The next morning was rushed but yet it had almost a surreal feeling about it. Naveed had given him a ride to the airport yet again and while he hadn't wished him well or said anything like 'good luck' he had at least given a half-hearted wave goodbye. That was the best he had to offer and Luke was quite willing to accept it. Soon enough he was on the flight to Ontario and in a few hours he was changing planes to the private charter than 'Jacobs & Jacobs' had booked. Deborah, ever the wise assistant, had even arranged for some cooler clothes to be waiting for him on the plane. After changing into the sneakers, khaki pants, and a teal green silk jacquard shirt. Stretching out in his seat, the blind man managed to doze as the long flight progressed. He wasn't even aware of their stop for fuel in Atlanta though he did wake up when they stopped again in Miami. Since the refueling was supposed to take thirty to forty minutes, Luke left the plane to stretch his legs. He hadn't considered bringing a gift but when he walked past a gift shop the idea of a peace offering seemed like the smart thing. Leaving the shop with a plush dolphin under his arm the blind man chose to make one more stop before making his way back to the plane and re-boarding. A few minutes later they were taxiing to the runway and then lifting off.

***

It had been some time since Luke had been to the Caribbean and he never would have imagined that his next trip there would involve tracking down an old girl friend to apologize for ruining the best thing he'd ever had. He had contacted Deborah mid-flight to have her read him the actual itinerary so he knew exactly where he was going. Though neither Sedna or Naveed had said it, a little research had revealed that Raina's new job was as a teacher. That wasn't really a surprise because it meant that she was doing what she loved but that raised a question... had their relationship been holding her back? Had they been so busy with each other than it had kept her from her true calling? If that was right then even if she forgave him they probably wouldn't get back together. Luke hoped that wasn't the case but if it was he would respect her decision.

The plane landed after almost twenty hours of travel time. It was late when they arrived and while his first instinct was of course to rush off and see her he knew that wasn't the right choice. She was probably asleep and his body was tired too. Even with the naps he had taken, sleeping on a plane was not the most restful experience in the world. What he needed was a good nights sleep and then he would be off to see her first thing in the morning.

"But that won't work either." Luke realized quietly. Raina would be heading off to class in the morning and their reunion needed to be private... not in front of a class room full of children. No, what Luke needed to do was sleep, relax in the hotel, somehow find out where Raina was staying, and make his way there a little after dinner. If she was still the same woman that he knew and loved so well, she would probably take an evening stroll in the cool air. That was when he would meet her.

With a plan settled on, Luke made his way to a hotel near the airport and got a room for two nights. If he had to come back and get a room for a lengthier stay then he would but for now he would just take it one day at a time. First sleep and then eventually a meeting. "Tomorrow Raina... I'll see you again tomorrow."

With the school day ended still early in the afternoon, Raina had the rest of the day to herself. She started by heading to the beach side market to pick up a few things for the hostel. Everything was fresh, the fruit ripe, the seafood right out of the ocean, and the people smiling. Despite a lot of poverty and illness on this island- the people still managed a wonderful disposition.

She left with a basket piled high with fruits, nuts, and home made bread. she'd even purchased a few locally made clothing. When she got back it didnt take long to put everything away. While she was there she'd also purchased some glass beads, so when she was finished putting things away she went up to her bathroom and strung them through her hair in braids. She smiled, pleased with the look.

She looked beautiful in that sun dress, with the beads in her hair, and freckles bursting forth all over her skin. Her eyes were bright, and that pit in her stomach was growing smaller and smaller. This was totally what she needed. She knew that now. In order to grow, move on, and move up.

She walked down the steps of her room, through the common kitchen, and out onto the back deck. It looked out onto the ocean and she leaned against the railing. The sea wind blew through her hair. Her new home. She was still a stranger to many but felt just as accepted as when she was back at the mansion. She smiled.

Soon enough she'd been to the kitchen and back to make dinner. Just a simple plate of fruit and nuts. Her stomach hadn't adjusted yet to the time change so this would be enough. She sat on a wicker chair with her feet up against the rail. She had a bag beside her chair filled with the letters from her students. With a pare in one hand, and a letter in the other, Raina set to work reading them all while the sun still had a few hours left.

