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Chapter Sixteen
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The room was completely covered in flowers and candles. Right now, Trudy is setting up the table as Cloe and I added the finishing touches to my dress. The dress is white with little silver sequins all over. It is absolutely beautiful. You're wondering why we are going to all this trouble. This is Jack and mine's first month anniversary. I know that he will not even be thinking about such an insignificant anniversary, but I want to commemorate us.

"I'm through." Trudy announced smoothing the wrinkles from the tablecloth.

"So are we." Cloe announced jumping up. "You are going to look so beautiful, Ebony." Cloe laid the dress on the bed. "How about you take out your braids and start on your makeup while Trudy and I go and get the food. They left the room before I could even reply.

I took down each braid and it surprisingly didn't take much time, probably about ten minutes for my entire head. I then took out the colored strands of weave. It was a bit weird to have my braids out for the night, but it would be like the first night that I realized what Jack was really like. I applied my eye shadow and then put on eyeliner and lipstick. That would be all that I will use tonight. I want him to know that I am sincere and I can start by taking off some of the make up that just cakes on my face usually.

Trudy and Cloe re-entered the room and placed the meals on the table. Then Trudy hung the curtain from the hooks above the doorway so that the room couldn't be seen into from outside. "Are you ready for me to curl your hair?" I shook my head as Trudy took her curling iron and began to curl my hair. "Stop fidgeting, Ebony. You act like you are nervous."

I sat up straight and tried not to move. "I am. Will he like my dress and the food?"

"He will. You have nothing to worry about. He loves you." Cloe stated sitting on the edge of the bed.

'That is easy for you to say. You're married." I exclaimed. “And, you've already had sex with Ved."

"I thought you were over the whole sex issue." Trudy stated as she told me to moved so she could curl the other side of my hair.

"We are. I want to finally do it tonight." I stated quickly. It was really going to happen. For the past month, Jack and I have slept in the same bed and it has been only willpower that has kept the two of us from doing anything too physical. Now I am sure that we belong together. I am sure that he actually loves me and I am ready to be with him. I just hope that he is ready to be with me.

Cloe slapped Trudy's free hand before speaking. "It's about time. I thought you two were never going to have sex."

"Why? It has only been a month." I asked with confusion. I knew that physical relationships were more common now, but Jack and I had hardly been together long enough to make Cloe think that Jack and I weren't going to move on.

"Well, everyone thought that you two would already have a baby on the way." Cloe stated as Trudy finished with my hair.

"Cloe!" Trudy scorned unplugging the curling iron. "You shouldn't listen to gossip. Ebony isn't like that anymore."

"Like what?" I asked standing and putting my hands on my hips. "Are they talking about how I used to be a slut?" Cloe looked down at the ground and shook her head. "Cloe, I'm not angry with you. I did used to be a slut, but now I am making a change and the only man that I want now is Jack." I was a little outraged that people were talking about my private life. Although, gossip is something that is prevalent in the Mallrats. "Now, help me get this dress on. Because it is majorly tight and I can't get the zipper up on my own." We got the dress on and I looked into the mirror. It was the most beautiful dress I have ever seen. It was tight all over and a slit was up one side so that I could actually walk. It looked great against my dark skin.

"Beautiful." Was all Trudy said. She put some of my hair over my shoulder. "He doesn't stand a chance at telling you no."

A knock sounded on the doorframe. “Can I come in?" Jack's voice asked. I told him not come directly into the room, and thank goodness he listened to me. Cloe and Trudy each gave me a quick hug before leaving. They stopped to do the same to Jack.

I could feel myself slip into war mode. I became strangely calm as he walked into the room wearing his baggy jeans and tee-shirt. He looked so good. He stopped in the doorway just looking at me. "You look absolutely breathtaking." He started toward me taking me in his arms. "Happy anniversary." He kissed me deeply running his tounge over my lips in the way that I loved, but he pulled away all too soon. "Would you like your present?"

"You have a present? I didn't even think you would think anything about this." I stated with excitement.

He led me to sit at the table, pushing my chair to the table. "You'll have to wait until after dinner anyway." I pouted and he laughed. "Now, let's try this dinner that I am sure that Trudy cooked."

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

I wiped at my mouth to make sure no tomato sauce was left on it. Jack was just staring at me for across the table. I knew that he had something important to tell me. I am just afraid of what it is.

"Would you like your present now?" He asked reaching into his pocket. I shook my head. "Before I give this to you, I want you to know that we can do this in your own time. I just want you to know how I feel. You don't have to answer now, just please accept the ring." He held out the ring. It was a rather large diamond with rubies on either side of it set in silver.

My breath caught and my heart stopped. Was he asking me to marry him? Or was this just some beautiful ring and he didn't realize the meaning of a diamond? "Jack, are you asking what I think you are asking?"

"Yes. But you don't have to answer yet. Just take the ring." He put the ring on my finger. I knew the answer right that minute, but words wouldn’t come to me. I could barely think. I didn’t even look at the ring again. It meant nothing. It was just an object. Jack was giving me something far more valuable than diamonds, rubies, or silver. He was giving me his heart. A look of fear came over his face. “You don’t want me?” He pulled his hand back and looked into his lap taking on the actions of the young scared boy he was when we first met.

“Jack, Don’t think that! I want you more than anything else in this world. Are you sure you want someone like me? I’ve been evil and I have hurt a lot of people including you with my bad decisions and selfishness.” I stood walking over to him.

