Part Nine: Back to the Spring

She hissed as she slid into the water; bloody and battered. Yesterday had been one hell of a day; sign the marriage papers (thus becoming Gwen Tennyson-Levin), redo the papers for her diploma (hyphenating her last name into her new last name), go through her monthly Plumber physical (including the vaccinations and the blood tests for every contagious disease in the galaxy) and then dealing with a whole horde of Forever Knights (without Ben's help as he was out of contact, pushing some child protection laws through the galactic house and senate).

The heated water stung the various cuts, scrapes and bruises her body bore witness to but it relaxed her tense and worn muscles.

"Doing okay?" a deep, warm, familiar voice asked and she rolled her eyes, sighing, "Yeah Kev, I'm good."

She heard him crouch to his heels behind her, rumbling, "Coop said bed rest; you're ribs are bruised, hairline fractured. This sure ain't your bed Sweet-cheeks."

"Spare me the lecture Mr. I-got-shot-and-I-can-still-fight."

"I learned to fight while hurt," he shrugged, "you show you're injured and you die."

"Well I'm fine," she assured but she groaned. His hands found neck and shoulders and he began to massage her.

"Not in the mood, Kev," she mumbled.

"I've a totally clean mind right now," he told her, continuing. He pulled her out and carefully laid her flat, to allow him to access everything that was sore.

"So you know how to give massages…" she mumbled in bliss, eyes closed.

"Not really," he admitted.

"Not from where I'm standing…"

"You know how to inflict pain, you know how to induce pleasure…master one, master the other."

"Makes sense," she murmured hazily, her eyelids drooping, "in a twisted sort of way…"

"Uh huh," he nodded, "Ready to go home? Take a painkiller and nap?"

"Fine…"

He smirked and went to his car to grab a blanket; he wrapped her in it and carried her back to the vehicle.

Home. It was safe and warm. Their place to hide and heal. Together.