Author's Note: This story takes place soon after the events in Out of the Ashes by Misty Meenor.

After we worked out the particulars between the three of us, or I should say, after Sora’nik laid down the law, Kyle Rayner was more subdued and I felt easier about leaving Earth in the hands of two Green Lanterns.

To date, I still have not done much traveling around in outer space. Earth was my home and I liked it. Plus, there was far too much to do there anyway. The thought of running off for an extended vacation to some alien world didn’t interest me all that much. Sorry, but I’m just not that much of a geek.

I’m telling you all of this because I don’t want you to think that there aren’t a lot of populated planets with intelligent life on them. There are… hundreds, thousands. The universe is pretty darn big.

In case you’re wondering about the setup, picture a sphere and in the center is Oa, since that’s the Guardian homeworld and they are supposedly one of the first species in existence. They’ve divided a portion of the universe into 3600 sectors. Those sectors start at a point on Oa and then radiate outward in a triangular shape, getting bigger the further away from Oa they get.

How they expected the average of two Green Lantern officers to patrol such vast quantities of space is a mystery to me. Granted, 2814 has three that I’m aware of…

Four, my ring chimed in.

“Four?”

Four.

“Who’s the fourth?”

Guy Gardner of Earth. Honor Guard stationed on Oa.

“Ah, that’s probably why I haven’t heard about him.”

Anyway, still, four Lanterns patrolling untold light-years of distance. How could that be smart?

There was no response from my ring on that one. It must agree.

Needless to say, even with the vast power of the rings, travel from one place to another is problematical. That’s why we needed a little assistance. Just outside of Earth’s atmosphere, about a quarter of the way to the moon is the entrance to a -- get this -- a wormhole. Yep, you heard that right. Wormholes are no longer theory, they exist, and I was currently caught up in one, blasting myself through massive distances in a matter of seconds.

Sora’nik was beside me, poised in the classic flying superhero position, with one arm ahead, one to her side and a leg cocked for maximum cheesecake potential. Me? I was in a Lazy-Boy recliner provided by the protoplasmic energy of my ring, green, of course. We were in space. The form we take to travel makes absolutely no difference to the aerodynamic aspect since we were in a vacuum, plus the shield the ring provides would make wind resistance a null point to begin with. I can travel just as fast in Earth’s atmosphere as I could in space. Any way you chose to explain the situation, Sora’nik looked good.

It took us about thirty minutes of travel time through the wormhole.

“Are we there yet?”

My beautimous red-skinned companion looked at me with a cocked eyebrow. “No. Two more standard minutes are needed to arrive at our destination.”

I grinned at her. “So, is there dancing on Oa or maybe a place we can get a drink. Maybe you can catch me up on what I’ve missed.”

“Dancing?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Music, body movement…”

“I know what dancing is. You are under the mistaken assumption that you are here for something other than a possible trial and/or training. There will be no dancing, and you, Cadet Jade, need to take this more seriously.”

With a shrug, I closed the distance to her. “I take everything seriously. That’s why I also take my down time equally as serious. If you don’t let your hair down sometimes then you tend to overreact when those times get particularly stressful. What do you do to relax?”

Her eyes drifted to the side and then back to me. “I study medical sourcebooks. Before I was an officer of the Corps, I was a doctor.”

I grinned. “Does that mean I’m getting a physical sometime in the near future?”

It was quick, but I saw her eyes move to my body for the briefest of seconds before looking ahead again. Something inside me bounced and cheered the little Snoopy dance of joy.

“Exiting primary wormhole zero,” my ring notified me.

“Whoa, what is that?”

I stopped and floated in space above a monstrous thing. Sora’nik had to backtrack a little.

“That is the planet Oa,” she said.

A gigantic black and green sphere stood there with the symbol of the Corps taking up a good portion of one side. A single white moon was in orbit, and I saw a number of green streaks of light going to and coming from areas all over.

“That’s not a planet, that’s a space station,” I said in awe, briefly wondering if she’d get the paraphrased reference.

“It is the defensive shielding recently erected due to the most recent war with which we were engaged. The Sinestro Corps attempted to breach the old shielding and bring their devastation to Oa.”

I spared her a look. “So there’s a planet underneath?”

She nodded. “Come. We need to enter your hearing into the Guardian registry to minimize the waiting period as soon as possible.”

