Faith, Hope and Love

"No! It wasn't there and it's driving me crazy!" Jean snapped.

"We've gotten a bit off point," Sophie said into the silence that followed. "We were talking about Faith moving in with Colin and how your family will deal with it."

"Yes, we were," Rose said, smiling at the blond in thanks and then shaking her head briefly before turning to focus on my girl. "Faith, you belong here with Colin. The rest will work itself out."

"Worse case, you'll only be in the family dog house for a short time." I didn't like the sound of where Eli was going, but he continued before I could cut him off. "I mean, now that Rose has Sophie in her life she'd going to have to come out of the closet sooner or later."

"Thanks for that," Rose frowned briefly before shrugging and adding, "Not that you're wrong. I have no intention of hiding Sophie and my relationship from the family."

"I hope you two are ready for what's coming," Jean said to Faith and Sophie. "Our family can be pretty rough on significant others when they meet them for the first time, much less ones with purple hair, a nose stud or an alternate life style."

"Don't forget non-Christians," I said pointedly, after all, our relatives might like Eli, but liking and having him marry into the family were two different things.

"A fair point," Eli added, not sounding particularly concerned. He got it, even if Jean didn't. I didn't want to upset the family. Neither did Rose or Jean for that matter, but we loved who we loved and we couldn't change that even if we wanted to, not that we did.

"I would appreciate it if you would stop trying to scare them off," Rose sighed in frustration, looking mostly at Jean. "Especially Sophie."

"Scare me off?" the blond asked with a warm smile as she took my cousin's hand. "That's not going to happen. Best case, I was hoping tonight would end up with me having someone to bring in the new year with, but instead, I'm now in a relationship with a talented, funny and beautiful woman. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."

"Can I pick them or can I pick them?" Eli grinned, making everyone laugh.

"You're still a jackass," I sighed for no real reason other than he was Eli. Of course, my words bounced right off him, as usual. That's when I noticed Faith frowning. I needed to get her alone so I could talk to her and make sure she was okay. "And with that, I think it's time for me to call it a night. Happy New Year to all. Feel free to stay up and enjoy the fire."

I stood and held out my hand to Faith. She lost her frown and smiled slowly as she took it. I helped her up and into my arms.

"Get a room!" Eli teased.

"We have one," Faith retorted, not remotely put off by my best friend.

"Goodnight," Jean said to both of us from her spot on the couch. "Don't worry about breakfast tomorrow. I've got it covered. I know grandma's eggs benedict recipe." Her grin was priceless. She knew they were my favorite.

"You know, if it tastes half as good as when she makes it, I might be willing to deal with her wrath and trade you the hot chocolate recipe." That made her and a couple of the others laugh.

"Happy New Year, cous," Rose said afterward. "Thanks for inviting me to come along. This is a New Year's I'm never going to forget." She then turned to Faith and added, "And CC, you have no idea how happy I am that you're back in my life, much less in Colin's."

"Thanks kiddo," Faith smiled warmly before looking at Sophie. "Treat her right. She deserves the best."

"I will," the blond replied seriously before adding, "It was a pleasure meeting you both."

I fully expected Eli to say something stupid or crude as we made our way toward the bedrooms, but he disappointed me. I couldn't help glancing back as we reached the hallway to figure out why. I noticed him whispering in Jean's ear as they disappeared from sight. Faith saw and grinned.

"We have the master bedroom and Ryan is passed out in one of the others. That leaves only one left. What do you want to bet he's trying to convince your cousin to claim it before Rose does? Not that she would." I started laughing, mostly because I was certain she was right.

"Maybe Rose wouldn't, but Eli better work fast because I'm not so sure about Sophie." We shared a look before laughing together this time. I opened the door to my room when we got there.

Faith and I entered and suddenly, neither one of us was laughing anymore. We were standing close and the hug that followed came naturally. It didn't hurt that the bedroom was a little cold since the fireplace in the living was near the thermostat. I was once more enjoying the shared warmth of having Faith in my arms. She smiled up into my eyes.

"You know, part of me is still surprised I'm here."

