Two days had drifted by, two slow, horrible days for Adam. He hadn't been to school, he'd barely been home, all he wanted to do was stay with Elissa. Her voice within his mind had drifted in and out, though she had yet to wake up.
_Still here?_ she asked softly. Adam nodded
_Where else would I be?_
_School, at home, asleep,_ Elissa almost chuckled. _How are your parents going to react when they get a call from Mr. Caplan asking where you are?_
_I'll tell them something. I don't know what._
_Don't,_ Elissa would have shaken her head if she could. _I don't know how long I can stay talking this time, but don't make me spend it bitching you out for skipping school._
_We're still trying to wake you up._
_I know,_ a mental smile flickered through his mind. _I'll try my best to stay with you until they find it._
_I love you._ Adam waited a few moments, then cried. She'd once again lost the connection to his mind. Tommy put a hand on his shoulder.
"Were you able to get ahold of her?" he asked.
"For a few minutes," Adam sighed deeply. He couldn't express how much he missed her waking presence by him. The few minutes he was able to speak with her were nothing compared to the living wonder of her thoughts.
Tommy nodded. "We'll get her back."
"We'd better," was all Adam said just before Michael teleported in. The werewolf nodded briefly to all of them, then told them, "I think I know why she isn't coming out of herself."
Evanthe was on her feet, eyes blazing with the light of hope for the first time since this had happened. What is it?"
Michael looked a little uncomfortable as he looked at Adam. "Adam," he asked. "While you and her were on the moon, did you. . ummm. ..mate?" when Adam's blush answered, he told Alpha, "You may want to scan her again. This has only happened once before, in the history of werewolves: that a female werewolf got pregnant, if this is indeed the case."
As Alpha started to scan Elissa again, Adam's jaw dropped in shock. Michael took a deep breath. "You may be a father. If I'm right, she's bonding with the child. And she is going to have to be moved."
Adam shook his head in shock. "Wow. Me. . .a. . .a dad?" _Whoa. I'm only sixteen. And Elissa. . well, she's a lot older than that, but she's posing as a teenage, people are going to be wondering!_
"Adam," Michael tried to get his attention. "She is bonding, and she can't do it here. And you are going to have to stay away as much as possible. This will be hard for her, and she will need all her strength."
"Where will she be?" Adam wondered, not liking the thought of being away from her again.
"I will be with her," Michael promised. "She will be safe, but we must go," he took a deep breath. Adam wasn't going to like hearing this. "One more thing, Adam. You need to tell Elissa what is happening next time she contacts you. While she is bonding with the child, she must not have any contact with you," he couldn't squash the feeling of slight triumph at the tears in the Black Ranger's eyes. "You will be reunited soon. But till then, tell no one that she is expecting."
Adam nodded. "But we're going to have to tell my parents, sooner or later."
"This is the critical time in the child's development," the older werewolf explained. "No one outside this room must know till she is awake, do you understand?"
Evanthe nodded. "She's going to be very surprised, and happy." _At least SHE gets to have a child. Undead can't. Ever._
"I wish I could say the same for my parents," Adam bit his lip, thinking of how they were likely to react.
"They're going to be upset," Kim stated. Adam snorted.
"That's a major understatement. How am I going to keep this from them? Heck, how are we going to explain her absence to Mr. Caplan?"
It didn't take Evanthe more than a moment to think up a solution. "Not a problem," she told them. "Tell him that she's sick, and is getting taken care of by her personal physician. We can give him Michael's number to call if he insists, if you want to help out with this, Michael."
"I'll go so far as to write an excuse," he chuckled. "My handwriting is illegible."
The vampire smiled. "That should be good enough."