Luke stood among some trees, listening to Raina as she moved through the house accomplishing various tasks before finally making her way back outside. He had shaved after waking up from a full nights rest, dressed in the the same sneakers and khakis as the previous day though he had changed to an aqua silk jacquard shirt. He obviously had no idea about the color but he at least knew it was clean and relatively wrinkle free. He didn't want to extend his sonar yet, knowing that Raina would probably sense his presence, so he just waited until it seemed like she had settled in. It was a beautiful evening with the sun still shining down warmly. The breeze was gentle but brought a freshness as it melded the scents of salt water and fresh fruit. The plush dolphin was carried securely under his arm when he finally worked up the nerve to vacate his seclusion in the trees and begin the final trek toward her house.

Slowly moving up the road that led to the house, Luke focused on putting one foot in front of the other while controlling his breathing. If he gave in to his fight or flight response then he'd be running away as fast as he could without ever facing the red haired beauty. The nervousness in the pit of his stomach seemed to be gnawing away at him like a starving dog while his heart pounded like a symphony's bass drum. It was all he could do to force himself to take in a deep breath, let it slowly, and then repeat the process.

He could hear her on the back deck as he slowly mounted the stairs at the front of the house. There was the soft squelch of someone biting into ripe fruit which meant she was probably eating, and if his nose was right then he could smell the scent of pear in the air. Slowly making his way around the side, he paused a the corner of the house and leaned up against it. He was silent for several moment, just listening and enjoying Raina in her relaxed environment. Unfortunately he was about to shatter that state...

"Hi..." He spoke softly, but loud enough for her to hear it quite clearly. It was only one word but it was all he could say for the moment. Extending his sonar, he allowed it to caress over her face as he watched her expression. Would she be glad to see him? Wary of why he had come? Perhaps angry and hateful because of what he had done to her? Whatever the emotion, it was better than he deserved.

The pare hung in the air as if someone had turned off gravity. At least-- that's what it felt like. Raina's entire body froze with that simple word. Part of her wanted to believe she had imagined it. In the slow-downed time it took for the pare to hit the deck Raina felt a wave of emotion. Disbelief at first. Maybe even a little trying to convince herself she hadn't heard what she'd heard. Next came confusion. He couldn't be here... he didn't know where she was... unless... Acceptance soon followed. No. He was here. It made sense. She was finally settled and moving on of course he was... Anger... Resentment.... but at the very core of it... the longing.

The familiar sweep of sonar washed over her. So gentle she was shocked she even noticed it. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up, and so did she. Raina still held her back to him. She couldn't see him yet but part of her knew exactly where he'd be standing, exactly what she'd see when she turned around. She instantly became aware of his smell, and if it wasn't so damn warm here to begin with... she'd convince herself she was aware of his body heat.

She turned around. Her hair was longer now, beaded and braided in a long plait that fell down the front of her right shoulder. A day in the sun had spattered her face with freckles. She was skinnier- she didn't eat much these days. She'd developed an upset stomach after it became apparent Luke wasn't coming back. Her eyes twinkled like they always did, but were older and wiser.

She hadn't breathed yet, so when she finally came in- damn it all- it sounded like a gasp. Even a surprised gasp. So she stood there. Breathing. Staring at Luke while he stared back. Her body not quite caught up with her brain.

This was the part in romantic movies when she was supposed to run and embrace him, tears falling down her face while he kissed her hair and told her how stupid he'd been. She might even like it if it played out that way-- but her damn legs wouldnt move. Not one inch. So instead, she gave a half- almost knowing Sedna styled smile. "Hi"

She was even more beautiful than he remembered. Sometimes people talked about how a memory changed over time to become even better than the reality but in this instance, as good as the memory was, the reality was better. Luke could see that few strands of hair that had worked loose of the braid and were now gently swaying in the breeze... he could smell the scent of her skin combined with that of the ocean breeze... could he say it again? She was beautiful.

He felt tongue tied and all thought of planned speeches and comments flew out the window. He was lost in the moment as he found himself completely overwhelmed in Raina's presence. Part of him wanted to just run over, taking her into his arms, and kiss her without any abandon but the more rational part of him made it clear that wasn't a good idea. What were the chance she would respond in kind to that sort of move? One in a million? One in ten million? They certainly weren't good.

"I, uh... I brought you a dolphin." Luke same somewhat lamely as he pulled the plush toy from under his arm and held it up for her inspection. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he was furious with himself. That was the sort of thing a silly teenager would say. He was supposed to be a fully grown, fully matured man and that was the best he could do?

"You look good... Naveed and Sedna said you left the same day I arrived up North." He finally managed to couple together a slightly more adult sounding sentence. He complimented her and also provided information with how he had found her. At least now he was moving on the right track.

