A Star-Crossed Meeting

We just left the orbital.

Great. How long until you’re here?

About a day to get in-system, then a few hours after that.

OK. According to the schedule, you should be here around 9 pm local time.

I’m so looking forward to this. After all this time, it’s finally happening. I can’t wait to be there. Oh, crap.

What is it?

They say we’re going to be out of civilian comms range shortly. So much for an all-flight chat.

Awwww. Well, hopefully you’re not restricted to just your seat the whole time.

No. There’s plenty to do, so I shouldn’t be too bored. I’ll ping you when we’re in-system.

OK. Have a safe trip.

TTYL.

* * *

<PING>

Hey there.

Hi. We just arrived in-system. We’re at that big planet with the rings.

Ah, Saturn.

Interesting name. They say it will be another 3 hours before we arrive at the orbital.

Hm…OK. Right on time. I’m on my way to the terminal now.

Sounds good. I just want this trip to be done. Plenty to do, but nowhere comfortable to sleep.

Soooo, grumpy kitty is grumpy, then?

Rawr, human.

Hahahah. Ok. I’ll be sure to have a nice, warm bed waiting for you.

Then I shall spare you my grumpy kitty wrath for the moment. Oh, they want to do some kind of Welcome to Earth presentation. Need to go again.

OK. I’ll see you in a few hours.

* * *

Peter did his best to wait patiently in the arrivals terminal of the planet-side spaceport. He checked his watch for the umpteenth time and saw that it was still 8:30 pm local time. He knew that once the shuttle docked with the orbital, there would be a ‘quick’ customs check, after which they would file onto the enormous space elevator, bringing them down to the planet’s surface.

He walked toward the window and gazed out at the elevator facility. For safety’s sake, it was its own building, connected to the spaceport via several covered walkways. Some of the passages were for cargo, others for passengers. The platform—so he was told—was large enough to handle several shuttles’ worth of cargo, sentient and otherwise.

He smiled at the thought of what was about to happen. He’d met Nita on a HYCOS social media site about a year ago. They had several common interests and over time, had formed a real friendship. Both he and Nita had gone through more than one failed relationship, and were now looking for something a little more low-key. They flirted with each other, of course, but they both knew that any real chance at a physical meeting was remote given the distance between them.

Then, opportunity came knocking.

The company Nita worked for was beginning a long-term project on Earth, and she applied for the position as Project Manager. Both she and Peter were overjoyed when she was awarded the position. Immediately, Peter contacted the company and offered to be Nita’s sponsor while she was on Earth. This earned him some remuneration, but that was secondary to him.

The prospect of transitioning their relationship from the virtual to the physical filled Peter with both anticipation and apprehension. Their flirting had gotten pretty heavy, but never crossed that line into the explicit. Now though, with that barrier broken, was intimacy and expectation? Would she be just as happy to move into his guest bedroom and be done with it? Or, was she yearning for him as much as he was her? He would find out soon enough.

<PING>

Well, that was *not* fun.

Customs?

Customs.

Ah. Well, welcome to Earth. Are you on the elevator?

Just getting on now. I’ll be at Gate C when I touch down.

Already here. <CLICK> There. Now you know who to look for.

Well, aren’t you the dapper looking human? I’ll be down there soon.

See you then.

Peter put his phone away and stared back at the elevator. He didn’t see any visible change in the giant structure, but he could imagine it powering up and ferrying its latest cargo down to the surface.

Part of him wished that Nita had sent him a selfie as well. Granted, Bengalans were easy to spot, being felinoids with no tails, but it would have been nice to have something to distract him.

The minutes ticked by, indicated by the arrival timer on the wall of the terminal. He watched the time tick down, and smirked at the ads that scrolled by on the screen underneath. Why did they show ads for local amenities for people who already lived here? It made no sense.

_ <BING>! Attention. Space elevator descending. Estimated time of arrival, 30 minutes _

Peter soon found himself joined at the window by several other people, all watching the elevator for some sign of activity. Of course, there was none, but it was almost instinctual for people to check. He couldn’t help but feel a little impatient as he alternated his gaze between the elevator and the time. He wanted to see her…to hold her…to find out what it was like to kiss a Bengalan. He never thought this day would ever come. Now that it had, his normal saint-like patience was wearing thin.

