{These characters are not property of me. I would never attempt to claim them as my own. This story may not be used without my permission, and may not be used to make money in any way, shape or form. Characters and certain situations were created by Rumiko Takahashi, so don't try any funny stuff!}

"So, 377, how do you feel?"

"Feel? Fine I guess."

"You feel fine?"

He nodded. "Well, I guess I could use a shower... And I'd really like some normal clothes."

The doctor smiled. "That can be arranged, 377. That can be arranged easily." The doctor leaned back in the chair and looked at him.

He looked blankly at the doctor. Then it hit him. "You mean I can leave?"

The doctor nodded. "Not today, but very soon. You've made excellent progress; you've learned to control your anger."

He nodded mutely.

"And you've overcome your unhealthy infatuations. I won't pretend that we're the ones who cured you; a lot of people are trapped in unhealthy environments and it's important to get them removed. I think that was the root of your problem. And you were too young to understand what was happening." The doctor looked at the clipboard to make sure no point was missed.

"So I would be happy to release you back into society a cured man."

"Cured? What? I don't feel any different."

The doctor chuckled. "If you did, it would mean you knew you had a problem and I don't think you would have chosen to spend nine months here."

He shook his head. No, he definitely wouldn't have.

"There, then. You don't feel any different because the way you act now is normal. It is your normal behavior. I know this isn't a vacation spot, but it's forced you to adjust, and hopefully show you where you were wrong before."

He sat silently, pondering the doctor's words. 'Unhealthy infatuations.' That hurt, knowing that what he had thought was love had, in truth, been a sickness. He sighed heavily. "So when can I leave?"

The doctor looked upbeat. "It should be about a week and then you'll be a free man."

Free. The word was like music. Free to wear what he wanted, eat when and what he wanted, bathe when he wanted, go wherever he wanted... The idea was almost frightening.

"So we're looking at a week from..." The doctor looked back at the clipboard. "A week from yesterday and you'll be able to walk out the front door."

"Just walk out?" He just couldn't believe it.

"Yes. Walk out with a clean bill of health."

He couldn't believe it, but the doctor never lied.  

***

"Do you need to call someone?"

"I don't know. I don't know if my family, or at least my father, even knows I'm gone. I know Sasuke does, but..."

"Oh, that reminds me." Toshio was a good guy; Yasuo had not lied about that. "We normally call the families when we find out someone's being released, just so it's not a shock. So I called your home..."

He was surprised. "You did?"

Toshio nodded. "I talked to this guy, Sasuke, and said you would be getting out today. He said he wouldn't be able to meet you, something about new sand for your father's room, but he brought you something."

Toshio held out a duffle bag. "Here."

He took it and looked inside, wondering what Sasuke had brought him. There was an envelope on top of a pile of clothes.

"Come on. You can get cleaned up and change," Toshio said, waiting in the doorway.

The two went to the elevators. He couldn't say he was going to miss his room, but it had been his home for three quarters of a year. They rode down in silence.

They went to the separate staff wing and into the changing/shower rooms.

"Go ahead. They should be done with the red tape by the time you're ready."

He took off the top, happy to know he'd never have to wear it again. He pulled the clothing out of the bag and laid it out on the bench. Jeans, a t-shirt, shorts, socks and a pair of shoes. They were clothes he would have shunned before. Now he welcomed them. His wallet, a belt and a watch were at the bottom of the bag.

"Here, let me get those off you," Toshio said, stopping him from removing his pants.

"Get what off?" he asked, then realized Toshio was talking about the wristbands. They had become a part of him, so much so that as soon as he took his eyes off them, he forgot they were there.

Toshio took a pair of scissors and clipped each band. They dropped to the floor where Toshio picked them up and tossed them in the trash.

"There you go. Go ahead and shower now."  

***

He stepped back into the changing room and immediately looked for his normal hospital garb before seeing the clothes he had laid out. He pulled on the boxers, the black ones with the blue pinpoint dots, thinking about what he would do when he got out. Then he grabbed the jeans and put one leg into them. The denim felt stiff and rough to his skin; denim was not a fabric he was used to.

