Disclaimer: Tin Man and its characters belong to someone else. As in someone who is not me!

Feeling something shift next to her she woke up flailing and disoriented. A strong arm caught her from behind and held her down. "Relax, Princess." The Tin Man's voice was gravely with sleep and she went still at the sound. His arm remained around her as he levered himself up. "You can go back to sleep for a while yet."

Pressing her face into the pillow she mumbled, still mostly asleep. "Are you leaving?"

He grunted in affirmative. "I need to tell your parents what happened in person. I'll be back in an hour or so." Sitting up fully she felt the mattress shift and turned toward him muttering incoherently. She'd slept better last night than she had since the travel storm had taken her. Eyes still closed she felt him pull the blanket back up over her shoulders as he stood up.

Reaching out blindly she caught his pant legs still muttering. "Don't go yet."

Catching her hand he untangled it setting it back beside her. His warm hand was suddenly on her face and brushing a few stray hairs behind her ears. "I won't be gone long." His hand continued to trace her jaw lulling her back toward sleep. "I'll wake you up when I get back alright, Kiddo?" She sighed and drifted off again as his fingers ran down her neck.

The next thing she heard was the soft sound of papers being shuffled together. Blinking groggily she pushed herself up with one hand and shoved her hair out of her face with the other. She spotted the Tin Man leaning over his desk as he rummaged quietly through a drawer. "Cain? What're you doing?"

His head snapped up and she noticed he had changed clothes. "Looking for blueprints of this place. I want to know how those men got in."

She nodded trying to push the image of the dead man out of her mind. "How long was I sleeping?"

"Not long enough to make up for the sleep you've been losing."

She tossed her legs over the side of the bed with a yawn. "Very helpful answer, thank you."

His lip twitched as he sat down at the wooden chair in front of the desk. "Anytime."

She rolled her eyes as she shoved the blankets off of her. Putting her head in her hands she tried to chase away the lingering wisps of exhaustion that were still clinging to her. She needed to be alert before talking to her mother otherwise she was going to get outmaneuvered again. But truth be told she already had a backup plan if that happened.

After a few minutes she stood up and watched the Tin Man who was poring over some ancient looking documents. She rather wanted to remember him this way. Calm and thoughtful really was a good look for him. "Thanks for last night, Cain."

Glancing up from the papers as she headed toward the door his hand flew out and caught her arm. "Slow down. I cancelled all your lessons and appointments for the day. You don't have anywhere to be and I want to talk before you leave."

Crap, he really had no idea. Leave it to him to want to talk the one time she didn't. She failed to appreciate the irony of the situation. She averted her eyes from his. "It's not like I haven't killed anyone before."

"This isn't the same."

She shook him off and grabbed the door handle. "Can't we talk about this tonight? I have something I need to take care of."

He sighed as he stood up, his chair scrapping across the floor. "DG, the last time you killed someone you didn't end up crying hysterically in my arms."

"I wasn't hysterical, I was upset-"

"You didn't end up in my bed either." Or he could just throw that out there. She wasn't having this conversation with him when she was already in battle mode. When she had a plan that didn't include him for the first time since she'd met him. It wouldn't end well.

She nodded and yanked the door open. "I have to go."

"DG-" She shut the door behind her and as she heard him turning the handle to open it again she yanked on her magic and teleported herself straight into her mother's office. She caught sight of a flash of blue eyes before the Spartan room solidified around her. High windows let late morning light fill the open spaces of the office. Tall bookshelves lined one of the walls and a large wooden desk sat toward the back, away from the door.

Her mother was sitting at her immaculately kept desk signing documents as her father stood in front of one of the windows gazing out at the cityscape spread below him. Without a sound she raised her hand and made a harsh slicing motion through the air sending a wave of magic ripping across the space between them. The Queen's papers, books, quills, and assorted glass trinkets went flying violently off the desk and smashed against the floor and wall.

Her mother jumped backward as glass and ink burst over her once clean space and Ahamo spun around a knife flashing into his hand out of his coat sleeve. Calling on her light again she tore it from his hand, and pointing two of her fingers backward toward the door sent in spinning past her ear so hard it lodged itself several inches into the hard wood. "Good morning."

Ahamo gaped at her as two guards burst through the door behind her, the dagger still shaking in its new resting place. "Leave!" She snarled without turning around. She heard them shift uncomfortably and turned her head to find them darting baffled glances between her and her parents. "Did that sound like a request?" Her light flared out around her body and the two men bowed quickly and backed out of the room shutting the doors behind them. She felt kinda bad about yelling at them but it had to be done. She'd give ten to one odds the Tin Man was going to know where she was in about seven seconds. She should probably make this a quick meeting.