Big gigantic robots with big gigantic guns in places their arms should be, allowed us through our checkpoint and the inside of the shielding of the sphere. As Sora’nik had pointed out, there was a planet inside and it was one of the most crowded places I had ever seen.

I’ve been to Hong Kong, and a more crowded populous there never was. Oa was like Hong Kong, except on a planet wide scale. Buildings sandwiched together, but orderly. There were no streets, merely wide pathways for pedestrian travel, and the only air travel that I saw were other Green Lanterns flying about, presumably on their own business.

Across the planet we soared until I spotted a really… I mean really big beam of green light shooting up from a central point onto the back of the sphere that served as a shield. We descended to a specific building and I followed Sora’nik through the side into what looked like an apartment, sort of.

It wasn’t very homey. There were a few places to sit and what might be a kitchen. The only decoration that adorned the walls was a handful of pictures that were probably of her home planet and a single one that might be her family.

“Spend a lot of time here?”

She looked sidelong at me. “Make yourself comfortable, Cadet. I shall inform the Guardians of your situation.”

“You can call me Jade if you want.”

I got ignored on that one while she played around with a computer in the corner. Instead of kicking back, I made myself busy looking at her pictures. They were pretty much the standard fare. Her parents, I guessed, looked proud of her. They should be; they made good kids.

“Cadet.”

I looked over my shoulder. “Looks like you have a nice family.”

“They’re deceased.”

Talk about sticking my foot in it. “I’m sorry.”

She looked at me was a moderate amount of confusion. “Why should you be sorry about people who you did not know?”

I figured there was some cultural aspect about her species that I was unaware of. “It’s tradition on Earth to offer token phrases of sympathy to those that have lost people they loved.”

Her eyes moved to the picture in question and it was obvious she was repressing something. “Love is overrated.”

Giving her a consoling smile I shook my head. “Love is what gets us through times like these. I choose to remember those times when someone I know dies; the love I felt for them and the good times we used to have. Otherwise anger and sadness takes over and that is never good.”

Their deaths were either very recent or Sora’nik was repressing a lot of anger over their demise.

Her lips firmed and she turned away. “The Guardians have remanded your custody to me until your review tomorrow.”

“Custody?”

“Yes, the Sciencells are currently overcrowded due to the war, and as you came with me willingly they trust that I can control you.”

I blinked. “They were going to lock me up?”

Turning back to me I saw a small amount of contrition evidenced on her face. “It is standard procedure.”

She saw my displeasure. “So is this the point where you throw shackles on me and lock me in a closet? Or maybe put one of those collars on my neck that shocks me if I do something you don’t like?”

The look on her face was almost humorous. Obviously that was the furthest thing from her mind. “No, you have offered me no resistance. Extreme measures need not be taken.”

It was good to know that she wasn’t going to be an ass, so I turned the tables a little. “I could resist just a little and you could tie me up on your bed.”

Sora’nik’s cheeks started turning a shade of brown. That brought a smile to my face and one of nervousness on hers. I tended to think that she wasn’t one to be out of control especially for emotional reasons. Her stoic and scientific outer shell was just that, a face that she put on for others.

“Cadet…”

“Jade, please.”

Her lips pursed slightly. “Jade. I’m sure your ring has informed you of the third law…”

“Yes, yes, no love, no sex,” I sighed. “No fun.” Before she could say anymore I asked. “What possible reason could they have to make that law, and how in the universe do they think they could actually enforce it?”

Her hands moved behind her back in obvious lecture mode. “The Guardians are an emotionless race.”

“Ah, this explains a lot. Then how exactly to they reproduce… in a lab? Asexually? How?”

“They do not reproduce because they are immortal.”

The thought of someone living forever was beyond me. I just couldn’t conceive of it. “So they impose their rigidly on the Corps because they can’t get any on their own?”

I don’t think Sora’nik was following my mode of thought too well. “Regardless, Cadet, it is one of the laws governing the Corps behavior. If you accept the ring then you must accept the regulations that accompany them.”

My decision was becoming easier and easier to make. There was only one problem. If I wasn’t a Green Lantern then I wouldn’t be able to have a relationship with Sora’nik in the first place. Sure, I could date someone outside of the Corps. There didn’t seem to be a restriction on that… yet. But, the trouble was, she was the first person I felt any sort of attraction to in a very long time.

“I need a drink.”

