Chapter 67: Meanwhile...

* * *

13 Days ago

Selene didn't feel like moving at all after what had happened yesterday. She still couldn't believe that she'd gone through with it, that she'd broken her bond with Ethan. It didn't seem real, but that ache in her heart was reminding her that it was very real. It had gotten stronger since yesterday, or maybe the drugs had just finished wearing off. It felt like someone had taken a meat tenderizer to her heart, and she was pretty sure it wasn't because it had been stopped and restarted.

Beside her, Thor took a deep breath and repositioned himself so he was closer to her. That almost made her smile, but not quite.

She didn't even open her eyes.

She could tell that it was well past sunrise by the light on her eyelids, and the couch in Jason, Hailey, and Melinda's living room was pretty comfortable. Well, comfortable enough anyway. It wasn't her hammock on the Argo, and it wasn't remotely close to Ethan's bed with his wives there, but it was comfortable enough.

She didn't know how long she laid there.

At one point, she realized that a wet spot had developed under her eye and moved slightly. Thor responded by moving closer to her and then falling back to sleep. He was purring softly, but not nearly as loudly as he usually did on the Argo.

She swallowed.

"Selene?"

She grunted in response to Hailey, not having the emotional energy for anything else.

"I'm running out for some coffee, did you want something?" Hailey asked. "I think Ruth said that you like lattés?"

Selene nearly broke down crying right that moment. She didn't and managed to hold it in, but it took most of her considerable self-control.

"Um, maybe just a black coffee, thank you." She replied after a moment, her voice sounding a little hoarse.

"Okay, back in a few." Hailey replied.

She wasn't gone long, but Selene still hadn't worked up the willpower to even open her eyes. She didn't like black coffee. She wanted a latté, but that would remind her of Ethan and...

She swallowed hard.

"Here you go." Hailey said, and the scent of coffee roused the Brazilian woman in a way that very few things could have.

Selene slowly blinked open her eyes as they adjusted to the bright, mid-morning sun. Hailey was standing over her looking at her intently with a piercing expression. There was a cup of coffee within easy reach on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Thank you." Selene said, then sat up, much to Thor's displeasure. She grabbed the coffee and took a careful sip. It was good coffee, but it was indeed black. For some reason, she liked that today. She'd never before liked the bitter aftertaste of black coffee, but somehow, it seemed pretty appropriate right now.

* * *

Hailey tipped some scrambled eggs onto Selene's plate and then sat down to eat the ones she'd served herself. She didn't usually eat scrambled eggs for lunch, but it was about the only thing that Selene had shown even a modicum of interest in.

"Bon appetite." Hailey said cheerfully.

"Thank you." Selene replied in a dull, listless tone.

Their guest had spent almost the entire morning sleeping, and she had even fallen back asleep before finishing her coffee. It was currently about two in the afternoon, which was late for lunch, but Hailey wanted to make sure that Selene was eating. Hailey herself had nearly starved herself after being separated from Jason when she was kidnapped -- not even on purpose, just because she was so listless -- and Hailey wanted to make sure that Selene didn't head that direction.

Hailey downed her food as she had to be at work in 30 minutes, but Selene merely poked at it. She took an occasional small bite and pushed the eggs around the plate, but little else.

About five minutes later, baby Ethan began crying.

Selene looked in the direction of the bedroom where the crib was set up, but it looked like her eyes were starting to droop a little.

"I got you." Melinda said tenderly from the same room, and the crying stopped a moment later. She came out holding him, and Hailey thought she might never fully get used to that sight: Melinda with a baby, Jason's baby. It didn't bother her, but Melinda had just never been very maternal before, and certainly not baby crazy. She wasn't exactly now either, but her world seemed to spin around little Ethan.

Hailey had just about finished getting ready for work when someone knocked on the door. She looked at Melinda, who shrugged.

Hailey also shrugged and then went to the door and opened it.

"Are you Hailey Oswald or Melinda Estello?" A delivery man asked. He was holding a good-sized box and one of those electronic signing devices.

"Yup, you need someone to sign for that?"

"Yes I do." He offered her the pad and she signed it.

"That looks nothing like my signature." Hailey chuckled.

"It never does." The delivery man handed over the box. "Have a great day."

"You too." Hailey replied, then closed the door as the man walked away.

"What is it?" Melinda asked.

"It's for Selene, care of you or me." Hailey replied as she read the shipping label, then walked to the table and offered the box to their guest.

Selene took it without much enthusiasm. Hailey grabbed a kitchen knife and the Brazilian woman used it to open the box. The bottom of the box was filled with clothes, and above them were a variety of carefully wrapped items. The top one was labeled 'cell phone', and it had a note taped to it as well.

"It's from Yvonne." Selene said, the corners of her mouth lifting fractionally as she read the note, and she tilted it so Hailey could read as well. "She sent some of my personal effects that she thought I'd want, and enough clothes to wear if I do laundry regularly."

"That was nice of her." Hailey said as she skimmed the short note. At the end, Yvonne mentioned that Selene's phone bill had been paid and suggested that Selene call her dad because: 'I know you two are close and I'm sure it will help'.

Hailey looked at Selene. "You might want to take her advice."

Selene nodded slowly. "Um, can I use the spare room?"

"It's your room for as long as you want to stay." Melinda said, beating Hailey to the punch.

"Thank you." Selene hit the phone's power button; it was fully charged.

"I need to get to work or I'll be late." Hailey said.

"Have fun." Melinda said ironically.

"It'll be the time of my life, I'm sure." Hailey sighed, rolled her eyes, then left. Still, she was very happy to be back on Earth with Jason and Melinda. Since getting back, work just hadn't seemed so bad compared to what she'd been through.

* * *

Thor looked up when Selene entered the second bedroom, yawned, then put his head back down and went back to sleep. Selene ignored the near-endless number of alerts on her phone and dialed her dad's number.

"Selene!" His voice said, and he'd picked up before the second ring.

"Hi Daddy, I'm okay." She said, feeling better at hearing his voice, or at least less miserable.

"You don't sound okay." He replied. "What happened?"

"It's a long story, but I want to tell you if you have the time."

"Hang on just a minute." He replied.

She figured he was at the dojo, and guessed that he was turning the class over to someone else. Sure enough, about 30 seconds later...

"Okay, I'm free for the rest of the day." He said, and she heard a car door closing in the background, so he'd probably gone out to the car. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"No." She said, her voice cracking. "Physically I'm fine. But Daddy, I finally found a good guy, but now..." She swallowed, not able to finish the sentence.

"Tell me where you are and I'll come get you." He replied instantly.

"Not yet, let me..." She took a deep breath. "I need to tell you the story first. Please?"

There was a brief pause. "Okay, I'll listen."

She told him.

She told him everything.

The whole story.

She glossed over the bits where she'd held Ethan's wing, but otherwise, she told him everything. All of the confusing parts, all the wonderful parts, all the joyous parts, all the sad parts, all the worst parts, all the best parts, and all the heartbreaking parts.

Everything.

He asked plenty of clarifying questions, but otherwise mostly let her talk. He listened for what felt like hours as she recounted everything that had happened in the two months since she'd first been picked up by Smithbond. Especially as she got near the end, she broke down crying more than once. When she finished, he didn't speak for several long seconds.

"Wow." He finally said. "My daughter is psychic, magic is real, dragons are real, you found a true friend for life, and somehow, a dragon stole your heart." He paused. "Are you sure you aren't my other daughter named Selene?"

She managed to chuckle, though it was also half a sob. "I know, it doesn't seem real to me either. The past two months have just flown by." She bit her lip. "Daddy, did I do the right thing?"

She could hear him take a deep breath and exhale before he replied. "I have no idea baby girl. You did what you thought was right, and I can't fault you for that. And I know you, you never would've been able to live with yourself if you had stayed over there when there are people you thought you could help here."

"Yeah." She nodded, then wiped her face again. She had gone through rather a lot of Kleenex and was trying to be careful to make sure it ended up in the garbage just in case someone popped into the room.

"He really did steal your heart, didn't he?"

"He did." She replied, screwing her face up and trying not to dissolve into another fit of tears.

It wasn't easy.

"I need to hit something." Selene finally said, wishing that she could spar with Kendra or Ethan. Hell, she'd even take Racklan; at least she wouldn't feel bad about whaling on the perv.

"Is there a dojo nearby?" He asked.

"No, not a good one." She replied, having looked out of curiosity when she'd been assigned the case, way back when she was still an FBI agent.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. "Selene?" Hailey's voice said.

"Hang on Dad." She lowered the phone and wiped her face to try and hide the fact that she'd been crying. "Come in."

Hailey opened the door as Selene looked at the clock; it was after nine in the evening.

"There's some dinner in the fridge, and we're all heading to bed."

"Okay, thanks." Selene replied, not having realized it was so late.

Hailey gave her an encouraging smile, then closed the door.

"I'm back, and I'm sorry for keeping you up so long." She said to her dad.

"Selene, you're my daughter, you've been gone for two months, and just went through a terrible heartbreak; I don't mind."

"Thanks Daddy." She smiled.

"You know you're welcome to come home, right?" He asked.

"Yeah, but I would need to deal with Mom 24/7 and I'm not ready for that."

"Okay, but remember that I'm only a phone call away." He replied. "Oh, and speaking of your mother, I need to figure out what to tell her."

Selene sighed. "Not the whole truth; I don't want to be regaled with the miraculous curative powers of the local psych ward when I tell her I've been doing magic."

"I'll just tell her that you were undercover and went through a lot, but can't talk about it." He said a moment later. "It's even mostly true."

"Okay." She nodded.

"You know she'll call the moment I tell her."

"Fortunately, my phone has a do-not-disturb mode and I'm willing to use it." She replied, mostly joking. "I should call her."

"Yeah, you probably should." He replied. "Good night baby girl, I'll be in touch." He said, and she knew he meant it.

"Night." She hung up and flopped down on the bed.

She didn't feel like moving.

She laid there for some time, wondering what Ethan and Kendra were up to until she drifted off to sleep, Thor sleeping on the bed snuggled up to her.

* * *

12 Days ago

"This is wallowing, isn't it?" Selene asked around dinnertime after realizing that she'd binged the entire series of Firefly and polished off both pints of ice cream in the freezer since waking up that morning. Thor had shown some interest in the ice cream, but lost it when he got a good sniff and realized that there wasn't any meat. He wasn't really a fan of Earth's cat food either.

Hailey looked at her, nodded, and chuckled. "Yes, it's wallowing."

"Actually, not quite." Jason spoke up. "If you look at the dictionary, the picture of you actually has you in sweats, so it's not wallowing yet." He winked.

Everyone chuckled, even Selene.

"It's almost criminal that this didn't get a full run as a series." She said a moment later, indicating the TV where the credits to the final episode were playing.

"Perhaps you know someone in the FBI who can bring those responsible to justice?" Jason quipped.

Again, everyone chuckled.

"I can't do this." Selene said after a moment. "I probably needed to today because I was tired most of the day, but I can't do this; I can't sit and wallow."

"Wallowing helps sometimes." Melinda said as she absent-mindedly rocked little Ethan in a baby rocker. "I realize that you and Ethan were close--" She shot Jason a look, clearly forestalling something she somehow knew he was about to say. "--don't."

"I wasn't going to say anything." He replied with a mock-angelic expression.

"Anyway." Melinda shook her head and turned to Selene. "Sometimes a gal needs to wallow to get over a guy."

"I wouldn't know." Selene replied. "Ethan was the closest to a relationship that I've ever had, and I don't think we were quite... well, anything."

"Based on what Kendra and Ruth said, I'm pretty sure he'd marry you in a heartbeat." Jason said.

"And that's why I can't wallow." Selene replied. "I'll think about it, and that leads to more... this." She pointed to the TV, which had gone back to the home page for Firefly.

"More episodes of Firefly?" Jason asked, then added in a mock-serious tone. "I'm afraid that you must wallow until the series reaches its original intended conclusion."

Selene chuckled.

Jason really was funny. He was probably even funnier than Ethan, but for some reason, Selene liked Ethan's sense of humor better.

"We were actually just talking about that last night." Hailey said. "That is, about something you could do to take your mind off of 'him'."

"Oh, we've reached the 'we don't use his name' stage of breakup support?" Melinda asked.

"We weren't dating, engaged, or married; there was no breakup."

"Selene, look me in the eye and say that again honestly." Jason said seriously.

Selene looked at him and opened her mouth, but wasn't able to say it again.

"There isn't a lot to do in this town, but the diner we work at--" Hailey waggled her finger between herself and Melinda. "--will hire just about anyone, and the owner will be salivating to get you hired."

"He leers occasionally, but he's never tried anything." Melinda added.

"He won't be tempted to leer if I keep eating this much ice cream." Selene sighed. "I'll do it; I need something."

They chatted for a little longer, mostly about the job and what it entailed. Honestly, it sounded a lot like the other waitressing jobs she'd had while in college. She always made sure to be friendly, and that combined with her looks had earned her some pretty good tips.

As she laid down in her borrowed bed in the guest room, her mind turned to the Ten Kingdoms, Ethan, and Kendra. She had found herself doing that a lot and hoped that things were going well with them. She wondered what Sarah had made for the meals, how they had spent their days, and generally everything about their lives there.

Thor jumped up onto the bed and snuggled up close to her.

"Hey little kitty." She said as she petted him. He'd been very snuggly all day long, and the previous day too. He probably thought she was finally getting enough sleep since she'd slept almost as much as him while recovering.

Thor looked at her and let out a slightly squeaky meow, then looked around.

"They're not here, sorry." Selene said.

Thor looked down and got very sad eyes.

"I know, me too." Selene swallowed.

She laid down and Thor snuggled up to her as usual, but he didn't seem all that happy. Selene turned her mind to Ethan and focused on the mental tunnel that still connected them. She was glad that was still there at least. It was hard to hear unless she was paying attention, but at least she could still hear him if she concentrated.