He pulled the pants on the rest of the way and got the long leather belt from the bag. He slipped it through the loops and tightened it, feeling a bit strange. He put on the socks, liking the way the cotton engulfed his feet. It was comforting after so long going barefoot all the time. He figured he'd just end up going back home where he could sit by himself. All alone, in silence, and he could meditate.

But he didn't really want to be alone. He had been alone all the time in the hospital and any companionship was better than none. Even if it meant he had to follow Sasuke around. Or he could... He was scared of going to the Tendo's.  

-O-O-O-O-

"I was so afraid but it was you I thought about. I knew I couldn't stay away, I knew I couldn't avoid you. I just had to see you. I hoped you wouldn't hate me, but I couldn't just leave it like I did. And when I saw you sleeping in the hospital... You were so beautiful. Then I knew the things I had said, I really meant. The doctor talked to me about unhealthy infatuations and broken homes, told me that's what my problem was. Seeing you here now, I know everything he said was true. I love you."

"I never thought it would come to this. I never thought you'd change. There were times I wished you'd figure things out, give up on Akane, understand that she didn't like you. Then maybe you'd go back to being the little boy I used to know. The one who was afraid of bullies, the one who wasn't any good at Kendo, the one who always shared his lunch with me... The one I had always liked. Now you're not the little boy any more, not the boy I liked. You're the man I love. I never thought I'd find anyone, but that's all changed. I love you."

Everyone was watching with tears in their eyes. The frank and personal confessions they had just witnessed were completely heart-wrenching. Even Ranma was a little teary eyed. Martial artist or not, Pop be damned. Tatewaki was like a brother to him, even if he didn't want to marry Akane.

There was applause as the very informal ceremony was completed, which Ranma joined in enthusiastically.  

***

"I am so glad to get out of this thing," Nabiki said tiredly, peeling off her kimono. The two had dressed formally, but decided against the traditional ceremony. Personally, Nabiki just didn't feel like she was worth it after everything that had happened to her.

"You look very nice in it," Tatewaki replied, making no effort to remove his own outfit.

Nabiki gave him another disgusted look and removed another layer.

"You do..." His voice trailed off as some bare skin came into view. "But not wearing it also has merits."

"I suggest you start taking off your own clothes or you won't be done by the time we go to bed." She had finally stripped down to her bare essentials, still a little shy about being seen in such a state.

"My, aren't we anxious?" Tatewaki asked jokingly. He began removing his clothing.

Nabiki slipped on a robe and watched Tatewaki undress. It had been a slow and painful process to get her confident enough to agree once and for all to marry him, and to agree on a date. That date had come and so had the honeymoon. She had been confident before, but as Tatewaki began to lose layer after layer, her resolve started to fail.

"Um," she said as Tatewaki lost the last of his formal attire.

He looked at her, smiling until he saw her face. "You're still..." He looked hurt for a moment then put on his own robe. "Why don't we have some champagne?" he offered, heading over to a low table with a bottle of champagne and two glasses on it.

He filled the two glasses and held one out. "You know," he said as she took a glass. "Just because this is our honeymoon doesn't mean we have to do anything if you don't want to."

"I know," she replied quietly. She knew because he wouldn't do anything she didn't want him to. "But you deserve more. And I want..." She looked at the floor, frowning. Why was it so hard? It wasn't embarrassment; maybe it was that she was going against the personality she had engineered for so long. "I want to..." She breathed deeply and looked at Tatewaki. "I want to be the one to... please you."

"Please me? But you already..."

"You know what I mean!" She hated it when he said things like that; he just didn't understand. "You don't get it..."

He frowned.

Nabiki let out an exasperated sigh. He was so simple-minded sometimes. "Tate-chan, you are my husband and I... I want to..." Why was it so damn difficult? "Damn it, Tatchi! I don't care how beautiful you think I am or how sorry you are... It doesn't make me feel any better!"

Only not being frightened any more would help. "I hate being afraid of everything," she confessed. "I hate not being able to do what I want to do!"

He looked at her sadly. "And it's all my fault," he said quietly.

