Rebuilding

by: Ticia

Prologue

The city sparkled and shined with all the glory that it had before the virus. Buildings were once again being used as stores and restaurants. People were once again living using apartment buildings. Even the mall had been gutted and refurbished as an exclusive apartment building for only mallrats. Life was gaining a sort of normality, as the city became a functioning society.

Many of the technos were now reformed citizens such as Jay and Ved whom held prestigious positions in the city’s new government agency concerning all scientific/technological matters. These trained solders also provided much needed help to the small but powerful militia commanded by the mayor, Ebony. The city was safe and held a higher standard of living than all the surrounding cities combined.

Four years had passed since the technos lost their empire. Now, they blended with the other tribes. Some even married into the tribes.

As a matter of fact, a lot of unions had happened in the city. Mayor Ebony married ex-techno Jay and they had three children; Jack and Ellie were married and now have two children; even Pride and Trudy were married. Cloe and Ved on the other hand have been engaged for the past three years with no sign of a wedding in the future. That was okay, though, because Cloe was happy to be Ved’s pretend housewife. But she just couldn’t stand sitting there while He was off with Jack and Jay working out some problem.

No…She became Tai San’s apprentice. She learned herbs, prayers, and anything a spiritual healer would need to know. But she was still lonely. She needed someone to talk to. She was in luck because the newly opened jewelry show, owned by KC, needed a counter girl. Cloe was in real good luck.

Chapter one

The bricks on the recovered building were the cleanest in the neighborhood. The windows reflected the light and the jewelry in the window glittered. It was just like the jewelry stores before the virus. The beauty of the pieces was as if they were made by one of the adults but KC and other ?children' crafted them.

Cloe was amazed at the changes that had occurred with KC. She could remember not even five years ago when he was trying to rip everyone off. Now he was set on being an honest businessman of the city. Just the thought of KC being a model citizen made Cloe laugh.

The door burst open and KC stuck out his head. "Excuse me, are you thinking about coming inside? Or are you just going to stand outside?" He reached out and took her by the wrist. "Come on! We have lots of work."

Cloe eagerly followed his lead. She remembered the stores like this when she was little with her mother. She was very excited to be working in one. She would see all kinds of people, especially now that society was on the rise again.

"Okay, I hired you to be a counter girl but I might need you to do more." Cloe shook her head as he staggered to the back room to gather a book. "You know that I could never read before, right?" Cloe said yes. "Well, I've been learning to read but it isn't coming along well. You may need to read documents for me."

?Okay. I'll be happy to.? She took the stack of papers from him and sat at the small desk behind the counter. As she began to read, he went to the back room to work on a bracelet that a customer had brought in.

The morning was going rather slowly. No customers had come in and Cloe spent the entire time reading a contract that provided rare metals for KC's jewelry making. Suddenly the bells on the door jingled breaking Cloe from her trance.

"Hello! Welcome to Starry Knight. Can I help you with something?" She was glad that she knew what to say to the customer.

"No, I was just looking for an engagement ring." He walked over to the main counter and looked through the thick glass at the five diamond rings that were on showcase. Cloe sat back in her chair and kept an eye on the customer just in case he tried to thieve the shop. This may be a turning point in this new society, but old ways are hard to break. "I want that ring." He pointed to the center ring.

Cloe stepped over to the counter and took out the case to see the price underneath the ring. "The ring costs 6 ems." The guy let out a gasp at the price. Ems are valuable but they were only worth the same amount as fifty US dollars before the virus.

"I won't pay that much. I'll go down to four but that is the highest as I will go." He took the ring in his hand and Cloe became nervous.

"I'm not allowed to make deals. The price is 6 ems and that is all I am allowed to accept." Cloe tried to take the ring back but the man would not let go.

She was beginning to panic when she felt KC's hand on her shoulder. "Do we have a problem here?" He put one arm around Cloe and took the ring from the man, placing it back in the case.

"Yes, your counter girl is refusing service." The man accused.

Cloe tried to stay calm but KC could feel her tense up. "What happened? I'm sure it was all just a mistake."

"I picked out that ring and she asked 6ems for it. I refused to pay more than 4ems." He glared at Cloe.

KC removed his arm from Cloe and leaned on the counter. "Let's talk man to man, here. She's just doing her job. Don't disrespect a woman like that. Instead of giving her a hard time you should have spoken with me. Now, I can make a deal with you. I have to make a little bit of a profit here. I gotta feed the family. You see we have two little ones at home and they need food. I can only possibly go to 5ems. Think that's fair?"

The man looked at the ring again then back at KC who was now looking at Cloe as if she were the love of his life. "Okay, I'll buy it." He handed the money over to KC as Cloe gave the ring to him. As he was walking out the door, he turned to look back at KC. "By the way, your losing you edge. Did you really think I was going to believe you had children with such a beauty?"

"I'm so sorry, KC. I didn't know what to do." She said sadly as she went back to her desk.

"It's okay. You'll learn more about it as time goes on. Retail is a hard business. I should know. Been doing it for years." He puffed up his chest and stood strait.

"I forgot what a pro you are."

"Durn skippy!" she laughed at his new phrase. KC always knew how to make her forget her troubles. "Are you ready for lunch?" He held out his hand to help her from the chair.

"Why yes, kind sir." With that they were off, after locking the shop securely.

Chapter One: Part Two

KC and Cloe sat at a corner booth at Trudy's Diner. It had been quite a while since they sat and talked. Ved was a jealous guy and KC had been rather busy with getting his business started.

"So how are you and Ved doing?" KC asked as he finished his last French-fry.

"Well," Cloe changed positions. "He has been working a lot lately. We don't see each other often."

"Why would he want to leave you at home alone?" KC said adding on as much charm as he could. He still used what he learned from Lex in his childhood.

"Whatever." She pushed her hair behind her ear and continued. ?He just doesn't seem to be as interested in me anymore. We have been engaged for a long time. I think I got too comfortable and let him down.? She looked at the table in front of her.

KC reached over the table and pushed her chin up. "He must be stupid to think that you could let him down. You take care of him better than any woman could. He.ll You even showed him that the technos were the bad guys."

"I guess you are right, I just love him and wish that he would show me the same affection that I show him. I worry that he doesn't even want to get married anymore." Cloe rambled.

"I'm sure that he still loves you. He wouldn't be with you if he didn't love you." KC cheered on his friend. Trudy walked by and laid the check on the table. KC left the money for the dinner on the table before they left.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"Jack, could you hand me that soldering gun?" Ved asked as he looked into the shell of an old Macintosh computer. Jack did as he was asked and stopped to watch Ved work.

"Do you really think this car is going to work?" Jack asked without looking up from what Ved was doing.