Having nothing better to do, she did. She listened, she focused, and--

Her eyes snapped open.

She heard something.

It must've been Ethan. She couldn't hear what was said, not exactly, but it was definitely Ethan. He had thought something to her. She summoned all her mental fortitude and willpower and shouted back mentally as loud as she could so he might be able to hear her. "ETHAAAAAN!"

She didn't get a response, but then, he might not have heard her. But that didn't matter to her; Ethan had contacted her.

She smiled, her first real smile since she had broken her bond with Ethan.

Thor started purring.

Selene's smile faltered for a moment as she remembered that she didn't live with him and wasn't bonded to him. She couldn't help that, not if she wanted to help people on Earth with her telepathy, but she could help their communication troubles. It was her only way to contact him, so she wanted to make damn sure she treasured that connection. She knew the problem was on her end, and that with time and work, she could improve her telepathic communication.

Suddenly, she had a new top priority.

* * *

11 Days ago

Selene smiled back at Hailey and Melinda's boss, thinking he looked like a slightly more overweight version of Dwight Schrute from The Office. He wasn't exactly less disturbing either. He had eyed the scar on her cheek, but apparently, the rest of her completely outweighed that because the moment Hailey had mentioned that Selene might want a job, the man had looked her up and down, grinned, and then spoke. "You're hired; when can you start?"

"Um." Selene looked down at her clothes. She wasn't dressed for waitressing because she was wearing short heels. "I need to change, but after that I can--"

"Great." He grinned, and the grin had a bit of a leer in it.

That was one of the things that Selene had always appreciated about Ethan; she had never felt insulted or disgusted when he looked at her. Never.

"I'll show you around the place, then take you home so you can change." Hailey offered.

Selene nodded.

The place was set up like an old-time 60s diner and did a reasonable job at that. The decor, tables, and chairs fit reasonably well, and the size and shape of the building supported that feel as well. It wasn't a bad place, but Selene wouldn't exactly have had a strong urge to stop in if she had been driving past. The cook was apparently a genius with a skillet though, so she guessed that was the main draw to the place.

An hour later, she'd gotten the tour, gone back to the apartment, changed, come back, and started working. It was just like riding a bike in that she'd done it before and other than learning the menu, it was basically the same.

That was good, because working here would give her a chance to work on something that was important to her: building up her telepathic skill. Well, at least for listening to other people's thoughts. For sending thoughts, she'd need to try something else. She had an idea, but would need help for it. Thankfully, she found that since telepathy used barely any mana, it wasn't a problem to keep her mana from draining too quickly, even on Earth where it was much harder to collect it.

With the knowledge that she was working toward being able to talk to the Argo again, and especially Ethan and Kendra, she was the most cheerful she'd been since leaving the Argo.

* * *

Hailey dropped her keys on the end table next to the door and closed it behind her after Selene followed her in. What a day.

"Is it usually that busy?" Selene asked, then yawned.

"No, that was nuts." Hailey replied, then mirrored her guest's yawn. "Usually it's pretty slow between lunch and dinner."

Selene nodded, then took a deep breath. "I hate to do this, but can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure." Hailey replied with a smile, not having forgotten how the other woman had stuck up for her while they were all captured by Smithbond's nameless agency.

"I told you about my issues with contacting Ethan, right?"

"Yup." Hailey nodded, then waved her into the kitchen where Melinda was cooking some grub while Jason was reading something from his work at the table.

"Well, I need to practice sending telepathic messages so I can communicate with the Argo, but that means I need someone to send them to."

"Go ahead, I'd be happy to help." Hailey agreed as she scooped a fingerful of mashed potatoes out of a pot Melinda had left unattended. "Wait, you can't read my mind, can you?"

"Um, I could but I don't." Selene replied. "And thank you."

"So, you can read anyone's mind?" Melinda asked.

"Anyone without mental defenses, so basically anyone on Earth." Selene replied.

Hailey chuckled. "I bet the other waitresses would pay good money to know what Detective McDreamy is thinking."

Selene looked at her. "Who?"

"There's a detective for the local PD that stops in for breakfast almost every day." Melinda replied. "I think his name is McDonald, or McDawson, or something like that, but the other waitresses all call him McDreamy; you'll understand when you meet him."

"Uh, okay." Selene looked back and forth between the two ladies. "I'm working in the morning so I guess I'll meet him then?"

"Probably." Hailey replied, then looked at Melinda. "I'm pretty sure the boss just slotted Selene into all your hours."

"Works for me; I still have a while yet until my maternity leave is up." Melinda shrugged.

"I'm going to crash." Selene said. "The cook apparently decided I need to double my weight because he offered me half the food in the kitchen."

Hailey laughed.

There was a loud meow and Thor came tearing out of the bedroom to see Selene. Their guest knelt down, scooped him up, and started petting him, then carried him into the guest room where she was staying.

Hailey walked closer to Melinda. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Melinda gave her a sly smile. "That McDreamy and McBeauty--" She nodded her head toward Selene. "--would get along very well."

"She just got back and likely isn't over Ethan yet." Jason said from the table, though quietly enough that his voice wouldn't carry. "It's too soon."

"You didn't see her today." Hailey replied. "She seemed fine, or at least mostly fine."

"Yeah, remember that guy I dated for like, a month, not long after you and Hailey started dating?" Melinda added. "I was devastated when we broke up, but I bounced back a couple days later. She wasn't even dating him and she wasn't gone that long."

"The star that burns the brightest burns the shortest." Hailey agreed.

Jason frowned. "I suppose that's possible."

"You aren't convinced?" Melinda asked as she added some more seasoning to the dish.

"Nope." He shook his head.

"Look, it's a miracle that McDreamy isn't already married, or at least dating someone." Melinda pointed out. "Even if the timing isn't ideal -- and I think it's fine -- Selene might not even get a chance with him if she waits."

"Okay." Jason said, but his tone indicated that he wasn't convinced.

Melinda looked at Hailey. "Can you set something up?

Hailey smiled. "His table will be in my section tomorrow morning... and the new girl might need to trade with me."

"Perfect." Melinda got a twinkle in her eye.

* * *

10 Days ago

Selene remembered waitressing being hard on her feet, but apparently, spending hours a day sparring toughened one's feet because they weren't bothering her at all. The diner was slow-ish this morning, with only two occupied tables in her section. One was an elderly couple who were very sweet, and the other was a college kid who had ordered an omelet and was sitting there on his computer drinking his weight in coffee. She didn't miss those days.

It was a little odd seeing people react to her this time though. Whereas before, everyone had mostly checked her out subtly -- and sometimes not so subtly -- the scar on her face from the battle with Lord Delmar seemed to be drawing more attention than her body. Not that her body didn't draw a lot of attention -- it did -- but her scar seemed to hold it for longer.

Curiously, about five minutes ago, Hailey had started glancing at the door regularly. Selene let it pass without comment, but it was partially explained when someone she assumed was Detective McDreamy walked in carrying a manilla folder.

He wasn't Ethan, but objectively speaking, he was one of the most handsome men Selene had ever seen. He was a pretty classic 'tall, dark, and handsome'; and well-dressed too. He was wearing a suit that despite fitting him perfectly and looking good, obviously wasn't expensive. He carried himself well and had bright and intelligent eyes, though he looked a bit tired at the moment.

He waved at one of the other waitresses like he'd known her forever, and she waved back enthusiastically. He then walked to a table and slid onto the seat, looking like he'd performed that exact move at that exact table a thousand times. His table was in Selene's section, so she walked over to him.

"Good morning, what can I get you to drink?"

"Something with espresso; lots of espresso." He replied, then yawned.

"Burning the midnight oil?" She asked as she tried to remember what they had on the menu that was stronger than coffee.

"Last night, midnight would've been knocking off early." He looked at her for a moment. "New here?"

"Yup, started yesterday."

"Ah, then I'll have the heart-healthy omelet with a side of bacon."

"Heart-healthy omelet and a side of bacon?" Selene asked, finding the combination a bit odd.

"Yup, I try to eat healthy all the time and occasionally have a treat; this morning, the omelet is my treat." He said in an entirely serious tone, but the twinkle in his eyes told her that he was joking.

"Coming right up." She chuckled. "And to drink?"

"Just tell the kitchen that I had a long night and they'll know." He replied.

"Okay, coming right up."

"Thank you ma'am." He replied with a smile, and his tone conveyed genuine gratitude. Almost strangely, he hadn't 'checked her out' even once.

She went back to the kitchen to give his order to the chef and was greeted by Hailey holding the entire order. Selene eyed it and then looked at Hailey.

"He comes in here a lot." Hailey explained.

Selene shrugged, grabbed the order, and took it out to him.

"Perfect, thank you." He said when she set it down. On the table, he had the manilla folder laying open and there were pictures of what looked like a crime scene and some witness statements.

"You're welcome." She smiled at him; she always got better tips when she smiled.

"So, what did you think of McDreamy?" Hailey asked when Selene had checked on her other patrons and returned to the kitchen.

"He's nice." She shrugged. He was indeed nice, but he wasn't Ethan.

Hailey shook her head and then walked out of the kitchen with someone's order.

About ten minutes later, Selene went to check on McDreamy. "Anything I can get you?"

He gave her an amused look. "Well, my favorite not-missing person--" He gestured towards Hailey. "--tells me that you are on a brief leave from the FBI, and she made me promise to ask you about it."

Selene sighed. "Yeah, my first assignment got... complicated."

"Law enforcement certainly can be that way." He nodded. "Well, I've kept my word to Hailey and asked; I won't pry."

"Thank you." Selene smiled. "Can I get you anything?"

"Not at the moment, thank you."

She smiled again -- tips really were so much better with a smile and pleasant demeanor -- and then went back to the kitchen.

"And?" Hailey asked. "That was a pretty short conversation."

"Yup." Selene resisted the urge to sigh; was Hailey trying to set her up?

"He looked intrigued when I mentioned that you were an FBI agent; I've never seen him look intrigued by a woman before."

"Hailey, I don't need help in the 'man department'." Technically that wasn't true, but the man she wanted help with was literally worlds away.

Hailey looked at her for a moment. "Kendra told me that you promised Ethan that you would find someone to take care of you. Jason, Melinda, and I are happy to help for the moment, but you need something long-term. If not a guy, then who?"

Selene didn't answer.

Hailey stepped closer. "And if it's going to be a guy, then why not give McDreamy a shot? He's a detective so he understands police work, one of the other waitresses said he's into martial arts, and from what I've heard and seen, he's a genuinely decent guy. Didn't you promise Ethan?"

Selene swallowed.

Of all the things that Hailey had said, that last one was the only one that held any weight. McDreamy did seem like a decent guy, maybe even a good guy, but he wasn't Ethan. However, she had promised Ethan...

"Fine, I'll be a little more... open." She finally replied.

"Good." Hailey smiled.

* * *

6 Days ago

"And?"

"I think it's going well." Hailey replied to Jason as she crawled into bed next to him while Melinda was on his other side. It had been a long double-shift

"Details?" Mels asked.

"Well, they've been talking most mornings." Hailey replied, then yawned again. "I think Selene is only making an effort because I reminded her that Ethan made her promise to find someone to take care of her though."

"So, operation McDreamy is underway?" Jason asked with a suppressed smile.

"I actually think it's going pretty well." Hailey replied. "Selene laughed this morning and I think he asked her opinion on one of the cases he's working on."

"Can he do that?" Jason asked.

"Apparently he said he was asking for a consultation from the FBI." Hailey shrugged. "Honestly, it was the most subtle and gentlemanly flirting I've seen in a long time."

Jason made a mock-offended noise.

Melinda chuckled.

"And you're sure this is a good idea?" Jason asked more seriously.

"They're pretty perfect for each other." Melinda said as she scooted closer to him.

"She's not over Ethan yet." He replied as he put his arm around her.

"How serious could they have gotten?" Melinda replied. "She was only there for like, two months."

"A lot can happen in two months, and I'll bet that bond makes a difference." Jason replied.

"I guess we'll see." Hailey shrugged. "I already encouraged him to ask her out on a date."

"That'll be interesting." Jason mused.

* * *

2 Days ago

Selene had spent the entire time she was working as a waitress since she got back to practice the one thing that really mattered to her right now: improving her telepathic abilities. She'd even taken every shift she possibly could for the purpose, and thus had ended up working double shifts regularly. Not only did that mean she got more practice, but it also meant there was less downtime where she could miss Ethan and Kendra.

She had realized that practicing her telepathy would require some slight bending of her decision not to invade people's privacy with her abilities. However, she decided that if she only used them right after she asked about orders, they would mostly be thinking about food. If they thought about anything else, she would immediately pull out of their mind.

She had been partially right.

They were mostly thinking about one of two things: food, and whatever the men and even some of the women wanted to do with her body. God, Victoria had been right; people were awful. And it wasn't just the men. Occasionally she would get a couple and more often than not, the woman was wishing terrible things on her because the fellows tended to stare, even when they were trying not to.

Suddenly, she had a whole new appreciation for Victoria and her ability to constantly look on the bright side. It was damn impressive when Selene considered that most people seemed to make a game of how terrible their thoughts could go.

But she persisted.

She persisted because it was the only way she would be able to contact Ethan, Kendra, and the Argo. Enduring the mental images of what everyone wanted to do with her body was worth it if she could contact them again. If that was the price of communicating with them unimpeded again, she was more than willing to pay it.

And she was getting better.

It had caught her off guard when her telepathy had gotten harder after breaking the bond, but she was learning. Some minds were easier to read, and some were harder, but it was definitely getting easier overall. She had never truly appreciated just how much being bonded to Ethan had improved her abilities until now.

"You don't have a sister, do you?" Her boss asked.

"No, why?" Selene asked as she loaded up a young-ish couple's breakfast onto a tray.

"Because we've been getting a lot more business since you started working here." He replied, looking even more like Dwight from The Office, only his beer belly made it worse. "Today is the first slow day we've had since word got out that we have a super-hot chick working here."

