A/N: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I really, truly appreciate it massively. Sorry I haven't gotten a chance to reply to your reviews but I do read every one of them and will get back to responding as soon as possible. Many thanks, as always, to Liss for being my beta. Enjoy the chapter and please leave a comment. Thank you!
XIV
Brandon dreamed he was in heaven.
He found that, contrary to popular belief, heaven wasn't light and brightness. Heaven was a dark place. Heaven was a tight spot and moist. Heaven was hot, but not uncomfortably so. Heaven was quiet except for the faintest little sighs, the vaguest little sounds of friction. Heaven was-
His eyes flew open and a soft moan escaped his throat as consciousness crashed into him. Oh, he was in heaven, all right. And heaven was being inside Emerson. It was lying flat on his back on a huge bed in a cabin in Alberta, Canada, with the woman he loved on top and him buried deeply within her, ready to burst with rapture. What a breathtaking sight she was, her back arched and her head thrown back so that her long hair almost brushed the top of her bum, the peaks of her small breasts jutting proudly into the early morning air.
She was grinding her hips slowly on top of him, back and forth, back and forth, until he thought he would go mad if she didn't do something else. Anything else. But her eyes were closed, her mouth slightly open, her forehead creased with concentration. She seemed lost in her own blissful world and he was loath to disturb her. So instead, he grasped handfuls of the blankets and gritted his teeth, fighting the urge to grip her hips and thrust madly up into her.
Emerson, please.
As if she'd heard his silent plea, she suddenly changed the rhythm of her motions. Now it was as if she were dancing to music only she could hear and Brandon's eyes nearly rolled back in his head. Her hips were undulating, rotating, swiveling, side to side, back and forth, figure eights, zig-zag, everything but up and down and he wanted to scream. She moaned softly and he couldn't help the answering groan that escaped his throat. She didn't seem to notice but her movements picked up, the sounds coming more often as her walls rippled involuntarily along his length. Her long mane swung at her back, her breathing ragged, the trademark whimpers issuing now from her mouth as her body hunched over him, her hips moving faster and faster. The feel of her soft hair brushing his stomach was almost more than he could bear and as her muscles clenched tightly around him, he groaned deeply and let go. His body jerked as he came in a rush, the pleasure being heightened by the way she was contracting around him as her shoulders shook with the force of her release.
Emerson collapsed on top of him, gasping, her soft, fragrant hair pillowing his face, her breasts pressed to his chest and he just lay limply beneath her. When he regained his senses, he brushed her hair away from her face and trailed his hands down her sweaty back.
"Man, that's quite something to wake up to," he murmured contentedly.
She didn't answer and after few seconds, he realized that she'd fallen right back to sleep. Smiling lazily, he shifted until he was on his side and she was cuddled up next to him. The clock on the bedside table said it was just after four o'clock in the morning, which wasn't at all surprising. This habit had, in fact, been their downfall, the source of the past months of pain and separation that they'd endured, because Brandon was certain that Em had conceived during one of these early morning sessions. At the moment, they were safe, but it was definitely something they needed to talk about.
He was feeling too blissful to really think about anything though and closing his eyes, he fell asleep again.
When he woke up the second time, it was to bright sunlight streaming in through the window. Rolling over, he realized that he was alone in the bed but the delicious smells that were drifting into the room informed him immediately of her whereabouts. He stretched luxuriously, the tautness of his muscles making him grimace, but then he smiled as he recalled why he was so sore. Last night had been phenomenal. He would be lying if he said he hadn't missed making love to Emerson, and it had been so hard being around her and not being able to touch her, especially with knowing how wonderful touching her really was.
Turning over the events of the past few weeks in his mind, Brandon exhaled a heavy sigh. Em's confession about her reaction to the miscarriage had been a bit of a surprise. He hadn't expected that she could've felt that way, but it wasn't all that shocking when he really thought about it. She was young and focused. Driven. She knew what she wanted and she wasn't afraid to go for it. So it wasn't abnormal for her to have responded that way to something so life-changing and unexpected. It was only natural that she would've appreciated the ultimate result of that horrible event, that it meant her life wasn't going to change so drastically after all.