"Of course it will. If my little brother says it will work. It will." Jay clasped his brother on the back before continuing to his workstation.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, bro, but I think I am a little out of my league with this computer." He sat the gun down and looked to Jack. "Why do you try to fix this computer? I need a break." Jack traded places with him as Ved sat on a stool. "I need to ask a question."

"Sure." Both Jack and Jay said at the same time.

"What is it like being married?"

Both of the married men just looked at each other before Jack answered, "It is joy and pain at the same time. She is the last thing you will ever see and she is the one that will cause you the most pain that you will ever feel. Ellie has broken my heart many times, but the moment that she gave birth to our children, she made up for everything that she ever did to me."

"So it's good?" Ved asked in confusion. He was looking for a more simple answer.

"Yes." Jay answered. He knew how his brother thought. It was more of a command and answer thing with Ved. "Why are you asking?"

"I'm not sure about getting married to Cloe."

"What?" The two once again asked simultaneously.

"I'm not sure I want to marry Cloe. It's not Cloe. It's just, I'm not sure that I want to be married. I'm young. I am still in the prime of my life." Ved straitened his shirt.

"Jitters." Jay said to Jack as if he was explaining. "Ved, but you love Cloe. How could you not marry her?"

"If I really loved her would I be tired of being with her?"

"Maybe you are just tired of the situation. Maybe you need some romance and spice." Jack suggested.

"Maybe." Ved thought for a moment. "Do you guys mind if we quit early today? I want to try to make a special evening for Cloe."

"Not at all." Jack stated setting down his soldering gun.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"Thank you for walking me all the way to the mall, but I thought you were going to do some more work." Cloe asked.

"No, I wanted to talk to Lex. That's okay." KC held open the door so that Cloe could walk in. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah. I'll be at the shop the same time I was today." She ran up the steps as KC watched her.

"You might not want to stare quite so hard." A voice started KC from his thoughts. He turned to find Lex right behind him.

"Lex, you really shouldn't sneak up on people like that." KC sat on one of the nearby benches.

"Then, I couldn't watch you start back on your childhood crush on Cloe."

"I do not have a crush on Cloe." KC glared at Lex.

"Yes you do or you wouldn't look at me like that. There's nothing wrong with liking her. She is much different than she was when she was younger. She turned out to be a beautiful woman."

"That she did." KC agreed. "Does TaiSan know that you are out of your pen?" He asked insinuating that Lex was a whipped dog.

"Haha. Yes she knows that I am out of the house. She sent me out so your lover girl could have her lesson."

"Well, aren't you lucky?" He petted Lex like a dog before running as fast as he could to keep from being pummeled.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"How is work going?" TaiSan asked once Cloe had gotten comfortable and meditated.

"It is going good. It was nice to get to know KC again." Cloe chattered setting up the herbs that she would need for today's lesson.

"Are you still worried about what Ved will think?"

"Of course. Ved always worries me. He jumps from one extreme to another. It scares me. I wish he was more normal."

"You shouldn't wish him different. It is wise to love someone for what they truly are." TaiSan lit a stick of incense and waved it through the room.

"Didn't you try to change Lex?" Cloe asked in confusion.

"Yes, I did. That is where I picked up that bit of wisdom." She sat down next to Cloe. "Tell me more about what you learned about KC."

"I thought you were going to teach me how to heal."

"I am. Listening is a big part of healing."

"Well," She thought for a moment and then a smile crossed her face. "He is a lot more gentle and understanding now. He seems to be worldly and educated. It is almost odd. Like he is a totally different person than what he was four years ago."

"Four years is a long time. It gave him enough time to grow up.? She poked Cloe playfully. ?You both grew up. Look at you. You're engaged and learning about all of the spiritual healing that you though was a bunch of mumbo jumbo.?

"I guess we all change. But he just seems like a new person. Like the kind person that I can become friends with.?

"Maybe you need that after being with Ved for the last four years. He has seemed to ignore you lately."

"You don't have to remind me. KC gave me more attention just today than Ved has given me in the past month."

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Cloe could have fell out on the floor. She never imagined that Ved could do such a thing. The entire apartment was lit with candles. Rose petals led from the front door to the bedroom. In the bedroom a dinner for two sat on a tray and Ved stood against the wall in his brother's old Techno uniform.

"I'm sorry for the way that I have been acting lately. I should pay more attention to you. I was hoping that I could start over."

"That would explain the uniform. Where did you get one that fit?" Cloe asked as she crossed the room.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. "It's Jay's old uniform." He kissed the top of her head. "I love you."

"I love you too."

Chapter Two

Cloe came into work much, much happier the next day. She skipped into the shop causing KC to wonder about her sanity. The day just seemed brighter and more alive now that she actually got to spend time with the man that she loves. She immediately sat down and began to do figures for a special ordered ring that KC was to make.

"Cloe?" he asked from the doorway to his office.

"Yes?" She smiled at him and the room turned to gold. He could tell that her happiness was going to be infectious today.

"Are you okay?" He laughed as she shook her head like a little girl. It was great to see her happy. Ved didn't know what he was losing if he were to leave her alone. How could he live without seeing her smile like this all the time. If KC was her boyfriend, she would smile all the time. Wait... he realized that he wasn't supposed to think like that about Cloe.

"Are you just going to stand there looking at me?" Cloe asked breaking KC from his quiet reflection.

"Uhh...I..." He decided it was better to shut up than to continue his stuttering as Cloe giggled at his uncomfortable moment. "So, I'm funny now?"

"Pretty much!"

"You know, it's good to see you happy again." He added kindly. It wasn't often that he gave compliments but since he was changing his image and this was Cloe, he could afford to throw one or two out.

"Thanks. Spending the most wonderful evening with the person you love, has a tendency to do that." She stared off dreamily before continuing to tell every detail of the evening before.

"So, I take it that you and Ved are back on good terms."

"Of course. I can't stay mad at him for long. I love him too much." She beamed. It was good to see her happy, but at the hands of Ved who would only do enough to keep her slightly happy so that he wouldn't lose her. She deserved better. KC knew that. He grew up no more than a few feet from Cloe for most of his life.


"That's good." KC turned on his heals and went back to his office. In here, he wasn't drawn to look at her beauty or smile. He was able to focus on work. Yes, work. The thing that would make him a proper man and do away with the reputation of his childhood that kept him for gaining any respect in his new life. It also made it pretty hard to get a girl. Everyone thinks he is a cheat and a crook. Well, he'll show them wrong. He'll do everything no one expected him to do starting with having a successful business.


*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"So did your plan work?" Jay asked the next day as he labored over the calculations for the solar car.

"What plan?" Ved asked in confusion. He would be the only one not to think twice about a wonderful night with the woman that he supposedly loves.

"You know the one that consisted of you being romantic to show Cloe how much you love her?" Jack prodded. Ved had to be the stupidest person he knew. Cloe was willing to give him the world and he hesitated. Any guy would jump at the chance for Cloe and here is Ved trying to get her off of his case.