"Sorry." Selene replied with a forced smile, then she carried the tray out to the young-ish couple.

*That waitress bitch is purposely baiting my man.* The woman thought, completely unaware that Selene could hear her. *I wish I had time alone with her and a sharp knife, or maybe a dull, rusty one; then I could finish marking up that face so badly that no man would want her, especially mine.*

"Here you go." Selene said with a smile as she gave the couple their breakfast.

*Damn she's hot.* The fellow thought, though he wasn't checking her out and had actually been among the more gentlemanly men she'd served as far as his thoughts were concerned. It was a shame he was dating a jealous shrew.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw McDreamy enter, right on time.

"Thank you." The man said, then started eating.

The female half of the couple waited until her man wasn't paying attention and then shot Selene a venomous look. Selene -- remembering that tips depended on a pleasant demeanor -- gave her an apologetic smile and then left.

"The usual?" She asked McDreamy when she arrived at his usual table. He was the one guy whose mind she hadn't read; she didn't feel comfortable doing that for some reason.

"Yes ma'am." He nodded, then looked around. "And since you just served the only other table in your section, would you want to join me for breakfast, or even just some coffee?"

Selene raised her eyebrow. "Did Hailey put you up to this?"

"Hailey suggested it." McDreamy corrected. "In fact, she might've hinted that she cleared it with your boss and convinced the other waitresses to keep your section slow while I'm here." He paused. "It was a very pointed hint."

Selene chuckled.

"Up to you; I won't be offended either way." He added, and she was pretty sure he was being entirely honest.

"Okay, once I get your order." She nodded and went into the back to get his order.

"His usual, and one for you." Hailey said, holding up a chai latte in addition to McDreamy's usual order. She then added in a low voice. "It's from Starbucks, not here."

"Thank God." Selene replied equally as quietly since no one in the diner could make a good latte. Not like Ethan could... She put the thought out of her mind and returned to McDreamy, gave him his food, and then slid into the seat opposite him.

"So, why did you ask?" Selene said after a moment.

"Because you're kind, fun to talk to, clever, we share some interests, and you're beautiful." He paused. "In that order."

"Beauty last?"

He nodded. "Beauty fades, kindness and companionship last a lot longer."

"Coming from most people, that would sound like a line." Selene pointed out.

"Oh, it's definitely a line." He winked. "It just also happens to be true."

She chuckled.

She liked his sense of humor, mostly because it reminded her of Ethan's; though she definitely preferred Ethan's.

"So, since I have food to eat before it gets cold, I thought I'd ask the obvious question." He said as he used the edge of his fork to cut a bite-sized piece off of his omelet. "Why an FBI agent? You probably had a lot of options and could've done anything else; why that?"

She took a moment to think about if she really wanted to answer that question. Before she had decided, something occurred to her. "I'm sure you could've just looked me up in the LEO database."

"I could've, but I didn't." He replied. "Call me old fashioned, but I think that's an invasion of privacy."

"My brother was kidnapped when I was young and he... well, they found him too late." She replied after a moment. "I remember feeling helpless and wanting to make sure that no other little girl ever felt that way about her brother. The FBI has jurisdiction in kidnapping cases, so..."

"I'm sorry." He said when he had finished chewing. "Things like that change you."

"How about you?" She asked. "Why a detective?"

"Because my dad was a cop and shot in the line of duty when I was about fourteen." He replied, his tone low enough not to carry much beyond their booth. "They never found the guy who did it, or at least they could never prove who it was."

"You wanted to catch him?"

"Originally, yes. But later..." McDreamy shook his head. "My mother reminded me that my dad became a cop to help people, not for vengeance. She reminded me that he always put what was right first; 'justice is blind', he would always say. She told me that he wouldn't want me trying to catch his killer on a vendetta when there were people out there that needed protecting."

Selene nodded. "He sounds like a great man."

"He was." McDreamy nodded, then took another bite.

Selene twisted in her seat to make sure the other couple didn't need anything. Judging by the withering glare she got from the woman, they were fine.

"Well, that won't be a good tip." McDreamy chuckled.

"People are the worst." Selene shook her head as she returned to sitting normally.

"You don't have to tell me that." He reached down and patted his badge. "That's part of the reason I like coming here." He indicated the diner around him.

"Oh?"

He nodded. "There are some good people who work here, like Hailey and Melinda. It's nice to be reminded why I wear a badge."

Selene nodded.

"So, there's an event happening the day after tomorrow that I think you'll love." He said, apparently changing topics. "It's at one in the afternoon and I'm going; if you'd like to join me, you'd be welcome."

"What's the event?" She asked cautiously; it was starting to sound like he was asking her on a date.

"Sorry, you'll see when you get there." His eyes twinkled.

"How will I know where to go if I don't know what the event is?"

"I suppose I'll have to give you a ride, and I was thinking -- since you'll likely work up an appetite -- that afterward we could get a late lunch or early dinner." He looked at her pointedly. "And to be clear, yes, this is me asking you on a date."

"And you won't tell me what the event is?" Selene asked.

"Nope." He smiled. "But based on our conversations, I'm 99% sure that you'll love it."

Selene's immediate impulse was to turn him down. In fact, she opened her mouth to do just that, but Hailey's reminder of her promise to Ethan to find someone to take care of her popped back into her mind. She didn't think it was fair to McDreamy to lead him on, and she should probably tell him that.

On the other hand, she'd made her choice. She'd moved to Earth and Ethan wasn't an option for a husband anymore. Frankly, out of all the eligible men she'd met in her life besides Ethan, McDreamy was easily one of the best. Probably the best. He obviously wasn't even in Ethan's league, but a distant second wasn't so bad when you considered his competition.

On yet another hand, she was still recovering from breaking her bond with Ethan. She wasn't sure it was fair to him because of that. Then again, it was only a first date. She thought about it for a moment and decided that she could do one date. She would need to tell him about Ethan before going on another one, but she could do one date because she had promised Ethan.

"Okay." She nodded.

"Great." He smiled. "If you give me your address, I'll pick you up at 12:15 sharp."

"I'm staying with Hailey and Melinda right now." She replied.

"I can pick you up there or here; up to you."

"There." Selene replied, knowing her hosts would be fine with it. "Since you won't tell me where we're going, what should I wear?"

"Something incredibly casual that you can move easily in, and a sports bra; not a regular one." He replied.

She raised her eyebrow. Sports bras weren't exactly 'sexy' so she thought he was being practical, but she wasn't sure.

"Trust me." He flashed her a grin, and the way he did it reminded her of Ethan a little bit. Again, not even in the same league, but otherwise it was similar.

* * *

"Ruth's Salon and Day Spa, this is Ruth."

"Hi Mrs. Ejder." Selene replied, not feeling quite right calling her 'Ruth' for some reason. "It's Selene." She was in the guest room at the apartment with the door closed and Thor lying on the bed next to her.

His kibble was mostly untouched and he didn't like canned food much better. He did go crazy whenever someone in the apartment opened some ground beef or tuna though. He then proceeded to beg loudly and repeatedly until he got some, after which he was perfectly happy again.

Well, not perfectly happy. He tended to spend a lot of time wandering the apartment like he was looking for something. He perked up whenever someone mentioned the names of the Argo's crew, but then went back to looking around the apartment again.

'Selene, hi." Ethan's mother replied with genuine warmth in her tone. "What can I do for you?"

"I was hoping to talk when you have a minute." Selene replied. "Maybe after you get off work?"

"That's one of the nice things about being the boss, I can take a little time in the middle of the day." Ruth replied cheerfully. "Hang on, let me ask Michelle to watch the front and I'll call you back on my cell."

"Okay." Selene replied. "Talk to you soon."

"Yup." Ruth hung up, only to call back a minute later. "What's wrong?"

"What makes you think something is wrong?" Selene replied.

"I wasn't born yesterday." Came the kind but pointed reply.

"Um, I have a date." Selene said, and then gave Ruth the short version.

"I don't know if I've ever been more proud of my son." Ruth said. "He really made you promise to find someone to take care of you?"

"He did." She confirmed.

"So why the call? Are you having second thoughts? With a name like 'McDreamy', that seems hard."

"He's..." She took a moment to compose her thoughts. "If I had met him three months ago, I would've said he was the perfect man."

"And now?"

"He's not Ethan." Selene finally said. "He might even be a better man than Ethan -- not that I know one way or the other, and I'm not sure that's possible -- but he's not Ethan."

"Well, here's my advice, but realize I've been out of the dating world for..." She paused. "Well, Ethan was born nine months after the wedding, and we started dating one year before we got married, so you do the math."

Selene chuckled.

"You told McDreamy that you would go on a date with him." Ruth said. "You didn't promise marriage, or to be his girlfriend, or anything like that, but you said you'd go on a date with him. It might even have been a bad idea to agree, but you agreed. Thus, you owe him that much. Go on the date, try not to think of Ethan, and try to have a good time. Try to put Ethan completely out of your mind during the entire date. If at the end of the date you still find yourself wanting Ethan, just be honest with McDreamy. Tell him that you're not over your previous relationship, and if you had a good time, tell him you did."

Selene thought about that for a moment.

It made sense.

She would be keeping her word by going on the date, and after everything surrounding her birthday, she planned to never even bend the truth ever again to anyone she remotely cared about. Ruth's idea was good and she would be keeping her word to Ethan. That was important to her.

"Okay." Selene said after a moment.

"And wear something nice." Ruth added. "It sounds like it'll be a casual date, but wear something that's both nice and casual. You agreed to go, so put in the effort to look nice. I always told Ethan that."

"Okay, I don't have a lot to wear right now though."

"Selene, dear, you're a woman; shopping is hard-coded into our DNA." Ruth joked.

Selene chuckled. "Okay. I'm not working the next two days, so I'll find something."

"Have Hailey or Melinda help you, especially Melinda." Ruth suggested. "I was dying to buy some sexy clothes after I lost the pregnancy weight."

"Okay, I will." Selene promised.

"Oh, and Selene; I'll be praying for you, the date, and that you'll end up in the right place with the right man."

"Thank you." Selene replied, then changed topics. "How are you and your husband?"

"Much better now that we know Ethan is doing well." Ruth replied, and they talked for nearly an hour. When they finally hung up and Selene was snuggled into bed with Thor, she couldn't help thinking that Ruth would be a perfect mother-in-law.

* * *

Yesterday

"How about this?" Hailey asked, holding up some yoga pants that had a classy but casual pattern in them. They probably would've looked 'nice' on Hailey herself, but Selene's perfect figure could turn almost anything into an eye-popping look.

"I try not to wear yoga pants; it draws too much attention." Selene replied as she looked at some looser pants.

"Selene, you're going on a date." Melinda reminded her while baby Ethan slept in the detachable part of the car seat, which was in the shopping cart. "You're supposed to draw your date's attention."

"Yeah, but with what top?" Selene asked.

To Hailey, it sounded like Selene was doing everything she could to throw herself into this because she wanted to want it, not because she actually wanted it.

"Almost anything." Hailey sighed. "Seriously, you're so hot that you'd make men drool in sweats."

"You ladies draw some attention yourselves." Selene said absentmindedly.

"Oh?" Hailey asked.

*Yup, those two guys that just passed were thinking some pretty unsavory thoughts.* Selene's voice said in Hailey's head. Judging by the look Melinda gave her, Selene had probably thought the same to her as well. The voice wasn't very loud, but it was there and noticeable.

"I don't think I could ever get used to that." Hailey shook her head and then spoke quietly. "I know we both told you that you could practice sending us telepathic messages, but it's still weird."

"It's weirder not hearing them regularly." Selene replied, and Hailey wasn't sure that she realized she'd said that aloud.

"Okay, I found it." Hailey said a minute later as she pulled up the perfect top and held it up.

"You have got to be kidding me." Selene rolled her eyes.

"It's perfect." Melinda grinned.

* * *

Today, four hours ago.

"It's not too much?" Selene asked as she looked at the mirror in the apartment, then glanced at her phone to check the time; McDreamy would be here to pick her up in a few minutes, assuming he wasn't late.

"You look perfect." Hailey replied. "It's casual, you can move in it, you look gorgeous, and it's funny as hell, especially if you're in on the joke."

Selene frowned.

Hailey was correct on every point, but it still felt... weird to be dressed this way, to be intentionally looking good for anyone other than Ethan. She was wearing some designer running shoes, yoga pants that hugged her curves like a second skin, and a crop-top that came low enough to cover her midriff unless she was really stretching. It was what the shirt said that put it over the top. It wasn't vulgar or anything, and it was funny, but still...

"You're sure it's not too much?" She asked again.

"Selene, you're gorgeous enough that I might be tempted to try batting from the other side of the plate, well, if I wasn't engaged." Hailey said with a smirk. "Trust me, you look fine."

"I second that." Melinda said, paused, then added. "Both parts."

Selene sighed.

Knock! Knock!

"Right on time." Melinda said.

Selene looked at her phone; he had indeed knocked exactly on time, down to the second. She smiled, then walked to the door and opened it.

Detective McDreamy was standing there wearing a polo and some slacks, and he looked quite good. He looked at her and obviously liked what he saw judging by the smile on his face. For the first time, he gave her the 'once over', but did so in a gentlemanly way and not an obnoxious 'checking her out' kind of way.

He burst out laughing when his eyes landed on the writing on her shirt. "I love it!"

"It's not too much?" She asked with a grimace.

He shook his head as he read her shirt. "FBI, Female Body Inspector."

In Selene's defense, the words " Female Body Inspector" were in small print below the enormous "FBI" letters.

"That's brilliant, and has Hailey's sense of humor written all over it." He said when he'd stopped laughing.

"Guilty as charged." Hailey said. "Now get going."

"Madam?" McDreamy offered his arm to Selene, and she took it. It was something that Ethan would do and-- she stopped that thought cold. She was trying to put him out of her mind today.

