Hey everybody,

Phew, and here we come to our last chapter. It's been a long way coming, but I'm so glad that we all stuck it to the end (me most of all, because I actually finished writing this story). I hope that you have all enjoyed this, if not wild, rather romantic ride. Thanks for being faithful.

Love,

RueLin

Thirty

Ready? Warren asked in the kitchen.

Almost.

Warren shook his head with a smile on his face. You said that last time I asked. But you know what? I'll be smart and take my sisters' advice and not ask what you've been doing.

Alaura emerged behind him and smacked his shoulders lightly with her small clutch. A gold wedding band glimmered brightly on her hand. "I was ready. I just wanted to make sure…"

"Sure of…"

"Of…I just wanted to make sure that…that you were ready."

Warren pinched her chin and kissed her nose. "That was a lame response. You have yet to master the art of making up excuses." He bounced away quickly.

"Excuse me, mister!" She chased after him. They ended up in the living room of their small apartment and landed on the plush sofa in a tangle of long limbs and laughter. They wrestled against each other playfully until he had her wrists apprehended and begun to tickle her neck and shoulder with his warm breath and tongue.

"Yield," he coaxed softly in her ear as he nibbled the lobe.

"Never!" She continued to struggle and twist underneath him between gasps of laughter.

Warren bellowed in laughter. "Then no mercy for you!" He lowered his head against her neck again and blew raspberries causing another bout of laughter and kicking from his wife.

"Okay! Okay! I yield! You win!"

Unyieldingly, he continued his assault until she twisted and bucked against him, knocking both of them onto the ground with a thump.

They both gasped in giggles and chuckled.

"Oh, are you okay?" She said between breaths. "I hope Mr. Kenderson downstairs didn't hear that."

"He probably did. We'll have to get out of the apartment quickly."

"Speaking of leaving, we should get going soon." Alaura lifted herself from Warren's prone body and hurried to the kitchen counter to grab her bag and keys. "Come on, Warren."

"No, you knocked the wind out of me. I'm not going anywhere for a while."

Alaura came back and grabbed his arms. "Come on, you big baby! Get off the ground!" Her strength alone was not enough, so she lifted him from the ground with her mind and set him on his feet.

"That's cheating."

"Doesn't matter. Come on!"

Warren was dragged out of his apartment just as Mr. Kenderson came out of his, clothed in his usual blue robe and fuzzy slippers. He pumped his fists in the air at the young couple, scowling.

"Oh! Good morning, Mr. Kenderson!" Alaura greeted as they dashed by.

"And good bye," Warren followed after her, his hand still trapped in hers.

Kenderson shook his head with a murmur. "Young people."

Warren took the driver's seat of the mustang. They parked outside a tall business building. Entering inconspicuously, the two checked in with the front desk. They continued through the foyer and through the great hall to the emergency stairs where they punched in a quick code on a key pad blended into the wall.

The doors locked and the floor sealed off the possibility of civilian intruders. An automated voice sounded.

"State your full name."

"Warren Peace," said Warren.

"Alaura Peace."

The computer took a few seconds to compute the information. "Voice identification confirmed. Agent Warren Peace and Agent Alaura Peace, please enter."

Double doors opened and Warren and Alaura walked through quickly. Within ten seconds, the doors shut and the fire escape reverted to normal. Lasers shone from the walls, starting from the ceiling and descended toward the floor, scanning the two agents. Soon the room turned from dark red to green as they were cleared to the next level. Finishing up with a retina and fingerprint scanner, the agents entered into a busy work room with agents and technicians running about. Their supervisor, a man in his mid fifties came up to them with an easy smile.

"Good morning, Peace." He tipped his head. "Mrs. Peace." He waved a hand and they followed. "How was the mission? I assume all went pleasantly as planned. I got back only yesterday and had not had a debriefing."

Warren answered him as Alaura went on ahead to get him a cup of coffee. "We turned in the report yesterday afternoon at sixteen hundred, Agent Morrogen. Everything went well."

Morrogen slapped Warren's back in a friendly approving manner and chuckled. The lines at the corner of his eyes crinkled. "Aha! That's my boy. I'll read the report later, but I'm sure it's successful enough to put your probation era to an end. You and your wife sure make a wonderful team." Just then Alaura came back and handed Morrogen his coffee. "Oh thank you dear. Mhm, perfect," he said after a sip.

"Well, now sir," Alaura said sweetly, "if there are no other assignments for us, Warren and I will be taking our leave."

"Go on. I'm sure the two of your newlyweds are very busy." He winked at Warren conspiringly.

A pink blush stretched over Warren's face and he cleared his throat as he heard Alaura's silent laughter in his head. Morrogen had forgotten again that she wasn't truly blind. And that she could read minds as well.