"Oh yeah. It went well." Ved never looked up from his work.

"Woah!" Jay and Jack both burst at the same moment.

"What do you mean, 'it went well.' She is the love of your life. I don't know about you, but when Ellie and I spend time together, it is something special." Jack added staring at Ved.

"Well, things are different with Cloe and I. She understands that I have a job and that I am tired. Special nights like last night are just treats. Nothing big." Ved explained as he changed out his tools.

"Little brother, I think you might need to see a doctor." Jay walked over to his brother and touched his forehead as if to check his temperature.

"Why?" Ved began to freak.

"Because you must be ill or hit in the head to think that last night meant absolutely nothing to Cloe." Jay added trying to clue his brother in but it didn't seem to work. Ved still looked at him with glazed over eyes. "Never mind." With that the three men went back to work and resolved never to speak to Ved about matters concerning social interaction because it was far beyond his reach.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Cloe hummed sweetly as she gracefully floated across the room picking out the right combination of herbs to make the formula Tai-San assigned.

"I see you are much happier today." Tai-San observed from her position on the other side of the lab table.

Cloe stopped at the table and laid out all of the herbs. "Yes I am! Isn't great when the man you love is romantic."

Tai-San went dreamy eyed at the thought of Lex being romantic. It would never happen so she had better stop day dreaming. "I wouldn't know but. I'm happy for you." Tai-San set out the beakers and flasks for Cloe to mix the liquid in that she would use for the elixirs. "So how was work?"

"It was wonderful. KC worked on the most wonderful ring. It was very expensive and beautiful. The person that gets to keep it is lucky." She began work on the elixirs. "TaiSan, I sneaked to watch him work. He is so skilled. I never thought he would make jewelry. He concentrated hard and made art form in his hands. It is quite a shock to see him do such artful and honest work after years of cheating and shameful practices."

"We all change as we grow up." TaiSan came over to her side of the table. "You've changed quite a bit too."

"Really?" she set the beaker to the side and turned to TaiSan. "How?"

"When you were younger, you were so independent and always thought you were the little adult." She put her arm around Cloe's shoulder. "Now you are an adult and you let Ved take care of you. I never understood why you just let him take over. You were so powerful and strong. I saw you as one of our leaders."

"Why do you let Lex tell you what to do?" Cloe asked, not being smart, but being serious.

"I let him think he controls me because I love him." TaiSan took a step away from Cloe to try and see the little girl of only a few years ago, but she was long gone.

"Well, I love Ved and I let him take care of me because it makes him happy." she continued with her work after explaining her love.

"But what makes you happy?"

"It makes me happy to be learning this and working for KC, but the thing that makes me most happy is knowing that Ved loves me." TaiSan didn't ask anymore questions because Cloe wasn't ready to see what was in front of her yet.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"How do I know if I am in love?" Ved asked once again to his two co-workers.

"I thought we answered this." Jack replied. He was starting to get agitated with Ved's behavior. It was very odd and he wished he would just go back to normal. If there was one thing that Jack hated, it was change. Kind of an odd concept for a scientist.

"I know, but I still haven't figured it out." Ved answered with confusion. He took the part that he assembled to his brother.

"Well, you better figure it out soon before Cloe finds out." Jay advised attaching the part to the engine. "Your part finished Jack?" Jack shook his head and brought over the part. Jay attached it before turning to his brother. "You need to sit and talk with Cloe about your relationship and find out what page you are on."

Jack striated as he talked. "Because you, Ved, are lost. How can you be with her if you are not even sure if you love her? It's been four years. That is time to figure it out."

"I know, I know. I just feel trapped in these four walls."

"You, little brother, are the one that asked her to marry you." Jay turned to work on the engine some more. "You convicted yourself."

"I know. I guess it is just cold feet." Ved walked back to his station.

Jack crossed his arms as he caught up with Ved. "You better be finding your heater because she will be wanting to get married soon."

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Chapter Three

Ebony walked into the boardroom and everyone quieted. She may have calmed down and became a more respectable citizen, but she still demanded respect without saying a word. Everyone turned towards her and Jay couldn't help but smirk at the fact that his wife held all the power. Hell, she was even more powerful than him when it came to politics.

"Fellow leaders, I have called you here to review the progress of the new vehicle that is being created by Jay, Jack, and Ved." She gestured to the trio of technicians. "They have worked hard for months and accomplished much. I would also like to propose a vacation for the ministers of science." She sat regally as she finished her speech. Her words would be taken as actions.

Jay stood and walked to the white board at the front of the room. "we have the calculations finished and the motor is being assembled. The projected finish date for the vehicle is two years from now." jay wrote several numbers and drew diagrams describing the aspects of the solar car. "We will succeed where the adults failed, if we can just work together. This is our world now more than ever." Jay sat back down to applause. It was Ebony's turn to smirk. Jay knew how to work a crowd for the good of the world. Her turned her to his ways of the good. They were so different when they met. That difference created a flourishing romance and true love.

"Thank you, Jay." Ebony remained seated so that the board could be seen. "I make a motion for an approved vacation."

Amber stood up. 'I second the motion."

"Meeting adjourned." Ebony hit a gavel on the table. Everyone quickly exited the room. Ebony approached her husband throwing her arms around him and kissing him lovingly. "You were great. They would have done anything you wanted."

"I was great? You were the star. It is so amazing how you're in control."

They kissed again. Their relationship shocked everyone around them. Especially Ved. The sight of his brother being so locked in by a woman cause Ved to look away. 'How could Jay let a woman leave him so defenseless? He was a general for goodness sake!' He walked to were Jack was and announced his manliness. "Cloe would never make me act like that in public."

Jack looked at his younger friend. He cared for Ved as if her were a brother, but the poor boy was stupid. He didn't realize that a woman was supposed to affect a man like that. "Ved, you're kidding me right?"

"No. I would never lower myself to the state of... that!" he pointed to his brother, who at this point was wrapping Ebony's braid around his finger while staring at her intently.

"Cloe has never cause you to act like that?"

"No!" Ved vehemently defended his macho attitude.

"You really know nothing about love." Jack turned and walked through the door to the hallway.

Ved followed him. "What do you mean?"

"First, you ask 'how do you know if you are in love' then you say that Cloe doesn't make you mushy."

"Oh. Well, does Ellie make you 'mushy'?"

"He.ll yes!" Jack threw up his hands. At least Ved was beginning to see the point in the conversation. How could this boy be more in ept with females than himself? Jack thought that was impossible. "Ellie is my reason for doing anything. She has caused me to do things that I never thought possible. I've went to war been captured twice. Once by your people. and I have said countless millions of stupid things."

"Really? I never would have thought that you would be affected by a woman."