He led her down to his car -- a Crown Victoria in a gorgeous dark blue -- and opened the door for her.

"Thank you." She said with a smile as she got in. It really was a nice car and she liked the old police feel to it. "It's beautiful." She said when he had slid into the driver's seat.

"Thanks, I restored it myself." He smiled in obvious pride.

"Is that something you enjoy?" She asked.

"Not usually, but this car once belonged to my father, so it's an exception." He turned the car on and smoothly slid into traffic.

"I know what that's like." Selene nodded. "My brother used to love playing HALO on the Xbox and he always wanted me to play with him, but I usually said no. After... after it happened, I found myself occasionally playing it just because he loved it and I missed him."

"Which HALO?"

"The original; he always said that the sequels got improved graphics, but the gameplay of the first one was the best."

"Smart boy." McDreamy nodded. "There's nothing like sticking a plasma grenade to a Hunter."

"Or one-shotting them with the pistol." Selene chuckled. "I always felt like the pistol should've been a rifle of some kind."

"Oh, 100%."

They talked like that the whole drive, with the conversation flowing easily between them. They moved away from HALO in short order and onto other topics, like what foods they liked and shared experiences. Not counting members of her family, he was the easiest guy to talk to that she'd ever met. Well, except for Ethan of course.

Finally, they pulled into a parking lot and she looked around. "A dojo?"

"Yup, but more than that." He pointed to a large sign out front.

"A martial arts competition?" She could feel her mouth pulling into a wide smile.

"Sort of." He said as he parked and turned the car off. "There's no prizes or anything and it's mostly for fun, not serious. They do this here once a quarter and everyone loves it."

"It does sound like a lot of fun." She agreed.

"Yup." He said as he got out, then walked around and opened her door for her. "And you can participate since I vouched for you in advance."

"You did?" She asked as she got out. She was also glad he'd given some advice about clothing because what she was wearing would work well.

He nodded. "I thought we could spend the afternoon beating each other up." He winked. "And I'm sorry in advance for defeating you."

Selene laughed. "You're welcome to try."

"Oh, I will." He smiled, then offered her his arm again.

She took it and tried not to think about the fact that Ethan would probably have been this considerate in his choice of first date too.

The inside was a pretty typical dojo setup with a single large room and the floor covered with padding. This one had four separate areas partitioned off with differently colored padding to create four areas that were about the right size for a sparring ring. There were probably two dozen people there, though some of them obviously weren't here to fight, guessing from their clothing.

"Ah, you brought a date for luck this time I see." Someone wearing a traditional martial arts Gi asked McDreamy.

"Nope, I brought her because I thought it would be amusing to watch her kick your ass." He replied jovially without missing a beat.

"Barbie here?" One of the other fellows asked, clearly skeptical of the idea.

Given where the door was and where the man was, he obviously hadn't seen Selene's scar. She turned her face so the long scar on her cheek was visible to all, and then spoke in a mock-serious tone. "Barbie had terrible technique; she went down easy."

There was a moment when everyone stared at her -- and probably her scar as well -- and then they all started laughing. They weren't laughing at her though, but at her joke and they seemed like a good-natured lot.

Fifteen minutes later, Selene had been introduced to everyone -- not that she would remember so many names -- and the dojo's sensei started going over the rules, and then had some final words before they began. "Alright, you all have experience, so I expect you to pull your punches or kicks. No kicks to the head, strikes to the head must be with the open hand -- no knife hands or fists -- and if you hit someone's genitals, they get a free shot at yours."

Everyone laughed, but Selene wasn't entirely sure he was joking.

"First one to three strikes wins, or a pin, or submission." The Sensei reiterated. "If there's no winner after two minutes, it counts as a loss for both of you." He pointed to the wall. "The pairings are there, begin!"

Selene's first match was against a fellow rather a lot larger than her and somewhat out of shape. He looked like he'd just started practicing, so Selene decided to go easy on him.

"Begin!" The referee called.

Selene's opponent started forward, but his footwork wasn't ideal and it was child's play for Selene to score three light strikes on his torso.

"Begin!" The referee called on her next match a minute later.

Her opponent this time clearly had some experience with martial arts, so she kept her guard up and tested him without fully engaging.

"You can concede if you don't want to end up on your pretty little ass." The fellow said without being creepy, but he was being cocky.

"The same to you..." She grinned. "...and your considerably less pretty ass."

He chuckled, still clearly not taking her seriously, and then attacked with a rather good combination. Unless Selene missed her guess, he had started as a boxer. Well aware of the strength deficit, since she no longer had strength-enhancing vambraces, she waited until he slightly over-committed with a punch and then pounced.

Her father was primarily a Brazilian Jiujitsu instructor, but he was very good in several other disciplines like Aikido, and had taught her well. She trapped his wrist and then fell backwards intentionally, using her body weight to pull him forward and throw him onto his ass. She had him in a joint lock about two seconds later.

He tapped out.

"Match, Miss Dawson." The referee called, obviously impressed.

Most of Selene's fights went like that afterwards, except without the taunting. She took it easy on the newer martial artists, and only two of the more skilled ones gave her any real trouble. After spending almost her entire life learning and then sparring with Serif, Kendra, and even Luminar Kossel, she had a lot of experience on her side.

For a fleeting moment, she wished that she was here with Kendra and Ethan, sharing this with them. Then she remembered that she was trying to be a good date to McDreamy and put Ethan out of her mind; or at least, she tried. She still wished that Kendra was here though.

The Sensei spoke up as Selene got into the ring with her last opponent before the semi-finals. "For the last match before the semi-finals, it seems that things 'conveniently' worked out that the detective here and Miss Dawson will be matched together."

Everyone chuckled.

"No pressure you two, but depending on how this match goes, the date might be ruined." The Sensei winked at the two of them.

"Okay Selene, just so we're clear, I won't let you win." McDreamy said as they got to their starting positions.

"I would lose all respect for you if you did." Selene replied, actually looking forward to this; it should be fun.

"Begin!" The referee called.

Selene took a moment to size McDreamy up. He had at least fifty pounds on her, maybe seventy-five, and none of the difference was fat. He wasn't a huge fellow, but he was well-built and muscular. He was also taller which meant longer arms and legs as well. She had watched a few of his matches and he was as skilled as any of the good ones.

He took a measured step forward and led with a perfectly balanced jab, which she avoided with a little backstep. He pressed the attack, always keeping up the pressure but never overcommitting. She threw in some counterstrikes of her own, but he was good and blocked all of them, not that she expected them to land.

It didn't take long for her to realize that she was going to lose if she played the striking game like this. He was good at striking and her specialization was grappling anyway. She could hit of course, but she was much more experienced in grappling.

Then, McDreamy made his move.

He fully committed to his attacks, obviously realizing what Selene had and deciding to press his advantage. She tried to avoid them, but couldn't get the space. Finally, she decided to lean in and went for a grapple. It didn't work.

"One down, two to go." McDreamy said with a lopsided smile, reminding Selene rather a lot of Eth-- no, she needed to keep him off of her mind for now, as hard as that was.

One thing she could appreciate about McDreamy: he was honest. There was a line in The Matrix Reloaded where one of the characters says that you don't truly know someone until you fight them. Based on that, McDreamy was honest. Sure he threw feints, but fundamentally, he was a very straightforward fighter, though very perceptive and proficient.

Well, this was a losing proposition.

McDreamy came at her again and Selene decided to screw it; she wanted to win and Kendra had taught her a few tricks from the Aldmiri, and Luminar Kossel had taught her a few ways to improve on those tricks.

She used them.

She used a trapping block Kendra had taught her and then her body weight to throw him slightly off balance, followed by a slight twisting so that they both fell and he ended up in a joint lock on the ground.

He tapped out.

"Winner, Miss Dawson!" The referee said.

"What was that?" McDreamy asked with genuine curiosity after she had let him up. "I've never seen a joint lock like that before."

"Neither have I." The sensei said as he scrutinized her.

"I have a friend who..." She paused, trying to decide how to describe Kendra. "Well, used to be in the special forces and taught me that move."

"I would very much like to meet this friend." The sensei said while McDreamy nodded.

"Sorry, she doesn't live in this country, so..." Selene shrugged.

"She?" The sensei asked, and judging by his tone, he was impressed.

Selene nodded.

Selene did end up losing her match in the semifinals to someone who -- as she found out later -- used to be an Army Ranger. Damn he was good, and she also found out later that he'd only entered because he'd lost a bet. He had evaded all of Selene's attempts to turn it into a grappling contest and won with three strikes to her one.

There was no trophy or prize other than bragging rights, and Selene thought that the man who won -- the former Army Ranger -- definitely deserved his win. After it was over, Selene hung out for a little while talking to people with McDreamy and trying not to compare the general air of camaraderie with the feel of family aboard the Argo.

Eventually, Selene followed her date to the car and slipped into the passenger seat after he'd opened her door for her. He slid into the driver's seat and looked at her for a long moment.

"What?" She asked.

"There's a coffee shop not far away that has great sandwiches, good coffee, and amazing pastries."

"Okay." She nodded, though she also got the impression that something else was on his mind.

He pulled out of the parking lot and a couple minutes later they were parked outside a delightful-looking coffee shop and McDreamy led her inside.

"So, win or lose this time?" The middle-aged barista asked him when she saw him.

"Lose unfortunately." McDreamy replied. "My date did a bit better though; made the semi-finals."

The barista looked at Selene and raised her eyebrow. "Date?"

Selene nodded.

"Then it's on the house." The barista said, and then cut McDreamy off when he opened his mouth. "Don't argue or I'll charge you double."

He chuckled, but nodded.

They ordered, Selene getting a simple coffee with cream and sugar because she knew that if she got a latté, it would constantly make her think of Ethan. She tried to put him out of her mind and looked at her date, who was looking somewhat intently at her.

That was about when she realized that it didn't matter how wonderful McDreamy was -- and he was, even living up to his name -- at the end of the day, he wasn't Ethan. A great guy? Certainly. But he wasn't Ethan. And given Ruth's advice, even though the date wasn't quite over, she thought she should tell McDreamy about that.

"Um, there's something you should probably know." She said, hoping he would take it well.

"Let me guess, there's someone else?" He asked, still eyeing her intently.

She bit her lip, then nodded.

"Someone you aren't over yet?" He asked.

She winced and then nodded again. "How did you guess?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You do remember what I do for a living, right?"

She nodded. "Sorry."

"It is what it is I suppose." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Let me hazard a guess; you were comparing us the entire date -- even though you tried not to -- and I came up short." Again, it wasn't a question. He didn't sound angry, but he did sound a bit disappointed.

Selene winced again. "Sorry."

"Yeah, me too." He shrugged, then took a bite of his pastry and chewed for a moment while Selene looked out the window, mostly to avoid his eye.

After a moment, she spoke to break the slightly awkward silence. "I was trying to put him out of my mind because I was out with you, and I... well..." She sighed. "It wasn't as easy as I thought it would be."

"I appreciate that." He replied.

"It isn't you." Selene said, almost wincing at how cliche that sounded. "I wasn't kidding when I said my first assignment at the FBI got complicated. We were sort of thrown together and went through a lot together." A small, sad smile appeared on her face as she thought about that.

"That sort of thing can really bring two people together." McDreamy nodded slowly.

"It did." She made a sound that was halfway between a chuckle and a heavy exhale. "I fought it for a while, but in the end..." She swallowed.

"It isn't often that I see a woman so thoroughly enamored of a man." He said kindly. "I have, but it's rare. Is it an unrequited love sort of thing? Is he aware of how you feel?"

Selene could feel her eyes getting watery and her throat tight as she thought about Ethan and that perfect latté he had made for her. "He knows." She said, her voice cracking slightly. She swallowed and tried again. "He knows and he feels the same for me, it's just..." She looked out the window in the direction of Ruth's house, where the portal was. "I meant it when I said my first mission got complicated." She looked at McDreamy. "Because of what happened, there are people here that only I can help; it has to be me. He has a whole lot of people relying on him where he is too. Neither of us can leave so we're stuck in different countries, and will be for the foreseeable future." She swallowed.

"That's rough." McDreamy nodded slowly. "Yeah, ouch."

She nodded.

"Hearing you talk about him..." He frowned. "There really isn't another guy for you, is there." It wasn't a question.

She shook her head. "I don't think so." She blinked a few times, trying to keep her emotions in check. "I almost want there to be, but I don't at the same time. He could be the most perfect man in the world and it wouldn't matter if it wasn't Ethan." She looked at him. "Honestly, you're kind of perfect for me in every way except that one."

"I'm not him." McDreamy nodded slowly, and he didn't seem upset or offended by it.

"Why aren't you more upset?" She asked, as much to get her mind off of Ethan as because she was genuinely curious.

"Because my mom and dad always talked about how it was for them." He replied. "They met in middle school and were thick as thieves from the moment they met until the day he died. Sometimes, the stars align for two people." He looked at her. "You talk about this 'Ethan' the way my mom always talked about my dad." He paused. "She still talks about him that way."

Selene managed a half smile.

"Look, I never met the guy, but if what you have with him is anything like what my parents had with each other -- and it sounds like it is -- then you need to find him and figure it out."

"But I can't." Her shoulders slumped. "I'm needed here and he's needed there; there's nothing else for it."

"Nothing?"

She nodded. "Believe me, I've thought about it non-stop for a long time and I just can't see a way out of this."

"Maybe someone can help?" He suggested. "You're in the FBI, maybe someone you know can pull some strings? Or use your other friends and contacts. Hell, go down to the local church and ask a pastor or priest for some help from on high; whatever you need to do, do it; as long as it's not immoral, illegal, or fattening." He winked.

She chuckled, but it came out as half a sob.

"Selene, there must be a way. It sounds like you've done everything you can on your own to find a way, and maybe that's the problem."

"What do you mean?"

"It sounds to me like you've been trying to find the answer on your own." He replied. "It doesn't matter how brilliant you are, sometimes, we all need another perspective to find the right path. No man -- or woman in this case -- is an island."

