Sequel to: The Revealing Kiss

ONE

Vin watched his lover carefully, he had been concerned about Ezra since the accident but yesterday's visit to the wrecked Jag had done nothing to ease his mind. Ezra had been far from his normally verbose self since their return home last night. In fact after the night that they had spent Vin seriously considered cancelling the meeting he had planned for this morning. The only thing stopping him was the fact that he knew Ezra's torment would only grow until they found the key that would unlock the memories trapped in his subconscious mind.

He could have withstood Ezra's compliant silence but the dreams that were beginning to plague Ezra's nights had been worse last night. Vin, himself, had drawn comfort fro the long nights spent with Ezra cradled in his arms, often laying awake just watching his lover sleep, wondering what went on inside his mind while his enticing emerald eyes were closed. But now he was learning to dread the night, for in the night Ezra's nightmares came and revealed themselves as a pain that Vin couldn't ease for him.

Vin watched as Ezra ran shaking fingers through already finger combed chestnut locks unable to mask his unease and discomfort as he usually would. He knew without a doubt that Ezra was worried about the images that had awoken him in the darkness of the night. Terrifying yet unexplainable disjointed images skittering through his subconscious mind in fast forward speed with such promise of pain and all pervading fear that he had woken sitting bolt upright in bed. His skin lathered with a sheen of cold sweat, tears streaming down his face, his body quaking with uncontrollable tremors.

Tears had filled Vin's eyes at his lover's distress. Enfolding him in strong arms Vin did all that he could. Murmuring soothing words of reassurance in Ezra's ear, one hand stroking his hair, the other gently stroking his back trying to soothe tremulous nerves. Moving so that Ezra was seated between his legs, it had taken what had seemed like hours before Ezra had been able to relax taut muscles and almost collapse into Vin's waiting arms. Vin leaned back against the headboard of the bed, cradling Ezra against his chest, ready to stand guard over the demons that tormented his lover. Sleep eluded both men for the rest of the night. Content to lay in the others arms and savour the comfort of the loose embrace.

Vin struggled with his own concerns, he hadn't anticipated the normally self assured man crumbling at the sight of what could have been his own demise. Well he hadn't exactly crumbled but his own lack of knowledge of what had transpired was eating away at his normally self reliant mind. Needing to forestall the suffering that Vin knew he was going to cause he reached for the phone, only to look up and see the woman who would have been the recipient of his call pushing open the heavy glass door of the main office.

"Katherine" he spoke standing and advancing to the middle aged woman who stood in the doorway looking nervously around the room and the assembled agents "Mr Tanner" she replied "Thank you for allowing me to do this" she shook his hand as he held out his hand to her "I'm not sure if it's such a good idea Mrs Morgan but it is the right thing to do" he answered. Katherine moved slowly toward the desk that Ezra occupied as he sat watching the exchange.

Limping unevenly she moved to the side of the man that she saw as her saviour "Thank you Mr Standish" she extended her hand quickly seeing his confusion.

As his cold fingers closed around the older woman's warm hand it was as if a door had suddenly opened in his mind. Near total recollection of the accident that had destroyed his precious Jaguar.

In his minds eye he could see the small car that had been in front of him, advancing through the intersection. For some unknown reason the smaller travel worn car had stalled mid intersection. He could see the fear in this woman's eyes as she looked up at the approach truck. In the millisecond that followed he made his decision.

Watching her struggling with the already dinted car door, trying to open it, he floored the accelerator of the Jag and steered directly into her car. The ensuing collision, boosted her across the intersection mere seconds before the truck entered the crossroads.

The smaller car had slowed Ezra's progress and the large truck clipped the back of the Jag. So began the dizzying progress of the sleek car as it spun out of control across the intersection finally stopping with a bone jarring crunch as it connected with a large oak tree.

Vin watched as the tiny flush of colour that Ezra had sustained fled his cheeks. If he didn't know better he would have sworn that he was about to faint. He knew without being told that Ezra's memories had been restored. He watched as Ezra brushed aside Katherine's thanks and seeing the confusion on her face he moved quickly to her side, thanking her for coming and escorting her back to the door. Vin heard the sharply indrawn breath from the southerner that dissolved into the soft hiccuping breath that he knew meant the man behind him had dissolved into helpless sobbing. Waiting only until the woman who had been the key to Ezra's memory was at the elevator before he turned his attention back to Ezra, eternally grateful that Chris had agreed to his plan to have the rest of the team out of the office this morning until the meeting was over.

