FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Legal Tension - Chapter 4

All Rise

The room was still dark when Maria opened her eyes. Hearing rain softly pattering against the window, she saw there was very little light outside but instinctively knew she had slept in longer than usual. As the haze of sleep began to clear she listened to the soft snoring coming from the wolf lying next to her. Using his arm as a cushion, Maria shifted her head and peered at the wolf's long muzzle and smiled at the peaceful sight then rested her paw on Nathan's trim stomach. Her eyes lit up when the big wolf began to make happy noises in his sleep. Rolling onto her side the shepherdess lay her muzzle on his shoulder then pulled the covers off their bodies carefully.

Letting her paw roam over Nathan's torso, she gazed at him lovingly as he made quiet and pleasant moans as the sensations he was feeling were clearly amplified as he dreamed. The wolf shifted his body from side to side as if he were about to wake, but after letting out a deep breath he settled once more. Sighing happily she cuddled into the side of her lover, listening to every deep breath and feeling his warmth next to her.

A mischievous idea ran through her mind and she pushed herself up on her elbow. Looking at the relaxed yet happy expression on the wolf's face, she danced her finger tips over his throat. Her eyes followed her fingers as she began to trail them down his body; when she reached his stomach her eyes fell on the bright red spire that was beginning to protrude from the large grey sheath at his groin. For a moment she was tempted to grab his cock and play with it, but she wanted to fool around with the rest of her lover first. She licked her lips then lowered her head towards his chest and easily found a pink nipple, and swiped it with her tongue. Her eyes were glued to his face and she let out a soft chuckle as his long canine tongue lolled out of his mouth to one side. Gradually, Nathan began to wake from Maria's teasing; his body tensing and releasing as he stretched subtly and flexed his fingers. Seeing the signs of his waking, Maria leaned over and firmly kissed him on the nose before flipping her body around and landing diagonally across his chest on her back.

"Ooomph" The sudden impact on his chest made Nathan's eyes fly open and woke him up in a hurry.

Giggling, Maria reached up and patted Nathan on the cheek. "Good Morning." Before the wolf had a chance to respond she spoke again. "So, yesterday I woke up and there was this crazy wolf dancing around my living room that put me in a very good mood, but when I got home last night, all I got was a grouchy, brooding, sulky mess."

"Sorry."

Turning her head, Maria tried to look up at Nathan's face. "Excuse me?"

Wrapping his arms around the shapely body on top of him, Nathan leaned his head down and kissed her ear. "I'm sorry for being such a downer last night... Let's put it behind us, alright?"

Not completely satisfied with his answer, Maria scowled for a moment before letting out a sigh of resignation, knowing he was unlikely to open up any further on the topic. She lay there for a while feeling Nathan's warmth on her back, then a sly grin began to play with her mouth. "It's just weird to see my big bad wolf so grumpy."

Not catching the gist of her words, Nathan hugged her even tighter and spoke in a whisper. "Until I met you, I was bad..."

Having heard that line before, Maria didn't want the mood to slip back into the doom and gloom from last night. "I don't know; you've done some pretty bad things with me..." She rubbed her butt against his stomach and felt something very familiar push against the back of her thigh. "Is that one of the three little piglets or are you happy to see me?"

Nathan couldn't help letting out a snort of laughter, then kissed her ear again before biting it softly. Starting to rub his large paws up and down her stomach, he growled in her ear with a deep rumbling tone. "Leave the jokes to me, Sweetheart."

Wiggling her body against his, Maria closed her eyes and enjoyed the deep baritone of his voice that made her whole body tingle. "Or what?" She taunted, "you'll huff and you'll puff?"

With a wicked grin on his face, Nathan made his move. Grabbing her by her wrists he held Maria's paws to her chest before rolling her over and pinning her beneath him. Keeping a firm grip on her slender wrists he lifted himself off her back and grinned at the fuzzy black mass of hair that was now laying face first in a pillow. "No, but I might make you the shepherd that cried wolf."

Turning her head, Maria let out a submissive whimper as Nathan kept her down. "Well you've got me where you want me, so what are you going to do?"

Leaning over her, Nathan slid her paws under the pillow and pressed his hips hard against hers. Feeling her luxurious tail slip out of the way for him, he took the gesture as it was intended and buried his nose into her tangled black hair; he found the base of her shapely neck and nipped at it hard.

Feeling his teeth graze the back of her neck, Maria whimpered loudly before pushing her hips up in an attempt to get on her knees. Folding her knees under her, she shoved her firm rump hard against his groin and to her delight, felt the male's rock hard cock nestle between her butt cheeks.

Nathan growled into the scruff of Maria's neck when she moved and felt his member being sandwiched between her firm buns. Grinding his hips hard against hers he murmured into her neck when he felt the heat from her core as his balls touched her quickly dampening folds.

Listening to the noises her lover made, Maria shivered every time his cock pulled back and felt a cool trail of pre-cum being left by the tapered tip. She felt the liquid seep into her fur before collecting in the first divot it could find. When the glob of cool liquid touched her pink tail-hole, the shepherdess gasped and clenched her buttocks tight; much to the delight of the male on top of her.

Letting go of her neck, Nathan began to lick it slowly while the woman beneath him massaged his cock between her butt cheeks. After a few moments she relaxed, but he was ready for her and began to nip at her neck; this time focusing on Maria's scruff. He began teasing it, combing his long canines through her pelt and tugging on the patch between her shoulder blades.

"Wolf," Maria squeaked when he pulled on her scruff. Feeling him react immediately to her, she felt him pull his cock back further; tensing when his tip brushed her tail-hole. When she couldn't feel his member anymore she braced herself for what was to come; she didn't have long to wait. A hard blast of hot breath hit her neck as he growled; the vibrations from his throat and teeth making her quiver intensely.

Keeping his grip tight on Maria's wrists, Nathan brought his hips forward slowly and deliberately. When his tip touched the warm, wet and swollen lips of his lover, he growled again and jabbed forward hard with his entire body.

Letting out a shrill cry of pain that was rapidly drowned by the sounds of her pleasure, Maria felt the tapered tip push between her lips and miss what she had expected to be his target. The wolf had aimed too low and his large member pushed along her moist folds before hitting her piercing and brushing over it. Pushing her face into the pillow, she screamed into it; her body jerking as if electrified.

Hearing the muffled scream, Nathan groaned his approval as a squirt of warm liquid hit his lower abdomen. Rubbing over the silvery barbell with the upper side of his cock, he took his time, controlling his urges and waiting briefly before lining his shaft up with her pussy.

Still coming down from the burst of ecstasy, Maria could only focus on the feeling of the leaking tip being drawn back as it left a similar trail of pre on her front as it did on her back. Opening her mouth to speak she was only able to let out another squeak as he pressed his cock slowly inside her fiery mound. Biting down hard on the pillow, Maria tensed up as his girth stretched her and his length slowly stole her breath.

The sensation made Nathan's leg twitch as his cock was engulfed by her sweltering velvet passage that fit his member perfectly. Every move and tremble of Maria's body was felt by him as he finished his first thrust and held himself inside the shepherdess.

Not expecting him to come to a halt, Maria turned her head again and protested with a pitiful whine as she was denied her pleasure. There was a sharp tug on the scruff on her neck again, then the hot spire began pistoning in and out of her with no reserve of energy spared. She lost control of her senses. Every thrust stripped a little of her will but made her passion flare to new heights. As her vision blurred she could feel a spur of protective jealousy rise in her. This wolf was hers, and in spite of their relationship problems, she was reluctant to give him up because of how well he sated her physical needs. Maria's vision began to blur, when she felt Nathan's cock dumping loads of pre-cum into her twitching passage.