"DorothyGale! What is the meaning of this?" Her mother had gotten to her feet and started around the desk as her head came back around.

"Where are they?" Her light hadn't diminished in the slightest and her voice had gone as icy as Cain's had ever been.

"Where are who, Spitfire?" Ahamo seemed slightly more hesitant about approaching her than the Queen.

"My letters from Momster and Popsicle. I want them. Right now."

Her parent's eyes met briefly. Ahamo hesitated briefly. "There are no letters."

She hissed and the books flew violently off the shelves in response, hitting the floor with a crash. "Did you read them before you destroyed them?" She wasn't going to be fooled with semantics.

"There was nothing in them that would be of interest to a Princess of the realm." Her mother responded firmly.

"No, only things that would interest someone's daughter!" She screeched. "How dare you steal my letters!"

"You are our daughter, not theirs." The Queen's eyes were flashing violet fire.

Her rage was so strong now she'd gone calm. Stalking lithely up to her mother she used her magic to smash her backward against the wall. Ahamo made a grab at her, panic in his eyes, and went sailing over the desk in the opposite direction the papers had taken. He hit the ground with a thud skidding several feet before he came to a stop. "Not anymore."

"Let me go immediately!"

Tilting her head at the Queen she regarded her. "I don't take orders from you." She stared her mother in the eye. "I'm leaving. I've had enough of you and your games."

Her father staggered up. "We were trying to protect you."

"No! You were trying to use me!" She turned to him keeping her mother pinned. "And promising to let me see my parents to keep me in line when you didn't mean it is something I would have only expected from the witch. You were so sure I wouldn't help unless you threatened me weren't you?"

He sucked in a breath as she stared at him. "Have fun running the country without me. I'm sure the anniversary ball will be truly special without your little hero there to light up the party. Pity Az won't be able to make it back in time to attend either."

She let her mother go and the Queen rasped at her as she turned away. "You need us Dorothy."

She turned around and laughed in her face. "Afraid you have that backwards. Imagine what the people will think when I'm not here." She smirked. "I'm sure they'll warm up to Az in a few months so don't worry too much." And really her sister would make a much better queen than she ever would. Heading back to the door she waved over her shoulder. "Have a nice life."

"You are a Princess! Would you turn your back on your country?"

"Actually I'm a waitress that saved the world. I feel I've done my part. Besides you turned your backs on me first." With that parting shot she stormed out of the office and headed to her room to grab her stuff. On her way by the one remaining guard she paused. "Sorry I yelled at you." He gaped at her and she continued on her way.

Five minutes later and she was stuffing her pack quickly. If Az weren't at Finaqua for a few weeks it would have been harder to leave. They'd said their goodbyes already, admittedly she hadn't anticipated leaving her sister for so long but... As it was all she had to do was make it past Cain. Her heart clenched but she didn't slow her packing. He would be safer if she were gone so she could live with this. He wouldn't get shot at, or jumped, or have spells thrown at him if she wasn't around. She would make herself live with this, even if it killed her.

Tying the pack closed she tossed it over her shoulder and practically ran back out into the hall. Not bothering to shut the door she darted down a set of stairs, heading for a side exit she knew of without pause, only to have someone clamp down on her upper arm in a vice-like grip. Yelping she saw a familiar hand and tried to dig her heels into the marble floors. "Don't!" The Tin Man growled low in his throat hauling her after him without so much as a glance.

Without preamble he dragged her back to his room, and wrenching the door open, tossed her in before him, slamming the door closed behind them. She refused to meet his eyes as she made to dash past him. "I have to go!" She didn't have enough magic left after her outburst to teleport away again. It drained too much energy away from her.

Grabbing her around the waist he shoved her farther back into the room. "You think you're going to get out now? The Palace is swarming with guards looking for you!"

"You sent your guards out after me!"

He made a sound of frustrated anger. "No, the Queen and Consort took care of that!" Grabbing her pack he tugged it less than gently from her shoulder. "Stay here until I get back. No one will think to look for you in my room." His eyes were sparking. "I have to go pretend to search for you." He grabbed her chin forcing her eyes to his as he barked a warning at her. "DG, I swear if you stick so much as a toe out of this room before I get back you'll wish you'd left me in that suit."

She tried not to blink as his eyes bore into hers. Finally letting go of her jaw he snatched his key from his pocket and left, the door shutting with a resounding bang behind him. Standing still she tried to understand what had just passed between them. The Tin Man was angry, super nova angry, with her. She couldn't recall a time that had ever happened before. Biting her lip she retreated to the bed wishing she would have run faster or taken a different route through the palace.