She nodded slowly.

They finished their food mostly in silence, Selene lost in thought. Eventually, they went out to his car and he started driving while Selene stared out the window, wondering what Ethan, Kendra, and everyone else were doing. She had set her connection to the group chat so that she would only hear if she was actively listening. She thought about listening in, but wasn't sure she should.

"Something else." McDreamy said a few minutes into the car ride. "You'll need to bring your A-game at the FBI to really make a difference and help people, but will you be able to be on your A-game when you're depressed and distracted by missing this Ethan?"

"Oh." Selene slumped in her seat as she realized he was right. Well, she slumped more.

"Just something to consider." He pointed out.

She nodded but didn't say anything. What was she going to say? He was right about everything and Selene was starting to realize just how bleak her future was looking. She had wanted to join the FBI to help people at the suggestion of one of the FBI agents who'd investigated her brother's kidnapping. But that was indeed a job where she'd need to bring her A-game every day because people's lives would depend on it.

"We're here." McDreamy said some time later.

Selene looked around to realize that he'd parked outside of Hailey, Jason, and Melinda's apartment. Apparently, she'd been lost in thought the entire trip.

She nodded. "Thank you, I just... I need to think about this."

"I guessed." He gave her an encouraging smile. "I'm sure there's a solution out there. I'm not saying it'll be easy to find, and you'll probably need to ask for help, but I'm sure it's out there."

"I hope so." She said quietly.

* * *

Hailey sighed as she hung up the phone and looked at Melinda. "Well, so much for a lazy afternoon on the couch with my bestie."

"I don't miss being called in." She replied, readjusting on the couch so she could feed baby Ethan more easily.

"Well, I suppose I should get ready for a shift." Hailey sighed and stood up.

A moment later, she stopped as she heard a key in the lock and Selene came in. She looked like crap. Well, it was Selene so she looked more beautiful than Hailey had ever managed even once in her life, but for Selene, she looked like crap.

"What happened?" Hailey asked, finding it hard to believe that McDreamy could've done anything to spoil the date.

"He figured out that I'm still in love with someone else." Selene replied, looking defeated. "He was nice about it, but..." Their guest looked at Hailey and then the TV, which Melinda had just turned off. "I thought you two were doing a movie marathon?"

"I got called in." Hailey sighed.

"I could go instead." Selene offered. "I really don't want to be alone with my thoughts right now, and I'm not ready to talk about it either."

"If you're sure you don't mind, I'd love to stay home." Hailey said, thrilled that she'd get some time with Melinda.

"I don't mind." Selene said, her tone flat.

Mels and Hailey shared a look; obviously Selene wasn't okay.

* * *

"Why is today the one slow day?" Selene mumbled under her breath. True, it was too late for the lunch crowd and too early for the dinner crowd, but there were usually some customers in the diner.

Not now.

Nope, it was just her all alone with her thoughts. The rest of the staff was in the back hanging out during a rare moment when there were literally no customers in the diner. She didn't feel like joining them and so was trying to keep busy. However, she'd already done everything else that needed doing and she was left alone to think about this miserable trainwreck of a day. She could guess at the future and it looked bleaker than ever. Yes, she could rejoin the FBI, but without Ethan and Kendra in her life...

Especially Ethan.

She had been hoping that the ache in her heart would go away or get weaker with time, but it wasn't. If anything, it was getting stronger. She really, really, really wished that there was a good way out of this, but she didn't see one.

From the back of her mind, McDreamy's suggestion about asking for help drifted into her conscious mind. She knew a lot of people who could lend a sympathetic ear, but none who could actually fix the problem. Well, she could ask one obvious person for help, but she didn't want to at all. Frankly, Illuminar was an asshole anyway, and she was pretty sure He would ignore her because that was her opinion. Plus, He had put her in this damn position in the first place by planting the idea in her head to bond to Ethan; why else would it have occurred to her?

On the other hand, what did she have to lose at this point?

She scowled and double-checked the condiments on the table in her section only to find that they were all in tip-top shape and full. Damn. She glared at the ceiling, or more accurately the fellow that had put her in this mess. She'd always been taught that if she made a mess, she should clean it up; why the hell wouldn't that apply to Illuminar too?

She glared at the ceiling again. "If you're up there and not pissed off at me for thinking that you're a colossal asshole -- and to be honest, I still think you're a colossal asshole -- then the least you could do is help me get out of this mess that you put me in."

Ding! The bell above the front door rang as someone opened it.

Finally, a customer.

Selene put on her waitress smile and turned to face the door.

She froze.

The woman who had just walked in was wearing a white sundress and a brilliant smile. Her hair was blonde, almost to the point of being white, but it was hard to tell the exact shade. Her heart-shaped face was the picture of perfect femininity and her demeanor alone made Selene feel a little better. In fact, she matched the description of a certain angel so perfectly that given what Selene had just said to Illuminar, she could hardly imagine it was anyone else.

"Gabriella?" Selene asked after a moment.

She nodded. "Hello Selene, it's nice to finally meet you."

"I want to say the same, but I probably shouldn't lie to you." Selene replied, feeling like she was channeling Thea a bit with the half-embarrassed, half-guilty grimace on her face.

"I'm not offended, and really, you started feeling a little better the moment I walked in, didn't you?"

Selene inclined her head in concession.

Gabriella looked around the room for a moment, then slid into a nearby booth and spoke without looking at the menu. "I'd like a slice of your devil's food cake."

Selene raised her eyebrow.

Gabriella chuckled, then spoke in a mock-conspiratorial 'whisper'. "They don't eat cake, so I think I'm safe."

Selene inclined her head in concession and then went and got a slice and set it in front of the angel.

"If you have no other customers, you're welcome to join me; you'll just need to get a second piece because I'm not sharing." She winked, but seemed serious about not sharing anyway.

Selene shrugged, looked around at the diner completely empty of customers, then shrugged again and did as the angel suggested. It was good cake. She hadn't tried it before and now was wishing that she had earlier.

"Yes, it's very good." Gabriella agreed with her thoughts.

"I guess mental defenses don't work on angels." Selene sighed as she took another bite of the delicious cake.

"I can't read your mind, but my lord can." She replied, taking another bite herself. "I've heard that chocolate is better than sex, so apparently I'm not missing anything."

"You've never had sex?" Selene asked, a little surprised that she didn't feel awkward asking.

"Angels are incorporeal beings by nature." Gabriella replied. "We don't have bodies, so of course we can't have sex. This body was created for me by Illuminar -- blessed be He -- to use when He wants me to visit the mortal plane."

"Oh. Huh." Selene cocked her head to one side; it had never occurred to her that Gabriella's body wasn't actually her body.

"But you didn't ask for a discussion on angel bodies, did you?" Gabriella asked when she finished chewing her next bite. "What do you want help with?"

"Ethan, Kendra, living on the Argo." Selene sighed. "Can you wave a magic wand and make it all work out?"

"No." Gabriella said kindly. "It doesn't work that way."

"I figured it didn't." Selene said, a bit of her sour mood returning. "Illuminar put me in this damn mess and now He won't help me get out of it."

"My dear Selene, to which mess are you referring?" The angel asked, then took another bite of her devil's food cake.

"Me, here on Earth, missing everyone, and especially Kendra and Ethan." She said glumly and then took another bite of her cake and spoke when she finished chewing. "He put that idea to bond into my head and now I've met someone who should be the perfect guy, yet he just doesn't measure up to Ethan."

"What makes you think that He put the idea in your head?" Gabriella asked, then sighed as she took another bite. "This is so, so good."

Selene stared at her. "He didn't put it in my head?"

"No." Gabriella replied. "He is perfectly capable of that of course, and often does when mortals ask Him for help, but it was all your idea to bond to Ethan; He didn't put it in your head."

"Oh." Selene looked at her for a moment. "You're sure?"

The angel raised her eyebrow.

"Oh." Selene sighed and took another bite of her cake. It really was good. She was pretty sure that it was the bond that had gotten her into this state, and since she had someone nearby who would know, she figured she shouldn't waste an opportunity to ask. "Why did I fall so hard for Ethan after we bonded? For that matter, why did Kendra? What is it about bonding that does this to people? Why will I never be able to seriously consider any man romantically other than Ethan?"

"Love." Gabriella replied. "Real and true love. Illuminar -- blessed be He -- made mortals in His image, and He is a master craftsman. When you bond with someone, you see all of who that person is at the very core; the very essence of what makes that person who and what they are. And since my lord is a master craftsman, He only makes exquisite works of art when He creates mortals."

"Some people aren't that way." Selene countered, thinking of many people she'd met, Clive most recent among them.

"Correction, some have marred the exquisite tapestry of their souls with wickedness." The angel replied. "But defacing the original beauty doesn't mean it wasn't there to begin with. Bonding allows you to see a person for not only who they are, but also who they were originally intended to be. When someone hasn't marred their soul beyond recognition, it's hard not to love the masterpiece that Illuminar -- blessed be He -- originally created them to be."

Selene almost smiled. "So, you're saying that real, true, and genuine love comes from seeing who someone is at the core?"

"Provided that it's a good person, yes." Gabriella replied. "It can happen without bonding, like when Ethan and Sarah met. That conversation allowed both of them to catch a glimpse of each other even without being bonded. It also happens over time in many marriages, and in fact, that's the typical way it happens in an unbonded couple. It does happen without bonding, but it's guaranteed to happen if a couple bonds. Not necessarily all at once, but it happens."

"Oh." Selene leaned back on the seat while Gabriella took another bite. "So, Illuminar didn't try to force me to marry Ethan by planting that idea in my head?"

Gabriella laughed. "What makes you think that He tried to force you to marry Ethan?"

"Well, the whole birthday thing."

"And what makes you think that was about you?" The angel replied. "What makes you think that Illuminar -- blessed be He -- orchestrated it because of you?"

Selene opened her mouth to reply, but no words came out. "I mean, I just assumed... it wasn't because of me?"

"No." Gabriella shook her head. "If you put all of the reasons that my lord orchestrated the birthdays into a pie chart, the 'because of Selene' sliver would be very tiny indeed."

"Oh." Selene frowned. "Then, maybe because of Sarah? So she could get her divorce?"

"That was another small part of the reason; larger than your part, but still small and not the main reason."

"What's the main reason?" She asked. "Which one of Ethan's wives needed that clarity, or did Ethan need it?"

Gabriella laughed again. "What makes you think that my lord arranged the birthdays because of Ethan or his wives?"

"Well, I just assumed..."

"Yes, you already said that." The angel said with an amused smile, then took another bite of her cake.

"So, if it wasn't about me, Ethan, or his wives, then why?"

"Myla, or more accurately: Myla and Falkaan." Gabriella replied. "Falkaan could've never trusted her enough to pursue her unless there was some concrete, irrefutable evidence that she was a good woman. The physical beauty, skills, abilities, and more than anything else, the shared birthdays of you, Myla, Victoria, and Thea served to convince him of that."

"Oh, so it had nothing to do with me?" Selene asked, feeling like she'd been caught flat-footed in a sparring match.

"Almost nothing." The angel corrected, then took another bite.

"Well, what about--" She stopped. "I thought Illuminar decided to just cast me aside when I decided I didn't want to marry Ethan. I thought that's what it meant when the other three showed up. I assumed He was telling me that I was easily replaceable."

"You do that a lot, don't you?" Gabriella pointed out, then took another bite of her cake. Curiously, she had rather a lot of cake remaining despite taking regular bites.

"I do what?"

"Assume." The angel replied. "What if the message was entirely different? What if the message was so obvious that you'll kick yourself when I tell you what it is because you already got the message, and so deeply that you acted on it, you just didn't realize that you got it?"

"You're putting me on." Selene raised her eyebrow.

"You thought that Illuminar -- blessed be He -- was forcing you to marry Ethan." Gabriella replied. "The moment you learned of the others, you assumed that Ethan could just pick whichever one he wanted and she would fall in love with him and marry him." She looked at Selene rather pointedly. "I would quote you on it, but I'm not in the habit of blaspheming or using profanity."

Selene winced.

"But what was implicit in your reaction?" The angel asked. "What did you realize instantly and so deeply that you reacted angrily?"

"Oh." Selene's eyes widened. "That... that it might not be me... that it didn't have to be me."

"You got the message perfectly." Gabriella nodded. "Your biggest concern was that Illuminar -- blessed be He -- wouldn't give you a choice. But then, along came three other women and instead of being glad that you had a choice -- something you instantly realized -- you reacted quite a different way."

Selene swallowed. "He wanted me to know I had a choice?"

The angel nodded. "The small sliver of the reasons for the birthdays that was intended for you was to make it clear to you that you had a choice."

"He wasn't going to force me?" Selene asked, not quite believing it, and yet realizing that she already did believe it, and had believed it since she'd been told about Myla, Victoria, and Thea.

"No, He wasn't going to force you, He isn't going to force you, and He never will force you." Gabriella replied. "The very fact that you broke your bond, moved to Earth, and that I didn't come until you asked should be even more proof of that."

Selene smiled, then her smile faltered as she remembered something. "But I don't really have a choice now; I'm the only telepath on Earth, so I can help people in ways that others can't."

Gabriella laughed again. "My dear Selene, what makes you think that you're the only telepath on Earth?"

Selene stared at her.

Gabriella didn't say anything, she just took another bite of her cake and then pointed her fork at Selene's half-finished slice. "You really should eat that you know."

Selene cut another bite with her fork and made to put it in her mouth, but stopped. "I'm not the only telepath on Earth?"

Gabriella raised an eyebrow. "What made you think you are?"

"Oh, well, I just assumed..."

"Yes, you do that rather a lot." The angel gave her an amused smile that was nonetheless comforting, then took another bite of her cake.

Selene followed suit and thought about what had just been said while she chewed. "So, I'm not the only telepath on Earth?"