"You're not going to run away again, are you?" I teased. I had to give Faith credit. She didn't deny that that's what she did the last time.

"Absolutely not," she grinned. "Never again. I'm not going anyway."

"Good," I said, meaning it with every fiber of my being.

"Although," she added more tentatively. "Maybe I should stay with my friends for a little while until I get to know your family? I don't want your parents to..." I cut her off with a kiss, reaching out with both hands and cupping her cheeks. I shifted my lips behind Faith's right ear briefly before moving to her left.

"Faith, hope and love. It all comes down to that," I said softly. "I've been thinking about them a lot since you came into my life, and I don't only mean you and your tattoos." I waited until she nodded in acceptance if not understanding. "All of mine are tied to you in ways I'm only just starting to grasp."

"I'm planning on spending the rest of my life, starting with today, the first day of the new year enjoying having you by my side. I want to go to sleep every night with you next to me and wake up the same way."

"I want that too," Faith said softly.

"Then that's all that matters," I insisted. "The rest will work itself out. I know we've been joking around about it, but I wasn't kidding when I said that I thought fate brought us together."

"I know," she said, smiling briefly before growing serious once more and adding, "I think daddy may have had something to do with it too. He would have liked you."

The kiss that followed was the only response I could come up with that would show Faith what her words meant to me, what her love meant to me. She returned it whole heartedly.

I'm not sure when it turned into something more passionate or who started it, but it didn't take long for us to fall out of our clothes and into bed. Our need for each other made our love making short, but passion filled. Faith opened herself to me and I took all she had to give, returning everything I had in exchange.

Faith moaned with every thrust as I remained focused on her eyes and the depth of the emotions there. I could feel her stiff nipples with their bar rings against my chest as we both neared our bursting point. Faith's dark hair was splayed out on the pillow under her, the purple streak a little more prevalent and adding to the beauty of the moment.

"I really do love you!" I gasped out, unable to contain what I was feeling.

"Love...you...too!" Faith forced out between moans.

A moment later she stiffened under me and lost it. Her nails scraped across my back with her need, not drawing blood, but hurting none the less. I grabbed her hands, held them above her head and against the sheets. Faith's eyes burned with passion as she rolled into a second orgasm. I joined her, thrusting deep one last time and filling her. Our bodies crashed together until we were both completely spent.

I collapsed afterward, barely having the strength to move off of her. Faith dragged herself to my shoulder and lay her head there. It wasn't long before her breathing became more regular and I knew she was asleep. I turned gently and kissed her forehead before closing my eyes. My last memory before falling asleep was a feeling of pure contentment as Faith nestled into me.

I woke up a few hours later feeling very much the same and it only got better from there when I realize why I was awake. I could feel Faith's thighs straddling either side of my hips as she slowly sank down on my stiffness. I opened my eyes and found her looking down at me with the sexiest smile I'd ever seen.

She had a blanket over her shoulders, but it was open at the front letting me see her nakedness. The combination of the cold and her excitement had her nipples stiff and enticing. The soft curve of her breasts almost took my breath away. Her stomach was flat without being muscular and the ring in her belly button drew my eyes to it, but only for a moment before my eyes drifted lower. The dark patch of hair there meshed seamlessly with mine.

"This had better be Heaven because nothing will ever beat this view!" I groaned. Faith laughed merrily before dropping forward and pulling the blank tight around us. "Hey!"

"Sorry, but it's freezing!" she cried, burying her face into my chest. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to this cold."

"Let's see if we can't warm you up." I lifted her chin until our lips lined up. We kissed and I wrapped my arms around her. It didn't take long for Faith warm up enough to start moving her hips. I didn't mind the wait. Not with my being buried deep inside of her. Of course, once she started, it didn't take long for either one of us to pick up the pace.

Faith came well before me this time, but she wasn't done despite that. My girl rolled off of me and onto her stomach. In case I had any doubts about what she wanted, she lifted her hips slightly, making her ass come off the bed. "Feel like doing battle with the dragon?"

I growled and fell on her. I couldn't help myself. My need to once again claim her as mine was strong and she could feel it. That's why she was offering herself up to me. This was one battle her dragon was going to lose!