Jack placed his arm around Ved's shoulder. "You have much to learn. Why don't you and Cloe come over to my apartment to have dinner with the family and Jay and Ebony?"

"Okay. Sounds like a learning experience."

"You're on the road to knowledge. Learn from what you see tonight." Jack let go of Ved and continued out of the building.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Incense and candles filled the room that Lex and KC inhabited. TaiSan insisted that the two men light them to help them calm after their long days at work. Lex humored his wife. He could care less about the smoky scented atmosphere, but he loved TaiSan and didn't want to hurt her feelings.

"KC, mate, I can handle the candles and incense but the drinks are starting to scare me." Lex commented as he took a sip of TaiSan's latest concoction.

"I thought you used to like her drinks." KC asked in confusion. Lex had told him over and over that he should try her drinks but he decided it was best left to Lex to drink odd drinks.

"I did, but now she is running out of herbs to mix together and the the mixtures are becoming odd. Even worse than they were before." He took another sip and the face he made this time was less contorted. "At least, most of them grow on you. She made one a week ago that got me feeling so drunk after only a sip. It was the best thing I ever had!"

"Have I ever told you how much you and TaiSan belong together?" KC asked.

"What's that?" Lex asked.

"Oh nothing."

"Okay." Lex finished the drink before turning back to him. "I might be a father soon."

"Really?" KC was over-joyed. When he was younger he heard Lex talk about a child with Zandra but never really understood until Lex told him the whole story lately. "I never understood why you and TaiSan never had a child before."

"She was waiting for the right cosmic moment or something like that. I don't know. She's been taking these herbs that work like birth control used to. Well, now she has decided that she wants to be a mother." Lex leaned back with a smile. he was going to be a father. His wish was coming true. This was the only thing he ever wished for.

"I can't wait. It will be like having a little nephew."

"Nephew? You will be the child's God father!" He clasped KC on the back.

"Cool!" Everything was quiet as the two men thought about their own lives. "Lex, is it wrong for me to want to injure Ved?"

"Depends." Lex answered with a raised eyebrow. "What has he done to you?"

"Nothing to me, personally. I just don't like the way that he is treating Cloe. I've known her all my life. I can't stand to see her treated badly."

"Really. What is he doing to her?" The protector in Lex kicked in. He knew that Jay and Ved were allies and tribe members now, but he still felt a need to protect the mallrats from them.

"He just leaves her at home to be a housewife. He doesn't care if she does anything productive."

"What? he just lets her do nothing all day? How dare he!" Lex exclaimed in mock outrage.

"Lex, you know what I mean. He doesn't expect her to do anything that she has the ability to do. He basically tells her that he would rather have her locked away."

"Has he said that?"

KC hesitated before continuing. "Not in so many words, but he told her that he didn't want her to come to work for me or to learn from TaiSan."

"I think you just want Cloe for yourself."

"I do not!" KC jumped up and looked down at Lex.

"Yes you do!" TaiSan entered the room to see what all the commotion was about. "You like Cloe." KC's face turned red at Lex's words.

"Lex!" TaiSan lightly hit him on the back of the head. "Leave him alone! You are acting like you are five." Lex looked at his wife with adoring eyes as she turned her back to him. He stuck out his tongue at KC.

"That's because he is five, TaiSan! He just stuck his tongue out at me." KC tattled as if she were their mother.

She turned to glare at Lex for his childish behavior. Lex jumped up and started to attack KC but he ran from the apartment and TaiSan pulled her husband back. "You need to act your age and leave him alone. He can't help it if he is in love with Cloe." She sat across her husband's lap.

"Who said anything about him being in love?" Lex asked with all seriousness.

"No one. But how could you not tell? He is head over heels for her." She stood and left the room. All that was left was a smoke filled room, Lex and his wonderment over how his wife knew all of this. After six years she still amazed him.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

A hefty aroma of home-cooked food filled the air inside Jack's apartment as his guests entered. Ved was ready to eat and get all of this over with. He knew that he was supposed to marry Cloe and he was going to go order the wedding rings the next day from KC while Cloe was at her lesson with TaiSan.

"Okay, the food is served now." Jack stated as he led them to a dinning room. There was lots of food on the table and two children sitting at a smaller table. Jack walked by and touched the top of his children's heads. Lois is four and Manny is five and the children were both such a mixture of both their parents. All the adults sat and began to start conversations over their dinner. Cloe talked with Ebony and Ellie over various subjects the most interesting to Ved was her want of children. He never wanted children before, but she was so interested in having them, as it seems. She asked the two older women about childbirth and the infant years. Her eyes lit up at the mention of babies. Ved realized that he was going to have to change a lot if he was wanting to keep her.

"So, when is the wedding date?" Ellie asked as she delivered the dessert. The main dinner had been cleared away and the adults sat talking as the children played.

Cloe only looked at Ved. She left that part up to him. He said that he wanted to marry her just not yet and that was four years ago. She was still waiting for him to tell her that he was ready. "When is it Ved?" That was the first time that she asked him in the entire relationship.

"I... Well..." He shut his mouth and looked away. "I dunno." he pouted as if he were a small child.

"Well, do you know what dress or flowers you want, Cloe?" Ebony asked. Her husband and Jack still chattered away at something about the new internet but none of the women or Ved paid any attention.

"I was thinking about..." Cloe's voice began to fade as Ved stared off into space.

'Am I really ready to be married? Can I give her what she wants?' He thought. "Cloe is a great woman. The last thing I would want to do is hurt her. But I do love her and she loves me. I think. Why do I have to be so confused? Why can't I just be sure of these things?' He looked to Cloe again and just sat in awe at her beauty and excitement. "I do want to spend the rest of my life with her, but does she want the same things that I want? I guess I will have to talk to her sooner or later. Sooner is better because I am ordering the rings tomorrow.'

Chapter Four

Part One

    Cloe left work early the next day. She and TaiSan were making a journey into the woods and wanted to make it before it became nightfall. The herbs in their stash were becoming quite low. Now, the two women stood in the forest looking for the various plants that were needed. 

    Cloe took a rest by a nearby tree. At work today, KC had been acting rather odd. It was as if he was avoiding her. Whenever she stood at his office door to speak with him, he would continue to work silently without looking up. For the 'new' KC, this was odd. Cloe thought they were friends but now, she wasn't so sure.

    "What are you thinking about, Cloe?" TaiSan asked coming to stand by the younger girl.

    "KC was acting odd today." 

    "Really? What happened?"

    "He wouldn't talk to me. It was like when we were children again. It was as if I wasn't even in the room. I felt like I was alone in the building all day." Cloe began to look for the plants again. 

    TaiSan was quick to follow. "Do he say anything at all? Maybe something about talking to Lex last night?"

