A New Start

by KatBear

Title: A New Start
Author: KatBear (katbear@cox.net)
Archive: MA, QJEB
Category: AU, PWP
Rating: NC17 for explicit sexual activity
Pairing: Qui-Gon Jinn/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Feedback: Appreciated.
Thanks: To the beta readers who made this a better story (Merry Amelie, Bonny Magret). All mistakes are my own since I can't resist tweaking.
Summary: Qui-Gon has to deal with starting a new life alone after Obi-Wan's knighting.
Warnings: If male-male sex bothers you, you shouldn’t be here.
Spoilers: None, Naboo and Anakin did not happen.
Notes: Originally conceived as a little offering for Shrieking Ell to help her unwind in the dissertation battle :-}. Published in Con*Strict Zine, July 2008 issue – thanks to Sian for publishing and for releasing the story for the net.

It should have been a proud day, a joyful day.

The sun shone brightly through the windows of the Council Chamber. Three masters stood behind three padawans in the center of the room as the words of the ancient ritual were solemnly intoned.

Twice Qui-Gon waited patiently, watched the smiles that lit the faces of master and padawan as braids were severed and new knights arose from bended knee to bow to master and then to Council as the final pronouncement of their promotion was rendered.

At last it was his time. Qui-Gon took his lightsaber in hand, adjusting it to its lowest setting as Obi-Wan turned and knelt, shining face looking up at him, a barely concealed grin struggling to break through.

Only years of experience and grim determination held the serene expression on his face as pain stabbed his heart. This was Obi-Wan's day, and he would not let his own feelings about their imminent separation mar the occasion. A fleeting smile, a brief squeeze to the shoulder, a flick of the glowing green blade… it was over too quickly, and Obi-Wan was turning back to face the standing Council heads, severed braid in his right hand.

"As both initiate and padawan, you have worked hard for many years to earn this honor," said Master Mace Windu. "You have now successfully completed your trials, and demonstrated your suitability to advance in the Jedi Order." Windu bowed, then straightened. "On behalf of the Council, please accept our congratulations, Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Qui-Gon was carried numbly along as the Council members accompanied the new knights to the garden where tables of food and drink had been set up for friends and fellow Jedi to celebrate the occasion. The master and padawan training bond had been closed in an early morning session with a soul healer; the keening wail of the lost connection echoed throughout Qui-Gon's entire being as he stood on the fringe of the group. He tried to take solace in Obi-Wan's happiness and the obvious respect and affection of his peers; he kept telling himself the only important thing was Obi-Wan's feelings, but the words in his head lacked conviction.

Only vaguely aware of the passing of time, Qui-Gon found himself standing near Obi-Wan in the common room of his quarters. His now-former padawan had already been assigned a room elsewhere and had moved his few possessions the day before. All that remained was the packed mission bag that sat next to his own in preparation for the individual assignments each had been given.

"It's hard to believe this day has finally arrived," said Obi-Wan softly. "I don't feel like a knight, though. I mostly think I feel afraid that I am going to make a terrible mess of things."

"It is a significant transition, and only natural to feel concern," Qui-Gon replied, keeping his voice calm despite his anguish. "I have a great deal of confidence in your abilities, Obi-Wan. Everyone makes mistakes," he smiled a bit, "I've certainly made my share." His face returned to its diplomatic mask. "Give it your best effort, trust in the Force, and you'll do fine."

"I appreciate your confidence in me, Master, and I am grateful for everything you have done for me." A brief pause as the young man glanced down. "It has been an honor to be your padawan," a shy smile, a hand held out, "I would like you to have this."

Qui-Gon took the proffered braid, swallowing hard as their hands brushed. "Thank you, Obi-Wan. It has been my pleasure and privilege to be your master."

There was an awkward silence for a moment.

"Our transports will be leaving soon, so I suppose we should go now."

"Yes, Master." Obi-Wan shifted his weight, hesitated. "There is something else I would like to ask…"

"Yes?"

Another silence.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "I have been thinking about this for quite a long time, and –"

The rest of the newly-fledged knight's words were lost in a boisterous pounding on their door. Obi-Wan looked annoyed, then shrugged apologetically as he went to respond. As the door swooshed open, several of his friends surged in.