There was nothing gentle in what followed, but it was definitely loving in its own way. I thrust into Faith from behind. She slammed back to meet me. Our bodies crashed together over and over again. I watched her dragon tattoo as she moved under me. It was undulating in ways that only added to my hunger. I saw her raking the sheet over her head with her nails as her next orgasm grew close.

I desperately wanted my release by that point, but if I had it without her then it felt like I'd be letting the dragon win and that wasn't going to happen, not today anyway. I pulled her arms down and held her hands at the base of her spine as I continued to drive deep inside of her.

"Oh...My...GOD!" Faith cried out in pleasure.

We came together, the dragon got it's due, but then again so did I. We thrashed together for quite a while before we both regained control. I rolled off of her and she snuggled close.

"You know this whole 'Sometimes the dragon wins' thing is a bit mind bending," I laughed once I caught my breath. I guess I was a little embarrassed by how aggressive I'd been.

"So then forget it," Faith shrugged. "You're clearly its master anyway." I shook my head and continued to laugh. There was still so much I didn't understand about Faith, but I couldn't wait to spend the time necessarily to learn it all.

Neither of us fell asleep this time. Instead, we lay there quietly enjoying each other's company and the shared silence. We stay like that until we heard someone moving down the hall.

"That will be Jean starting breakfast. I guess I should help her," I sighed, not really wanting to get out of bed. That's when we heard a deeper voice grumbling. I couldn't make out the words, but it was obvious who it was.

"Looks like Eli has that covered," Faith grinned. "I'm guessing he's not a morning person."

"Definitely not!" I laughed. I relaxed back into the bed again, but Faith didn't follow me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I need to use the bathroom," she replied, but then gasped from the cold as she lifted the covers off of her. "You'd better be ready to warm me up!" The sight of her naked body as she slipped out of the bed awoke my desire despite my recent release.

"Oh, I'll be ready," I said meaningfully.

"That's not what I meant!" Faith cried, but then she glanced my way and laughed a little throatily. "Although, I'm not necessarily against warming up that way either." I thought she might linger and say something more based on her expression, but the cold was too much for her. Faith moved quickly toward the bathroom. Thankfully, the master bedroom had its own.

"I think you proved that last night," I called after her, enjoying the view. "And this morning."

Faith paused briefly at the doorway and glanced back at me from over her shoulder despite the goosebumps I saw forming on her back. Her laughter died down and her smile turned into one of pure lust. She didn't say a word. She didn't have to. She was teasing me, taunting me.

I growled and actually started getting out of bed to go after her. Her smile turned into a satisfied smirk before she laughed and disappeared into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. I fell back into bed and groaned, waiting impatiently for her to return.

I loved everything about Faith. It had to do with so much more than the fact that I found her sexy as hell and wanted her pretty much nonstop. Still, having that kind of desire for another human being was a gift that I planned on enjoying as much as possible.

Faith came out of the bathroom a few minutes later and rushed back toward me and our bed. Her body was amazing and I couldn't help appreciate it as I lifted the covers for her. I laughed as she slipped into the bed and wrapped herself around me to warm up. I brought the covers down over us, but not before I noticed something different.

"Is that a new tattoo?" I asked, having glimpsed something small on her left ankle.

Faith gave me an odd look before slipping that foot out from under the covers so I could get a better look. There was definitely a new tattoo there. I shifted closer and recognized it immediately, not that it didn't surprise me just the same. It was a steaming cup of hot chocolate, only the water vapor was actually musical notes. I looked back at Faith and waited for an explanation.

"I don't think you fully understand what that day meant to me," she began slowly. "It was one of the lowest points in my life. The day dad died was worse, but even then, I didn't feel nearly as lost. I was in pain when daddy passed, but at least I had a plan. I was committed to two years overseas to follow through on my promise to him. It gave me something to focus on."

She paused to gather her thoughts, or possible her emotions. In this case, they were so intermeshed that it probably amounted to pretty much the same thing.