    "No. He never said anything but hello and goodbye." Cloe was confused. 'What could Lex have to do with this?'

    "Yesterday, he was at the apartment and Lex was teasing him. I thought maybe that he was brooding."

    "What was he being teased about?"

    "Oh..." TaiSan thought fast. She couldn't tell her the truth. She would have to wait for Cloe to figure it out on her own. He.ll, she would have to wait for KC to figure it out first. Lex was ahead of the game this time. "Nothing out of the normal. You know how those two are."

    That seemed to satisfy Cloe's inquisitive nature as the girl silently continued the hunt.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

    Ved waited till he was sure that Cloe had left for the woods before crossing the street to KC's store, Starry Knight. He ran across the street being sure not to be seen by anyone. This would be a surprise to Cloe. He opened the door quickly causing the bells to ring tremendously.

    KC jumped at the sound of the bells and ran into the showroom. Before the front counter stood Ved. He was staring intently at the silver rings under the glass. "May I help you with something?" Ved looked up at his lover's new friend. He never understood what Cloe saw in him. She had told him countless stories about the childhood antics of Cloe, Patsy, and KC.

    "Yes, I would like to have two silver rings inscribed with this saying, 'le gra, mi chroi." Ved stated as if he were a professor of Celtic languages. 

    "Sure. Could you please write down that phrase here?" KC pointed to a piece of notebook paper. KC had heard Jack tell Ellie that once. It meant with love, my heart. Ved was trying hard to impress Cloe. 'To do what? Get her to marry him and then leave her alone and cold all the time?' He shuddered at the thought of Cloe being mentally mistreated.

    "Here." Ved handed the paper to KC. "When will the rings be finished?"

    "Let's say two weeks?" KC asked for approval from his customer.

    "Sure. Just make sure that Cloe doesn't see the rings. I want it to be a surprise. I'm going to pick a wedding date soon." KC frowned involuntarily and Ved notice. "Don't worry, you are invited. You are, after all, one of Cloe's close friends." KC faked a smile thinking it would shut him up and Ved would leave. Apparently, it worked. Ved said, "Goodbye!" And was out the door.

    KC was floored Ved was going to ask Cloe to marry him soon. This meant that KC would have to figure out what was going on in his mind really soon. Or he would really lose his new best friend forever.

chapter 4: part 2

Ved waited until he was sure that Cloe had left for her lesson with TaiSan before he crossed the street to KC's jewelry store, Starry Knight. He threw open the doors forcefully with the power that he held as a Techno.

The bells abracefully shook and sounded an alarm to KC who was working rather peacefully in his office. He jumped out of his chair and almost fell to the floor. He gathered his nerve and calmly entered the showroom.

Ved stood leaning on the first case peering through the glass at two silver rings. One was larger than the other and KC immediately knew what Ved was looking for. He was looking at buy a wedding ring or two. "Hello. May I help you?" KC asked in his vest businessman voice.

"Hey KC!" Ved exclaimed in a joyous voice. "I was wondering if you could do a special order for me."

"Sure. What are you wanting to have done?" KC leaned over the case as Ved stood to look at the rings from the front of the case.

Ved bent over and looked closely at the rings. "Has Cloe said anything about liking these two rings in this case?"

"She said that they were beautiful once, but...." Ved interrupted him before he could finish.

"Well, if she likes them, then that is what she will get." Ved took out his wallet and began to count the money that he held there. "How much will it be?"

"Depends." KC was becoming annoyed with Ved's take control personality. "Do you want any embellishments?"

"Yes, I would like an inscription on the outside of both rings." Ved laid a piece of paper on the top of the case. "I want them to say `Mo Gra, Mo Chroi." Ved pronounced the Gaelic words as if he were a professor of foreign languages.

"Ok." KC reached back on the table behind him for the keys to the case.

"How long are we looking at before the rings are through?" Ved asked.

"Let's say two weeks. I'll contact you if the rings are finished before that time." KC answered in a professional manner. At this moment in time he could care less about the next time he would have to see Ved.

"Okay. I'll pay you when I get the rings." Without another word, Ved was out the door.

KC opened the case and took out the two rings. He placed them on his fingers for safe keeping. The male's ring fit perfectly on his ring finger. Almost as a reminder that once again, Cloe was growing older faster than he was. She was going to be married in less than a month and KC was just now getting his life in order enough to even think about finding girlfriend. He was too busy trying to get his business settled and teaching the people he deals with everyday that he is a respectable citizen.

He sat down at Cloe's desk to get a work form filled out. As he moved a sheet of paper to reach the form, he noticed a note written on it.

KC , I am sorry that I angered you today. I didn't mean whatever I did. Could you at least talk to me long enough to tell me what I did wrong. I want to make it better. I couldn't stand to loose you. Patsy was the last best friend I had. Now I consider you my best friend. I hope you think the same for me. Love, Cloe.

KC sat the note down and stopped working. All he could think about was what he did to make her think those things. `How could I cause her to think that I was angry with her? That was the exact same thing that I roasted Ved for. I can't expect him to treat her better than I would.'


The smaller ring slipped down the top knuckle of his pinky finger. It was so tiny yet when Cloe tried it on one day, it had fit her perfectly. `She deserves so much better than any man could give her.' KC thought to himself. For the past couple of weeks, he had been thinking that he would be able to give her something that Ved couldn't. `If he makes her happy and she loves him, I guess it is enough. Plus, he would be able to give her anything she could want or need.' That was one thing that KC could never give her. His money was limited at the moment.

"Wait...." KC exclaimed coming to a realization. Here he was thinking of Cloe at his every free chance. Maybe Lex was right. "I'm in Love with Cloe." and he only has two weeks to make her realize that she should be with him instead of Ved.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Ved almost skipped all the way back to the mall. He was absolutely happy. He never thought that the idea of a ceremony would make him so happy. In his heart, he was already married to Cloe.

Either way, Ved was ecstatic. He would be with Cloe forever. She and he wouldn't have to fight through things anymore. They would both have the knowledge that they are going to be together through thick and thin. The arguments won't be as bad. She would understand that the disagreements didn't matter. She wouldn't always be wondering that when he works over that there is another woman on the side. She would have ownership over him and he would have ownership over her.

Yes, life was going to be good. Ved entered the mall and ran up the steps to the cafe. With the renovation to the mall, the cafe was opened as a restaurant. The Mallrats still stayed around as if it were the only kitchen in the building. Ved found his brother and their friend Jack sitting in the corner table discussing what their children were learning in Trudy's school.

"Hello." Ved fell into his chair was a joyous sigh. The two other men just looked at him. As long as Jack has known Ved, he has never made that sound. Something good must be up.

"So, I take it that your day has been great." Jack stated. He and Jay sat straighter in their chairs to listen to Ved's tale.