He put his hands on my waist pulling me to his lap. He laid his head against my chest looking up at me. “I have never been so sure about anything in my life. You’re past is your past. We have all done things that we didn’t agree with because we were scared children that had to learn how to survive. You survived, I survived, let’s survive for the rest of our lives together. Let’s have children and grow old together. Let’s fix the mistakes the adults made.”

His eyes were so honest and caring. I knew he meant every word of what he said. We were going to be married and we were going to have sons that would lead the future to a far better place than our parents had. “I love you. I can’t deny either of us marriage. I’ll marry you.”

He kissed me abruptly almost knocking me out of his lap and into the floor. The only thing that stopped me from falling was his strong arms around my waist. His kiss was passionate, loving, and honest. I felt all that he was thinking and feeling. He is in love and so am I.

I pulled away from him taking his left hand in both of mine. His hand was almost twice the size of mine and I felt safety in that fact even in a moment like this. I pushed him to sit on the bed before sitting across his lap again. I placed his hand on the zipper to the dress. He looked up at me with questioning eyes. I kissed him to let him know that I really wanted him to pull down the zipper.

As he pulled down the zipper, his fingers brushed across my skin giving me a sensation that not even he has given me before. The anticipation of the moment seemed to fill the room and I was drowning in it. I was kept afloat by the look in his eyes that said he would never let go of me. He moved his hand from the zipper to remove one of the straps to the dress. His hand ran down my arm causing me to shiver, but I wasn’t allowed to feel cold for long because soon, Jack’s lips kissed the top of my shoulder. I reached up to put my hand in his thick brown hair.

He looked up at me with a smirk that told me that I was everything he wants. My own lips quickly covered the smirk as I bit his bottom lip a little causing him to moan before sucking on it gently. As we broke away once again this time breathless, he pushed down the other strap giving it the same treatment as the other side.

Then he tried to remove the dress by pushing it further down, but nothing moved. He pushed again, but the dress was stuck to me. I couldn’t help but laughed. I wanted the dress tight to entice him, but I didn’t think about the fact that he might not be able to get it off of me. “What is so funny?” He asked getting frustrated. “I can’t the damn dress off! That is a problem for you, too.” He tried to push the dress down again; this time it budged only a little. I laughed again as he groaned in disapproval and lay back across the bed.

“Jack, baby,” I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him to sit again. “Why don’t you try it the other way?” I stated as I stood from his lap and pulled up the bottom of the dress almost all the way up my thighs before sitting astride him. He smiled at me brightly before groaning as I settled to a very (raises eyebrows) very comfortable position against him.

“Ummm, that is a good way to go.” He slipped his hands up under my dress and against my stomach as he kissed at my neck.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Chapter Seventeen
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I awoke to the most sensational feelings that I have ever felt. I was wrapped in Jack's entire body. Normally, I would have pushed the guy off for being too clingy, but today, I felt as though he wasn't close enough. I snuggled against him kissing his chest to let him know that I was awake. I knew he was too without even looking because he wasn't stroking any part of my body, as I have learned that he does in his sleep.

"Hey, baby." He kissed the top of my head, moving to run his hand over my now straight hair.

"Hey." I ran my hand down his arm feeling his muscles jump as the cold metal of my ring touched his skin. I looked at the ring. It was the most beautiful thing that I have ever owned. "Thank you."

He laughed quietly. "For what? What happened last night? Your ring? Or asking you to marry me?"

"Can I choose all of the above?" I asked as I turned my head up to him so that I could receive a tender kiss.

He licked his lips before answering me. "Baby, you can have anything you want. I'll make sure you get it whether it is a house, computer, ring, or choice. It is yours."

"I have everything I want or need right here."

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

I sat on the floor in the middle of the living room writing a list of chores that needed to be done and a list of mallrats that were able to perform the tasks. I would have rather been on the roof helping Jack fix the water supply tank that he and Pride set up a couple of days ago, but the tribe must come before my urges. I quickly paired up the names and began to make a chart that would be displayed on the refrigerator door in the café.

Trudy entered the room quickly as if there was something important that she wanted to talk about. Brady was in her arms. She sat the girl in the corner with the crayons and paper. Trudy rushed over to me and fell to the floor Indian style.

"ooh, tell me. What happened? Was it good? I need details!" Trudy was bouncing by the end of her demand.

I laughed looking at her. "It was good." I pushed back a braid from my face with my left hand. "He is the best man that has ever lived." I scratched my eyebrow with the same hand.

"Was he that good?" Trudy asked still one tracked on her previous questions not noticing my hand.

I laughed, as she was oblivious to the addition to my hand. "I am not talking about," I started to say the word then remembered Brady "S-E-X. He was just so kind, tender and honest with me. He promised me that I would never want for anything." I pulled at the strap of my tank top. She still didn't notice the ring. "Trudy, are you blind!?!"

"Why?" She looked at me blankly.

I threw my hand in her face. "Hello!"

"OH MY GOD! Is that what I think it is? Or is it just a present?" She examined the ring closely.

I smiled giddily as I answered. "It is what you are thinking. I'm getting married, I'm getting married!"

Brady walked over and joined us when she heard the word 'married.' "Who's getting married?" She sat on the floor beside her mother.

"Auntie Ebs is getting married." Trudy announced pulling my hand over for her six-year old daughter to see.

"To Uncle Jack?" The little girl bounced much like her mother had moments before.

I reached out and took her in my lap. "Yeah, to Uncle Jack. Would you like that?"