Raina stood there, staring, as he held out a dolphin. He would bring her a dolphin. That was so... Luke. A great big part of her really missed that. She reached out and took the dolphin, turning it over in her hands with a half grin- still a little shocked. The dolphin had its own permanent grin and it's little button eye stared up at her.

Luke explained something about Naveed and Sedna. She looked up from the dolphin. "You went... up North?" the last time they'd been up North together she feared the lifestyle was too hard on Luke. That plus their winter time ocean encounter had her thinking (back before he left) that in the future visits home might be done solo. But here he was, having returned from doing just that. He even thought she looked good.

She wanted to ask him more. She wanted to kiss him, scream at him, hell maybe even punch him... but she suddenly felt weary. "You look good too." she said still trying to find the connection from her brain to her mouth. She took a hesitant step toward him. "This is where I'm living... this year." she explained. "That is to say, I uh, am working here now too." she moved her arm in a motion as if she was working on the entire island itself. "uh, well, at a school down the trail." this time she motioned a little more specifically and in the right direction.

She stood there trying to think of what to say or do next, but only one thought came to mind. Her mouth was already saying it before her brain had a chance to intervene. "Luke... why are you here?" it came out as a whimper.

(OOC: The sound track for this particular post. I thought it was appropriate.)

IC:
She was looking at the dolphin as though she was glad to receive it and she had even taken a step in his direction in a non-threatening manner. Her hands weren't clenched as though she were about to deck him and she was yelling or screaming... all of these were good signs. She want on to talk about how this was where she was living but Luke didn't really pay that much attention. He was just to busy looking at the woman he had missed for so long. Now that he was actually near her his stupidity was even more obvious. How could he have let such a good thing go?

"Luke... why are you here?"

The way she said it just broke his heart. All he wanted to do was take her into his arms and make it all better but that was no longer his right. He had let this relationship die so now it was time for him to make it right. But there was nothing wrong with moving a little closer... was there?

Slowly he reached up and removed his sunglasses, letting his sightless blue eyes meet Raina's. He didn't really know if they were capable of showing emotion the way people talking about but he prayed that at that moment they could show something. "I'm here to say I'm sorry." His voice was husky as he took a step forward, one arm lifting ever so slightly as if to touch her but then dropping back to his side, "I'm here to swallow my pride and tell you that it was my fault. I let what we had slip away because of my own insecurities."

This wasn't making him feel any better, in fact he was even starting to feel worse. He wanted things to be like they were, pretending like nothing had happened, but that wouldn't work. This had to be dealt with first and to deal with it he had to say the one thing that would leave him at his most vulnerable. He had to let her know the truth. "I'm here... I'm here because I love you. I tried to live without you and found that I couldn't. I'm here... I'm here to ask you... to ask you if you can forgive me. To ask if you still feel something for me?" His voice was close to cracking from the emotion but he fought for control. He wouldn't break down now... he couldn't.

ooc: way to make me cry you meanie! Hahaha

Ic:

He took off his glasses and gave his speech. It was a good speech. Raina hung on every word even though everything seemed to be happening in a dream-like state. She almost felt like she was having an out of body experience- watching herself standing there with Luke. She wanted to tell him off. She wanted to tell him to go back to where he came from but.... It was the glasses that did it.

When he took off his glasses and looked at her with those almost colourless eyes... the meaning of his words sunk in. She could see herself in those eyes. Only her. Nothing else. Even though there was so much around them, her reflection was the only thing filling those eyes. Everything clicked. Everything sunk in. She felt light headed.

Raina stepped closer so her reflection filled his eyes completely. Her heart was pounding in her ears. She couldn't help it when the tears started falling. It wasnt just sadness... it was relief... and a little happiness too. She couldn't sleep for weeks when she realized Luke wasn't coming back. All that pain, sadness, and overwhelming emotion came rushing back.

"Luke..." she whimpered before pushing her feet forward. She embraced him, but in a desperate fall into him kind of way. She locked her arms around his mid section and buried her face in his chest. She couldn't help the crying now and she knew she looked ridiculous. Raina was actually sobbing and finding it hard to get her words out. In embracing him part of her body just let go and her guard came down.

"P-please d-dont leave me ag-gain..." She wasn't sure she forgave him, and she didn't know what this meant. But Luke was her other half. Her heart and her body knew the second he stepped down on that patio. All it wanted was to be one again.