"Found you!" Bant cried. "We came to see you off." She noticed Qui-Gon. "Excuse me, Master Jinn. We didn't mean to disturb you."

The brief flash of irrational hope died in Qui-Gon's breast. "You're not disturbing anything. We were just about to depart."

The padawan bowed, then turned back to Obi-Wan. The group surrounded him, his bag was snatched, and Obi-Wan could only wave helplessly as he was swept out of the room.

Qui-Gon sighed, hoisted his own pack, and followed at a sedate pace. A half-hour later he stood morosely at the edge of the hangar, staring up into the sky where the ship carrying his heart had disappeared. He steadfastly ignored the clicking noise approaching him.

"So, gone he is." Master Yoda rested his hands atop his gimmer stick.

"Yes, Master." Qui-Gon continued to gaze upward.

"A fine knight he will be."

Qui-Gon absently agreed.

"Tell him you did not, did you?"

Lips thinned to a narrow line, Qui-Gon carefully measured his words. "I can't ever tell him. It would not be fair to saddle him with my emotional baggage or ask him to stay tied to the infamous maverick Jinn."

A hard staff cracked across the tall Jedi's shins. "Nonsense you speak."

"Ow!" Qui-Gon glared down at the ancient master. "It is not nonsense. You were there. As well as Obi-Wan did on his trials, there were still nay-sayers at my final presentation on his behalf." He snorted bitterly. "They didn't speak it aloud, but it was clear they were thinking that I must have contaminated my apprentice with improper thoughts. He has his own friends and a wonderful career ahead of him; he's far better off without me hanging about mooning over him."

"Know you his mind, do you? So certain of his thoughts are you?"

Qui-Gon looked back up at the busy sky. "We have generally had a good relationship, but I don't know how he truly feels about me as a person." He sighed heavily. "I do know he has had many friends and is popular, but if he has had intimate relationships he has been remarkably discreet about them. I can’t honestly say that was an aspect of his life I cared to inquire about too closely, though."

"Meditate you must." Yoda laid a clawed hand on Qui-Gon's arm. "Much pain you have, a distraction it is."

"I am a Jedi above all else," Qui-Gon said gravely. "Personal issues will not prevent me from doing my duty." He bowed his head. "I have had a lot of practice at that."

The screaming whoosh of a small scout-fighter caused both Jedi to glance toward the sound.

"I should be getting aboard my transport now," said Qui-Gon. He straightened his shoulders, adjusting his pack.

"Meditate you must," Yoda repeated.

"I will." A half-smile graced Qui-Gon's lips. "Thank you for letting me unburden my heart to you all these years."

"Here for you I always am." Yoda stepped back. "May the Force be with you."

Qui-Gon bowed, then turned and strode swiftly away.

The negotiations dragged on for over five tens. Tensions ran high as several major factions jockeyed for advantages in the aftermath of a long civil war, and it took all of Qui-Gon's skill and experience to bring them to a final agreement. The days were long and sleep was snatched a few hours at a time. At first, Qui-Gon would occasionally start to turn to his now-gone partner for help or to bounce an idea off him, only to stop short and sternly remind himself that he was alone again. He was actually glad that he had so little time to brood; exhaustion enabled him to almost ignore the pain of loneliness and drop into dreamless sleep. Eventually, however, a compromise was attained that forced even the greediest and most intransigent players to grudgingly concede that it was the best they could do.

Qui-Gon drew in a slow, deep breath, held it in and let the sweet air refresh him. Salt water brushed the edges of his bare feet as waves lapped in and out on the white sand of the deserted beach. He pulled in another breath, then let it trickle out.

Three days to rest while the final draft of the treaty was circulated among the faction leaders. Three days of solitude on this distant coast sparkling under the warm sun. Three days to meditate, to plan for the end of this mission.

Three days to think about what he had managed to ignore since leaving Coruscant.

Qui-Gon had arrived in the early evening of the previous day and set up a simple campsite in the trees near a fresh-water stream. After his first full night of sleep since he had landed on the planet, he had gone for a long run down the sandy shoreline that stretched from the base of the low hills and rocky outcrops where he had camped. The rest of the morning had included katas, a swim and an extended meditation. Despite his efforts, however, Qui-Gon found himself standing along the tideline, dressed in an undertunic and leggings rolled to his knees, with his spirits in decided contrast to the calm sea and pleasant breeze.