The cool air gripped around his cock as it left its warm confines and the sudden chill felt especially strong on his rapidly forming knot. Reversing his direction he took his time to enjoy every bump and ridge on the way inside his lover's pussy, making sure to push his knot hard against her labia.

Guessing at his motives, Maria surrendered fully to the wolf on her back and let out an eager whimper while biting down hard on her pillow. The dull throb from her neck disappeared and she felt his cold nose travel along the top of her spine and up the back of her head before she clearly heard and felt his panting in her ear. The rock hard spire pulled back an inch or so and she couldn't help but clench hard around it to stop it going any further. It returned with a firm thrust making her groan deeply, her voice sounding like a honeyed growl of lust.

Reveling in the sensation of how deeply he was penetrating his lover, Nathan thrust again and felt his knot pushing hard against Maria's puffy lips; his tip brushing against her last obstacle. The shepherdess felt it too; her pussy clenching hard around him. Gently kissing the ear in front of him, Nathan quickened his pace and listened to chorus of delightful noises his lover made over the dull slaps of their hips colliding.

Pressing her body harder against the mattress, Maria arched her back even further and nearly came then and there when she felt Nathan impact her cervix. The sensation made her shake her head, violently tossing her hair around as every muscle in her body began to tense at random.

Pulling his head back to avoid his nose getting hit, Nathan grinned as her insides gave his cock a wonderful massage. Releasing her wrists, he slipped his paws into hers interlacing their fingers and pressing his cheek against hers as they both let out an affectionate murmur.

With Nathan covering her entire body, keeping her warm; Maria sensually arched her back against his chest and squeezed his fingers to tell him she was ready. The signal was loud and clear as the male began to shift his position slightly. Feeling his tip tug and pull on her insides, she tensed her stomach to keep herself under control as her tail flipped and curled around Nathan's waist when he pulled back and nearly slipped out of her.

Nathan let out a hard growl that made the shepherdess' body tremble as he let go of all restraint. Like one of his feral ancestor he began to thrust hard and fast into the woman, the dull slaps becoming hard and sharp as he fucked her passionately. Still cheek to cheek he huffed loudly when his knot began to force its way into his lover.

The large bulb that battered the shepherdess' folds became more and more insistent; her one wish in that moment was for her body to yield faster so she could feel him fill her fully. The buildup in her loins was quick as the pain and pleasure of being knotted muddled her mind she let out one last cry.

The sound she made was muffled by the pillow as Nathan's knot slipped in and tied him with Maria. Her body shuddered and then went stiff as a board; at the same time milking his cock for all it was worth. Not quite as close as his lover, Nathan kept up his thrusting even though they were locked in place; his knot preventing him from pulling out more than an inch or so. As he pounded the curvy backside of the shepherdess, he clenched his teeth unable to resist reacting to the vice like grip she had on his shaft. At last, in a moment of triumph; he reared up and howled loudly as he came.

Maria's climax had passed its zenith but when the warm splash of cum hit her cervix and flooded her womb; the sensation of the squirts of semen filling her made her body tense up again, extending her orgasm and igniting every nerve with powerful sensations. Then it was gone, the passion of the moment gone, leaving only a pleasant afterglow as the wolf and shepherdess tumbled onto their sides.

It was several minutes before Nathan fully regained his senses. The first thing he noticed was heavy panting coming from both of their muzzles as they lay cheek to cheek. Still trembling with exhaustion, he pushed himself off of her and admired his work.

Feeling the warmth leave her back, Maria shivered as the cool air began to prick her skin through her wet fur. Panting hard, she was covered in sweat but she didn't care as her mind focused on the afterglow and sensation of still being tied.

After untangling his fingers from hers, Nathan pulled his paws out from under the pillow and slowly rose up to sit on his knees. Leaving trails of combed fur along the shepherdess' back with his claws, he rested a paw on her backside as he looked down. Angry red and swollen lips were barely visible; kissing his sheath as was the bulge from his knot, buried inside her. Burning the image into his mind for his own private collection of memories, he lay down again and began to kiss where he had bitten her between her shoulder blades and lovingly made his way up her neck.

Maria finally began to make coherent thoughts again and smiled when she felt the gentle kisses Nathan was leaving on her cheek, neck and ears. "Wolf..." she said barely above a whisper. He responded with a growl and a sharp but playful nip at her ear. Flicking her ear clear of his bite, she smiled and chuckled softly as she felt his large paw push itself between her body and the sheets to cup her breast before squeezing it and coaxing another throaty moan out of her. Opening her eyes she glanced over her shoulder and smiled at Nathan as she rubbed her backside against him. "That was amazing."

The tugging on his knot made Nathan pause and take a deep breath as he wanted to whisper in her ear the three words he had been desperate to say for so long, but they caught in his throat again. With an exhausted sigh, Nathan took in his surroundings then looked at the pillow Maria had bitten and snickered. "One more pillow ruined. I'll add it to the score board."

Reaching up, Maria patted him on the cheek. "Not the pillow, just the casing. Sorry, but you're not as devastating as you think."

Sliding his paw from her breast down her belly, Nathan grinned wildly when he touched the little barbell and felt her twitch violently. "Devastating enough though. That's what happens when you cry 'wolf' my little shepherd."

"I'll keep that in mind, Maria whispered as she turned her head and slipped her paw to the back of Nathan's head to bring their lips together. She kissed him quickly before rolling her hips again and letting out a moan. "That's knot isn't going down anytime soon is it?" The reply came as a shake of the wolf's head to which she licked her lips. "Let's find something to do to pass the time then." Tensing her arm, she brought their lips together again and while their tongues slipped past each other she moaned as his large paw returned to her breast.

* * *

Days began to blur together, the passionate nights and mornings with her wolf kept Maria motivated and sharp as the appeal's court day loomed on the horizon. Her apartment had become a warm place where she would eagerly return to in the evening, where Nathan would be waiting for her; the wild wolf at ease with the routine of his days. During the day he would occasionally meet Maria for lunch before roaming the city, meeting up with shipmates but always returning home. Awaiting the arrival of his lover and to steal a kiss when she walked through the door as one month passed by.

* * *

Pressing her cheek against the cool tiles, Maria let out a sigh as the warm water hit her back. A moan quickly followed as two large paws pushed her butt cheeks apart and a large tongue licked her from her piercing all the way to the base of her tail.

On his knees behind her, Nathan took his time cleaning her swollen red lips with tender loving care. Using his thumbs he parted those lips and watched how the water cascaded down the shepherdess' back washing away the mess he had made earlier. The collection of a very long evening and early morning. "Dirty girl." He chuckled and was rewarded with a heavy wet tail slapping him in the side of his face.

"And whose fault is that?"

Chuckling, Nathan spread her labia further before blowing a stream of cold air over the sensitive flesh in front of him. Maria's legs twitched violently and he felt her ass wobble in his grip. Closing his eyes and leaning closer he went back to work, licking everything several times before moving on.

Feeling his diligent effort in cleaning her, Maria pressed herself harder against the wall to keep steady. A month; she thought to herself. A month had passed since Nathan had walked back into her life with that silver tongue of his. Grabbing the shower rail, she pressed her backside firmly into the wolf's face. Over the past few weeks he had used his talented tongue so many times; every time knowing how to play her like a fiddle.

The moan resounding inside the shower made Nathan smile as his tongue delved into her depths once more. The tart taste of her sex didn't bother him; it drove him to make sure his lover was always satisfied. Turning his head slightly, he curled the tip of his tongue and pushed deep into her vagina as it quivered around his agile appendage.

