentle, hesitant almost, as if we were both testing the waters. The warmth of it spread through my whole body, going straight to my core.

When we parted, Trent's eyes glittered and his breathing had accelerated a little. I loved seeing him react like that. Seeing the flush of desire on him and knowing I had put it there, that that beautiful look of want was for me. There was something amazing about it.

He caressed my face, his palm cupping my cheek. "You don't have to worry about hurting me, Rachel. I am not so fragile as all that. Besides, you don't bring harm to people, you open their eyes. You bring them to life. You show them whole new ways to see the world. I won't say that we'll never hurt each other," he whispered, our faces still close, our bodies touching. "This is us we're talking about, and I won't make you promises I can't keep. But I will promise that I can deal with whatever comes. I promise that having you in my life will never hurt me as much as your absence would. I can promise that I will never rethink or regret this moment. I can give you nothing but my word, but I will never intentionally wound you, and I will never walk out on you, Rachel. I am yours."

The words, so soft, so simple, rocked me to my foundations, because I knew by now what they meant to Trent. He was giving me the deepest promise he had. It was beautiful and frightening, and maybe both of those feelings appealed to me equally.

I curled my arms around his neck, drawing him down to me. I kissed him, harder this time, deeper. Trent met me halfway, his hands tightening on my shoulders as mine tangled in his hair, my body desperate for his touch. The pain inside me was all slipping away, replaced with a warm happiness and need that bubbled giddily in my blood and burned like fire in my veins. I trusted Trent. I trusted him with my soul, and my heart. Caution was completely overrated. I needed him in my life too and if this was a mistake, then it was damn well going to be the best one I ever made.

We were both a lot shakier when we came up for air again this time and Trent's smile was teasing. "And if you need any more convincing, I could also point out something that someone very wise once told me..."

I punched him in the shoulder. Not hard, but enough to make him wince and chuckle ruefully. "Ow! What was that for?" he protested.

"You should stop when you're ahead," I told him with a glare that was significantly ruined by how wide I was grinning. "That was because you were about to quote my own words back at me about not being afraid to love and all that and you do not get to win arguments with me by quoting me. We should get that straight right up front."

Trent laughed; it was a deep, amused, delightful sound. "Not even when you're right?"

"Nope!" I said cheerfully. "Not even then."

"Okay, noted," he acquiesced. "Any other rules I should be aware of?"

I leaned in close again, feeling his heartbeat against mine. "Mm, I'll make a list."

"You probably will." I felt his soft laughter rumble against me.

One hand on my back, his other slid to my rear, pulling me a little closer in against him. When our mouths found each other again, hot and hungry and passionate, it not only felt good, it felt right. It felt right to be in his arms like this and to accept that having him in my heart was okay. I'd been fighting this attraction so long, it was nothing short of blissful to just let go and fall into its embrace. I didn't regret the struggle though, somehow it let me feel as if we had come to this place in the right manner. I was relatively proud of myself that I hadn't stumbled into bed with Trent first and then tried to figure everything else out afterwards. Although ... I was totally okay with that part happening now. As in, literally, now.As in maybe we could take this inside and try out that nice new bedroom of Trent's?

I groaned against his mouth as our bodies pressed together, all the love, lust and desire I'd been feeling for him and denying for so long bubbling up to the surface in a trembling rush of need. My hands curled in his shirt, fingers digging into his back. He was mine and that was an amazing feeling. I was also his, and I realized suddenly that I wanted, needed him to know that. I think he already did, but it was important to me to say the words when it wasn't part of an embarrassing emotional meltdown.

"Trent," I murmured against his lips, somehow scrounging up the will power to pull back enough to see his face. "You get that this means I love you too, right?"

Trent grinned at me, his golden hair mussed, eyes aglow, his lips flushed from our kisses. "Mm, yes, I do believe that is the impression I'm getting. Although I can think of a couple of ways we can remove any remaining ambiguity ..." he teased, pulling my hips a little harder into his, his face alive with love and devilishly playful seduction.

I laughed and curled my arms around his neck, grinning up at him. "Seriously though," I murmured, wishing just this once that I could be eloquent and meaningful, but it didn't look to be in the cards.

Trent's expression softened and he touched my face gently. "I know," he murmured, and I could tell he meant that he knew what I wished I could say, and that he considered it said. His eyes glittered with awe and a joy so deep that as our lips met I found my own eyes were stinging again, but from happiness this time.

"Oooh! Ray! Daddy and Aunt Rachel are kissing!" A small squeal of childish delight from nearby made me start and pull back quickly. Crap on toast, I had completely forgotten about the girls being out here!

Trent's arms tightened about me to keep me from pulling all the way away and I looked down to see Lucy beaming up at us and Ray hurrying over quickly.

It was funny, I supposed. Out of all the objections to this relationship that had come to me, the fact Trent had children had never been one of them, even though a relationship with him meant having to figure out how to navigate his sweetly odd family situation with Quen and the girls and how exactly I did or didn't fit in that equation. Quen had made it pretty clear in the past he was not going to approve of a relationship between Trent and I, but that was just too bad, he'd have to get over it. I already loved the girls and somehow it would all work out ... assuming they didn't decide to hate me or something. Oh God.