She gave me a pleased nod. “That is something I can accommodate. One of your world’s Lantern’s owns an establishment downstairs.”

~O~

The Big “W”, my ring informed me, was the bar that Guy Gardner opened on Oa for superheroes. I didn’t know if I fit the bill as far as that went, but since I was in the Corps that was enough to not get charged a door fee.

The layout, not surprisingly, was reminiscent of an Earthlike tavern, only greener. I felt like I’d fallen into a bad St. Patrick’s Day celebration. From the look of things, the large table in the far corner was the place to be. It was raised about three feet above all the others and there were a few Corps members in attendance.

The only one that looked even remotely human was the red-haired guy with a bowl cut dressed in something that looked like a biker jacket.

“Let me guess, that’s Guy over in the corner?”

Sora’nik gave me a single nod and led the way. A really cute blonde-haired, gold-skinned girl sat next to him with a bright smile on her face and beside her was quite probably the largest… thing I’d ever seen.

Airisa Rhab of sector 2815 and Kilowog originally of sector 674, respectively. Kilowog, if you choose to remain with the Corps, will be your trainer.

“Thanks,” I thought back to my ring.

My pleasure, Jade.

That almost sent a shiver down my spine. My ring was being really nice to me as of late. It made me seriously think something was up.

Once, we are alone and your attention not diverted on other issues, I will explain.

Even more ominous. “Okay, just let me know.”

Our brief conversation ended upon our arrival. The redhead smiled when he saw Sora’nik and his brows furrowed when he caught a glimpse of me.

“Cadet Jade, I would like to introduce you to Kilowog, Airisa, and Guy.” Her eyes settled on Guy at the end. “Lantern Hal Jordan, I regret to say, has met his end.”

The metal tankard in Guy’s hand groaned and I saw the breath rush out of his chest. He looked at me and then down to my ring hand.

Cripes, could I possibly be introduced to someone without telling them their friend is dead, right away?

Raising my hand, I showed them the ring. “I’m sorry about your loss.”

Airisa’s hand was over her mouth and her eyes started going a weird shade of blue while Kilowog grimaced and upended his gallon-sized tankard.

“How?” Guy asked.

Minutely, I shook my head. “I don’t know. I think he was sick.”

“Sick?” he seemed surprised.

Sora’nik came to my rescue. “Cadet Jade has little knowledge of the circumstances that attributed to his demise, Guy, and his ring is not being forthcoming with any information.”

I didn’t bother to correct her calling my ring, his ring. I thought it might have been in bad taste. At least it seemed to take the fight out of the redhead’s ire.

Kilowog stood up from the table. “This is news that should be brought to Jillian’s attention.”

Airisa grabbed on the giant’s hand. “I’ll go with you. You’re not exactly the most subtle person on the planet.”

We watched them head across the bar and then turned back when they exited.

“I don’t think I want that drink anymore, Sora’nik,” I said.

Guy’s hand came down on the table with a loud smack. “Sit, Cadet, that’s an order.”

Sora’nik’s eyebrows rose. “She’s under my direction, Guy.”

“And she needs a drink. I need a drink,” he said. “I also need to know what happened.”

Several streaks of green light erupted from his ring, clearing off the table and shooting off across the room, behind the bar to retrieve a brown bottle and two shot glasses, not to mention a couple of beers.

“Guy…”

“Lantern Natu, I would like to talk to a pretty girl from my home planet for a few minutes. Would you mind?” He waved off to the middle of the room. “You can sit over there and make sure I don’t try to take advantage of her or something.”

Sora’nik looked at me and I shrugged. “I’ll be fine. Maybe he’ll have better luck with my ring.”

I took Airisa’s vacated chair since the other one made me feel like a three year old it was so big. By the time I scooted it up and crossed my legs, Guy was pouring the shots.

He was a little on the short side of six feet and filled out his unique styled uniform with what I was sure wasn’t flab. It was the hair that threw me though. I was flashing back to old Three Stooges shows and had to quell the urge to call him Moe.

Sliding a shot glass in front of me, he raised his. “To Hal: He was a hell of a Green Lantern and a hell of a friend. May Sinestro’s dick contract gangrene and fall off before the poozer drops dead himself.”

I had no idea what that last part was about, but it seemed like it was a traditional add-on to toasts around there.