"There are more things in heaven and on Earth, Selene, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." The angel replied. "It's best to never assume that you are the only one who can do something."

Selene took another bite of her cake, mulling that over. The entire reason she'd broken her bond with Ethan and moved back to Earth was to help people using her telepathy. If there were other people out there who could also do that...

"So, where does that leave me?" She asked. "Can I move back to the Ten Kingdoms?"

"Can you?" Gabriella asked, most unhelpfully.

Selene rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Selene, it leaves you in the same place that every single man, woman, and child has been in for the whole of mankind's history, and the whole history of all the other mortal races on all the other planets as well."

"Wait, you just said: 'all the other planets'; are there other inhabited worlds besides the Ten Kingdoms and Earth?"

"Why, did you assume there weren't?" The angel winked.

Selene chuckled at herself.

Gabriella leaned forward slightly. "As I was saying, that leaves you where every mortal has always been: with a choice." She smiled, and she had a crumb of cake at the corner of her mouth, which seemed strange for some reason. "It's up to you to choose what you want to do Selene; Illuminar -- blessed be He -- gives you that choice."

"But what if I choose wrong?" Selene asked.

The angel raised her eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure my lord left enough breadcrumbs that you know which is the better choice."

"But I could help so many people here and I would feel like I abandoned them if I moved back to the Ten Kingdoms."

"Why Selene, did you assume that you could help more people here on Earth than you could in the Ten Kingdoms?" The angel's eyes twinkled and then she took another bite of her cake, which was somehow only half gone at this point even though she'd taken far more bites than Selene had of her own piece, which was nearly gone.

"You're saying that I could help more people there?"

"You're assuming again." She winked. "I do not know the answer, nor will my lord tell me. However, I can tell you this: Illuminar -- blessed be He -- knows you better than you know yourself. He knows who you truly are at your core and what's truly and deeply important to you. Do you really think He would point you towards something that would make you miserable? Do you really think He's that much of a sadist?"

"Honestly, I don't know." Selene replied, and she was indeed being honest. "The world is pretty fucked up sometimes, and then there's people like Lady Ekthros and -- possibly worst of all -- demons."

The angel nodded. "My fallen brothers are indeed the worst of all."

"Do any of them ever repent?" Selene asked, partially out of curiosity and partially to give her time to process what she'd just learned, then she took another bite of her cake.

"No, and I highly doubt that any will choose to."

"Why?"

"My lord just gave me permission to tell you; He doesn't do that often." The angel smiled. "Angels and demons are very unlike mortals in many ways, but most importantly for this topic, we have a perfect memory. An angel or demon's memory is far better than any mortal's memory ever could be, even a dragon who has enchanted himself to have perfect recall. I remember the moment that Illuminar -- blessed be He -- created me with perfect clarity, as if it happened a moment ago, and as if I was living it in this very moment. I remember every single second of my entire life -- which is longer than the Earth has existed -- with the same perfect clarity."

"Wow, that sounds--" Selene had been about to say 'amazing', but then she remembered some of her darker memories that she would've preferred to forget. "Actually, that's... I'm not even sure I can wrap my head around that."

"It took a long time for me and my fellow angels to understand the mortal concept of 'forgetting'." The angel continued. "To this very moment, it's a strange and foreign concept that I have trouble wrapping my head around."

Selene chuckled and then took a bite of her cake, which was almost gone at this point while Gabriella's still had more than half left.

"Because our memory is absolutely perfect, when we make decisions, we don't change them unless we get new information." Gabriella explained. "It's like math, where no matter how many times you solve an equation, the result will always be the same unless you change something. It's the same with our choices. Because we always remember everything perfectly -- beyond perfectly -- we always remember every single detail of why we made a decision as if we were making it again in this very moment. Because of that, just like solving a math problem always has the same answer unless you add something, we always make the same decision unless new information becomes available."

"So you can choose?" Selene asked.

"We can and do." She nodded. "The new information that caused my former brothers to fall was that it was possible to defy Illuminar -- blessed be He -- which was prompted by Him creating mortals. When we learned that, it was new information added to the 'math problem', and each of us had a choice to make."

"I see which way you chose." Selene smiled.

"But many of my former brothers didn't." She replied, a hint of sadness tinging her cheerful demeanor. "While theoretically they could change, because of our flawless memory, it's just not in the nature of the way we make choices to choose differently unless new information is presented. They knew exactly what would happen if they defied my lord because they saw it happen to Saidow. They knew and chose it anyway; I don't think any of them will ever change, and likewise, my unfallen brothers won't either. We all chose, but we're unlikely to ever change that choice due to new information because angels know Illuminar -- blessed be He -- better than any other sentient beings in His creation."

"That's..." Selene cocked her head to one side. "I can't understand choices being made like that, I can't even wrap my mind around it."

"That's because of your imperfect mortal memory." The angel replied. "I have just as much trouble fathoming how mortals are able to change their minds so readily. I remember every single time I have seen it happen and while I accept it, I cannot quite understand it."

Selene inclined her head in concession, then took another half-bite of her cake since it was almost gone. "What about Lady Ekthros? Luminar Kossel said that he had some hope, so could she change her mind?"

"I don't know because my lord has not told me, and we just established that I'm not exactly an expert on mortal choices." Gabriella replied. "However, you certainly can choose."

Selene nodded slowly.

She had a choice.

She could go back to the Ten Kingdoms, and Gabriella had certainly made it seem like Selene could help people there. Although, she hadn't actually stated it for a fact. Selene figured it was best to ask about that instead of assuming.

She spoke when she had finished chewing. "So, if I go back to the Ten Kingdoms, I'll be able to help people there and be with Ethan, Kendra, and the rest?"

"Do you think he'll ever stop helping people?" She pointed out.

"No." Selene shook her head and smiled. "Then, I won't be abandoning the people I could help on Earth by moving to the Ten Kingdoms?"

"You can't help both." The angel pointed out. "Either you help on Earth and not in the Ten Kingdoms, or you help in the Ten Kingdoms and not on Earth. It's not a question of 'abandoning'; it's a question of where you can do the most good."

"Please tell me it's in the Ten Kingdoms." Selene said, her heart soaring at the possibility.

"I cannot promise that because my lord hasn't told me with certainty, but consider for a moment what Ethan is doing and who he might help versus how many you might help on Earth." She took another bite of her cake and smiled.

Selene thought about it.

If she was an FBI agent and she handled a heavy caseload of two dozen or so cases in a year, and worked for forty years, and if each case helped... she had no idea. Maybe ten people? Being optimistic? Anyway, that was close to ten thousand people over a career. Even if she somehow managed to help one hundred people on every case -- an absurdly optimistic hope -- that would 'only' be just shy of one hundred thousand people over her entire career. But Ethan was trying to free Ivernia from Lord Farbrottan, and she knew Ivernia's population was way more than ten thousand, and definitely way over one hundred thousand too.

She smiled.

All of a sudden, she felt like an enormous weight was lifted from her shoulders. She felt like she could breathe again. Her cheeks pulled into a wider smile as she contemplated not just seeing everyone on the Argo again, but living there again.

"I'm moving back to the Ten Kingdoms." She said. "I'm going to marry Ethan, if he'll have me."

Gabriella smiled. "My lord is very pleased."

Selene almost laughed she was so happy. Not at what the angel had said, but at the future before her.

"I thought I would be giving up what I wanted most to marry Ethan." She chuckled. "It's the opposite, isn't it?"

Gabriella nodded. "It's the same for all of his wives. Marrying him has led them all to what they wanted most in the world. Ironically, the only one who isn't getting a lifelong dream fulfilled is Ethan, not that he's complaining." She winked.

Selene laughed.

It was a true and genuine laugh, and the first one since she had left the Argo. "I'm going back." She said. At this moment, if her life depended on her not smiling, she still wouldn't have been able to stop.

"It's amazing how much a little new information can change a person's perspective." Gabriella smiled. "This is one choice that I can fully understand." She took another bite of her cake.

"Why didn't anyone point this out before?" Selene asked. "I assumed that Myla, Victoria, or Thea could help just as much as I could there, while only I could help here."

"If you had asked for help, He would've slipped the idea into your mind. If you had simply not made it clear that you didn't want my lord to interfere, He would've slipped it to the others who were praying ardently that you wouldn't leave."

"They were doing that?" Selene asked, her heart swelling at the thought.

She nodded. "There is one more thing: Thor. Cats live short lives in general, but my lord will make an exception for him." She smiled. "He will extend Thor's lifespan to match yours."

"Really?" Selene's eyes widened.

She nodded.

"Thank you!" Selene beamed. "This is the best day ever!"

"Maybe." Gabriella got a strange sort of smile on her face, like she knew what was coming.

"It'll get better?"

Gabriella's eyes twinkled.

The angel took the last bite of her cake -- probably the fourth or fifth dozen full-sized bite by now -- and set the fork down.

Then the angel pointed at Selene's piece of cake.

It was whole.

Uneaten.

The piece of cake that Selene had eaten down to the last bite was now sitting there looking entirely untouched and perfectly pristine, despite its taste still being in her mouth. Even though Selene had eaten her entire slice of cake, she now had it whole and untouched.

"In case you needed an object lesson." Gabriella smiled as she gestured to Selene's piece of cake. "Sometimes, following my lord is extremely difficult. But in the end, it's always best."

"I'll get to marry Ethan." Selene said, her smile widening even more.

"I think you'll find that Hailey will be happy to cover your shift if you ask, and Ruth will be more than happy to pick you up."

"I'll do that." Selene stood up, feeling like an entirely new woman.

"Have a wonderful day Selene." Gabriella stood and placed enough cash on the table to cover two slices of cake.

"Wait, can I ask for one more thing?" Selene said as something occurred to her, then hastily clarified. "For someone else, not for me."

"You can always ask." The angel smiled.

"McDreamy; can you make sure he finds a really great girl? Someone who is as amazing as he is and with whom he can have a love like his parents had?"

"I can't, but my lord can and says that He will." She replied. "Obviously it will be up to them to choose each other, but He'll make sure they're introduced enough to make it possible, and given who both are, extremely likely as well."

"Thank you." She smiled even wider. "He was really good to me, so I was hoping... thank you."

"You're welcome." Gabriella pointed to Selene's pocket where her phone was. "I believe you have some calls to make."

"I do." Selene beamed.

* * *

Today, two minutes ago

"I would be happy to!" Hailey grinned as she hopped off the couch so she could get ready. "You finally decided to jump him, huh?"

"That's not-- Well, I'm kind of hoping that he'll jump me."

Hailey and Melinda both laughed since the phone was on speakerphone.

"I'll start getting your things together, not that there's many of them." Melinda volunteered as she got up off the couch too.

"Please tell Thor that we're going home." Selene said through the phone.

Hailey looked over to see the kitten was sitting by the cat carrier. It looked like he was smiling.

"I think he already knows, somehow." Hailey replied, then told her what the kitten was doing.

"He's one special kitty." Selene replied. "Okay, thanks again and I'll see you soon."

They said some quick goodbyes, Hailey hung up, and then she looked at Melinda. "So, it's entirely possible that we'll be invited to the wedding; how would you feel about a short trip to another planet?"

Melinda grinned.

* * *

Today, fourteen seconds ago

"Thank you so much again Ruth." Selene said after Ethan's mother had happily and almost instantly agreed to come pick her up immediately, provided she got details on the way. "It means the world to me."

"I'm happy to do it, and please, call me 'mom'."

Selene beamed. "I will."

"See you soon, bye." Ethan's mother hung up, leaving Selene free to do the one thing she wanted to do more than anything else. She took just a moment to check Ethan's emotions first, to make sure she wouldn't cause problems by contacting him. He seemed relaxed and deep in thought at the moment, so definitely not fighting for his life or having sex; that was good enough for her.

She took a deep breath and then thought to the group chat. *Ethan?* She paused, trying to decide how to say this. *Um, something important just happened and I need to talk to you.*

* * *

Now

Ethan had been relaxing in his chair thinking about what Colonel Forsythe had just said, but he sat bolt upright the moment he heard Selene's voice.

"Problem?" The colonel asked.

"Uh, maybe; hang on." He replied absentmindedly, then thought to the group chat. *Selene, what's up?*

*Um, rather a lot actually.* The lovely woman replied. *I was hoping I could come to the Argo soon and tell you about it.*

*Absolutely.* He replied instantly. *We're off the Argo and in a meeting, but we could get back and have the portal powered in maybe five minutes.*

*I won't be ready that soon.* Selene replied. *I'm heading back to Jason, Hailey, and Melinda's place in a minute, but your mom is coming to pick me up, so figure it'll be... maybe two or three hours?*

*We'll be ready.* Kendra thought to everyone.

*Thank you.* Selene paused. *I've really missed all of you.*

*We missed you too.* He replied, the edge of a smile appearing on his face.

*I'll let you know when I'm at Ruth's house, and probably about ten minutes before so you have a warning.*

*Looking forward to it.* Ethan replied, his heart feeling lighter than it had in... well, honestly since Selene had left. The vacation had been sorely needed and wonderful, but he had missed Selene the entire time.

*Me too.* Selene replied.

Ethan took a deep breath, vaguely aware that a full-on smile had appeared on his face as he looked back at Colonel Forsythe.

"Good news?" The colonel asked.

"Yeah, something that's been bothering me for a while." He replied, but didn't elaborate. "Continue."

He nodded. "My uncle could also be crowned lord of Ivernia by default, if Lord Farbrottan has no living male descendants."

"He has at least one though." Ethan replied, thinking of the ten-year-old kid that the lord had been reading to when Ethan had met him and rescued Myla.

"He has older sons as well, but they are remarkably similar to him, unlike his youngest, and are involved in the military." The colonel replied. "If you're fighting a war against Lord Farbrottan, I'm sure you'll have a chance to deal with them."

"Deal with them?" Ethan raised his eyebrow.