Clutching the rail with both paws, Maria let out a whine and managed to find her frail and shaky voice at the end of it. "Nathan... Careful." Her entire form trembled as his tongue flicked in and out of her for long minutes.

The wolf had finished cleaning Maria some time ago and was enjoying himself by pleasing his lover. The simple pleasure of having his nose pressed against her lush ass and his tongue deep inside her, sipping her nectar, brought him a genuine sense of happiness. When the shivers around his tongue became more and more erratic he pulled it out and peered up.

With her entire torso heaving as she breathed, Maria was thankful for the moment's respite, but it didn't last long as she felt his agile tongue tapping against her clit and the piercing just above it. "Oh, shit... Nathan!" Gritting her teeth she pushed her cheek hard against the wet tiles and did her best to remain upright for as long as she could. Feeling his hot breath on her folds, the wolf took her piercing into his mouth; she was about to scream when one thumb shifted and sneaked its way under her tail. Her eyes flew open and with a cry of slight discomfort and pure pleasure.

Looking up at Maria's shaking form, Nathan wrapped one arm around her legs and tried to keep her upright. Slowly he pulled back the thumb that he had used to tease her tail-hole and admired the small pink star for a moment before slowly standing up. Guiding both his paws to her front he pulled her gently back into a standing position. Holding her close he watched her content face as she laid her head on his shoulder. "You're so sensitive under your tail. Imagine what we could..."

"No." Maria's answer was short and to the point as she rolled her head towards his and opened her eyes. "Maybe you'll get lucky one day," slipping a paw around his body and cupping one of the wolf's firm buttocks, she pushed a finger between his butt cheeks "but only if I get to return the favor."

Nathan raised an eyebrow and looked up as he contemplated the suggestion. Licking his lips he returned his gaze to hers. "Do I get to choose the size of the strap-on?"

Withdrawing her paw, Maria patted the side of his head with the other. "We'll see." Deftly gliding her paw to his crotch, she wrapped her fingers around the hard and warm member she felt poking her lower back. "Now that I'm clean, we need to do something about you."

Before Nathan could think up a snappy comeback, he found himself pressed against the tiled wall with a paw pressing firmly on his chest and another squeezing his cock. Following her every move; he watched as an amused expression played across Maria's face. Even with her black hair plastered against her features, she still looked beautiful standing under the spray. "Careful," Nathan began as he felt the paw on his cock move. "I'm still really sensitive."

Leaning in Maria, brushed her nose past his muzzle and whispered in a wet husky growl. "So am I." Starting at his neck, she began to kiss her way down his body. When she bumped into a nipple she looked up and smiled before licking the hard nub.

Nathan grabbed the back of his head with a paw and the shower rail with the other as he watched his lover make her way down his body. He tensed up and bared his teeth when she bit his nipple and watched as her long tail wagged from side to side, flicking water around. Bright steel gray eyes peered out from behind long black hair as her muzzle worked further down his body. Nathan couldn't stop his tail from wagging and brushing hard against the wall. What he was about to experience was a rare event, and he would savor every second of it.

Settling on her knees, Maria made herself comfortable and stared playfully at her prize as she leaned in. Touching his sheath with her nose, she could still smell the wolf's arctic scent before planting several gentle kisses on the furry pouch. Slowly moving her paw up and down she stroked his cock from the still deflated knot to the pointed tip and watched her wolf shiver with delight. With warm water running down its length, Maria stuck out her tongue and made a show of licking along the underside of the large wolf cock in front of her.

With a white knuckle grip on the shower rail, Nathan growled his approval as her agile tongue teased his sensitive flesh. The wolf never questioned her ability and just enjoyed the fact that she was easily as skilled at oral sex as he was; she was just a little more reserved when it came to engaging in the act. His head rolled back and bumped against the wall with a thud; he didn't care about the twang of pain as it was quickly washed over with other more enjoyable sensations. When her tongue left his cock, he let out a long sigh, but her lips returned seconds later and kissed the tip, then began to draw him inside her warm mouth once more.

Feeling the ridge of the tapered head slip inside of her mouth, Maria moaned approvingly; the vibration rewarding her with a warm squirt of pre-cum that made her tongue tingle. Sucking him in deeper she swallowed the salty drops slowly, savoring his taste. Glancing up, the shower sprayed in her face and blinded her, but she could still hear Nathan let out a satisfying grunt. One of her paws rested on the wolf's hips while she caressed the inside of his legs with the other; slowly making her way up his thighs before gently cupping his large ball sack.

Feeling a soft touch play with his testicles, Nathan did his best to smile with his mouth wide open, but his tongue lolled out of his muzzle as the lips around his cock began to slide back and forth along his length. Spreading his legs slightly, he tensed the muscles in his abdomen as she pushed him to the edge in seconds. "Fuck, so close..."

Pulling her head back, Maria grinned wickedly before squeezing his testicles. "You had better performance with three balls."

Nathan laughed heartily. "I can't believe you still remember that." His laughter quickly turned into a moan when she took his tip in her mouth and sucked on it harder than before. She toyed with her lover for a few minutes keeping him whimpering and growling lustfully as her tongue lashed the angry red member in her mouth. When she felt a paw touch the back of her head, she pushed the shaft all the way down her throat and felt his knot pulse and expand against her lips. Tightening her jaws she felt his fingers tense and grab her hair. Pulling her head back steadily to avoid sudden choking, Maria shifted out of the stream of water and looked up at the wolf. "I'm in charge here." She warned him playfully and immediately felt his fingers let go and the paw leave her head. "Good boy."

Nathan raised his arms above his head, holding onto the vertical shower rail with all of his strength. When her sleek muzzle moved towards his cock again, he closed his eyes and waited. His mouth fell open when instead of lips he felt teeth just behind the tip of his cock. Maria gave his member a short sharp tug, and Nathan roared at the ceiling; his eyes wide open but unable to focus on anything.

Feeling his balls in her paw twitch and draw close to the wolf's body, Maria pushed forward to make her teeth lightly scrape against the sensitive red spire before locking her lips tightly around his engorged knot. His shaft twitched violently with his tip hitting the back of her throat as she forced herself to take more of him, swallowing every drop of his watery semen as it launched into her. After all of the sex they had been having over the past month, Maria wasn't surprised that it wasn't as thick as it usually was, but she didn't mind. Caressing Nathan's cock with her tongue she made sure she got everything he had to offer before slowly pulling her head back. Her lips stayed in contact with his shaft until it finally slipped from her mouth and she gave it a loving kiss. "You must be tired." She felt the member soften as she put her thumb underneath it to hold it up. "Go back into your sheath so you can rest."

Nathan wanted to protest as the shepherdess talked against his crotch but all he could do was let out an exhausted huff. The back of his head rested against the wall next to the shower rail as he tried to catch his breath in the steamy shower stall.

With gentle kisses, Maria guided her plaything back into its home. "Go to sleep. Mommy has plans for you later." Keeping her nose close to Nathan's body she got back to her feet and brushed her hair out of her eyes. The shepherdess began to laugh at Nathan's expression; the sardonic smirk on the wolf's face was priceless. She pressed herself close to him, wrapping her paws around his waist. "Awww, don't tell me you're jealous of, Little Nathan?"

The wolf raised his head and looked up at the ceiling making her stand on tip toes to touch the underside of his muzzle with her nose. Nathan wrapped his arms around her body and shook his head as he gave her ass a firm spank, extracting a squeal of delight from her. "Little Nathan doesn't need any encouragement." When he looked down, Maria moved to kiss him but he avoided her lips by turning his head. "Oh no. I've seen where that mouth has been..." He growled sarcastically, as his fingers squeezed her butt cheeks and did his best to hide a humorous grin. "Brush your teeth."