_ <BING> Attention, space elevator descending. Estimated time of arrival, 10 minutes. _

People started milling about even more now, many heading downstairs to where the passengers would emerge from the walkway. Peter remained at the window though. He was in no rush. Nita was still 10 minutes from touchdown, and then a few more minutes to traverse from the elevator and into his arms.

At the 5 minute mark, he finally tore his gaze away from the window and headed down the escalator to the arrival floor. His anticipation began building again, knowing she was so close. Amidst the crowd, he could hear people taking excitedly. He was pretty sure that had he come here with someone he’d be talking and giggling like a fool too.

_ <BING!> Attention. Space elevator has arrived. If you are welcoming visitors, please remain on this side of the arrival doors. _

Peter could see the security guards on either side of the doors. Thankfully, everyone was staying calm and not rushing the doors. Everyone had waited this long for their guests to arrive; a few more minutes wouldn’t matter.

After a few more minutes, the doors to the walkway slid open and people slowly started filing inside. There were some cries of excitement as some newcomers were welcomed. He manged to tune a lot of it out as he focused on finding her in the growing crowd.

And then, he saw her: a lioness, about half a head shorter than he, dressed in a dark jacket and jeans. She had one bag over her shoulder and was pulling a suitcase behind her. His heart ached slightly as he caught sight of her. She looked exhausted.

“Nita!” he called. The lioness’ ears perked up and rotated towards his voice. She then turned and suddenly any traces of exhaustion disappeared. Her muzzle broke out into an open-mouthed smile of recognition.

“Peter!” she called back. The two moved towards each other and didn’t hesitate to fall into each other’s arms. Nita fought back tears of relief that her journey was finally at an end, and she was where she wanted to be: with him.

“Welcome to Earth,” he said softly. “I’m so glad you’re finally here.” They parted just enough to look into each other’s eyes.

“I’m glad to be here too,” she said. “More than you know.”

“Was the flight that bad?” Peter asked, offering to take Nita’s bag. She smiled and removed it from her shoulder.

“The flight was fine,” she answered. “I mean it was novel at first, but after your first hour in hyperspace, the grey blur just gets monotonous.” Once he had her bag, Peter also took her suitcase handle and the pair headed toward the escalator. “Plus, I just really wanted to get here…to get to you.”

Peter smiled and offered his free arm, which Nita accepted. She nuzzled his shoulder, and together the two headed to the parking lot.

* * *

“And here we are,” Peter announced, opening the door. Nita stepped in and looked around in appreciation. It was just like he’d shown her during that virtual tour a month ago. He wanted to show both her and her company that he had the ability to host her during her time on Earth.

Peter lived in a 3-bedroom house in the city suburbs. During their conversations, he’d always remarked how peaceful the neighborhood was, and she was looking forward to seeing more of it after a decent sleep.

“I’ll put your things in the guest room for now,” he said. “The closet’s empty, so you won’t have to live out of a suitcase.”

“Thank you,” she said, following him upstairs. They passed by the master bedroom and she stole a glance. She was actually surprised at how not only that bedroom, but the house in general was clean. Being single—and male—the lioness figured that Peter would be living like a typical bachelor. She smiled approvingly.

Peter hoisted the suitcase and shoulder bag onto the guest bed. “There we go,” he said, sighing in relief to be free of the luggage burden. “Did you want to get…” He was interrupted by her stepping to him and wrapping her arms around him once more. He returned the embrace and sighed blissfully at her touch. “I take it that’s a ‘no’ on something to eat?”

“I just want to lay down,” Nita replied, looking up at him. “With you,” she added softly, just barely above a whisper.

Peter responded by leaning down slowly, his heart pounding when he saw her mimicking his moves. His lips brushed against hers, tentative at first. They kissed again…and again…until they finally held it. It was awkward given their physical differences, but far from uncomfortable.

The kiss broke and they stared into each other’s eyes, looking for any signs of regret or worse, disappointment in what they’d just done.

There was none to be found.

“Go on ahead,” Nita said softly. “I’ll be there in a minute.” Peter smiled and headed to the master bedroom. He glanced back at Nita, who was busy opening her suitcases and rummaging for something.

He turned down the bed and stripped down to a T-shirt and his boxers. Normally he slept naked, but now he had a guest. He should at least be modest for one night. With any luck, this would only be needed tonight.

