Seb did his best to explain everything to Serena but she was looking at him like he had two heads. He blinked when she kissed him and then noted something he hadn't thought through... and face-palmed. "Shit..." He sighed, "Why do you let me make plans? I always mess up the plans."

He rubbed the back of his neck, "I hope they don't kill each other in there... the clean-up would take weeks," he joked. He wrapped an arm around her, "Trust me, love... I can see their auras, they still love each other but Anna is terrified of facing Gunner. She'd have run at the first opportunity. Granted, maybe melting the door wasn't such a great idea..." He smiled sheepishly, "It seemed like a good idea at the time... but maybe I just liked the idea of torturing them both a little after all the stress they put us through."

He hugged her against his side and then took a seat on a bench before pulling her into his lap. He rested his head against her back and placed a hand on her belly. "Now, I guess we wait it out... We might have to replace the door afterwards, but it's for a worthy cause... right?"

He sighed, "Serena, my parents finally contacted me... They want me at court in three weeks when the school goes on break. I don't want you there alone, without Anna and Gunner... It's the real reason I forced them together. I'm afraid of what my parents will do when they find out you're pregnant... more specifically... my father. I don't want him getting at you... getting in your head... and I don't put it past him to send someone at you... I don't want to scare you, but you deserve to know the truth. I wouldn't go but... he's using the Queen against me. She wants to see me before I'm officially 'Prince'."

~*~

Anna stopped crying out of sheer shock, her eyes blinked her confusion, and she struggled between astonishment and being uncertain if she should feel hurt or relieved as he laughed... However, at his words a wavering smile made it to her lips... She couldn't help it. When he wiped her tears away she closed her eyes a moment, savoring his touch... It was pathetic really, but she loved him and she couldn't help that... and it had been so long since he'd even spoken to her... much less touched her.

His words eased something inside her. So, he did care? He didn't hate her? She suddenly felt like she'd been extremely over dramatic, she felt foolish. "Sorry... for freaking out..."

As he explained his feelings over the past while she flinched at the bit about her not being there for him, that he'd needed her. She felt both pleased to hear he needed her and heart-achingly guilty for not being there for him... but now... now maybe he'd let her explain? It all felt so stupid in retrospect, she always got too into her head when it came to Gunner... too tied up in her emotions. He was the only one who made her feel absolutely safe and absolutely terrified all at once.

She felt her heart ache when he basically admitted he'd missed her, that it had been killing him too to be away. She took a breath, "I'm sorry... It's not worth much now but... I wanted to be there, I just felt like it would be harder for you to move on if you saw me and..." She shook her head, "Let me back up..."

"Right before we went to the Elites... my mom asked me to visit. You remember? It was break at the Academy and the Elites training wouldn't start for another week so you went ahead with them and I went to see my family..." She rubbed the back of her neck, "While I was there, the topic of my father came up. I found out... I found out some things I wish she hadn't told me." She gave Gunner a sad smile, "I came to the Elites in a bad mindset to begin with, you were the only thing that pushed me through it..."

She shook her head, "Then, training kicked off and we were both so busy. They had us separated a lot, and some things that were said made me aware that they were doing it on purpose..." She sighed, "I thought I was paranoid at first but the way the vets took to you... and they kept closing me out... putting us on different shifts. Then, I overheard one call me a distraction... and how sad it was to waste your talent. I mean, I get it... things were a lot stricter when they started out... I knew there would be people who wouldn't approve. I tried not to let it get to me, I trained harder and I didn't want to worry you so... I never said anything. You were doing so well, you had them all so impressed."

She reached out to touch his hair then dropped her hand to her leg, "I was proud of you... I didn't want the vets to think less of you because of me. I saw how happy you were, how well you were doing... You were spreading yourself so thin between training, missions, and trying to spend time with me... You were so tired and I felt guilty for making you spend time with me when you should have been resting. So, I thought I'd take a temporary ward. It would give you time to shine, time to focus, without me there to hold you back. Plus, I was scared... I was scared that if you found out the vets disapproved..." She sighed, "I thought you might want us to end... I know how important being a Guardian was to you... I thought..." She let out a dry laugh, "It's stupid..." She sighed, "I didn't have any intention of leaving like I did... Not till you told me you were taking a ward... that you were leaving..."

She bit her lip, "I thought... you were leaving because you needed space. I thought you were trying to get away from me... I freaked out... and I ran." She shook her head, "It was stupid, I know it was... but I couldn't take the idea of you not wanting me anymore. I should have let you explain... When you wrote me to invite me around, I knew I'd messed up... I didn't come at first because I was ashamed, then I didn't come because it had been so long, and then... I just figured you'd given up."

She gave in and brushed her fingers through his hair, "I've tried forgetting you... I messed up so bad... and then when I saw you here... It was selfish but... I remembered how we were... and I missed that... I still miss that... I still love you."

~*~

As he spoke about Guardians she scoffed, "You should really learn to stay away from the Guardians, your family jewels will thank you. Besides, if you want someone a little wild between the sheets... Keep in mind, you haven't managed to get between mine just yet." She winked at him, it was true. They hadn't yet slept together but it wasn't for lack of trying, they'd just had yet to have the chance. Getting their assets in order as a couple was something Kat took seriously and between that, student with questions, and their parents constantly checking to see how their 'budding romance' was going... Well, something always happened at the most inopportune time. They'd tried and been interrupted on multiple occasions. "Now that your extracurricular activities have been reduced," she teased. "Maybe we can fix that soon."

Kat giggled at him when he complained about her teasing and when he rolled into the bed with her she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. She smiled at his offer, he knew how to please her... part of his appeal. He'd give her anything she wanted so long as she gave him his freedom... He was charming that way and she suspected that underneath the playboy he actually DID have a heart since he went out of his way to treat his conquests well. Still, the offer endeared her to him in a way and she brushed a kiss along his brow.

"You're trouble, Mr. Costa..." she smiled. She knew he'd steal her heart if she let him. "Good thing I need a little danger in my life. Court is so boring..."