Topic: Home Again

Rufus Bennett · Date: 2014-11-03 06:07 EST

((Takes place shortly after the events of Embrace the Darkness. Contains reference to adult situations.))

By the time Rufus and Lei arrived back at the manor house on Maple Grove, Kaylee and Taylor had already been whisked away, their recovery in the hands of the professionals called in by the residents of the house. The rings were certainly effective, if a little violent, disgorging Watcher and Slayer onto the floor of the panic room without much mercy for their bumps and bruises. Lei, of course, was up on her feet in moments; Rufus took a little longer, wheezing as he pressed a hand to his side. "Well, that was ....bracing."

"Rufus Bennett!" a decidedly female and all too familiar voice greeted him as he was unceremoniously dumped on the floor of the panic room, and there was his lovely wife, standing there with hands on her hips, clad in her designer clothes, glaring at him with a worried look on her face. "What the hell were you thinking?"

For the briefest moment, Rufus winced, turning his head to look down at his lovely wife with a cheerful, if slightly guilty, smile. "Hello, sweetheart," he greeted her warmly, as Lei made her escape in the hope that Miranda wouldn't notice she'd been there at all. "Is it dinner time already?"

Miranda swung her glance toward Lei only briefly, giving her a "we'll talk about this later" kind of look, before turning back to Rufus, in time to notice the wheeze and the wince at the stitch in his side. "What happened?" she asked, setting aside her anger in exchange for concern, as she stepped forward to touch her fingers to her husband's side and check for injuries.

Knowing better than to deny her a chance to fuss over him, especially since he'd probably just inadvertently given her a big scare, he let his arm rise to allow her to check over his side. There was no blood, but he had a feeling the bruise was going to be spectacular in a couple of days. He'd landed rather hard when he and Lei had been thrown out of the cellar. "I was momentarily on the receiving end of an imprisoned demon's temper tantrum," he told her, deliberately making light of it. "Said demon is locked up good and proper now."

She was neither shy nor afraid to lift her husband's shirt right then and there and make sure he hadn't broken any ribs or lost any blood. She was well aware of his line of work and had resigned herself to accepting it before letting him back into her life, but that didn't mean she didn't worry about him or wish he had a less dangerous occupation. "Do I even want to know?" she asked, satisfied that he wasn't going to die anytime soon, which was just as good since she thought she just might kill him herself.

"We won, angel," he told her, catching her hand in his and gently raising her chin, urging her to meet his eyes. "In seven years' time, nothing is going to happen. They're free." Provided they recovered from today, of course. A small frown settled on his expression as he looked at her. "Where are they, love?"

"Nothing but nightmares," Miranda remarked under her breath, though at least now they'd have closure. She sighed, trying to fight back the tears that were wetting her eyes. "You could have been killed. All of you," she scolded, but there was no anger in it. She had yet to answer his question, sliding her arms around his waist and burying her face against his chest. "I was so worried," she said, in a muffled voice.

Understanding the fear beneath her anger that had greeted him, Rufus drew his arms about his wife, kissing her hair as she embraced him, ignoring the twinge in his side. "I'm sorry," he apologized quietly, without needing to be prompted. "I wouldn't have gone if it wasn't necessary. Lei saved our lives, angel. Don't be too angry with her."

"I'm not mad at anyone, except maybe these....these things you and Lei insist on hunting." She knew someone had to do it, but why did it have to be him' And yet, this was nothing new. This was his life, and it was something she'd been forced to accept a long time ago. It was what had kept them apart for so long, to keep their daughter safe. She sniffled to try and hide the tears as she lifted her face from his chest, leaving a telltale wetness on his shirt. "So, all this nonsense is over then" You're sure Kaylee and Taylor are safe?"

He gently stroked her cheek, a gentle thumb wiping away the evidence of her tears as he smiled down at her. "I promise you, angel, they are as safe as I can possibly get them," he assured her. "Once they're recovered, all they have to do is live." He kissed her forehead, wanting to protect her from the things that go bump in the night, but knowing that she had to know a little of them to understand why he had gone today. At least he had waited until after the royal wedding. "And I promise you that I will not go on another hunt unless there is no other option. Lei is more than capable."

"Well, we will just have to make sure they do that. I believe there was some talk about a wedding in New Orleans," she reminded him, letting him wipe whatever was left of the tears on her face. "I'm going to hold you to that, Rufus," she said, touching her fingers to his cheek and losing herself in his eyes. "I am not letting you go so easily now that I've found you again."

"What?" He looked utterly flabbergasted by her reminder, having not actually been in on Taylor and Kaylee's plans. "They're engaged?" Not that he had much of an opportunity to question her on it. She needed his reassurance, and he was only too happy to give it to her, wrapping his arms about her waist to pull her close. "I swear to you, angel, I will not make that mistake," he promised her faithfully. "We've waited too long to be together for me to blow it like an idiot now."

"I know people need your help, Rufus, but I need you. Bethany needs you. Your grandchildren need you. Taylor and Kaylee need you. We love you and..." She broke off as she felt the tears welling up in her eyes again, unafraid to let him see her worries. "I'd be lost without you," she told him quietly.

"Miri, love, listen to me," he told her, his voice quiet but firm, needing her to really absorb what he was saying. "Today was the first hunt I have been on in two years, and I fully intend for it to be the last one I ever go on myself. I have too much to lose. I would never forgive myself if I put you or our family in danger. I'm a Watcher. All I will do from this moment on is Watch."

Rufus Bennett · Date: 2014-11-03 06:09 EST

"I know why you went. You went for Taylor and Kaylee and all the other people who have suffered because of those....things. I understand that, and I understand how important it is, but....I just don't know what I'd do without you." She was clinging to him again, giving in to the tears, cleansing herself of the worries and fears. They were tears of relief mostly, relieved he was back safe and sound, but she had yet to tell him how Kaylee and Taylor had fared.