"Kill them." Colonel Forsythe clarified. "This is war; did you expect them to capitulate after a stern talking to?"

"Those are your cousins." Alana pointed out.

"And their father's equal in malice, tyranny, and wickedness already at their current age; I expect them to surpass him in those areas eventually." Colonel Forsythe replied. "My loyalty isn't to my family; it's to what is moral and good. If I had sons who indulged in rape and murder, I would throw them to the magistrate myself."

Victoria raised her eyebrow, and the rest of her expression wouldn't have been out of place if directed at someone who was trying to convince her that dung made for excellent perfume.

"Lord Farbrottan's youngest son Yoseph isn't like his older brothers, yet." Colonel Forsythe continued as if he hadn't seen Victoria's expression, though he certainly had. "My uncle could do a lot of good as Lord Regent until Yoseph comes of age."

"Probably the best thing about Duke Farbrottan is that it wouldn't require permission from the emperor for him to become lord, or even lord regent." Rachel spoke up. "If the emperor does get involved, things could get complicated quickly."

"Indeed." Kendra nodded. "Emperors have never been known for their predictability, and this one less than most."

*Couldn't what we're discussing here, especially deaths in Ivernia's ruling family, bring the attention of the Aldmiri?* Alana thought to everyone, then casually looked at Kendra.

*It could.* The former agent replied. *We'll have to think long and hard about how to do this, if we decide to do it at all.*

*Agreed.* Ethan thought to everyone.

"What say you?" The colonel asked.

All eyes turned to Ethan.

He frowned slightly as he considered his options. Lord Farbrottan obviously needed to be dealt with, which of course meant that someone needed to rule Ivernia in his place. It was a sad fact of life that almost any government was better than no government at all, since no government resulted in anarchy and marauding gangs murdering, raping, and pillaging at will. Yeah, someone needed to replace him, and so far, this sounded like the best option.

However, that assumed Duke Farbrottan would be better than his brother, which wasn't guaranteed.

It also assumed that this was the right way to deal with them. Ethan himself would've preferred permanent exile, but he wasn't stupid. Men like Lord Farbrottan didn't tend to take being dethroned kindly and Ethan would spend the rest of his life looking over his shoulder.

Conversely, Ethan would never be comfortable with cold-blooded murder or assassination. He certainly could see killing them in battle, but for a battle to even take place, they would certainly get the attention of the Aldmiri, which he didn't want. For now, maybe the best solution would be to simply gather information about what could be done, and postpone making the decision until he had more information.

That seemed like the best course.

"I'm willing to consider it, but not as the Prophet of Illuminar." Ethan finally said. "I'm happy to help Ivernia, but unless Illuminar or an angel shows up and tells me to help install Duke Farbrottan as lord, I'll be helping as a simple man-- err, dragon, not as a prophet because I think it would be a bad idea to put words in Illuminar's mouth."

"That is wise." The colonel nodded once.

"Also, I won't even seriously think about it until I've met him and had a good conversation with him." Ethan added. He didn't add that he wanted at least one telepath there, and also probably Alana, Rachel, and Kendra since they were good at reading people. He also didn't add that he wanted to spend some time in Duke Farbrottan's lands to see how the people were getting on and what they thought of the duke; he thought that would reveal more than a conversation with the duke himself.

"Again, wise." Colonel Forsythe nodded. "He organizes a tournament at the beginning of autumn every year, and the time for it is fast approaching. I will write the details and have them delivered to your airship. That would be your best chance to meet him. However, Lord Farbrottan would likely begin to take corrective steps if he discovered the meeting. I suggest that you be prepared to exfiltrate the duke and his wife or Lord Farbrottan might very well retaliate."

Ethan nodded as he suppressed a sigh; why were there always so many caveats and addendums? "I'll take it under advisement, and to be clear, I'm promising nothing."

"I would consider it the height of folly if you did." The colonel replied. "I only ask two things. First, that if you make contact, use extreme discretion so Lord Farbrottan will not retaliate. Second, don't give him false hope."

"Fair enough." Ethan nodded.

It was a lot to think through, and while his normal solution would be to return to the Argo and talk to his wives then, he wanted to wait about two or three hours before doing that this time. Hopefully closer to two, but his mother didn't speed.

* * *

"This will take forever." Beth sighed as she looked over her shoulder. If she craned her neck, she could just barely see the bright white wings standing out brilliantly from the otherwise monotonous purple hues of the Astral Plane. She'd been working on them almost non-stop -- except when Selene had contacted them of course -- and the mental effort was exhausting.

Also, her shoulders were killing her!

The itch was absolutely terrible!

"Most things in life worth doing require significant time and work." Falkaan replied. "And often, the things most worth doing require the most time and effort. Thus, don't let that deter you."

"I won't." Beth said. "But my brain feels like a scrambled egg right now."

"Rest is also important." Falkaan replied. "Now that you have the technique, you need merely implement it regularly until your wings reach full size."

"I have no idea how big that will be." She said, craning her neck to see them again. She reached back to scratch herself but it didn't seem to help very much.

"Come, let us return to the normal world." The dark elf said. "I have something that I wish to inquire of your husband, but would prefer to hear your opinion of how well he will be disposed toward it first."

"Okay, what is it?" Beth asked.

"Come, let us return to the normal world first, then I shall tell you."

She did, and the blonde scowled when she realized that her back itched just as much in the real world, but she didn't have any wings in the real world to make up for it.

* * *

"Colonel, could you wait a moment?" Alana asked after everyone except herself and Ethan had filed out of the room.

Her husband looked at her. *What's up?*

*I'm definitely, positively, in no way whatsoever playing matchmaker.* She replied with a wink that the colonel couldn't see.

Ethan chuckled as the colonel replied to her question. "Yes?"

"I'll admit this question is odd, but I have a good reason for asking." She prefaced. "If you could describe what you want in your ideal woman, what would it be?"

Colonel Forsythe raised his eyebrow.

"I think I know where she's going with this." Ethan chuckled. "We might know someone."

The colonel looked skeptical, but nodded. "Impeccable character of course; that is absolutely primary." He frowned for a moment. "After that, perhaps someone who could see light and hope no matter how dark the world around her is. A military man's life is filled with darkness, and I wouldn't want that to affect a wife of mine overly much."

Alana and Ethan shared a smile.

"And I would prefer that she was of average attractiveness at best." Colonel Forsythe added.

"Oh?" It was Alana's turn to raise her eyebrow.

"Yes." He nodded. "I have yet to meet an attractive, available woman who wasn't stuck up, self-absorbed, or insufferable to be around. Your rude blonde companion--" He gestured to where Victoria had just left. "--is one such example of--"

"I am not stuck up!" Victoria huffed back into the room.

"If I close the door, can you two have it out like civilized adults?" Ethan asked with a wry smile, even more curious how this would turn out because as the commander of a military outpost, Colonel Forsythe would have mental defenses so Victoria couldn't read his mind.

"I will allow her to speak freely if no one stationed at this outpost is present." The colonel nodded, after which Ethan closed the door.

"Speak." Colonel Forsythe said to Victoria.

"You want to talk about puffed up?" Victoria glared at him. "Well, look at the pot calling the kettle black."

"You are many things." The colonel said to the porcelain-skinned platinum blonde. "But black is not one of them."

Victoria's glare deepened. "Well, maybe if you weren't so busy barking orders and threats you'd have time to notice your hypocrisy. You assumed exactly what I'm like without even knowing me."

"Pot and kettle." The colonel replied. "Have you not made judgments about me based solely on my profession?"

"Yes, but you chose that." Victoria countered. "I didn't choose to be a beautiful woman; I had literally no say in the matter. You did."

"Yes, because wanting to serve one's own country is such a reprehensible ambition." The colonel replied. He was still calm, but his face was stiffer than before.

The platinum blonde rolled her eyes. "Serve your country? More like serve your own coin purse and appetites, like all Ivernian soldiers."

"It could be worse." The colonel looked at her pointedly. "I could be making assumptions without evidence."

"Oh, I have plenty of evidence." She gritted her teeth. "I grew up in Baron Martel's barony."

Alana wondered if she should mention to the colonel later that quite aside from seeing into the minds of some of the worst soldiers in Ivernia, some of them had tried to force themselves on Victoria when she was in her mid-teens. She was being rude, but she did have a reason for hating them so much; Alana couldn't even imagine what it must be like to read the mind of someone trying to force himself on you.

"And I grew up surrounded by dozens of the most vain, self-absorbed, and thin-skinned but extraordinarily beautiful women in Ivernia." He looked at her pointedly. "Though, clearly not all of them."

Victoria took what was probably intended to be a menacing step forward, but Colonel Forsythe wasn't cowed in the slightest. In fact, he also took a step closer to her, which only seemed to aggravate the already irate woman more.

"I've found that the higher up in rank Ivernian soldiers get, the worse they are." She said, her tone as warm as a winter breeze.

"And I've found that the more beautiful a woman is, the more insufferable she is..." The colonel replied with a subtle smile while looking directly at her. "...and I was reminded of that very recently."

"Why, did your mirror tell you?" Victoria shot back.

Alana resisted the urge to laugh at the platinum blonde's burn. Judging by Ethan's expression, he was doing the same.

"So, you think I'm beautiful then?" The colonel replied, his tone clearly indicating this was a jab.

"So is cursed gold." She retorted, taking another small step forward but clearly failing to intimidate him.

This put them really rather close.

Victoria had her hands balled into fists and her porcelain skin had a flush of pink, probably from anger, but maybe from something else too? Her head was facing up toward the taller colonel and they were only a foot apart at this point. He was still outwardly calm, but Alana could feel the annoyance rolling off of him in waves. She got the impression that it was normally hard to ruffle him, but Victoria apparently had a gift for doing so.

"So you think I'm beautiful and dangerous then?" He replied, his voice and face almost too even.

"And so very humble too." The platinum blonde rolled her eyes, then took a tiny step forward.

"You said it, not me." He replied, adjusting his posture slightly so they ended up a bit closer.

At this point, they were staring into each other's eyes from maybe six inches away, each clearly wanting the other to back down. It was a real-life stare-down, and yet by their posture and body language, she would've had no trouble believing that they were about to kiss each other instead. Alana couldn't help but chuckle at that.

*Well, she said she wanted passion from the beginning.* Ethan thought to her privately as he chuckled.

*Yeah, and she did tempt fate.* Alana thought back to him as she laughed, then she spoke aloud. "My, don't you two look cozy."

Victoria almost jumped away from the colonel to round on Alana.

Ethan laughed and looked at the colonel. "I'm sure you two will be very happy together; when's the wedding?"

"Not if Illuminar Himself wanted it." The colonel replied without a trace of amusement on his face.

*They're perfect for each other.* Alana thought to him, hiding the impulse to laugh hysterically.

*Remind me to tell you about the book 'Pride and Prejudice' sometime.* He replied, and it looked like he was trying not to laugh hysterically as well.

"Come on." Ethan said aloud a moment later. "I need to go pick up Beth and then we have a very special guest coming."

Alana could see the joy on his face and feel it over their bond at that.

* * *

Beth hugged Ethan the moment he returned to the Midnight Sun. She just loved being married to him! Seeing how he looked at her never ceased to put a smile on her face; it was the best thing ever! Behind her, Falkaan and Myla were waiting patiently.

"How did it go?" Ethan asked as he landed. "Does my angel have wings yet?"

"Sort of?" She replied, and then explained. "And my back itches something fierce."

"Pardon me Elizabeth." Myla spoke up. "But perhaps -- if it is difficult for you to reach that particular itch -- then perhaps your husband might be willing to scratch it for you."

Beth looked at Myla as her jaw dropped.

Had Myla just...?

Ethan chuckled. "Marriage seems to agree with you Myla."

"My heart is very happy in this marriage." The dusky-skinned beauty replied with a smile. She glanced at Falkaan and smiled at him, then looked back at Ethan.

"And mine as well." The dark elf said, then addressed Ethan. "If you have a moment, there is something I wish to discuss with you; perhaps downstairs over a glass of mead?"

"Um, Selene won't be here for a while yet, so sure."

Beth grinned slyly. She couldn't think of any reason that Selene would've contacted them like that unless she was going to come back and marry Ethan. Beth was glad of that for her husband's sake, but more selfishly, Selene was absolutely gorgeous. The blonde wouldn't say no to finding out just how gorgeous she was under those clothes.

She paused for a moment, wondering if being married to a very sexy dragon and regularly sharing a bed with four other sexy women might've warped her perspective a bit. Though, oddly, she'd never wondered that about Myla, Victoria, or Thea, only Selene.

Beth followed them down to the room under the captain's cabin, passing Luminar Kossel as he was going up to the deck. They said a quick hi, then the newlywed couple sat them at a small round table in the room while Falkaan grabbed four glasses and poured them all a little mead. Beth was particularly pleased that he poured just as much for her as for anyone else, even though she wouldn't drink much of it; it made her feel like she was included just as much as her husband.

"So, what's up?" Ethan asked after taking a sip.

"I would like to offer my services." Falkaan replied. "I spent the better part of one hundred years in the Aldmiri, and about half of that after I lost my arm." He held up the stump of his left arm. "Thus, since I was unable to engage in field work, I spent most of the previous five decades building contacts and informants all over the Ten Kingdoms, and even beyond them. I cannot share who they are, but I can share their information with you."

"It would make our hearts happy if such information would assist you in your war against Lord Farbrottan." Myla added.

"We are with you prophet." Falkaan said.

"I really appreciate that." Ethan said, and it sounded like he meant it. "I'm a bit confused as to why, but I really appreciate that."

"Lord Farbrottan injured my wife most grievously." Falkaan replied. "While I could overlook an accidental injury, he willfully neglected her and treated her shamefully. I cannot and will not let that pass. Until he stands before the judgment seat of Illuminar or repents from the depths of his heart and begs for my wife's forgiveness, I will not let that pass."

"I would not wish for Fevie nor her children to continue suffering." Myla added. "I will do whatever I can to assist in freeing her from her husband."