"No, Tate-chan." Her voice softened; she didn't want to hurt him, she just wanted him to understand. "All I want is to do what every other couple does on their honeymoon." She stepped to him and put her arms around his waist, still holding her glass. "I love your body, I love the way it feels, the way it looks, how warm and soft your skin is..." She leaned her head against his chest. "I want to feel it next to mine."

She looked up and pulled his head down so she could whisper in his ear. She kissed it before speaking. "I want to feel you inside me..."

Nabiki didn't see his face turn red or his eyes widen but she felt his heart rate increase. "Na... Nabiki," he stuttered.

"Don't talk, Tate-chan. Take me." She rested against him, waiting for him to act.

Tatewaki was burning with desire. He had waited so long, with the knowledge that Nabiki was the only one for him, to do exactly what she had told him. But it wasn't all about him; Nabiki was placing all her trust in him. He could not disappoint.

Letting his glass fall to the floor, he scooped her up and carried her to the immense bed. "I don't want to hurt you," he whispered, still holding her.

"You won't," she answered, her eyes closed.

Tatewaki laid her down gently and plucked the glass from her hand. He removed his robe after he set the glass down, barely able to contain himself. He put his finger to Nabiki's cheek, caressing the softness, and looked at her face with the wry smile touching her lips. No matter what she said about how afraid she was, she knew how much power she had over him.

He opened her robe and exposed her body to his hungry gaze. He had never quite felt like he did at that moment. He had never felt the want, the desire, the all consuming need before. All doubts and hesitations were pushed out of his mind as he reached for her.

Slowly he ran his hand over her stomach, wanting to experience every inch of her body. His voice was quiet and husky. "Do you know how much I want you?"

Once, her head went back and forth.

"Do you know how much I've wanted you, wanted to have you all to myself? Do you know how much I've wanted to touch you, hear you call my name?"

His hands were all over her with a light, teasing touch. Nabiki shook her head, feeling his fingers beginning to explore the places they hadn't been.  

-O-O-O-O-

"You're saying you don't remember it, 377?" The doctor obviously didn't believe him.

"No, not really."

"What about the two days before it?"

"I don't know. It was all so... strange. Like a dream, or a nightmare."

"A dream? Why is that?"

"It's all very fuzzy, like I just woke up and can't quite remember what the dream was about."

The doctor nodded, looking at him thoughtfully.

"So, of what I can remember..." He inhaled deeply. "I didn't feel good one day at school. I think that was when my sister got me. I couldn't think, couldn't concentrate; I felt like I had a fever. Then at lunch, things get fuzzy."

"What happened after that?"

"I'm not sure. It was like I wasn't myself. I only watched myself walk around but couldn't do anything. I kind of remember following around Akane and my head hurt a lot."

"And you had no idea you'd been drugged?"

"No. I felt like I was sick, a really bad head flu... But I remember that whenever I saw Nabiki..."

"The Tendo girl, the girl you assaulted and raped?" The doctor knew very well who she was.

"Yes," he replied, hanging his head. "That's her. I remember when I saw her, I would get a funny feeling."

"What kind of feeling?"

"I don't know. Something that... something like a voice. Or not a voice. I just knew that she could help, make my head stop hurting..."

"By beating and raping her?"

"No! I didn't want to hurt her, I only wanted my head to stop hurting. And only by..." His face flushed. "Having sex with her would it stop." He fell silent.

"Do you know what your sister used on you?"

He shook his head. "She just said something about doing it for me, but it hurt so much and I did such horrible things..." Sometimes he was glad when he ended up strapped to his bed; it stopped him from hurting himself when the nightmares came. "I only wanted her to say she loved me. I only wanted her to help me."

"Is that all?"

"I guess not." He sat silently, looking down at his hands. "I wanted her to love me. I wanted anyone to love me." The painful truth of his existence: he only wanted someone to show that they cared.

"You had an interesting way of trying to get affection." The doctor sounded completely uninterested.

He shrugged. He had nothing to prove to the doctor; the doctor knew nothing about him. It hadn't been his fault.

"But you don't remember anything from the end of that day at school until..."

"Until it was like I woke up in the middle of sleepwalking; caught in the middle of something I don't remember do..."

