Chapter 9

It was somewhere in the early mornings, it was still dark, but the rain had awakened Connor from his sleep. Looking over, he watched Mika, and sighed, getting up slowly as not to wake her. Walking over, Connor sat himself in the little box in the windowsill, watching the rain cascading down the glass. He was thinking about things, wondering to himself if it was right to do what he was doing, when he felt someone touch his shoulder. "Connor? What's wrong?" He heard, and turned to look at his naked student and lover. "Nothing Mika, go back to sleep." He told her. Mika just sighed, and crawled into Connor's lap. "I'll go when you do." She said, pulling a small blanket around herself.

"Mika..." Connor started to say, but sighed, and wrapped his arms lightly around the young girl. He watched her, the sweet, innocent girl he knew and fell in love with, the rather forbidden romance that they had, all running through his mind, and wondered if it should continue. "Mika?" Connor asked, and felt the Asian girl move around a bit, getting all comfortable against him, before curling up a bit. "I love you..." Mika whispered in her sleep, and Connor sighed, before holding her against him.

Later that morning, Mika was her usual bubbly self, and giggled as she grabbed her glasses. "You coming Connor?" She asked, as she talked about breakfast. "You go on. I'll be there in a little bit." Connor said, and Mika nodded, kissing him rather quickly, before heading out the door. Connor just sighed, and sat back down at the window, watching drips of water from the roof. "Having second thoughts?" Connor heard, and looked towards the door. "Funny you should say that Diana." He said, and sighed. "You've got too much of a big heart you know that?" Diana asked, as she adjusted a pink wig.

"Meaning what?" Connor asked, then sighed before looking out the window again. "Connor, do you remember how when I would work late, you would offer to go over and stay with Mika until I got home?" Diana asked, as she sat down on the bed. "Yeah. Your point?" Connor asked, then sighed again. "Sorry. Don't mean to snap." He told Diana. "It's alright. You've got a lot on your mind." Diana said. "But, getting back to the point. Mika's not a little girl anymore Connor. You have to stop thinking of her as one." Diana said. "I'm trying. Trust me Di, I'm trying." Connor said softly. "We talked on the way to the doctor's office, the day I put her on birth control. She told me how much she loves you, and that she felt like a real woman the night you took her." Diana said.

"Night I took her..." Connor said, and sighed. "Bet you haven't talked to her lately. If you did, I bet she'd tell you about how I took two of her friends too. While she was sitting there watching, only because they wanted her there." Connor said, and Diana nodded. "I see. That's what's bothering you. It's not Mika, it's what you're doing with her. You're afraid that you'll loose that sweet, innocent girl you fell in love with." Diana said, then looked down, blushing a little. "I'm worried that I'll loose her like I did you." Connor said, as he continued to stare out the window. "You didn't loose me Connor. I lost myself." Diana told him.

"Diana, we're going to be late for breakfast." A girl said, as she passed by the door. Both Connor and Diana turned around to see who it was. "Go on Karen. I'll be there shortly." Diana said, and the girl nodded. "Alright. Good morning Mr. Maxwell." The girl said, and left. "Is that who she caught you with?" Connor asked, and Diana nodded nervously. "Yeah." She said, and looked down in embarrassment. "Look, just remember that Mika loves you, and that there probably wouldn't be a thing in the world that would make her sad, unless you don't talk to her about it." Diana said.

Connor didn't say anything as Diana stood up to leave. The pair just stared at each other in silence, only to have the silence broken by Mika coming back. "Hey, what's taking you ... What's going on?" Mika asked, concerned. "Oh nothing. Connor was just telling me how much he loves you." Diana said, and looked at her sister. "You've got a real catch. Just make sure he knows what you want." Diana said, and left. Connor by that time, had his head buried in his hands, as he rested his elbows on his knees. "Connor?" Mika asked, and moved closer to him. She reached out, touching his head, only to have him look up at her, crying.

Connor reached out, wrapping his arms around Mika gently, who moved forward a little to embrace him. "I'm so sorry..." Connor said, and Mika smiled. "There's nothing to be sorry about." She said, as she held him against her. A short time later, Mika looked at Connor, who looked down in embarrassment, and having told everything that he told Diana. "I didn't know it bothered you so much Connor." Mika said, embarrassed. "I just thought that perhaps it was something you wanted." Mika said, and Connor sighed. "Mika..." He was about to say, before Mika touched his lips with her finger. "Shhh. It's nothing." She said, and smiled. "Come on. Let's go eat." She said.

Connor watched the young girl a bit, holding onto her hand as she stood up. "Come on." Mika said, then screamed a bit as Connor pulled her down into his lap. "I love you, you know that?" He asked, and Mika blushed. "I know." She told him. Connor just smiled, and kissed Mika's lips rather deeply. He had seen her in a whole new light, and knew that if there was anything that bothered him, Mika would listen.