Sinking down she tugged off her boots and tossed them to her pack before pressing her back against the headboard and tugging her knees against her chest. All she'd wanted was to see her parents. How had this spiraled so out of control? Standing back up she began to pace around the room wishing her magic would rebound before Cain came back. Then she could simply teleport to Milltown before any more unpleasantness went on. Granted he'd be mad but she'd be far away and out of yelling range. And she already felt guilty about the escape plan so how much worse could it get?

By the time the Tin Man came back the second sun was setting and he didn't look much happier than when he had left. She retreated to the far side of the room at the sight of his clenched jaw deciding it might be best to stay quiet. Removing his holster he set it on the desk before he decided to stare at her. She moved farther back wanting to get away. With a sigh of aggravation he ran his hand through his short hair. "Explain to me what you were thinking."

"Why? You'll only yell at me and tell me I'm acting stupid or childish."

He studied her, his mask falling into place. "I've told you before you're not stupid and I've never seen you do anything remotely childish before. Explain, DG."

She eyed him warily expecting him to pounce her at any given opportunity. Or worse tell her parents where she was. "I want to leave. I won't stay in a place where people obviously care more about what I am than who I am."

He pressed his lips together. "You were going to Milltown?"

She wasn't sure she should answer that. "Going to try to head me off at the pass if I get away?"

His eyebrow quirked up at the Otherside reference but he refrained from asking. "Won't do you much good. Citizens have moved out while the towns gettin' rebuilt. They're living in another settlement on the opposite side of the Papay Fields called Watershead."

Her brows furrowed. "Why are you telling me this?"

"So you can find your nurture units."

She relaxed slightly for the first time since he had come back. He was helping her. He was going to let her go. He'd been keeping her here so she wouldn't get caught. "Thank you." She began to edge toward the pack that was resting next to his foot. As she reached for it he grabbed her wrist gently.

"Weren't you going to say goodbye, Kid?"

His mask cracked and she saw hurt in his eyes. Forgetting about her pack she threw her arms around his neck and held onto him tightly. His arms wound around her and held her close. With a ragged breath she whispered a confession to him. "I didn't know how. I would've ended up asking you to come with me. It's safer for you if you stay."

Tugging her neck back he cupped her cheek. "I never did play things safe." Before she could protest his stubbornness he had leaned forward and pressed his lips firmly against hers. Gasping against him her arms tightened around his neck and he growled softly in response tangling his fingers in her hair. Tilting her head back he deepened the kiss when she responded, his lips caressing hers expertly, teasing and testing until she moaned.

She had never thought he had felt the same way she did. Hadn't even hoped. It had made thinking about leaving easier. Now she wasn't sure she'd be able to manage unless she stopped this before she fell any deeper. His tongue darted out to tasted her as he began guiding her backward. Breaking breathlessly away from him she gasped out. "Cain, you can't come with me. You have a life here." He had Jeb here. At least some of the time, when he wasn't out leading the Guard.

Continuing to lead her back his eyes were suddenly locked heatedly on hers. "Jeb's been grown since before I found him. I only stayed here for you." His lips found hers again and it was suddenly much harder to protest when his hand wrapped around her hip and molded her more closely to him. Shuddering at the feel of him pressed between her thighs she tried to make one last grasp at sanity.

As she opened her mouth he bent down and kissed the skin behind her ear, driving the breath from her body. Hands gliding over her, he murmured lovingly as she held onto him in the haze of passion he had thrown her so unexpectedly into. "My life is with you if you'll have me, DG." Maybe sanity was overrated. And she had certainly underestimated how effectively Cain could use words.

Unable to speak she nodded pulling his mouth back to hers before she found a way to ruin this. Thankfully the Tin Man seemed to understand what she meant and didn't ask for verbal confirmation as his tongue slipped back into her mouth. The moment her hands began to explore him, his found the hem of her shirt and tugged it up over her head. He broke the kiss long enough to rid her of the fabric before his mouth was over the skin of her neck.

Running her fingers through his short blonde hair that was now so very close she leaned into his mouth trying to increase the pressure between them. Humming softly at the silent request he moved to her shoulders pressing light kisses there as she rested her forehead on the crown of his head. Taking a breath to steady herself, Cain's scent rolled over her and she whined, the sweetness of the moment vanishing as her need to be closer to him overwhelmed her.

Clutching at his back she wrapped one of her legs around his hips and began to pepper kisses across his hair and forehead. In between she made a firm demand. "Bed."

Catching the bottom of her thigh he lifted her higher on his body as he straightened up. His voice was strained as she latched onto his Adam's apple. "DG, you need to be sure-"

She licked his salty skin. "Bed!"