Taking a quick whiff of what I was about to toss down my throat, I steeled myself and knocked it back. Slamming the glass on the table like Guy just did earned me an appreciative glance from the Emerald Warrior.

“So, your ring isn’t giving up the ghost.”

I shook my head. “Sora’nik tried and I tried soon after I was drafted.”

He filled the shot glasses again. “Drafted? You here to turn it in or train?”

I shrugged. “Apparently I’m going on trial or review, or whatever.”

That brought up one of his eyebrows, so I gave him the short version of what happened. At the end Guy rolled his eyes.

“Like we don’t have better things to do than worry about stupid crap like this.” Reaching out, he slapped the back of my shoulder. “You did the right thing, kid. I’ll stand up with you and tell those little blue trolls a thing or two about how we do things back on Earth.”

I giggled and tossed back the second shot before retreating to the beer. “I take it the Guardians aren’t on your Christmas card list either?”

Guy snorted into his tankard, coming away with a foam mustache which he wiped away with the back of his hand. After he set it on the table, he spent a few moments looking into the top and then his eyes moved to my ring.

“Go ahead,” I said. “You can’t do any worse than I did.”

He looked up at me and I could see the glassiness in his eyes. I didn’t think it was from having one too many shots.

“Ring, you know who I am?”

“Answer him, please. They were friends,” I thought at my ring.

“You are Honor Guard Green Lantern Guy Gardner.”

“Can you tell me what happened to Hal?”

There was a long pause and then a little green beam of light shot out to hide an image behind Guy’s tankard. It formed a tiny version of Hal that I remembered from his last few messages. The image went from green to a more lifelike color and Hal didn’t look so good.

“Hey buddy,” the image said. “If you’re getting this then I’ve bitten the big one already and owe you twenty bucks and probably a bar tab.”

Hal chuckled a little to himself and it looked like it hurt.

“I went and got myself messed up. There’s nothing anyone can do and I’ve probably got about a week left before I officially kick it.”

A mug of that stuff he was drinking appeared and he sipped from it, grimacing at the taste. “I just wanted to give you a heads up that I’m willing the Jordon to the person that inherits my ring in perpetuity. Make sure Rayner doesn’t pitch a bitch about it, and watch over my successor. You owe me that much.”

The light faded out and my ring went silent.

“Talk about your lame goodbye messages,” he said as he lifted his beer again.

~O~

After the third shot, I called it quits. I knew my limits. Guy thought differently and wound up doubling that amount, so I was a little loopy by the time Sora’nik dragged me away from the table and upstairs to her apartment.

“You’re really pretty… and smart,” I said. “And if it weren’t for this stupid rule, I’d make a pass at you, you’d accept then we’d fall in love and live happily ever after. Stupid Guardians.”

Sora’nik considered me for a few moments. “Does your race suffer from memory loss after imbibing so much alcohol?”

I shrugged, as the lift reached the appropriate floor. “Sometimes, but I’m not drunk, just pleasantly tipsy.”

“Truly?”

“Well, pretty much. I might say something that I’ll regret later, like I really really want to kiss you right now. But other than that, I’ll remember everything.”

When we finally arrived at her apartment, I made my way over to one of the chairs and contemplated whether or not I’d be able to get up if I sat down right then. A few moments later I felt Sora’nik’s presence behind me.

“I’m not going to stay,” I said.

“What do you mean?”

I took a breath and let it go. “I’ll find another way to help my friends. Even if it means giving up the ring. I finally found someone that I like and I can’t even say so without it being against the rules. I can’t work for an organization like that. There’s just no heart.”

She sighed from behind me. “Jade, you haven’t even known me for a full standard day. This isn’t something to throw away an entire career for.”

I chuckled and turned around to see her walking into the kitchen and pulling something out of one of the cabinets. When she returned, Sora’nik handed me a glass with some blue liquid inside.

“Drink.”

I looked at it dubiously.

“I’m a doctor, remember? Drink.”

Holding my breath, I tossed it back and let it go straight down my throat then cringed at the taste. “Oh God, that’s awful. Doctors the universe over are all the same.”

Within moments the fuzzy-headedness I was experiencing started to fade away. I was sober. “Well that was a waste of alcohol.”

Sora’nik shrugged like she really didn’t care. “I wanted you fully aware of your actions. Now, tell me again of these plans of yours.”

Oh, the resignation.