"So, I waited till Cloe left for her lesson with TaiSan then I went to the jewelry store. KC showed me the rings that she liked and I ordered an inscription." He thought for a second and then began again. "He was acting really odd. It was as if he were angry with me." His brother and Jack looked at each other. It was well known that Ved and KC didn't get along. No one understood why. It was just a fact that everyone accepted.

"You do realize that KC hates you right?" Jack asked in confusion.

"DUH! But this is abnormally mean. He was just barely talking to me. I know he is a businessman. He would normally talk to me in a professional manner."

"I think you are losing your touch, Ved." Jay stated. "You are actually worried about what someone else thinks of you."

Ved jumped up much to the delight of the two men. "No virt... I mean no one's thoughts matter to me. Not even Cloe's!" He stormed from the room. Leaving his brother and Jack a little worried.

"He should really change his ideas about Cloe." Jay thought aloud to Jack.

"Yeah. I wish there was a way to make him realize what he is getting into."

Chapter Five

"Hello Cloe!" KC loudly greeted as Cloe entered the building. She was surprised to say the least. Yesterday, he was acting as if he were angry with her and today he was happy to see her. He rushed over to her and hugged her tightly before she could say a word. "I am so sorry for the way that I treated you. It was all because I was afraid of something that Lex told me."

"Its...." She coughed slightly showing that she was being hugged too hard. He let go and she continued to her desk to set her basket down. "Okay. I feared that I was the reason that you were angry. I was hoping that you wouldn't fire me." She sat down and began to look in the basket.

"I couldn't fire you. You are doing me a favor. You are a big help to me." He crossed the room and leaned onto her desk.

"Well, lets get to work. Are there any more orders since I left yesterday?" Cloe asked as she gathered her notebook to write down the information.

"No more orders since yesterday." He turned and walked into his office. He couldn't lie to her lately. He wanted to gain her trust through honesty. He just couldn't tell her about the rings that Ved ordered. That would just be wrong and KC was turning over a new leaf. He was going to be a honest man. He immediately went to work on a necklace that was ordered a week before all it needed now was to add the clasp.

"You know," Cloe said leaning against the door frame. "It was really hard for me to be here with you and you not speaking to me. You should have said that I did something wrong."

"But you did nothing wrong." The two were interrupted by the bells announcing a new customer. Cloe went back into the showroom.

"Hello, Ved. What can I do for you?"

"Nothing. I just thought I would come to see you. Make sure KC is doing what he is supposed to." Ved answered looking towards the office with contempt.

"What is that supposed to mean?" KC asked entering the room.

"Oh well, I just remembered something from the other day." Ved smirked. He knew this would be the straw that broke the camel's back. He could get KC back for taking Cloe's attention.

"What's that?" Cloe was beginning to get interested. She could see the look in Ved's eyes that showed he was up to something.

"Oh, the other day, I was in the parking level and I heard Lex and KC talking. KC has some pretty interesting thoughts about you." Ved laughed slightly at the look on KC's face as he realized what had happened that day.

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, I believe he's in love with you."

Cloe looked from Ved to KC. KC's face was pale and frightened. Cloe looked back at her boyfriend to see his joy at KC's pain. She hadn't expected KC was in love with her but Ved was cashing in on someone's pain. She couldn't stand to watch it anymore. She ran from the building quickly leaving the two men together.

"I think you should leave." KC stated without emotion to Ved.

"Who's going to make me? This is a free city."

"No thanks to your tribe. I know what it is like to be a slave and I have all the same rights as you and this is private property. So leave." He pushed him towards the door. Ved pushed back and took a swing missing KC. KC retaliated with an upper cut to the jaw and a hit to Ved's right eye. Ved, losing his balance, fell to the floor. As soon as he realized what had happened, he collected himself from the floor and exited the building.*~~*~~*~~*~~*

The next day KC decided not to officially open. He sat in his office finishing the work on Ved's order before returning to the Mall. He spent the rest of the day just sitting in the Cafe watching the people coming and going. Cloe would come to the corner of the cafe and see that KC was still in the same place as before and then leave. The only time he left the cafe was to go see TaiSan about some energy drink, but he could see Cloe in her lab and decided not to risk her angry outburst on him. He returned to the Cafe and just sat. That was where Lex found him after his day of patrolling the streets.

"KC?" Lex asked carefully afraid that something horrible had happened. "What happened? You didn't come by last night."

"She knows." he answered without looking up from the table. He ran his hand over his short green hair. "Ved knows."

"Woah." Lex sat opposite of his friend. "How does Ved know?"

"He said that he heard us talking one day while we were playing basketball."

"So how does Cloe know? You didn't tell her did you?" Lex pulled back his long hair and placed it in a tie. This was going to be a long conversation.

"I didn't tell her. Ved came into the shop and saw her giving me a kiss on the cheek and over reacted. He told me to stay out of it because I didn't have any business in this and neither did the fact that I love her."

Lex drew in his breath. Love was a hard thing to deal with. He learned that with his adventures with TaiSan. KC was going to have a rough time. But he was sure that KC was the better man and will end up with Cloe. "So what happened?"

"She ran out of the store and I told Ved to leave. He refused and I hit him twice. He has a black eye and a busted jaw right now."

"Da.mn! Now I can be proud to say that I taught you how to fight." He tried to get the young man to laugh but he just looked at Lex. "Okay, bad time to joke."

"Yeah."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I was going to ask you that." KC let his head fall to the table. "You are the old man. You should know about these things!"

"I really don't know what to do. Love is a hard thing. TaiSan and I are still struggling through it. We always will be and I am glad of it. I couldn't live without her by my side." Lex stopped for a second and KC raised his head. "Can you live without Cloe?"

"I have to. She belongs to Ved."

"She belongs to no one, but herself. Are you willing to show her that you are the man for her. That you can give her more than he can?"

"What do I have to give her?"

"You could love her so much better than he can."

"How?"

"Do you trust her and cherish her? Do you expect a lot from her? And do you just long to be around her?"

"Yes."

"Ved can't answer the same way. He didn't trust her with you. He didn't expect her to do more than a house wife. And he spends more time working than trying to show his love for her." He put his hand on KC's shoulder and stood. "I'm going to go right now and be with TaiSan. I took of from work to spend some extra time. We are going to the woods to meditate."

"I thought you hated that."

"I do." he smiled widely. "But I love the fact that she expects me to close my eyes."

"You don't" KC was confused. He lies to TaiSan.

"I meditate differently. Just staring at her doing the thing she loves is all the meditation I need. It brings my life back into perspective. It renews my love for her over and over again."

"Wow. I don't think I can love like that."

"I know you can. I've already seen you do something like that before with Cloe." He turned towards the door. "I'll see you later. I have a date." He then left KC to think about what he was going to do to help get Cloe back in favor of him and to show her he was the man that she needed in her life.