She smiled up at me showing all of her teeth and I noticed how much she looked like her father. I could have cried for missing Martin, but I smiled at the child. "Of course. Then I could have cousins." She jumped up out of my lap and ran to get her doll. She brought it back to us and climbed in my lap again. "Mommy, Uncle Lex said that there is going to be a lot of babies in the mall soon. Will they all be my cousins?"

Trudy gave me a look that made me think that she made a mental note not to let Lex talk to her daughter as he might corrupt her. "Baby, Uncle Lex, Uncle Jack, and Aunt Ebony are not really your Uncles and Aunts. Aunt Amber, Uncle Dayved, and Aunt Cloe are your only real Aunts and Uncle. There is also your Uncle Bray. Maybe he will come home soon."

Brady said "Okay." and went back to her toys.

"Can't you just wait to have children?" Trudy asked me with a long sigh. "You think it matters to explain stuff to them and then they just run off to play with their toys."

I laughed at my friend's frustration. "Actually, I can't wait." I let myself fall into a thought of what Jack’s children and mine would be like. We would more than have all sons like his family had been they would all have creamed coffee colored skin and brown hair. They would hopefully be as tall as their father and have my sense of mystery about them. They would be the most handsome men in the entire city. They would be filled with knowledge that consisted of everything from computers to martial arts.

"That is surprising. I would never have imagined you as wanting to be maternal." Trudy said breaking me out of my thoughts.

I raised my eyebrows. "Neither would I. I guess when you find the right man, everything changes." I laughed. "I guess everything about me has already changed."

"He's changed too. He's so confident and assured. He does what he thinks is best and doesn't worry about others say about him. He doesn't stutter half as much and he stands up for himself...and you." Trudy smiled at me causing me to smile too. She even thought that Jack and I belong together.

"I can't wait to be married to him!" I jumped up and walked around. I had to get this extra energy out of my system. I felt like I could burst at any moment.

"So, have you thought about when and where you want to be married." She asked trying to calm me a little.

I sat back down and thought for a moment. "I want to be married at the hotel next to the pool. Some time soon. I don't want to waste any time. You never know what could happen in the future." I added quickly. I had waited to long with Bray and the Virus broke us apart. I wasn't about to lose the single most important person in my life.

"Yeah. Do you want to look for a wedding dress or have one made?"

"Can you make me one?"

"Sure. Now, what about bridesmaids?"

"I want you and Cloe and I want you guys to wear blood red dresses. That's Jack's favorite color."

Trudy took all of this in trying to commit it to memory. "Ok, if you want me too, I can be your wedding planner. I've always wanted to do that as a living and you will be my second client." She joked.

I laughed with excitement. This was really going to be happening. I was going to be having my princess wedding. "Okay!" I thought for a moment before speaking again. "This is so weird. I never thought I would be letting some man take care of me like this and here I am. I clean his room, I cut his hair for him. I draw on his tribal markings."

"Honey, it sounds like you are taking care of him." Trudy stated with a smile. She knew what I meant.

"Well, that is just payment for him giving me those looks that he gives me and the sweet kisses when he is in a hurry but can't resist kissing me."

She laughed as she stood. "I've gotta go. I have to gather mine and Jay's clothes to take to the river to wash. Do you wanna come with me?" She asked as she walked over to collect Brady.

"Yeah. Let me go get Jack’s clothes and mine. Can you believe that I am going to wash someone else's clothes. I think that I am starting to go crazy. Maybe I should take this changing for love thing one step at a time."

"You are okay. Honey, just go get your clothes." With that they left me with thoughts of how goofy I am becoming.

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Chapter Eighteen
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I quickly gathered my clothes and walked across the lobby to Jack's room. Loud music was blaring from the door as I came closer. I dropped my bag just in the doorway and watched him. He was working on what appeared to be a motherboard. He was hard at work and didn't notice me. He had those weird goggles on and a soldering iron in his hand.

Then I noticed what the song was. It was "Pour Some Sugar on Me" by Def Leopard. He began to sing with the chorus.

"Pour some sugar on me... In the name of love... Pour some sugar on me... Come on fire me up... Pour some sugar on me... I can't get enough... I'm hot, sticky, sweet, from me head down to me feet. Yeeeaaah." He was working along and bobbing his head.

I almost laughed. He looked so sweet singing to the old rock music. He ignored the bridge of the song and sang the chorus when it came around again. At the break in the singing, he jumped up and pretended to be playing a guitar and sang the rest of the song. I was stifling laughter as I thought about how much I love him.

Here he is making a complete fool of himself and I like it. I could imagine myself watching him doing this everyday. This is the man that will be my husband, my mate, the father of my future children. This is the rest of my life and this smile is what will be on my face all of the way. I walked into the room and sneaked up behind him. I wrapped my arms around his waist causing him to jump. I laid my head against his back.

"Hey, Ebs." He turned in my arms and wrapped his around me. "I thought you were making out a chore chart."

"I am. I mean I did. Now, I have come to gather your clothes." I stated pulling away from him and looking around the room at the clothes that were lying everywhere. I looked back at him.

"So, I'm a little messy. I would rather spend time with you and my computers." He kissed me on the cheek before I started picking up the three pair of jeans on the floor, the six shirts, and the few pairs of underwear that were scattered everywhere.

I held up the last pair of underwear of the tip of my finger. "You are going to have to clean up more often." I put the boxers in the bag with the others.

