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No one really brought up the subject of Rose sleeping with Merrick not only to them but just in generally. However during the month she was home Merrick didn’t see anyone but her and despite his own rules on the subject found himself going on dates, actual dates, and staying the night often with her. And as the month drew closer to an end there was a level of apprehension from Merrick. The whole month he’d being letting himself get closer to Rose. It wasn’t just about sex anymore. And that scared the crap out of him. It scared Rose too that she was letting herself get this close to him knowing she’d have to leave again. It didn’t even matter to them that other people had seen them out on their dates, such as Gina and Sebastian seeing them having dinner together and running into Zoe as she was working the restaurant that night. Neither gave it much thought of being seen in public together. But neither realized that one of the waitresses as the restaurant, Michelle, was reporting back to her dear friend Jenna that she had seen Merrick on a date with Rose Howlett and they looked very lovey dovey. Which telling Jenna about this was probably not a good idea given that Jenna was one of the only girls that Merrick slept with who wanted to push him to be just hers. So to hear that he was giving the kind of attention she wanted to someone else drove her to formulate a rather devious, however stupid, plan.

Near the end of her time in Bayville and both Rose and Merrick didn’t want to think about it. So Merrick decided on a distraction from the inevitable goodbye. He took her to the animal shelter, after hours, to show her the animals he helped care for and more importantly show her one particular cat. So he introduced her to the large three year old orange tabby Maine Coon named Octopus. With very little effort on his part, Octopus doing most of the work by just being a big ball of lovey fluff Rose decided with permission from Billy and Atif that she was going to adopt Octopus and bring him to Cambridge with her. Thankfully the restrictions for taking an animal out of the country into the United Kingdom wasn’t too bad. So when Rose finally had to leave near the end of June she took Octopus with her. On the flight back her mind had kept going back to Merrick and the time she had spent with him. It wasn’t even just thinking about the fun they had in her hotel room, it was more about the other stuff. Like how he purred while they slept snuggled close in the bed, sharing food when they went out to dinner, meeting his Nana Hazel who apparently was a big fan of hers and felt certain that they should just be dating, running through the woods with him just for the fun of it, and getting a tour of the old haven that he’d transformed into his Aonair Mac Tíre business base of operations. She was so proud of him and that he really seemed to be doing so much better since the last time she saw him. And if even an ounce of what pushed him into this positive direction was her she’d not take the credit because all this was in him he just never let it come out.

The summer seemed to be a time for everyone to get out and do their own things. After graduation Blaire, against her dad’s wishes, decided that she wanted to spend the summer traveling the rodeo circuit with Tristan before starting Harvard Law in the fall. The first month was rather fun traveling from city to city getting to help set up and tend to the horses and then watch him ride in events and knowing that at the end of each night she’d get to snuggle close to him was the best part of it all. The first stop was only moderately awkward when she ran into Chris, the man Tristan slept with before realizing that he didn’t want or need anyone but her. But their conversation had been polite there wasn’t really any hard feelings. Sure part of her didn’t like that this man slept with Tristan but she couldn’t change it and it was in the past so all that mattered was she had Tristan 100%. She did notice as the month went on getting looks from others men and women alike when they saw her on his arm and kissing and generally just giving him affection when he wasn’t in an event. Tristan didn’t notice and seemed rather oblivious to people looking. He had just been thrilled that she was there with him. Though having the summer together was nice and proved that this wasn’t some fling. He knew her father figured that in the long run letting her spend the summer with him where she’d be around him all day every day she’d realize he’s not the one for her. But so far it was rather opposite. They were getting along really well she was proving very helpful around the rodeo with tending to the horses and making sure that his riding gear was all ready. He couldn’t actually remember a rodeo season he’d enjoyed more than this one he was getting to share with her.

Back in New York City Landon had just met up with the rest of his band members outside the coffee shop near Mitch’s place, his book bag on his back containing his tablet and his change of clothes for their gig that night and his sax case gripped firmly in his right hand. Ben walked up and laugh poking at the tear near the bottom of Landon’s black London Calling tee. “Seriously Landon why do you have a shirt with rips like this in it?”, Ben asked teasing. “Looks unprofessional.”, Gavin teased. Landon rolled his eyes. “I’m a musician right now I don’t need to look professional. This isn’t like a teaching gig. And don’t mock my shirt. I’ve had this since I was thirteen. It’s sentimental as is the tear thank you.”, Landon said slapping Ben’s hand away. “Well I can see by the fact it’s a tad snug on you, kid, that you’ve had it a long time but why is it sentimental?”, Mitch asked. “I was wearing this the day I turned my stepfather Mark into a shit lollipop when he threatened Rose and Cora Lee with a shotgun. It was the first time I used my powers on a person. It was also the last time I had to go to my egg donor’s house in Texas. I got the rip when climbing out my bedroom window with Cora Lee and Rose to get as far away as we could. So it’s sentimental because it reminds me of my freedom.”, Landon explained. “Oh god you are sentimental to still wear a shirt eight years later”, Jackson teased. “Oh leave him alone.”, Dan said. “Let’s just walk to the club so we can get some practice time in before the gig tonight.”, Mitch recommended.

As the group started walking down the city street they got a few looks. Landon carrying his sax his tattoo sleeves nearly fully exposed to the summer sun with just the t-shirt, his Blaze Halo logo which was just simply a halo on fire but his hung over a sax in full color on his outer right calf, and his outer left calf was the crown symbol of his university of Columbia got enough looks but add to that he was walking along side Ben with his drumsticks sticking out of his back pocket, Gavin with his guitar case slung over his shoulders against his back and Jackson carrying his trumpet case added to the looks being received by those who had to get out of their way to make room on the sidewalk. They came to a corner and stopped waiting for the light, in Landon’s peripheral he saw a familiar glimmer of red hair and quickly turned his head in the direction. And there standing very out of place like she had no idea why she was there was the same girl, at least he thought except she looked a couple years younger, from the coffee shop four years ago. It wasn’t just her sudden appearance on the city street or even that she looked younger than she did four years ago it was the shirt she was wearing. It was HIS, right down to the rip. “Guys…um I’ll catch up…something…just…later…”, Landon said separating from his band to approach the girl.

“Hey! Hey you! How do you have that shirt?”, Landon called heading in her direction. The young girl blinked those green-yellow eyes that had gone wide at the sight of him. “Un…”, she said but cut herself off and turned starting to run. “Hey wait! Kid!”, Landon called following her down the city streets. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to know what is going on.”, Landon tried to assure. He followed her around a corner and thought he had her as she’d stopped outside a shop bents slightly hands on her knees catching her breath. “Hey hold up!”, Landon shouted rushing over but stopped suddenly as the girl disappeared like the movies show a mirage fading out. “What the fuck is going on…”, Landon said turning and kicking the brick wall of the shop he was out front of. He leaned resting his head on the glass closing his eyes. “How did she do that? It didn’t look like any form of teleportation I’ve seen. I’ve gotta…I need to add that to my database.”, he said opening his eyes and starting to reach to take his bag off to get his tablet out but stopped as his eyes were locked on something shining under the summer sun in the front window of the shop. Landon blinked looking into the shop and past the shimmer to see it was an antique store and the shinning item that had held his attention was a diamond engagement ring in a silver setting where the area around the stone were made to look like a cascade of flowers in the metal. “That…is…it.”, Landon said leaving his bag on and picking up his sax case walking into the store.

“Excuse me. That ring in the window, how much and what size is it?”, Landon inquired. The shop keeper turned to look at him and looked to the window picking up the box bringing it over for Landon to look at. “Well it’s a size six and currently have it priced at a grand.”, the man answered. Landon took the box and carefully took out the ring looking at it all over, he could make something like this if he wanted but he had told himself that when it came to an engagement ring for Rachel he wouldn’t make it. He had known for a while Rachel was who he wanted to spend his life with, but hadn’t proposed because well he wanted to find the right ring. And by some weird series of events chasing after that girl he had found it. “A grand?”, Landon asked looking at the ring. “Yes that’s the price young man.”, he answered with a firm nod of his head. “How old is this ring, given you are an antique dealer?”, Landon asked. The keeper started to rummage through a cabinet and pulled out a worn envelop and then inside a document of authenticity. “This goes with the ring. It was made in England in 1893 by a jeweler called Charles Robert Ashbee, you can under magnification see the small crest with the brand of CRA. And that’s why it’s a bit more money.”, he explained. Landon looked at the certificate and then back to the ring carefully placing it into the box and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his cell and brought up his bank information. He’d been saving money since he was thirteen and started working at the flower shop and then saving even more when he started playing gigs. He got paid even better now that he worked almost regularly at the Cotton Club and a newer club called Cicada plus working the library at the university part time. He looked at his savings account and sighed before without a second through hit the transfer button and selected the amount of one thousand which took his savings account down to six thousand. It was worth it to him. “You take debit card?”, Landon asked putting his phone away and trading it for his wallet. The shop keep nodded and rang up the sale. Landon carefully placing the ring and its’ certificate into a compartment of his bag before racing off to meet up with the guys at the Cicada to tell them about finding the ring.

They of course were already there when he walked in. “Hey Junior what took you so long?”, Mitch teased sitting at his piano. “Yeah why did you run off?”, Ben asking sitting on his stool behind his drum kit. “I thought I saw someone I know…it’s weird. Anyways didn’t catch up to them. Instead found something way better and more important.”, Landon said setting his sax down and taking off his bag. “What?”, Jackson asked putting his trumpet together. Landon reached into the small compartment of his bag taking out the small ring box and popping it open. “This.”, Landon said showing the ring sitting in its box to the others. Gavin whistled as he checked the strings of his guitar looking at the ring. “You just turned twenty-one and she’s what eighteen and you want to pop the question while you are still in university?”, Dan asked leaning his bass back in its stand. “Would you marry her while still in college?”, Ben asked getting up to look at the ring better. “Proposing doesn’t mean you have to get married immediately.”, Mitch countered rising from the piano to look. “I’m aware I just turned twenty-one and she’ll be nineteen in January. That doesn’t matter. I love her and have known for a while that she’s who I want to be with forever. And so help me the first one of you to give me the line of you don’t marry the only girl you’ve dated, I’ll transfigure into something more useful to me like a watch or something. I told myself I wouldn’t make her a ring or propose till I found the ring that just screamed Rachel to me. I saw this and it blinded me with how beautiful and perfect it is just like she does. And like Mitch said we wouldn’t need to get married immediately. Probably would be a long engagement till after she graduates.”, Landon answered as the box was passed around to the guys.

“It’s very unique and pretty. I’m sure she’ll like it. You going to go all old school and go as her dad?”, Mitch asked handing the box back. Landon carefully placed the ring back taking out his tablet and bringing up his music writing program. “You’d think that’d be what I’ve planned. But I asked his permission to date her. I think the first and only person who gets a say in regards to us getting engaged is going to be Rachel. So Mister H be damned I’m not asking him if I may.”, Landon answered taking his stylist and starting to write on the tablet. “What are you doing now?”, Dan asked. “Writing out my proposal…”, Landon said not looking up. “Writing out your proposal? I mean isn't it just a ‘will you’?”, Jackson asked. Landon laughed and shook his head. “I don’t do anything easy or that generic man.”, Landon explained still writing out a song bobbing his head to the beat he was forming. “Gavin guitar me…”, Landon said bobbing his head a little still writing. Gavin raised an eyebrow but handed over his guitar. Landon set the tablet on his lap and took the guitar starting to strum out the notes that were in his head to make sure he liked how the melody was flowing. He nodded and set the guitar down getting back to the tablet still getting the music and lyrics in place. His band members and some of the club members watching the process unblinking. He grabbed the guitar again and worked out the next chord that was going through his mind and continued the process till he had his song complete. “Wow kid you’ve got talent.”, Mitch commented looking over Landon’s shoulder at the sheet music on the tablet. “Thanks.”, Landon said turning his tablet off so Mitch couldn’t see any more of the song. “Sorry Mitch but that’s for her only.”, Landon explained handing the guitar back to Gavin and then putting the tablet away. “Alright so let’s practice.”, Landon said getting out his sax.