And he couldn't blame her for reacting that way. Merlin knew he certainly wasn't protesting the end results himself. He just couldn't see himself with a child, not now. There was so much he hadn't yet accomplished, so much he wanted to do. Brandon had no doubt in his mind that he wanted to be with Emerson for the rest of his life. He wanted to be her husband, to be the father of her children. He would do the former in a heartbeat, but not the latter. Not yet. And mercifully, they'd been let off the hook. He only hoped that they would be able to emerge stronger and more unified than they had been before.
Sighing again, he pushed the covers off and swung his legs out of the bed. After taking a long, hot shower, he dressed and followed his nose to the kitchen. He heard her before he saw her and his heart pounded in his chest as he stopped in the doorway and listened.
...you gave me water that refreshes me in every part
You are so beautiful,
and more loving more than words can say
You are my beloved,
and my happiness in every way.
Her voice trailed off into humming as she stretched to remove some dishes from the cupboard over the sink, and he stared at the sliver of skin that was revealed when the hem of her top traveled with her upward movement. Emerson turned around with the dishes and looked up, and he forgot to breathe when she smiled at him.
"Hey, sleepyhead," she said.
Brandon gulped before managing to smile back. "Hey. Something sure smells good."
"Breakfast," she said, turning to place the dishes on the table. "Or perhaps I should say brunch."
He walked over and slid his arms around her waist as she straightened up, nuzzling her neck. "You smell even better."
"Thank you."
He was pleased to note that she sounded rather breathless and turning her around, he cupped her face and kissed her. She sighed against his lips, her arms coming around him to rest lightly against his lower back. Brandon touched her lips with his tongue and she opened for him, plunging him into a world so delicious that he nearly swooned. He felt like he never wanted to stop, but soon breathing became an issue and they pulled apart, gasping.
"Wow," she murmured, her eyes closed, a lazy smile stretching her mouth. "God, I've missed this."
He hugged her to him. "Me too." How he had missed it!
After a long moment, she pulled away and took his hand. "Let's eat. I'm starving!"
They sat and helped themselves to kippers, eggs and bacon, as well as toast and marmalade, washing everything down with glasses of ice-cold pumpkin juice. It was only after most of her plate had been cleared that Emerson sighed and leaned back.
"That's better." She took a sip of her juice and fixed him with a look of curiosity. "So, tell me."
He gazed back at her quizzically. "Tell you what?"
She gestured vaguely. "Whose cabin is this? How did you get it? Who brought up the food and wine? Who lit the fire? I've been snooping around all morning but there isn't so much as a photograph in here."
Glancing around the room, Brandon grinned. "You're right. I didn't realize he'd put away the pictures and stuff. Guess he felt we'd be more comfortable without all these images watching us, so to speak. But the cabin belongs to the family of one of my co-workers. Remember Piers Wagoner? Short, pudgy bloke with that sleek ponytail?"
Her eyes widened. "Really? This is his?"
"His parents'. They're Muggles and they come up here every winter to ski on the nearby slopes. Apparently there's really good skiing to be had around here. Not that I know the first thing about it or anything."
"Cool," she said, looking impressed. "But what about the food? Corelli's! Did you-"
Brandon shrugged. "Piers owed me a favor so he got me permission to use the cabin. Then I sent him shopping in Muggle London and told him what to bring up. I wanted to do it myself but there wasn't enough time to handle it all and meet you in Boston as well."
She gazed tearily at him before reaching across the table to grasp his hand. "Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me," he said, squeezing her hand. "I love you, Emerson. I would do anything for you."
"I love you, too," she whispered, her eyes shining with tears.
They both sighed heavily and smiled before turning their attention back to the meal. After a while, he put down his fork. "So what was that you were singing?"
She frowned. "When?"
"Just a while ago. Something about water that refreshes in every part."
"Oh," she said, smiling widely all of a sudden. "It's called Rose of Sharon. My grandfather, Herb, taught it to me. He said he used to sing it in church when he was a little boy in Jamaica. It just popped into my head when I was cooking."