(OOC: The raw emotion got to you... awesome! )

IC:

It was that magical moment you see in the movies. Two people, both hurting, just looking at one another and then something clicks. Moving together into the loving or passionate embrace that indicates that everything will get better from here.

It happened so fast but in another strange way it seemed to go in slow motion. Raina listening to what he had to say, took a step forward, and then whispered his name. The next thing he knew, he was holding her in his arms and pressing kisses against her hair while she sobbed into his chest.

"Never again." He whispered in response, his arms tightening around her to both hold her steady and cradle her protectively. He would never again do anything to cause this woman pain. For the rest of his life he would devote himself to making her happy and making her feel loved. It would take a life time to make up for his hurting her so much but he was willing to give her that.

"The company doesn't need me. Really, I was just a figure head. I put some very good friends of mine in charge and I trust me to handle things." His words were soft, almost being whispered into her ears as he held her. It wasn't romantic per se but at the same time it would help to show her that he was serious about this. He was willing to give her everything. "I'm not going anywhere."

For now, Luke was content to just stand there and hold Raina. There was something about having her in his arms again that just felt right. It was like there was a void in his chest that only she could fit perfectly. Perhaps someone else might be similar but no one besides this woman would be just right. "I missed you!"

"I'm still mad at you." she said though it came out funny muffled by his shirt. "But I'm really glad you're here." she pulled away to look up at him sure she looked terribly with the tears and probably some snot...

It was so strange- the conflicting feelings she was having. She loved Luke, she was glad he was back... but it also seemed awkward and strange. For now she was running on adrenaline but she knew it would wear off soon. "I stayed on at the mansion for almost a year." she explained. "I waited as long as I could but people were... talking... I just needed to go home to escape it." she led him to a wooden bench on the deck nestled beneath a low hanging palm tree. "Naveed was ready to track you down no matter where you were on earth. Im pretty sure he was training the dogs on your scent!" she laughed. "But Sedna just held my hand while I cried, listened, and told me our paths were still entangled." she sniffled a little then turned her face back to him and smiled. "Sedna's kinda funny that way."

For the next hour she told him all about the things she handled at the mansion while he was gone. She told him about the aquarium and how she'd finally left the job after it really seemed like the people coming there were OKAY with mutants. She talked about the flight back home to the North and the adjustment it had been. Finally she explained about her work here on the island. "It's just nice to be helping for the sake of helping. This isn't a mutant rights thing- it's an everyone's rights thing. These kids are poor... sick... the school is still being built and my boss has been raising money for TB treatment!" she laid her head against his shoulder. "I just feel like I can make a big difference here... with or without my tail. You'll stay, will you? I know they could use your help too!"

"I'm not going anywhere ever again." Luke replied. He had been quietly sitting on the bench, listening and simply enjoying the sound of her voice and those facial expression that lit up his heart. Since she had been so open and willing to share her history then it seemed only fair he passed on his as well.

"I buried myself in work... typical me I guess. As usual I thought you were better of without me. I made it work for a year little over a year but I was miserable. Deborah, the company CFO and a long time friend knocked some sense into me and then I was off to the great white North."

It was strange to think that he had forced himself to go through such torture for so long. Raina was his real home which meant that wherever she was was where he belonged. "Sedna decided that I needed to be test so she made your brother and I compete in a little contest. I don't know if I necessarily won but I at least performed well enough to find out where you had gone and now... I'm here."

Reaching a hand out to take one of hers into it, he gave it a gentle squeeze, "I'm so sorry about everything... you can just chalk it up to my being an idiot. I seem to have trouble with misunderstandings."

Raina turned her big bright eyes up to his face. She studied his face for a moment- the same way she had when he first gave his speech. All those line- were so familiar. It surprised her how many things came rushing back. There were new lines too, and he looked tired. When Luke buried himself in work- that tended to be exactly what he did. "You look tired." she finally commented after a few moments. "Have you eaten?"

She didnt wait for a response but stood up and took his hand, leading him back inside the small house. It was actually a hostel but Raina was the only occupant at the moment. It was made with 3 bedrooms- one in which she occupied the other 2 were vacant. Here was the small but well stocked kitchen, there was a sitting room in the front, and a bathroom with an old fashioned claw tub. "Here." she said leading him to an old fashioned bar stool that stood next to the kitchen's island that served as a table.