Stay out of his head, sweet, he admonished with their connection.

I tried, she said, but he was so obvious. It was very difficult to ignore.

Oh, if Morrogen knew how much he gives up just thinking…we wouldn't have our jobs right now and would probably be locked somewhere far away.

Which is why this is purely a-need-to-know basis. And gladly, we're both good at keeping secrets.

Warren could help shaking his head with amusement.

Morrogen sipped his coffee, noting Warren's actions. "What's wrong, Peace?"

"Nothing sir, I was just thinking of something funny that happened this moring."

Morrogen waved his hand as if dismissing a fly. "You two run along now. I can't stand the sight of such happy people in my headquarters. Go, shoo!"

"Have a nice day then, sir." Alaura nodded her head and grabbed Warren's hand, leading them out.

Outside, in the warm sun, Warren hopped into the car. "And I thought he'd never let us leave. Did you do something about that?"

Pulling the seat belt over her shoulder, Alaura smiled slyly. "Hardly."

Warren reached over and pinched her nose. "Cheater."

"Don't be a snitch about it. You'd do the same if you had mind control."

"That is true. Alright, do you have the address?"

Pulling out a small square of paper from her pocket, Alaura handed it to Warren who punched in the location in his GPS. He shifted the car into gear. "Are you ready?"

Alaura exhaled slowly. "It's been two years and after learning that she is still alive and tracking her down…" She turned so that she faced Warren. "We can't back down now."

Warren reached over and cupped the back of her head, pulling her in as he leaned in closer and kissed her gently. She pressed into him and touched his cheek. After several minutes, Warren broke away. "This isn't good. If we keep going, we'll never leave."

Alaura laughed. "Okay then, drive."

The retirement home was not too far away. Just a little away from downtown. Warren parked under the shade of an old bend tree. Hand in hand, the couple walked toward the automatic doors and up to the counter.

"Excuse me," Warren said to the receptionist. "I am Warren Peace and this is my wife, Alaura. We called a few days ago for an appointment."

The young nurse behind the counter stared up at Warren's face with wide eyes and a spreading blush. Her mouth was agape and it took her a few moments to find the words she wanted to say. "Um…hi, yeah. Hold on, let me just confirm your, uh, your appointment." She left to ask and came back, "What did you say your name was?"

Alaura stepped up, wrapped her arm around Warren's and firmly said, "Peace, Mr. and Mrs. Peace. You may go and confirm away now."

The nurse blinked a few times while understanding flooded over and quickly ran off. Warren leaned in and kissed Alaura's cheek.

Jealous much?

Of course not, Alaura replied defiantly. I was saving the poor girl from humiliation, gawking at you like that. You are even that nice to look at.

"You are jealous. Is that green I see on your skin?"

"Stop it." Alaura pushed at his chest gently, hiding the pleasure her hand felt against cotton over muscle. "I wasn't jealous!" she said in mock whisper. After Warren started chuckling at her, she hit him again. "Warren Peace, I am not jealous."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a warm embrace. "You aren't jealous, because there is nothing to be jealous of, right?"

Alaura moved her head to face him and smiled. "Right." She leaned in and touched her lips to his. "Absolutely."

They waited a few moments when the nurse returned and lead them through the building, making sure not gaze at Warren too much. She led them out into a garden enclosure where many elderly residents were resting and viewing flowers.

"There she is," the nurse said as she gestured toward an old lady, hunched over in her wheelchair looking up at the little white flowers that have bloomed on the tree before her. Wispy grey hairs mingled with white strands as the wind combed through.

It's you.

Alaura held her breath and Warren's hand. We've searched for a long time.

The old woman's body seemed to bend over more as if using the psychic line was overwhelming her. A soft groan came from deep within her willowy body as she instructed a nearby nurse to help her turn. The young girl adjusted the shawl draped over her legs and left briskly. The old woman scowled as she watched Alaura intently.

"You shouldn't have bothered," her tired voice spat out. "I was in peace until now. And look what you've done. Tired me out."

"Christine…" Alaura analyzed her body. Christine's bones were frail and her muscles were thin. Her skin seemed to stretch too far over her body. "How did this happen?"

Ignoring Alaura, Christine waved her hand around in the air and the nurse returned. "Take me somewhere quiet and private. I would like to speak to my granddaughter and her husband."

Obediently, the nurse pushed her wheelchair along the brick road to a small alcove of spruce trees.

"Thank you, now leave us. I'll have them return me to the center." Christine turned back to Alaura and Warren. "Now, finally some peace and quiet alone. I had nowhere to go and this was the next best place, second to living on the streets. The nurses only know how to nose around and the other people, oh gracious, they are just as equally nosy." She took a moment to catch her breath. "But I like it here."