"Shhh, angel, shhh." He wrapped her up in his arms once more, stroking her hair as he rocked her gently. He'd told her only that morning that today was the day, not wanting to ruin the royal wedding in Tirisano for her with worry over something she couldn't control. He just hadn't told her the full extent of the danger. Kissing her hair, he held her close for a long time, hating even the thought of being without her. "Don't you think I feel the same way about you?"

She nodded her head against his chest, wordlessly answering his question. She knew he worried, too. It was what had kept her and Bethany out of his life for so long - the need to keep them safe. "I know," she said, wiping the tears from her face with a ragged sigh as she lifted her head from his chest, drawing comfort from his tender embrace, from his warmth, from the soft rumble of voice inside his chest. "Anyway," she started, smiling through her tears, choosing to see the silver lining in every cloud she faced. "It's over, and you're safe, and Kaylee and Taylor and Lei are safe." She couldn't really have asked for more than that.

He smiled down at her, producing a miraculously unstained handkerchief from his pocket to wipe her face dry with. "We are," he agreed with her, leaning down to kiss first the tip of her nose, then her lips, soft and gently and protectively loving. Drawing back, however, there was concern in his eyes. "Miri ....Taylor was badly hurt," he told her worriedly. "Where are they?"

Miranda's smile faded at Rufus' question. She was as fond of Taylor as he was, and she often thought of him and Kaylee as another son and daughter. She knew how much Taylor meant to him, how he was about as close to a son as Rufus might ever get. By the time she'd arrived, they were already gone, but she'd gotten the story from Humphrey and Vicki and knew it was serious enough to worry even them. "Jon drove them to the hospital. They're meeting a healer there. That's all I know right now, but Vicki seemed to think they'd be fine. Scared the hell out of Humphrey popping in unannounced. Remind me to thank Caroline later for those rings."

He frowned, a part of him wanting to go straight to the hospital and see for himself. But he was a sensible man, knowing that Miranda would be the first person Jon would call when there was news, and that he would be utterly useless pacing the halls himself anyway. He nodded mildly in agreement with her, glancing down at the ring that had brought him home. "Life savers," he murmured, wrapping his arm about her shoulders, drawing her in to kiss her forehead. "I think I would like to go home, angel. Am I still welcome to?"

She arched a slender brow up at him at his question, for two reasons. One - she'd assumed he'd want to go to the hospital and see for himself that his nephew and her cousin were all right. Two - why would he ever think he wasn't welcome" It was no secret how much she loved him, adored him really. There was very little she was unwilling to forgive when it came to her Rufus. "I thought you'd want to go to the hospital first." She seemed to rethink that though, as she realized he was really in no shape for pacing the hospital halls right now. "Jon will call as soon as he knows something," she promised, brushing a caress of fingers against his jaw before reaching up to kiss his lips. "Let's go home."

He smiled, leaning into her kiss as his hand curled to the back of her neck, drawing her closer. "I love you, angel," he promised her softly, kissing her once more in a manner that would have made even Vicki blush if she'd seen it. He did adore his wife, after all. "Home sounds wonderful right about now."

"I'm going to get you cleaned up and get some food in you, and by then, we should have heard something from Jon," she promised him, once he was finished kissing her and allowed her to breathe again. "Come on, Rufio," she said, sliding her hand into his. "I'm driving." They still had to get past Humphrey, but she didn't expect that would be too difficult with Vicki around to distract him.

Rufus smirked faint as she took him by the hand. "Are you proposing to look after me, Mrs. Bennett?" he asked her, deliberately using the married name so few people realized belonged to her. To the city, she was Miranda Granger, and rightly so. But he was very much enchanted with the knowledge that she was his wife, nonetheless. "Should I insist I don't know how to wash myself?"

"Do you have any objections to that, Mr. Bennett?" she countered with a faint smirk of her own. As frightened as she'd been for him, she was glad it was over and that she had him back safe and sound. She doubted he'd mind if she wanted to spoil him just a little. "Why don't we go home and find out?" The truth was she would have preferred taking his name for her own; keeping the Granger surname was more a matter of business than anything else.

"Sounds like fun," he chuckled, feeling the equilibrium swing back into place in their relationship. He'd tell her later everything that had happened, how close they had come to disaster. How afraid he had been for a few minutes, trapped behind an unmovable door, unable to help his nephew and her cousin. Moving with her, he left the bag he'd been carrying on the floor of the panic room, unconcerned. There was nothing in there that anyone would be worried about finding, and in a few hours, everyone on the Grove would know about their little adventure, he assumed. It would find its way back to him eventually.

She didn't even notice the bag he'd left behind, too intent on having her Rufus back and getting him back home so she could spoil him a little, not to mention take a closer look at the side he was unconsciously favoring. "And don't you dare tell Taylor you heard anything from me! I think he wants to tell you himself," she told him as she drew him out of the panic room to head for home.

"My lips are sealed," he promised her, mounting the steps that took them out of the clinical safe rooms and up into the warmer, more inviting heart of Maple Manor. "Remind me to do something nice for the mages in your R and D department sometime soon," he added musingly. "These rings really are wonderful work."

Rufus Bennett · Date: 2014-11-03 06:10 EST

"They are, aren't they' You should thank Caroline for thinking of it. Grangers have a bad habit of getting themselves into trouble, and she had them made for all of us a few years ago," Miranda explained, though he knew it all already. She'd been upset, and when she was upset, she had a tendency to chatter, even more so than usual. They had come in handy a few times, and while they wouldn't work if one was too far out of range, they had been used to save more than one Granger life since their creation.

He let her chatter, knowing her ways, how she handled her shock and upset. Smiling, he wrapped his arm about her shoulders once again, drawing her close as they stepped out into the late autumn sunshine, somehow managing to avoid being stopped by the Old Man, Vicki, or that insane collie. "Just so long as this Granger," he tapped the end of her nose playfully, "keeps herself out of trouble. I'll be very put out with you if you scare me, you know. It could involve rope. Or handcuffs."