He grinned at her. "Well, not to be blasphemous or anything, but the words of that song applied to you perfectly, as far as I'm concerned."
Emerson blushed.
Once the meal was over, they set the dishes to washing themselves and eagerly headed outside so they could truly see Lake Louise in all her splendor. The sheer beauty of the scene had Brandon gazing in silent awe as the sunlight glinted off the surface of the lake and the reflections of the mountains and trees rippled in the water all around.
"This. Is. Fucking. Magnificent," Em breathed reverently as they stood atop the grassy slope, looking down at the vista before them, and Brandon could only nod mutely. "Let's go down to the water," she added suddenly.
Tugging on his hand, she laughed and began to run down the small hill, and his heart soared within him at the sound. This was the first time he'd heard her laugh since the beginning of January and his happiness was almost too much to bear. With a laugh of his own, he ran after her and as the hill ended, they both had to try really hard not to let their momentum propel them right into the chilly lake. It turned out to be a very close shave and they held onto each other hysterically for a moment. Emerson's cheeks were flushed with exertion and delight and her green eyes shone with amusement as she hung onto his arms. She was so beautiful and he couldn't help but lean over and kiss her.
They were both breathing hard when they pulled apart, and they held each other as they stared up at the towering mountain and its neighboring glacier.
"The mountain is Mount Victoria and the glacier is called Victoria Glacier," he said after a while. "All this is in what's called Banff National Park, situated in the Canadian Rockies. According to Piers, there are a lot of other lakes around here and this one is tiny in comparison. It's only about two kilometres long, half a kilometre wide and about seventy metres deep."
She sighed blissfully. "It's gorgeous, though. The water is so blue!"
"Piers explained about that, too. If I remember correctly, he said it's because the silt in the water is suspended and when the sun shines on it, the silt particles absorb all the spectrum of colors except green and blue."
Emerson stared at him for a moment, a look of adoration in her eyes before she leaned over and kissed him softly. Neither of them spoke for a long time, content to hold each other in the bright sunlight and watch the surface of the lake being disturbed by the occasional fish, while from everywhere came the noises of birds and the rustle of trees in the wind.
"Where does that go?" she asked suddenly, pointing to his left.
He turned to look. "There are hiking trails all around here. That must be one of them."
"Cool! Let's go hiking!" she said excitedly. "Yeah?"
He grinned at her enthusiasm. "Okay."
After Apparating back to the cabin, they quickly changed into more appropriate clothing and packed a picnic lunch to take with them, which they shrunk to fit in a pocket of Em's shorts. Neither of them had hiking boots so they just transfigured their trainers into what they needed. Brandon secured the cabin with his wand and they set off down the hill, at a much calmer pace this time.
The trail was well-marked and appeared to have gotten a fair amount of use. They walked leisurely, taking in the sights and sounds of nature while maintaining an easy chatter. Occasionally, they would both freeze at the sight of deer or elk, and once they saw what Emerson insisted was a bear, which Brandon rather doubted. It had probably just been a moose or something.
"So you're saying there are no bears around here?" she demanded.
"No, I'm not saying that. There are bears, but I don't think what we saw was a bear."
She scowled at him. "It was too a bear! What, you don't think I know what a bear looks like?"
He grinned. "Um, do you?" She swatted at him and he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him. Biting playfully at her neck, he growled. "I am the bear."
Em laughed but they soon left off their playing and began to snog like teenagers, right in the middle of the trail. Then they walked for another half-hour, holding hands the entire time, and just as Brandon was about to suggest that they have at that picnic lunch, Emerson squeezed his fingers tightly and stopped.
"Do you hear that?"
He pretended to be frightened. "What? Is it a bear?"
"No, Odie!" she said, rolling her eyes. "I think it's water. Listen."
He listened and after a moment heard it, the faint but unmistakable roar of moving water. Emerson's eyes were shining and without a word, they hurried down the trail in the direction of the sound. They had to double back and abandon the path, but he wasn't worried. They could always just Apparate back to the cabin when it was time to go. The thundering sound kept getting louder and louder and after nearly ten minutes of pushing their way through brush and tall grass, they emerged on a wide, grassy ledge and gaped open-mouthed.