"But you said that before the police brought you here, you talked to Miss Tendo. You said you told her you meant everything you said. How do you know? How do you know what you said? And how do you know you did horrible things? Your story seems a bit inconsistent."

"It's not a story! It's what happened!" He stopped himself, forced himself to slow down. "I know I did something horrible because of... the position I was in. And the blood."

The doctor nodded.

"As for what i said, I suppose it's not a total blank... I remember telling her things, like how much I loved her and seeing her face. She was so scared... And then nothing."

"Interesting. I don't know if that's selective memory or a side affect..." The doctor was scribbling furiously and ignoring him.  

-O-O-O-O-

Nabiki inhaled sharply. She never knew how much emotion could increase physical pleasure. The fact that she loved Tatewaki (though she wasn't ready to explain why it had happened) made what he was doing feel unbelievably good.

He had removed all their clothes and gotten them both under the covers. He was beginning to understand her fear and how it operated; it wasn't something that would just go away like he thought. It would take time and patience to get over it, and even then it might never go away. At the moment, though, things seemed to be going well.

With his thumb, he started making slow circles, applying a bit of pressure. The affect was immediate; Nabiki clutched at the sheets and arched her back a little. Still making circles, Tatewaki used his middle finger to gently probe her.

Nabiki gasped and felt a definite warmth spreading through her body, rippling out from Tatewaki's hand. Her body quivered as he applied more pressure; his touch becoming a little more forceful. She moaned once, quietly, as the pleasure coursed through her, then again as she felt the mounting pressure between her legs.

Tatewaki leaned over and nibbled on her ear, feeling her body shake beneath him. Her hand that had been grabbing the sheet between them suddenly grabbed his stiffened member and squeezed. He inhaled sharply, his hand stopping, as he got himself under control.

Nabiki pulled gently, not stroking, just pulling. She didn't want him to stop, didn't want the feeling to end; it was just too good. She moaned again. "...Tatchi... Don't stop," she gasped. She squeezed harder, her body starting to rebel against her control. Her breath was short and she was sweating under the blanket.

Her body just wouldn't stop shaking and she had to fight to stop herself from thrusting against Tatewaki's hand. She closed her legs a bit, trying to hold on to the feeling.

Tatewaki stopped kissing her ear to look at her face. The pure, unbidden pleasure he saw there was more than he could have hoped for. He increased the movement of his hand, stroking a little faster, plunging a little deeper.

Nabiki moaned again and gripped the sheets, and Tatewaki, a little tighter. And suddenly, like a flash flood, all her control left her and she was overcome by mind-numbing pleasure. She arched her back as much as possible in her unstable position and trapped Tatewaki's hand between her legs.

She rolled back and forth, quivering and moaning. "Ohh, Tatchi," she said through gritted teeth and squeezed him, almost painfully. As suddenly as the feeling started, it stopped. Nabiki laid still, breathing heavily, her body shaking ever so slightly.

As she came down from her pleasure high, she relaxed and removed Tatewaki's dampened hand. Then, realizing the grip she had on him, she removed her hand as well. She chuckled tiredly when she heard him exhale heavily. "S... sorry about that," she said, out of breath.

"Don't be. Just... how was it?" He felt silly for asking, but it was very important he know.

She looked at him, her eyes half-lidded, a small smile on her face. "What do you think?"

"I assume you enjoyed it?"

She nodded, closing her eyes. "That... will take a lot out of a person."

Tatewaki nodded even though she couldn't see him. He watched her rest, looking like she might fall asleep at any moment. He put his arms around her as best he could. "Good night," he said.

Nabiki settled against Tatewaki, arranging herself in his arms. "Why weren't you like this before?" she mumbled.

Tatewaki positioned himself more comfortably in the bed, placing Nabiki's head against his shoulder. "I had to find myself. I had to find what everything truly meant to me," he answered softly, but Nabiki was already asleep.

***

"It's pretty lonely, being at home all by myself."

"Yeah. What does that mean?"

"It means I'd like you to come live with me. We can be a family."

"Tate-chan, I don't know if I can move that far from Kasumi. I'm not good enough to take care of him by myself."