Over in Bayville Merrick was busy putting a custom desk in the smaller bedroom in Zoe’s apartment for her. He got the filing cabinet in and was holding the large L shape slab piece of black walnut which was left natural which was a dark chocolate brown with dark streaks showing as the grain.“Hey Hellraiser get your Italian ass in here and help me!”, Merrick called. Zoe turned off the stove and moved the pan she’d been cooking putting a lid on it not wanting to burn anything as she went back to the bedroom and looked at him confused. She tried not to laugh seeing him slightly bent with one arm stretched over to hold the massive piece of wood on both sides. “Now what is my ‘Italian ass’ supposed to do?”, Zoe asked. “I’ll hold the top. I need you to get the legs in place. They are easy to install just twist into place. They are right over there. So if you could hurry this weighs a ton.”, Merrick instructed. Zoe nodded and grabbed the legs starting to twist them into place. “All done.”, she said moving out of the way. Merrick set the desk down in its place and ran a hand over the top. “There you go hellraiser on L shape desk. Made it out of black walnut so it’s very durable.”, he explained. She blinked and smiled running her hands over the desk. “God you make such amazing things!”, she said. “it is just beautiful.”, she walked over and hugged him around the neck. “I’m making dinner at the moment and I’ll then make some lunches too.”, she said. ‘Thank you.”, he said returning the hug.

“You are probably one of my favorite customers. Though that’s because you pay in food.”, Merrick teased. “I’m still basically robbing you.”, she laughed shaking her head. “Potato Potahto. Could be argued that despite it was her birthday present, I got paid in sex by Rose for that portable wine table.”, he laughed. “Which if I get sex for building things for her she’ll be my new favorite customer. No offense.”, Merrick said. “Oh I’m sure. My food isn’t probably that good.”, Zoe joked. “As close as food can get to mind blowing, leg numbing, too exhausted to breath sex.”, Merrick smirked. “Making me jealous.”, she said hitting his arm lightly. “Sorry? Imagine how I feel. I don’t’ get that level for sex again for a damn year.”, Merrick said frowning a little both in jest and serious at being reminded. “Oh poor baby.”, she said lightly touching his cheek. “I’ll feed you until you feel better.”, she laughed taking her hand back. “Yes take pity on me. I’m left with three options for sex. Two don’t even come close. The third well that just gets weird but still not close.”, Merrick laughed. “And I provide the friendship feel?”, she asked laughing. “Well given that screwing your Italian brains out is off the table of options…yes.”, he said with a wink. “Ugh still so sad. Amazing sex just sounds….awesome.”, she sighed. Merrick laughed and gave her a side hug. “Sorry. Tell your sister to dump my brother for one night.”, he teased. Zoe rolled her eyes and hit him playfully. “You know I wouldn’t do that.”, Zoe said. “I know just like I wouldn’t tell Sebastian to dump Gina just for a night. Plus we are friends and I, strangely, would rather have you as that than it get messed up by sex.”, Merrick said. “Aww you’re such a sweetheart.”, Zoe teased as his phone going off again.

She sighed and looked at him. “Do you need to get that? Or should I?”, she asked. Merrick rolled his eyes. “It’s Jenna…again. She’s called five times a day since Rose got into town and went up to seven since Rose left.”, Merrick explained. “Jesus, red flag.”, Zoe blinked. Merrick laughed. “Probably but not the most picky guy.”, he shrugged. She rolled her eyes. “You could land way better, even as numbers in your book.”, she said shaking her head. “Probably. She’s not the worse I’ve slept with. And she’s got this whole flexibility that works in her favor.”, he smirked. Zoe covered her ears jokingly. “Alright enough details.”, she chuckled. “What? It’s her one saving grace. But alright. I’ll not give details about my sex life. Poor innocent virgin like you shouldn’t hear such things.”, Merrick teased taking her hands off her ears. “Oh yes so innocent. At least I don’t need to hear mom and dad having sex since I moved here.”, Zoe laughed. Merrick laughed. “Why do you think I’m glad Jacob had the forethought to soundproof between levels. Mom and dad are upstairs. I don’t hear anything. Then downstairs are Jacob and Solangel along with Aislinn and David so again don’t hear them. Unless I get in late but then I just run upstairs quick.”, Merrick said. Zoe chuckled shaking her head. “All I can say is if my mom and cousin David are examples of the Bryant libido in their forties I am not going to be seeing a decrease.”, Merrick said with a laugh. “What did we just say we’d stop talking about?”, Zoe asked. “My sex life? Sorry..”, Merrick apologized. "As you should be. Take the call and I'll go finish dinner.", Zoe suggested as the phone went off again. Merrick shrugged getting out his phone as Zoe walked out of the room. Zoe returned to the meal she'd been making to let him answer his phone. Merrick ended up agreeing to meeting Jenna later, he didn't mention he was at Zoe's for dinner not wanting to deal with bullshit plus he didn't feel it was the place of any girl in his black book to know details about his life.

Across the ocean Skye and Donovan had stopped in at the cottage basically to discuss some recent anti mutant activity that happened while the others had been back in America. They knocked once then walked in smiling seeing their cousin getting down wine glasses while his boyfriend was getting a plate of snacks together as they'd been expected. "Ello mates.", Skye greeted giving her cousin and then Billy a kiss on the cheek on getting. "How was ya trip to da states?", Donovan asked snatching a small sausage from the tray and eating it. "Oh we had a good time. Rose however I think had the more eventful visit.", Billy teased looking to the living room area. Rose pinned to a chair with an extremely large orange fluffy object. Donovan and Skye both looked at the furry object with interest as they walked closer. "W'at is dat on yer lap lassie? ", Donovan questioned. Rose stuck her tongue out at Billy as she brought a hand over starting to pet Octopus who raised his large head looking with gold eyes at the visitors. "He is my new cat and his name is Octopus.", Rose grinned. "Dat ain't a cat, dat's a wee tiger.", Donovan said sitting down on the couch. "Cat. I saw him and fell in love.", Rose laughed scratching Octopus between the ears resulting a booming pur. "I still say it's debatable which sold her on the best beast. Octopus himself or the man who introduced them.", Atif teased bringing in the wine. Skye raised an eyebrow. "Dis da bloke who ya claimed ain't yer bloke?", Skye questioned sitting down. "Wait wat bloke?", Donovan asked confused. He looked from his twin to Rose. She shook her head. "Merrick isn't my bloke, Skye." She chuckled and continued to scratched Octopus. Billy rolled his eyes setting the tray down on the coffee table. "Not hers except for when she's in Bayville...", Atif teased. "Wait da bloke ya told mah sister is, to be polite, a tramp?", Donovan questioned.

She shook her head."Merrick isn’t mine when I'm there... Not only mine. He has a little black book of women he sees.", she defended. "Yeah which how many nights during our visit wasn't he in your hotel room?", Billy counted. Skye just smirked silently. She frowned. "Does it matter?", she asked. "Well no. Just kind of proving Arif's point that while in Bayville he was just with you.", Billy stated. "I know but there isn't a rule or anything. It just happened to turn out that way." She shook her head slightly. "Merrick and I are just friends. And he introduced me to this amazing fluffy man, huh Octopus?" She smiled, scratching the cat. Octopus's booming pur filling the room. "Oh aye just friends? Dose pictures Ah've seen on yer phone tell a different tale mate.", Skye interjected. Rose rolled her eyes but did smile a little. “So there are some benefits….”, Rose shrugged a little. “But still just friends otherwise. Now enough about my private life. What’s been going on while we were away. You’d said there was some trouble brewing. Let’s talk about that as it’s actually important.”, Rose suggested eager for a change in subject. “Oh alright. Let’s talk bout da trouble den. Rather not ‘ear more bout you in da Merrick bloke anyways.”, Donovan agreed. Skye rolled her eyes at her brother. “Fine. Well w’ile ya lot w’ere off in America dat group o humans we’d been running up against every now and again, dey established an official group callin’ demselves da Church of Humanity. Da have taken up da residence in an old Church of England ‘ere local and taking on closed churches all over da England and Scotland. Dey trying ta make demselves an official religious group. Since dey officially got established we’ve had hell of a time round ‘ere. Dere have been at least one attack against a mutant each week sometimes more. Just few days back we stepped in when da bloody heathens tried ta hammer a young mutant boy, he dinna look more dan fifteen, to a cross of all tings!”, Skye explained her collar and face turning a bit red with her anger as she went on.

Billy, Atif and Rose all went silent. Rose gulped back anger and a growl at this disturbing news. “I see….well if they’ve gotten officially established and are legally seen as a religion we can’t do too much about that, but we sure the hell can make sure we are out and about to protect people. This point forward at least two of us will go on patrol every night without fail.”, Rose said. The others nodded in agreement. “If we are going to do this Rose, to make the five of us an official team we are going to need a better base than our place. Plus to protect ourselves we need uniforms that can hide our faces. Like we did back at the Institute.”, Atif suggested. Rose sighed taking a breath thinking about it. “You’re right. Not really sure where we can setup here in the UK that would even come close to what we had at the institute.”, Rose said petting Octopus. “Call Landon.”, Atif stated. Which this got him weird looks. “Why? What does Landon have to do with anything happening over here?”, Rose asked. “He doesn’t have anything to do with it sure. But name one person that has a more detailed database of information than him. If there is somewhere here we can set up shop he’ll know it.”, Atif explained. Skye and Donovan raised their eyebrows. “Wat would Landon knew den?”, Donovan asked. “Landon is...well he’s an inquisitive type of man. Since we were kids he’s sought to know everything he can about mutants and with his access to the X-Men database he knows more than most do. Alright I’ll call him see if he’s got any suggestions or leads that would help.”, Rose explained reaching for her cell and made the call. At least there wasn’t the weirdness anymore. She was okay and happy for him that he’d found love with Rachel and he knew about her sleeping with Merrick and just like the night she got caught kissing Merrick Landon backed her on it saying she should do whatever will make her happy.

Landon was on a break between sets drinking some water when his phone went of. “Rose?”, He questioned reaching for his phone. The other members of the band raising an eyebrow. “Hey Rose. What’s up?”, Landon greeted answering the phone. “Hope I’m not interrupting something, you sound a tad um out of breath.”, Rose greeted teasing slightly. Landon laughed. “Oh trust me if it was something along those lines I wouldn’t have answered the phone. No I just got into the green room at the club. Boys and I are in between sets. So what do I owe the pleasure of my best friend calling all the way from Cambridge?”, Landon laughed taking another sip of his water. Rose laughed shaking her head. “I’m calling on business actually. You of course know what me, Billy and the Kearney cousins have been up to over here across the pond.”, Rose said. Landon nodded. “Oh yeah what we were raised and trained to do, protect people. So how might I a humble history teacher in training, or well sax player tonight, be of service?”, Landon asked. “A new ‘religious’ organization has officially taken root here. They call themselves..”, Rose was explaining. “Church of Humanity? they’ve gone legit? Well shit.”, Landon interrupted. Rose blinked. “You know? How do you know?”, Rose questioned. Landon laughed. “I’m me, of course I know. They have smaller footholds here in the states, mostly in the midwest and south. Forge has a whole file on them that I’ve read a few dozen times.”, Landon explained. “Of course. You know for someone who plans to not continue being a hero you sure do keep up to date.”, Rose pointed out. Landon smiled. “Well I might be a team leader anymore but doesn’t mean I stop caring. Now what can I do for you in regards to them? I can send you a copy of the database I’ve currently go on the group.”, he offered. “Well that would be a great start. But well if we are going to really do any good over here we need a base of operations and a way of doing this where our identities are kept safe. Like how the X-Men do. Ideas?”, Rose asked.