He sat back down on his stool and began to work on the motherboard again. I sat the bag on his bed and jumped up on the only empty part of his worktop. He sat down the soldering iron and looked at me. I was examining the ring closely. I had never had jewelry this nice and I was almost afraid of putting it in the water at the river. What if something corroded the ring? Jack would think that I didn't love him anymore. "What are you thinking about baby?"

"My ring. Will the river make it mess up?"

He took my hand and looked at it. "No. It will be okay. Just don't let it fall off." He stated kissing my hand. I giggled at the gesture. He was treating me like a princess. Jack pushed away his work and pulled me to sit in front of him before pulling me to his lap. I sat astride him leaning back against the worktop. He wrapped a piece of my hair around his finger. "I like you with your hair out of the braids."

I closed my eyes and just sat there. He moved his hands to my bare waist and pulled me against him hard causing me to open my eyes. His eyes were dark and they made me shiver. "What are you thinking?" I placed my hand on the back of his head letting his hair slide between my fingers.

He closed his eyes for a second before looking back into mine. "I was thinking about you. What did I do to deserve someone as beautiful and as sexy as you? I'm just a geek. I have nothing that you usually like in a man. I am a follower."

"Not anymore. You're the chief of this tribe and a prominent member of the government. Plus, you make me smile." I kissed the tip of his nose. He smiled back at me. I wanted to tell him that I love him, but I wanted to do more. I wanted to show him that I love him. I ran my hand over the back of his head again playing with his hair and running the tips of my fingers over his neck. I knew that he loves this but I wanted to do more. What could I do that would show that I love him?

I looked at him pensively. His eyes were closed as he leaned back against the seat back. His hands were still on my waist as he stoked my skin. I ran my hands from the back of his neck down his shoulders to his stomach. I pulled the shirt that he was wearing up a bit and slid my hands inside to run over the ridges of his stomach. His eyes shot open at the contact of skin against skin. He pulled me roughly against him with my hands still between us. Our lips met with a force that I knew busted my lip, but I could live with that as long as he kept kissing me with this kind of passion. He licked over the lip he busted and pulled back. I whimpered a little.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't mean to." He apologized for hurting me.

"Shut up and kiss me." I leaned towards him, but he pulled back. I looked at him shocked, but then he moved his lips to the side of my neck. I could feel him beginning to suck at my neck. I am starting to believe that he is determined to make me have a hickey the match the one that I put on his shoulder. His tounge licked over my skin making me moan a little.

"Uuum?" Trudy's voice announced her presence. "I think I will leave."

She turned to go, but I looked at her. "No, I'm ready to go." I stated trying to pull Jack's head away from my neck. "Baby, stop." I stated and he didn't listen. Trudy laughed. "Jack, let go." I felt his teeth lightly nip at my neck before he pulled away. "I gotta go."

"Don't stay here." I tried to get out of his lap but his grip on me was too strong.

"What about our dirty clothes?" I asked to counter his attack on my willpower.

He smiled at me slyly. "We can go naked." Trudy busted out laughing. He looked up at her with a scowl.

I laughed at him also. "No we can't. Now, let me loose or you shall be punished."

He pulled my head near his bringing his lips next to my ear. "Will you spank me?" I hit him before he lifted me from his lap and placed me on the floor. "Be careful, girls." he said as Trudy and I waved from the door.

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

I ringed out my nightgown and hung it on the clothesline with the rest of the clothes. Trudy was still working on her load as she had more clothes than I had. She smiled and hummed as she washed Brady's tiny little dress. Trudy is the vision of domestication. She is the perfect mother and live in girlfriend. There is no way that I could ever learn to do all of that.

"Trudy, what is it like being a mother?" I asked trying to make small talk. There was too much quiet out here.

She turned to look at me. "I don't know. You just do it. You don't really think about it. I just try my best to keep her from being hurt and to let her have a normal childhood. It isn't the one that we had, but maybe she will be okay." she rung out the dress. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason, I was just thinking."

"Ebony, don't worry about it. Everything that you need to know, you will learn. It just comes to you. The baby will be fine. Wait... you can't know your pregnant yet."

"I'm not. I was just wondering for when I do have children."

"Oh. Well, you will know what to do. God won't let you do anything to hurt the baby."

"Speaking of babies, where is Brady?" I asked as I pinned some of her clothes on the line with Jack’s clothes and mine.

"She is with Amber. She is playing with her cousin." She picked up the basket and came over to where I was. She began to hang the clothes. "She is so excited about your engagement. She wants to be a flower girl."

"That can be arranged."

"So what were you and Jack doing?" She asked with an amused tone.

I could feel the heat in my face raise. "Just kissing." I stated quickly.

"Oh, so that was why your hands were in his shirt and his were on your butt." Trudy stated without looking at me.

"Hey, he is my man, I can do whatever I want with him." I stated with fake anger.

I guess it was a little too real because she looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry about the Jay thing."

"Don't be. I hated you for it at first, but now I see that you did me a favor. If I hadn't broke up with Jay, I wouldn't be with Jack." I smiled at her. "As a matter of fact, I have never been so happy that something bad happened to me."

"Well, I guess we should get back to the mall and come back for these later. "Trudy stated grabbing her basket and walking in the direction of the mall.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Chapter Nineteen
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I wiped away the sweat from my forehead. I was so sick this morning that Jack stayed with me to make sure that I got enough rest. Now, I'm lying in bed as Jack moves around the room cleaning. I was touched that he was actually doing my morning routine. I sat up in the bed as he bent over near me. I smacked his butt playfully causing him to jump up and look at me with a smirk before kissing me on the cheek as I wouldn't allow him to kiss me on the lips.