"Are you Takuma's mother, or is Kasumi?"

Nabiki gave Tatewaki a black look. "That's not fair."

"You won't be by yourself; I'll be there. I can't believe you're dismissing me that easily. I've never even had a chance because you keep me away from him. Do you think I'm incapable of taking care of him? Silly me for thinking I was his father and we were married." He was almost angry.

Nabiki had turned away from his outburst and had a hand over her eyes. "I'm sorry..."

Tatewaki's flare of anger died down. He had expected a fight or at least a heated discussion. Not an apology.

"You've had nine months," Nabiki said, her words muffled. "I... I haven't had any time..."

"But your family..."

"My family spent nine months cursing you and treating me like fine China. Not once did anyone ever talk to me... about anything." She still had her back to him, both hands over her face.

"What about..."

She knew what he would ask. "My friends? What friends? As soon as the rumors started, I didn't have any friends. And when it was obvious I was pregnant, all I had were enemies. How was I supposed to talk to anyone?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't know," he responded when he heard her try to contain a sob.

Tatewaki put his hand on her shoulder; he could feel her shake. Something fundamental in her had changed, something he hadn't noticed before. The strength of spirit he was so familiar with was depleted; her confidence and self-assuredness was almost non-existent. "Please. I'm sorry. I'll listen if you want to talk."

"Ta... Tatchi..." She still couldn't face him. "Sometimes I wish I was... I wish I was dead," she said, finally breaking into tears. "I wish I was never born." She sank to the floor. "I hate myself. I hate everything about me."

He sat beside her and put an arm around her. "Do you remember what you said to me before they took me away?"

She didn't answer.

"I do. I'll never forget it. You said 'Don't ever think you deserve to be dead.' You said that when I did deserve to die. You don't deserve to die; you've done nothing wrong. And there's nothing wrong with the person you are. It's who your family loves, it's who I've always admired."

He turned her head so they could look at each other. "We'll get help. We'll go together and everything will be fine. Everything will get better."  

***

"Akane, It's not polite to stand outside someone's door like that."

"I just want to know what they're doing. They got back and didn't talk to anyone. They came right up here."

"If they didn't talk, it must have been for a reason. Now come downstairs and help me with the laundry." Kasumi gave Akane her sternest look and headed down the stairs.

Akane watched her go then looked back at the door. She lifted her fist and considered knocking. The two looked like they had been supporting each other when they had shown up; they looked happy, but drained. Akane just wanted to know if everything was OK.

She put her hand back down by her side and leaned her ear to the door.

"Do you know anyone?"

"No, but it shouldn't be difficult to find someone. With both of us, it should be easier to..."

"Tate-chan?"

"Yes, bijin?"

"Do you think we could..."

"Could what?"

"Do a little of this?" Smiling, she slid her hand down into his shorts and fondled him.

Tatewaki grabbed her in one arm and held her close. "You think you're ready?" he asked softly.

"I've never been more ready." The thought of getting help together bolstered her. She would be able to get over it and get on with her life.

He got behind Nabiki and pulled her back with him, her hand removed from his shorts. He sat on the bed, taking her with him so she was sitting between his legs. He slid his arms around her, trapping her arms, and cupped her breasts.

"So," he whispered in her ear, hearing her sigh. "How would you like me to serve you?"

"I want you to take off your clothes," she answered breathlessly. There would be no mistake as to how far she wanted to go and what she wanted done. Tatewaki would follow her instructions.

Tatewaki slid around her and stood up. He unbuttoned his shirt then slipped it off and dropped it to the floor. Next, he pulled off his tank top and tossed it away, where it hit the door and dropped to the floor.

Nabiki watched with interest. If only the other girls could see what she was; more than a couple she had known wanted to know what Tatewaki had under his little samurai outfit. Being honest with herself, she had admitted that Ranma was very cute and had an excellent body, and the most beautiful blue eyes... But where Ranma had a more compact frame with bulging muscles and cheery, innocent eyes, Tatewaki was the exact opposite.

She liked them both, physically, as contrasts to each other. Ranma, though, was far too... unthinking for her tastes. After some of the insults he had delivered to Akane, Nabiki thought she was going to boot him through the wall; Akane had beat her to it. Of course, Ranma wasn't in her room undressing for her either.