Chapter Six

The Christmas lights above the statue were the only light in the lobby of the mall. As if they were stars, KC lay on his back staring up at them. At this moment, they were calming. Simply staring at the tiny lights took away the worries of his life. No thoughts of Cloe's angry departure lingered in his mind. He was back to the days before electricity complicated life. He was silent and pensive just like the ancient philosophers such as Plato.

Cloe watched him from the balcony above. KC looked sad. What could she do to make Ved's jealousy go away? IF she could just show Ved that KC was only a friend, everything would be okay. Life would get back to normal.

Cloe quickly decided it would be okay to talk with KC. After all, Ved was asleep. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt anyone. He would never know that she was violating his decree.

She took the steps two at a time quietly until she was next to KC. She leaned over into his line of sight. He only looked at her before closing his eyes.

"KC, look at me." He didn't move. "KC, please! I'm not angry with you. I just wanna talk to you."

His eyes opened. "Then why did you run out of the building like that?"

Cloe sat at his head as he sat up. "I was angry with Ved. His jealousy is becoming too much. Its as if he is regressing back to what he was when we first met."

"What do you mean?"

"He has a power over me and his is back to a cocky army man. It’s almost too much to deal with at times.

"I understand. He showed his cocky side to me."

Cloe laughed as she remembered Ved's story. "So that's the reason you hit him?"

"Yeah."

"Well, thanks." They sat in silence for a while. "I can't talk to you anymore." Cloe's voice was quiet and sad.

"Did he tell you that?" KC's anger began to boil. `Who gave Ved the right to tell her what to do and to rule her life?' KC thought as he looked at Cloe's darkened face.

"Yes." she lowered her head.

"Why don’t we meet like this every night?" Her head snapped up. “What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

“Okay!” She hugged KC. “I feared we wouldn’t be able to talk. You and TaiSan are all I have outside of Ved.”

“Why do you allow him to govern you? You are an independent and free person.”

She looked him directly in the eyes. “He’s protected me, loved me and been all I’ve known for four years. What other choice do I have?”

He took her hands in his. “You have me. I love you. I can protect you. I am making enough money to provide for you. Let me.”

She began to cry at KC’s words. Things are going to be much different from here on out. “I can’t! I’m promised to Ved and I can only be friends with you.”

He wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Give me a chance. Please. I can treat you better than he can.” He pleaded but knew it was futile.

“You were too late.” She held his hand between hers. She couldn’t stop his pain. “I have to leave before Ved realizes that I am gone.

She rose slowly but was stopped by KC. “Will you meet me tomorrow night?”

“Yes.” With that she ran up the steps and out of KC’s sight.

He fell back to his former position. This time his thoughts were of the situation with Cloe. Things were out of his hands. He was going to have to be content to just be friends with her.

Tears rolled down his fave and no thoughts of silliness entered his head. How could he love anyone but Cloe?

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Cloe lay next to Ved. He never noticed she was gone. He was so innocent and sweet like he was only a few years ago. Things were so different now. They were without joy. More like how May and Pride were. The love only seemed to be one-sided. Ved treated her as if she were a slave, not an equal.

“KC was right.’ She thought to herself. ‘He asked for a chance and out night time meetings will be his chance to prove he is able to care for, love, trust, and respect me better than Ved.’ She touched Ved’s hair lightly. ‘I do love him, but I have to be happy too.’

Chapter Seven

The night was wearing away and Cloe still hadn't came to the secret meeting place near the old cages. For the past week the two met every night for a couple of hours. No one saw them and they began to gain a feeling of safety. A knowing that Ved wouldn't find out.

KC sat quietly in the shadows. His thoughts were filled with worry. 'What if Ved caught her? What would he do to her?' KC stood and almost ran to the lobby.

By the fountain, Cloe sat curled up. It looked as if she were trembling. KC ran to her quickly. He sat down and took her in his arms. She pushed him hard. "Go away Ved!"

KC didn't budge and she turned to look at him. All the tension in her body released and she leaned against him. "What's wrong? What did Ved do?"

Through her tears, she answered. "He showed me the rings. They were so beautiful but I'm not ready anymore. There's not the same happiness."

"It'll be okay you can get it back. He loves you and you love him. It's worth working for." KC said comforting her.

Cloe only looked at KC. "Wait... I thought you were in love with me. Why are you trying to help Ved?"

"I'm not. I'm trying to help you. You love him and I'll do anything to help you get what you need and want."

"Wow, Well..." Before she could finish, Ved walked into the room heavily. He stopped before the two.

"God Cloe! If you were going to cheat on my, you could at least wait till you left the main room before you tried something!"

"VED! I wasn't cheating on you!" She jumped up and tried to hold his arm but he jerked away. "KC was just trying to make me feel better about our argument."

"Bulls.hit!" He turned his back to her and started for the stairs. "Well, are you coming with me?" He asked when he looked back at his girlfriend and a man the definitely not him.

"No."

"What do you mean 'no'?"

Cloe stood strait and strong. "Exactly what I said. I'm not going to sleep next to you until you can trust me enough and respect me."

"No." He took her arm and pulled her behind him. "You are coming with me now."

"Leave her." Ved stopped at the sudden sound of KC's voice. "Let go of her!" Ved let go of her and she went to his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Cloe, come on!" Ved commanded.

"No." She buried her hard in KC's chest as Ved stomped off.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

Cloe sat in the chair staring strait ahead. Since last night all she did was cry and stare. KC couldn't bring her out of it. He closed the shop that day to stay with Cloe. She hadn't talked. He was beginning to worry about if she was going to be okay.

"Cloe," he kneeled in front of her taking her hands in his. "Are you gonna speak?"

"Yes. I'm just thinking." She immediately lost the glazed over look. I'm gonna leave Ved."

"WHAT?" KC jumped up with shock.

"I'm leaving Ved. I'm tired of his lack of trust. He, for some reason, is always thinking I'm gonna go off with some other guy. Well, he drove me away! I can't stand it anymore!"

KC sat down again to look her in the eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Absolutely sure. I just don't know where I'm going to stay."

"You could stay in the extra room here."

"I couldn't intrude on you like that. If I did, you would have to take money from my pay for the rent."

"You can stay here and your rent could be cooking and helping with chores."

KC smiled brightly because Cloe's eyes began to light up with the thought of a free reign on her own life. She would only be depending on herself. That was something she had done for only a few short days after the virus hit. Someone had always been there to take care of her: Salene, Ryan, Ved, Jack. She was always protected.

"Okay. I'll take you up on your offer thanks."

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

She had dreaded this, but she knew that she couldn't just string Ved on thinking that they were going to get back together. It just wasn't going to happen this time. They were over for good. She slipped the key in as silently as she could so that Ved wouldn't know that she was there until she was inside. The door creaked open to reveal Ved sitting on the sofa reading a book.