Spread out beside them was a shallow but powerful river. The ledge ended abruptly and with nowhere else to go, the river plunged forty feet straight down in a torrent of white water, continuously feeding a small, deep lake below. A lush meadow lay on one side of the lake while dense forest bordered the rest of it.
Em's lips moved but he couldn't hear her over the thundering of the water before them. Her eyes were wide and filled with wonder and the tendrils of hair that had escaped her ponytail were rapidly curling in the humid, moisture-filled air.
She leaned closer to him and shouted, "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"What?" he shouted back.
"We can have lunch in that meadow down there," she answered, pointing at the grassy expanse beside the lake.
He looked down and back at her. "Okay. You want to Apparate?"
"No!" she said, looking incredulous. "We jump!"
Jump? Jump? Brandon's eyes widened as he realized what she meant. "What? Are you crazy! That's a good forty foot drop, Emerson!"
"I know," she said, grinning widely. "But the water looks really deep in the lake. It'd be awesome! Come on, Brandon, live a little!"
"Em, I don't think it's a good idea," he began worriedly.
But she was already placing Unbreakable charms on the picnic basket in her pocket, as well as on the holster for her wand. After leaning over for a better look at the lake, she turned back to him, frowning slightly. "Do you remember the charm to measure distance and depth?"
His brow furrowed for a second before he grinned at her, catching her drift. "Yeah. I have to keep it in mind for my job when I need to check if teams are keeping the regulations. Sometimes they try to cheat by making their pitches smaller than required." Drawing his own wand, he pointed it at the lake. "Fastigium Lacus Metiri!"
A startlingly blue beam of light shot out of the wand and soared into the water. Brandon could feel his wand vibrating slightly as the light disappeared from sight. When he used the spell at work, the light would travel to the opposite end of the pitch from where he stood, bouncing from one end to the other, and return to him with an accurate measurement of all the pitch's dimensions. The whole thing usually didn't take more than a minute or two, and apparently it was no different with water, because about a minute later, the light returned to him. The blue beam twisted itself into small letters, proclaiming that the lake had an unobstructed depth of seventy-eight feet, a diameter of seventeen, a circumference of-
"Okay, that should be safe enough to jump into, yes?" Em said happily. After placing her wand securely back in the holster, she pecked him quickly on the lips, her emerald eyes shining with mischief. "See you down there."
Before he could react, she'd taken a running leap off the ledge and was hurtling straight for the lake below, her scream of exhilaration rising even above the noise of the falls. Brandon's heart was in his mouth as he watched her hit the water feet first and disappear, and he watched frantically for her to come back up. After what felt like an eternity, he saw her dark head break the surface and heard her gleeful laughter.
"WHOO-HOO!" she shouted maniacally, raising her arms above her. "Odie, come down! The water's great!"
He laughed with relief and quickly secured his own wand. Taking a deep breath, he backed up a ways and ran across the ledge. It ended abruptly and he was soaring through the air, the falling water whipping his face, his yell of sheer excitement getting lost in the rumbling of the glorious fountain. His stomach jumped into his throat as the lake rushed up to meet him and then he was under, the thunder dulling for a few seconds before his head resurfaced. Then it all came rushing back, the noise, the sunlight, the water.
And her.
She jumped onto him, laughing. "Oh my gosh! Wasn't that absolutely insane! Wasn't that awesome?"
"Yeah," he said, laughing with her as they clung to each other joyously in the cold water. His heart pounded in his chest as he stared at her and maybe it was the way her eyes shone. Maybe it was the droplets of moisture clinging to her eyelashes and lips. Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through his veins after what he had just done.
Whatever the reason, Brandon found that he was suddenly harder than he had ever been in his entire life, and that was saying something. From the look in her eyes, he knew she felt the tension too and suddenly their lips were fused and they were kissing hungrily. The lake was too deep to stand in securely and as his eyes darted around for a place, any place, he saw the steep wall of the ledge, perfectly smoothed by countless millennia of rushing water.