Tatewaki undid the button of his shorts and lowered the zipper. He pushed them down then kicked them away. He stood silently and looked at Nabiki, a little smile on his face.

"Keep going," Nabiki commanded. The honeymoon had been nice, but as far as physical romance went, it had been mostly a bust. Mostly.

She watched his boxers drop to the floor and stood up. She had to stop herself from staring; there would time later for those things. She had more important things to think about at the moment.

"Now undress me."

"Yes, ma'am. I aim to please." With swift, efficient movements, he removed her clothes, scattering them about the room.

"You know," she said, clad in only her undershirt and panties. "This seems awfully familiar."

"Yeah," he replied. "But no more confessions. Just you and me."

"Actually, I do have something to confess." She kept quiet a moment, letting her words sink in. "I had the worst crush on you." She laid her hand on his chest. "I couldn't count the number of fantasies I had about you... without the poetry."

"Aren't we naughty? Young ladies shouldn't be thinking such nasty thoughts." Tatewaki lifted Nabiki's shirt and ran his hands up and down her sides. "Or they might just come true." He pulled off the undershirt and tossed it away.

"I could only hope..."

Then Tatewaki pulled down her panties so the two were naked. "Now what should we do with you?"

"Tate-chan, it's not polite to point."

"I'm sorry, but I can't help myself. You know I'd do anything for you."

"Good. Because what I want is for you to..." She whispered to him the rest of her request then stepped back. "If you don't think that's too difficult."

"I will try my hardest." He looked at her bed. "Your bed is slightly inconvenient... A little small..."

"We'll work that out later. Now get busy."

"Yes ma'am." Tatewaki laid down on the bed and waited for Nabiki.

She straddled his thighs and stroked his stomach, feeling nervous and excited. Then she leaned down and kissed him, putting her arms on either side of his chest. She rolled to the side, taking him with her. They continued to kiss and stroke each other until Nabiki felt she was ready and just couldn't wait any more.

She pulled back and looked at Tatewaki. He put his arms around her loosely and waited for her to move. This encounter was on her terms and things would go the way she wanted them to.

Nabiki positioned herself so that she could feel his manhood pressing against her, just ready to... Carefully, she rolled back over, Tatewaki moving with her. As he rolled to his back, she lowered herself onto him, gasping at the sensation. She heard him inhale and make a quiet moaning sound.

She found the feeling to be very... odd, but pleasurable. She sat for a moment, trying to figure out her feelings. She moved a little, rocking her body. Tatewaki moaned again. She braced her knees and lifted herself off his body, then lowered herself.

Tatewaki moaned again; a sound Nabiki decided she liked. So she moved again, concentrating on the feelings it was letting loose inside her. It was kind of nice, nothing fantastic, but nice. She tried again and felt Tatewaki return her movements. That had done something, that had felt different.

She stopped and sat on his body. The whole thing was nothing like she had expected. It was all so... unexciting.

"What's wrong?" Tatewaki asked her.

She looked at his eager face. "Nothing's wrong. I was just seeing how it felt." She smiled at him.

"Felt?"

Nabiki could tell he was having a hard time. "Yes, how it felt? How did it feel to you?"

"Do you really want to know?" His voice was... yearning.

Nabiki nodded.

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

"Then you better hold on." He grabbed her hips, forcing a cry of surprise when he began pumping his hips.

"Ta... Tatchi," she said, no completely sure what she was feeling. Her hands flailed as she hunted for purchase. She leaned forward and put her palms on his stomach. Adjusting to Tatewaki's motions, she leaned farther forward and put her hands on his chest.

He leaned up as far as he could and kissed her fiercely. He felt her return his motions hesitantly and a bit awkwardly. He broke the kiss and groaned loudly, his head falling back to the pillow. "Ohh... Nabiki." He was having a hard time controlling himself.

Nabiki straightened back up as one of Tatewaki's hands slid up her body and began to massage one of her breasts. He was a little rough, but Nabiki decided it was fine for the time. It added to the overall effect and she felt very, very nice. It was nothing close to what he had done on the honeymoon, but she didn't think anything could top that.