Michael quickly scribbled out a note, then picked Elissa up. Adam stiffened as her voice sounded in his mind. _Why is someone picking me up, Adam? What's going on?_
Adam couldn't keep the tears out of his mental voice as he told her. _Adam!_ She was obviously surprised. _This can't be, werewolves can't. . .this is a sick joke, right?_
_I'm not joking, Elissa. I wish I were._
Her tears flowed. _I don't want to be without you again, but for our child. . .I love you, Adam. I promise, I'll be back._ She sort of took a mental breath. _Adam, tell Evanthe I am sorry. And that I miss her._
_I will. She understand that and she's okay._
_See you when I'm awake,_ she promised. _Think about me._
_I will always think about you!_ he told her. _I love you!_
The four evil foes of the Rangers stared down as one surprised whole at the Earth. Zedd uttered the words first. "She's pregnant?"
"Oh, this is disgusting!" Rita snarled. Sophie shook her head.
"It's also impossible!"
"Extremely impossible!" Girard added his voice to the denials. Rita laughed.
"Well, it's happening!" she reminded them.
Sophie took a deep breath. "If it is, then that child must not be born." She could sense danger to herself and all she held dear with this pregnancy.
"We'll have to get rid of her!" Rita declared. She hated kids almost as much as she hated the Power Rangers!
"Rito, Goldar!" Zedd bellowed. The two idiots shambled up at his call.
"Yes, sire?" Goldar asked, bowing low.
"Yo, Ed, whatcha want?"
Zedd let the misnaming pass this time. "Go down to Earth, capture
that wolfgirl and the one she's with, and bring them back here!" he
ordered. He would not let this child be born, no matter what!
Michael quietly tended to Elissa, feeling the same strange mix of joy and longing as he always had whenever near her. _Even being king of the werewolves could not compare to the joy Adam must share with you._
"Hey there!" the harsh voice came from behind him. "Time for a little trip!"
"What?" Michael turned to see a bone-person and an armored monkey standing behind him. "No!" a sharp golden fist in his face nearly knocked his brains out through the back of his skull.
"Yes!" Goldar stated as Rito picked up Elissa. They were gone a moment later, with Michael waking up almost as soon as they arrived in the cold lunar throne room. Sophie leered at him, she was the only one there. She wanted to deal with this on her own.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Michael, the first of the weres!" she chuckled evilly.
Michael snorted in disgust. They knew who he was, as he now knew who they were. "Sophie, wife of Girard. The worst of the vamps!"
"Tell me, Michael, how did she get pregnant?" Sophie snarled. Michael laughed.
"As long as you've lived, and you haven't figured out how that happens yet?"
She snarled, almost hitting him. "It is impossible for a werewolf to have a child, and you know it!"
He shrugged. "Ninety-nine times out of a hundred it is impossible. But miracles happen." _Too bad the one I WANT to happen won't. At least not unless I make it happen._
"Why her?"
"Why not?"
Sophie shook her head. "You know I'm going to have to destroy that child!"
"Do that and die. . .again!"
"I'd like to see you try!" Sophie laughed; she knew she had nothing to fear from this werewolf.
Michael's growl was remarkably like that of his wolven version. "I will not permit you to harm her or her child!"
"Why?" the vampire's voice was mocking. "Cause you love her!"
"Among other reasons," the oldest werewolf couldn't look at the vampire then. It hurt too much to look at Elissa, either. He settled for staring at the Earth.
"I wonder how Adam would take it if your true feelings were brought out into the open!" Sophie chuckled, considering actually doing that!
Michael glared. "I only want what is best for her, and Adam happens to be the one for her, not me!" _But if I could change that. . . ._
"My, you gave up too easily!" Sophie taunted him. She had always enjoyed causing pain to a werewolf, it was one of the few things that gave her pleasure in her twisted life.
"Unlike you, I know when to quit!"
Sophie had her hands around his throat a moment later. "Be careful, Michael, I can rip out your heart. I almost did before, right after we. . .," she chuckled, remembering their first meeting. "You know."
"Do what you want to me, just leave her alone!"
Sophie threw him against a wall. "I want her child, and if I am not allowed to keep it after it's born, I will kill it, and it's mother!"
"Why would you want to raise a werewolf child?"
"That's for me to know!" Sophie retorted. "And you never to find out! You know, maybe I should bring Adam here, and let him see your true feelings for his mate!"
