Escape

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

Sully reached up and pulled off his shirt, exposing his lightly muscled chest and arms. "Go ahead," he said softly. "You can touch me."

[Rochelle Parnell]

Rochelle glanced up to meet his eyes and kissed him once again. She let her hands travel up his arms, then down his chest. Her fingers tingling as she did so. Rochelle ran her hands up his back again and ran her fingers through his hair.

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

Sully closed his eyes as she touched him, feeling his skin tingle at her touch. Then he opened his eyes and looked at her. "You have the most beautiful eyes... so warm and deep." He kissed her, then began to run his hands under her top. "Let me know if you're not ready for this, lass. I don't want to do anything you're not ready for... We don't need to rush."

[Rochelle Parnell]

Rochelle closed her eyes as his hands went under her top, enjoying his touch. Slowly she opened them again. "No, don't stop. I want you to be my mate Sully. Who knows if you'll get the chance when we run."

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

Sully kissed her again. "That's what I want, too," he whispered. He touched her again, caressing her back underneath her shirt. Then, slowly, he began to unfasten the buttons.

(Yeah... just about time to "flash forward," hehe...)

[Rochelle Parnell]

Rochelle closed her eyes again, enjoying his touch. She opened her eyes again, meeting Sully's eyes, giving him a smile.


(now.......)

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

... A little while later, Sully was lying on the small bed, with his arms around Rochelle, his face buried in her soft, fragrant hair. "I love you," he whispered, marvelling again at how good it felt to say those words. "I never thought I would say that to anyone ever again, but it's true."

[Rochelle Parnell]

Rochelle turned her head slightly and kissed him on the cheek. She gave him a smile. "I love you too. To be honest, I didn't think that I would have ever found anyone. I thought that I would always be alone," she said. "Thanks for showing me how to love."

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

"No, thank you," he replied softly. "I was broken inside, and you helped me to fix myself. To remember who I really am, and not what I had been pretending to be. And all you had to do was be there for me and listen to me." He smiled and kissed her again. "I really don't want to move, but Zander should be coming back with Ashura very soon...."

[Rochelle Parnell]

Rochelle didn't really want to move either. "Alright," said Rochelle. "I'm going to take a shower real quick, if you don't mind. But first," she leaned over and kissed Sully. "Okay, I'm off to take a shower. I'll see you in a few minutes," she said with a wink. She slid out of the bed and headed to the bathroom. Before she shut the door, she looked back to Sully and smiled, then shut the door to take her shower.

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

Sully watched her go with a smile. He felt so unbelievably light, which was a good feeling after having been burdened so long with grief and regret. Slowly, he got up out of bed and got dressed again. He checked his hair, then sat down on the edge of the bed to wait for Zander and Ashura.

[Zander Smith]

Zander led Ashura to the Hog's Head and into the back, where Sully's rented room was. He hesitated a minute, then knocked on the door. "Sully? It's Zander. I have Ashura here."

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

Sully straightened up. "Aye, hold on," he said. He stood up and walked over to the door. Opening it, he peered out. "Hello," he said softly, looking at Ashura. "Would you like to come in and talk to me for a little while? I have some things I want to tell you."

[Kris Lupin]

Ashura opened her mouth to talk but no sound came out so she just nodded. She didn't know why she couldn't talk but she wasn't going to worry about it.

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

Sully smiled at her and stepped aside to let her in. "Please come in. I swear, this time, I won't run away or anything. I want to do it right this time, love."

[Kris Lupin]

Ashura nodded again then walked inside the room, she tugged her hair nervously.

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

"Please, sit down," Sully said to her. He nodded at Zander. "You can wait right out here, if you want. I promise it will be OK." He closed the door and turned back to Ashura. He looked at her and smiled slightly. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "Sorry that I ran away, that I couldn't talk to you before. I just haven't been able to deal with emotional issues for a long time. I want you to know... I love you."

[Kris Lupin]

Ashura sat on the floor where she would feel more comfortable. She looked up at him as he started talking but looked at the ground when he told her that he loved her. "I don't really know what that means." She told him quietly.

[Matthew "Sully" Sullivan]

Sully stopped and looked at her. How did you explain love to someone who didn't know what it was? He felt very sad, realizing just how alone and isolated she had been. "It means... it means that I worry about you, that I care about you, that... that I want only the best things for you. And that I'm sorry about what you've gone through, and all the time you spent alone while no one even looked for you. I gave you up for dead, and I'm sorry about that. I should have been there for you, to make sure you ate properly and that you were healthy and safe..." He knelt down next to her. "I want you to know I'm not going to be hunting werewolves anymore."

[Kris Lupin]

"I had always thought I didn't have a family or that if I did that they wouldn't want me because of what I am." Ashura said looking at the floor. "I never thought that I would have family that would actually care about me."