His shoulders drooped as Qui-Gon sighed heavily. He stared out toward the distant horizon, regretting his choice of location as the changing hues of blue, green and gray reminded him all too vividly of a certain pair of eyes.

"Force, why does it still hurt so much? Why can't I get him out of my head and my heart?" Qui-Gon whispered. "I've known for years it would come to this. Letting him go was the last, best thing I could do for him." He clenched his fists at his side. "Dammit, I am a Jedi master, I should be able to release my feelings and move on."

Qui-Gon closed his eyes. He deliberately forced himself to relax, taking slow breaths, moving a few steps into the shallow water to let the warmth caress his feet. He concentrated on the words as he began chanting the Code:

"There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no death; there is the Force."

"I am a Jedi. A Jedi does not cling to the past." He tried to push the pain back into an inner box, to subdue the ache of the lost bond that still throbbed like a sore tooth despite the assurances of the soul healer that no remnants would linger. "A Jedi must put the needs of the community above the needs of individuals." Qui-Gon sought for more words to convince himself he had taken the right action. "It is better for Obi-Wan, better for the Order, that he be free to become the great knight I know he can be."

Qui-Gon began another recitation of the Code:

"There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no death; there is the Force."

"No emotion, I must find peace." Qui-Gon mouthed the words as he hugged his arms to his chest. "No passion, I must find serenity." He squeezed his eyes tighter as he thought dismally, Force, it is so damned hard.

A loose rock rattling behind him froze Qui-Gon.

"You know, I always admired the way you could recite the various parts of the Code with a straight face and convince people you truly believed all of it."

"No, it can't be," groaned Qui-Gon. Madness must be starting already; he was hearing the one voice that he was trying desperately to forget. "He can't be here. This is not real."

"I assure you that I am here and am quite real, Master," drawled the familiar tones. "Although you certainly didn't make it very easy to find you."

Qui-Gon opened his eyes and slowly turned around. He blinked once, but it was undeniably true. Walking toward him was Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, pack on one shoulder and a cocky grin on his face.

"Knight Kenobi," Qui-Gon said stiffly as he nodded slightly. He didn't trust himself to get any closer, choosing instead to stay in the relative safety of the water.

"Master Jinn." Obi-Wan stopped several meters away and bowed, one eyebrow raised. "When did we get so formal?"

"I thought you were on a mission to help with the flood recovery on Chakbor?" Qui-Gon ignored the question while trying to surreptitiously survey his former apprentice.

"I was. I finished my duties there and was immediately sent to Mqnrk to mediate a boundary dispute. It turned out to be more of a misunderstanding than a dispute, so it didn't take very long and then I was ordered home." Obi-Wan shrugged. "I knew you were still here, so I caught a ride on a fast freighter and took a little detour on the trip back to the Temple."

"That is unlike you. You should not let people think you are skirting rules so early in your knighthood," said Qui-Gon severely.

"That's a good one coming from you, Master." Obi-Wan laughed as he slipped his pack off and swung it over to drop near the cloak Qui-Gon had left on the sand. "Are you afraid I'll be giving ammunition to the Councilors who still think you corrupted me with your unorthodox ways?"

"I only have your best interests in mind."

"I have never doubted that, Master." Obi-Wan nodded, a stubborn set to his jaw. "I am not blind or stupid, however. Even during my trials there were still pointed questions being asked. I ignored them then, just as I have for years. I may not always agree with you, but I know full well your true devotion to the Force."

Qui-Gon shook his head. "I am sorry for that. You are a good Jedi and it is not fair to you to be tarred with the brush of my reputation." He sighed, belatedly remembering his manners. "In any event, it is good to see you."

"It is good to see you as well, Master." Obi-Wan spread his cloak and sat down on the edge of it.

"You don't have to call me that any longer, you know. You are a knight, not my padawan," said Qui-Gon mildly, "I am simply another Jedi master now."

"I would never think of you as a simple anything." Obi-Wan smiled as he unstrapped his boots and pulled them off. "You have an excellent point, however. I am a knight now, and that does change our relationship." He stood up and removed his utility belt, tucking a small tube into his leggings before setting the belt aside.