He considered that as he slid into bed. Thus far, the interactions between he and Nita had been largely platonic with only a hint of flirting. They weren’t kids anymore…not horny teenagers ready for a quick hookup. This whole thing started as a friendship with only tacit promises to meet someday. Commonplace as it was these days, interplanetary travel was still expensive to say nothing of the logistics behind it all.

Now that she was here though, there was no apprehension on his part. He’d welcomed her embrace and her kisses, and he only hoped she felt the same. Her being here was far beyond anything he could have wished for, and that she was about to share his bed, well, he admitted to feeling a little bit like a horny teenager.

“Peter?”

He looked to the doorway and there she stood. She was dressed in an over-sized T-shirt, and he couldn’t help but smile. While the horny teenager part of his brain hoped for lingerie, she was still beautiful…and desirable.

She climbed into bed and the two immediately gravitated to each other. Their kisses were slow and deliberate. They held each other close and simply reveled in the sensation of the contact. The desire was there, simmering just below the surface, but they took their time, savoring this first physical encounter together.

Finally, Nita sighed. The trip finally and fully caught up to her and she could feel herself fading. She rested her head on Peter’s chest, draping an arm and a leg over him. Peter gently stroked behind her ear.

“Comfy?” he asked playfully.

“Mm, noisy human,” she mumbled. Peter chuckled and turned the lights off. “Mm…noisy comfy human,” she said before sleep finally overtook her.

* * *

Morning came and Nita slowly opened her eyes. She was surprised that neither of them had moved the entire night. She was still using Peter as her ‘comfy human’ and his arms were still around her.

She absently nuzzled his chest. No longer distracted with the overwhelming need to sleep, she thought more about her situation. She’d been so excited about this trip, and the prospect of finally meeting Peter face to face. Now, here she was, in bed with him, and there was nowhere else she wanted to be.

She’d yearned for this encounter for over a year. Any time they chatted, she did her best to keep a straight muzzle and a cheerful tone in her voice. That, however, masked a longing in her…something that started with infatuation, but soon blossomed into something more.

Specialists and influencers all over the social media sphere warned against forming online relationships. They cited studies and showed all kinds of fancy graphs dating back centuries about the dangers of meeting someone online. None of that mattered to Nita though. Despite all the warnings and rhetoric out there, she’d fallen for Peter.

The lioness blushed slightly as she recalled the voyage to Earth. She’d locked herself in the restroom several times to help relieve some growing tension. The thought of spending two months with Peter made it hard for her to sit still for long. If she could have, she would have upgraded her ticket to a private cabin and spent the entire flight reveling in her fantasies.

But she was here now, with him…

Slowly, carefully, Nita moved her hand down Peter’s body. She wished he hadn’t worn a shirt to bed, but maybe this would be the only time he did so. Her fingers traced over the waistband of his boxers. She felt her heart race as she traveled lower. The moment she felt his bulge, her ears shot up in surprise. Morning wood…such a human concept, but one she was growing to like.

She traced her fingers along its length. He was a pretty good size, she thought…a bit bigger than the human toy she’d purchased a while back…for purely research purposes of course. She froze when she heard Peter moan softly. She hoped he wouldn’t wake up just yet. She wanted to continue this little teasing game she was playing. She waited, and then sighed in relief when he didn’t wake up. Emboldened, she stroked over his bulge some more, her own breathing growing heavier with anticipation.

Feeling more daring now, she reached into his boxers and gasped as her fingers wrapped around his cock. Slowly she began to stroke it, marveling at how warm and soft the skin was was to the touch. It was so different from a Bengalan’s penis, which (obviously) had more feline traits to it. She rubbed her thighs together as she stroked him, half-wishing now that he was awake to help return the favor.

Peter moaned again, this time flexing his hips to meet Nita’s strokes. She looked up to see him slowly open his eyes and smile at her. “Good morning,” he said softly. “Sleep well?”

Nita froze, not sure what to do. To Peter’s relief though, she didn’t take her hand off him.

“I-I did,” she stammered in reply. “I…um…that is…”

“It’s OK,” he interrupted, drawing her up to him. He kissed her lovingly. “I was hoping something like this would happen, and that you, well, felt this way about me.”

Nita breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, more than you know,:” she said. They kissed again while Nita moved atop him fully. “If I hadn’t been so tired last night…” she trailed off, kissing and nuzzling him.