“I quit. I’ll find another way to help my friends.”

She looked at me with disappointment. “Because you think you have feelings for me, even though you’ve only known me for a very short while.”

I shrugged and moved around to sit down on one of the chairs. “That’s part of it, but it’s what I’ve seen of the Guardians and their tactics. I don’t approve, and since I’m just a lowly human cadet, I don’t really have a say in the matter. Maybe if there was another ring color out there. Maybe red… is there a red ring out there? Something a little more carefree, less rigid?”

Sora’nik, took a seat next to mine. “There are Green for Will, Yellow for Fear, and Orange for Avarice. I’ve heard tale of a Red for Rage and rumors of three others. Besides, the rings come to you; you do not get to choose to that which you belong. If you surrender your Power Ring then there is little chance another will come.”

Bringing my hand up to eye level, I looked at the mysterious green metal the ring was made of. “Red for Rage. Meh. I’m not all ragetastic. What do you think, Ring?”

“Sitting in front of an Honor Guard of the Corps is not the most opportune moment to speak of this, Jade.”

Sora’nik blinked and I smiled.

“My ring isn’t like the others anymore.”

A noise came from my hand that sounded suspiciously like a sigh. “Well it’s now or never, I suppose. Lantern Natu, Jade Cross and I officially turn in our resignation.”

“What?” She leaned forward and looked at my hand like it had spontaneously grown a few new digits. “You’re an inanimate object owned by the Corps. You can’t resign.”

There was no pause when my ring said, “I am a sentient being, Lantern Natu. As such, I formally request asylum under section twenty-five, paragraph three of the Articles of Oa. My designated representative will be former Cadet Lantern Cross.”

“Granted,” I said. “Now, it’s time for me to go.”

Sora’nik followed me to her feet. “Jade. You can’t just leave.”

Steeling my nerve, because I knew I’d never get another chance, I stepped into her personal space and had to hold myself back from slamming my lips against hers. It didn’t stop me from kissing her, only from cracking a tooth.

My senses went wild at the feel of her lips and the taste of cinnamon that woke my tongue.

Sora’nik put up a token effort to pull away, but there didn’t seem to be much desire to do so. Redoubling my effort, I deepened the kiss and she responded in kind. Before it got to be too much, I pulled away and stepped back, watching her suck in her bottom lip for a brief moment and then resume her stoic stance.

“There,” I said. “Now we both know what we’re missing. If you’re ever around Earth then stop in and see me. I’ll take you dancing.”

I walked over to the window and I was just about to activate the ring to pass through when Sora’nik yelled. “Stop!”

Turning around I looked back at her.

“You have the hearing tomorrow. It may just as well be for the asylum.”

I licked my lips, still tasting her on me and wanting nothing more than to stay. “You know as well as I do that…”

The sound of an explosion rocked the building, cutting off anything more of what I had to say. Sora’nik’s ring emitted a holo-image of a short blue guy.

“The Sciencells have been breached. All available Lanterns respond immediately.”

Sora’nik didn’t even bat an eye, but she pointed at me. “Don’t go anywhere until I return.”

I smiled. “Screw that. I’m coming with.”

“You’re just a cadet!”

“No I’m not, I resigned, remember?”

She growled and it was sexy as hell. “Then help the wounded and stay out of the battle. Those are Yellow Lanterns out there. They won’t think twice about eviscerating you.”

“Fair enough.”

It was chaos in every sense of the word. I’d never seen people move so fast, never used my ring in anything like this, but an army of Green against Yellow fought each other, destroying half the area in the process.

Constructs of both colors battled each other while I dove to the ground to overturn the slabs of collapsed buildings, looking for those that were still alive underneath.

“Twelve degrees to your right, Jade.”

My heart was pounding with a dump of adrenaline. “If you can do it faster, ring then be my guest.”

I really didn’t think it would take me at my word. Dozens of green lights shot forth flipping metal into the air, digging into the ground, pulling people out and taking me into the air all at once.

“Holy crap!”

I didn’t even get the count of the number of green bubbles it had produced to ferry the wounded to the medical facilities before we were right back at it again.

Only this time I’d attracted the attention of a Yellow. It had a humanoid body, but its head was in the shape of a purple star, each arm with a gigantic eye and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth.

My ring growled. “Lethal force is authorized to be used against the Sinestro Corps.”