"I was wondering when you would come home." He placed the book down and looked at her. "I missed you." He crossed the room to her and placed his hands on the sides of her face and kissed her gently. "I love you. I'm sorry."

Cloe pulled away. She couldn't stand to hear him say those words. They weren't true and the worst part was that Ved was lying to himself too. "Don't. Please. I don't have the courage for this already."

"Courage for what?" Ved knew what she was going to say, but he hoped it wasn't true.

"Ved, I can't be with you anymore." She looked him strait in the eyes. She didn't want to look at him but she knew that she should.

"You don't mean it." Her face didn't change. It was the truth. "No. Please don't leave me. I love you. I can't live without you."

"Yes you can. You did perfectly fine before you met me. I think you can handle it now to." She didn't want to sound mean, but he wouldn't get the idea if she didn't.

"Why are you going? Can I make it better?"

"No. I am just tired of being a servant and an object of jealousy. You can't trust me and I can't handle it anymore. It's over." She headed towards the bedroom to gather her things. She placed them all in a bag as quickly as she could. Ved never left the living room. That was not a good sign. She hoped not to find him crying. She had never seen him cry in the entire time she knew him and she didn't want to start now.

She grabbed the bag and quickly walked back to the living room. Ved was sitting in the middle of the floor with his legs folded underneath him. Tears streamed down his face. Cloe dropped her bags and embraced him. "I still love you. I just can't be with you. I've taken all I can take. You have hurt me too many times. We both need better. We need someone that can love us the way we need to be loved and we can't do that for each other anymore." She kissed him softly. "I will always love you. You were my first everything. I'll never forget anything we shared together."

She didn't give him a chance to say anything. She just stood, grabbed her bags and walked out the door without another word.

Chapter Eight

The days turned into weeks and Cloe and Ved began to slowly heal the hurt that they caused the other. It was a hard road but both had loving friends to keep them in the best of spirits that could be expected.

Ved threw himself into his work and finished the new car almost on his own. It was approved by the city council and could be found in production soon by a new factory to be built in the city. He had also begun a new project to make a vaccine for the virus to keep future generations from being able to contract the deadly sickness.

Cloe spent much time in her new studies and working. In her spare time she was also teaching KC to read better. She seemed much happier on a general basis. She was living life the way that she chose to. She was her own woman and she was proud to make her own choices. She and KC were the best of friends. They were inseparable. Many thought that maybe she had forgotten that KC had strong feelings for her. That was something that she could never forget. It was a big part of their relationship.

Cloe tried to keep a safe distance from KC but she knew that he was not going to try anything on her. He knew that they were nothing more than friends. He was getting over that fact and Cloe could see it on his face. It hurt him to look at her sometimes. She felt the same pain looking at him. There was nothing that she could do.

At this point in time, she was lucky she was able to trust a man. But he was the person that she trusted the most. The two of them spent every moment together watching their friends, Lex and TaiSan, get their marriage back together and try to start a family. It was an amazing thing to watch a love blossom again.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"TaiSan you are getting so big." Cloe stated as she placed her hand on her friend's growing stomach. "You have to be having twins."

"That is what Lex is hoping for. He wants two boys." She looked at her husband across the room wrestling with KC on the floor. "I don't think I can handle two more like him."

The two women laughed as they watched the men. It was a slow afternoon and none of them wanted the day to end. TaiSan was never happier in her life. She was going to be a mother soon. The mother of Lex's child.

Cloe wanted to be a mother someday. She was just afraid of who the father would be. Would he be good to her and the child. Would she be with him for the rest of their lives? The guys came back over and Lex kissed his wife. They were happier than any person that Cloe knew. KC sat in her lap. Usually she would playfully push him off her lap but today she felt different. She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his back.

KC was much different in the way he looked even months ago. His hair was now longer and completely blond. It laid flat against his head. He was taller and thinner. Many of the girls in the city were beginning to recognize him as the most eligible bachelor. He was courted by the girls as if he had a dowry of a million Ems. Cloe hated to admit it but his attractiveness was affecting her too. Many a morning she found herself being greeted with a half dressed KC fresh from the shower. It was everything that she had to keep her from stepping over the boundaries they both set in stone.

"Hey baby." Lex greeted TaiSan. "How's my sons?" he rubbed her stomach gently.

"How do you know there is more than one?" She asked playfully.

"I just know these things." He kissed her forehead.

"Fatherly intuition?"

"Exactly." He held out his hand. She took it and he pulled her up from the sofa. "How about we go to the cafe and have a good dinner?" He asked the entire group. Everyone agreed.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*

The four sat down in the bustling restaurant. Everyone was there tonight. Including Ved and his new girlfriend, Candace. Candace wasn't exactly the nicest girl. She put on a show for everyone but she thought she was superior to everyone especially since she was with Ved.

They sat down at the table next to the couple. KC pulled his seat closer to Cloe's so he whisper in her ear. "Look at those two." he referred to Candace and Ved. "A match made perfectly for each other."

Cloe couldn't help but laugh. He was right. Ved and she were made for each other. They were both slightly shallow and possessive. KC pushed her hair back and Cloe felt a jolt of electricity from his touch. She looked at him but he continued to look at his menu.

"Lex, are you ready to be a father? It'll be any day now." KC gushed. He was almost as excited as Lex about the baby(s). He was looking forward to being a godfather. So that he would sound like a member of the mafia from those old movies from before the virus.

"I can't wait. I just finished painting the room light green. TaiSan says it is calming. The babies will be able to sleep in there better." He took a sip of his water.

"How are you so sure that it is more than one?" Cloe asked. Since TaiSan knew she was pregnant, Lex thought there was two children. Both boys.

"I just have a feeling. There is something about it." Lex answered as the waitress came over. They all ordered and after KC finished his order he placed his arm around Cloe. It was a simple thing that he often did but now it was making Cloe nervous. She just wanted to jump up and run out of the cafe.

"Excuse me. I don't feel well." She stood and left the cafe to go back to the apartment. She laid on her bed alone until she heard the door creak. "Hello?" She asked without looking to the door.

"I brought your food." He placed the container of food on her bed. "Do you mind if I join you?" He sat down on the bed as she sat up. She couldn't help but smile. He was always doing stuff like this. He was always sure that she was taken care of before he was. He's a true gentleman.
The two ate in silence. After discarding the waste, Cloe laid back down. This time she sincerely felt sick. He could tell that she was feeling bad. He laid beside her and pulled her closer. "It'll be okay. Whatever is wrong." He kissed her forehead and brushed her hair back. She turned in his arms abruptly at his touch leaving him wondering about what he did wrong. But he didn't say anything .He just continued to hold her close. Soon they both fell asleep in the comfort of each other's nearness.

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