“Hm… hold on.”, Landon reached for his bag pulling out his tablet and getting into his database. “Alright here we go this should be of use. Old team called Excalibur, defuncted even before I was born, ran out of Muir Island off the coast of Scotland. Place was established by Professor Xavier’s colleague a human who was on our side named Doctor Moira MacTaggert, she died ten years ago. But all the information I have on Muir Island shows yes the tech is a bit dated but it’s all form Forge so it’s still operation and kick ass.”, Landon said. “Muir Island? Hmm but off Scotland how will that be easy for us. I mean Skye can fly but…”Rose said thinking. The others just listening to her half of the conversation wondering what was fully being discussed. “Oh well see the fun of that is Muir Island has a very interesting piece of tech and I don’t just mean the jet, not as awesome as the x-jet but still awesome. No the cool tech is actually a teleportation device. I’m sending you the intel now. Check out Muir Island and see if it can suit your needs. Let me know if you need more information or if I should let Forge know you may require some tech upgrades.”, Landon explained. “Wow...um that actually sounds pretty awesome. We’ll check it out. Thanks Landon. You are always there for me.”, Rose said. Landon laughed. “Always have and always will Rose. Talk to you soon. Tell the guys hi. I’ve gotta hit the stage. I’ll call you soon might have some news .”, Landon said smiling thinking about the engagement ring in his bag. “Alright. Well thanks for the intel. Night Landon have a good set.”, Rose said hanging up.

The other four looked at her waiting. “Landon suggests Excalibur, defuncted mutant organization from over twenty years ago. They had a base off the coast of Scotland called Muir Island. Landon says it’s teched out like Atif and I are used to just maybe a bit out of date. So I say this weekend we check it out see if it can suit our needs. Landon seems certain it will.”, Rose said. Aitf nodded. “Well Landon is rarely wrong about this kind of stuff. Soo…”, Atif said handing out the glasses of wine and holding his up. “Excalibur?”, Atif questioned looking at the group. Billy smiled and raised in glass. “Excalibur.”, Billy agreed. In his mind Billy laughed a little at the idea that as the son of Wanda Maximoff he was about to become an official member of a team of heros. “Excalibur.”, Skye said smiling and nudged her brother. “Aye, Excalibur. Wat ya say fearless leader?”, Donovan asked raising his glass looking to Rose. Rose sighed and nodded raising her glass. “Excalibur.”, Rose agreed. As their glasses clinked octopus raised his head and let out a meow. Rose was thinking about what she’d just agreed to. To take on the leadership role of a whole new team. A team separate from the X-Men. She considered talking to Duncan about the formation of the team, but she decided against it he was a controlling person and this was not his team. No as she looked at the faces of her friends she knew that this was not the X-Men this was her team and her team alone.

Landon had taken the rest of the week to plan everything for the proposal and made sure not to tell any of the housemates because he didn’t want them to hint at it to Rachel. The night was finally upon him and he realized he need to get everyone else out of the house for a while. Rachel he at least knew would be at work which would give him time to at least clean up and set up. “GUY! CAN YOU COME TO THE LIVING ROOM!”, Landon shouted up the stairs to get the attention of his housemates. He patiently waited as they came down curious what he wanted. “What’s up?”, Cora Lee asked. “Sooo...I need you all to leave. Like now and not come back for...say four hours.”, Landon said simply. “Excuse me? You want us all to leave and not come back for four hours?”, Ashley asked folding her arms across her chest. “Yeah. That’s the jist of it.”, Landon nodded. “What do you need four hours alone for?”, Tommy asked. “Well not alone, Rachel’s at work and will be home in about an hour. So what you think you’ll take three hours? Granted that’s if it went anywhere since the last four years have all stopped hard at first base.”, Lily pointed out. Landon rolled his eyes. “One my sex life isn’t your business. And two if we are going to give guesstimates on how long a male Bryant can last in bed we can either call my mom or maybe Rose to figure out an average. Now all of you get out, please.”, Landon said pointing to the door. Malcolm and Tommy laughed at the suggestion of calling Rose but both got annoyed looks from Cora Lee and Lily who still were certain how they felt about Rose and Merrick being friends with benefits. “Come on, we’ll go out to and do something.”, Ashley suggested heading for the door. The others shrugged and walked out. With the last of them out the door Landon hurried to clean the house, get the terrace set up and, despite not being sure if it was going to be necessary, and checked the expiration of the box of condoms he bought over a month ago. He hadn’t ever really told Rachel about that he bought condoms, but he’d been buying them since she moved into the house as a precaution and when they got to be five months old he just gave them to Lily as she’d get a use of them.

Rachel sighed a little as she walked up the stairs to the house, having just finished a long shift working at Butler Library. She hadn’t even noticed that all the lights were off despite it only being 6:30. It was when she walked in and locked the door that she noticed there was a stillness in the house. “Guys?”, Rachel called out into the dark. Nazir moved along her back and up to her shoulder and then down her arm to be able to see what was going on. The only sound Rachel or Nazir could hear the the thud of her woven wedge sandals on the marble floor. Rachel frowned a little sipping her gold cuff bracelet as she often did over the last five years when nervous. She turned on the lights thinking someone was going to pop out and shout surprise or something, but still no where there. However she did notice that the house seemed unusually clean. She ventured further and noticed on a console table in the hall various height candles burning and a card that simply said Rachel on the outside. She smiled as she got closer and recognized the uniquely elegant cursive to be Landon’s. The house was mysteriously empty, and now she finds a card surrounded by candles. “Landon is up to something, and it’s gotta be go I’m thinking Nazir.”, Rachel said picking up the card which inside simply said ‘Come to the Terrace’. “Well let's go see what Landon has planned.”, Rachel said setting the card down and doing a quick check of her denim navy wrap dress before venturing in the direction of the first floor terrace. As she got closer to the glass french doors she saw just a shadowed figure sitting in the middle of the terrace.

Tilting her head to the side curiously she pushed open the doors. “Landon?”, she questioned but as the doors swung open the terrace lit up with tiny soft yellow lights that had been strung across the walls. She blinked and looked to the center of the terrace to see Landon sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar over his shoulder held on his lap and just off to the side of him a second stool with a clear vase of water containing a single white day lily that just from first glance had the same gold pattern the one he gave her at the masquerade ball had. She smiled brightly looking around before letting her blue eyes fall back to him. ‘God he looks good.’, she thought to herself looking him over in his fitted dark gray short sleeve dress shirt that showed his sleeve tattoos and his thin black tie paired with dark blue jeans and cap toe black oxford shoes. “What’s going on?”, Rachel asked walking closer. Landon held up a hand pressing his index finger to his lips. “Questions can be asked after. First just let me do this okay.”, He said softly fighting the lump in his throat. Rachel nodded and waited to see what exactly Landon had up his sleeves tonight. Whatever it was she assumed there would be music which she was happy to hear him play. He had a talent when it came to play instruments, his hands just found it so easy to pick up an instrument and play it. And his voice she’d always enjoyed going back to when she was mucher younger and she’d hear him sing even before Meddling Kids was formed. So she waited and placed her hands forward lacing her fingers together.

Landon took a breath and kept his eyes locked on her as he started to play the soft melody on the guitar he’d borrowed from Gavin. “All I am, all I’ll be. Everything in this world. All that I’ll ever need is in your eyes shining at me. When you smile I can feel all my passion unfolding.”, he sang soft and clear. Rachel smiled biting her bottom lip a little realizing he’d written a song for her. “A hundred and five is the number that comes to my mind. When I think of all the years I want to spend with you. Waking every morning with you in my bed. In my world before you I lived outside my emotions. Didn’t know where I was going. Until that day, I chose you. How you opened my life to a new paradise.”, he continued not once looking away from her eyes. Rachel’s eyes looked as if they were about to tear, which they were finding the song so sweet. “How many girls in the world could make me feel like this? I don’t ever plan to find out. The more I look the more I find reasons why you’re the love of my life. In a world torn by change. Our love still remains. When your hand brushes mine, a thousand sensations seduce me. And I know. If I lost everything, in my heart it’d mean nothing. Because I have you. I have you in my life. Nothing else could be better than how I feel in this moment.”, he continued on signing standing up and carefully lifting the guitar off his shoulders and leaning it on the stool as he reached into his pocket. Rachel raised an eyebrow as he moved and stopped playing the guitar. “So I’m here down on bended knee to finally ask, will you marry me?”, he sang acapella getting to one knee and bring up the small black box opening it to display the ring before her.

Rachel felt her heart stop as he got down on one knee and let out a gasp bringing her hands to her mouth when the box opened at the moment he asked the question. “Oh my god...Landon…”, she managed to say looking from him to the ring and back again tears now starting to go down her cheeks. “Rachel Farah Howlett, I love you and I have known for a while that you are my forever. So what is your answer?”, Landon questioned. Rachel nodded softly. “Yes… my answer is yes.”, Rachel said smiling wiping the tears with the back of her hands. Landon smiled taking the ring from the box standing up talking her left hand and slipping the ring onto her finger kissing her hand. "I can't... can't believe that this happened. This ring is so beautiful.", Rachel gushed putting her arms around his neck kissing him letting the kiss linger. "Where's everyone else? Did they know you were proposing?", Rachel asked though in the back of her mind she had an ulterior motive for wanting to know the location of their housemates. "Mmm.. No they didn't know. Only the band knew. And I kind of kicked them out for this. Because this was something I wanted to just be us.", he explained. "So how long are we alone?", she inquired. "About another two and a half hours. Why?", Landon asked with a smirk wrapping his arms around her slender waist.

Rachel smiled and kissed him again lightly biting his bottom lip as she pulled back. "Mmm... You should probably not do that.", Landon said softly. "Not do what? This?", she asked repeating. Landon nodded. "Why?", she asked knowing the answer well enough from four years of kissing him. "You know why.", Landon said. "Don't start things you don't have a mind to finish.", he added. Rachel smiled bringing her hands from around his neck to take his hand on hers. "And what if I said I've the mind to finish what I start?", Rachel teased but serious. "Really? Had figured you'd want to hold off till we get married.", Landon said a little surprised but smiling. "We've waited four years. I don't know about you but I'm not going to wait another six to be with you. So... fiancé care to celebrate for the next two and a half hours in our room?", Rachel answered walking backwards to the doors holding his hand still. Landon raised an eyebrow following her back into the house closing the terrace doors behind him which turned off the lights. “I think that could be arranged…”, he said taking his hand from hers and pulling her closer backing her against a wall. “Against the wall?”, Rachel questioned feeling the wall. Landon smirked. “Oh this isn’t the end game, just a starting point….”, he teased kissing her letting his tongue run across her lips. Rachel let out a soft sigh as her lips parted and greeted his tongue with hers. Landon’s arms slid lower down her sides and reached slightly under the hem of her dress to grip her thighs lifting her up, his hands slipping higher up her dress to hold her waist resulting in a slight gasp from Rachel into his mouth.