Without further hesitation he picked her up and she wrapped her other leg around him heightening the sensations she was feeling even as she made it easier for him to move them. Carrying her the last few feet to the still unmade bed she let her legs fall from him as she reached for the buttons of his shirt. His hands traced the curves of her body as she wrestled the top few buttons of his shirt open. Once they were undone his hands left her long enough to drag it over his own head before he returned to her with increased urgency.

With a sigh of pleasure she pressed her bare chest against his as her hands slid down his stomach to the fastening of his pants. Before she could touch them he caught her hands and kissed her sweetly before pulling away to look down at her. His eyes were lust filled but sincere. "Darlin', I don't want to hurt you."

"Oh…" She felt herself blushing badly as she caught his meaning. She licked her lips without breaking eye contact. "You won't hurt me."

His eyes dilated and with a possessive gleam his lips crashed back over hers. Whimpering at the sudden change in his demeanor she was lifted yet again before she found herself being lowered to the mattress. She felt her own jeans being opened as he growled at her over her stomach, nipping her hipbone. "This should be more enjoyable for both of us then."

The feel of his teeth sent a pulse of sensation shooting through her. "Cain!"

As he removed her jeans he caught the edge of her panties with his thumbs dragging the last of her clothing from her and letting it drop to the ground next to him. His eyes raked over her body without any sign of modesty on his part and she felt her whole body flushing. Forcing herself up on her elbows she reached for him again only to have him catch her hands once more. Stretching them over her head he kissed her palms before leaning down to touch his lips to hers. "Not this time, Princess."

Nodding shakily in understanding he smiled faintly letting her go. Quickly removing his own boots and pants he climbed into the bed settling over her carefully. Brushing the hair from her face he stroked her cheek as he leaned down and rested his forehead on hers. Shifting under him she wrapped one of her legs over his and tried to calm the raging emotions flying around her. His hands left her face and found hers, twinning their fingers together while he shifted their hips closer together.

Unable to stand waiting any longer she arched her back, pulling her other leg up to his hip allowing him to slide inside of her. Moaning and hissing they rocked together until he was fully inside of her. Once he was he went still shaking slightly as she whined her eyes locked desperately with his. He stared back at her emotions running over his blue eyes and she began to shake with him. He was telling her things with his eyes she hadn't thought were possible for someone to feel for her.

As soon as he realized she was with him his hands squeezed hers and he began to move in earnest. Crying out softly she matched the rhythm of his hips, his eyes never leaving hers. She'd never felt so totally exposed before, yet she felt safer right now than she ever had with anyone else. And he was slowly increasing the pace as her cries and moans got louder. Tightening her fingers around his she let her eyes fall closed as he thrust into her.

Hissing at her between clenched teeth he pressed into her harder. "No, DG! Stay with me!" Her breathing began to hitch as he forced her hips harder into the blankets. "Open your eyes for me, Princess."

Dragging her eyes open she saw him fighting for control as he began to loose his tempo. Drawing in a ragged breath he swiveled his hips and she arched shattering against him with a shout he swallowed with a kiss. The moment his lips covered hers she felt him let go and he groaned against her as he shuddered. Collapsing over her his head fell to her shoulder as they both gasped for air.

Slowly unclenching her legs she pressed her face against the side of his head rubbing her nose against his hair. He really had the softest hair she'd ever felt. If she weren't so content she might be jealous. "DG..."

"Hmmmm?"

With a sigh he propped himself up on his elbows as he gazed down at her. "As much as I'd love to stay here with you for the next few months we need to leave. Don't you think it's about time we found you're nurture units?"

Grinning up at him she grabbed the back of his head and kissed him happily before wiggling out from under him. As she hopped back into her pants she saw a smile tugging at his lips. Once she was fully dressed she sat impatiently at his desk as he packed thinking that things hadn't changed all that much in the last nine months. Here they were about to cross the Papay Fields to find her nurture units again. And here she was chomping at the bit as he went about in his meticulous and thoughtful way. He'd probably tell her to stay close and not to touch anything too.

As he threw his own pack over his shoulder and walked up to her he caught her hand and kissed her on the cheek. "Ready, Sweetheart?"

Then again maybe things had changed. "You know I'm always ready for an adventure, Tin Man."

He rolled his eyes and opened the door checking the hall. "Just stay close." She was wrong. Things were pretty much the same as always.

Author Note: ….Do you know how many of you fed Fred? Yes, I named the plot bunny Fred… All of you! You all freaking fed Fred! Do you know what it's like to drag around a fat, self-satisfied plot bunny? He was heavy! I was trying to do stuff! But no, there he was, dangling from my wrist, munching on carrots and cookies you gave him and not sharing! Shame on all of you! Pfft… Oh, he said he wants reviews. Like the cookies and carrots weren't enough. I swear…