Reaching up, Maria put her arms around his neck and pulled herself up to reach his face more easily. While Nathan still moved his head to avoid a kiss, she stuck out her tongue and began licking his cheek working her way up to his ear. "You don't taste half bad..."

The wolf inhaled sharply when her agile tongue brushed the inside of his ear making him shiver and twist his head to try and avoid it. Letting out a deep growl he took a firm hold of Maria and lifted her before twisting his body around and pinning her to the shower wall again.

Maria grunted when her back hit the wall and instinctively wrapped her legs around Nathan's waist. "Mmmh, I know you want to play again," she purred as her paws cupped his cheeks and gently stroked through his wet fur. The wolf didn't move when she leaned in and their lips met; she gave him a proper taste of himself and then pulled her head back and lost herself in his eyes for a moment. "but I need to get ready for work."

Enjoying the feeling of her breast squashed against his chest, Nathan shifted his body slowly as he nuzzled and gently bit at her throat. "Just a few more minutes..."

* * *

Lying belly down on the bed, Nathan watched Maria dress herself; his eyes glued to her backside. When she bent over to put her panties on, a delightful smirk crossed his muzzle when she raised her tail and gave him a show. Hearing him growl seductively behind her, Maria took her time pulling the plain blue panties around her butt, making sure they sat comfortably. Reaching out to the dresser, she picked up the matching bra she had laid out earlier. "Enjoying the view?" She asked as she fastened the clasps under her breasts.

"I could watch you dress all day."

Grinning at the compliment, Maria slid the clasp of the bra to her back before turning around and catching the wolf's eyes shift between her face and her bare breasts. "Flatterer." She stuck her arms through the shoulder straps before lifting them up on her shoulder. The cups of the garment pressed uncomfortably against the underside of her breasts, pushing them up and forming a lot of cleavage for her lover to ogle at. Taking her time to make sure her girls were settled in the bra properly, Maria continuously glanced at Nathan as he admired her.

He didn't notice her watching as he kept looking at her curvy form, his elbows pressed into the mattress as his paws supported his head; all the while his tail slowly wagged behind him. "You're beautiful."

Letting out an audible snort, Maria put her paws on her hips and looked down at herself. "I could be wearing a burlap sack and you'd still say that." She adjusted her bra one last time before walking into her closet to find an outfit for the day. Once she was out of sight she called out to him. "Why don't you get dressed and get breakfast going?"

With a content sigh, Nathan rolled onto his back before throwing his legs over the edge of the bed and sitting up. After putting on underwear, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt he sauntered towards the kitchen. It wasn't long before Maria stepped out of the closet dressed in slacks, a sleeveless blouse and blazer that matched the slacks. Lifting her nose and sniffing deeply, she took a guess as to what was waiting for her in the kitchen. "Mhmmm, Toast."

Sitting at the dinner table, Maria found a plate with two buttered slices of toast and a jar of strawberry jelly waiting for her. Next to it was a small bowl filled with an assortment of fruit slices and berries. Nathan whistled quietly to himself as he made more fresh orange juice. When he finally returned to the table, Maria had already devoured half her breakfast. Stepping up behind the shepherd, he leaned passed her to place the glass next to her plate; the position gave him the opportunity to brush his nose past her ear. "You really do look beautiful."

Turning her head, Maria kissed his cheek as he leaned forward. "You already said that, but I was barely dressed at that time so I'm having a hard time believing you."

Kissing her ear, Nathan placed his paws on her shoulder before leaving a trail of kisses in her thick black hair before finding her bare neck. "Your kind of beauty isn't skin deep though." One of his paws slipped down her back and under her arm before coming to a rest on her thigh. A second later he made a disappointed sigh. "Slacks?"

Reaching down, Maria pushed the paw on her thigh a bit further towards her knee. "I wouldn't need these if you didn't keep crumpling my skirts in the morning."

"You never complained before." Nathan growled affectionately as his other paw slipped under her other arm and felt its way into her blazer.

"I wasn't complaining." Maria giggled before preparing the last piece of toast with a heavy spreading of jelly. The wolf's advance became more amorous; still feeling playful; Maria guided one of his paws back towards her knee and the other out from under her blazer before finishing the last piece of her breakfast. They kept their lusty dance going for several minutes until Maria decided her time was up and rose from the table.

Turning to face the wolf, Maria stepped around the chair and slipped her arms around Nathan's neck, pressing her body against his. Enjoying the moment, she felt his paws settle on her backside and murmured her appreciation of his gentle gropes, but she had to bring him back to reality. "Not going to happen, Babe. You'll have to wait until tonight before we can play again." Before the wolf could respond, she kissed him gently on the lips.

Nathan savored the kiss and let his lover go when she broke their tender moment. "Are you going to be in court today?"

Downing the last of her juice, Maria shook her head from side to side lightly. Once the glass was empty she set it down and repeated the gesture. "No, but it's hectic at the office so I had better look good just in case we get called in or need to take a statement." Letting her hips sway, she walked over to the sink and cleaned the remnants of jam that had caught on the fur of her muzzle. "It's going to be a long day though, no matter what happens. Don't expect me home before nine."

Unhappy with that bit of news, Nathan frowned and looked at the empty plate. "You should have said so. I would have made you a bigger breakfast." Picking up the empty plate and glass he brought it over to the sink. Coming to a stop next to the shepherdess, he put his burden down before slipping a paw around her waist and drawing her closer.

Looking up Maria saw his head lower towards her and met his lips for another kiss. "Don't worry about it," she said once they parted again, but quick glance at her watch made her sigh. "I really need to get going."

Nathan leaned back against the counter and watched her stride purposefully towards the hallway before speaking up. "I already put your briefcase next to the door."

Changing direction and heading back to the door, she smiled happily. "Perfect. Thank you, Babe."

With his arms folded, Nathan walked towards the doorway and peered around the corner. He watched Maria collect her keys out of the hallway table drawer and open the door. She peered back long enough to blow him a kiss before the door closed behind her. Alone, he stretched lazily and scratched the back of his head. "What the hell am I going to do now?" He asked to nobody in particular, as he reached into his pocket, digging out his smart phone. He hit the power button to bring it off of stand-by mode and checked for various icons that might detail new messages. After staring at it for a moment, he returned the item to his pocket. "All quiet... I can't let that stand."

* * *

Rick looked at the tiny clock on the photo-copier's display, to his delight it was nearly lunchtime but he still had work to finish before taking his break. Once the machine had stopped rattling and buzzing he sorted the copied papers into the appropriate folders before securing them under his arm. Stepping out of the small copying room and heading to the small kitchen area, he froze when he saw an unknown form standing in front of the coffee maker. It was a wolf, but he was too casually dressed to be part of the office staff. Curious about the stranger he canted his head to the side, making one of his floppy ears unfold as he spoke up. "I'm sorry, who are you and what are you doing here?"

Putting a few more spoons of coffee grounds into the filter, the wolf didn't turn around and just kept working. "Do you people just set a single pot for the entire day?" He slid the filter basket back into the machine before turning around. "No wonder Maria usually gets her coffee at that overpriced deli."

The mention of the shepherdess made Rick's head snap up and he glowered at his rival. So this is Nathan Fenn; he thought. Everything Brutus had told him about the wolf had made his blood boil. The thought of this joker sharing a bed with Maria made him green with envy. Tensing his jaw he just stared menacingly at Nathan as the wolf walked towards him.

