Chapter 4

Gabbie Waited for a moment as they got to Masamune's house. She was still reeling from the kiss that both he started and then the one that she started. She was the life your life in the moment type of person, but she had never just kissed someone. It was unlike anything she had ever done, and it not only took him by surprise but herself. She began to wonder if Rin was in the same spot, so to speak with Yukimura. Everyone knew that he was for her, how he felt in the long run for her as well. This was new to her. She didn't know if this was one of Masamune's flings or he was being serious. He was impossible to read at times, and right now was one of those times for her.

"You coming?" he asked.

"Thinking," she said as he walked over to the door and opened it for her.

"Think inside. It is chilly," he replied as he took her hand and she walked up to the steps with him.

"Where am I supposed to sleep in your house, Masamune?" she asked, knowing he only had one room set up for his bedroom.

"Later," Masa replied to her annoyance.

"Who's idea was this?" she finally asked.

"Mine," Masamune said as he opened the door and pushed it open.

"My father had nothing to do with this?" she asked, knowing that Mitsuhide could have very well made the web and no one saw him doing it.

"Akechi didn't ask me to do any of this, kid," he replied as he brought her stuff to the living room and put it down. "I thought you might like to be here instead of your house. I know it is loud over there with all the little creatures running around. You enjoy the quiet for the most part."

"Thank you for that." Gabbie said with a smile.

"You know you have always been welcome here." Masamune said, "I want you to feel like it is your house too."

"It is your house Masa, not mine," she replied as she moved forward towards him.

"Do you not like it?" he asked.

"I do, but it is yours and yours alone," she replied.

"You know when I bought it, I was thinking of things," he said with a chuckle.

"Things?" she asked.

"Not important." he shrugged off. He knew he had just caught himself revealing way too much.

"Are we going to talk now?" Gabbie asked.

"Do you want to talk now?" he asked.

"I think we should get it out of the way, don't you?" she asked, and he smiled. His eyes were still that burning blue.

"Come on, kid. Let's talk as we cook," he said as he lead her into the kitchen. He started to prep the food, and she watched him as she had hundreds of times before. Something this time was different, and she knew it but didn't understand why. "I know you prefer desserts, but you are going to help."

"I don't do this, Masa," she said as he pulled her up. "I thought we were going to talk."

"We will be talking, and I will help you," he said as he got the pan ready for her to saute the veggies lightly as he took out two steaks for the indoor grill. He was seasoning them as she put the veggies in the pan. He threw the meat on the grill and walked in back of her and rested one hand on the counter and the other snaked around her to grip her hand on the pans handle. The closeness of him took her breath away. Somehow the heat in the kitchen started rising at least for her. "That's good. Take it easy. At the very end, we will do your favorite part."

"Wh-wh-what part is that?" she forced out as right now being in his arms in the kitchen; this was nothing like every other time they had cooked.

"Easy sweetheart," he whispered in her ear while his breath on her neck sent chills everywhere. The feeling she had from the kiss had yet died away, and now he was cooling her off by heating her up again. "The lighting it up."

"Oh," she breathed. He left her a second to flip the meat and reseason as she tried like hell to fight herself. She knew she liked him. Her crush for four years was enough for her to know that. She thought he liked her too. But that could be so many other things besides really having feelings for her. She was so confused, and again she had no one to turn too. The man in the room was everything when it came to cooking. She was pretty sure that he was the single reason they all had survived as their mother and father could not cook to save their own lives. Gabbie smiled at the memories they shared of prepping the meals for the family as it grew for a week every weekend.

"What are you thinking about princess?" he asked as he moved back behind her.

"How we would prep the meals for the family every week." Gabbie said as she moved the veggies over the heat.

"And that makes you smile?" Masa asked as he closed the distance between them.

"Yeah. It was fun," she said softly.

"Just fun?" he asked as he seemed to breathe on her neck with every movement. It was sending waves of heat and cool throughout her body.

"Masa," Gabbie said softly. She turned to face him, and he caught her face with one hand and kissed her nose. He moved the pan off the burner, and she hadn't noticed, but the steaks were off the grill as well. He had her trapped in his arms. He looked at her as he pulled away slightly.

"Tell me you want this too," he said softly.

"Masa," she said again, but it came out more like a whine.

"Tell me." He demanded. "Tell me you need this like I do."