"May I ask what you are doing?" A tiny shiver reverberated along Qui-Gon's spine as his former apprentice's smile changed to what could only be described as predatory.

"I came here to take care of some unfinished business, Master Jinn." Obi-Wan slipped off outer garments until his dress mirrored the leggings and loose inner tunic of the older man.

"Indeed?" Qui-Gon tilted his head. "And what might that be?"

"I have a question to ask. I let one opportunity slip through my fingers at the Temple because I was afraid of what the answer might be."

Flickers of heat flashed in Qui-Gon's gut as Obi-Wan slowly advanced. Even in bare feet through deep sand, the man had that same damned swagger in his hips that had been a central part of Qui-Gon's dreams for so many years.

"I've had time to think and to meditate since then, and I won't make that mistake again. I have to know, one way or another."

"What do you have to know?" Qui-Gon took an involuntary step backward as Obi-Wan came within a few meters. The small waves washed up to cover his ankles before retreating.

Obi-Wan stopped at the border between wet and dry sand. "When I was almost seventeen, you very firmly put me in my place when I brashly proclaimed that I loved you. You made quite an impression on me with the intensity of your rejection."

"Surely it wasn't all that bad," Qui-Gon demurred.

"Except when I had classes, I hid in my room for almost two tens because I was too embarrassed to face you." Obi-Wan laughed at the memory, but his mien quickly turned serious. "You were right, though. I didn't love you."

The small hope that had been warming Qui-Gon's heart turned to ice. He raised an eyebrow because no words could force their way out of his tight throat.

"I couldn't love you then because I didn't know what love really was; what I felt was a silly hormonal crush." Obi-Wan took a step closer before continuing softly. "Since then I have come to understand the difference. Love is from the heart and soul, a connection like no other," another step, "and I have found no other being who reaches into the depths of my heart like you, Qui-Gon Jinn."

"We are Jedi." Qui-Gon fought his own desire as Obi-Wan moved into his personal space. The heat building inside was eating into his self-control, and he wasn't sure he wanted to win that battle. "We have oaths we have taken, duties to fulfill. You will be a better Jedi if you move on without me."

"Plarhkta!"

The unexpected Huttese obscenity momentarily silenced the master.

"We are the best Jedi team the Order has seen in many years. You know we are better together than either of us is alone. I want that to continue."

Qui-Gon rallied his defenses, feeling himself tottering on the brink of an action from which there was no turning back. "Jedi must not have wants; self-reliance must be shown."

Obi-Wan snorted. "I'll see your platitude and raise you a dictum from the old masters." He reached through Qui-Gon's open tunic and ran his hands along his sides. "As Surenit Kil'qiy said: Let there be truth between your heart and the Force. All else is transitory."

A quiver followed the path of the questing fingers on Qui-Gon's body. "Obi-Wan…" He felt the breath stealing from him as the knight pulled his head down, their faces almost touching.

"I have found that truth. I love you, Qui-Gon Jinn." Obi-Wan whispered fiercely, "What is the truth in your heart? What do you tell the Force when you meditate in the dark of the night?"

Bright flames consumed the last of his reservations as Qui-Gon leaned down into the fire of Obi-Wan's lips. The first chaste touch quickly turned into a ravaging plunder as suppressed desires were unleashed.

The two men embraced, holding each other tight, as their tongues explored new territory. Qui-Gon felt the heat that answered his and marveled at the warmth and strength of the body in his arms. Eventually they pulled back, foreheads resting against each other.

"Obi-Wan," said Qui-Gon hoarsely. "Yes, Force yes!" He sucked in a breath. "You have owned my heart for years; I cannot deny it any longer."

"Good." Obi-Wan's breathing was harsh in the still air. "Because you are mine and I'm never letting you go."

Qui-Gon thrilled at the forceful declaration, evidence of the strong, self-confident man his apprentice had become. He let himself melt into another long kiss. His hands roamed Obi-Wan's upper body, barely noticing as Obi-Wan managed to divest him of his tunic.

"Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan held the master's shoulders as he looked up into his eyes. "I have dreamed of this moment for so long. I will do whatever you wish later, but today I want to take you, to be inside you this first time. Will you do this for me?"

