5

Nicholas, or rather, Grey would have never believed that the young female in front of him was his Azure. The red hair colour and her -oh so consuming - azure coloured eyes were the only give away.

His jaw dropped and he blinked his eyes several times. He even had to secretly pinch his thighs to be sure that he was not dreaming at that moment.

She was so magnificently looking, he couldn't take his eyes off her. Her usual all-over-the-place excessively long red hair was tamed, her eyes seemed to pop out and now had a spark to them. Her heels made her legs seem longer and even more desirable and not to mention her pink lips. It felt like they were screaming 'Come! Come! Come! Come and kiss me senseless please!'

Her laps were visible to him as well and the gown he had purchased for her fit her so well. She bore no jewelry but that didn't stop the sweat that ran down his face at her beauty.

While he basked in her extreme beauty, Azure on the other hand was was battling with her insecurities. She knew the scars on her skin were evidently pronounced and the mere fact that he remained swied had her even more nervous.

Turning towards Candy, -who by the way she had apologized to and made friends with - she blinked back her tears and whispered her insecurities to her.

"I look horrible don't I? I knew this was a stupid idea, he hates it so much. Let's go back in and get all of these stuff away. Perhaps, if there is a long jacket lying around, can I have it?" she hadn't realized when a lone tear fell. "I'm so selfish, I hate myself. I can't even look good for him and still I don't want him being with other beautiful girls. " she rushed all these before Candy could even say anything but the presence she felt behind her made her shut up.

Grey had seen her pained expression before she turned to Candy and without thinking, he got up and rushed to her side to see what the matter was. He had heard a bit of what she was saying to Candy and he immediately felt stupid and lacking.

He had been thinking too much of his desires he forgot that she was one who had extreme insecurity issues. He should have known to at least compliment her and then stare all he wanted at her and now he felt so bad he wanted to die.

"Who said I wanted to be with other beautiful girls. In my eyes everyone pales in comparison to you my love. I was too taken aback by your sudden transformation that I forgot to speak or say something. You look so fucking amazing I want to tear these clothes off you and... " he paused to rethink what he was about to say. "basically what I'm saying is that you are the most beautiful and awesome woman I've ever known and to think that I can call you my woman is so so..... I do not know what to say to express my thoughts sweetie."

"Gosh Nick, you are so so fucking whipped. I had prior engagements which I've got to take care of and so I'm off." Candy wasted no time in turning to leave after realizing that her presence was no longer needed.

"Candy!" Grey called stopping the woman in time. "Thanks Dee for helping me out today. I appreciate your work and I'm grateful. You truly are amazing at what you do." Grey left a peck on her cheek before he returned to Azure.

Grey felt like he was neglecting his friend but before he let leave, he had to show his gratitude. Azure on the other hand gave her a huge hug before she let her leave after receiving a quick nod from Candy.

Azure kept her gaze on the ground after Candy left them.

"Azure? "

"Grey. "

"You look amazing and I want you to know that. It really doesn't matter to me if you wear all of these or not. I do love you for you and you will always be a million choice and more above other girls to me. I love you a lot Azure. "

"Thanks and sorry. I'm always spoiling the mood. "

"No, you're not. I do have something more for you though."

He pulled out the pair of earrings and put it on her. "There! Now you look a bit even more than perfect my love."

The date was very much fun, exciting, perfect and yet exhausting.

It had started in a street fair where of course, Azure had to participate in an ice cream competition. She claimed that it was a way of saving cash and eating sweet food. She did win and got the prize of a humanly sized teddy which by the way was bigger and taller than her and so, Grey had to carry it for her.

They even visited a booth where a psychic was, just for the fun of it. What the psychic said instilled some sort of fear in the two but they quickly dismissed it. They chose to believe the woman said that to everyone. Azure could however not stop thinking about if for a while.

————"Before and after every storm comes the calm. The storm must come, but the calm must came as well. The length of the calm or storm is immaterial."———

After the street fair, they went to see a game of soccer and of course, that had to go with some hot dogs for Azure.

She complained that she was still hungry even after eating two hot dogs and so Grey suggested a certain food festival that was taking place somewhere. They had some wine tasting competitions and Grey did them proud by winning and as so was granted a cash price of 20,000 dollars - as though that made any difference to his bank account - however, he gave the cash prize to Azure who was more than glad to receive it. They also attended a cooking show as a couple and Grey displayed his cookery skills while Azure remained by his side as his Chefling.

They had eaten a lot after the show and were back on their feet for some more adventure.

To help their food digest, Grey suggested they take a walk but Azure only agreed when Grey got her a little packet juice to go with her walk. They walked till they reached a theme park where the fun just couldn't end for Azure. Grey couldn't remember ever having so much fun in the past 28 years he had been alive.

Azure had become moody when Grey wouldn't let her go bike riding. He was afraid for she didn't know how to, but she claimed that he could as well teach her. She gave him the silent treatment until he caved into her demands to ride a bike and much to his surprise, she had been an extremely fast learner.

They visited the zoo afterwards, attended painting classes, went bowling, visited a karaoke, saw an outdoor movie, went to the beauty parlour to take her stuff despite his protest and by the time they returned home, it was already very late but Azure had taken too much sugar to feel even the slightest bit sleepy.

They ended up snuggling on the couch watching an episode of The Mentalist.

"I wish someone like Patrick Jane existed in reality." she started and she heaved a sigh.

"And why is that my love? "

"Well, we would simply have to locate him and ask him to give a hunch on where he thinks my dad might be." Grey suddenly realized that he hadn't spoken to her about her dad yet.