"Have I been a bad boy?" He asked shaking his butt at me. "Because whatever I did, I could do it again."

I only laughed at him as he jumped onto the bed next to me. I laid down with my head against his chest. "I'm sorry fir arguing with you lately."

"Me too. I didn't mean any of that." He kissed the top of my head before running his left hand down from the back of my head down my side letting it rest splayed across my stomach. "I like it when you wear my shirts. You look so sexy." He stated with a deeper, more quiet voice.

"Even when I'm sick?" I asked jokingly.

"Don't worry about it, baby. You are getting better. You seem to be fine in the afternoons and nights." He began to stroke his fingers across my stomach.

I smiled thinking about getting back to work. "I hope. I miss sparing and fighting." I propped myself up on my elbow to see him looking at me with a hurt expression on his face. "What?"

"You don't like fighting with me?" He stuck out his bottom lip.

I laughed thinking about last week when we had fought. Well, before the day I hurt him. "Jack, my soldiers don't get horny after fighting with me."

"Hoe do you know?" His expression was very serious. You go out there with tight pants and a short, tight tank top on and then you jump around and possible roll around on the ground with them. They are most definitely horny after fighting with you."

"But I am their general. They don't think of me as a woman." I argued. I never really thought about my men's feelings towards me.

"Baby, you are the sexiest woman in the city and they get to touch you without me being able to say a word about it. They think of you that way without a doubt."

"Whatever. I don't care what they think of me. I only are what you think." I kissed him quickly. "Thank you for rubbing my stomach. I feel much better." I sat up and moved to the edge of the bed.

"Good, but why are you getting up? We both have the day off."

I looked over my shoulder, which I shouldn't have done. He looked too good lying on top of the sheets. "Just because we hace the day off doesn't mean that we can just do nothing. We have a wedding in three weeks. That we must plan."

he moved to sit behind me. "Do you have to go?"

I smiled at him. "Yeah. We are doing the final fitting for my dress."

"Can I go with you?" He wrapped his arms around me pulling me against him. Let's just say that there was good reason for him wanting me to stay and if I wasn't sick, nothing would have drew me away from him. Sitting so close and his reason for staying being so hard against me, I was about to lose my resolve to get the dress finished.

I pulled away and began to dress in my baggy clothes. "No! You can't see my dress before the wedding.

"Okay." He conceded before falling back on the bed.

I climed onto the bed and sat on his stomach. "Why don't you go and hang out with Ved?"

"Okay, since you won't hang out with me. But we would have a lot more fun." He raised an eyebrow in invitation before I pulled him by his shirt to sit up. I kissed him quickly before jumping up too quickly causing myself to become sick before emptying the contents of my stomach in the nearby waste bin.

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

"Okay, you can take the dress off now." Trudy stated before putting away her sewing materials. I quickly took off the dress and slipped on the baggy clothes. I discarded the dress on the hanger and hung it in Trudy's closet before sitting in the arm chair. "Are you feeling any better? You've been sick for little over a week."

"Yeah, I am only nauseous now." I stated quietly. "I just can't wait to get back to work. Sitting in that room is making me all antsy. Not to mention that Jack is watching over me so closely. He won' t let me do anything."

Trudy laughed as she sat on the couch across from me. "I take it you two aren't arguing anymore?"

"No. We are getting along perfectly fine now." I smiled unconsciously thinking about what he was feeling before I left. I am sure the waste bin thing cured him of that passion, but still, he wanted me.

"What are you smiling about? Don't tell me that you two did it. I can't believe you." Trudy stated with a laugh.

"What? He is my boyfriend. I have hte right to have sex with him if we are both willing." I stated not noticing Ellie walk into the room.

"You don't have the right to sleep with him. He is too good for you." The blonde exclaimed.

"Ellie, just leave." Trudy moaned.

"I can to give this to you." She stated handing an envelope to Trudy. "So what are you two doing?" She sneered at me. My blood began to boil. She knew that I was with Jack and she couldn't handle it. She couldn't have him, so no one could. She won't stop until Jack and I are through. Well she will just have to find someone else because I have Jack now.

"Making my wedding dress." I stated crossing my legs.

She examined what I was wearing closely. "Love the new look. But, I am wondering, since you are such a slut, is your dress black?"

I jumped up. "You have the nerve to call me a slut? At least I didn't sleep with a member of the chosen."

"You slept with worse. You slept with a Techno." Ellie commented causing Trudy to come to my side to stand up for her boyfriend.

"Don't you say another word about Technos." Trudy warned taking a step near her to cause terror. Okay, maybe not terror but at least fright.

"What are you gonna do about it Supreme Mother?" Ellie asked before walking out of the room and into the hall.

Trudy and I quickly followed. Ellie needs an as.s whooping and I think that Trudy and I are qualified to do so. "Hold up, b.itch!" I exclaimed causing Ellie to come to a stop in the dinning area at the top of the stairs. "I don't remember Trudy or I dismissing you."

"I go where and when I please." Ellie stated flipping her pretty long blonde hair over her shoulder. Well, it wasn't to be pretty for much longer. When I get finished with her, it will be lying on the ground.

"I don't think so." I stepped forward. "You entered Trudy's room without knocking. Then you insult Trudy, Jay, Ved, and Me. I don't think we were finished with you." I turned to look at Trudy. "Were you through with her?" She nodded her head no. "That's what I thought."

"What do you have to say, Ebony?" She stepped into my personal space.