Picking up a paper bag from the table as he passed it, Nathan scrutinized the young canine for a second. "Not bad," he commented as he put his paw on Rick's shoulder and casually moved him out of the doorway to pass him. "Keep working on that face kid. In a few years it might actually look intimidating."

Torn between exploding with rage and remaining professional, Rick followed Nathan; his bitter emotions simmering as something sprang to his mind. He tried to keep the vicious grin off his muzzle as venomous words rolled off his tongue. "Miss Eckholdt went out to have sex before you came back. She cheated on you!"

The tall wolf paused in his stride and looked over his shoulder at Rick, trying to figure out what he was hoping to achieve. After a moment of silence had passed between them, Nathan turned fully and looked at the young canine with one eyebrow raised. "You're Rick, right?" The young intern took a step back, surprised that the wolf knew who he was. "Tell me, what do you think that information will do to me?" The youngster tried to find words, but the wolf's calm reaction had caught him off guard. Nathan took a step closer to Rick and folded his arms, the paper bag dangling against his elbow. "Do you think I'm going to fly into some great temper tantrum? Maybe you think it'll force me to break up with her. Oh, what if that clears a way for you?" The wolf paused then let out a deep chuckle that disturbed the young canine. "Listen kid, Miss Eckholdt," he smirked as he said the name, "has needs just like everyone else. If you think I'm jealous; then you're right, I am... Very." Taking a deep breath, Nathan turned his gaze from the youth and frowned. "However, the only one to blame for that; is me." He glanced towards Rick and shook his head. "I will never tell Maria what to do with her life when I'm not around. That would be selfish; so long as she's safe and happy doing what she's doing, I'm happy that she's getting on with her life. The only thing I regret about what you just said; is that I wasn't there for her."

The two males stared at each other for a long moment. Rick was taken aback by the wolf's words. He had expected to anger him and put the wolf on the back foot. Instead, Nathan had been level headed and shown no retaliatory behavior. In that moment, Rick suddenly felt very small.

Canting his head slightly, Nathan looked Rick over; clearly making the younger canine uncomfortable. "So, why is a good looking lad like yourself chasing after a woman who you know doesn't want you?" Rick blinked, stunned by the question, but failed to answer before the wolf spoke up again. "You know, if you actually took care of yourself, you could have almost any girl you wanted." Rick didn't know if Nathan was being sincere or pulling his leg. "You're still young kid. Make your mistakes and make peace with them, but just as a word of advice..." the wolf leaned in closer and whispered, "If you're going to start something with someone, make sure that you're the one who's going to leave with his head held high." Tapping two fingers to his brow in a mock salute, Nathan turned and continued on his way towards Maria's office, seemingly unphased by their exchange.

With a gleeful bounce in his step, Nathan walked into the center of the bullpen and came to a halt whistling to himself. As all the staff slowly began to take notice, he grinned. Every staff member and intern that had ever been at the receiving end of Nathan's pranks stopped working immediately when they saw him and as word spread in hushed murmurs, everybody that hadn't yet been a victim paused to see what the infamous wolf would do next.

Seeing every pair of eyes on him, Nathan exaggerated a royal wave as he made his way through the maze of desks. "Hello everyone; good to see you all again." He noticed some covert glances in the direction of Brutus' office and when he reached Maria's door he turned and bowed slightly. "Don't worry about the boss, I know he's away." The wolf was so caught up in his own theatrical performance that he didn't notice the door opening behind him. "So until he's back you are all my... Hey?! Ouch, that hurts!"

With a firm grasp around the root of the trouble maker's tail, Maria pulled Nathan into her office before closing the door on the frightened faces of the office staff. "Damn it, Nathan! I told you to stay away from the office. Brutus is going to flip out when he finds out you've been here."

"What, will he flip out like a ninja? That would be worth sticking around for." Nathan chuckled, but drew nothing more than a sigh from his lover.

Walking back to her desk, Maria sat down and closed the folder in front of her, then placed it on the pile to her right. "Not that I'm unhappy to see you, Babe, but what are you doing here?"

Rubbing the twinge in his tail that she had caused, Nathan looked at the shepherdess and suddenly felt like a school boy as she looked at him from behind her desk with an air of authority surrounding her. It fired his imagination, but he curbed his urges and held up the bag before bowing respectfully and gesturing towards it like butler. "I have brought you lunch, my lady." Setting the paper bag down in front of Maria, he opened it and pulled out a large cup that he placed in front of her. "One extra strong, large coffee with vanilla creamer."

Maria reached out and wrapped her fingers around the cup before drawing it close to her and inhaling the warm roasted bean scent. "Good start." She could feel the warmth radiating from the cup and a watched a thin wisp of vapor float up from the drink hole in the lid. Reaching back into the bag, Nathan pulled out a small airtight box that he set before Maria with a smile on his muzzle.

Curious why he didn't say what he had brought her, Maria looked up at the wolf and raised a questioning eyebrow, but he wasn't giving anything away. She reached out and gingerly lifted the cover before looking in and seeing a slice of bread. "A sandwich; that's what you brought me?" Looking at Nathan, she frowned in disbelief before gesturing at the bread. "The fact that you cut it diagonally doesn't automatically make it fancy."

"It gets better," Nathan commented as he walked around the desk. "There is more underneath." Seeing the indecisive look on her face told him that she was still choosing between laughing or punching him. Removing himself from immediate danger, he stood behind her and out of her attack radius. He reached over her shoulder and took hold of the first sandwich. "Close your eyes."

"What?"

He couldn't help but grin at the unsure tone in her voice. "Close your eyes." Nathan repeated and to his delight he watched her do just that. He lifted the sandwich out of the box before bringing it to her muzzle. "Now, open wide..." There was a moment of hesitation from Maria but when her lips parted he carefully pushed the tip of the triangle into her mouth. "Bite."

Feeling the sandwich touch her tongue, Maria bit down on it. A large chunk of bread entered her mouth and when she started to chew, the taste of what was in the sandwich filled her senses. Her eyes flew open and she smiled up at Nathan, flashing her teeth even though she was still chewing. "Chicken with cranberry, Nathan..."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Nathan admonished her before leaning down and kissing her between the ears, his nose twitching as it was tickled by her black hair. After surrendering the sandwich, he watched Maria wolf it down and start on the remaining three. When she was about to bite the fourth one in half he spoke up. "So, why do you love chicken and cranberry so much?"

Maria bit down on the sandwich and turned her head to look at him. After swallowing, she cast the wolf a quizzical look. "I never told you?"

"No. I've you seen you make them before and really enjoy them, so I made these as a treat, but I never knew why?"

Looking at remaining piece of bread in her paw, Maria took a deep breath and smiled as she thought back. "You know my family was very poor when I was little right?"

"You mentioned it." Nathan watched the expression on the shepherdess' face carefully and knew that she didn't want to be pitied.

"Once in a while, dad would bring home food that wasn't out of a can. It was usually a chicken he would get from a friend at work." Rotating the sandwich in her fingers, Maria's gaze became distant. "Sometimes mom would put a slice of chicken on my sandwiches for school, but it would always be dry by lunchtime." She chuckled as she remembered her youth fondly, while Nathan remained quiet. "I didn't want to complain because chicken was a luxury for us, but after a few times mom knew I wasn't completely happy with her generous gesture." Her breathing became unsteady but she regained her composure quickly. "I told her how dry it got, but she didn't get angry." The shepherdess' usually cold steel grey eyes softened as her trip down memory lane continued. "She didn't get angry at all, she just hugged me and told me she'd do what she could. The next time she made me a chicken sandwich for school, she put cranberry jelly on it. I swear, it was the best lunch I ever had at school." Turning her head Maria smiled at Nathan. "Even when dad got promoted and life got a lot easier, mom would make me chicken and cranberry jelly sandwiches from time to time."