"Someone has been watching too much Fifty Shades of Grey," she teased back with a chuckle, though she knew Rufus wouldn't be caught dead watching that, even for the sake of her famous actor cousin. "I think we interrupted their Halloween celebration," she mused aloud as they tried to sneak out. "Jon was dressed as Superman."

The thought of that made Rufus guffaw with laughter. "Oh, please tell me Vicki was dressed as the Bride of Chucky," he begged as they walked along, knowing that young lady's impish sense of humor as well as everyone else.

"Not exactly," Miranda replied with an impish grin of her own, now that the tension had been released between them. She'd make sure she created a different sort of tension once they got home - after she cleaned him up and fed him properly first. "Promise you won't laugh?" she asked, though she wondered whether he'd even see the humor in it.

He raised a brow as she looked down at her. That grin really was very impish, making him wonder just what she was about to divulge about Jonathan's merry English wife. "No," he told her with a smirk, knowing better than to promise something like that. "I can promise to try not to laugh."

"Well, you might not see the humor in it," she warned him, unable to hide that smirk from her face as they walked hand in hand beneath the autumn afternoon sun. "Walk or drive?" she asked, as their own home on the grounds wasn't too far from the big house - just far enough that they didn't get too many unwanted guests an inconvenient hours.

"Drive," he decided easily. As lovely as the day was, all Rufus really wanted was to be at home right now, able to relax and thoroughly reassure his wife that he was fine. A few bruises weren't going to put him down, and he trusted that Taylor and Kaylee were in good hands.

As it happened, she'd been in such a hurry to get here that she'd hopped in her car and driven the short distance from Rose Cottage to the big house in a matter of minutes. "All right, but I'm driving," she reminded him, still a little worried about his well-being, after everything he'd been through. She steered him toward her car where she'd left it parked outside the big house, her keys still dangling from the ignition in her hurry to reach him.

He chuckled at her bossy insistence, patting her rear end affectionately. "Would you like me to put on a leash and crawl along beside you, or would obedience to your commands do for now, mistress?" he teased her, his head bent so that only she could have heard him even if they'd been surrounded by people.

"No, I don't think that's necessary. You're my husband, not a slave, unless you think you'd enjoy that sort of thing," she said, eying him doubtfully. If anything, Rufus had always struck her as being less than submissive. She opened the driver's side door and slid inside, confident he could handle getting in on his own. "Buffy," she said abruptly, out of the blue, in answer to his earlier question regarding Vicki's costume, though he might have forgotten he'd even asked by now.

He laughed at the look on her face, releasing her reluctantly to let her get into the car. "No, you're far more suited to it, I quite agree," he teased, winking at his wife as he opened up the passenger door, easing himself into the seat with only the faintest groan. Definitely not cracked ribs, anyway. Her somewhat cryptic comment made him frown in confusion. "I beg your pardon?"

But before she could explain that cryptic comment, something he'd said gave her pause. "Wait..." she started, glancing over at him. "You think I'm more suited to being submissive?" She chuckled a little to herself at that. "Oh, Rufio. Sometimes you really crack me up."

He smirked cheerfully at her, his hand moving to lie on her knee as she took charge of the car. "More suited than me, possibly," he conceded, though to be fair, the balance of power switched back and forth fairly evenly between them, inside the bedroom and out.

"Hmm, does my little WuffyRuffy want his Mama to wear leather and spank him for being a bad boy?" she teased, unable to help herself. It was just too much fun to make him squirm. And she still hadn't explained the Buffy remark. She turned the keys in the ignition and gave the engine a little gas. "Baby, you ain't seen nothing yet."

"Miri, love, need I remind you that you are driving and I have two very spare hands right now?" Rufus pointed out, smirking at her teasing. "The leather does sound enticing, though, even if I would have to cut you out of it." He grinned, shifting his hand just enough to drum his fingers warningly on her inner thigh.

"Sweetheart, that's what they make zippers for." She was privately concocting a little surprise for him for sometime in the near future once he'd had a chance to get over his bumps and bruises. She was well aware of his hand on her thigh, and she smiled playfully over at him. "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer," she said, jumping back to his earlier question. Well, what did he expect' She was female, and there was nothing logical about her.

His fingers stilled. "I'm sorry?" It took a moment for him to catch up with her, and though she'd tried to make him promise not to, he laughed out loud. "Oh, it's a shame Lei didn't hang around," he guffawed, delighted with Vicki's choice of Halloween costume. "That explains why she came by the office a few days ago!"

"I was thinking about dressing up as Elvira," she said, with that same mischievous smile on her face, though it had softened momentarily. She put the car in gear and pulled out of the drive and onto the road that meandered through the grounds of Maple Grove. "But I don't think we're going to be dressing up for Halloween."

Rufus Bennett · Date: 2014-11-03 06:10 EST

"Keep teasing, and you're not going to be getting dressed for several days, woman," her husband growled quietly, his grin still on his face as she teased him further. It occurred to him briefly that maybe the reason he'd always had such trouble recovering after a hunt was because he hadn't had Miranda there to remind him he had survived. His grin broadened at that thought, fingers drumming against her thigh once again. "You, my love, are definitely a tease today."

She shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal. She was just trying to get his mind off other things - like Taylor and Kaylee and everything they'd just been through together - the darkness and the terror. "I don't hear you complaining," she pointed out, pressing her foot against the pedal to give it a little more gas. What was the point of having a sports car if you didn't enjoy it a little every now and then"

Rufus snorted with laughter. "When have I ever complained about anything to do with you?" he asked her cheerfully, his hand rising from her thigh to rest against her seat, fingertips gently stroking her neck. "You had your heart set on the Halloween shenanigans up at the big house tonight, though."