"Don't you dare!" Michael shoved himself to his feet and hovered protectively over Elissa.
"Why shouldn't I?"
"That could kill them!"
Sophie laughed and headed for the door. "Then I'd better contact him!"
"I always wondered what vampires taste like!"
She glanced back at him. "I don't know, but I'm sure that I'll
be eating roasted werewolf!"
Adam paced back and forth, miserable. "Why can't I contact her?" he asked over and over, tears filling up in his eyes.
"She's forming the bond with the child, she can't be distracted," Evanthe reminded him.
"I wish I knew how long it was going to take," Adam sighed. "I want to be with her, I need to be with her!"
Adam stopped in his pacing. "Alpha, I know you probably shouldn't, but I need to see her. Can you bring her up on the Viewing Globe?"
"Ay-yi-yi, I'll see what I can do!" Alpha turned to the controls when suddenly Sophie's image appeared in the globe.
"Oh, Adam!" she almost sang out. Adam growled hideously, to which the vampire responded, "I just wanted to let you know where Elissa and the child are!"
Adam snapped, "They'd better be at Michael's, safe and sound!"
"They're here," the scene changed for a moment to show them in a cell, Michael sitting next to Elissa. Then Sophie stood there again. "You want her and the child unharmed, you surrender yourself to me, in three hours!" she paused for a moment, an evil smile on her face. "Wait, I take that back. You go near her, then her and the child. . .die. . .," she shrugged. "Oh, well!"
"What?" Adam's eyes were as wide as saucers.
"What?" Sophie laughed. "Didn't Michael tell you? Gee, I wonder why! It couldn't be because this way he gets to spend all this time with the one he cares the most for!"
"That. . . ." Tommy managed to stop himself from swearing.
"I just might stake them after all!" Evanthe growled. Adam stared at the viewing globe in raw anger.
"I could kill them? And he didn't tell me?"
Evanthe shrugged. "First I've heard of it."
"Did you know how he feels for her?"
Evanthe shrugged. "A little. He's always told me all he wants is what's best for her, though."
"She's trapped up there, and I can't do anything to help her!"
Tommy nodded. "And they're probably expecting us."
"If he had told me that I could have killed them, I would have let someone else hold my powers till she woke up, if she could've stayed here, safe and sound!"
Evanthe sighed. "We'll find a way to get her out of there!"
The Rangers looked up suddenly as a flash of light filled the room. "Might I be of assistance, Rangers?"
"Ninjor!" the whole team chorused. Adam quickly explained what was going on. The Ninja Master frowned sharply.
"Not good," he observed. "When we have her back, she is more than welcome to finish her bonding at the Temple of Power."
"How can we get her back?"
Ninjor looked at her. "Evanthe, you and I will go get her."
The vampire was beside him, moving too fast to be seen almost. "And
if they've hurt her, they're lunch!"
"I've been a fool," Michael sighed as he held Elissa's hand. "I am so sorry, Elissa."
"Yup, you're an idiot!" Rito agreed. The werewolf didn't even look at the foolish guard.
"I didn't ask you!" he snapped back. He wanted them away from there, he wanted Elissa away from there!"
"So?"
Michael glared at him now. "Unless someone asks for your opinion, shut up!"
"Hey, don't make me mad, wolf-boy!" Rito snapped. He looked behind him as someone tapped him on one bony shoulder.
"Didn't anyone ever tell you that it's not nice to disrespect your elders?"
Rito did his best to frown. "Huh?" he didn't even notice Evanthe dealing with the Tengas to one side. Ninjor stood behind him.
"Hello!" he said cheerily. "May I have the keys for the cell?"
Rito blinked. "Uh, why?"
"So I can get them out!"
"Oh!" Rito had been told not to let the prisoners escape, but this was something else. " As long as you're not trying to help them escape!" he handed the keyring over to the friendly Ninjor. A moment late, they were out.
"By the way," Ninjor told them, "We are leaving too. Come along, Evanthe!"