"C'mon" Vin spoke as he pulled Ezra to his feet and hugged him tightly trying to instil some warmth back into him.

"I'm fine Vin" Ezra spoke softly against the sharpshooters shoulder "It's just such a relief to finally recollect what happened that I was a little overwhelmed" he leaned back "I'm fine" he smiled reassuringly into the caring eyes of his lover.

"Are you sure?" Vin spoke tentatively lifting his hand to wipe the drying tears from Ezra's face with his thumbs.

Ezra nodded with certainty smiling into the face of the man that meant the world to him.

"C'mon then" Vin spoke softly and turned Ezra in his arms.

"We're going home."

"Home?" Ezra frowned puzzled "It's barely lunchtime. Vin" he queried.

"Yeah" Vin nodded "I'm gonna spend some time at your place."

"I like the sound of that" Ezra murmured, his mind clearer than it had been in days, but suddenly exhausted.

"Not nearly as much as I do" Vin pressed a kiss against Ezra's temple "But first things first" he led the smaller man towards the lift "You need some sleep."

"I'd settle for a long slow wet kiss and a nap in your arms" Ezra spoke softly as they stepped into the lift and the doors closed behind them on a whooshing breathe of air that matched Vin's startled exhalation.

TWO

Ezra stepped through the door of his townhouse, for the first time since the accident that he knew now could have so easily taken his life. His eyes widened as he took in the changes to his living room.

"You were responsible for this?" he turned and raised an eyebrow at his companion

"Not Me" Vin shrugged as he folded his arms around Ezra's waist "But I'm guessing that note could tell us a lot" Vin nodded towards the table now gracing the centre of Ezra's living room.

Ezra allowed himself a few minutes to relax into Vin's comforting embrace, drinking in the ambience that someone had taken the time to create for them.

A small table had been set with a lace tablecloth, its centrepiece a crystal bud vase containing one slightly open red rosebud. The dinnerware had been laid out for two. Candles waiting to be lit. A delightful aroma of well cooked food wafting over them from his kitchen. Unable to contain his curiosity any longer he pulled out of Vin's embrace and stepped forward to lift the folded note from one of the plates.

"Ezra" he read in JD's handwriting "We hope this makes your homecoming easier. Your meals are warming in the oven. Enjoy yourselves signed Buck and JD" His eyes lit as he read the addition o the short note in Buck's flowing hand "PS Don't doanything I wouldn't do."

"That doesn't leave us many options" Vin smiled as he stepped closer and pulled Ezra back into arms that missed him.

"I'd say our options are rather limited Mr Tanner" Ezra turned in his arms his hands lifting to gently tangle in Vin's silky locks. His lips moved to press against Vin's, then moving to press soft wet kisses against the slightly stubbly cheek.

"limited to what?" Vin frowned not sure exactly what was going through Ezra's mind.

Questing hands travelled down either side of Vin's spine. Softly tickling fingers tracing each vertebrae through his shirt until his hands rested on the soft curves of Vin's buttocks. While his fingers teased his lips titillated, kissing Vin's eyelids, his forehead, his chin, everywhere but his lips, his straight white teeth fastening on first one then the other earlobe and nibbling and suckling gently. The tender abrasions of his tongue eliciting a breathy moan from Vin's lips.

"What did I do to deserve this?" Vin murmured against the chestnut hair that tickled his face as Ezra's lips suckled on his neck.

Ezra lifted his head to look into Vin's face, his eyes locking with the blue orbs that could so readily read his soul through just one glimpse "You deserve far more than I can give you" he murmured "I don't know how this happened" he spoke calmly "But I know that I want you more than I want my next breath"

"we deserve each other" Vin spoke his words little more than a breathy whisper as he leaned forward to capture nervous lips that perfect white teeth worried.

