Life Renewed Ch. 01

Here is the sequel to Finding a New Life. I apologize for the amount of time it took to begin this, other stories jumped into my head and I had to follow them. I got some ideas for a sequel as I reread the original story. I hope you enjoy.

Ashira

The prologue takes place a year and a half or so after the end of Finding a New Life.

Prologue:

"Mia, are you ready?" Tyler asked, walking into the bride's room. Tyler reached for Lily's hand and smiled lovingly. Lily's eyes were shining with unshed tears.

"Almost, I have something borrowed, something new and something blue, I just need something old," Mia murmured, turning away from the mirror. Tyler's breath caught in his throat and he felt tears come to his own eyes.

"You look beautiful sweetie," Tyler said with a smile. Mia smiled back at her father and took a deep breath. "And I can help with the something old," he added, pulling a medium sized box out of the inside pocket of the tux. "This was your great-grandmother's." Tyler opened the box to reveal a modest diamond and pearl necklace.

"It's beautiful daddy," Mia murmured. Tyler removed the necklace from the case and draped it around Mia's neck with shaky hands. "Now I'm ready," Mia said with a bright smile.

"I'm not," Tyler muttered just loud enough for Lily to hear him. Lily nodded and walked out the door to begin the processional.

Chapter One

-5 years later-

"One, two, three, four! Again!" she smiled at the groans that came from her students.

"Mrs. Hall, can't we have a break? We've been working on the same moves for hours," one of the students complained. Mia curled a strand of blond hair behind her ear.

"Lila, I keep going over these moves again because you keep going out of step. Get these moves right twice more and I'll let you have a half hour break," Mia told them. Mia watched and counted as her students worked harder on the moves. "Great guys! Go take a break! Have some lunch and stretch," Mia announced twenty minutes later. After the students left the dance studio, Mia walked into her office and grabbed her cell phone out of the her purse. She smiled when she saw the text message from John. She texted a reply and checked her voice mail. She had been feeling poorly lately and had anxiously seen her doctor without telling John or her parents about it. Mia frowned when she heard the message from her doctor's office. She swallowed hard as she dialed the number to the doctor's office.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mia's head was swimming as she walked into the small house she and John shared. John looked up at her and smiled. "How was your day?" John asked as Mia set her bag down.

"Not bad, except I feel more and more like Madam Giry every day," Mia grumbled. John laughed.

"How was your day?" Mia wanted to know. She crossed over to the sink to wash her hands before pulling out a package of chicken breasts.

"Busy, but things are looking up," John answered. Mia nodded and smiled as she sprinkled kosher salt, black pepper and diced garlic over the chicken breasts. She washed her hands again and pulled out a non-stick skillet, drizzled some olive oil into the pan and put it on the stove, turned the burner on high and turned to the refrigerator and pulled out some peppers, onions and broccoli. "Are you okay?" John asked. Mia nodded.

"I had a doctor's appointment this afternoon," Mia murmured. John looked at her sharply.

"Are you sick?" John wanted to know.

"I was feeling like shit for awhile so I called for an appointment just to make sure I'm okay," Mia told him. She could feel John's eyes practically drilling holes in the back of her head. "I'm not sick," she added.

"So you're okay?" John asked, reaching for Mia's arm.

"I'm fine," Mia promised. The olive oil started to pop a little and Mia placed the chicken breasts seasoning side down into the hot pan before drizzling a little olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper and diced garlic over the other side of the chicken breast.

"There's nothing wrong?" John asked.

"No, nothing. I'm good," Mia assured him with a small smile. She rinsed off the peppers and cut them into thin slices before turning to the onions. Once they were sliced, she pulled out a smaller saute pan and drizzled some olive oil into it before setting it down on a burner and turning the burner to high. Mia tossed the vegetables into the olive oil and quickly diced up some garlic.

"Do you want some wine?" John asked.