Those four words spoke volumes. Living in a community was something Christine never had. Being pampered and having friends was a luxury beyond her dreams.

"I'm glad you're enjoying your time here. But I must know…"Alaura knelt down on the ground next to her. "What happened that day after we escaped?"

Christine looked away, her eyes no longer focused on the present. "You all left. I felt your hesitation. You had read my mind and knew my resolve. I set on the self-detonator and the computer started to countdown. The lights flashed red and the alarmed blared so loudly I my ears still ring from their blasts.

Hansen was there, begging for his life and when he understood that I would never obey him again he started to threaten. How effective a dead man's threat is. I was weak. So weak, I hardly stood upright. I looked into Hansen's eyes and saw a monster there. I knew what I was doing was right."

"How did you escape?"

Christine turned back to Alaura slowly, hauntingly. "As weak as I was, I had one more power at my disposal. Warren had seen it once. I teleported away from the blast."

"But that must be harsh on your body."

"It was, but I was not reduced to this bag of bones immediately. I landed in the next city remarkably aged, but no so terrible. I was in a coma, I heard the locals there say, for nearly two weeks before I came to. According to them, I had aged significantly due to my lack of nutrition and exercise. I knew that was not the case, however and as soon as I was discharged, I left. Wandered around for a bit, but the use of powers had took its toll. Soon, I looked like this; an old woman of seventy when I not even seventeen yet. I made my way back to this city and found this place." Christine looked around. "This is home now. I'm happy here. I can no longer use my powers, they have left me, and I only get the leering attention of old men and have senile women as companions, but I'm happy here."

Warren took out a card from his pocket and wrapped Christine's fingers over it. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to give us a call. Alaura and I will be more than happy to help."

"While I appreciate the sentimental gesture, I don't think I will be needing it. As you can see, I have plenty of help here," Christine said grisly. She looked up at Warren, a man who she owed so much to. "But thank you. I'll keep in touch, Alaura. But you don't have to worry."

The couple was hanging around a little more telling Christine about current events when Warren's phone vibrated. He flipped it out and read silently and made a confused face.

"Trouble with Muscle Boy?" Christine asked.

Warren looked up at her while she smiled with wiliness.

"Even though you say you can't use your powers anymore, I see you can still read minds just fine."

Christine shrugged her frail shoulders. "You should always keep at least one trick up your sleeve." She waved her hand. "Now go save the poor boy for whatever he's worth. I honestly can't see what Tree Girl sees in him."

Warren and Alaura said good bye and got in their car and soon pulled up to the small apartment complex Will had rented.

"From all appearances, Layla was here a little while ago. You want to go find her while I talk to Will?" Warren asked.

"I think its best that way. She's not very far."

Alaura went her own way, while Warren climbed the stairs and knocked on Will's door once and pushed it open, knowing Will would have forgotten to lock it. He found will, sprawled out on his couch amidst a pile of trash and dirty clothes.

"Hey." Warren sat down next to him. "What happened?"

Will looked around in a daze. "I'm not sure, but I think Layla and I are breaking up."

Warren shook his head. "That's what you said about two weeks ago, and a week before that, and a few more before that. What's up with you guys? I thought you two were planning on getting married."

Will spread his arms out. "Look at this! Does it look like I'm ready to be getting married and start a family."

Warren sighed. This was going to be a long afternoon.

.oOo.

Alaura found Layla sitting in at an open café with an already finished cup of cappuccino in her hand. Her hair was vibrant under the sun and the plants around her thrived in her presence, although her countenance was more than melancholy.

"What's wrong?" Alaura asked as she took a seat. Layla shook her head. "Is it about Will? I thought you guys were doing well."

"That's what I thought to," Layla said as she pushed back a flood of tears and weeping. "We were talking about getting married and having a baby. We're almost finished with school and our heroism career is just taking off. I don't know what's wrong. All of a sudden, its like he just stopped trying. He doesn't even acknowledge that there is a problem." Suddenly Layla turned and faced Alaura, grabbing her arms. "Do you think there's another woman?"

Stunned for a moment, Alaura shook her head. "I really doubt that there is. Warren is speaking with him right now, and that isn't the problem. Plus, you're beautiful. He would be a fool to leave you."

Layla let go and sat back in her chair. "And they say all men are fools."

"Not ours. Only fools in love." Alaura placed a comforting hand on her friend's shoulder. "Right now Will is just a little overwhelmed at the responsibility he will have to carry once this marriage ship takes off. He wants to do a good job by your and your possible children. He's just scared."

"Well, I'm scared too. We're in this boat together. Why can't we just talk about it? How do you and Warren manage? You two have been married for over three years now. What do you guys do?"

