I lay back and stare at the ceiling, still breathing a little deeply, wrapped in languid warmth.

Huh.

"Are you *going* to share any of those covers, darling, or are you just planning on hogging them all yourself," comes Emma's only slightly peevish voice whispering into my ear.

I consider for a moment. "Hog," I finally say.

"Don't think I'm not going to hit you with a pillow," she murmurs. "In a minute or two," she adds after a slight pause.

I turn to look at her, and can't help smiling at the sight of her in disarray. "So."

"So," she agrees.

"I guess this means that we're dating now."

She raises an eyebrow. "As a continuation of warfare by other means?"

I have to laugh. "Isn't that diplomacy?"

Emma snorts. "There is *nothing* diplomatic about us, darling. And it's 'politics', not 'diplomacy'. If you're going to throw pithy book quotes at me, the least you can do is get them correct."

"I'll try better next time."

"Please do." Her smile becomes a little wicked. "I'd hate to have to assign you remedial homework."

I close my eyes. "There is something deeply and fundamentally wrong about having just had sex..."

"Hot, enjoyable and extremely enthusiastic sex," she corrects.

"Hot, enjoyable and extremely enthusiastic sex with a school teacher." I open my eyes. "For that matter, there's something deeply and fundamentally wrong about *you* being a school teacher."

"I'm hurt." She doesn't sound it. In the slightest. There's a pause, then she asks a little more quietly. "Are you alright?"

I pause, run through how I'm feeling, how I'm reacting. "I think so. Besides..." I smile at her.

She raises her eyebrows in inquiry.

"I'm kind of surprised we lasted *this* long. It's been at least three months since... I thought I was going to burst."

"Tell me about it," she sighs. "I am *far* from used to having to go without."

"I'll try to make sure that doesn't happen again," I say a little sardonically.

"Please do."

Just then my phone buzzes. It's JJ. Apparently there's a case.

Great.

I get to my feet, a little stiffly.

It's definitely been too long.

"Work?" Emma asks.

For a moment, I almost slip into my work mode. But I don't have to, not around her. So I just offer her a slight smile. "Unfortunately."

She gets to her feet with a lot more elegance than I displayed while I throw my clothes on, wraps herself in her dressing gown and sees me to the door.

"I'll see you when you get back? It seems only fair since you're depriving me of round two right now."

"Absolutely."

"You do owe me," she reminds, then kisses me. "Take care."

I love you, I almost tell her. I settle for "I will," and "You too," instead.

Maybe some day soon.

She looks at me as if she knows anyway, as if she's been cheating.

I trust her enough that I almost hope she is.

And maybe some day will be sooner than I think.

Author's Note:

And here ends the longest series of stories I've ever written. It's taken me almost two years to complete, and I hope those readers I still have are satisfied with the conclusion.

I'm not entirely happy myself - I do think that I was possibly a little overambitious in my vision. Especially considering that Faces was planned to be a one-off, though I knew even then the broad shape such a story would have to take. If anyone has any constructive criticism, I'd losve to hear it.

And now to get used to life without this looming over my head in some fashion. :)