Four years later and still kissing her, especially like this, drove him crazy wanting more and for the first time he was going to get more. The connection between Rachel and Nazir allowed for emotions to be felt and this happened to be an emotion the dragon was not up for feeling this and pulled away from the skin of her arm and grew to the size of a cocker spaniel walking away to go find something to eat. Neither Rachel or Landon even paid attention to Nazir taking his leave of their company. They were both too focused on each other for that. Rachel’s arms wrapping right around Landon’s neck her fingers running up into hair tightening slightly as she enjoyed the feel of his hands against her bare thighs. This wasn’t exactly a first for him to have her against a wall kissing but on top of her regular butterflies that he gave her there was something more this time, this time there was eager anticipation knowing that this was going to result in something further. Her legs tightened wrapping around his waist wanting him closer. She pulled back from the kiss only slightly a thought having crossed her mind. “So...do we have protection for this endeavor?”, Rachel asked in a whisper against his ear. Landon smiled. “So confession. I’ve buying condoms since you moved in then after a months of no use gave them to Lily. Which means yes, there is an unopened box in my nightstand.”, Landon admitted. Rachel laughed a little. “We think alike.”, she laughed. Landon raised an eyebrow. “I have a box in my nightstand just because I never trust myself to tell you no.”, Rachel admitted blushing a little. Landon laughed. “That is… alright so we are covered. Now back to what we were doing.”, he said going back to kissing her.

He moved his hands a little to grip tightly on her well rounded ass, getting a squeak from her, as he moved her away from the wall and carried her upstairs to their room. Well, for her dad’s sake it was called his bedroom but really she’d not really spent more than a couple nights at most in her own bed. Within the last year of sharing a bed with her Landon had enjoyed just having to there next to him and how the way they slept was like to piece of a whole. He always slept on his right side and so does she so at night he’d get to snuggle close to her with her in his arms as her form fit perfectly against him. As he closed the door behind them the small thought passed through both their minds, after this night they were no longer just dating instead they were fiances and after tonight neither would be virgins. Both had probably thought of this many times over the years, Landon knew what he wanted to do to her and since they had the alone time he was going to take his time with this. He laid her down upon the bed pulling back from the kiss. Rachel kicked off her sandals as he started kissing down her neck and then down along the V neckline of her wrap dress. “Mmmm…. Landon..”, she moaned softly arching up to the kisses. Landon smiled as he reached the point of the dress’ neckline as he reached up and untied the thick piece of ribbon that held the dress closed over her frame. “So to have a final check, we are one hundred percent certain we aren’t stopping?”, Landon asked looking up at her face as his hand held the dress like a kid on Christmas eager to unwrap the gift he’d been waiting for.

Rachel smiled looking at him reaching for his face running a hand over his cheek. God that look in his eyes, that sparkle of the eagerness mixed with that smoldering appear of a man in love how had she’d been saying no this long? Then she looked at the hand on his face and the diamond shining on her ring finger feeling the weight of the silver upon her hand and remembered she wanted to wait till she knew this was for sure going to be the forever she wanted. “I am certain. I love you Landon Rouse Bryant and I’ve no plans of stopping tonight because I want this too.”, Rachel said softly. That was the confirmation he needed as he pulled back the fabric of her dress a wide smile spread across his lips rubbing them together looking down at her. His ocean blue eyes slowly taking it all in, the robin's egg blue strapless micro-knit bra with a polka dot print and contrast black lace trimming and matching hipster style panties the shade of blue a beautiful contrast to her bronze Egyptian skin. "God you're beautiful....", Landon sighed leaning back to her kissing at her chest along the top of the bra one hand softly rubbing against her stomach the other reaching around her back unclasping the bra. His hand tossed the bra aside his mouth moving to kiss, suckle, lick, and even softly nibble at her breasts. Rachel bit at her lip moaning at the new sensation.

He'd talked about wanting to do things like this to her and she'd found the mere words arousing and now experiencing the actions words hadn't fully described. Landon smiled against her soft breast hearing her moaning. The hand that had removed the bra massaged at her other breast letting his thumb and index finger lightly pinch at the nipple. His other hand made its way down her stomach and slipped into her panties his fingers rubbing small circles at her clitoris before sliding one digit at a time into her and began to press in and out. Rachel moaned and the arched as her body responded to his touch. "God those hands. I feel like I'm being played like one of your instruments.", she moaned. Landon laughed softly kissing down her stomach. "Maybe but I've never known an instrument to make the noises you are my love.", he teased. Rachel reached down and gave his hair a playful tug. Landon smiled and pressed a little harder into her which got a louder cry and a less playfully tug of his hair. He brought his hand out of her panties to the slight whimper. "Don't worry I'm not done.", Landon soothed grabbing the waistband of her underwear and pulling them down, Rachel raising her hips as help. Landon leaned away letting his eyes drink in the full sight of her naked on his bed and find himself not just smiling but living his lips a little. "Wow....", was all he managed to say. Rachel blushed now fully exposed before him.

"Your turn. You've seen me now I want to see you.", Rachel said sitting up on her elbows looking at him where he knelt on the bed at her side. Landon smiled and got off the bed. "Alright, not like these won't have to come off eventually ", Landon agreed. Rachel watched and waited sure she'd seen him shirtless a number of times at this point but she still always enjoyed seeing it. And yes she'd taken health class and seen movies with male nudity but this was real, this was Landon, and he was all hers. Landon was slow and intentional as he disrobed. First taking of his tie tossing it to her. 'That might come in handy later.", Landon commented with a wink. Rachel caught the thin black tie and wrapped it around her hands before setting it on the nightstand. Next he simply slipped out of his shoes and socks before starting to unbutton his shirt. As more of his shirt was unbuttoned his tattoos were revealed. The full Chinese zodiac sleeve on his right arm, the full Celtic tree of life on his left, the Arabic 'joy' across his heart and the white dragon designed after Nazir that ran the length of his ribs on his left side were first to be revealed then as he took the shirt off the crow and raven upon his shoulders and the full back piece representing Meddling Kids were exposed.

Rachel smiled her eyes looking over each tattoo and moved from her spot on the bed letting her arms slip out of the sleeves of her wrap dress to kneel on the edge of the bed reaching over and tracing first the Arabic tattoo then the outline of his abs. Landon closed his eyes as her delicate fingers moved over him. He cupped the sides of her face. "Your face is my heart and the love of you my soul.", he whispered softly kissing her softly. "God you have a way with words.", she answered as he pulled his lips back from hers. "Which is why I'm a good musician. Now back to the task at hand.", Landon smiled taking his hands away to unbutton his jeans. "Let me...", she said swatting his hands away her hands trembled slightly as she unbuttoned and then unzipped the jeans. Landon let his hands instead run along her sides letting her deal with his jeans. A small smirk across his lips as she grabbed the waist of his jeans and with a light tug they fell to the floor leaving him standing in just his black boxerbriefs, his Blaze Halo and Columbia University calf tattoos now visible. Rachel smiled looking down easily seeing the bulge at the front of his underwear. Timidly she grasped the waistband of his boxerbriefs and pulled them down. Landon tried to not blush his neck getting a little red now that he was standing there completely naked in front of her.

Rachel smirked a little seeing him starting to be blush as she looked him over. “Wow..”, she said giving the same response he had given her as she wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him closer kissing him. Her other hand trailed down to grasp him and stroke getting a moan from him into her mouth. He grabbed her waist and moved her back down onto the bed lying beside her letting his hand moved back down between her legs returning the attention she was giving him. He pulled back from their kiss and started once more kissing down her body. He’d had someone in mind and he wasn’t going to be deterred as he got lower and moved between her legs replacing his hand with his mouth. It may have been the first time he’d done, well any of this but some things just come naturally and having gotten a look at the little book of trade secrets that Azriel gave Ashley and Atif helped too. And between the way he felt her body move under his tongue, the soft cries and that she kept gripping at his hair he was doing something right. “Ooo….Landon…”, Rachel cried out. Landon raised his head from his work and kissed at her inner thighs before moving back up her body and reached for his nightstand and the unopened box of condoms contained inside. “I still can’t believe we both had boxes but neither looked at the other’s nightstand.”, Landon commented as he opened the wrapper getting the condom on. “Great minds think alike.”, Rachel teased rubbing her legs along his sides butterflies of eager anticipation in the pit of her stomach. Landon smiled softly at her. “So last chance to stop…”, he said. “I don’t want to stop.”, Rachel said simply. And with one movement there was officially no going back for either of them. Neither of them cared about anything going on outside of their room or thought twice about their volume.

Downstairs Nazir was laying on the sofa his head covered by a pillow as he was trying to drown out the sounds of his master and ignore the feelings that their bond was letting him experience. The others didn’t wait the full four hours and returned early wanting to know what was going on. As they walked out they all stopped seeing Nazir on the couch and they could faintly hear the sounds of Rachel and Landon’s voices being carried down the stairs. Cora Lee’s eyes went wide as she started to slowly back to the door. “Okay so we should all just run now. They apparently didn’t expect us back yet…”, Lily said also backing away like her cousin.Tommy and Malcolm shrugged and headed back out the front door with their girlfriends, Ashley close behind them. “So...wonder what exactly happened tonight. Cause doesn’t sound like waiting for marriage was happening.”, Tommy commented. Malcolm laughed glancing to the pale faces of the girls who because how well they had known Landon found the whole hearing him and Rachel having sex disturbing. “Oh come on guys. Don’t look like that. One they thought they had the house to themselves. Imagine how loud you’d get Cora Lee if you knew it was just the two of us. Christ there were plenty of times at the Academy I seriously considered just gagging you so we didn’t get caught.”, Malcolm teased kissing Cora Lee’s neck. Cora Lee shook her head. “I suppose. I mean I just didn’t really think they would actually be having sex when he kicked us out of the house. Rachel was raised in the mindset to wait for a ring.”, Cora Lee said as they sat on the steps to the house.

Mitch and the rest of the band were walking up and in Mitch’s hand two bottles of champagne. “Hey we early or late for the celebration?”, Mitch asked. “Celebration? Cause if you mean what is going on in the house right now, I think that’s a closed door party between Landon and Rachel.”, Tommy said pointing to the house. Ben laughed. “Well looks like it did go his way tonight. Good for him.”, Dan said. “So what's with the champagne?”, Ashley asked. “We were giving Landon some time, for obvious reasons before coming over. But we didn’t exactly doubt Rachel would say yes to his marriage proposal.”, Jackson explained. “Marriage?”, Cora Lee asked. “Yup he found the ring Tuesday and had been planning tonight all week. And I’ll assume by the fact they are inside alone she not only accepted by decided to pass on the waiting for the wedding night.”, Gavin explained. “Wait so he proposed? OH MY GOD! This is GREAT! I mean I had little doubt that Rachel would end up being my sister-in-law but now it’s official!”, Cora Lee said smiling. “So how did you guys know but we didn’t?”, Lily asked. “Because he got the ring on the way to our practice at the Cicada. He showed it to us, it’s a really nice ring. And then he sat there and wrote a song for her. He wouldn't let us see it. Something about it is only meant for her. You know Landon when he gets on that romantic mindset.”, Ben explained. The others nodded. “So we’ll just I guess sit here and wait till they are done with their private celebration. Shouldn’t disturb engaged people while they are occupied.”, Mitch said. The others nodded in agreement and instead the group just left deciding to come back later to celebrate with the happy couple.