"You need to get over the fact that I am with Jack." I stepped forward causing her to take a step back. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see a crowd of Mallrats gathering.

"He doesn't want a slut like you. He's only with you because you gave it up!"

"Are you insinuating that Jack would only pick me because he is ruled by his hormones?" I took another step, but she didn't back away. We were face to face.

"Pretty much. Why else would he be with you?"

That was the last straw. I punched the bit.ch in her face. I didn't hit her that hard, but her nose was bleeding. In my shock over having broken her nose with such a little blow, she got a hit in. She hit me in the stomach causing me to double over as the wind was knocked out of me. Who knew Blondie could hit so hard? She tried to hit me again, but I caught her hand pulling it behind her. She whimpered in pain. "Apologize!"

"For what?" Tears began to fall from her eyes as I twisted her arm more.

"You know what, bi.tch. Apologize for saying that Jack only thinks about his hormones." I pulled her arm up to the point where just a little movement would break it.

"I'm sorry." She whimpered. I let go of her arm and she ran off crying.

I walked back to Trudy, but now Jack was standing next to her. His arms were crossed and he was scowling. I knew that he was mad but at me or Ellie? I walked over to him, but he took a step back. "What did you do that for, Ebony?" He didn't call me Ebs. Something is seriously wrong.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Chapter Nineteen-Part Two
*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"Jack, she insulted our closest friends and she insulted you. I wasn't about to stand for it." I pleaded silently asking for him to over look what just happened.

"You could have just let it be. No one listens to her. Just turn the other cheek." I could see that he was frustrated at something more than what happened but he wasn't saying anything about that.

"Jack, she just can't go around slandering people.” I placed my hands on my hips. I was trying to hold back but I couldn't. "She just cannot handle that you don't belong to her anymore."

"Belong to her? What are you talking about? I don't belong to anyone! Not even you!"

"No, that's not what..." I struggled to get him to listen to me, but he interrupted me.

"No, listen. I may have been Mallrat property before the Technos took me, but they taught me that I have to do what I want because I am valuable. Maybe I should have stayed with that group of Technos, but I came back because something inside me told me to. Now, you stand in front of me saying that I am your possession. No! You can’t take me hostage like the Chosen and the Technos. I thought I was more than that to you. I thought you were better than that. I guess I was wrong." he started to walk past me but I put my hand against his chest pushing him back.

"Do you realize that you are the only man that I have ever loved enough to actually try to protect? I didn't mean that you belong to me. If anyone belongs to anyone else in this relationship, I belong to you. I owe everything to you. I'm yours to do as you will." I removed my hand and opened my arms to display myself.

He just looked at me harshly before walking away. I was paralyzed by fear. That argument was actually about something. Could it be the last? I could feel the tears spring to my eyes before I just fell to the ground.

Everything was black and then I awoke in Trudy's room. I was on her couch and Jay was sitting in the armchair across from me with Brady asleep in his lap. Trudy was sitting in the floor next to me. I looked out the door and saw that many more lights were on. It was probably night. "Trudy?"

She immediately began to fuss over me as she pulled the blanket up over me more. "Yes?"

"Why am I in your room?” I sat up slowly so that I didn't get a head rush.

She looked to Jay then back to me with sad eyes. "Well, we didn't think that you would want to be in your room while Jack was getting his stuff."

My eyes opened wide as I looked from her to Jay. "Why is he getting his stuff from my room?"

Trudy looked to Jay again. I saw a tear fall from her eye. Jay spoke, "He's moving back to his room."

"No. He can't! He has to stay with me. "I cried out as I moved my right hand to play with my engagement ring. It wasn't there. "Where's my ring?"

Trudy sobbed a little. "He took it while you were asleep. I tried to stop him, but..."

"I know," I didn't have any tears. I knew Jack and I couldn't last forever. It was only a matter of time because I am a leopard and they cannot change their spots and poor little Jack was just an innocent little lamb. I corrupted him.

Maybe I just changed enough to seduce Jack. Maybe everything I did was a sham that fooled even me. Maybe I was destined to be the warrior queen of the Locos forever. I didn't deserve to be a Mallrat. "It belonged to him. He can take it when he wants it."

"There was no reason for him to just take it back. If he loves you as much as he said he did, this wouldn't break you two up." Trudy claimed moving to sit on the couch beside me. She put her arm around me and let me rest my head on her shoulder.

"He had plenty of reason to break up with me. I'm surprised it took this long."

No one said a word. We all just sat there as silently as possible. The only sound was Brady’s breathing. I knew I would never be able to hear my own child breathing that peacefully in her sleep. Jack and I wouldn't have children now and I'm not going to ever be with anyone else. At twenty, I found my soul mate; the one person that I love more than life myself. I know that I'll never love anyone the way that I loved him.

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

The next morning, I woke up before Jay and Trudy and decided to go back to my room. I needed to go back to my room. I needed to get out of Jack's shirt and put on my training gear. It's been a week since I've trained so an early morning run could be useful to get my body back in shape and clear my head.

I entered the room to see it looked exactly the same as before Jack had moved it. He had changed everything back. It was the room that I had been used to for so long, but seeing it again was wrong. There was meant to be Jack's clothes everywhere and computer disks on the tables and floor. It was clean and bland. It was no longer home. It was more like he.ll to be standing in that room.

I quickly changed before running from the mall and out the door. As I ran down the paved road, I thought of what the future held. No Jack, no marriage, no children, nothing. The future held nothing but a military career and death. Which would come first?

