Part 20

Cass watched as Roy sat fletching arrows at the kitchen table in his apartment, Lian had been put to bed an hour before, Cass smiled at the thought of the little girls happy face as her father relayed a story to her from his days in the Titans. Cass couldn't believe how far Roy had come in the last six months, he had regained almost all his memories...though occasionally something Dick or Dinah would mention in passing that they presumed Roy would know about would see his brow wrinkle slightly and a searching look cross his face, Cass knew at those times Roy had hit upon something he couldn't quite recall, but he would quickly push away any worry about it and move on.

It had taken a long time, but Roy had finally been able to move past the feelings he thought he had for Jade...as his memories returned so did his understanding of why he had felt so drawn to her. Not just because of the cruel manipulative way she had toyed with his mind, but because in a way they did have a bond, they always would and Roy would always look for good in Jade no matter how wicked or cruel or horrible the things she did were, because of that bond, a bond that had been created when they had Lian...and something as beautiful and loving as his little girl could not have come from something truly evil.

Cass stood up and picked her empty coffee cup up and walked over to put it in the sink, returning to lean down and wrap her arms around Roy's neck, hugging him from behind, and gently kissing his cheek.

"Nearly finished." he said. as he continued on with his task, smiling at the warm feeling that always engulfed him when Cass was close. He was lucky, incredibly lucky. He could have lost her...he may never have even known what he would be missing if they hadn't found him...If Cass and the others hadn't considered him worthy enough of their love to persevere in their search for him.

Once he had been able to sort through his feelings for Jade he had continued to push Cass away...He was angry with Jade for causing the hurt she had, and angry with himself for somehow not preventing it. He's spent countless hours searching data banks, following up leads and harassing informants trying to find Jade to ask her why...he had felt he needed to find her to move on, he needed to see justice done.

Then Dinah had taken him aside.."Boyo...Jade didn't succeed in destroying your life...but you are. You're so engrossed in trying to find her and make her pay for trying to destroy your past that you're pushing away the one person that can give you a future." she had said. Roy had thought long and hard about it..and he had come to the conclusion that he had to let go, to not do so would mean in some small way Jade had won, it would mean Jade was still controlling his life, and enough was enough. He refused to allow her to do that any more, never again would he allow her to control and manipulate him..from that moment on he had taken back control of his life.

Cass hugged him tighter then reached down to unbutton his shirt and slide her hands down the front of it and over his muscular chest. She nibbled gently on his ear lobe and giggled when he shivered involuntarily at the soft touch.

"I'm nearly fin...Oh crap, I can do it later." Roy said as he removed her hands from his shirt and guided her around to the front of him, pushing his chair back at the same time and pulling her down onto his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist as Cass entwined hers around his neck and looked into his eyes. He smiled gleefully at her...his green eyes twinkling mischievously.

Cass's smile broadened...this was her Roy...cheeky, mischievous and sometimes to darned cocky for his own good. It had taken a long time to get to this point...to where he was forgiving enough of himself to allow her back into his arms, his heart...and his bed.

"I could always go and let you finish them." she said.

"Go where?." he asked the smile fading a little and the beginnings of a frown creasing his brow.

"Oh..I don't know...to bed maybe, and you can stay here and finish fletching." she said teasingly.

Roy chuckled. "You think?...How about I tuck you in." he said raising his eyebrows up and down suggestively.

Cass laughed. "Oh...and I was hoping for a bed time story too." she said, feigning disappointment.

"Anything you want my lady...Your wish is my command." Roy replied.

"In that case..." Cass leaned over and whispered a suggestion in his ear. Laughing again when Roy's eye's widened.

"Where on earth did you get a mouth like that?" he laughed, as he stood up, lifting her easily and carried her towards the bedroom.

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Afterwards the lay together, their limbs entwined, reveling in the afterglow of their lovemaking, the warm relaxed feeling that brought peace to their souls settling over them. Roy wished the moment could last forever...he always did when they were alone together like this...Nothing he had ever felt in his life compared to the feeing of belonging he now felt with Cass...He knew what love was now, and he knew it wasn't what he'd had with Jade. He nuzzled Cass's hair, loving the softness of it against his skin.

"Baby?" he said.

"Hmm." Cass replied dreamily as she rested her head against his chest.

"I love you, you know?" he said softly as he gently stroked her back.

"I know." Cass murmured happily.

"Have I told you how much?" he asked quietly.

Hearing the serious tone his voice had taken on, Cass turned and propped herself up to look into his eyes.

He studied her for a moment..her beautiful face, her hair...her lips.. before his eyes locked with hers.

"What is it?" Cass asked, suddenly concerned. "Is it Jade?" she didn't know why she asked that, but the words were out before she could stop them.

He frowned at the question. "Jade?...No...no nothing about Jade...that's gone, past, I never want to worry about her again...No this is about us." he said.

"Us?" Cass asked.

"I want you to know how serious I am when I say we belong together...I want the whole world to know what we have...I want there to be no doubt in anybody's mind just how important you are to me...I think it's time to take the next step...to make things more...more permanent..in the traditional way." Roy stammered, annoyed with himself for sounding so 'uncool.'

Cass smiled warmly...knowing what he was trying to say. She ran her hand gently down his cheek...Then deciding to let him of the hook she asked. "Why Mr Harper...you wouldn't perhaps be suggesting that we get hitched by any chance?"

Roy smiled broadly. "You bet I am...So?"

"So?...What?" Cass teased.

Roy groaned and rolled his eyes.

Cass giggled. "Of course I'll marry you." she said, reaching behind his neck and pulling him down into a kiss.

Roy returned the kiss deeply, holding her in his arms, pressed firmly against him where he knew she belonged. Jade may have tried to destroy his past...but she could never steel his future. He had been in some dark places in his life, but he had finally walked into the bright light at the end of the long dark tunnel he had been traveling.

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The end (well almost)

Jade smiled to herself, the morning sunshine warming her skin as she walked through the gardens, the heady scent of jasmine surrounding her like a thickly scented curtain. Her attempt to have Lian back in her life may have failed...but that was no longer of any consequence. She had moved on from that, there was little point in dwelling over unsuccessful plans...There was one thing she had learned in life..when one door closes another one will open. She reached down and placed her hand on her swollen stomach, feeling the life inside it stirring...Roy may have their daughter...but he would never get to see their son.

The real end.