"Not tonight," Mia murmured. John looked at her in surprise but didn't comment. "Can you get the salad ready?" Mia asked. John nodded and reached into the refrigerator and pulled out a bin full of vegetables as Mia hurried from the kitchen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Emma, are you here?" Mia called as she walked into her uncle's house.

"She went shopping with your mom," Eli said. "What's up kid, you okay?"

"I'm not a kid," Mia reminded her uncle.

"No, you aren't. You're a mature, beautiful twenty-six year old," Eli said. "What's up?" Eli asked.

"I just need some advice from the female perspective," Mia answered.

"Are you sick?" Eli asked, pulling out his cell phone.

"No, I'm not sick," Mia told him. Their conversation came to an abrupt end as they heard the front door slam.

"Eli!" Mia and Eli looked at each other as they recognized the voice shouting. "Eli, you annoying pain in the ass, what the hell did you tell Catie last week?"

"Hi Ty, come on in won't you?" Eli asked sarcastically.

"Mia, what are you doing here?" Tyler asked his daughter.

"I was looking for Emma but she went shopping with mom," Mia answered. "Is Catie okay?" she wanted to know.

"She's fine. Your uncle introduced Catie to one of the kids that works at bank with him and I caught them having sex in her bedroom when she was supposed to be taking care of Nasya," Tyler growled. Mia giggled until Tyler glared at her. "Nasya could have been injured," Tyler reminded Mia.

"I know," Mia said with a roll of her eyes. "But at the same time, Nasya is almost eleven, she doesn't need constant supervision. I think you're more pissed about the fact that Catie was getting laid," Mia said.

"Not a mental image I need," Tyler growled. Mia giggled and exchanged glances with Eli.

"I need to go, I have a lot to do before John gets home from work. Dad, try not to kill uncle Eli or Catie," Mia told her father. She grabbed her stuff, waved to her family and ran from the house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mia?" John called, fiddling for the light switch. He scowled when only one of the three lights turned on.

"Happy Birthday," Mia murmured from behind him as her arms encircled his waist.

"Thanks," John said with a smile. He turned around and kissed her.

"Go on into the dining room," Mia told him. She followed John into the dining room and reached for something off of the top of the china cabinet. "Dinner will be done in a few minutes, but here's your birthday present," Mia added. She walked into the kitchen to begin pulling food out of their pots and placed them in the serving dishes. Mia looked up when she heard John walk into the kitchen.

"Is this for real?" John asked, his eyes wide. Mia swallowed, unable to tell if he was upset or happy. "Mia?" John asked. Mia took a deep breath and turned around, the note she had written him was suddenly in her face and she found it hard to breathe.

"It's for real," Mia said finally. Mia studied John's face carefully but he kept his expression vague. "Say something," she pleaded softly. John reached behind her and turned off the oven and stove. Mia let out a noise of surprise when John scooped her into his arms and carried her up the stairs to their bedroom.

"I love you," John managed as he lay her gently on the bed. As he covered her lips with his, his hands roamed over Mia's body making her moan softly. No words were needed as they undressed each other and once they were devoid of clothing, John pressed his lips to Mia's before trailing kisses down her neck and body, pausing to lavish extra attention to her nipples. Mia moaned as he slipped inside her. They moved together fluidly, like his body was made for hers and no one else. They fought to catch their breath as they lay forehead to forehead in the bed, John's fingers stroked her arms gently.

"Dinner's probably cold by now," Mia said after a moment.

John gave a wicked smile and kissed her again. "All I need is you," he rumbled, reaching for her hand. Mia's eyes never left John's as he began to make love to her again. "You complete me," John groaned, the friction caused by their moving bodies drove him wild, but he refused to go any faster, he wanted to be patient and gentle, tender, loving. His eyes closed as Mia's breathing changed from slow and easy to gasping breaths.

"I love you!" Mia moaned as they fell over the edge again.

"I love you too," John groaned. Dinner forgotten, they fell asleep, arms around each other.