Who knew that an argument with my lover's ex-girlfriend would make me lose everything that I held dear? I never would have guessed. I stopped next to the gates to the Stadium. I lost Jack here once before. I broke down in tears. I slid to the ground just looking at the gate where the Technos took him. The look on his face will haunt me. Surprisingly, it was the same look that he gave me when I said that he didn't belong to Ellie anymore. He as taken from me again. This time he wasn't coming back. He was lost forever and I am doomed to be like I was before. Without Jack, what is the use of being all of the things that are good? Life didn't give me anything good. Why should I give anything good to life? I've been screwed over for the last time.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Chapter Twenty
*~~*~~*~~*~~*

"War is evident." Jay announced to all of the tribal leaders as he paced back and forth before the conference table. "My scouts have seen a Techno group north of the city. They seem to be planning an invasion, but they are inept. They are only the tip of the iceberg. Someone more demanding is in charge."

"Who do you think is leading them?" Jet, the leader of the gulls asked.

"I have no idea. My only choice would be Java. She was always hungry for power, but she was never too efficient. Someone would be helping her if it is her." Jay explained. "I will be speaking this afternoon with the general of our army, Ebony." he gestured to me. "She and I will see what other information we can find out and see if war is the very last choice that we have."

"I have seen too many people come into this city. We need to stop them before they strike." Another leader by the name of Adam announced.

Jay looked thoughtful. "We shall think of your proposal." He stood up strait with his hands behind his back. "Thank you all for coming today, everything that you have said will be taken into consideration." With that, everyone left the room. Only Jack, Jay and I remained. "I had hoped that war would not be necessary. I have watched these men for weeks. They didn't seem to be a threat at first, but then we saw a messenger and knew that they were only to cause us to become agitated and make a blunder. But, Ebony doesn't make many military blunders."

Jack only rolled his eyes. After my run, Jay told me of the meeting. I didn't want to go at first because I would have to sit beside Jack, but my tribe needed me and I stepped up forgetting my feelings for the moment. "How long have you known about the threat of war without telling me?" I asked Jay calmly.

"I have only knew since last week but you were ill and I didn't wish to disturb you as you needed your rest. Jack advised me instead."

"Jack knew before I, your general, knew?" I asked in rage. Now they were leaving me out because I was sick. Did they think I was only a weak woman?

"Jack is also a member of my cabinet. You were incapacitated and he was there. Do not question my judgment in such a way. You may be general and chief of the mallrats, but you are still subject to government control." Jay warned attempting to strike fear into me.

I stepped up to him. "I will question you because I am a member of your cabinet. That is my duty to the people and you will not control me as easily as you do others." My voice was as hard as steel.

He laughed heartily. "That is exactly what I thought you would say. You have passed your test. Very well."

"What test?" I asked skeptically stepping away from the blonde man before me.

He sat on the edge of the table. "The test to see if you still had the inner strength in you to lead a group of men to the front lines of a battle."

I stood straight and as tall as I could. "I will be able to lead an army to the frontline until the day that I die." I vowed looking to Jack. He seemed to be shocked at my tone. "Don't be so shocked, Jack. I am a warrior before I am anything else. Remember that." I warned before walking from the room to Jay's office.

Moments later, Jay came into his office. He sat his desk and threw his feet up onto the table next to his computer. "So, Jay, what exactly is going on?"

He leaned back before looking over at me. "Well, my elite guards have been scouting around the city to make sure that it is safe from intrusion. They saw some men in Techno uniforms. The men seemed to be taking data and various other notes about the city. The guards told me that the men came back everyday for a month and now they have stopped. It has been a week since the last visit. I believe that they are ready to invade. I am thinking that it would be best to mobilize the army. We have quite a force and it would be the best time to strike them before they strike us. Another invasion of the city could be the last. People won't be enslaved many times before they give in."

"I agree. We must strike now. My men are ready and I am ready to lead them into battle at your command. A third invasion of the city could be the last straw for the kids. We need to do something." I added with passion. I ached for battle, anything to full this emptiness that is in my heart. Battle was something that I rarely lost at. I will be on top.

"Very well, Jack agrees. The decision is made. This afternoon, I will tell the leaders and ask for volunteers from each tribe as back up warriors and medical backup." He sat up and typed something into his computer. "Another thing. I would like you to go down to the storage room and speak to the girl that is waiting there. She has a Techno uniform for you."

"Why?" I asked sitting on the edge of the desk trying to see his screen, but the screen saver came on.

"You, Jack, Ved and I will take part in a special operations unit. We will try to get into the Techno camp and defeat them from the inside. Ved and I cannot do it as we would be noticed, but you and Jack would be able to get through the camp easily. Jack could shut down their technology and then you could defend him if needed." I shook my head. "I know that you two are not on good terms right now, but this must be done for the city. Don't let anything happen to him."

I looked down at the floor. "I still love him. Just because he took back his ring doesn't mean that I am just going to stop loving him. It doesn't exactly work that fast."

"It did for you and me.” he stated quietly.

I moved away to sit in the chair again. I didn't want Trudy to be able to accuse me of trying to steal Jay. "That was different. I never saw myself spending the rest of my life with you. I can't imagine living without Jack. Thank goodness that I can still be in the same tribe as him. I can make him see that breaking up with me was a mistake."

I could see that he was a little hurt. No one wants to hear that their ex didn't love them as much as they thought they did. "Well, back to the army idea. Pride will lead your army. Is that okay?"

