Chapter 36: Heroes Return

I wave at my charges to stop and everyone turns to look at me. "All right everyone, I think you have had enough for today."

Am I supposed to make a speech, I ask myself, as they are all staring at me expectantly.

"I would like you to think about what you have done here. Who was in charge of the falling and who was not." I leave them with those little pearls of wisdom and turn to Godiva.

"I would like to take Nev to meet Nimrod. If you don't mind?" I ask her.

"Oh yes." Godiva's eyes light up in surprise.

She can guess why I want to take the girl over to him. Find out if she is pregnant. I already know that she is not, but I think having a man, at least Nimrod, take the time to look will help her learn more trust. I take Nev's hand and start off to the cabin. But I stop before I have gone more than a few steps, I feel a strange tickle at the back of my mind ... Something ... is out there.

"What is it?" Nev asks as I slow down and let go of her hand.

I know that tickle.

"Saul." I whisper joyously.

"They are here." I say with breathless happiness. My Saul is home.

"They are home!" I yell back at the girls as they are leaving.

Gwen jerks back and faces me. "Really?"

"Yes!" I yell over my shoulder.

Overcome with joy, I don't wait around. I start running, Gwen catches up to me, in her ground eating stride and the two of us race toward the entrance. There, by the east gate, the Hummer is pulling to a stop. Gwen stops in shock. I keep racing. The doors open and the men come out.

Saul is the last to climb out. I am moving so fast that I knock him down, when I run into him. He lets out a breath, as I catch us with my hand. He is still out of breath by my greeting.

"Chronos?" He looks into my face.

His shock changes to a sweet smile of greeting. "You are so much trouble," he says and hugs me close.

I bring his face to mine and kiss him. He spends half a second breathing before he starts kissing me back. I have his head cradled in my hand and my cyborg arm is holding us off the ground. I slowly lower us down. His kiss is so sweet.

"Nosis. Are you sure you want to be kissing me?" he interrupts. "I am grubby and stinky. And I think we have an audience."

"Shut up and let me give you a proper welcome home," I laugh at his protests.

He joins me in the laughter and lets me finish, helping me too. Once I am done with that part of the welcome I let him up.

"Nimrod?" Saul looks around.

"He is on his way. He is an old man you know." I close my eyes to see Nimrod being cheered by the knowledge that his love is home.

"Are you two going to give us a hand?" Saber asks as the Protectors start to unload the vehicle.

"Sure thing Saber." Saul agrees and wiggles out of my embrace to ambling over to the Hummer.

I scrunch up my face at Saber. He is ruining my greeting. He just sticks his tongue at me. I blink in surprise. Did he just tease me back? He did. I grin to myself as I get up to help.

The 6 of us work in a companionable silence, shifting the contents out into the open. Gwen and Saber can not keep their eyes off of one another. Her eyes hungry for every part of him. His eyes with a joy of just having her here. The Hummer is mostly empty by the time the rest of the Kindred come running up. The group is surrounded and question are thrown at them. I see Nimrod in the crowd and then he and Saul are in a tight embrace in seconds. They even kiss.