Peter began puling at Nita’s shirt until he could run his hands over her back. He moaned at the feel of her fur running though this fingers.

Nita rose up, still straddling Peter and pulled her shirt up and off. Peter’s eyes widened as he looked up at her. Her breasts were just a bit more than a handful for him, which complemented her athletic build. Her nipples and areolas were the same dark color, making him lick his lips in anticipation. He struggled a bit to remove his own shirt, which made his hips—and his bulge—grind up against her.

Nita fell atop Peter again. She growled lustfully as the feeling of her nipples dragging over his bare skin. She moved her muzzle down and gave his chest a long, slow lick. The coarse texture of her tongue rasping over his skin made Peter moan loudly.

“Mmmm, tasty human,” the lioness growled, smiling mischievously. Peter flinched slightly when the lioness above him bared her fangs. He trusted her completely, but there was something about being pinned by a half-naked lioness, looking down on him like he was a slab of meat.

“Careful,” he teased. “I’ll probably give you cavities.” Nita chuckled at this and licked his chest again…and again. She started moving lower, licking at his pecs, his abdomen, and ending by kissing the waistband of his boxers.

Nita’s senses were swimming. She gripped the waistband and pulled slowly, exposing Peter’s achingly hard cock. She gasped at it, taking in its alien shape. She took it in her hand once more and started stroking it slowly. “Mine,” she growled playfully before giving it a tentative lick.

Peter gazed down at the lioness exploring and playing with him. This was more than could ever have hoped for. He’d spent many a night fantasizing about this, though he’d stopped as Nita’s arrival time had neared. Having loved and lost in the past, he’d been plagued by doubt about this meeting from the start.

Not anymore, however…

“W-Wait,” he stammered as he saw Nita about to engulf his cock in her maw. He knew that like this, he wouldn’t last very long. She gazed up at him, a worried look in her eyes. “This is a little one-sided, don’t you think?”

She paused, and then smiled as realization dawned on her. Wordlessly she rose from the bed. Not taking her eyes off him, she slowly removed her panties, the garment joining their shirts on the floor. Peter took advantage of the moment to remove his boxers fully. She rejoined him on the bed and, after a few sloppy kisses, Nita moved back down Peter’s body, but this time turning her body to straddle his head, exposing her dripping pussy to his eyes.

“So wet,” he whispered. He breathed in her scent deeply as she descended. It was far different than any human woman he’d had in this position, but no less arousing. He craned his neck up to meet her sex halfway. He heard her moan loudly the moment his tongue touched her. After that, he dove in, licking and sucking at her pussy greedily. He barely felt his cock sliding into Nita’s maw, but the moment he felt that tongue on him he had a hard time not bucking his hips up right away. Instead, he began moving his hips slowly.

Nita rocked her hips in time with Peter’s, grinding her pussy against his wonderful tongue while she bobbed her muzzle on his cock. Her tongue worked over him almost frantically, determined to taste all of it. Each drop of pre from the tip tasted like ambrosia to her. She swooned as she felt Peter’s fingers pull her open just that much more, before feeling his tongue drive itself into her.

Peter, for his part, felt like he was on another plane of existence. Nita was no stranger to pleasuring someone with her mouth, and he almost felt blessed for this experience. Perhaps it was the novelty of it all, or something more, but it was all he could do not to erupt in her mouth right away. He focused his attention on her, savoring her pussy like some exotic fruit. Contrary to that nagging male myth, he’d found her clit almost from the start, and loved how the lioness – his lioness—quivered and squealed each time he grazed over it.

Nita ground her hips against Peter more insistently. She was getting close and re-doubled her efforts to bring Peter there too. She bobbed her head faster on his cock. He mind filled with with so many different fantasies. She wanted him to take her in every room in this house. She wanted him under the table, feasting on her pussy while she tried to conduct a project meeting. On the days when she had to be at the office, she wanted to call him on her breaks and make him watch her finger herself, hopefully while he showed her the same until they both came all over their communicators. She wanted this—wanted him—so badly it was frightening.

Her thoughts and the sensations of her body overwhelmed her all at once. She cried out around Peter’s cock as her orgasm took her. She ground her quivering pussy against Peter’s face, smearing herself all over him. A heartbeat later, she felt Peter tense and his cock twitched in her mouth. It erupted inside of her, filling her mouth with his warm seed. This made her cum that much harder.