They swam over and he backed her up against it, his hands pushing her tank up so his mouth could latch onto her breast. She moaned loudly and he turned his attention to the other one, while she fumbled with his button and zipper. The very air seemed to rumble with urgency as he pushed her shorts and underwear down her legs. She stepped out of them and he picked her up and pressed her into the wall as she reached down to guide him to her entrance. Brandon nearly passed out when he slid into her, such wetness, but oh, this was a different wetness than that which buoyed them. This was a hot, maddening slickness and he had no control over the motion of his hips. He pounded into her desperately, his blood boiling to a fever pitch within him so that even though he'd only just began, he knew the end was in sight.
Groaning, he nipped at her neck. "Emerson. Oh fuck. I can't- I can't hold-"
Emerson wrapped her arms around him and licked the shell of his ear. "Come for me."
She clenched her muscles hard around him and he obeyed her command instantly, crying out as he gushed into her like a faucet, his body jerking with the spasms of ecstasy. His orgasm seemed to go on for ages but at last, he slumped against her, trembling and breathless, his ears ringing. She held him until his senses cleared then he slipped out of her and helped her stand.
Smiling, she kissed him lightly on the lips before stooping to take off her boots and socks. Standing up, she pulled her tank top over her head and released her hair from its ponytail. It tumbled about her shoulders in sodden ebony curls and ringlets and Brandon gaped at the vision standing naked before him. Her olive skin was smooth and unblemished, her small breasts proud and well-shaped. Her stomach was flat, her waist narrow, curving into the swell of her hips and long, shapely legs. Nestled between them was that neat little patch of dark hair, the place where he'd just lost himself, the place that he called heaven and home.
"Let's go swimming," she said, before turning and wading away into the water. When it got deep enough, she dove and resurfaced a few feet away, her long hair floating around her. "Well, don't just stand there, Wood!"
Feeling slightly dazed, he slipped out of his clothes too and swam out to meet her. As he neared, she grinned impishly and took off in the other direction.
Brandon laughed as he watched her. So she wanted to play, did she? "Well, Emerson, after the paradise you just took me to, you can have anything you want," he murmured quietly to himself.
He gave her a head start before beginning his pursuit. They were both strong swimmers but he was taller so he overtook her easily and grabbed her from behind. She shrieked, whipping around to splash him and a furious water fight ensued. It was ended when he dunked her and she resurfaced, laughing so hard that she had to hold onto him for support.
"All right, all right," she gasped, chuckling. "Okay."
She wrapped her arms and legs around him as he treaded water, keeping them afloat. Brandon stared into her green eyes, loving her. "I'm sorry I lost it before you could... you know..."
"That's okay," she answered, sounding rather demure. But then she leaned forward and her warm breath against his ear sent a tingle down his spine. "I like that you couldn't wait. It makes me feel powerful."
And she was gone, swimming back to the smooth wall of the ledge while he gaped after her like an imbecile. Still treading water, he watched her gather their discarded clothing and vanish.
"Over here!" she called, before his lovesick brain could conjure up panic or anything like it.
She was standing in the lush green meadow bordering the lake and after a moment of concentration, he was beside her again. The sun beaming down on their bare skin felt quite pleasant so they didn't bother to put their clothes back on. He returned the picnic basket to normal size and they helped each other spread out the large, checkered blanket.
Emerson sat down on it and, wand in hand, began to peer all around the nearby grass.
"What're you looking for?" he asked curiously.
"A stick."
He refrained from pointing out that she had one in her hand and after a bit of glancing around of his own, spotted one. "Here," he said, handing it to her.
She smiled at him. "Thank you."
Brandon watched her transfigure the stick into a large-toothed comb and understood. Her hair tended to curl when it got wet and rather than charming it dry like she usually did, she apparently intended to let it drain naturally this time. He couldn't take his eyes off her, mesmerized by the way her breasts lifted when she raised her arms, the way droplets of water dripped from her hair onto her shoulders and rolled down her torso, disappearing into the much tamer curls between her crossed legs.