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No one really brought up the subject of Rose sleeping with Merrick not only to them but just in generally. However during the month she was home Merrick didn’t see anyone but her and despite his own rules on the subject found himself going on dates, actual dates, and staying the night often with her. And as the month drew closer to an end there was a level of apprehension from Merrick. The whole month he’d being letting himself get closer to Rose. It wasn’t just about sex anymore. And that scared the crap out of him. It scared Rose too that she was letting herself get this close to him knowing she’d have to leave again. It didn’t even matter to them that other people had seen them out on their dates, such as Gina and Sebastian seeing them having dinner together and running into Zoe as she was working the restaurant that night. Neither gave it much thought of being seen in public together. But neither realized that one of the waitresses as the restaurant, Michelle, was reporting back to her dear friend Jenna that she had seen Merrick on a date with Rose Howlett and they looked very lovey dovey. Which telling Jenna about this was probably not a good idea given that Jenna was one of the only girls that Merrick slept with who wanted to push him to be just hers. So to hear that he was giving the kind of attention she wanted to someone else drove her to formulate a rather devious, however stupid, plan.

Near the end of her time in Bayville and both Rose and Merrick didn’t want to think about it. So Merrick decided on a distraction from the inevitable goodbye. He took her to the animal shelter, after hours, to show her the animals he helped care for and more importantly show her one particular cat. So he introduced her to the large three year old orange tabby Maine Coon named Octopus. With very little effort on his part, Octopus doing most of the work by just being a big ball of lovey fluff Rose decided with permission from Billy and Atif that she was going to adopt Octopus and bring him to Cambridge with her. Thankfully the restrictions for taking an animal out of the country into the United Kingdom wasn’t too bad. So when Rose finally had to leave near the end of June she took Octopus with her. On the flight back her mind had kept going back to Merrick and the time she had spent with him. It wasn’t even just thinking about the fun they had in her hotel room, it was more about the other stuff. Like how he purred while they slept snuggled close in the bed, sharing food when they went out to dinner, meeting his Nana Hazel who apparently was a big fan of hers and felt certain that they should just be dating, running through the woods with him just for the fun of it, and getting a tour of the old haven that he’d transformed into his Aonair Mac Tíre business base of operations. She was so proud of him and that he really seemed to be doing so much better since the last time she saw him. And if even an ounce of what pushed him into this positive direction was her she’d not take the credit because all this was in him he just never let it come out.

The summer seemed to be a time for everyone to get out and do their own things. After graduation Blaire, against her dad’s wishes, decided that she wanted to spend the summer traveling the rodeo circuit with Tristan before starting Harvard Law in the fall. The first month was rather fun traveling from city to city getting to help set up and tend to the horses and then watch him ride in events and knowing that at the end of each night she’d get to snuggle close to him was the best part of it all. The first stop was only moderately awkward when she ran into Chris, the man Tristan slept with before realizing that he didn’t want or need anyone but her. But their conversation had been polite there wasn’t really any hard feelings. Sure part of her didn’t like that this man slept with Tristan but she couldn’t change it and it was in the past so all that mattered was she had Tristan 100%. She did notice as the month went on getting looks from others men and women alike when they saw her on his arm and kissing and generally just giving him affection when he wasn’t in an event. Tristan didn’t notice and seemed rather oblivious to people looking. He had just been thrilled that she was there with him. Though having the summer together was nice and proved that this wasn’t some fling. He knew her father figured that in the long run letting her spend the summer with him where she’d be around him all day every day she’d realize he’s not the one for her. But so far it was rather opposite. They were getting along really well she was proving very helpful around the rodeo with tending to the horses and making sure that his riding gear was all ready. He couldn’t actually remember a rodeo season he’d enjoyed more than this one he was getting to share with her.

Back in New York City Landon had just met up with the rest of his band members outside the coffee shop near Mitch’s place, his book bag on his back containing his tablet and his change of clothes for their gig that night and his sax case gripped firmly in his right hand. Ben walked up and laugh poking at the tear near the bottom of Landon’s black London Calling tee. “Seriously Landon why do you have a shirt with rips like this in it?”, Ben asked teasing. “Looks unprofessional.”, Gavin teased. Landon rolled his eyes. “I’m a musician right now I don’t need to look professional. This isn’t like a teaching gig. And don’t mock my shirt. I’ve had this since I was thirteen. It’s sentimental as is the tear thank you.”, Landon said slapping Ben’s hand away. “Well I can see by the fact it’s a tad snug on you, kid, that you’ve had it a long time but why is it sentimental?”, Mitch asked. “I was wearing this the day I turned my stepfather Mark into a shit lollipop when he threatened Rose and Cora Lee with a shotgun. It was the first time I used my powers on a person. It was also the last time I had to go to my egg donor’s house in Texas. I got the rip when climbing out my bedroom window with Cora Lee and Rose to get as far away as we could. So it’s sentimental because it reminds me of my freedom.”, Landon explained. “Oh god you are sentimental to still wear a shirt eight years later”, Jackson teased. “Oh leave him alone.”, Dan said. “Let’s just walk to the club so we can get some practice time in before the gig tonight.”, Mitch recommended.

As the group started walking down the city street they got a few looks. Landon carrying his sax his tattoo sleeves nearly fully exposed to the summer sun with just the t-shirt, his Blaze Halo logo which was just simply a halo on fire but his hung over a sax in full color on his outer right calf, and his outer left calf was the crown symbol of his university of Columbia got enough looks but add to that he was walking along side Ben with his drumsticks sticking out of his back pocket, Gavin with his guitar case slung over his shoulders against his back and Jackson carrying his trumpet case added to the looks being received by those who had to get out of their way to make room on the sidewalk. They came to a corner and stopped waiting for the light, in Landon’s peripheral he saw a familiar glimmer of red hair and quickly turned his head in the direction. And there standing very out of place like she had no idea why she was there was the same girl, at least he thought except she looked a couple years younger, from the coffee shop four years ago. It wasn’t just her sudden appearance on the city street or even that she looked younger than she did four years ago it was the shirt she was wearing. It was HIS, right down to the rip. “Guys…um I’ll catch up…something…just…later…”, Landon said separating from his band to approach the girl.

“Hey! Hey you! How do you have that shirt?”, Landon called heading in her direction. The young girl blinked those green-yellow eyes that had gone wide at the sight of him. “Un…”, she said but cut herself off and turned starting to run. “Hey wait! Kid!”, Landon called following her down the city streets. “I don’t want to hurt you. I just want to know what is going on.”, Landon tried to assure. He followed her around a corner and thought he had her as she’d stopped outside a shop bents slightly hands on her knees catching her breath. “Hey hold up!”, Landon shouted rushing over but stopped suddenly as the girl disappeared like the movies show a mirage fading out. “What the fuck is going on…”, Landon said turning and kicking the brick wall of the shop he was out front of. He leaned resting his head on the glass closing his eyes. “How did she do that? It didn’t look like any form of teleportation I’ve seen. I’ve gotta…I need to add that to my database.”, he said opening his eyes and starting to reach to take his bag off to get his tablet out but stopped as his eyes were locked on something shining under the summer sun in the front window of the shop. Landon blinked looking into the shop and past the shimmer to see it was an antique store and the shinning item that had held his attention was a diamond engagement ring in a silver setting where the area around the stone were made to look like a cascade of flowers in the metal. “That…is…it.”, Landon said leaving his bag on and picking up his sax case walking into the store.

“Excuse me. That ring in the window, how much and what size is it?”, Landon inquired. The shop keeper turned to look at him and looked to the window picking up the box bringing it over for Landon to look at. “Well it’s a size six and currently have it priced at a grand.”, the man answered. Landon took the box and carefully took out the ring looking at it all over, he could make something like this if he wanted but he had told himself that when it came to an engagement ring for Rachel he wouldn’t make it. He had known for a while Rachel was who he wanted to spend his life with, but hadn’t proposed because well he wanted to find the right ring. And by some weird series of events chasing after that girl he had found it. “A grand?”, Landon asked looking at the ring. “Yes that’s the price young man.”, he answered with a firm nod of his head. “How old is this ring, given you are an antique dealer?”, Landon asked. The keeper started to rummage through a cabinet and pulled out a worn envelop and then inside a document of authenticity. “This goes with the ring. It was made in England in 1893 by a jeweler called Charles Robert Ashbee, you can under magnification see the small crest with the brand of CRA. And that’s why it’s a bit more money.”, he explained. Landon looked at the certificate and then back to the ring carefully placing it into the box and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his cell and brought up his bank information. He’d been saving money since he was thirteen and started working at the flower shop and then saving even more when he started playing gigs. He got paid even better now that he worked almost regularly at the Cotton Club and a newer club called Cicada plus working the library at the university part time. He looked at his savings account and sighed before without a second through hit the transfer button and selected the amount of one thousand which took his savings account down to six thousand. It was worth it to him. “You take debit card?”, Landon asked putting his phone away and trading it for his wallet. The shop keep nodded and rang up the sale. Landon carefully placing the ring and its’ certificate into a compartment of his bag before racing off to meet up with the guys at the Cicada to tell them about finding the ring.

They of course were already there when he walked in. “Hey Junior what took you so long?”, Mitch teased sitting at his piano. “Yeah why did you run off?”, Ben asking sitting on his stool behind his drum kit. “I thought I saw someone I know…it’s weird. Anyways didn’t catch up to them. Instead found something way better and more important.”, Landon said setting his sax down and taking off his bag. “What?”, Jackson asked putting his trumpet together. Landon reached into the small compartment of his bag taking out the small ring box and popping it open. “This.”, Landon said showing the ring sitting in its box to the others. Gavin whistled as he checked the strings of his guitar looking at the ring. “You just turned twenty-one and she’s what eighteen and you want to pop the question while you are still in university?”, Dan asked leaning his bass back in its stand. “Would you marry her while still in college?”, Ben asked getting up to look at the ring better. “Proposing doesn’t mean you have to get married immediately.”, Mitch countered rising from the piano to look. “I’m aware I just turned twenty-one and she’ll be nineteen in January. That doesn’t matter. I love her and have known for a while that she’s who I want to be with forever. And so help me the first one of you to give me the line of you don’t marry the only girl you’ve dated, I’ll transfigure into something more useful to me like a watch or something. I told myself I wouldn’t make her a ring or propose till I found the ring that just screamed Rachel to me. I saw this and it blinded me with how beautiful and perfect it is just like she does. And like Mitch said we wouldn’t need to get married immediately. Probably would be a long engagement till after she graduates.”, Landon answered as the box was passed around to the guys.

“It’s very unique and pretty. I’m sure she’ll like it. You going to go all old school and go as her dad?”, Mitch asked handing the box back. Landon carefully placed the ring back taking out his tablet and bringing up his music writing program. “You’d think that’d be what I’ve planned. But I asked his permission to date her. I think the first and only person who gets a say in regards to us getting engaged is going to be Rachel. So Mister H be damned I’m not asking him if I may.”, Landon answered taking his stylist and starting to write on the tablet. “What are you doing now?”, Dan asked. “Writing out my proposal…”, Landon said not looking up. “Writing out your proposal? I mean isn't it just a ‘will you’?”, Jackson asked. Landon laughed and shook his head. “I don’t do anything easy or that generic man.”, Landon explained still writing out a song bobbing his head to the beat he was forming. “Gavin guitar me…”, Landon said bobbing his head a little still writing. Gavin raised an eyebrow but handed over his guitar. Landon set the tablet on his lap and took the guitar starting to strum out the notes that were in his head to make sure he liked how the melody was flowing. He nodded and set the guitar down getting back to the tablet still getting the music and lyrics in place. His band members and some of the club members watching the process unblinking. He grabbed the guitar again and worked out the next chord that was going through his mind and continued the process till he had his song complete. “Wow kid you’ve got talent.”, Mitch commented looking over Landon’s shoulder at the sheet music on the tablet. “Thanks.”, Landon said turning his tablet off so Mitch couldn’t see any more of the song. “Sorry Mitch but that’s for her only.”, Landon explained handing the guitar back to Gavin and then putting the tablet away. “Alright so let’s practice.”, Landon said getting out his sax.