"Please, do not hesitate to ask for information on any person, location, or topic." Falkaan said. "If it will assist that end, I will happily provide whatever information I can."

Beth did her very best to remain calm and remember that this offer was for Ethan and mostly about Lord Farbrottan, and she definitely, positively, absolutely, in no way whatsoever should abuse that to satisfy her own personal curiosity. That would be a bad idea. Very bad...

"You're serious?" Ethan asked.

"Deadly serious." Falkaan replied.

"Thank you." Ethan said again.

"You are welcome." The dark elf replied.

Ethan got a pensive look on his face. "Could you check into Colonel Forsythe for me then?" He then explained the colonel's suggestion about Duke Farbrottan.

"Lord Farbrottan feels no warmth in his heart toward his brother." Myla said when Ethan had finished. "Given my status, I was privy to discussions in the bed chamber that my prior husband had with his wife. He more than once expressed a desire to take his brother's life from him, but refrained because he believed that doing so might instigate a revolt in Duke Farbrottan's lands since his people hold him dear to their hearts."

"That's reassuring." Ethan nodded. "But I also wanted to know about the colonel himself." He then explained about the sparks between Victoria and the colonel, making Beth wish she'd been there to see them herself.

"I will investigate immediately." Falkaan nodded. "I can inform you via my wife's group chat when I have found something conclusive."

"Thank you, and I mean that." Ethan said seriously. "From what Kendra has said, you're one of the best-informed people in the Ten Kingdoms. I've been reading that book on tactics that Lord Kalus gave me, and it repeatedly stresses how important it is to be properly informed. I get the distinct feeling that if we all make it through this war, it'll be in large part because of your help."

Falkaan nodded once. "I am happy to assist."

"My heart feels much joy that you believe our contributions could be so large." Myla smiled. She'd been doing that a lot lately. "Might I suggest that you all prepare for Selene's imminent arrival?" Her smile widened slightly and became a knowing smile. "I know that your heart yearns to see her again."

"Damn, am I that obvious?" Ethan asked.

"When it comes to your affections for Selene, Raklan is more subtle." Falkaan said with an amused expression.

"Fair." Ethan chuckled. "But you're right, she'll be here soon and I can't wait."

"I wish that your hearts will never be parted again." Myla said.

Beth absolutely agreed.

* * *

"I'm wishing you could be staying longer." Fiona said to Helga as the Crown Prince's wife stood at the gangplank of the royal airship before its departure.

"I would love that too, but George is always on the move." Helga replied, then opened her arms to offer a hug.

Fiona happily accepted.

"I would love to visit again, but George doesn't get much time to do what he wants." Helga said when the hug broke.

"I'm knowing what that's like." Fiona gave her a knowing smile and glanced at her own husband. "But I would be loving to see you again, and I would especially be loving if it could be soon."

"It should be." Helga smiled. "The wood elven king's ward will have her coming-of-age ball soon; that's why George is going to their kingdom now to take care of some business beforehand. You'll be there, right?"

"Um, if my husband is going..."

"He is." Helga nodded.

"Then I suppose I'll be seeing you soon." Fiona smiled.

The rest of the goodbyes were said, though they were much more formal than Fiona's and Helga's. Helga had already stepped onto the gangplank when she stopped, turned around, and went to Fiona to give her another hug.

"It was so wonderful talking with someone who understands." She said when the hug broke.

"Aye, it was." Fiona replied honestly.

Not long afterwards, the royal airship left the dock and started turning lazily toward the west where the wood-elven kingdom was.

"Milord." She looked at her husband. "I'm hearing that we might be going to the wood elven kingdom to attend the coming-of-age ball for the king's ward?"

He nodded once. "However, his ward has absconded to seek out the false prophet and is currently in his company."

Fiona grimaced.

"He will likely return her, as harming her would bring the full weight of the wood elves down on him." He clarified. "However, whether he will return her uncompelled and in her right mind remains to be seen."

Fiona nodded slowly. "Milord, I assume you're knowing that Sarah is betrothed to the false prophet?"

He nodded once.

"If I was taking precautions, and if it was just her and I, could I be seeing her when we're both in Nalatia?"

He looked at her for a long moment. "Provided that I was nearby to intervene if trouble arose, and provided none of the prophet's companions were nearby, it might be possible."

Fiona smiled; she was really wanting to see her friend again, and hopefully be convincing her not to marry the false prophet. Although...

She found herself slightly confused that the Crown Prince didn't consider him to be a false prophet nor a necromancer, as he'd said earlier that day. It seemed nigh-impossible that someone so well-informed could not be sure about it. She was also reminded of her conversations with Lady Shara and Mage Weston about keeping an open mind.

Mage Weston had been especially pointed in telling her that.

She wasn't sure she could be doing that, not after the false prophet was killing her husband. However, she was starting to wonder if maybe, just maybe, she should make a genuine effort to try.

* * *

Ethan helped the only mostly conscious fellow that the cat-girl had been doting on down the Argo's gangplank and onto the top of the tower. The Fey man who'd first flagged the Argo down was waiting to take over helping him move while the cat-girl was hovering behind him.

"Thank you, like I said, he's my best mate." The Fey man said.

"Just 'cause I can't find no one better." The semi-conscious man said in a slightly slurred voice, clearly ribbing him.

"What about her?" The Fey man asked, looking at the cat-girl.

"I with him stay." She said firmly.

The Fey man shrugged. "The colonel probably won't have a problem with that, but you'll never be allowed back into the Wilding Lands.

"I no, no, no go back; they kill." She replied, then slipped under the semi-conscious man's arm, probably to help support him.

"The colonel should be fine with that." The Fey man shrugged, then looked at Ethan. "Thanks again."

"No problem." Ethan smiled as the Fey man and cat-girl helped their comrade toward the stairs that led down into the tower.

"I hope they'll be okay." Beth said as she watched them go.

"I think they will be." Tee replied after a moment.

"Good." Ethan nodded, then wished he had a watch. It felt like it had been half a day since Selene had contacted him, even though Kendra assured him that it hadn't been three hours yet.

*Ethan?*

He couldn't help but grin as Selene's voice came to the group chat. *You ready?*

*No, Ruth says we're about ten minutes out; see you soon.* Judging from her mental tone, she was probably grinning as well.

*I can't wait.* Kendra replied, which made three grinning people.

*Me either.* Selene thought to everyone.

Everyone was grinning at that.

* * *

"You're nervous."

Selene took a deep breath before she answered Ruth's comment as the car pulled into the Ejder's long driveway. Given that the car ride was over an hour, she had obviously explained what had happened.

"I don't know what to say." Selene replied.

"How about: 'I talked with Gabriella and to make a long story short, could I come back to live on the Argo?'." Ethan's mother suggested. "If I know my son, he'll take it from there."

"You're sure?"

Ruth smiled as she parked the car, turned it off, and then turned in the seat to face Selene. "Do you honestly think it would take anything else for him to propose?"

Selene felt a smile growing on her face in spite of the butterflies in her stomach.

"Good, and don't forget to call me 'mom'." Her hopefully future mother-in-law said before getting out of the car. "Now, why don't you tell him to open that fancy portal so the woman he loves can go home."

Selene smiled; she was really going to love having Ruth as a mother-in-law, assuming Ethan would allow that. She thought he would, but wasn't quite sure.

* * *

Ethan took a deep breath and tried to relax as something that looked a lot like water spiraled from the inner edge of the portal ring toward the center, like water circling a drain. Selene was coming back! It might just be for a few minutes, but she was coming back.

"I know." Kendra said from beside him. She was outwardly calm, but he knew her very well and could tell that internally, she was basically jumping for joy. Beside her, Bee and Tee were almost literally jumping for joy. Tee's wings kept vibrating and Beth was almost bouncing on the balls of her feet, though she often reached back to scratch her back as well.

Alana, Rachel, and Sarah were all beaming, though not quite as exuberantly as the blondes. They were all on the Argo's lower deck in the room beneath the captain's cabin, which is where they stored the portal. It was leaning up against the side of the Argo and he was there with all of his wives, the others having decided to give them some privacy for this meeting.

Ethan took another deep breath, not sure how he would react when he saw her.

"Be yourself and do what comes naturally." Alana suggested with a knowing smile.

He smiled at her. "Okay."

The portal finished forming and the surface calmed. The instant it had, a duffle bag and cat carrier preceded the most beautiful woman he'd ever met stepping through the portal.

She was breathtaking.

She always was of course, but even more so now. She wasn't wearing a single gram of makeup, her hair was just loose, and she was wearing super casual clothes without heels, but damn.

He wolf-whistled.

Then he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her like he never wanted to let her go because he didn't. Not now, not ever. He was vaguely aware of someone grabbing Thor's cat carrier and her duffel from her before she hugged him back tightly. No, she hugged him back fiercely. He wasn't using all of his strength because he could injure her, but it felt like she was hugging him as tightly as she could.

Only a few seconds later, his wives piled on to make it a group hug with Kendra leading the charge.

"I missed you all so much." Selene said, her hug getting slightly tighter.

Thor meowed and started rattling the door of the cat carrier.

"I got you." Beth broke away and opened it, and then Thor joined the group hug as Beth rejoined it, the kitten rubbing up against everyone's legs incessantly while purring very loudly.

It was heaven.

He had forgotten how good she smelled and how good it felt to have her around. It wasn't quite as pronounced now that their bond was broken, but it was there, which just confirmed that what he felt was genuine. She was amazing, incredible, and he could've held her for the next hour.

It ended up being much less, maybe only a few minutes, but he savored those few minutes because he wasn't sure when he'd get them again or how long she was staying. Eventually, the group hug broke with everyone having massive grins plastered all over their faces.

"What did you want to talk to Ethan about?" Beth asked.

"Well, I have a bit of a story, and spoiler, it ends with me having a conversation with Gabriella."

"I knew it!" Taloni almost squealed as Beth shouted for joy.

"Go ahead." Ethan said, drinking in the sight of his beloved Selene.

* * *

"And I'll recount the full conversation later, but Gabriella basically helped me realize that I could help more people here in the Ten Kingdoms than I could on Earth."

Kendra's heart felt even more full now than it had on vacation. She had been pretty sure that's where the story was leading, and now that it had, she felt like Myla had been looking ever since the wedding. The story had been interesting, and especially Ethan's face when Selene had mentioned 'Detective McDreamy'. Right this moment though, his face also looked more like Myla's than anyone else's.

"So, can I come back to the Argo?" Selene asked.

All eyes looked at Ethan.

"Well, I don't know Selene." He said, trying and failing to look serious while losing the battle to suppress a smile. "Before you left, at my parents house, I told you that something pretty specific would happen if you ever decided that you could live in the Ten Kingdoms."

"Oh, I definitely remember." Selene grinned. If Kendra thought Selene looked happy before, it was nothing compared to the radiance of her smile now. Even Gabriella might have trouble matching it.

"What did you say?" Beth asked.

"Right after we got to my parents' house, I told her that if she came back to live in the Ten Kingdoms, I would marry her."

"Done." Selene said instantly. "I would love nothing more."

"Even though Ethan has other wives?" Kendra asked, remembering several pointed conversations about that when Selene had first arrived. Though, she hadn't objected to it in some time.

"Honestly, that's part of the draw at this point." Her best friend said while looking directly at her.

Kendra felt her cheeks pull into a wide smile.

Selene looked at Ethan. "Like I said, I would love nothing more."

"Are you sure about that?" Ethan asked with a sly grin on his face.

"Yes." Selene replied firmly, then hesitated at the look on his face. "Why?"

"Because if we get married, then I'm going to fulfill all of those fantasies you've long wished no one would ever know about." He grinned wickedly.

Selene's cheeks got a bit redder as she looked around at his wives, then back at him. She hesitated a moment, then spoke quietly. "All of them?"

Ethan nodded slowly. "Yes, all of them."

Selene swallowed.

Hard.

"Yes." She said after only a moment of hesitation in which her cheeks became very red.

"Well, in that case, I have a question for you." He grinned.

"Yes." She said instantly.

"Selene Dawson, will--"

"Yes." Selene interrupted, her eyes shining.

He chuckled. "--will you marr--"

"Yes!" She grinned.

"--marry me?"

"Yes! A thousand times yes!" Selene threw her arms around Ethan, probably in an attempt to hug him, but he moved slightly and turned, catching her and dipping her so she was being completely supported by his arms while he leaned over her with her back facing the ground.

"Last chance to back out." He said softly, his grin ear-to-ear.

Selene reached up and touched his face, stroking it softly. "Never."

Still supporting her, he leaned a little closer so their lips were mere inches apart. "You sure? I'm going to turn you beet red in front of an audience--" He glanced around at his wives. "--when I start fulfilling all those kinky fantasies of yours."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." She replied, her tone yearning and soft. She lifted her head slightly, obviously wanting a kiss.

"I'll ask one last time--" He said.

"Yes." She nodded, then closed her eyes, obviously expecting a kiss.

He moved again.

He suddenly stood up, taking her with him so that she was also standing on her own two feet.

"What?" Her eyes snapped open and it took a moment for her to regain her bearings.

Ethan gave her a wicked grin. "As of this moment, I'm going to start making all your wildest and kinkiest dreams come true."

Selene grinned widely and nodded as she bit her lip and her cheeks became even more red.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Note: This chapter began and ended on day 128 of Ethan's life in the Ten Kingdoms. (not counting Selene's scenes in the past) I submit new chapters on the last Wednesday of every month, and they usually drop after the 2-3 days review process. Thus I'll submit the next chapter on March 26th, and it'll probably drop on March 28th or 29th.

I'd like to extend a very special thanks to my editors, and also two of my patrons, one of whom didn't want to be credited by name. So "Anonymous" and Joseph: thank you so much for your support. I really appreciate it.

STORY TAGS: dragon, magic, elf, teen, romance, virgin, harem, blonde, brunette, redhead