He gulped, feeling himself getting rather warm. Trying to hide his body's reaction, he crawled over and knelt behind her. "Here, let me," he said, reaching for the comb.
"Hmm?" she said absently. He tugged on it and she relinquished hold. "Oh."
Leaning back on his haunches, he gathered her hair away from her face and began to run the comb slowly and carefully through it. He'd never done this before, with anyone, and was surprised to find himself rather enjoying it. Her hair was thick and silky soft and he focused on gently getting the tangles out, trying not to pull too much. The texture of the long, dark strands felt very pleasing in his hands and he got so caught up in what he was doing that it took a few seconds for her sniffles to register.
But when they did, he stopped and quickly looked down at her. "What is it? Did I pull too hard?"
She shook her head and wiped her eyes. "No. I'm just so happy." She looked up at him and fresh tears welled up. "I love you, Brandon. I was so scared that I'd lost you!"
"But you didn't lose me," he whispered, hugging her fiercely. "I'm right here and I don't plan to ever leave you." Hesitating for a moment, he plunged on. "In fact, I think you're going to be quite stuck with me. For a long, long time."
"That's okay," she said, hugging him back. "I want to be stuck with you. For a long, long time."
They both pulled away and looked at each other, silently acknowledging that much more had just been shared between them than the mere stated words. Emerson was blushing and Brandon's heart hammered inside him as he returned his attention to untangling her hair. When it finally flowed in a neat river of waves down her back, he handed her back the comb.
"Thank you," she said softly, raising her face to kiss him.
He kissed her back and the heat resumed its journey through his being so that he surged erect again. She must have felt it because she broke the kiss and, not taking her eyes off his, grasped him in her hand. Brandon sucked in a breath as she began to stroke him and his eyes drifted shut. They flew open again when he felt her mouth envelope him and although it nearly killed him to do so, he pulled away.
She frowned and he smiled at her. "Your turn."
His lips were on hers before she could protest and he pushed her gently back onto the blanket, covering her body with his. Resting his weight on one elbow, he kissed her deeply, exploring her mouth until she was panting. His other hand trailed down her sides and over her smooth, flat stomach, the muscles jumping under his caress. She moaned when the hand traveled further, tickling the soft hair of her mound and her legs fell open in anticipation. He cupped her for a moment before stroking her slowly, his fingers dipping into her warmth briefly and withdrawing. He smiled at her whimper of dismay as he brought his fingers up to his mouth and tasted her, then kissed her again, sharing her own flavor with her.
"Brandon," she moaned.
He slid down her body and suckled hard at her left breast until she cried out, her hands coming up to hold his head in place. After moving to lavish attention on the other taut peak, his mouth continued downward, kissing and nipping and caressing every inch of her soft skin. At last he reached his destination, his heaven and home. Her aroma surrounded him and he felt himself harden even more as he held her legs apart and dipped his head. She arched into his mouth, moaning loudly and he set to work, worshiping at her most sacred and intimate spot. His tongue jabbed into her and she sobbed, her thighs trembling, her hands clenching and unclenching around handfuls of the checkered blanket.
"Ah, Brandon!" she cried, stiffening for a long minute before the tension burst and she flooded his tongue with her nectar, bucking against his mouth.
Brandon crawled back up her body and settled between her legs. Sliding into her, he was immediately grateful for the earlier release he'd had because otherwise he'd have lost it instantly. She was so hot, so wet, pulsing around him, and he began to move, thrusting slowing into and out of her. Her mouth opened in a silent cry and he kissed her before pulling her up. He sat up so that she was straddling his lap, her breasts pressed against his chest, her harshly expelled breaths warm and loud in his ear.
"Oh God, oh yes," she moaned as he grasped her hips and began to move her on him. Placing her feet flat on the blanket on either side of him, she began to ride him, her nails digging into his shoulders, her head thrown back.
Brandon wrapped his arms tightly around her, pressing her to him as his lips plundered the soft skin of her neck. His hands wandered down to cup her buttocks and he leaned over slightly, increasing the angle and depth of his penetration.