Over in Bayville Merrick was busy putting a custom desk in the smaller bedroom in Zoe’s apartment for her. He got the filing cabinet in and was holding the large L shape slab piece of black walnut which was left natural which was a dark chocolate brown with dark streaks showing as the grain.“Hey Hellraiser get your Italian ass in here and help me!”, Merrick called. Zoe turned off the stove and moved the pan she’d been cooking putting a lid on it not wanting to burn anything as she went back to the bedroom and looked at him confused. She tried not to laugh seeing him slightly bent with one arm stretched over to hold the massive piece of wood on both sides. “Now what is my ‘Italian ass’ supposed to do?”, Zoe asked. “I’ll hold the top. I need you to get the legs in place. They are easy to install just twist into place. They are right over there. So if you could hurry this weighs a ton.”, Merrick instructed. Zoe nodded and grabbed the legs starting to twist them into place. “All done.”, she said moving out of the way. Merrick set the desk down in its place and ran a hand over the top. “There you go hellraiser on L shape desk. Made it out of black walnut so it’s very durable.”, he explained. She blinked and smiled running her hands over the desk. “God you make such amazing things!”, she said. “it is just beautiful.”, she walked over and hugged him around the neck. “I’m making dinner at the moment and I’ll then make some lunches too.”, she said. ‘Thank you.”, he said returning the hug.

“You are probably one of my favorite customers. Though that’s because you pay in food.”, Merrick teased. “I’m still basically robbing you.”, she laughed shaking her head. “Potato Potahto. Could be argued that despite it was her birthday present, I got paid in sex by Rose for that portable wine table.”, he laughed. “Which if I get sex for building things for her she’ll be my new favorite customer. No offense.”, Merrick said. “Oh I’m sure. My food isn’t probably that good.”, Zoe joked. “As close as food can get to mind blowing, leg numbing, too exhausted to breath sex.”, Merrick smirked. “Making me jealous.”, she said hitting his arm lightly. “Sorry? Imagine how I feel. I don’t’ get that level for sex again for a damn year.”, Merrick said frowning a little both in jest and serious at being reminded. “Oh poor baby.”, she said lightly touching his cheek. “I’ll feed you until you feel better.”, she laughed taking her hand back. “Yes take pity on me. I’m left with three options for sex. Two don’t even come close. The third well that just gets weird but still not close.”, Merrick laughed. “And I provide the friendship feel?”, she asked laughing. “Well given that screwing your Italian brains out is off the table of options…yes.”, he said with a wink. “Ugh still so sad. Amazing sex just sounds….awesome.”, she sighed. Merrick laughed and gave her a side hug. “Sorry. Tell your sister to dump my brother for one night.”, he teased. Zoe rolled her eyes and hit him playfully. “You know I wouldn’t do that.”, Zoe said. “I know just like I wouldn’t tell Sebastian to dump Gina just for a night. Plus we are friends and I, strangely, would rather have you as that than it get messed up by sex.”, Merrick said. “Aww you’re such a sweetheart.”, Zoe teased as his phone going off again.

She sighed and looked at him. “Do you need to get that? Or should I?”, she asked. Merrick rolled his eyes. “It’s Jenna…again. She’s called five times a day since Rose got into town and went up to seven since Rose left.”, Merrick explained. “Jesus, red flag.”, Zoe blinked. Merrick laughed. “Probably but not the most picky guy.”, he shrugged. She rolled her eyes. “You could land way better, even as numbers in your book.”, she said shaking her head. “Probably. She’s not the worse I’ve slept with. And she’s got this whole flexibility that works in her favor.”, he smirked. Zoe covered her ears jokingly. “Alright enough details.”, she chuckled. “What? It’s her one saving grace. But alright. I’ll not give details about my sex life. Poor innocent virgin like you shouldn’t hear such things.”, Merrick teased taking her hands off her ears. “Oh yes so innocent. At least I don’t need to hear mom and dad having sex since I moved here.”, Zoe laughed. Merrick laughed. “Why do you think I’m glad Jacob had the forethought to soundproof between levels. Mom and dad are upstairs. I don’t hear anything. Then downstairs are Jacob and Solangel along with Aislinn and David so again don’t hear them. Unless I get in late but then I just run upstairs quick.”, Merrick said. Zoe chuckled shaking her head. “All I can say is if my mom and cousin David are examples of the Bryant libido in their forties I am not going to be seeing a decrease.”, Merrick said with a laugh. “What did we just say we’d stop talking about?”, Zoe asked. “My sex life? Sorry..”, Merrick apologized. "As you should be. Take the call and I'll go finish dinner.", Zoe suggested as the phone went off again. Merrick shrugged getting out his phone as Zoe walked out of the room. Zoe returned to the meal she'd been making to let him answer his phone. Merrick ended up agreeing to meeting Jenna later, he didn't mention he was at Zoe's for dinner not wanting to deal with bullshit plus he didn't feel it was the place of any girl in his black book to know details about his life.

Across the ocean Skye and Donovan had stopped in at the cottage basically to discuss some recent anti mutant activity that happened while the others had been back in America. They knocked once then walked in smiling seeing their cousin getting down wine glasses while his boyfriend was getting a plate of snacks together as they'd been expected. "Ello mates.", Skye greeted giving her cousin and then Billy a kiss on the cheek on getting. "How was ya trip to da states?", Donovan asked snatching a small sausage from the tray and eating it. "Oh we had a good time. Rose however I think had the more eventful visit.", Billy teased looking to the living room area. Rose pinned to a chair with an extremely large orange fluffy object. Donovan and Skye both looked at the furry object with interest as they walked closer. "W'at is dat on yer lap lassie? ", Donovan questioned. Rose stuck her tongue out at Billy as she brought a hand over starting to pet Octopus who raised his large head looking with gold eyes at the visitors. "He is my new cat and his name is Octopus.", Rose grinned. "Dat ain't a cat, dat's a wee tiger.", Donovan said sitting down on the couch. "Cat. I saw him and fell in love.", Rose laughed scratching Octopus between the ears resulting a booming pur. "I still say it's debatable which sold her on the best beast. Octopus himself or the man who introduced them.", Atif teased bringing in the wine. Skye raised an eyebrow. "Dis da bloke who ya claimed ain't yer bloke?", Skye questioned sitting down. "Wait wat bloke?", Donovan asked confused. He looked from his twin to Rose. She shook her head. "Merrick isn't my bloke, Skye." She chuckled and continued to scratched Octopus. Billy rolled his eyes setting the tray down on the coffee table. "Not hers except for when she's in Bayville...", Atif teased. "Wait da bloke ya told mah sister is, to be polite, a tramp?", Donovan questioned.

She shook her head."Merrick isn’t mine when I'm there... Not only mine. He has a little black book of women he sees.", she defended. "Yeah which how many nights during our visit wasn't he in your hotel room?", Billy counted. Skye just smirked silently. She frowned. "Does it matter?", she asked. "Well no. Just kind of proving Arif's point that while in Bayville he was just with you.", Billy stated. "I know but there isn't a rule or anything. It just happened to turn out that way." She shook her head slightly. "Merrick and I are just friends. And he introduced me to this amazing fluffy man, huh Octopus?" She smiled, scratching the cat. Octopus's booming pur filling the room. "Oh aye just friends? Dose pictures Ah've seen on yer phone tell a different tale mate.", Skye interjected. Rose rolled her eyes but did smile a little. “So there are some benefits….”, Rose shrugged a little. “But still just friends otherwise. Now enough about my private life. What’s been going on while we were away. You’d said there was some trouble brewing. Let’s talk about that as it’s actually important.”, Rose suggested eager for a change in subject. “Oh alright. Let’s talk bout da trouble den. Rather not ‘ear more bout you in da Merrick bloke anyways.”, Donovan agreed. Skye rolled her eyes at her brother. “Fine. Well w’ile ya lot w’ere off in America dat group o humans we’d been running up against every now and again, dey established an official group callin’ demselves da Church of Humanity. Da have taken up da residence in an old Church of England ‘ere local and taking on closed churches all over da England and Scotland. Dey trying ta make demselves an official religious group. Since dey officially got established we’ve had hell of a time round ‘ere. Dere have been at least one attack against a mutant each week sometimes more. Just few days back we stepped in when da bloody heathens tried ta hammer a young mutant boy, he dinna look more dan fifteen, to a cross of all tings!”, Skye explained her collar and face turning a bit red with her anger as she went on.

Billy, Atif and Rose all went silent. Rose gulped back anger and a growl at this disturbing news. “I see….well if they’ve gotten officially established and are legally seen as a religion we can’t do too much about that, but we sure the hell can make sure we are out and about to protect people. This point forward at least two of us will go on patrol every night without fail.”, Rose said. The others nodded in agreement. “If we are going to do this Rose, to make the five of us an official team we are going to need a better base than our place. Plus to protect ourselves we need uniforms that can hide our faces. Like we did back at the Institute.”, Atif suggested. Rose sighed taking a breath thinking about it. “You’re right. Not really sure where we can setup here in the UK that would even come close to what we had at the institute.”, Rose said petting Octopus. “Call Landon.”, Atif stated. Which this got him weird looks. “Why? What does Landon have to do with anything happening over here?”, Rose asked. “He doesn’t have anything to do with it sure. But name one person that has a more detailed database of information than him. If there is somewhere here we can set up shop he’ll know it.”, Atif explained. Skye and Donovan raised their eyebrows. “Wat would Landon knew den?”, Donovan asked. “Landon is...well he’s an inquisitive type of man. Since we were kids he’s sought to know everything he can about mutants and with his access to the X-Men database he knows more than most do. Alright I’ll call him see if he’s got any suggestions or leads that would help.”, Rose explained reaching for her cell and made the call. At least there wasn’t the weirdness anymore. She was okay and happy for him that he’d found love with Rachel and he knew about her sleeping with Merrick and just like the night she got caught kissing Merrick Landon backed her on it saying she should do whatever will make her happy.

Landon was on a break between sets drinking some water when his phone went of. “Rose?”, He questioned reaching for his phone. The other members of the band raising an eyebrow. “Hey Rose. What’s up?”, Landon greeted answering the phone. “Hope I’m not interrupting something, you sound a tad um out of breath.”, Rose greeted teasing slightly. Landon laughed. “Oh trust me if it was something along those lines I wouldn’t have answered the phone. No I just got into the green room at the club. Boys and I are in between sets. So what do I owe the pleasure of my best friend calling all the way from Cambridge?”, Landon laughed taking another sip of his water. Rose laughed shaking her head. “I’m calling on business actually. You of course know what me, Billy and the Kearney cousins have been up to over here across the pond.”, Rose said. Landon nodded. “Oh yeah what we were raised and trained to do, protect people. So how might I a humble history teacher in training, or well sax player tonight, be of service?”, Landon asked. “A new ‘religious’ organization has officially taken root here. They call themselves..”, Rose was explaining. “Church of Humanity? they’ve gone legit? Well shit.”, Landon interrupted. Rose blinked. “You know? How do you know?”, Rose questioned. Landon laughed. “I’m me, of course I know. They have smaller footholds here in the states, mostly in the midwest and south. Forge has a whole file on them that I’ve read a few dozen times.”, Landon explained. “Of course. You know for someone who plans to not continue being a hero you sure do keep up to date.”, Rose pointed out. Landon smiled. “Well I might be a team leader anymore but doesn’t mean I stop caring. Now what can I do for you in regards to them? I can send you a copy of the database I’ve currently go on the group.”, he offered. “Well that would be a great start. But well if we are going to really do any good over here we need a base of operations and a way of doing this where our identities are kept safe. Like how the X-Men do. Ideas?”, Rose asked.