She was very aware of the hand against her thigh that had shifted to her neck, sighing softly at his touch and easing off on the gas a little, a small frown touching her lips at the mention of the party. She shrugged as if it didn't really matter. "And you're not going to be happy until you see for yourself that Taylor is okay, so we're going to get you cleaned up and fed and go to the hospital later to see for ourselves." From the tone of her voice, it didn't sound like she was going to take no for an answer.

"Miri," he said gently, "that won't take all evening. If you want to go to the party, then we'll go." He hated it when she set her own wishes aside, even if it was to take care of him, knowing that they had both done too much of that for almost thirty years.

"We'll see," she told him, making no promises. It all depended on how he was feeling later and how Taylor and Kaylee were doing. They were more important than a party. "How long do you think it will take before the whole family knows about it?" she asked, as she pulled the car up to the cottage that had been her home for years and now, she shared with him.

"Knowing this family' Until tomorrow evening," he predicted, moving to unbuckle his belt. His hand teased gently against the neckline of her shirt before he opened the door, clenching his jaw against the ache in his side as he twisted and climbed out.

She was lost in thought for a moment, but refused to let her worries about Taylor and Kaylee get her down, not when Rufus needed her to take care of him and cheer him up. And there was one surefire way to cheer him up, but first things first. She glanced over just in time to see him moving a little to gingerly for her liking, and she climbed out of the car to join him, a little too late to help him to his feet. "You don't have to be brave for me, you know. I know you're hurting."

He smiled, touched by her concern for him. "It's just a bruise, Miri," he promised her, cradling her cheek in his hand. "In a few days, it will be as though it never existed. I can handle a little pain." A shadow crossed his eyes as he recalled Taylor's slumped form, and the blood pooling in Kaylee's boots, but he set that aside. Jon was a good man. He'd make sure they were well looked after.

She saw that shadow and knew it was concern for his family, rather than for himself, but that was where she came in. "Come on, Rufio," she said, sliding an arm around his waist, not just to help him, but because she just wanted to be near him. "He's gonna be okay. I promise," she said, touching a kiss to his lips before steering him toward the door.

He sighed softly, curling his arm about her as they moved toward the door. "I know," he assured her. "I failed him once, Miri. I can't forgive myself if I've failed again." His arm tightened around her as he kissed her hair, breathing in the light, heady scent that was his lovely wife.

"You didn't fail him," she argued. "And there's no use fretting about a past you can do nothing about. He's in good hands. He's going to be fine. Jon and Kaylee will make sure of that. There's nothing you can do." She knew he knew all this already, but it didn't hurt to remind him. She was sure that if he ever asked, Taylor would insist Rufus had never failed him, not then and not now. She took her time leading him into the house, knowing he was in pain, though she was grateful it didn't seem serious. "You know what you need?"

"A cool drink and a hot woman?" he suggested, pushing the door closed behind them. It wasn't that he was laughing off his concern, but he knew as well as she did that worrying would serve no purpose. Nor would reliving the past. The time to focus on was the now, and in this now, he had a worried wife to contend with.

"Hmm, I was thinking more along the lines of a nice cup of tea and a warm bath, but if it's any comfort, I'm willing to wash your back," she replied with a smile, knowing they were mostly in agreement with what he needed to remedy his ills. Once inside, she drew him closer, reaching up to brush a few wayward curls from his forehead. "What would you like first, my darling man?"

He leaned down to her, lips capturing hers in a searing kiss as his arm wrapped about her waist, pulling her to him. "You, my beautiful woman," he breathed against her lips. Food and a wash could wait; there was no better way to remind himself he was alive than to be with his Miranda.

She had never denied him anything, and she wasn't about to start now. If he wanted her first and foremost, then that was what he'd get. Food and a bath could wait a while. The kiss she returned to his lips said as much without speaking. She grabbed hold of his shirt as he pulled her close, wasting no time in working his buttons open, in as much of a hurry to reward him for staying alive as he was in reminding himself of that fact.

His favorite trick made itself known as, without the intervention of his hands, her bra undid itself beneath her shirt. He never could resist doing that to her, bending his legs to lift her up, tucking her thighs about his hips as he kissed her, hungry for what only Miranda had ever been able to give him ....real, tangible love.

Her arms circled his neck as she swept her off her feet, legs wrapping themselves around his waist, forgetting the pain in his side in the heat of the moment, though he didn't seem to be complaining. She kissed him thoroughly, passionately, with the wild abandon of a woman who could never quite get enough of the man that she loved, as though that kiss and him was all that she ever wanted or needed.

Rufus Bennett · Date: 2014-11-03 06:11 EST

He groaned, smoothing one hand to her rear to support her as the other slid upward beneath her shirt, warm palm reveling in her skin as he cupped her breast. "God, woman, you're intoxicating," he rasped beneath her lips, moving without much purpose until he found the dining table, setting her down on the smooth wood to lean over her. She was the only woman who had ever been able to make him feel this way, and for twenty-five long years he had lived apart from her, certain it was the right decision. Now he had her in his life again, he lived for the moment, treasuring everything about his occasionally ditsy, but always wonderful, wife.

She was used to the way he liked to undo her bra without touching it, somehow managing to wiggle her way out of it and drop it to the floor even as he was moving across the room to the closest flat surface that was handy. They had already christened just about every room in the house and had been more than a little imaginative about how to give new uses to the furniture that decorated their home. Some might think they were as randy as a couple of teenagers, but what they failed to understand was that the two of them were just making up for lost time. "Like an expensive bottle of brandy," she teased back against his lips, as eager for him as he was for her.

"The very best kind," he grinned down at her, hands busily removing her shirt as he began to trail his lips over her skin. He knew her better than she knew herself; certainly better than any lover she had taken during those long years apart. Every weak spot, every sensitive swathe of skin, they were all his, and always had been; his to play like a perfectly tuned instrument until he knew she was more than ready for their dance to find its conclusion, her clothes finding their way to the floor under his loving hands.