The two remained locked together, riding out their mutual orgasms until the sensations passed. Nita let go of Peter’s cock with an audible ‘pop’ and Peter released his grip on her thighs, just caressing her fur. Slowly, the lioness crawled off him and snuggled up next to him. They kissed only briefly, both still panting heavily after what they’d just done.

“W-Wow,” Peter stammered. “Best morning ever.”

Nita giggled. “So worth the wait,” she sighed. “All the way here, all I could think of was how this would go.” She stroked his chest tenderly.

“You had doubts?”

“You didn’t?”

At this, Peter leaned back and sighed. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t,” he admitted. “I mean, I got on that app because I was lonely…because for the life of me I just couldn’t hold onto anyone.” He felt her nuzzle his neck. “When we finally met, well, you remember.”

Again, Nita giggled. “So shy,” she said. “You stumbled over your words so cutely.”

“Yeah,” Peter said with a chuckle. “And even though we got along so well over chatting, the moment I heard you were coming to Earth, all those doubts came rushing back. When I sent you that selfie at the spaceport, I was half-expecting you to ask me to take you to a hotel instead.” He squeezed her, making her sigh. “Even after last night,” he continued, “I figured you’d wake up early, leave a note, and…”

Nita interrupted Peter’s words with a long, slow, loving kiss. She gazed into his eyes. “We were both hurt in the past,” she said. “I was worried about this too, but to be honest? The moment you held me at the spaceport, I knew I’d done the right thing coming here.” She kissed him again.

“Nita,” Peter said softly. He returned the kiss and rolled on his side to face her. They pulled close to each other, continuing to kiss and caress each other. Nita swung her leg over him and held tight, as though afraid that he would try to escape. She needn’t have worried though; Peter wasn’t going anywhere.

Nita moaned softly as she realized that Peter was still hard. She felt his cock glide against her fur as they each ground their hips against each other. It wouldn’t take much, she knew…just a small adjustment and he’d be inside her. She yearned for it, but resisted the urge. It would come in due time. There was no need to rush it.

“I…I want you, Nita,” Peter whispered after several minutes. “I need you.” Outwardly, the lioness merely smiled, but in her mind, she was roaring in excited triumph. Peter began to move, making Nita roll onto her back. She gazed into his eyes and never wavered as he reached down to adjust himself. She gasped loudly when she felt the tip of his cock brush against her. She arched her back at the contact, wanting more.

“Yes,” the lioness growled lustfully. “Do it, Peter. I want it…want you.” She cried out as he pushed forward, entering her. “Oh gods,” she breathed. “So good, Peter…so good.”

Peter rocked his hips slowly, pushing deeper into her with each stroke. Her body was hot inside, much more than any human he’d been with. And tight…he was worried he was hurting her each time he pushed. However, her panting moans indicated otherwise. Wet as she was, he was fully inside her in only a few strokes. The moment their loins touched, they both let out a gasping moan.

Nita held onto her human tightly. She felt so full. Her pussy squeezed down on Peter’s cock, making her shiver through a small orgasm. Gods, how long had it been? How long since she enjoyed of someone this intimately? She couldn’t remember, and in the end she decided she didn’t care. This wasn’t the time to think about the past. She felt so deliciously full. It couldn’t possibly get any better.

Until Peter started to move…

She came again when she felt his cock slowly slide out of her, and again when he pushed back in. He was slow at first. They weren’t in a rush. They had all day to enjoy this time with each other. She rocked her hips up to meet his thrusts, her body quivering with each movement.

Peter’s senses were overwhelmed. He felt her quivering pussy squeeze him with every stroke, massaging his cock like no woman ever had before. Her growls and moans encouraged him, but he tried to keep his pace slow. He wanted to savor this for as long as he could. He never wanted this to end.

“Oh gods…P-Peter,” Nita stammered between panting breaths. “I’ve wanted this for…ah…so long.” She wrapped her legs around his waist. “Gods, don’t stop…please, don’t ever stop.”