“Hm… hold on.”, Landon reached for his bag pulling out his tablet and getting into his database. “Alright here we go this should be of use. Old team called Excalibur, defuncted even before I was born, ran out of Muir Island off the coast of Scotland. Place was established by Professor Xavier’s colleague a human who was on our side named Doctor Moira MacTaggert, she died ten years ago. But all the information I have on Muir Island shows yes the tech is a bit dated but it’s all form Forge so it’s still operation and kick ass.”, Landon said. “Muir Island? Hmm but off Scotland how will that be easy for us. I mean Skye can fly but…”Rose said thinking. The others just listening to her half of the conversation wondering what was fully being discussed. “Oh well see the fun of that is Muir Island has a very interesting piece of tech and I don’t just mean the jet, not as awesome as the x-jet but still awesome. No the cool tech is actually a teleportation device. I’m sending you the intel now. Check out Muir Island and see if it can suit your needs. Let me know if you need more information or if I should let Forge know you may require some tech upgrades.”, Landon explained. “Wow...um that actually sounds pretty awesome. We’ll check it out. Thanks Landon. You are always there for me.”, Rose said. Landon laughed. “Always have and always will Rose. Talk to you soon. Tell the guys hi. I’ve gotta hit the stage. I’ll call you soon might have some news .”, Landon said smiling thinking about the engagement ring in his bag. “Alright. Well thanks for the intel. Night Landon have a good set.”, Rose said hanging up.

The other four looked at her waiting. “Landon suggests Excalibur, defuncted mutant organization from over twenty years ago. They had a base off the coast of Scotland called Muir Island. Landon says it’s teched out like Atif and I are used to just maybe a bit out of date. So I say this weekend we check it out see if it can suit our needs. Landon seems certain it will.”, Rose said. Aitf nodded. “Well Landon is rarely wrong about this kind of stuff. Soo…”, Atif said handing out the glasses of wine and holding his up. “Excalibur?”, Atif questioned looking at the group. Billy smiled and raised in glass. “Excalibur.”, Billy agreed. In his mind Billy laughed a little at the idea that as the son of Wanda Maximoff he was about to become an official member of a team of heros. “Excalibur.”, Skye said smiling and nudged her brother. “Aye, Excalibur. Wat ya say fearless leader?”, Donovan asked raising his glass looking to Rose. Rose sighed and nodded raising her glass. “Excalibur.”, Rose agreed. As their glasses clinked octopus raised his head and let out a meow. Rose was thinking about what she’d just agreed to. To take on the leadership role of a whole new team. A team separate from the X-Men. She considered talking to Duncan about the formation of the team, but she decided against it he was a controlling person and this was not his team. No as she looked at the faces of her friends she knew that this was not the X-Men this was her team and her team alone.

Landon had taken the rest of the week to plan everything for the proposal and made sure not to tell any of the housemates because he didn’t want them to hint at it to Rachel. The night was finally upon him and he realized he need to get everyone else out of the house for a while. Rachel he at least knew would be at work which would give him time to at least clean up and set up. “GUY! CAN YOU COME TO THE LIVING ROOM!”, Landon shouted up the stairs to get the attention of his housemates. He patiently waited as they came down curious what he wanted. “What’s up?”, Cora Lee asked. “Sooo...I need you all to leave. Like now and not come back for...say four hours.”, Landon said simply. “Excuse me? You want us all to leave and not come back for four hours?”, Ashley asked folding her arms across her chest. “Yeah. That’s the jist of it.”, Landon nodded. “What do you need four hours alone for?”, Tommy asked. “Well not alone, Rachel’s at work and will be home in about an hour. So what you think you’ll take three hours? Granted that’s if it went anywhere since the last four years have all stopped hard at first base.”, Lily pointed out. Landon rolled his eyes. “One my sex life isn’t your business. And two if we are going to give guesstimates on how long a male Bryant can last in bed we can either call my mom or maybe Rose to figure out an average. Now all of you get out, please.”, Landon said pointing to the door. Malcolm and Tommy laughed at the suggestion of calling Rose but both got annoyed looks from Cora Lee and Lily who still were certain how they felt about Rose and Merrick being friends with benefits. “Come on, we’ll go out to and do something.”, Ashley suggested heading for the door. The others shrugged and walked out. With the last of them out the door Landon hurried to clean the house, get the terrace set up and, despite not being sure if it was going to be necessary, and checked the expiration of the box of condoms he bought over a month ago. He hadn’t ever really told Rachel about that he bought condoms, but he’d been buying them since she moved into the house as a precaution and when they got to be five months old he just gave them to Lily as she’d get a use of them.

Rachel sighed a little as she walked up the stairs to the house, having just finished a long shift working at Butler Library. She hadn’t even noticed that all the lights were off despite it only being 6:30. It was when she walked in and locked the door that she noticed there was a stillness in the house. “Guys?”, Rachel called out into the dark. Nazir moved along her back and up to her shoulder and then down her arm to be able to see what was going on. The only sound Rachel or Nazir could hear the the thud of her woven wedge sandals on the marble floor. Rachel frowned a little sipping her gold cuff bracelet as she often did over the last five years when nervous. She turned on the lights thinking someone was going to pop out and shout surprise or something, but still no where there. However she did notice that the house seemed unusually clean. She ventured further and noticed on a console table in the hall various height candles burning and a card that simply said Rachel on the outside. She smiled as she got closer and recognized the uniquely elegant cursive to be Landon’s. The house was mysteriously empty, and now she finds a card surrounded by candles. “Landon is up to something, and it’s gotta be go I’m thinking Nazir.”, Rachel said picking up the card which inside simply said ‘Come to the Terrace’. “Well let's go see what Landon has planned.”, Rachel said setting the card down and doing a quick check of her denim navy wrap dress before venturing in the direction of the first floor terrace. As she got closer to the glass french doors she saw just a shadowed figure sitting in the middle of the terrace.

Tilting her head to the side curiously she pushed open the doors. “Landon?”, she questioned but as the doors swung open the terrace lit up with tiny soft yellow lights that had been strung across the walls. She blinked and looked to the center of the terrace to see Landon sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar over his shoulder held on his lap and just off to the side of him a second stool with a clear vase of water containing a single white day lily that just from first glance had the same gold pattern the one he gave her at the masquerade ball had. She smiled brightly looking around before letting her blue eyes fall back to him. ‘God he looks good.’, she thought to herself looking him over in his fitted dark gray short sleeve dress shirt that showed his sleeve tattoos and his thin black tie paired with dark blue jeans and cap toe black oxford shoes. “What’s going on?”, Rachel asked walking closer. Landon held up a hand pressing his index finger to his lips. “Questions can be asked after. First just let me do this okay.”, He said softly fighting the lump in his throat. Rachel nodded and waited to see what exactly Landon had up his sleeves tonight. Whatever it was she assumed there would be music which she was happy to hear him play. He had a talent when it came to play instruments, his hands just found it so easy to pick up an instrument and play it. And his voice she’d always enjoyed going back to when she was mucher younger and she’d hear him sing even before Meddling Kids was formed. So she waited and placed her hands forward lacing her fingers together.

Landon took a breath and kept his eyes locked on her as he started to play the soft melody on the guitar he’d borrowed from Gavin. “All I am, all I’ll be. Everything in this world. All that I’ll ever need is in your eyes shining at me. When you smile I can feel all my passion unfolding.”, he sang soft and clear. Rachel smiled biting her bottom lip a little realizing he’d written a song for her. “A hundred and five is the number that comes to my mind. When I think of all the years I want to spend with you. Waking every morning with you in my bed. In my world before you I lived outside my emotions. Didn’t know where I was going. Until that day, I chose you. How you opened my life to a new paradise.”, he continued not once looking away from her eyes. Rachel’s eyes looked as if they were about to tear, which they were finding the song so sweet. “How many girls in the world could make me feel like this? I don’t ever plan to find out. The more I look the more I find reasons why you’re the love of my life. In a world torn by change. Our love still remains. When your hand brushes mine, a thousand sensations seduce me. And I know. If I lost everything, in my heart it’d mean nothing. Because I have you. I have you in my life. Nothing else could be better than how I feel in this moment.”, he continued on signing standing up and carefully lifting the guitar off his shoulders and leaning it on the stool as he reached into his pocket. Rachel raised an eyebrow as he moved and stopped playing the guitar. “So I’m here down on bended knee to finally ask, will you marry me?”, he sang acapella getting to one knee and bring up the small black box opening it to display the ring before her.

Rachel felt her heart stop as he got down on one knee and let out a gasp bringing her hands to her mouth when the box opened at the moment he asked the question. “Oh my god...Landon…”, she managed to say looking from him to the ring and back again tears now starting to go down her cheeks. “Rachel Farah Howlett, I love you and I have known for a while that you are my forever. So what is your answer?”, Landon questioned. Rachel nodded softly. “Yes… my answer is yes.”, Rachel said smiling wiping the tears with the back of her hands. Landon smiled taking the ring from the box standing up talking her left hand and slipping the ring onto her finger kissing her hand. "I can't... can't believe that this happened. This ring is so beautiful.", Rachel gushed putting her arms around his neck kissing him letting the kiss linger. "Where's everyone else? Did they know you were proposing?", Rachel asked though in the back of her mind she had an ulterior motive for wanting to know the location of their housemates. "Mmm.. No they didn't know. Only the band knew. And I kind of kicked them out for this. Because this was something I wanted to just be us.", he explained. "So how long are we alone?", she inquired. "About another two and a half hours. Why?", Landon asked with a smirk wrapping his arms around her slender waist.

Rachel smiled and kissed him again lightly biting his bottom lip as she pulled back. "Mmm... You should probably not do that.", Landon said softly. "Not do what? This?", she asked repeating. Landon nodded. "Why?", she asked knowing the answer well enough from four years of kissing him. "You know why.", Landon said. "Don't start things you don't have a mind to finish.", he added. Rachel smiled bringing her hands from around his neck to take his hand on hers. "And what if I said I've the mind to finish what I start?", Rachel teased but serious. "Really? Had figured you'd want to hold off till we get married.", Landon said a little surprised but smiling. "We've waited four years. I don't know about you but I'm not going to wait another six to be with you. So... fiancé care to celebrate for the next two and a half hours in our room?", Rachel answered walking backwards to the doors holding his hand still. Landon raised an eyebrow following her back into the house closing the terrace doors behind him which turned off the lights. “I think that could be arranged…”, he said taking his hand from hers and pulling her closer backing her against a wall. “Against the wall?”, Rachel questioned feeling the wall. Landon smirked. “Oh this isn’t the end game, just a starting point….”, he teased kissing her letting his tongue run across her lips. Rachel let out a soft sigh as her lips parted and greeted his tongue with hers. Landon’s arms slid lower down her sides and reached slightly under the hem of her dress to grip her thighs lifting her up, his hands slipping higher up her dress to hold her waist resulting in a slight gasp from Rachel into his mouth.