"So, I did good?" He smiled at her with perked up ears and his tail gingerly wagging behind him as he waited for her answer.

The shepherdess' smile was beaming on her face when she gazed at him lovingly and reached for the front of his shirt. It didn't take any persuading to make the wolf lean forward. "You made me the perfect lunch." She said and teased her lips against his. "Thank you."

The teasing made Nathan growl and kiss her deeply. Their paws reached for each other's heads and their embrace lasted for a long moment. Once their kiss broke it left them both panting heavily. "I would take you in a manly fashion." The wolf growled lustfully.

Maria giggled "Because I'm pretty?"

"Because you're pretty."

"I didn't know you watched that show." The shepherdess laughed heartily.

"I need something to do on the boat at night. Any word on season two yet?"

She lightly swatted his muzzle knowing that he was joking, before kissing him softly on the cheek and removing his paw from her breast. "I'd gladly let you take me, but Brutus could be back any minute. So for your safety and my sanity, you'd better take off, Babe."

With a warming smile on his face, Nathan leaned down and kissed her again before licking his lips. "Mmmh, cranberry."

She winked and finished the last piece of the sandwich before shooing him away. "Get out of here you lunatic. I'll thank you properly for lunch when I get home."

The promise in the tone the shepherdess used caused a shiver of anticipation to run down Nathan's back as he gathered the sandwich box. He kissed Maria once more on her forehead before walking to the door but before stepping through, he spoke up. "Oh, by the way. There is only decaf in the kitchen."

Maria groaned and looked at the coffee he had brought her. "That's why you brought me this?" She caught him winking at her as he disappeared out of the door.

When he appeared in the bullpen everybody eyed him wearily, but he just waved dismissively and walked past them. "Have a lovely day. Work hard, bust criminals, ruin a life or two..." He almost laughed out loud at the paranoid and irritated looks he got before getting into the elevator. As the doors closed he licked his canines and pushed the button for the top floor. After a short wait, the doors opened and he exited on an all but empty floor. It was filled with large conference rooms of which two were in use by groups of lawyers having a lively debate as the opposing party's stared daggers at each other. The wolf slipped past everyone unnoticed and passed through the stairwell door before descending back to the floor he had just left. In the stairwell was a large box that he had paid one of the janitors to leave for him while he visited Maria. He picked up the package before slipping through the door as quietly as possible. The hustle and bustle had picked up again in the bullpen in the few short minutes of his absence. People were rushing around to get all their papers in order and sorted correctly. So loud was the activity that nobody heard the loud metal click from the stairwell door, or saw the figure that slipped into Brutus Waterstone's office.

* * *

When Brutus finally returned to the office, he felt something was wrong. All of the staff seemed to be on edge for some reason, and he couldn't put his finger on the reason why. Stepping through the door to his office, he let out a sigh before sitting in his chair. Keeping his eyes on his desk he reached into one of the drawers and pulled out a carton box of nicotine gum.

"Still trying to kick the habit?"

The voice made Brutus inhale sharply before he let out a loud growl towards the intruder as he crushed the box and its contents. "Fenn." Raising his head, he saw the wolf leaning against a filing cabinet with his usual torturous smirk on his muzzle that he seemed to reserve for Brutus alone.

Sauntering towards the desk, Nathan placed a paw on the polished wooden surface. "Please, you know I prefer, Nathan." Slowly the wolf's smirk transformed into a big toothy grin. "Now Brutus, I know you've been under a lot of stress these past weeks." He raised a paw, stopping the large mastiff as he tried to stand. "Calm down. I know this because Maria has been just as tightly wound," he paused for a moment as his grin turned into a lecherous smile, "not to give you too much information, but helping her unwind after a long day has been my pleasure. So, I thought you could use some of the same treatment."

Nathan leaned over the desk pursing his lips and fluttering his eyes. Brutus leaned back utterly confused and disturbed by the wolf's actions. His confusion quickly turned to anger when Nathan stepped away, threw his head back and laughed like a musketeer.

"The look on your face." Nathan managed to utter while chuckling. "I swear, Brutus, you're priceless, but don't worry, I'm not your type." Taking another step away, he tried to look serious, holding up a finger while his other paw touched his elbow. "Seriously Brutus, you need to relax more; go get some girl, some guy or whatever you're into and have some fun. If you're feeling really dangerous, go get a hooker."

The veins on Brutus' forehead throbbed visibly as his anger boiled over into sheer rage. The mastiff sprang up intent of beating the aggravating wolf in front of him as he sent his chair crashing into the cabinet behind him. "You..." Brutus paused, interrupted by a sharp beeping coming from Nathan's pocket.

Taking out his phone, Nathan looked at it and stopped the alarm, all the while never taking his eyes off the angry Mastiff. "Hold that thought." He took a further step towards the door. "We'll talk again after you've picked up some nice girls."

As the wolf began to leave, Brutus was suddenly on alert; knowing Nathan never left without preparing some prank for the office, himself, or both. Scrambling to his top drawer, he was relieved to see his cigars hadn't been tampered with this time. He took a second to breathe a sigh of relief, when a soft whirring sound caught his ear. Turning towards the source of the disturbance, he saw a large black box sitting at an odd angle on top of one of his filing cabinets that he hadn't noticed when he arrived. Having been the butt of many of Nathan's pranks, Brutus guessed this was part of his latest gag. As much as he tried to resist, he knew he'd have to touch the box to get rid of it.

A thunderous bang issued from Brutus' office. The noise stopped all work from proceeding as coffee mugs and files were dropped, and the staff were shocked into a fully alert state. All the while, Nathan casually wandered across the bull pit whistling tunelessly to himself. Maria rushed to her door to see what the commotion was about in time to see Brutus' office door fly open and the huge mastiff fill the frame. "NAAATTHHHAAAANNNN!!!" Behind him, dozens of fliers fluttered around his office, he even had a few crumpled ones in his paws. Maria turned her attention to a sudden rush of activity in the bull pit and saw Nathan run and vault over a desk towards the elevators. She was about to call out to him when he hit the elevator call button and turned to give a showman's bow. She wanted to be angry at him, but couldn't find it in herself after he had been so kind to her.

Nathan laughed as he stood upright and called out across the office. "To all a merry Christmas, and to all a good night." Catching sight of Maria, he blew her a kiss, utterly uncaring of the massive form of Brutus charging towards him. The elevator doors opened and he slipped inside, brushing past a female raccoon as she exited the elevator in a hurry and apologized for bumping into her.

"Get back here you little shit!"

The raccoon stopped in her tracks seeing the raging ball of fury that was Brutus, charging at the elevator. Rapidly coming to her senses, she stepped to the side and glanced into the elevator as the doors were closing and caught sight of a wolf with a boyish grin on his muzzle.

Impacting on the elevator door with his full weight, Brutus roared in frustration before battering his fists against the doors. "Come back and face me like a wolf!"

Trying to stay out of Brutus' cross hairs, the raccoon was about to continue on her way when she spotted a flier stuck to the bottom of his shoe. Squatting down, she read it out loud. "For the best massages and a happy ending, call Stacy. Oooh, Stacy, I hear she's good." She could feel the piercing dagger stare from Brutus cutting into her as she cautiously looked up.

"That's not funny, Lieutenant Forrester." Lifting his foot, he snatched the flier away and looked at it before crumpling it in his massive paw along with another that he already held.