The vampire looked over from where she'd just sent the tenth Tenga collapsing. "And I was just starting to have fun!"
As they got ready to leave, Ninjor told her, "Evanthe, please tell the Rangers that Elissa is safe, and on her way to the Temple of Power, and I believe Michael is as well."
"I will," the vampire Ranger nodded. "Thank you, Ninjor."
Ninjor quietly put Elissa on a pile of pillows, then turned over to Michael, who stood there with worry in his eyes.
"Will she be safe here?"
"No evil may enter here uninvited," Ninjor told him, subtly reminding him of some of the events in his own past.
Michael chose to ignore the remark. "Good. This child is the rarest of all things." _I wish it were mine. I wish SHE were mine!_
"That she is," Ninjor agreed.
"I wish Adam could see her right now," Michael sighed. It seemed to be the appropriate thing to say. "He misses her so much."
"He can see her through the Viewing Globe," Ninjor reminded him. Michael bit back a sharp retort.
"That'll be something, at least."
Ninjor smiled as he went to the communications device in one of the corners. "Let us contact him."
"Seeing her will make him feel better," Michael sighed a little, too low for Ninjor to notice.
"And put all the Rangers' minds at ease," Ninjor smiled as
the communications opened, revealing the worried Rangers in the Command
Center. Michael managed to hide his true feelings behind a friendly mask.
He'd made his decision. When it was time. . .all would be revealed.
Adam sat in the Command Center, worried and upset, even as Evanthe returned. "Elissa's at Ninjor's," she reported, then noticed Michael had already left. She chuckled a little to herself; she'd never imagined Rito was that stupid!
_Oh, Elissa!_ Adam was depressed, to say the very least. His head came up sharply as Ninjor appeared on the Viewing Globe. "Ninjor!"
"Adam, would you like to see Elissa?" the Ninja master asked. Adam nodded sharply.
"More than anything!"
Ninjor moved back, revealing Elissa on a cot. "This is as good as we can get for now."
"Elissa," Adam whispered, drinking in the sight of his beloved. "Oh, Elissa."
Evanthe looked at her friend, then her eyes were drawn to Michael. She frowned at the possessiveness in his eyes. _I'm going to have to talk with him about that. I don't like the way he's looking at Elissa._
"My beautiful Elissa. My sleeping beauty. Hurry home to me, I want to see the mother of my child."
Evanthe touched his hand gently. "She'll be back soon. The months will fly by, trust me."
"School is out in a month. I hope she's there for the last day," Adam sighed; none of them had ever seen him this depressed. "Thank you, Ninjor."
"It is no problem, my friend," Ninjor told him. As Adam thanked him, still staring at the still form, the Viewing Globe went dark. Rocky put a hand on Adam's shoulder.
"Want someone to talk to?"
Adam collapsed to the floor in tears, shaking. The storm of his tears passed quicker than any expected, and as he wiped away tears, he looked up. "I miss her so much."
"I know," Rocky nodded. The others stayed back, letting the Red Ranger handle this.
"Let's go," Adam sighed as he got up. "I should go home."
Together they teleported out.
Zedd roared at his brother-in-law, "You did what?"
"He was such a nice guy, and he didn't want to let them escape, just let them out of the cell!"
"And then he let them go! He took them! You are an idiot!"
Rito shook his head harshly. "No, I'm not! Uhhhh. . .what's an idiot?"
Sophie groaned deeply. Girard whispered softly, "Was it such a good idea to team up with them? We haven't gotten any closer to getting her back since we got here!"
"Comic relief," was her only reply. Girard shrugged.
"We might want to consider using. . .other resources. . .to get her back," he whispered. Sophie nodded.
"But first, I want that child," she insisted.
"And we shall get it," Girard promised.
Sophie's eyes narrowed with evil desire. "And it shall die."
Adam and Rocky headed through the streets of Angel Grove together. Adam couldn't get his mind off the message they'd had from Ninjor. He sighed briefly. "I'm glad she's okay."