"The night we met," she continued, looking at me, her eyes as expressive as I've ever seen them. "I felt completely lost and alone. Not only did I have no idea what God had planned for me, but I was having problems caring." She paused, her forlorn look turning into a slow smile. "And then you showed up, bad pickup lines and all."

"That they were," I agreed readily. "Although, I think I've proven the whole 'haven't we met somewhere before' line as being a bit more than that." I got the hoped-for reaction. Faith's smile grew wider.

"Yes, you did, but at the time I didn't know that." She pulled the ankle back under the blanket. I noticed she was shivering a little.

"Fair enough," I agreed readily as I did my best to warm her up. She smiled in thanks and then continued explaining.

"I was cold and unwelcoming that night, but you wouldn't be put off." She was staring off into space as she remembered. "I'm still not sure why I let you buy me that first drink."

"Like you said, you were feeling lonely," I offered.

"That wasn't it," she disagreed. "Or at least not the full reason. You weren't the first guy to try and buy me a drink that night."

"I know," I laughed, suddenly remembering the poor slob who hit on before I went over. "I watched one guy crash and burn pretty royally."

"I wasn't in the mood to be social," she shrugged. "At least not until after you and I started talking. We didn't speak about anything that earth shattering at first, but the conversation flowed naturally and before I realized it, you had me listening and joking about the bad karaoke." We shared a brief smile at the shared memory before she continued.

"But it was more than just the fact that talking to you was easy. It was that you really seemed to care about how I was feeling."

"I did," I interjected. "I can't explain it, but I felt a real connection between us the moment I first laid eyes on you."

"Me too," she admitted. "I guess that's why I let you convince me to talk about dad."

"I'm glad I was there for you." Faith was no longer shaking from the cold, but that didn't mean I let her go. In fact, I pulled her even closer.

"Me too," she repeated. "Although, I still can't believe you bullied me into singing." I knew she was only teasing me.

"Me bully you? Doubtful," I retorted. "All I did was throw the challenge out there. You're the one who jumped at it."

"Maybe," she admitted with a brief laugh. "And I guess that means I should thank you because it was exactly what I needed." Faith rested her head on my shoulder. "I'd mourned my dad's passing and dedicated my life doing work he would love for two years, but it wasn't until I got up there and sang his favorite Christmas song that I got passed losing him enough to enjoy the memories I had of the time we shared together."

I tilted my head enough to kiss the top of her head. Faith snuggled closer and squeezed me tight. I knew that this was exactly what love was supposed to feel like.

I was expecting something else to happen when Faith returned from the bathroom, but this was better, much better. There'd be plenty of time for the other later, and based on past experience, I'm sure we'd both enjoy it immensely, but moments like this are what made everything with Faith so much better.

"You have no idea what that meant to me after so long," she eventually continued. "And then I finished the song and came back to find that it had affected you as strongly as it did me. I couldn't ignore the connection between us after that. I guess in part, because it was one I desperately needed."

"I'd been searching for it my whole life," I interjected softly, thoughtfully. "Although, before that day I didn't realize it." She looked up at me and we shared a brief, almost chaste kiss. Faith shifted away from me after that so she could watch me as she talked.

"Later that night, when we sat on the blanket in front of the fireplace and I had my first taste of your grandmother's hot chocolate, that's when I knew."

"That you loved me?" I guessed, which made her smile warmly despite the fact that it ended up being the wrong answer.

"No, I think deep down I'd known that almost from the first moment we met," she answered honestly. "Certainly, after your reaction to my song, not that I was ready to admit it." She took my hands in hers.

"I know this is going to sound weird, but what I suddenly realized at the moment I tasted your grandmother's hot chocolate for the first time was that everything was going to be okay. That I was going to be okay." Faith was looking at me carefully. I think she wanted to make sure I understood. I did, better than she probably guessed, but me being me, that's not what I said.

"Tell my grandmother that when you meet her and you'll be her favorite, probably even more than most of her blood grandchildren." Okay, so maybe it wasn't the best time to joke, but that's how I dealt with strong emotions sometimes. I'm sure you probably figured that out by now.

"It wasn't the hot chocolate!" she snorted and then laughed. "Or at least not it alone. It was the moment."