Automatically, Alaura's mind jumped to long nights of sultry lovemaking and blushed. That was hardly appropriate to share.

She heard Warren's voice chuckle in the back of her head. Glad to rock your world.

Alaura gave him the impression of an eye roll. Don't get a swelled head. You're not that good.

Probably not for some, but enough to keep you, he laughed. I'll mind my own business now. Will might start crying.

"I don't know, Layla. Every couple is different. What works for one may not work for another. But two things are must be sure in every regard, love and faith. Have faith that he'll pull through. He is stronger than most men. We'll just pray that his head can keep up."

That induced a laugh from Layla.

"I'm glad to see you back in spirits. I think we can just give the boys a little more time and I'll bring you back to Will and you guys can have your way with this problem."

Layla smiled at Alaura. "You're always so sensible. Thanks." She ordered another round of coffee while they lounged outside. "Have you heard from Magenta recently?"

"No. From what Zac says, she's busy with the new opening of the petting zoo. They are really getting into children's education. I'm glad they found what they were meant to do. Same with Ethan, he's doing great. I heard he's recently won a student's award."

"What about Darien and the rest?"

"They don't have a good habit of keeping in touch, but Warren and I are informed by the Company of what they are up to. They seem to be all over the place. Recently, they've been to Paris, Hungary, Jerusalem, and Haiti. I think they'll soon discover a cluster of never-before-seen islands that'll all be named after them."

"Maybe they'll remember us enough to name a major port after us."

.oOo.

"So how did you deal with it?" Will took a sip from his soda.

Warren tried to remember what it felt like on is wedding day. It had been a small reception with family, friends, and the priest. "I remember being at the chapel, preparing, trying to look my best even though I know Alaura can't see it, she deserves it. I was nervous. So nervous, waiting there at the altar. I had to remind myself to take deep breaths. But then the choir started to sing, the doors open and nothing mattered as much as her.

"Her dress was brilliant and you would think with the light behind her it would be hard to see. But she glowed walking towards me and my heart and soul knew as much as my head knew that she was going to be mine forever and no matter what comes our way, she'll make me strong enough to take it on together."

Warren looked over a Will. "It isn't about taking the responsibility all on your own shoulders. It's learning to work together to make it work. One puzzle piece cannot hold the puzzle together, but working together, now we can see the big picture."

Will set his soda down and leaned forward.

"So what are you going to do?"

Will took a moment and relived all the memories he had of him and Layla together and then imagined if all those were taken away. His life would be so bleak, so dull without Layla's vibrancy, the way she brings life no matter where she went.

"I need to talk to her. She can't leave me." Will got up with a new sense of urgency in his chest. He ran into his bedroom and pulled open a drawer. He fumbled for a little while, searching for a small velvet box.

"I see you've been prepared all along." Warren smiled warmly.

"My head knew all along. My heart just needed to catch up." Will walked up to Warren and patted his shoulder in a brotherly manner. "Thanks, man. I owe you big time. I'm naming one of my kids after you."

"Please don't!" Warren called out as Will went passed him and dashed toward the door.

Will came back with a large grin on his face. "Hey, do one more favor for me, man. Lock up?" And he was gone like the wind.

Warren shook his head. It was time to go out looking for his own wife now. You there?

She laughed in their mind. I'll assume that your talk with Will has been concluded. He flew in and took off with Layla. I hope all goes well with them.

Warren picked up Alaura's location through their mind share. Now that we're done saving their relationship, I'm afraid your job's just begun. He got in the car and turned on the engine.

Uh-oh. What can you mean by that?

Your husband needs tending to. Soon he pulled up at the café where she waited for him by the sidewalk. She looked so beautiful; breath was stolen from his lungs.

She climbed in and leaned into him, stealing a kiss from him, her lips warm, inviting, and familiar. "And what's the matter with you today, dear husband?"

"We…" he pulled her close again to take another kiss, this one deeper, much more passionate. "We need to get home. Fast."

Alaura laughed in between kisses. "I think we should fly then. It'll be faster and we can avoid traffic."

"So sensible. That's why I married you."

Driving the mustang into a small alley, Warren turned on the new levitating mode until they were high above the buildings before soaring. In a matter of minutes they were pulling into their parking spot and running up the stairs to their rooms. Locking the door behind them, they took no time in grabbing each other. Clumsily and carelessly, they made their way into the bedroom and Warren picked Alaura up and laid her softly on their bed. He looked down at her, with her hair spread out and her shirt half done.

He leaned in and kissed her tenderly, pouring all his love into her, ruining her for any other passion, any other man, any other love.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear.

"I love you," she replied. "Forever."

And he knew it was true.