"Yeah," Rocky nodded. "Man, I can't believe it!" he punched Adam on the arm slightly. "You're gonna be a dad!" he had the sense to whisper it, though."
"Yeah," Adam nodded a little nervously. "And I'm still in high school."
"You're going to have to tell your parents."
Adam nodded. "When she's awake. But, man, I can see I'm going to have to pack my stuff up."
"You really think they'd kick you out?"
Adam sighed. "They are, I know it. And are going to disown me. I can't believe this is happening!"
Rocky put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Hey, I got an idea!"
"What?"
"You can come stay at my place," he suggested. "The garage has that apartment over it, you know."
Adam sighed again. "You think your parents would let us? Till we can find our own place?"
"I'm sure they would!" Rocky nodded.
"That takes care of the being kicked out. I'm not sure I'm ready to be disowned, though."
Rocky reminded him, "You've always got us!"
"I know," Adam smiled. "But I want to the kid to know at least one set of its grandparents."
Rocky tried to reassure him. "I'm sure once the kid's born, they'll accept it, and you."
"I hope so," Adam sighed. "Let's go. Caplan's probably already called them cause I missed school Friday."
Rocky laughed. "Elissa told you not to skip school!"
Adam had to laugh in return. "I guess I should've listened to her!"
With hope, however small, in their hearts, the two friends wended their
way home. Things were going to be all right.
Evanthe knocked on Michael's door once Alpha had teleported him back to his place. "Yes?" he asked. He definitely had not expected to see a furious vampire on his doorstep.
"You're going to leave Elissa and Adam alone once she's awake again!"
Michael snorted. "What are you talking about? I have done nothing to either of them!"
"In the Viewing Globe," Evanthe explained. "I saw how you were looking at Elissa."
"She is like a sister to me," Michael said, trying to soothe the vampire.
"I don't believe you!" Evanthe almost growled. She'd learned to trust her instincts over the past few centuries, and right now, they were screaming Michael couldn't be trusted. _Then again, I've known that since I first met him._
Michael shrugged. "Fine, you don't have to believe me," he sort of 'urked' as she seized him by the throat, letting her nails sink in. "I'm only going to say this once, so listen up," she hissed, her eyes blazing with fury. "If I catch you doing anything to hurt either of them, in any way, I will forget everything I ever learned about being a good vampire," her fangs flashed out suddenly. "Got it?" when he said nothing, she took it for assent and dropped him. "I'll have my eye on you!" she promised. She would let no outside forces interfere in her best friend's love life.
"Fine!" the werewolf king growled as Evanthe marched out of his house. His eyes glowed with a dark red light for a moment as he stared at a painting of Elissa he'd had done. "I will have her," he promised himself. He'd let her run free long enough. It was time to bring his chosen home. At any price.
Even the life of Adam Park.
Four months later, Adam sat in his room, staring at the bed he and Elissa had enjoyed such love on so many times. He sighed deeply, barely noticing his brother Ian in the doorway until he called his name.
"Yeah?" he glanced at the younger boy.
"What's the matter?" Ian wondered. "You look kinda down."
The Black Ranger shook his head. "Nothing."
"You sure?"
The elder Park boy shrugged. "I guess."
"Adam?" Ian frowned. "You don't sound so sure."
Adam sighed deeply, a sound that seemed to come from his very soul. "I miss her."
"Elissa?"
"She's been gone four months already," Adam nodded agreement with his brother's naming.
Ian wondered, "When is she coming back?"
"When she's better."
"Oh," Ian nodded. "I'm sure it won't take much longer."
Adam picked up his photograph of her and held it close to him, whispering his hopes that it would be soon. Words couldn't express his love for Elissa, his need for her, how much he wanted to be with her.
"You really love her."
"From the moment I saw her," Adam whispered, remembering that moment. She'd captured his heart in that moment, and if he had known everything then he did now about her, he knew he wouldn't have hesitated a single moment in accepting any of her offers.
"On that skiing trip," Ian grinned. "I wish I could've went with you then."
"You would've been bored."