Words caught in his throat as Qui-Gon hesitated. Uncertainty chilled his ardor a bit; his wet dreams had always been with him as the top and this was a possibility he had not considered. He raised a hand, traced down the side of Obi-Wan's waiting face. The love he saw in the depths of Obi-Wan's eyes quelled his doubts and he nodded.

"I trust you with my life and my heart, Obi-Wan," Qui-Gon said softly. "I am yours."

The broad smile that answered his words was a heady reward; Qui-Gon felt the heat reigniting inside.

"Just relax and enjoy the ride," said Obi-Wan with a leer. He kissed Qui-Gon again as his hands busied themselves untying the master's leggings.

Qui-Gon closed his eyes and sank into the moment as Obi-Wan kissed his way down his throat. He gasped when wet suction captured his left nipple. His heart pumped and he felt his blood racing as the clever lips began alternating between both of his nipples, laving them, nipping them, bringing them to pebbled nubs. He felt hands working at his waist as the tongue traced broad patterns down his belly; his leggings and smallclothes were lowered and he raised one foot at a time so the garments could be removed.

A fresh breeze tickled Qui-Gon's exposed nether regions. He opened his eyes to find that Obi-Wan was standing a meter away, still dressed, gazing lustfully at his groin where the evidence of Qui-Gon's rising excitement was all too clear. A frisson of anticipation swept through him as Obi-Wan slowly walked around him, his feet gliding through the gentle waves that swept in and out. His breath hitched as a fingertip moved down his back, stopping at the base of his spine. He almost jumped when a hand settled onto the curve of his right buttock, lingering a moment before slipping off.

"Magnificent," murmured Obi-Wan as he continued his tour until he stood before Qui-Gon again.

"I'm glad you approve." Qui-Gon used the tip of his tongue to play with the corner of his upper lip.

"The view is definitely very nice. I look forward to getting more closely acquainted with it."

Qui-Gon felt himself growing harder as Obi-Wan teased him with a slow strip show. His nostrils flared as the tunic was dragged off and tossed aside. He breathed through his mouth as fingers played with the ties of leggings, then the leggings came down in small increments until they were pulled off and joined the tunic. In one hand Obi-Wan kept the tube he had taken from his utility belt.

"Magnificent indeed," breathed Qui-Gon as he drank in the sight of Obi-Wan's rapidly firming organ.

Obi-Wan stepped forward; with a wicked grin he pulled Qui-Gon close and captured his mouth in a searing kiss.

The sudden skin-to-skin contact sent electricity surging through Qui-Gon. He moaned into the kiss and wrapped his arms around Obi-Wan, running his hands down the knight's back, grabbing the taut arse. Sweat began to flow, easing the friction as they moved belly to belly.

Qui-Gon moaned again as Obi-Wan thrust his hips forward, grinding their crotches together. His cock swelled to throbbing rigor as they swayed to and fro, erections rubbing and sliding as they mirrored the slithering of tongues against each other in their mouths, trying to climb inside each other's skin. His toes curled hard into the sand to keep his balance as their emotions intensified.

"No! Not yet!" gasped Obi-Wan.

It took a moment for Qui-Gon to focus as he became aware of empty air instead of hot flesh along the front of his body. He shook his head to clear the sweat.

"Want you," he cried hoarsely.

"All in good time," replied Obi-Wan. "This way."

Qui-Gon started to turn toward the dry beach, but a hand wrapped around his penis stopped him.

"This way," Obi-Wan repeated. He tugged gently on the tumescent rod to lead his lover further out into the water.

An odd trill thrummed along his nerves as Qui-Gon submitted to Obi-Wan's control. He followed where the fingers on his cock directed, into the waves and down to his knees.

"So beautiful," Obi-Wan murmured as he knelt and rewarded Qui-Gon with a kiss, still holding his member.

The lust in Obi-Wan's eyes fed Qui-Gon's hunger. He ran his hands along Obi-Wan's back and sides as he eagerly returned the kiss, filling his senses with Obi-Wan, reveling in the sweet taste, the musky odor and wet skin under his fingers.

For several long moments they kissed and touched, waves washing around their thighs. Qui-Gon groaned as the odd wave surged higher and tickled his balls and the crease where his thighs joined his body while Obi-Wan fondled his genitals.

"Going to take you now," whispered Obi-Wan into Qui-Gon's ear.