She was busily working his shirt loose from his torso, eager to taste and touch him just as he was tasting and touching her. He was the only man she'd ever met who'd made her feel so alive, every touch from him electrifying, sending a thrill through her body, like she was on fire. Balanced precariously against the dining room table, she managed to get his shirt off, dropping it behind him to join her clothing on the floor, her hands sliding against the smooth and strong expanse of his back.

There were a few scars she had come to know well since they had come back together, reminders of times when he had not been so lucky as to escape with just a bruise. But he was a vital man, strong and fit, and more than capable of holding his own these days, easing her onto her back as designer panties lost the fight with a wicked little tearing sound. He chuckled, kissing her belly button affectionately. "I'll replace them," he promised her, dropping to his knees to taste her.

"You most certainly will," she replied with a grin. He didn't want to know how much those panties cost or he might have a coronary right then and there, but then, money wasn't much of an issue for Miranda. She still had her heels on, but little else, crooking a finger to beckon him closer. She'd been unable to get his pants off him before he'd laid her back, but that was easily remedied. Unfortunately, it seemed he had other plans and she was soon sighing and moaning in ecstasy while he played her like a maestro.

Like any man, there were days when he felt old, when he couldn't see in himself what she did. Today, after the fright at the old house, he needed to know he had something to offer that was more than just a spell or two that backfired because he hadn't considered all the options. Miranda always made him feel loved, wanted, needed, and in turn, he did his damnedest to make absolutely certain she was in no doubt of his feelings for her.

No matter what he thought of himself, she never thought of him as old, nor did she blame him when things went wrong. All her earlier anger had only been because she loved him and was terrified of losing him, but now that they were alone, she could show him in a very obvious way how very much she loved him. "Rufus..." she pleaded softly, savoring every kiss and caress, but greedy for more - greedy for him. "I want you."

Even now, knowing she was in state to retaliate, he teased her, rising to step between her legs, grinning down at his beautiful wife. "Are you sure? I could order pizza and keep you warm until it arrives." Though sharing her with anyone was out of the question. It was a matter of moments before his pants and boxers found the floor, kicked away as he drew her to the edge of the table, capturing her lips with his as he gave her what she asked for.

"You can keep me warm now, and order pizza later," she countered, but didn't have to argue as he was rather readily capitulating to her request. She watched while he shed what remained of his clothes, kicking her shoes off to land somewhere on the floor nearby, thankfully not breaking anything. She sat up on the table and slid forward, reaching for him as he came closer, aching to have all of him before she died of longing. She wasted no time in wrapping herself around him, eagerly returning his kisses and losing herself to the only man she'd ever loved.

Wrapped up in one another, it seemed as though a lifetime and a heartbeat had passed in the same short span of time, blocking out the rest of the world with all its terrors and confusions in the enveloping glow of her love. Rufus didn't know what he'd done to get so lucky, but he was determined not to waste a moment of it.

And Miranda felt the same. She wasn't sure how much time had passed while they were wrapped up in that age-old dance that belonged strictly to lovers, but no time ever seemed long enough, each moment precious and cherished, even more so for having been robbed of some of it.

As the moment passed, Rufus drew his arms warm about his wife, showering her with kisses, slow and tender. His hand stroked through her hair as they lingered together. "I love you, angel," he promised her quietly, drawing her forehead to his in intimate quiet. "I never meant to scare you so badly."

Miranda sighed softly, wrapped up as she was in Rufus' love. There was no place she liked better than this. Well, actually, she preferred the bed to the dining room table, but she understood his need for immediate gratification, as she'd felt it, too. Whether he'd been hurt or not, he'd needed to prove to her that he was still alive, and she understood that. She stroked his cheek, a soft smile on her face, full of love and adoration. "You did good, Rufio," she replied back. "But I'm not letting you do it again."

He kissed her, gentle and supremely loving, easing his hand to stroke her back a while longer. "I promise I will not do it again, unless there truly is no other option," he told her, carefully qualifying that promise. If any one of the family needed him, he would go, no question. Rubbing his nose to hers, he smiled, sighing in contentment. "I should have gone to the bedroom," he murmured. "I don't want to move now."

She didn't argue with that, knowing that if any member of the family was in danger, he'd be the first one she'd ask to help. She smirked a little at his remark. "Well, you're going to have to because I think my butt is falling asleep," she informed him, reaching around him to grab a hold of his rear. It was right about then that the phone rang - hers, as could be attested to by the ring tone, which was currently Cyndi Lauper blaring how "Girls just wanna have fun-un." She frowned a little at the sound, wondering where she'd dropped her phone when they'd come in.

Rufus Bennett · Date: 2014-11-03 06:12 EST

He laughed, hoisting her up off the table to massage her abused rear end teasingly. The moment that annoying little song started up, however, he groaned, patting her behind. "That had better be Jon, and not one of your adoring fans," he warned, easing her back down onto her feet. "Best hurry and find it before I stab the damned thing."

"I hope so!" she said as he lifted her off the table. That was gonna need a good scrubbing down later. Naked as the day she was born, she went in search of her phone, following the sound of the song to the couch where she'd tossed it carelessly aside as soon as she'd hung up with Vicki at the news.

Scratching his head, Rufus turned his attention to examining his side in the hall mirror, confident that no one could see him, and even if they could, they'd be scarred for life. The redness was beginning to fade, to be replaced by the darker purple that would be tender for a few days. It looked as though he'd hit one of the bookcases. He winced, touching the bruise. He'd been luckier than he'd thought.

Finding the phone, she picked it up, her voice heard answering from the other room. Her replies were brief, clipped, as she seemed to be mostly listening to the voice on the other end. "Yes" Uh huh....Okay..." There was another short pause. "Is he gonna be all right?"