I didn't need to think about that. Pride was over qualified. "There are few people I would choose over him." I smiled at Jay to tell him that we were still friends. "Well, I better let you get to the other tribal leaders. I'll talk to Jack for you."

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

Fifteen minutes later, I found myself walking into the mall and towards Jack's room. I stood in the doorway expecting to see him hard at work at his desk but he wasn't. He was sitting on the stool and Ellie was massaging his shoulders. I listened closely to what they were talking about.

"So, you broke up with Ebony? I'm sorry." Ellie stated in her sweetest voice. It almost made me sick.

He pulled away from her. "Yeah. No thanks to you. You knew that I would break up with her if she acted the least bit violent. I just can't be with someone that will hurt others. I thought for sure she found the inner self." Jack stated as he turned to look at Ellie. "Maybe I was wrong to break up with her."

Ellie threw her hair over her shoulder. "Jack you are just saying that because you are lonely. You need someone that can take care of your needs." She leaned forward and kissed the side of his neck in his 'spot'. He immediately moaned like he always did when I would run my tongue over the spot. I could feel my heart breaking all over again.

He pushed her away. "Don't put your lips on me again." He warned.

She pouted but it almost looked natural. "But, Jack. I love you. I just want to be with you."

"No." He turned around and began to type on his computer. That was always his escape route. She jumped up on the worktop and scooted almost in front of him. He only looked at her as if she were psycho. "What are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing." She smoothed the wrinkle in her fuchsia miniskirt. "I just thought that I would get a better look at what you are working on. That is the new chore chart, right?" He nodded before she bent across him. Her low cut pink tank top revealed her breasts to him. He looked away from her. "What's wrong, Jack?" Ellie asked looking at him. She was aware of what she was doing and I wanted to pull her out of the room by her hair and then tie her to the second floor railing by it. "Do you like what you see?" she moved her hand from the table to his lap. He moaned again.

Of course he was going to be aroused. There is a scantily clad woman in front of him. "Ellie, don't." He got out before she pushed her lips against his hard. He didn't kiss back, but I could tell that he opened his mouth to let her tongue in. He also didn't pull away. I was hurt, but I had to know if he would tell her no. Finally, they broke apart. "Now, that you have got what you want, leave." He stated coldly. "First, you got me and Ebony to break up and now you have kissed me. Your work should be through."

Ellie stepped back shocked at what he said. "That bi.tch has ruined you! I never should have let her sink her claws into you." She ran her finger across his cheek. "Let me know if you need someone to help you through the loneliness. I can show you a good time."

He looked up at her with cold eyes. "I doubt it. I don't like girls that refuse to sleep with their boyfriends but finds the first blue haired freak she finds."

She slapped him hard before running out of the room. She didn't even notice me standing by the door. I waited a minute before walking into the room. "Excuse me, may I have a moment of your time?" He looked up at me accidentally hitting a key on the keyboard.

"Dam.n!" He furiously typed and clicked before hitting his head with his hands. "I guess I'll have to start over on that."

I looked at him apologetically. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay." He didn't look me in the eye. "So, what's up?"

I leaned against the worktop. He looked real good, but I could see Ellie's lipstick on his neck. "Jay is going to war. He says that he told you about a special ops group. That is on. So you need to wear your Techno uniform."

"Wait...You know about the uniform?" He asked as he walked over to where he had the uniform stored away in an old computer box.

I laughed as he pulled it out. "It's not like you had it hidden that well."

"I guess you are right." He walked over to me. He was right against me as he threw the uniform onto his bed. "I think the uniform is a little big for me. Do you think that you can alter it for me?" He asked. He was no more than four inches from me.

I couldn't sew that well, but I wanted to see him in the uniform. So I did what any woman in my position would have done. "Sure." I lied.

He immediately pulled off his shirt and pants before changing into the uniform. The lycra fit all the right places and the denim jeans hung off his hips in just the perfect way. I couldn't help but reach out and touch his washboard stomach. I knew it was wrong to touch him because he wasn't my man anymore, but I couldn't help it. I pulled up the top a little bit and slipped my hands inside his shirt. He sighed at the contact.

"Ebony, I love you.” he whispered against my ear. "I'm sorry. I overreacted."

I kissed his collarbone through the shirt. I couldn't refuse him. I looked up into his brown eyes. "I love you too."

"Are you too angry with me?" he asked. "I didn't mean to say that. I just don't like the idea of being anyone's slave. I've been a slave to too many people."

I reached up and touched his face with my left hand. "Baby, I would never think of you as a possession. You are the most important person in my life. I can't imagine anything but you."

"You know, Ellie was just in here. She kissed me, but she was just wanting to get a kiss. I gave her what I want and I think I offended her. But she did make me remember that you are the only one for me."

"I guess Ellie is good for something." I started to kiss him, but pulled back. "You did say that she kissed you." he nodded. I wiped my thumb across his lips. "Okay, where were we?" He leaned in and kissed me. "So are we back together?"

"Look at you hand." I hadn’t noticed but in the short amount of time that we were kissing, he had slipped my engagement ring back on. I led him over to the worktop, jumping onto it. "Are you thinking of doing something in here?" He asked skeptically.

"We are here." I answered with a smirk. He replied by sucking on my lower neck. We surely were there and I'll be damned if I let that blonde bit.ch get away with breaking us up again. I am just lucky that Jack has 20/20 hindsight. Very lucky. It was like I could see my entire life flash before my eyes and it is going to be a great life.

*~~*~~*~~*~~*
Diary 9
*~~*~~*~~*~~*

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