Gabby's eyes flew open. Masamune wanted this? He wanted something more with her? He needed this? She was lost in the blue skies of his eyes, and then she reached up and touched his face. She pulled him towards her, and as their lips met, it was instantaneous heat between them. His hands roamed her back as she plunged her fingers into his hair, holding him exactly where he was. Everything slowed for the two of them in those moments. It was exactly as it should be for a first kiss and so much more.

"Masa?" she asked as she pulled away.

"Too much too fast," he said as he was panting for air and having trouble finding any in the room. He felt like he was on fire. The only thing that could put him out was her. He looked her over and knew she felt the same way except she had no idea as to all of the overwhelming feelings involved. "Princess, everything is okay. I promise."

"Really?" she asked.

"Actually, it is much better now this is in the open," he replied.

"How long has this been hidden?" she asked with a smile.

"How long have I known you?" he asked. "The problem was always you were so young. You aren't so young now though people will still have the issue with the eight years between us."

"You waited to let me know?" she asked, surprised.

"I did," he replied. "Gabbie, you were still finding yourself. You also happen to be my teammates daughter and a friends daughter as well. I think Mitsuhide figured it out that I wasn't going over there to feed all of you without getting something in return."

"What were you getting in return Masamune?" Gabbie asked.

"Time with you," he said softly as he nipped at her lips.

"That was what you wanted?" she asked as she pressed herself against him.

"That was all I wanted," he said. "I waited four years. I couldn't be there all the time like Yuki could be. I had to carve out time for myself. I also knew you needed time. Time to get over what happened. You turned every one of the guys who asked you out, down flat. There was a reason for that. You were just as affected as Rin was, but you never told anyone. You were too important for me to rush you."

"So you helped me get into a college a state away?" she asked.

"You wanted to go there," he replied.

"But it is far away," she said.

"You were more important. You wanted that," he said.

"So what if what I want changed?" she asked.

"Then we will find a way," he whispered as he kissed her again. The simple pressure on her lips was enough to make her realize he did have feelings for her. He didn't push her away by helping her to go that school. He was trying to give her what she wanted. He was always what she wanted.

"Mom and dad aren't going to like this," she said.

"Don't be so sure of that, Princess," he said with a wink. "Now before the whole meal is ruined because it is stone cold, let's eat. Figuring out everything comes later."

"Always food with you." Gabbie said with a smile.

"Only you are more important than food," he replied as they moved into the main rooms of the house. He wasn't sure if she had heard that or not, but it didn't matter. She would know sooner or later, anyway.

"Did you check in with the girls?" Kit asked as the two settled on the couch as the house was finally quiet.

"Honey, just leave it for the night," Mitsuhide said with a smile.

"And why should I do that?" she asked as she turned to look at him.

"They may be busy doing things," Mitsuhide said with a face.

"You mean?" kit asked.

"The guys may be a little faster on the fly than I was," he said with a chuckle.

You're laughing as you talk about this?" she asked.

"I'm really trying not to think about the outcome, okay? Like I want to think about our daughters spending the night with Yuki and Masa and what may or might not happen," he replied.

"I guess that is true but still," she said.

"All but Gabbie are in their twenties. I have to hope that they have the senses and the ideas not to be stupid. I would at least like to finish having our kids before we become grandparents." he said.

"And you want one more?" she asked laughing, "But yet you put the four of them on a collision course with each other. You are making a race with two men slightly younger than you." she said.

"Hey, now," Mitsuhide said with his trademark grin. "I'll make a bet with you on which one will make us grandparents first. If I win, you have two more. If you win, this can be our last."

"Bloody hell," she said. "I never thought I would have to make a bet to stop popping out kids. You do realize if you could follow instructions, we wouldn't have so many now, right?"

"As if I can wait six weeks to touch you again," he said with his smile.

"Fine Mitsuhide. Which one of the girls will make us grandparents?" she asked.

"Gabbie," he said with a smirk.

"No, she won't." Kit said flat out. "Gabbie will wait."

"My love, you do realize that Rin has done everything first and will continue to do so for as time moves right? Gabbie and Masa if this works out will be the first to have a child." Mitsuhide said.

"But school?" Kit said.

"We will help." Mitsuhide said, "And it isn't like Masamune is going anywhere."

"Okay, I don't want to be having this conversation anymore." Kit said.

"Just wait and see," Mitsuhide said with a laugh. "Just wait and see."