Rufus listened, his attention focused on the sound of his wife's voice rather than his rather sadistic prodding at his new bruise. Turning toward the other room, he headed that way, locating his boxers to slide into them. His discarded shirt, he hooked over Miranda's shoulders as she listened to the caller.

She glanced gratefully over her shoulder at him, though most of her attention was focused on the caller, obviously someone who had news about Taylor and Kaylee. She paused to listen to the voice again before going on. "What about Kaylee" Is she okay?" There was another long pause. "Uh huh..." She turned to Rufus and mouthed silently to him, "Jon."

He nodded, having already guessed who it was. Easing her into the shirt one arm at a time, he stayed silent, letting her listen and talk to her cousin. The worry over Taylor and Kaylee was back in his expression, the immediacy of their injuries back in the forefront of his mind.

"Rufus is right here," she said into the phone as she wiggled her way into his shirt. "Do you want to talk to him?" she asked, glancing to Rufus questioningly, the question aimed for both him and the voice on the other end of the phone.

Rufus blinked, surprised by the offer, but nodded. If Jon wanted to talk to him, then he was happy to talk. He just wasn't sure if that would mean Kaylee was left on her own. Taylor's injuries had been quite severe, if he was any judge; Kaylee's, more superficial.

"I'm going to hand you to Rufus. I need to make him something to eat," she told Jon and promptly handed Rufus the phone.

Taking the phone with a wry smile for his wife's excuse, Rufus raised it to his ear. "Jon' How are they?" Straight for the kill, no pleasantries. As much as he liked Jon, he needed to know that he hadn't lost Taylor.

"They're both resting," Jon replied on the other end of the phone. He was right there in view of the two of them, just far enough away that he could talk without disturbing them, but close enough to keep watch. "The healer was here. She said they should recover completely. They just need to rest. Taylor is being kept overnight for observation."

And just like that, the knot of tension in Rufus' stomach unraveled. He let out a low sigh of relief. "Oh, thank god," he murmured, sinking down onto a chair. "Thank you for looking after them, Jon. I would have come back with them myself, but there was more to finish up." He hesitated a moment, and then asked, "How is Kaylee?"

"Not a problem. They're family," Jon replied, matter-of-factly, including Rufus and Taylor in the equation by way of marriage to Miranda. Besides, he'd owed Rufus a huge debt for helping him with that whole vampire business. Jon paused a moment to reply as he glanced over at Kaylee, a small frown on his face. "Shaken up. Her injuries were mostly superficial. She's worried about Taylor. She won't leave his side. She's resting finally, thank the gods. She told me a little about what happened. It sounds like they've been through a lot." There was another small pause. "How are you?"

"They'll help each other put it behind them," the older man said quietly, leaning an elbow onto the table as he rubbed his face. Jon's question caught him off-guard. "Mmm' Oh, I'm all right. Miranda's fussing, but she deserves to. I didn't give her all the facts before we set out this morning." He mused on that for a moment. "We'll stop by in a couple of hours to drop in on them, bring them fresh clothes, that sort of thing. You should come home, Jon. I doubt you'll get much out of them, and you have a party to attend."

"It's okay. Vicki understands. Family before fun. I'll stay a bit longer, make sure they're all settled before heading home. It was a little touch and go for a while, but they're gonna be okay, Rufus. Try not to worry," Jon said pausing a moment before adding. "I'm not sure I ever thanked you for....for helping me, but thank you. And thanks for helping Kaylee, too. She means a lot to me."

Rufus felt himself smile a little. "Even before you knew me, Jon, you were family," he told the actor quietly. "I would have helped you, no matter what you needed. And Kaylee ....well, it seems that Kaylee will be even closer family to me in the months to come." He chuckled. "I'm not supposed to know that, though, so keep your mouth shut."

There was a pause as Jon tried to process that, chuckled as he realized what that bit of news was implying. "My lips are sealed. I'll let you go before Miranda hangs up on me. Thank you, Rufus. I really mean that. I'll talk to you soon."

"Thank you, Jon. I appreciate it." Smiling, he waited for the line to go dead before hanging up, looking down at it for a long moment before rising to his feet to head off in search of his wife. "Miri?" he called to her, following the sound of her moving around to wander into the kitchen.

And there she was - in the kitchen, frying up some bacon for a couple of quick sandwiches, the kettle going to heat some water for tea, unless he wanted something stronger. Did she know her man or did she know her man' "What did he say?" she asked, though Jon had already apprised her of the situation.

Rufus Bennett · Date: 2014-11-03 06:13 EST

"They'll be fine," Rufus told her, needing to hear himself say it. It really was astonishing how well she knew him. "They want to keep Taylor in overnight, but are confident he'll recover. Jon's going to stay a little while longer and then come back for the party."

"Did you tell him we'll relieve him in a bit?" she asked, presuming he'd want to visit the hospital to see for himself that Taylor and Kaylee were going to be okay. She wasn't taking no for an answer, but first he needed to eat and shower and let her take a look at his own injuries. "You know, Vicki told me they have a very good healer. I'm sure she wouldn't mind taking a look at your side, if you wanted," she suggested mildly.

"Yes, I said we'd drop by in a couple of hours," he told her, easing himself down onto a stool. "We should take them some fresh clothes. I highly doubt Kaylee will want to leave while Taylor's still under observation." He smiled at her gentle suggestion, reaching out to catch her hand, kissing her knuckles tenderly. "I'll live," he assured her. "Why waste a healer's talents on a bruise?"

"Fresh clothes, check. We can pop by their place on the way and pick something up." She assumed he had a key. There was no one Taylor trusted more than Rufus, after all. He was all the family Taylor had left. She arched a slender brow at him as he caught her hand and questioned her suggestion. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?" she countered. "I intend to have my way with you multiple times over the next few days, and I don't want to worry about you wincing in pain. So, there you have it. I dare you to argue with that." She grinned at him, looking just a little smug.