Four years later and still kissing her, especially like this, drove him crazy wanting more and for the first time he was going to get more. The connection between Rachel and Nazir allowed for emotions to be felt and this happened to be an emotion the dragon was not up for feeling this and pulled away from the skin of her arm and grew to the size of a cocker spaniel walking away to go find something to eat. Neither Rachel or Landon even paid attention to Nazir taking his leave of their company. They were both too focused on each other for that. Rachel’s arms wrapping right around Landon’s neck her fingers running up into hair tightening slightly as she enjoyed the feel of his hands against her bare thighs. This wasn’t exactly a first for him to have her against a wall kissing but on top of her regular butterflies that he gave her there was something more this time, this time there was eager anticipation knowing that this was going to result in something further. Her legs tightened wrapping around his waist wanting him closer. She pulled back from the kiss only slightly a thought having crossed her mind. “So...do we have protection for this endeavor?”, Rachel asked in a whisper against his ear. Landon smiled. “So confession. I’ve buying condoms since you moved in then after a months of no use gave them to Lily. Which means yes, there is an unopened box in my nightstand.”, Landon admitted. Rachel laughed a little. “We think alike.”, she laughed. Landon raised an eyebrow. “I have a box in my nightstand just because I never trust myself to tell you no.”, Rachel admitted blushing a little. Landon laughed. “That is… alright so we are covered. Now back to what we were doing.”, he said going back to kissing her.

He moved his hands a little to grip tightly on her well rounded ass, getting a squeak from her, as he moved her away from the wall and carried her upstairs to their room. Well, for her dad’s sake it was called his bedroom but really she’d not really spent more than a couple nights at most in her own bed. Within the last year of sharing a bed with her Landon had enjoyed just having to there next to him and how the way they slept was like to piece of a whole. He always slept on his right side and so does she so at night he’d get to snuggle close to her with her in his arms as her form fit perfectly against him. As he closed the door behind them the small thought passed through both their minds, after this night they were no longer just dating instead they were fiances and after tonight neither would be virgins. Both had probably thought of this many times over the years, Landon knew what he wanted to do to her and since they had the alone time he was going to take his time with this. He laid her down upon the bed pulling back from the kiss. Rachel kicked off her sandals as he started kissing down her neck and then down along the V neckline of her wrap dress. “Mmmm…. Landon..”, she moaned softly arching up to the kisses. Landon smiled as he reached the point of the dress’ neckline as he reached up and untied the thick piece of ribbon that held the dress closed over her frame. “So to have a final check, we are one hundred percent certain we aren’t stopping?”, Landon asked looking up at her face as his hand held the dress like a kid on Christmas eager to unwrap the gift he’d been waiting for.

Rachel smiled looking at him reaching for his face running a hand over his cheek. God that look in his eyes, that sparkle of the eagerness mixed with that smoldering appear of a man in love how had she’d been saying no this long? Then she looked at the hand on his face and the diamond shining on her ring finger feeling the weight of the silver upon her hand and remembered she wanted to wait till she knew this was for sure going to be the forever she wanted. “I am certain. I love you Landon Rouse Bryant and I’ve no plans of stopping tonight because I want this too.”, Rachel said softly. That was the confirmation he needed as he pulled back the fabric of her dress a wide smile spread across his lips rubbing them together looking down at her. His ocean blue eyes slowly taking it all in, the robin's egg blue strapless micro-knit bra with a polka dot print and contrast black lace trimming and matching hipster style panties the shade of blue a beautiful contrast to her bronze Egyptian skin. "God you're beautiful....", Landon sighed leaning back to her kissing at her chest along the top of the bra one hand softly rubbing against her stomach the other reaching around her back unclasping the bra. His hand tossed the bra aside his mouth moving to kiss, suckle, lick, and even softly nibble at her breasts. Rachel bit at her lip moaning at the new sensation.

He'd talked about wanting to do things like this to her and she'd found the mere words arousing and now experiencing the actions words hadn't fully described. Landon smiled against her soft breast hearing her moaning. The hand that had removed the bra massaged at her other breast letting his thumb and index finger lightly pinch at the nipple. His other hand made its way down her stomach and slipped into her panties his fingers rubbing small circles at her clitoris before sliding one digit at a time into her and began to press in and out. Rachel moaned and the arched as her body responded to his touch. "God those hands. I feel like I'm being played like one of your instruments.", she moaned. Landon laughed softly kissing down her stomach. "Maybe but I've never known an instrument to make the noises you are my love.", he teased. Rachel reached down and gave his hair a playful tug. Landon smiled and pressed a little harder into her which got a louder cry and a less playfully tug of his hair. He brought his hand out of her panties to the slight whimper. "Don't worry I'm not done.", Landon soothed grabbing the waistband of her underwear and pulling them down, Rachel raising her hips as help. Landon leaned away letting his eyes drink in the full sight of her naked on his bed and find himself not just smiling but living his lips a little. "Wow....", was all he managed to say. Rachel blushed now fully exposed before him.

"Your turn. You've seen me now I want to see you.", Rachel said sitting up on her elbows looking at him where he knelt on the bed at her side. Landon smiled and got off the bed. "Alright, not like these won't have to come off eventually ", Landon agreed. Rachel watched and waited sure she'd seen him shirtless a number of times at this point but she still always enjoyed seeing it. And yes she'd taken health class and seen movies with male nudity but this was real, this was Landon, and he was all hers. Landon was slow and intentional as he disrobed. First taking of his tie tossing it to her. 'That might come in handy later.", Landon commented with a wink. Rachel caught the thin black tie and wrapped it around her hands before setting it on the nightstand. Next he simply slipped out of his shoes and socks before starting to unbutton his shirt. As more of his shirt was unbuttoned his tattoos were revealed. The full Chinese zodiac sleeve on his right arm, the full Celtic tree of life on his left, the Arabic 'joy' across his heart and the white dragon designed after Nazir that ran the length of his ribs on his left side were first to be revealed then as he took the shirt off the crow and raven upon his shoulders and the full back piece representing Meddling Kids were exposed.

Rachel smiled her eyes looking over each tattoo and moved from her spot on the bed letting her arms slip out of the sleeves of her wrap dress to kneel on the edge of the bed reaching over and tracing first the Arabic tattoo then the outline of his abs. Landon closed his eyes as her delicate fingers moved over him. He cupped the sides of her face. "Your face is my heart and the love of you my soul.", he whispered softly kissing her softly. "God you have a way with words.", she answered as he pulled his lips back from hers. "Which is why I'm a good musician. Now back to the task at hand.", Landon smiled taking his hands away to unbutton his jeans. "Let me...", she said swatting his hands away her hands trembled slightly as she unbuttoned and then unzipped the jeans. Landon let his hands instead run along her sides letting her deal with his jeans. A small smirk across his lips as she grabbed the waist of his jeans and with a light tug they fell to the floor leaving him standing in just his black boxerbriefs, his Blaze Halo and Columbia University calf tattoos now visible. Rachel smiled looking down easily seeing the bulge at the front of his underwear. Timidly she grasped the waistband of his boxerbriefs and pulled them down. Landon tried to not blush his neck getting a little red now that he was standing there completely naked in front of her.

Rachel smirked a little seeing him starting to be blush as she looked him over. “Wow..”, she said giving the same response he had given her as she wrapped one arm around his neck and pulled him closer kissing him. Her other hand trailed down to grasp him and stroke getting a moan from him into her mouth. He grabbed her waist and moved her back down onto the bed lying beside her letting his hand moved back down between her legs returning the attention she was giving him. He pulled back from their kiss and started once more kissing down her body. He’d had someone in mind and he wasn’t going to be deterred as he got lower and moved between her legs replacing his hand with his mouth. It may have been the first time he’d done, well any of this but some things just come naturally and having gotten a look at the little book of trade secrets that Azriel gave Ashley and Atif helped too. And between the way he felt her body move under his tongue, the soft cries and that she kept gripping at his hair he was doing something right. “Ooo….Landon…”, Rachel cried out. Landon raised his head from his work and kissed at her inner thighs before moving back up her body and reached for his nightstand and the unopened box of condoms contained inside. “I still can’t believe we both had boxes but neither looked at the other’s nightstand.”, Landon commented as he opened the wrapper getting the condom on. “Great minds think alike.”, Rachel teased rubbing her legs along his sides butterflies of eager anticipation in the pit of her stomach. Landon smiled softly at her. “So last chance to stop…”, he said. “I don’t want to stop.”, Rachel said simply. And with one movement there was officially no going back for either of them. Neither of them cared about anything going on outside of their room or thought twice about their volume.

Downstairs Nazir was laying on the sofa his head covered by a pillow as he was trying to drown out the sounds of his master and ignore the feelings that their bond was letting him experience. The others didn’t wait the full four hours and returned early wanting to know what was going on. As they walked out they all stopped seeing Nazir on the couch and they could faintly hear the sounds of Rachel and Landon’s voices being carried down the stairs. Cora Lee’s eyes went wide as she started to slowly back to the door. “Okay so we should all just run now. They apparently didn’t expect us back yet…”, Lily said also backing away like her cousin.Tommy and Malcolm shrugged and headed back out the front door with their girlfriends, Ashley close behind them. “So...wonder what exactly happened tonight. Cause doesn’t sound like waiting for marriage was happening.”, Tommy commented. Malcolm laughed glancing to the pale faces of the girls who because how well they had known Landon found the whole hearing him and Rachel having sex disturbing. “Oh come on guys. Don’t look like that. One they thought they had the house to themselves. Imagine how loud you’d get Cora Lee if you knew it was just the two of us. Christ there were plenty of times at the Academy I seriously considered just gagging you so we didn’t get caught.”, Malcolm teased kissing Cora Lee’s neck. Cora Lee shook her head. “I suppose. I mean I just didn’t really think they would actually be having sex when he kicked us out of the house. Rachel was raised in the mindset to wait for a ring.”, Cora Lee said as they sat on the steps to the house.

Mitch and the rest of the band were walking up and in Mitch’s hand two bottles of champagne. “Hey we early or late for the celebration?”, Mitch asked. “Celebration? Cause if you mean what is going on in the house right now, I think that’s a closed door party between Landon and Rachel.”, Tommy said pointing to the house. Ben laughed. “Well looks like it did go his way tonight. Good for him.”, Dan said. “So what's with the champagne?”, Ashley asked. “We were giving Landon some time, for obvious reasons before coming over. But we didn’t exactly doubt Rachel would say yes to his marriage proposal.”, Jackson explained. “Marriage?”, Cora Lee asked. “Yup he found the ring Tuesday and had been planning tonight all week. And I’ll assume by the fact they are inside alone she not only accepted by decided to pass on the waiting for the wedding night.”, Gavin explained. “Wait so he proposed? OH MY GOD! This is GREAT! I mean I had little doubt that Rachel would end up being my sister-in-law but now it’s official!”, Cora Lee said smiling. “So how did you guys know but we didn’t?”, Lily asked. “Because he got the ring on the way to our practice at the Cicada. He showed it to us, it’s a really nice ring. And then he sat there and wrote a song for her. He wouldn't let us see it. Something about it is only meant for her. You know Landon when he gets on that romantic mindset.”, Ben explained. The others nodded. “So we’ll just I guess sit here and wait till they are done with their private celebration. Shouldn’t disturb engaged people while they are occupied.”, Mitch said. The others nodded in agreement and instead the group just left deciding to come back later to celebrate with the happy couple.