Their kiss was slow and deep, tongues twining, tasting, teeth scraping the union of their lips the centre of a rapidly dissipating universe for both of them. Their whole focus diminished until only the two of them and the delicious heat that their kisses created existed. Seconds merged with minutes until time no longer held meaning for them. Only the need for oxygen drew them apart, but even as their lips parted their bodies found solace in each other, their torso's pressed together from chest to hip, their arms looped tightly around each other as their heads rested on the others shoulder drawing in deep breaths trying to regain some control, even as their hips unconsciously rubbed against each other.

"to say that I want you would be to greatly under evaluate the depth of my desire for you" Ezra spoke as his fingers traced the curve of Vin's buttocks.

"Ez" Vin murmured from where his lips and softly exhaled breath sent shivers down Ezra's spine.

"Mmmmm" Ezra spoke his vocabulary reduced to guttural sounds of pleasure.

"Shut up and kiss me" he spoke as he dipped his own head to capture Ezra's lips too impatient for the resumption of their kiss to wait for Ezra to move.

Ezra pulled out of the embrace and walked to the table where he lifted a bottle of champagne from an ice bucket and looking into Vin's bemused eyes popped the cork. Pouring the bubbly liquid into the champagne flutes that stood waiting, he replaced the bottle in the ice bucket and lifted the flutes placing one in Vin's waiting hand. Walking right past Vin, he moved quickly to his entertainment unit and flicked the stereo on. Instantly the soothing softly romantic strains of Beethoven's Eroica filled the room. He moved back to his soon to be lover and looped one arm through Vin's, both of them lifting their champagne flutes to their mouths and drinking thirstily of the dry bubbly liquid.

Impatient for the touch of the man that had become a fire in his veins Vin lifted the glass from Ezra's fingers and placed them on the coffee table behind them. Standing he moved to the centre of the room.

"Ez" he murmured "Dance with me?"

The gentle plea in Vin's voice struck a chord in Ezra's heart, he moved without thinking into the taller man's embrace, his head resting in the curve of Vin's shoulder, one hand caught in Vin's, one leg pressed into the space between Vin's thighs. They moved slowly, their dance without structure or reason, just two souls mingling as the music cocooned them from the outside world. Both flowing against the other and through the music, both becoming the waltz of the others thoughts, the adagio in their lovers heart.

As the strains of the music faded around them they continued to sway against the other, neither realising that the music had ceased. Another piece began, both men caught in the spell that Beethoven had wound around them, lost in the hazy world that lovers share and mere mortals only dream of finding. The CD was long since finished when Ezra lifted his head to place an open mouthed kiss as the base of Vin's throat, where the material of his shirt opened to reveal lightly tanned skin.

"Please tell me you're staying" he whispered softly unsure of Vin's immediate intentions.

"Ain't no where I'd rather be" Vin lifted their tightly entwined hands to his lips and kissed Ezra's knuckles.

With a gentle sigh Ezra slid out of Vin's arms and with their hands still linked he led him towards his bedroom.

As he opened his bedroom door, he smiled at the levels of Buck's thoughtfulness, for the sight that met his gaze, could have only been created by one man. With the careful use of mirrors and large candles, and Ezra realised with a slow grin black satin sheets, Buck had created a romantic love nest for them that few could find fault with.

"Buck sure knows his game" Vin spoke over Ezra's shoulder as his eyes.

"Somehow I don't think this is a game" Ezra turned in Vin's arms and pressed their lips together.

The flickering flame of the candles was reflected in the passionate fire in their eyes and they moved unconsciously closer to the bed, fingers frantically separating buttons and zippers that stood between them and naked flesh. Lips followed fingers, tongues followed lips, tiny nips from loving teeth followed suckling kisses as their love making became more intense. Finally naked both fell onto the cool satin sheets, the sensuous fabric slipping erotically against their passion heated flesh.

This was more than just a continuation of the dance they had started in the living room. As their heated bodies slid against the sheets and each other, the dance that commenced the night of their first kiss continued. Breath gasping from both men as their sweat slick bodies joined, their souls merged and their unity was sealed forever.

Both collapsed against the plump feather pillows, gasping for oxygen to replenish their starved lungs, bodies momentarily sated, hearts open and souls united they knew that nothing would ever be the same for them again. Together they lay, legs entwined, arms cradling the other, eyes closing in weary slumber, both sharing the one thought of what they had become. Two hearts, one soul.