Is this destiny?

~ Close to the border of China with Kazakhstan ~

Later that evening, Sarah was unable to find a comfortable position to sleep.

Somehow, sleeping previous night was easier, when she was not aware that Aiden is so close.

She was confident that he will find a way to join her, but it\'s late and he is still not here. Maybe he will not come…

Faint creak on Sarah\'s right got her attention. The window was pulled open from outside and a shadow slipped inside her cabin.

"I almost lost hope that you will come.", Sarah whispered.

"I waited to make sure everyone else is asleep.", Aiden responded with a whisper and sat on the edge of her bed.

"What\'s with the towel?"

Aiden flashed a smile. "That hot spring is nice. And we can make it hotter."

Sarah giggled. "You are crazy. The Master will kick us out."

"If he wants to kick us out, he does not need a reason. Come on…", Aiden tempted her.

…

"There! I told you, Master! Do you see them?", one disciple whispered with urgency while pointing at two shadows which disappeared into the forest. "Do you see them? Did you…?"

"Yes, Haru. I saw them." Master Hollow was not happy. There is only one thing in the direction where those two went… and that is the hot spring.

"I saw him sneak out and I thought that you should know. Should I follow them, Master?"

"No, Haru. Go to sleep.", Master Hollow grumbled.

"But Master! What if they sully our hot spring?"

"And what do you plan to do?"

Haru narrowed his eyes in the direction of the forest, as if he can see them. "Follow them… and watch… carefully…"

"Haru!", old man interrupted whatever his lecherous disciple wanted to say next.

Haru was startled. "Yes, Master?"

Master Hollow was wondering, how can Haru have such an innocent expression? Even if those two don\'t do anything indecent, one of them is a young woman! What does this despicable disciple mean by he will \'watch carefully\'? He needs to learn a lesson!

"One hundred squats with a log above your head, first thing in the morning!"

Haru inhaled sharply with shock evident on his face. "One hundred?"

"Two hundred! And make sure that impish fiancé joins you as well." Master Hollow squinted toward the direction where Aiden and Sarah disappeared while thinking that Aiden should get a harsher punishment. He explicitly told him to go straight to sleep after the bath! Rascal!

Master Hollow looked at his disciple. "Why are you still here? I told you to go to sleep!"

"Yes, Master.", Haru lowered his head and hurried to the cabin where other disciples and Jesse are sleeping.

Haru was sulking while thinking that he saw that newcomer sneak out against orders of the Master and reported him. Why did he end up being punished? Next time he will just keep it to himself!

…

After a long soak in the hot spring Sarah and Aiden are in her cabin, holding each other under the fur cover on her bed. It is a cold October night, and the insulation in the cabin is not the best. Both of them have their long sleeved t-shirts and pants on which is much more clothes than usually when they are in the bed together.

The cabin is very dark, with only source of light coming from the stars through the windows. Shadows and faint outlines surround them, but Sarah and Aiden don\'t mind the absence of light. They are holding each other, feeling each other, and that is all that matters.

"Have I told you that I love you?", Sarah asked while rubbing her cheek on his chest.

"Not nearly enough times." Aiden chuckled while caressing her hair.

Sarah shook her head while thinking how she loves this cheeky side of him. She sighed. "Thank you for coming."

Aiden kissed Sarah\'s forehead and hugged her tightly. "I will follow you wherever you go. Let\'s not repeat this… separation nonsense."

Sarah agreed. "Tell me about your three days without me."

"Hmm… Besides the horrible part of missing you… I helped Ellie with the fashion show and earned us two couple\'s outfits… Oh, someone attacked Ellie after the show." Aiden felt that Sarah stiffened at his words and he quickly explained: "She is fine. I reached in time to stop them. Five local thugs. I helped Ellie and Jasper find…", Aiden told Sarah about Lily who hired those thugs to hurt Ellie because she is interested in Jasper… and how he advised them to get security. "…They should be in Los Angeles now. Jasper is there for the weekend. I gave heads up to Jeff and JoAnna that they should talk to them. And they will talk to Felix about his security devices. Oh, and Ellie told Jasper about her looking into his frozen assets and they will discuss with Sophia her plan to get them back to Jasper… That\'s it. What did you do?"

"Nothing much. A lot of thinking and sitting. Only yesterday Master started talking to me after Mr. Patel\'s men dropped off the folder... Did you tell him where I am?"

Aiden confirmed. "I told him that we want a favor from that woman\'s father and that you are currently with him. Mr. Patel offered to deliver what he found to you, and I accepted."

Sarah was curious about the deal Aiden made with Mr. Patel and reminded herself not to ask about it.

She remembered that on the way here from France, Jesse talked about his family. "I think that we should help Jesse find information about his family."

"His family and the organization that betrayed him.", Aiden confirmed.

"You agree?"

"He is a good guy. Loyal. That should be rewarded.", Aiden explained.

Sarah was happy that Aiden agreed.

"I would also like to get our seven kids to Cliffside home."

Aiden was surprised how Sarah is jumping from one topic to another. She does that when she is nervous. "Reason?"

"They are ready, and others can continue their trainings and classes without them. It will be easier to find tutors for their specific interests while they are in Los Angeles and at the same time, this is a good chance for them to get a feel of what it means to be by our side, before things get… more serious."

Aiden agreed. "We can\'t find more trustworthy and capable people other than them and Jesse. With them watching our backs we can be at ease."

"What do you think about Master\'s words… That neither family will allow us to be together?", Sarah asked with a shaky voice.

Aiden understood that this is what is weighing on her mind.

"I know that as long as we are together, we will find a way." Aiden touched her chin and tipped her head up, to look at the outline of her face in the dark room. "Do you trust in us?"

Sarah nodded. She was not sure if he can see her, but she knew that he can feel her nod because his fingers are still on her chin.

Aiden felt Sarah\'s grip on him tighten and he scooted lower so that their heads align. "Hey… did you forget? The two of us are destined to be together. No one can keep us apart."

Aiden gave her a light kiss on the lips before speaking again: "Today proves that wherever you are, I will find you. And if I ever get lost, you will find me. Deal?"

Sarah kissed him softly, at first. But soon her kisses became hungry and desperate as if she is trying to merge with him so that they can never be apart.

It was a cold October night, but neither of them felt cold with their clothes off as they held each other tightly under the fur cover. 

Aiden murmured that he loves her, and Sarah promised to never give up on them.

Their bodies intertwined and Sarah muffled her sounds while biting Aiden\'s shoulder and gripping his back.

Gentle humming of the chilling wind descended from the mountains covering up the faint rhythmical creaking of the bed which traveled outside the cabin.

That night both of them slept peacefully.

Sarah\'s head rested on Aiden\'s arm, and she felt his chest on her back… and it was perfect.

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