She went into the fridge and brought out several varieties of fruit. She quickly chopped them into bite sized pieces and fetched the bread she'd bought earlier. She got him a tall cool glass of filtered water and laid it out in front of him- taking the stool that was opposite. "I think we're both running on Adrenaline- but I know when you're hungry and tired." She grinned. It was true, after all this time she would never forget.

"I haven't exactly been sleeping the best over the past few months." Luke replied with the slightest of smile before knitting his eyebrows together while trying to remember. Already Raina was taking his hand and leading him into the house. "I did eat... sometime. I'm just not sure when."

Apparently the red haired beauty had already decided that he needed nourishment and so she immediately led him over to a stool by the bar while she went to the fridge. In a few minute she had put together a fruit salad and some bread along with a tall glass of water. It wasn't exactly fine dining but if the fruit was as fresh and tasty as it smelled it would be better than most five star eateries back in New York. "You know me well." The smile was more evident now before he dug a fork in and began to eat at the fruit. He had been so worried about his meeting with Raina that he had forgotten just how hungry he was but now his stomach was reminding... urgently.

Luke did his best to maintain table manners but it was hard. A simple meal of bread and fruit suddenly tasted better than the best Fillet Mignon. In short order he had wolfed down both the fruit and bread and drained the glass of water. It left him feeling much better though he was slightly embarrassed about Raina seeing him eat that way.

"Do you teach school tomorrow?" He asked as he focused on Raina once again. The past few days had been so crazy he had lost track of time. Was it the weekend yet? Did they even take weekends off from school here on the island?

Raina grinned, glad that Luke was enjoying his food. It all felt so normal, like no time has passed between them. But part of her ached in the pit of her stomach knew it wasnt true. It didn't matter anymore, he was here now.

"I do, but school doesn't start til 9am and we have a 2 hour lunch since it gets so hot around then. The kids go home for a nap- even the older ones- or help with chores at home. They come back and have studies again from 2-4. So, we can sleep in a little and I can visit with you on my lunch break too."

She hadn't thought about the sleeping arrangements. There WERE two bedrooms after all. Or could they really just pick up where they left off? Her mind raced a bit as well as her pulse. Both in fear and anticipation. It would be so nice to feel his skin against her... but she also felt like she'd only just stopped feeling the pain. Would she put her hands on those hot coals so soon?

"We've been planting a school garden." she started to try and distract her mind from the places it had been going. Luke was tired, and they were both emotionally exhausted. While an emotional reunion seemed to be taking place she wasn't sure how she felt about a physical one.... yet.

"That's where a lot of the food I gave you came from." she stood up and took the dishes from him, placing them in the sink. "The sun will set soon. Would you like to take a walk on the beach with me?"

She'd been so in control of her powers now it was amazing. She only shifted into her form when she really wanted to, or was under too much stress that she couldn't help it. True enough that she couldn't swim for long without the change coming, but she could shower, bathe, cry, drink, and walk with her feet in the water with little to no effort when it came to blocking the change. Raina found she really enjoyed letting her feet cool in the ocean.

Doing some quick math in his head, Luke realized that the children were having a 5 hour school day. That sounded a little short but obviously things worked differently here in the islands than they did back in the states. This was probably how things worked in a community that was obviously centered more on farming and probably fishing as well. Education was important but making sure that there were crops to feed and provide for the family was even more so. "I'll make sure to come back early so we can visit before school... if you want. My bag is still at the hotel." The idea of actually staying with Raina, either in this house or in her room, hadn't really come to the forefront of his thoughts. Right now he was just grateful she wasn't kicking him out.

"A walk sounds nice." The smile on his lips was just as evident in his voice as he slipped down from the stool but suddenly a though occurred to him and his face took on a look of concern. "Will you be OK down on the beach with the water so close?" He didn't know about Raina's new found control having been away for so long. As far as he knew, a small amount of moisture could turn her fishy.

"Remember the first time I took you to dinner?" A slight trace of wistfulness appeared as Luke thought back to the memory. "We got caught by the rain and when a puddle splashed you started to change. I had to rush you to my apartment so you could use the tub." It was one of the many happy memories he had of his time with Raina and remembering just made him even more sorry he had waited so long. "You left me something the next morning." He added before suddenly digging out his wallet and removing a piece of paper from within its confines. It was cut out from a take out menu and there were small holes punched in it forming the shape of a heart. "I think it was a part of your heart."

(OOC: The note in question can be found at the end of the thread, Luke's Apartment.)