His brother giggled a little. "Maybe I would've found a nice girl, too!" it was rather amazing how Adam and his best friend had found girlfriends on that same trip, ones it looked like they were going to be spending the rest of their lives with.
"What about that new Australian girl you keep talking about," Adam chuckled. Ian blushed a deep red at that.
"Kat," he nodded briefly. _Kat Hilliard,_ he thought to himself. _THE most gorgeous thing I've seen!_ "She's nice."
Adam nodded a little. "You like her," he turned away, whispering a bit. "Just don't do what Elissa and I did," _not that I regret it. But they're WAY too young._
"We won't," Ian promised. Adam looked at him, a trifle shocked; he didn't think Ian had heard him!
"How did you. . ."
Ian raised an eyebrow. "I have good ears," he reminded his brother. "And you two weren't exactly quiet!"
"Oh, man!" Adam blushed so red it wasn't funny. "I hope Mom and Dad didn't hear us!" his brother was quick to reassure him that they hadn't. Adam looked back at him. He had to tell someone. "Can you keep an important secret from them?" at Ian's nod, Adam continued. "She's pregnant," it was almost funny to see Ian's jaw drop like that. "She wasn't even supposed to be able to conceive children."
"Whoa," Ian breathed. "You're going to be a dad!"
Adam nodded. "Mom and Dad are going to hit the roof when they find out!"
"You know it!" Ian nodded heartily. This was. . .there were words for this!"
"I don't know if I'm ready for this," Adam sighed. _A family. Me, a father. Elissa, a mother. This is. . .I don't know what to think of this, really! I've been trying for two months, and can't figure out a thing!_
"Why'd you do it then?"
"She was told by some very reputable doctors that she'd never carry a child, because of the accident she was in with her parents," Adam wove the story Elissa had come up with to explain why she was alone, except for Evanthe. "She was told that her reproductive organs were destroyed. Apparently they were wrong," Adam picked up the stuffed wolf he'd planned on giving Elissa for their six month anniversary, and sighed deeply, tears in his eyes.
"Are you going to get married?"
Adam didn't even notice the question. "Ian, what am I going to do?" he wondered. "I don't even know if Elissa is coming back!"
"If?"
"It's been rough on her so far," Adam told him. The main story people had been told was that Elissa was sick and recovering somewhere private.
"Where is she, a hospital or something?" Ian wondered. Adam shrugged.
"I don't know, she wouldn't tell me."
His brother frowned. "That's weird."
Adam sighed deeply. "I don't even know if she wants anything to do with me at all," _We haven't talked. ...REALLY talked since before the accident. We need to so much. . .I need to know. . ._
"Whoa," Ian shook his head. "I thought you guys loved each other."
A knock came at the door, and as Adam went to open it, he said, "Sometimes love isn't enough."
"Hey, Adam," Evanthe said. She hadn't been taking Elissa's absence much better than he had; the werewolf had been her constant companion and only friend for a hundred years. Only being with Billy had made it any better.
"Hi," Adam said as he returned to his room, Evanthe following.
"You miss her," she stated quietly. She made a point to visit Adam every day, all the Rangers did. Adam nodded.
"I'm worried about her."
Evanthe glanced over to Ian carefully. "I'm sure she's okay," she said, not wanting to hint at anything. Adam shrugged a little.
"He knows she's pregnant," he closed his eyes, tears welling up behind them. Evanthe came over to him quietly and put a hand on his arm.
"She'll be back, Adam," she reassured him.
"I hope so."
"She will be," the vampire promised, no doubt at all in her voice. _She'd better be._
Both of them groaned lightly as their communicators went off. Evanthe muttered something vile as Adam burst into tears; he just couldn't face going into another fight without Elissa by his side. Evanthe took a deep breath. "We need to go, Adam," she said. "That meeting with the others, remember?"
Ian glanced at his watch suddenly. "Oh, man, I promised to go to the mall with Kat! See you guys!" he ran out; neither werewolf nor vampire noticed the small smile on his lips.
"Adam, it'll get your mind off her, at least."