Akane listened closely. They had stopped talking, and she assumed they had gone to bed. Until there was a soft thump against the door and the almost inaudible creak of Nabiki's bed. And then she heard it again... and again. A very soft moan that sounded like a man's... Akane knew right then that she should head downstairs and forget that she was ever listening at her sister's door. But she just couldn't... quite... tear herself... away.

Tatewaki was breathing heavy, his chest heaving and covered in sweat. He was at a point where he could keep going the way he was and just soak up the feeling. Or he could lean into it and get a release. He leaned into it.

Nabiki could feel the change in Tatewaki's movements and was happy, of all things. She was making him feel good even if she only felt median pleasure herself. Her thoughts were yanked away from the warm and fuzzy analysis as Tatewaki started making funny noises.

She looked at his face. It was red and covered in sweat, his eyes were closed and his brow was furrowed. "Hey, Tatchi. What's wrong? Why are you making those noises?" They were almost piggish grunts.

He exhaled heavily, breaking his rhythm. "I... wasn't breathing..."

"That's bad. You shouldn't do that."

He wanted to scream. She was so damn nonchalant while he was about to explode! "How... how can you be... so..."

She put one finger over his lips. "You need to work on your concentration and breathing. Weren't you in the middle of something?"

He nodded and took her finger in his mouth, sucking on it gently. He ran his tongue over it while staring in her eyes. They were half-lidded and she was smiling gently at him.

"Come on, Tatchi. I said I wanted to *feel* you. I want to feel what it took to make Kuma-chan. I know you can do better than this."

Tatewaki leaned his head back, releasing her finger, and arched his back. It was a good thing Nabiki was so light, or he might not have been able to actually lift her from the bed. "You don't know... what you've gotten yourself... into."

"Maybe not, but I know what you've gotten into."

He didn't know it until then, but he was the kind of guy that liked dirty talk. "Then how about this?" His efforts doubled.

"Not bad, Tate-chan. But here, let me." Sexual experience is not needed to know what will make a man lose control. All it takes is a basic knowledge of human anatomy and a gentle touch. Nabiki had both, and more.

She leaned back somewhat and reached behind her. Tatewaki had stopped lifting her off the bed, which made it a bit easier. She reached down and caressed the inside of his thigh. She ran her fingertips up his inner thigh, tickling, teasing him. His leg quivered excitedly, like a dog with it's belly being scratched. Then her hand moved up and began fondling him, stroking him where their bodies met.

He gave up then. There was no holding back. He moaned again and felt the exquisite sensation of slowly being worked to the point of no return. He moaned again in complete pleasure. He tried to keep the inevitable event at bay, but was quickly failing.

He arched his back, leaning his head back and moaning once more.

"Tate-chan, I like it when you make that noise."

That set him over the edge and he couldn't contain himself any more. Before he could say or do anything, it was on him and he was going off like a garden hose.

Nabiki finally got what she wanted when she felt him swell inside her and begin spasming. It was worth the trouble; it felt very satisfying to know she had made him do that. And it hadn't hurt at all like she expected.

Tatewaki fell back to the bed, completely exhausted. He had an instant of panic when an image of a blood covered body came into his mind, but the feel of warm, yielding flesh beneath his hands forced it away. He opened his eyes slowly and looked at Nabiki. She was still there, it wasn't a dream, and she was smiling. "I love you."

She tried to keep her smile from getting any bigger and playfully tweaked one of his nipples. "I love you."

Akane heard the moans grown in frequency and volume until they stopped all together. Then she heard quiet voices and what might have been people getting dressed.

In a minor panic, she rushed down the hall to her room, her face redder than a Christmas light, and went inside. She shut the door just as she heard Nabiki's open. She listened as their footsteps headed down the stairs, then she opened her door, feeling a tad... warm.

She saw Tatewaki kiss Nabiki's neck, both of them in robes and carrying clothes, at the bottom of the stairs. Then they headed to the bath.

Akane leaned against the door frame and wiped her forehead. Next time, she would do what Kasumi told her to... Or maybe not.