Emerson went wild. "Yes, Brandon! Oh fuck, yes!" she cried, moving on him so hard and fast that the possibility of the occurrence of some kind of pelvic fracture flitted through his mind before being washed away by the mind-blowing sensations of her muscles going haywire around him. She screamed and shuddered in his arms, clutching him so tightly within that he saw stars as he lowered her back to the blanket and allowed his passion to consume him. He pounded her like a man possessed, her cries echoing in his ears over the rush of the waterfall behind them until everything was momentarily silenced by the roar of pleasure that engulfed him.
Upon floating back to earth, they lay in a stunned and trembling heap on the checkered blanket, their limbs tangled together and sweaty. Brandon kept his eyes closed even after his heart had resumed its resting rate, too worn out to even lift his eyelids. The air was beginning to get cooler and after a while, his stomach began making its presence known, reminding him that they hadn't eaten since breakfast.
Raising his head, he smiled over at her. "You asleep?"
"No," she said, without opening her eyes.
"Reckon we should get to scarfing down that picnic?"
She sighed. "Would that require moving?"
"I'm afraid so," he said, grinning.
"I think I'll pass then," she murmured lazily. "I'm not sure I want to ever move from this blissful place."
Chuckling, Brandon reached for the picnic basket and began taking out the food they'd packed. "We never did get around to eating dessert last night, did we? Cause there's tiramisu from Corel-"
"Give it here," Em interrupted, sitting up abruptly, her green eyes gleaming. "Now that you mention it, I'm famished. That was hard work, wasn't it?"
"Yeah," he agreed, leering at her. "Very hard work."
Em colored slightly and took a big bite of her sandwich. They set to eating ravenously, but even before they'd finished the cool, creamy Italian dessert, their exhaustion began to overtake them.
It had been a long, fun and extremely pleasurable day, a day of reconnection and healing, and they were worn out. Brandon waved his wand to pack up and, still naked, they stood up and held onto each other. They Apparated to the porch of the cabin, where he removed the locking wards and they stumbled inside. Dropping the picnic basket on the kitchen counter, they staggered to the bedroom, collapsed on the bed and fell promptly asleep.
They slept for a long time, but that was okay; there wasn't anything they needed to attend to. The rest of the weekend was spent lazing around outside in the shadow of Mount Victoria and Victoria Glacier, and in enjoying the beauty and serenity of the lake. They talked a lot, cried a bit, indulged in some more mind-blowing sex, and made a few important decisions about their relationship. One of which was regarding their early-morning-quickie habit, which both of them readily acknowledged was a very wonderful thing. But it had also already proved to be extremely dangerous, and they both knew that continuing to take such risks would be the height of folly and irresponsibility. Since it was only during the Estralevon resting period that the risk existed, it was agreed that Emerson would talk to her mother about alternative, non-Charms forms of contraception to utilize during those times.
"I wish we didn't have to leave," Em said wistfully, staring out at the lake as they stood on the porch in the twilight.
They had cleaned and tidied up the whole cabin and everything they'd brought with them had been shrunk to fit on their persons. Now they were waiting for the Portkey to activate and return them to Boston.
"Yeah," Brandon said, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "But we could always come back."
She looked up at him. "Do you think we will?"
He stared back at her. This weekend had seen them make tremendous strides in reconnecting and healing after the past, brutal months of pain and separation. Their coming together again was something he was so incredibly thankful for because he loved this woman more than life itself. To be back on the right track with her and to once again be assured of her love, there was no price big enough to be placed on that. And he knew that the magic of their surroundings had had a large part to play in it all.
So in response to her question, he just smiled. Emerson smiled back and they held each other silently as the minutes ticked by. When the Portkey activated, both their eyes were trained on the water below them and as the wooden porch beneath their feet and the world disappeared, Brandon knew he hadn't seen the last of beautiful Lake Louise.
*******
TBC
*******
End Notes:
1. Once again, a picture of the magnificent vista of Lake Louise, Victoria Glacier and Mount Victoria can be found here
2. An excellent source of information about Lake Louise, the mountain and the glacier, as well as descriptions was obtained from this article.
3. The song that Em sings is a song children sing in Jamaica.