"My love, we have found your dad. For a long long time now actually. As a matter of fact, less than two days after your admission, I found out who you were and it didn't take us up to two weeks to find your dad."

"Really? How come you never told me about him? Where is he? Is he in prison? How many years imprisonment? Why is he even still alive? He should have the death penalty!"

"My love, you need to clam down. I swear it that I'm not going to say anything about your dad until you're calm and have an open mind."

Azure was pissed at his reply. She felt betrayed by him, he knew her curiosity level when it came to her dad and still he kept silent about it. Now that she demanded answers, he dared act like he cared.

She sprung to her feet, away from him and the couch. "You bastard! You have no fucking idea what I went through with that man and you want me to keep an open mind? I wouldn't be surprised if you ended up telling me you are working for him, get me so comfortable with being free and then cage me up again. Is that it? Is that what you're doing?"

"What?" That hurt Grey bad. To realize that she thought so lowly of him was more painful than anything he had ever gone through. He wanted to believe that it was only because she felt hurt and angry but that didn't make the pain any much less. He knew that she meant to hurt him even though she didn't mean what she said to him and that hurt a lot.

"He beat me up like a rag doll and raped me like some sex doll. Tell me, you work for him don't you? Because if that weren't the case you wouldn't tell me to be calm and have an open mind about him. I deserve to know, I need to know.... "

"What you need to do is to shut the fuck up and listen to me." Grey voice became deeper and he felt anger bubbling up in his blood. He rose to his feet and ran his fingers through his hair, trying to calm himself down before he spoke.

"You think I work for your father?" his eyes hardened as he spoke however, he really couldn't be bothered about that. "How can you claim to like me if you really believe that I work for your father? If I did work for your father do you think you'd be standing here speaking like an idiot? No, not at all, you'd be on the floor screaming in agony as I fucked you hard and without emotions..."

"Grey!.. " Azure couldn't believe he would think to say such to her. Yes, she knew she went far with the whole working for her father thing but this?

"Ruth!" he cut her short again for the second time that night. He was done letting her blab rubbish to him. He hadn't even realized that he used her real name, not until he saw tears streaming down her eyes. Still he needed her to hear what he had to say.

"I'm hurt that you think so lowly of me. I only kept that information about your dad away from you so that you wouldn't become agitated until you got better at least and this is what I get in return, a lowly accusation!? Would it make you feel good if I was indeed working for him, so that your theory on how evil all men are would be proven right? Tell me Ruth, do you want me to prove your mindset right and act like your father? "

"Please stop it Grey, I'm sorry"

"Your father was a sick bastard! I'm am nothing like him Ruth! I am my own person and I love you despite the fact that I know that all the while you say you love me too, it's all because of a sense of gratefulness that you feel towards me. I love you none the less and I try to show it to you, to prove it to you that I do."

"I'm sorry Grey" she felt her legs give up on her as she fell on the floor her sobs getting harder. "I don't know.... "

Again he cut her short. His strong demeanor was melting but he needed to say all that he wanted to before he gave into his heart's desire to hold her in his arms and comfort her.

"He doesn't even know who you are. You're dead to him, your mom and you are dead to him. He has no idea that he has been fucking his own daughter all along. He doesn't know your name, he thinks of you as a girl named Sapphire, ring a bell?." Azure could remember her father calling her Sapphire all the time and never her own name. She never knew why and now....

"He thinks you killed his wife and child and are imposing as his wife to him, that's why he has no remorse in whatever the did and to realize that you believe I work for a sick bastard like him, that's too much Ruth. Too much for even me to handle."

With that, he stormed out of the sitting room, the movie long forgotten. The only sounds heard were the irregular long and hard sobs that Azure made. She was a sobbing mess on the floor, crying and pleading for his return to her. She felt worse that she did when her father beat her up or even raped her.

She could handle that, what she couldn't handle was losing Grey. She only just realized how much she loved him and couldn't bear to be alive without him in her life. She however, couldn't summon the courage to go into their bedroom nor did she feel worthy enough to stay in any of the guest rooms and so she laid on the floor in the sitting room and cried herself to sleep.

Grey however couldn't think right. He paced his room at least a thousand rounds before he decided that he'd just get a shower and go to bed. His entire insides were screaming to go back and hold her but he wouldn't just give in. He felt hurt as well and he needed her to know it.

Three hours later, he realized that he was hurting himself as well by staying away from her. It didn't matter that she caused his pain, she was still his only source of comfort. He had waited and tossed around the bed, waiting for her to come in and cuddle next to him. He soon realized that she wouldn't and so, he went back to the sitting room to find her. Her face was red from crying and her make up and hair were a mess.

He carried her bridal style and only paused his movements when he felt a lone tear touch him. She was still crying in her sleep. Now he felt like the sick, selfish bastard.

Taking her to the room he dropped her on the bed and proceeded to remove her dress.

"Grey?" he didn't answer her. He just continued doing what he was doing and after which he laid down beside her, pulling her even closer against him.

"I didn't mean any of what I said Grey, I'm so sorry, please forgive me my love. I wont ever say such, I wont... " more tears rolled down her eyes as she sobbed some more.

"Go to sleep Sweetie, we'll talk tomorrow. I'm sorry as well, I shouldn't have flared up at you like that." he cleaned her tears and gave her a lingering kiss on her forehead.

"It's not just being grateful Grey, I do love you." she rose her head so that she could look him in the eye. "I love you Grey."

Her gaze involuntarily went to his lips and back to his eyes. It didn't take up to three seconds before Grey lifted his head and captured her lips in an earth chattering kiss.

It was her first willing kiss, their first kiss together, his first kiss filled with love.

At that moment he couldn't imagine himself with anyone else. It was either her or no one else.