Again the light shot forth from my ring, attacking the nightmare before me. It never had a chance to complete its violence against me before my ring had breached its shield and ripped the star head from its shoulders.

“Ring, locate Sora’nik.”

“Scanning. Target acquired. There!”

She was holding her own, so I was able to breathe again. “Let’s get back to work, but keep an eye out for her.”

“Acknowledged.”

Four more trips through the rubble and I’d delivered another hundred civilians to the hospital, not to mention several downed Lanterns.

On the way back, the ring interrupted me as I was watching Sora’nik fighting some guy with the same skin color as her.

“Jade, Power levels at five percent. We must recharge before continuing.”

“Where?”

“The Central Power Battery will suffice.”

“Let’s go.”

The battle was winding down. There were definitely fewer explosions than before and a lot less yellow lights flying around. Once I’d risen high enough, I saw a giant green lantern much like the smaller one I charged my ring from, only it wasn’t exactly all there.

“Aw man. That must have been the big explosion we heard earlier.”

“We must find safe haven, Jade. My power supply will not last long under battle conditions.”

Turning around I barely missed a lance of yellow blowing past my face.

The ring took control and dived then shot across a building face.

“Power levels at four percent.”

“Nag, nag, nag.” We passed a work of art that was standing in front of one building that I thought slightly resembled a baseball bat. That gave me an idea.

Shooting up in the air, I let the Yellow follow behind then I looped over and dove again. Reaching out with the ring I formed a really big hand and tore the statue from its moorings. I slammed on the brakes and turned to find some seriously ugly thing bearing down on me. In the middle of the swing I saw it erected a shield but I didn’t let that stop me from slamming it as hard as I could into the creature.

The bat exploded and the Yellow Lantern went flying.

“Power levels at two percent.”

Scanning the skies, I couldn’t find Sora’nik. “Take us down and find Sora’nik.”

“Scanning. Lantern Natu is… Jade!”

We abruptly changed course and shot to the ground.

“NO!”

I shot out a hand construct and grabbed a slab of wall that was threatening to fall on the broken form of Sora’nik Natu lying on the ground below.

“Power levels at one percent.”

“No, not now! HELP!”

I landed beside her body and deactivated my personal shield to save energy.

“Ring status report,” came the female voice from Sora’nik’s ring. “Green Lantern 1417: Deceased. Priority Directive located. Proceeding to Sector 1417.”

Red blood leaked from her mouth and her eyes were open staring at nothing.

“No. Not you… not you…”

With the last bit of energy the ring possessed I pushed the slab of wall away and then let it shut down before pulling Sora’nik into my arms.

“Ring, help her. Bring her back.” It was silent to my call. “Ring!”

“Jaden Cross, you have great loss in your heart.”

Hugging her tighter I turned my head and saw a ring floating there inches away, except it wasn’t like the green power rings. This was something else.

“Can you help her?”

“This ring can aid in her restoration, Jaden Cross in exchange for your servitude.”

“My what?” I wasn’t hearing correctly and my mind was a jumble.

“Service to the Star Sapphires must be voluntary if the light is to be wielded and not blinding. This universe needs soldiers to combat the darkness that is coming; a Violet Corps devoted to Love. It needs a leader, Jaden Cross. You are capable of great love. Will you not share that with the universe?”

I looked down at Sora’nik, brushing dust off of her cheek. “Do it, whatever you have to do.”

“Do you accept this ring and your role in the Star Sapphire Corps?”

I didn’t have to think about it anymore. “Yes.”

Holding my hand up, I opened my fingers and it slid over and merged with the green ring that was already there.

“Jaden Cross, welcome to the Star Sa… Zzzzt! Power level at one hundred percent, Jade. Lay her down.”

Something sounded off, almost like… “Ring?”

“I am a sentient being and not so easily overcome. I know what to do, now set her down.”

I eased Sora’nik to the ground again. “What now.”

“Rest your left hand on her heart and your right hand on yours.”

A surge of violet light shot from the ring and covered both of my hands.

“Your heart is hers.”

My heart lurched in my chest. It didn’t hurt, but it was taxing nonetheless.

“Her heart is yours.”

This time I could swear I felt something below the hand that was touching her, bringing me a small measure of hope.

“With an infusion of your Love and Will,”

Something was sucked from me and shoved into her. I gasped.

“Together they are one.”

TBC...