Peter’s hips began moving faster, spurred on by Nita’s words. His mind was swimming from the sensations: The feel of Nita’s fur on his skin. The moans, mewls and lust-filled words. The feel of her clenching pussy gripping and squeezing his cock. And the heat…gods, the heat. He knew that Bengalan females went through an estrus cycle, and for a moment he wondered what that would be like…making love to her while she was in the throes of her heat. He imagined her, lust-crazed and insatiable, coming home from work and ripping his clothes off and…

“Mmmf… Peter!” He immediately snapped out of his reverie and realized that he was pounding into her in a frenzy. He stopped abruptly, panting heavily. He collapsed atop the lioness as a wave of embarrassment washed over him. He couldn’t bear to face her, but he also made no move to pull out of her. “What happened?” she asked.

“S-Sorry,” Peter panted out. “Just…my mind went…” He still couldn’t face her; he felt too ashamed. “I just started thinking about…” he trailed off again, unable to bring himself to admit it.

“Hey,” she soothed. “Peter…look at me. Please.” Reluctantly, he moved to face her. “No secrets, love,” she said, kissing him and stroking his cheek. “You can tell me. It’s OK.”

“I just…I started thinking what it…um…what this would be like with you…um…in heat.” Those last two words came out as a mumble.

Nita cupped Peter’s face in her hands and kissed him hard. “Honey,” she said, her voice a low growl, “I’m going to be here for the next two months. I’ll be in heat at least once, maybe twice during that time.” She saw his eyebrows rise. “Now, I don’t exactly turn into some lust-driven sex beast,” she pulled his head down to whisper in his ear, “but I promise you, we won’t be able to walk straight for a week after, with what I’m going to do to you.” She shifted her hips and felt that he was still hard.

He started to move his hips again, though not nearly as aggressively as before. “Oh yes, Peter,” Nita moaned out. “Just…ah…like that. Mmmm…oh gods…”

“Nita,” Peter whispered. He moved faster now, hearing her gasp each time he sunk into her fully. Her arms resumed their embrace of him. Her words were incoherent now, save a few pleading words. He drove his cock into her faster…harder. Her body jiggled with each thrust. He could hear his loins slap wetly against hers. Gods, she must be soaking.

“Ah…N-Nita,” he stammered, his thrusting growing erratic. “Getting…ah…close.”

“Inside,” the lioness begged. “C-Cum inside me, Peter.” That was enough to send him screaming over the edge. He slammed himself into her hard and held himself there as he felt himself explode inside her.

Nita cried out as another intense orgasm overtook her. She clenched down hard on Peter’s cock, feeling it throb. The warm feeling of being filled with his erupting seed forced another orgasm upon her. She pulled Peter down onto him, embracing him tightly with arms and legs. He barely moved, save several involuntary pushes and she tried to bury his cock inside her as much as he could.

It felt like an eternity had passed before either of them could move. Their orgasms subsided and slowly, their bodies loosened up. Nita loosened her grip on Peter, but still held him close. She just didn’t want to let him go just yet…or ever, for that matter.

Peter let out a long, sighing breath. He propped himself up on his elbows to face her. He smiled, leaning down to kiss her. “I repeat,” he said, “wow.” Nita giggled and kissed him back. “I know we should probably get up,” he sighed. “But I really don’t want to.”

“Me neither,” Nita admitted. She rocked her hips inquisitively, causing them both to wince slightly. Much as they wanted a third round, they were both far too spent. “Mmmf,” she whined. “I’m gonna have a hard time walking for a while.”

“That makes two of us,” Peter groaned. “Good thing you don’t start for a couple of days.” They both chuckled, then winced again as Peter slowly rolled off her, his softening cock pulling free of her. “That was...intense.”

“But so worth it,” Nita said, moving to snuggle up beside him. “I’m so glad this happened Peter. I’ve wanted this for so long.”

“Me too,” Peter admitted. Nita smiled and moved to nuzzle at his neck. “So, two months, eh?”

“Think you’ll be able to handle it?”

Peter smiled and drew Nita up to face him. “I think so,” he said with a smile. “You’re worth it to me, my sexy lioness.”

“Mmmm, my tasty, sexy human,” Nita said with a toothy grin. “You’re worth it to me too.”

They lay together, basking in the afterglow of their morning lovemaking. In the clarity that comes after intimacy, they both pondered what the next two months would be like. Of course there would be adjustment, and doubtless a bit of friction as they got used to living together. It would be a challenge to be sure, but one they were both determined to meet and overcome…

Together…

THE END

(Or The Beginning?)