He chuckled, catching his arm about her waist and pulling her to him, kissing his wife like there was no tomorrow. "I could always blindfold you so you don't have to see," he suggested cheekily, fairly sure he was going to lose this argument but enjoying teasing her too much to give in without a fight.

She let out a small eep as he caught her and drew her close, torn between the kisses and the cooking of the bacon. "That would be cheating," she told him, tapping a finger against his nose. "And if you don't let go of me, you're going to have a burnt bacon sandwich, instead of a BLT, silly man," she added with a smirk. "Besides, it's a healer's job to heal. It's what they get paid for," she helpfully pointed out. It wasn't like he had a paper-cut.

"Mm, burnt bacon is no fun," he conceded, releasing her to pat her rear end fondly as he turned her back toward the stove. "I take it you intend to use the word "healer" in every sentence until I give it and either tie you down and gag you, or agree to let someone look at me?"

"You can't keep me prisoner until your side heals, Rufus. People will miss me." She touched a kiss to the tip of his nose before he turned her back around to finish frying up the bacon, which mostly fried itself, but needed to be watched. "How's Lei?" she asked as she reached for a tomato to start slicing it up. "She seemed her usual perky self." Miranda wasn't quite sure what to make of Lei. There were times when it seemed Rufus thought of her as a daughter and other times when he hardly mentioned her at all.

"Not if I hang a sign in the window declaring that you're working on your wifely duties, they won't," he teased her mildly, leaning his elbows forward onto the counter with a smile. The mention of Lei made him snort faintly. "She was good today," he nodded thoughtfully. "Not quite as difficult as she usually is. She certainly seemed to enjoy bursting in to the rescue. I doubt that species of demon is ever going to visit Rhy'Din again."

Miranda frowned a little at the thought of demons. Despite being a Rhy'Din native, the dark side of the place has always weirded her out. It wasn't so much that she was a purist or even prejudiced in any way. She believed in free will and equal rights and to each his own, but evil was still evil, and she wasn't afraid to admit that it scared the bejeezus out of her. Then again, humanity itself left a lot to be desired sometimes, too. She'd witnessed that herself during their little escape from New York with Bethany and Jason a good while back. "Are they really gone for good?" she asked, as she popped a couple of slices of bread into the toaster and then went about making him a cup of tea.

Rufus frowned. He hadn't meant to frighten her, but sometimes his mouth said things his brain should have stopped. "Yes, they are gone for good," he promised her. "We burned the place to the ground, and consecrated what was left of it before coming back. Their portal into this world is destroyed, love. I swear to you, they won't be back."

She nodded a little, though he might not notice as her back was to him. "Good," she said. "They've been through enough." And so have we, she thought to herself. The toaster popped and she snagged the slices a little too soon, dropping them quickly onto a plate before she burned her fingers. "I have a feeling they want to skip the big family wedding and elope," she said, as though this was a problem.

He watched his wife at her domesticated work for a long time, guilt brimming at how close she was to the darkness in his life. If only they had left this family alone, she might never have come this close. And he was determined that she never would again. I will protect you, he promised her silently. From everything that even hints at threatening you, or the people you love. Fierce in that silent promise, he almost missed her additional comment, raising his brows. "Hmm' Oh, love ....did you really think they were going to put themselves at the center of attention?"

It seemed there were Grangers popping up out of the woodwork lately and just as quickly getting married and starting families. She wasn't complaining as it was good for business, but she knew a big formal family wedding wasn't what Taylor and Kaylee wanted, and it was just as well. "I just want to be there, that's all. We should be there. We're family. And so are Beth and Jason."

"Then why don't you ask them if they would mind a small, close family wedding?" he suggested, wondering why this hadn't occurred to her yet. Kaylee wasn't quite as damaged as he had first feared, and with Taylor to look after her, he thought they would both heal well, in time. "There's no need to assume that they won't want anyone there, simply because they haven't suggested it yet."

"I didn't want to push. I'm not even supposed to know," she said, thankful her back was to him so he wouldn't see the frown on her face, though he knew her well enough to hear it in her voice. "Do you think I'm too pushy, Rufus? I mean, it's not just about business. Not when it's family. I just want them to have a day they'll never forget." As for herself, she and Rufus had eloped, robbing family of a party, but their circumstances had been very different from the norm.

Rufus Bennett · Date: 2014-11-03 06:15 EST

He rose to his feet, curling his arms about her waist to draw her back against him. Lips brushed her neck tenderly. "Sweetheart, they love one another," he reminded her softly. "The day they marry will be one they will always remember because of that love. Having their family there - having us there - would make it more memorable, yes. And you're not too pushy. Excitable and in love with romance, but not pushy."

She couldn't very well argue with that - it was true enough. She was in love with romance and didn't really understand why anyone else wouldn't be. To love and be loved was the most beautiful thing in the world, and she had been denied it too long. She didn't want the same thing for Kaylee and Taylor. "I just want them to be happy, Rufus. That's all," she said, happily leaning back into his arms as she assembled his sandwich. "I'll talk to Kaylee in a few days, but I promise I won't be pushy. I'll leave the decision up to them."

"They will be, sweetheart," he promised her tenderly, stroking her hair away from her neck to nuzzle affectionately. "They'll have each other, and we'll be there to make sure they have each other for a very long time to come. I have a small suggestion for you when it comes to broaching the subject, though." He smiled down at her. "Offer to make her dress. She's a soft-hearted thing at the core."

She turned in his arms to face him, looking up into his eyes with a worried expression on her pretty face. "Do you really think she'd want me to?" she asked uncertainly. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just something pretty and feminine. Every woman should feel like a princess on her wedding day, whether it's a big one or a small one."