"Or make me think of her even more," Adam sighed and touched his communicator. "This is Adam. What's Zedd doing now?"
TENGAS ARE ATTACKING CITIZENS IN THE PARK, RANGERS, YOU MUST GET THERE AT ONCE, Zordon reported. Adam sighed as he wiped away the tears.
"We're on our way."
Ninjor quietly moved around the temple, doing his usual activities to maintain the peace and quiet there. His main focus of attention, however, was the sleeping werewolf in one corner. For two months now he had watched over her, letting no one, not even Michael, interfere with her bonding with the child. She would be waking soon, but not even he knew when that would be.
His head came up as she moaned suddenly, and he almost ran over to her. He smiled to see her eyes flickering open. She was awake at last! "How are you feeling?" he asked softly.
"Ninjor?" she whispered hoarsely as her eyes tried to focus. "Thirsty," as he gave her some water, she glanced around a little. "How did I get here?"
"I brought you here," he was quieter and calmer than anyone had ever seen him before; this was a serious side to him it seemed. Elissa smiled a little as she touched her larger stomach.
"I always thought if I ever had a baby, it would be Jareth's not Adam's," she almost cried at the thought of her first love. "But I am thankful it's Adam's."
Ninjor nodded. "He loves you, very much."
"And I love him," Elissa said, her stomach suddenly rebelling against the water. Before she could hold it back, she had thrown up over the clean floor! As Ninjor quietly cleaned it up, she apologized. "I am so sorry!"
"It is to be expected," Ninjor told her. Elissa sighed deeply. If this was motherhood, she wasn't getting off to the best started. "You shouldn't be sick much longer," Ninjor promised.
She smiled a little. "I hope not. Can I go see Adam now?"
He shook his head. "Not just yet. A few more weeks," though she was awake, it would take a while before it would be safe for them to be together.
"I can't wait," she sighed. She wanted to be with him so badly!!
"It won't be much longer," Ninjor promised as she stood up. "Be careful," he told her as she began to relearn the use of her legs.
"I will be," she nodded. As Ninjor watched her walk, she asked, "How long have I been here?"
"About four months."
She whirled on him, almost falling. "Four months? I want to go home, please!"
He shook his head. "Not quite yet. "It's still too risky."
"Too risky?"
"Trust me," he asked her. Elissa shook her head, four months was far too long to be without the man she loved!
"I don't care!" she almost growled. "I miss Adam!"
"I know you do."
She grabbed for her wrist, where her communicator had lain since the moment Billy had given it to her. "I am going to take that risk!" her communicator was gone. She glared at Ninjor in rage.
"It could be fatal," Ninjor told her quietly, explaining how Adam's Ranger powers and being a werewolf bonded to her created a form of psychic interference with the bond she was forming with the child. If that bond was interfered with too much, it would cause the death of them both. Elissa sat back down on her bed and cried, unable to believe that the child she'd wanted for so long could kill her, if it's father came near her. "It won't be for much longer," Ninjor promised.
"I want to be with him," Elissa cried. "For eternity."
"You will be, soon," Ninjor nodded. Elissa held her stomach gently.
"I wonder what I am having," she smiled to herself; it didn't really matter that much.
"You'll find out in about five months," Ninjor promised her. Elissa barely heard him.
"I hope it's a girl."
"Perhaps it will be," Ninjor smiled as he started to prepare something for her to eat. "It will be a healthy baby," he promised. Elissa nodded.
"And a happy one," she could sense it's joy even now. _It
won't be long,_ she promised it mentally. _We'll all be together._
Adam stared into the lake, tears pouring down his cheeks. He couldn't take much longer without Elissa; she was everything in the world to him, and it looked like she was never coming back! Evanthe laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Adam, she'll be back!" she insisted. One thing the vampire had learned over her life was to have faith. Miracles literally did happen, that had been proven to her many times in the past six centuries, starting with her own escape from Girard and Sophie's 'family'.
"Why don't I believe that anymore?"