Qui-Gon eagerly complied as Obi-Wan positioned him on hands and knees, head facing the beach. Any remaining trepidation was long gone, replaced by trust and by the cravings that were consuming him.

"Relax, my love," murmured Obi-Wan as he squeezed lubricant from the tube he still carried along the crack of Qui-Gon's arse.

"Need you," Qui-Gon cried as a slick finger entered him. He pushed back, encouraging Obi-Wan to move faster.

"You're damned tight, Qui-Gon," Obi-Wan rasped. "I don't want to hurt you." He slid two fingers in and loosened the muscles.

The sensations in his rear were feeding Qui-Gon's own lustful passion. Having come this close, he wanted more, he wanted it all. He sucked in a sudden breath as a finger crooked across his prostate, feeding the flames of his need. When a smooth tip penetrated the muscles of his opening, he grunted from the brief pain.

"Easy, love, let me in."

Qui-Gon relaxed as hands stroked him, gentled him, held him safe. He let himself settle into the sensations in and around his body, the slick cock that pressed into him and the warm salty waters that almost felt as if the sea was baptizing their union.

"Yes, take me!" Qui-Gon pushed his hips back to complete the joining of their bodies, a gasp of pleasure exploding from his lips.

He felt fingers tighten on his hips, holding him in place as Obi-Wan began to move slowly, pulling his cock almost out, then pushing back in. Qui-Gon rejoiced in the delicious pressure, the alternate filling and emptying. His awareness narrowed to the feelings in his body. Pulse pounded, sweat stung his eyes and he could no longer distinguish the hot blood rushing through him from the heat of the waves as they broke around and upon their joined bodies.

Again and again Qui-Gon gave himself to the rhythm of Obi-Wan's thrusts, faster and faster as their raw ardor grew. He shuddered when a hand snaked around his hip to grasp his erection. Qui-Gon drove himself between the cock plunging into his arse and the fist that squeezed his own cock.

Qui-Gon opened up completely, dropping mental shields and shouting his joy to the world and the Force. A rush of adrenalin and answering exaltation poured through him. A crescendo of fervor pushed him to the crest of a surging passion, riding the ragged edge of frenzied emotion, minds and bodies finally exploding together in a white-hot rapture.

Eventually Qui-Gon's thoughts wandered back to reality. He and Obi-Wan lay on their backs as the sea quietly caressed them and washed away the evidence of their coupling. Qui-Gon turned to face Obi-Wan, running a finger across one cheek below a closed eye.

~Force, that was fantastic.~

Qui-Gon blinked. He had heard the words quite distinctly, but he had not seen Obi-Wan's lips move.

~Obi-Wan?~

~ Hmmm?~

"You heard me?" Qui-Gon whispered.

Obi-Wan's eyes opened, their color a dreamy blue-green. "Of course."

~I didn't speak aloud.~

A wide smile slowly spread across Obi-Wan's face as comprehension lit his eyes with a joyous wonder.

~Our bond is back!~

"Yes, love. It looks like the Force has decided that we should be joined," said Qui-Gon with an answering smile.

Obi-Wan leaned up and gave Qui-Gon a long kiss.

"Now you are truly stuck with me." Obi-Wan grinned as he pulled Qui-Gon to his feet. "Wait until the Council hears about this!" he exulted.

Qui-Gon laughed as they waded further out to rinse off sand and sweat. Then, sated and fully content for the first time in many years, Qui-Gon let his new lover lead him from the water. They lay together on their cloaks, soaking in the warmth of sun above and sand below.

"Qui-Gon, my Jedi, my love, I think those Councilors were right after all; you surely have corrupted me."

"Why do you say that?" The master raised a bemused eyebrow as he leisurely stroked a path down Obi-Wan's side.

"This is the code you have taught me for our new life." They held each other as Obi-Wan whispered into his master’s ear:

"There is peace because I feel your emotion.
There is knowledge because you dispel my ignorance.
There is serenity because you fulfill my passion.
There is the Force that brings us together even past death."

"Mmmm, I like that," Qui-Gon murmured. “Yes, Jedi and lovers, together in the Force."

Qui-Gon smiled at the thought of what certain people would have to say when they returned home, but he found he no longer cared as they snuggled closer, their renewed bond softly humming.

Finis