"Confetti-bomb prank?" Helen asked with a smirk.

Brutus grumbled something under his breath and then fixed the raccoon with a stern stare. "On your way." He growled before stomping back to his office.

Getting back to her feet, Helen rearranged her brown leather jacket and watched the Mastiff storm away. She spotted Maria standing in her open door and waved at her as she approached. Closing the door behind her, Maria took a deep breath before looking at Helen and letting out a snort. "So, you've finally met Nathan and seen why Brutus hates him."

Helen looked hesitantly at the shepherdess. "Actually, I was lost in thought when I got out the elevator; I only caught a glimpse of him. He's tall, just like you said."

Rolling her eyes, Maria walked up to the raccoon and hugged her friend. "What are you doing here, Hun? Business or pleasure."

Returning the hug, Helen gave Maria's cheek a quick kiss. "Sadly, business. We've had a very angry lawyer raging against the commissioner earlier today. What did you do?"

Letting Helen go, Maria had a Cheshire cat's grin on her face. "Brutus might have pulled the same trick on them as they did on us. We sent them every investigation we had in progress, but hiding the good stuff away. Actual paperwork gets so messy, especially when put in the wrong folder or box."

"That's evil. Aren't you supposed to be the good guys?" Helen said as she waved an accusing finger. "Anyhow, I came to tell you the good news in person." The look the shepherdess gave her made her stick her paws in her pockets and glance up at the ceiling and smile. "I may also have come here to see if I could steal you away from your wolf this weekend. After the last month I think we could both use some pampering." She saw Maria think about it and she jumped on her delay. "Afraid he'll start chewing the furniture?"

The mental image made Maria laugh. "No, I was just trying to remember the last time we did something like that."

Doing the quick calculation in her head, Helen held up three fingers. "Three months at least. We went to that spa up north. I think a day of hot baths and massages will be just the ticket to get rid of all the stress."

Thinking back to last time, Maria remembered how good she felt after spending a day there. "It sounds perfect. Doing nothing but relaxing."

Seeing the dreamy expression on her friends face, Helen smirked. "I'll make reservations for Sunday then." She licked her lips, then bit them gently. "Maybe Melchior will be free for massages..."

Immediately Maria remembered the big burly tiger as his strong paws kneaded the muscles in her thighs, hoping he would touch just a little bit higher, and then she remembered Nathan doing the same thing only a few days ago. The thought made her blush.

"Maybe this time we can get him to lie down on the table." Helen had a faraway look in her eyes as she wrapped her arms around her waist. "Me on top of his lap and you on his muzz..."

Maria's fantasy stopped immediately and she shook her head. "No. If you want to have fun with Melchior, you can go right ahead."

The blissful expression on Helen's face changed into a scowl. "Oh right, Nathan is in town and Maria turns into the faithful wife."

Maria's ice cold stare focused on the raccoon and through clenched teeth she hissed. "I don't fool around when he's here because I don't need to."

The two femmes exchanged frosty stares for several seconds before Helen sighed and held up her paws as she knew how this argument would end. "I know. You've told me he's a great lover," taking a step closer to Maria she held her arms akimbo and sighed in exasperation "but every time that prick skips town, I'm the one who picks up the pieces." Stretching out an arm she placed her paw on the shepherdess' shoulder. "I hate seeing you hurt."

"I can take care of myself."

"I know." Helen interjected. "I just want to punch him for dumping you for his wild adventures. I'm sure you have your reasons for taking him back when he eventually returns, but I don't have to like it."

Having gathered her thoughts, Maria reached up and patted the raccoon's paw on her shoulder. "He's a really sweet and thoughtful guy. He takes care of my apartment, cooks for me, and when he kisses me..."

Reaching up with her other paw, Helen silenced Maria. "I know. You've told me the stories of his agile tongue; frequently!" She added with her eyes wide open. Pulling her finger from the shepherdess' lips, she thought of something. "Tell you what I'll come by your place on Sunday and pick you up, but," Helen's face grew stern and serious before she continued "I want to speak with Nathan, alone." The stern tone disappeared again as she looked unsure for just a moment. "That is, if you still want to go on Sunday?"

Maria wrapped her arms around the Raccoon's waist and hugged her close. "Of course I do. Just don't be too harsh on Nathan."

Returning the hug, Helen smiled. "I promise not to inflict bodily harm. At least not right away, even though he deserves it for every time he's left you."

* * *

The summer sun beamed down on the city as Nathan walked through the streets with a smile curling the corners of his mouth and a bounce in his step. Seeing a park, he couldn't resist going in and losing himself in the gardens; the shadows of the trees shading him from the harsh sun rays. It had been an hour since his successful pranks on the D.A.'s office and felt as if he were on top of the world; his tail wagging as he looked forward to seeing Maria at home later that evening.

The fragrance of dozens of different flowers, trees and freshly cut grass filled his nostrils; sustaining his good mood as he wandered aimlessly through the garden paths. Tall trees and hedges created long shadows which the wolf used to stay out of the sun light when it hit his eyes. Approaching the center of the garden, the area opened up into a large grass square, with pathways leading to the middle and a large fountain. Nathan grimaced at the structure as no water flowed or tumbled from its surfaces. Standing at the edge of the fountain, He looked into the still water and saw that the bottom was covered with coins. He chuckled as he thought about all the people that had made a wish and decided to join them. Reaching into his pocket he played with a couple of coins before removing one. Raising his paw he looked at the coin and rolled his eyes at the superstition of it all; though deep inside, he had one wish that he would do anything to fulfil, but the path he had set himself on made it highly unlikely that it would ever see fruition. "A ray of hope." Nathan mumbled before flipping the coin high in the air and watched it hit the water on its way down. The ripples bounced around the concrete basin, disrupting the mirror flat surface where the coin sank and joined all the other wishes that had been cast into the fountain.

Nathan watched the ripples for a moment and sighed, but as he turned to leave he felt the phone in his pocket start to vibrate and ring. Taking his phone out, the wolf look at the screen and frowned as he read the number on the display. For a moment he thought about ignoring the call but after several more rings he accepted it. "Fenn speaking."

"Nate," a gruff voice called out. "We got the go ahead for that Peru salvage, but the clock's ticking. You need to be ready to ship out in an hour."

There was a spark of anger and disbelief behind Nathan's eyes as he raised his voice and roared into the phone. "An hour!" Around him he saw several people in the gardens turn their heads towards him as he disturbed the tranquility in the area. He lowered his voice but the spite and rage still oozed from every word he spat into the phone. "I begged to be kept in the loop, Jackson! I begged! Just having a day or two to say goodbye for once."

"I know," said the calm and level headed voice of the bull. "But the captain..."

"Will be walking like a penguin after I remove his balls!" Nathan hissed. "I don't care if he is sober or not I will..."

"Nathan!" The calm voice suddenly had a razor sharp edge to it. "As much as I would love to keep listening to you lose it; I've got to call the rest of the crew."

"Two hours." Nathan said quickly before Jackson could hang up. "Give me two hours, I need to get back to Maria's place and get my things."

The conversation fell silent for a few seconds before the bull spoke up. "You're lucky I called you first. Two hours."

Striding swiftly towards the exit of the park, Nathan let out a sigh of relieve. "Thank you, Jackson."

There was another moment of silence before the bull spoke up. "Good luck with the missus, Nate."

* * *

Nathan burst into Maria's apartment and quickly disabled the alarm before rushing to the bedroom and grabbing his duffel bag. He gathered his clothes and turned on his tablet before hastily typing an email.

'Ship is sailing for Peru. I should be back in about two months. Let me know if you found anything.'