"Have faith," Evanthe insisted, glancing at the others. Her eyes widened briefly at a flash of rose light that appeared a few feet away from them. Adam, his back to everyone, didn't notice at all.
"Then where is she?" he insisted, heartbreak in his voice. He sighed. "I miss her so much." he sat straight up suddenly as familiar teeth nibbled his neck.
_Know of a private place where we can finish this?_
_Elissa?_
She popped her head over his shoulder smiling. "Yes?"
"You're back!" his jaw was practically on the ground in shock. She giggled.
"I'd better be!" she ran a finger down his neck. "I don't want anyone else nibbling on this neck!"
"Never!" Adam swore in pure excitement. "Wow!" his depression had vanished with the return of the woman he loved.
_Let's go back to your room,_ she whispered in his mind. _I think we have almost four months to catch up on!_
Adam nodded. "Let's go!"
Elissa grinned to the others as they headed for the Park house. "See
you all later!" she promised. Evanthe smiled. Her friend was home
at last.
Elissa pushed Adam down to the bed and smiled at him. "You are going to have to be gentle," she reminded him. Adam nodded.
"That's okay. I love you, Elissa," he drank in the sight before him; one he'd been convinced he'd never see again. As she laid down next to him, he smiled. "I got a present for you."
"You did?"
Adam nodded. "Yup! Close your eyes!" as she did so, he reached out and picked up the stuffed wolf, holding it so when she opened her eyes she'd see it. "Okay, open up!"
The light in her eyes almost blinded him as she smiled. "Oh, Adam!" she smiled and hugged both of them.
"Glad you like it," he chuckled.
"It's from you," she told him. "I love it even more!" she glanced at him. "Have you told your parents yet?"
He shook his head. "Not yet. Ian knows, though.
"How did he take it?"
"He was kind of surprised," Adam reported. "I didn't tell him everything of course. Just about you and me about to be parents."
Elissa leaned against him. "He knows what we've been doing in here then," she giggled. Adam nodded solemnly.
"He heard us."
"He what?" Elissa's eyes widened in shock, as Adam repeated it, then she had to laugh. It was either that or go pull Ian's head off and eat it.
Adam blushed. "We, um, are a bit loud at times."
Elissa poked at him a little. "You're the one who kept shouting 'wow'!" she reminded him. Adam blushed even deeper; Elissa wondered if it were possible for him to turn permanently red, he certainly seemed to be trying to!
"You were shouting other things," Adam pointed out. Elissa bit her lip.
"Okay, maybe your parents house wasn't the best place to do that," she agreed. Adam nodded. "Then again, I don't know of many places you could do that, but this," she began to kiss him passionately, making up for lost time.
Adam returned the kisses. "I love you, and I missed you."
"I've been awake for two weeks," Elissa told him through the kisses. Adam frowned a little.
"Why didn't you come back sooner?"
"Ninjor wouldn't let me," Elissa said with a touch of distaste. The last two weeks had been spent mainly learning how to walk and eat solid food again. She'd come back as soon as Ninjor had let her.
"I wish he had!"
Elissa began to kiss him, lower and lower on his body. "I tried."
"Glad you are back, though," Adam didn't know how he was able to speak as her kisses fired up his soul and heart and desires all at the same time.
Suddenly Elissa glanced up at him; then ran to the bathroom, hand over her mouth. Adam's lips twitched. "I hope that wasn't because of me!" he called out over the sound of her upchucking. "You okay?" he heard water running, then Elissa returned a few moments later.
"I think so," she said as she laid next to him. Adam put an arm around her.
"Good."
"I don't think we'll be doing anything for a while," she said as she began to run her fingers in a circular pattern on his chest.
"I know," Adam smiled as she continued to play with his chest. "I love that," he murmured, his fingers coursing through her hair. She stopped and looked at him, a serious look in her eyes. "What is it?"
"If we continue with that, we will be doing something!" she giggled. Adam nodded, smiling, as she snuggled against him and drifted off to sleep. He kissed her gently on the forehead, holding her as she slept.
Things were finally back to normal.
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