He tucked her hair back behind her ear, smiling down at her. "Miri, you're the one who told me that your cousin Kaylee was always the real girl in her age group here on the Grove," he reminded her. "The one who liked clothes and make up and looking pretty. Do you really think she wouldn't jump at the chance to feel pretty on her own wedding day?"

"I suppose not. And Taylor will probably want you to be there. Do you think he'll want Bethany and Jason there, too?" she asked, getting a little homesick to see their daughter and her little family sometime soon.

Rufus smiled, rocking his wife in his arms as he swayed, recognizing the signs of her missing their daughter and her family. "I will ask him, when he tells me their plans," he assured her softly. He'd caught a little of Taylor and Beth's interactions since their first meeting, however, fairly sure that Taylor would want his closest relatives at his wedding.

She smiled faintly, feeling a little reassured by him, as she always did. She touched a kiss to his lips to thank him. "You should eat before it gets cold," she admonished him gently. They could talk just as easily while he ate, and she thought he needed to get something in his stomach.

"Yes, dear," he grinned against her lips, obediently unwrapping his arms from about her waist to slide back into his seat at the counter, waiting like a good boy to be given his lunch.

She'd reward him for being such a good boy later, but first food, then a bath, then she was going to play nurse for a while - but not in a kinky sort of way. She set his sandwich before him, along with some potato chips, which he insisted on calling crisps, a pickle, and a cup of tea, just the way he liked it. "It's not much, but it should do for now."

"After the day I've had, it's heaven," he assured her, reaching out to pull her onto his lap as he ate. He couldn't have pinpointed quite why, but he needed to have her close right now. Perhaps it was delayed shock from the appalling situation at that decrepit old house.

Whatever the reason, she wasn't about to argue. She felt the need to be close, as much as he did. She could have lost him a little too easily today. She could have lost Taylor and Kaylee and Lei, too, and it scared her a little, but what was done was done. The past was the past, and Miranda wasn't really the type to linger on what had already been. "After the day you've had, you deserve more than that, but I'll save it for later," she told him with a smile, sliding an arm around his neck as he drew her into his lap, content for now to just be close. "I love you, Rufus Bennett, and don't you ever forget it!" she told him, smooching his lips, despite a mouthful of sandwich.

"Mmph." Whatever he'd tried to say through sandwich and kiss, it made him laugh as he swallowed, hugging her close on his lap. "Fine, I'll see a healer," he conceded finally, taking another bite of his sandwich. "If only so I can turn the tables on you when you get too carried away."

She gave a small cheer of delight, satisfied she'd finally convinced him to give in. Though her plan might have been a little evil, it worked. She grinned happily at him, her eyes dancing with her usual mischief. "Miri one, Rufio nothing!"

"I think we're even, actually," he argued with a chuckle. "Unless we're drawing a line beneath what happened at breakfast the morning after the wedding." He smirked at her. Prince Julius hadn't known where to put himself, after all, and it hadn't helped that most of the Grangers had been laughing.

"That doesn't count. I'm talking about today!" she argued, but was laughing along with him. "You know, I hate to brag, but I'm pretty sure I scored another wedding out of the deal," she told him with that little smug grin of hers that she wore when she was particularly proud of some achievement or other.

"If they manage to restrain the groom and hold him off until spring," Rufus chuckled back at her, resting his head against her shoulder as he ate. He'd enjoyed watching her charm her way through the noble ranks of Tirisano, but what he loved most were the quiet times at home with her. Nothing could give him the same feeling of peace as Miranda did.

"They're already living together," she replied with a snerk. "Maybe we should take bets to see how long it takes before Lady Keira is pregnant," she added with a smirk.

He laughed, bouncing her on his knee for a moment. "You're going to get us arrested by the Tirisano police if you do," he told her in amusement. "Placing a wager on a lady's virtue, now really, Miranda."

She laughed out loud, a rather unladylike laugh. "Virtue, my *ss. Those two are about as virtuous as we are. Did you see how they were looking at each other" They give a new meaning to the words dirty dancing." She had that look in her eyes again, wondering if he was up for round two himself yet.

He met her eyes, recognizing the sight of a woman who was only going to be patient for so long, and grinned wickedly. Leaving his sandwich half-eaten, he rose suddenly, hoisting her over his shoulder, one hand on her rear - just to keep her safely in place, of course. "Time to scrub my back, wife."

There was that "Eeep!" again as she got hoisted, his shirt riding up against her hips and doing very little to cover her bare assets that he was grabbing hold of. "As you wish, husband," she quipped back, only too happy to fulfill his wishes. She shoved a hand down his drawers, giggling like a schoolgirl. "Ooooh, Rufio. Do you work out?" she asked, giving his cheek a squeeze - not the cheek on his face.

He laughed again, echoing her squeeze with his own as he headed for the stairs. "Tell you what, sweetheart," he suggested as he mounted them, carrying his giggling wife with sure feet toward the master bath, "let's find out if you can keep up."

"Sounds like a challenge!" she replied, raking his back with her nails, only hard enough to entice. And there was that bruise blossoming prettily against his side, but she said nothing about it. He'd agreed to see a healer, and she'd just have to be satisfied with that.

She was going to be satisfied, all right, and then he'd see the healer. Right now, Rufus was fully intending to make sure his wife knew beyond any shadow of any doubt that he was alive, he had come back to her, and he had no intention of leaving her in such a state again.

And who was she to argue with that' It would be a few hours yet before they left for the hospital, but it was time well spent, and Taylor and Kaylee were in capable hands.

For now, it was time to make sure that the people who loved them were calm and well, secure in their own safety, and ready to help the young couple look forward, to the future neither one had truly believed was theirs to expect. With family to rally around them, there was no reason why the two survivors should not continue surviving, and maybe, somewhere along the line, they too would start to live.

((Such a fun couple to play with! Never fear, there is follow up with Taylor and Kaylee, too, winging its way to the boards!))