"They were kissing!" Lucy explained importantly to her sister, like she might not be believed since we weren't doing it now. My cheeks flamed.

"That's because Abba likes Aunt Rachel an' Aunt Rachel likes Abba," Ray said in that sweetly serious way of hers. She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world and I felt Trent laugh silently against me. I grinned too. Apparently the two year old had it figured out long before we did.

"That's right," Trent agreed, leaning in to give me another light peck on the lips that made both girls squeal like only little girls could. "I like Aunt Rachel very much."

Ray nodded solemnly in approval.

"I want a kiss too," Lucy demanded, holding her arms up to Trent, not wanting to be left out.

Trent glanced wryly at me and bent to scoop his daughter up. He gave her an adoring, amused and exaggeratedly long kiss on the forehead until she wiggled and giggled in protest and wanted to be put down. He started to set her down, but she stopped him.

"Wait! Aunt Rachel kiss too!" she looked at me expectantly and Trent hesitated before holding her out to me and raising his eyebrows questioningly. I knew he wasn't just asking me if I minded kissing Lucy, he was asking if I was okay with the situation as a whole and with the fact that in many ways his daughters would need to come first in his life.

Of course I was. That was as it should be. My own father had been very dear to me and even though I lost him too early, his love had shaped so much of who I became. I loved Trent more because he wanted to be that kind of man for his children. I took Lucy from him and kissed her on the forehead, then lifted her up and spun her around in the air, making her give a little whoop of glee before I set her back down on the ground, giggling.

I crouched in front of Ray. "Do you want a kiss too?" I asked. Ray beamed and nodded shyly. I swooped her up and kissed her, then handed her to Trent for the same. Trent peppered Ray's brow in a little shower of kisses before setting her back down.

"Gee, Rache, do I get one too?" Jenk's amused voice made me look up to see the pixy flying over towards us, trailing a cheerful silver dust. "You know, if you're givin' em out?" He made exaggerated kissing sounds and flew around my head. "Trent and Rachel, sittin' in a tree..." he warbled merrily, telling me he hadn't entirely just arrived.

"Trent, Jenks wants a kiss," I drawled dryly, shooting my friend a glare.

"Ew! No thanks!" Jenks back pedaled upward quickly. "No offense, Trent."

Trent grinned in amusement. "None taken."

"You come over with Ivy? How long have you been here?" I asked as Jenks flew in circles over Lucy and Ray, making them run and jump about as they tried to catch him. It was a good thing Jenks was fast and knew what he was doing because elf kids were quick.

"Yup, she's inside visitin' with Quen. Not sure when they got so all-fire chummy, but they're in there now hatching some kind of plot to get the local vamps to chill out. And let's just say ... I've been here long enough for the good stuff," he said cheekily. "Tink's little pink ... uh ... sundress," he amended his language at the last moment, mindful of the little ears below him. "All I can say is, it's about time. You two are gonna be the death of me, I swear. Right kids?" he buzzed the girls, to their delight.

"Come on, girls, let's go find Aunt Ivy and Abba Daddy Quen, huh? I think Abba Daddy Trent and Aunt Rachel want a little alooone time," he said to the girls, giving Trent and I a meaningfully puckish look as he flittered slowly away, enticing the girls to chase after him towards the house.

Flying backwards in a lazy "S" pattern, Jenks winked at Trent and gave him an exaggerated thumbs up that was probably the pixy equivalent of a high five and looked just about as juvenile.

"Jenks!" I shouted after him, red faced again and glowering, wondering if the world was going to end because Jenks was suddenly actively approving of my love life. Jenks just made more kissing sounds and a couple of highly suggestive motions before cutting a large loop-dee-loop and turning the corner. Once we'd seen Jenks and the girls safely disappear into the house, I turned my glare upon Trent.

He raised his hands in a placating gesture. "Hey, what did I do?"

"Other than being a man?" I said sourly.

"That's a problem now?" Trent asked innocently, sliding up against me and nuzzling his face against the side of my neck "It didn't seem to be a minute ago."

His lips and teeth played skillfully against my skin and my body was remembering where we'd been before we were interrupted. "Mmm, a minute ago you were doing something that made up for it..." I told him with a smile, tilting my head as he worked his way down the front of my shoulder before lifting his head to brush a much too short but oh-so-tempting kiss against my lips.

"You know," Trent murmured. "I have been finding that this place is large and full of oddities common to old estates. For instance, there's a perfectly good, fully furnished little summer house on the edge of the lake just down that path that nobody uses. Perhaps I should ... give you a tour. Before anybody else shows up."

"I think maybe you should," I agreed with a grin. Looping my hand through his, I twined our fingers together as we started off down the path. Some paths could have a lot of unexpected twists and turns along the way, but together I thought that we would find our way all right.

THE END

A/N: Well, I didn't actually intend this to be a romance story when I started writing it, but it kind of turned itself into one all on its own at the end. I blame Trent. He started talking and things just took their own course. XD

Thank you all for sticking with me through this journey and for all your wonderful feedback! I hope you all enjoyed the story and like the way everything worked out.