As Nathan waited for a reply he rummaged around in his backpack and pulled out a large blue envelope. Removing the card from within, he took it to Maria's desk and began writing; explaining where he was going and how much he would miss her. He ended the message the same way he had always did; writing down his feelings for her, finishing with the three words he struggled to say, followed by his name. Sliding the card back into the envelope he took it to the bedroom and placed it on her nightstand, propping it against the wall so that it was clearly visible. Making sure it was good and upright he turned back to his tablet and found a reply waiting for him.

'Smooth sailing Nathan. Hopefully I'll have some new leads for you to investigate upon your return. Stay safe.'

Nathan put the tablet back into his backpack and continued the hunt for his clothes; finding some in the living room where he had taken them off the night before. The memory of that night alone would be able to sustain him for a month on the ship. He dug up a bunch of underwear and socks from the clothes hamper in the corner, taking his time to extricate them from Maria's panties. Walking around the bed he did one last check and spotted his sweater through the open door of the walk-in closet. Stepping through the door he was about to reach for it but stopped just before his fingers touched it. Maria had worn it almost every night since she stole it from his duffel bag. He had to admit, she looked stunning and comfortable in it. Turning around, he left the sweater hanging where it was and checked his backpack; making sure his tablet, mini-printer and camera were secured. Reaching into the front pocket, he pulled out a photograph and jammed the corner into the mirror below the one that had been stuck there all month. It was the picture of him from the ship, trying to remove his camera from the waterproof case that Maria had liked so much. The wolf grabbed his backpack and slung it over his shoulder before grabbing the duffel bag on his way to the door. He closed the bedroom door gently as he always did, barely feeling the draft rush through the door.

Through the narrowing crack of the door the blast of air was directed straight at the nightstand and the envelope perched on top. Maria had known about the draft for years and had learned the hard way never to leave anything that could be blown away on her side of the bed. The gust pushed hard against the large blue envelope and forced it flush against the wall. It slid behind the nightstand, but the unusually large envelope got stuck on its way down; a clear sky blue corner still sticking out of the crack that had claimed every one of its predecessors.

Nathan came to a stop at the front door and looked down the hallway, the urge to stay was overwhelming but he knew he had to go. He pulled out his phone and considered calling Maria, but he knew she was having a tough day and didn't want to add to her troubles, his letter would explain, it always did; he just hoped she'd read this one. The alarm let out a shrill continuous beep as the wolf turned it on and left. As the door closed behind him, Nathan was unsure how things would go the next time he would step through it; if he were allowed to. Reaching into his back pocket, Nathan drew out a square glossy piece of paper and looked lovingly at the sight of Maria curled up on the couch reading a book and wearing his sweater; out of the several dozen photographs he had taken over the month, he loved this one the most and he already knew where he would put it.

* * *

Sitting in her office, Maria stared at the bare ceiling. It was late and the office was already deserted; Brutus had wanted everybody to be well rested for the first hearing of the appeal. "Still working on the same case." She sighed; having put the information Helen had brought her to good use and now waited until the last possible moment before leaving for the day for any news. The phone on the shepherdess' desk began to ring, breaking the perfect silence that hung in the dim office.

Maria glanced at the caller ID and even though it showed the number was hidden, she knew who it was. Putting the caller directly on speaker, she didn't offer any pleasantries knowing that the caller would be in no mood for them. "What the hell do you think you're doing, Patricia?" There came no reply, so Maria continued. "You want to get a lower sentencing by holding the police liable for your client's injuries that he sustained while in their custody? You actually waited two months before launching the appeal because that's how long they keep the footage." Still no reply came from the caller. "But, as you can see we have footage in high definition of your client taunting the other inmate who, by the way, has a really good right hook."

"I thought I could keep this out of court." A soft melodious voice said on the other side of the line. "I had hoped Brutus would be too busy to pay much attention."

Shaking her head at the audacity of the plan, Maria let out a chuckle. "And with Brutus not caring about the case you would be able to settle and shave a few years off the conviction, yes? Something that would look nice on a resumé?"

"Yes."

The answer told her everything she needed before going in for the kill. Her voice became cold and dismissive as she interlaced her fingers and tapped her chin with both of the index fingers. "Drop the appeal, if you can catch Judge Locke, you can cancel the first hearing for tomorrow so you won't have to face Brutus, who by the way, has been very pissed off by this whole ordeal."

The voice on the other side had lost some of the melody as Patricia spoke again. "I've heard the stories. I will strongly advise my client to drop the appeal."

With a victorious grin on her muzzle, Maria leaned back in her chair. "Good. Until next time, Patricia. Have a good evening."

"A good evening to you too, Maria." Patricia grumbled before ending the call.

Listening to the continuous tone of a terminated call, Maria slowly spun her chair around and let out a sigh of relief. The smile plastered on her face didn't fade, even after several minutes when she finally hit the hang up button on the phone. Getting to her feet she gathered her briefcase and didn't put a single file into it, the soft click of the locks the only sound in her office. For a moment she thought about calling Brutus to tell him, but she thought that good news was best given in person; her real desire was to get home. Turning off the lights as she went, Maria made her way to the elevator and as the doors closed she felt the rush of victory invigorate her even after such a long day.

* * *

With barely any traffic, Maria had driven home swiftly and parked in her private spot. She was bouncing on the balls of her feet, the heels of her shoes tapping on the hard elevator floor. When the elevator doors opened she bounded to her front door and as she turned the key her spirit began to fall as she had to turn it twice to open the door. Stepping inside, her fingers felt numb as she pushed the numbers on the keypad to turn off the alarm. "Nathan?" She called out in a wavering voice. There was no reply; the only sound that could be heard was the soft ticking of the bohemian clock in the living room.

Her briefcase hit the floor with a hard thud when it slipped from Maria's fingers. Her heart constricted as she dreaded what she would find or rather what she wouldn't find. Running past the dining room and kitchen, she rushed into the living room and turned towards her study. On a side table where Nathan had placed the printer that turned out the small square photographs he loved to make; she saw nothing. "No..." Taking deep breath, Maria turned and ran towards the bedroom. The door flew open in front of the shepherdess, it impacted the wall and the tremor traveled around the room. It was just enough to dislodge the blue envelope behind her nightstand, and as Maria turned on the light the sky blue corner that had peeked out, had vanished. After her eyes adjusted to the bright light, she ran to Nathan's side of the bed and let out a scream of anger as there wasn't a single piece of clothing left. "That fucking bastard!"

Reaching up, she gripped her thick black hair and paced about the room, trying to sort her thoughts. She staggered back out of her room as she took several deeps breaths to calm herself. He had done it again, but this time she was determined that she wouldn't break down; he would probably be back in a few months and they would dance around each other again like an asteroid around the sun, drawing in close before being flung back out into the farthest reaches of the solar system.

"If he thinks he can waltz back in next time..." Maria growled out loud as she found herself standing in the middle of the living room. As she moved, the shepherdess felt her knees begin to weaken as she moved towards her favorite chair. Sitting down she gripped the armrests and dug her claws into the smooth leather and ground her teeth in blind rage. "When he comes back," she snarled as her vision became blurry "he... he..." Pulling her legs up she wrapped her arms around them and tensed up. "He... He'd better come back." The first sob racked through her body as tears began to burst from her eyes. "Nathan... Come back." All of her anger was spent as she buried her muzzle between her legs. He had vanished once more and she had failed to tell the wolf again, how much he meant to her. Rage turned to regret, her desire to hit Nathan turned into a simple wish of him walking through the door with a comforting smile on his face and open arms.