Love's True Path

"Where are we going?" Emiko asked.

"My rooms for right now..." Gregory shoved a hand through his hair.

She followed him into his room and sat down.

Gregory paced in front of her, having shut the door. "Look... I feel like an ass, saying this..."

"You want to break up with me." Emiko said.

"What?" He looked panicked. "No! Not that... I... unless you want that... I haven't been the best boyfriend..."

"No, I don't want to break up. I just thought you were going to break up with me." Emiko explained, "If that isn't it then what's wrong?"

"I... Emiko..." Gregory swore, pacing again.

Emiko sat there, waiting for him to get it out.

He stopped, staring at the floor. "I raped Stephen... my brother..."

She blinked. "What?"

"When... we were first turned, he's a wolf... the pack and pard were under the control of Raina and Gabriel... they made porn movies together, snuff films... and trained us all as bottoms. Nathaniel was one of them... he was whored out too, though..." Gregory swallowed. "I thought it'd be easier on Stephen if I was the one who... who hurt him, rather than someone else..."

"Oh, Gregory." Emiko felt tears begin to rise. "That's horrible. Who would do that to you?"

"Our father..." Gregory couldn't look at her.

It was suddenly hard to breathe. "That's..." She couldn't find words. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

"You're not disgusted?" He looked completely shocked. Clearly, he'd been waiting for her to reject him.

"You did what you thought was best for your brother." Emiko said to him. "Your father is the one I'm disgusted with."

Gregory sat. Hard. Right in the middle of the floor. "I... huh?"

"Gregory, are you alright? You look pale."

The leopard nodded, then shook his head before nodding again.

Emiko knelt down beside him. "Did you expect me to hate you? You have to remember I grew up next door to Nate and Nicky."

Biting his lip, Gregory tentatively pulled her into his arms, expecting her to pull away any second and hit him, calling him sick.

"I know what went on in their house. That's why I helped Nate get away from his father." She hugged him tightly.

"I was so sure you'd hate me..." He swallowed. "I keep... thinking about how I hurt Stephen and I can't..."

"Maybe you should talk to someone. You and Stephan both."

"The Lupa... I mean, Mika... said she'd try to help after she got an office..."Gregory hid his face in her shoulder, near her breast.

"Well I think you should take her up on that offer. Nicky went through years of therapy and it helped him greatly." Emiko stroked his hair.

The leopard looked up at her, his eyes sad and unsure. "You want to be with me, despite this?"

"Of course, but I do want you to get some help. You can't let the horrible things your father made you do stop you from living your life."

Gregory gave her a shaky smile before kissing her softly. "Thank you, Emiko."

"You're welcome." She said, returning the kiss.

He purred softly, not even realizing it as he carefully parted her lips with his tongue.

Emiko smiled. "How does Stephan feel about what happened?"

"He... he's better with it than I am, now..."

"That's good."

"I guess." Gregory hugged himself.

Emiko stroked his face. "It'll get better."

"I hope so."

She kissed him again. "It will."

"I owe you dinner." He said once their lips had parted.

"So you do."

Gregory stood in one lithe motion, then helped her up. "What would you like?"

"Chinese sounds so good right now."

"Works for me." He grinned, leading her into the kitchen... where her favorite Chinese food sat on the counter.

"You had this planned out, you sly fox." She said as she grabbed her Sweet and Sour Pork.

"I'm a leopard, not a fox." Gregory stuck his tongue out at her before grabbing his sesame chicken. "And yes... I did. I had to tell you..."

"I understand." She smiled at him and ate a bit. "That's so good. I wonder where Nicky is."

"Probably getting laid." Gregory said.

She nearly choked on her pork. "What?"

"What?" He blinked. "I said he's probably getting laid. Zane's not... traditional. He's one person over all, but... he doesn't like to wait. And with how they were looking at each other, I don't think Nicky wanted to wait much either."

"Nicky is a bit impulsive." Emiko shook her head as she smiled.

"And that's where I'd say 'Well, you know Zane's hair...?' or 'you know Zane's nipple ring?'" Gregory grinned.

She snorted. "His hair was bright blue."

"And tomorrow, it'll probably be green."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He's a thing for dyeing it odd colors. I think day before last it was orange..." He frowned, trying to think.

She smiled. "He sounds...interesting."

"Zane's cool. Nice and all. Did what he could for the pard when Anita offed Gabriel, and left us without more than a beta in dominance. It just didn't work." Gregory shrugged. "We've got Micah now."

Emiko ate some rice. "Sounds like a nice enough guy."

"Micah or Zane?"

"Zane. He took over as your leader and did what he could in his situation."

"Yeah." Gregory grinned. "He's a great person, and supposedly very talented indeed in many ways. Nicky will be lucky to have him."

"Nicky is a very loving person...and I've heard stories about him."

"What do you mean?"

"I have heard he's a real wildcat in bed."

Gregory laughed. "Well suited for a leopard lover."

She smiled. "I guess so."

He looked down at his chicken. "I promise I'll see Mika, Emiko... as soon as I can."

"I'm glad." Emiko smiled at him.

"It's not that I'm not attracted to you... please don't think that..."

"Actually, I was afraid of just that, but I understand now."

Gregory moved, pulling her to stand, pressing himself against her belly. "Just talking to you about nothing makes me hard, Emiko. Attraction is very much NOT the problem."

Emiko blushed. "I said I understood now." Her cheeks were burning.

He leaned down, licking along her jaw. "Good."

She turned back to her food, starting to eat again.

"Ah... dismissed." He laughed, pulling a drink from his mini-fridge. "What would you like to drink?"

"Just some water or soda." She said,

"Here you are." He handed her a Poland Springs, then sat. "Emiko... why don't you drink alcohol?"

"Hmm?" She ask taking a sip of her drink.

"You never drink anything with alcohol in it. Why?"

"Oh...well." She paused. "I'm a recovering alcoholic."

"Really? How long have you been on the wagon? That's a big accomplishment." Gregory smiled.

"About two years now." Emiko told him.

'That's great." Gregory kissed her cheek. "That's something to be proud of, Emiko."

"I know. I spent a lot of years drunk out of mind."

"I'm glad you got sober." Gregory yawned, stretching. "You wanna crash here?"

"Sure." She smiled at him. She was glad he hadn't asked more about her alcoholism. Nicky wasn't the only abused child that spent a lot of years in therapy.

"You can have the bed. I'll take the couch." He stood, leading her to his bedroom.

"You don't have to sleep on the couch. I'm fine with it."

Gregory tried for a smirk. "So am I... that's why I offered. Besides, I want you in my bed."

Emiko smiled. "That sounds dirty."

"Meant to." Gregory turned down the blanket and adjusted the pillows slightly before grabbing spares out of the closet.

"Do you have a shirt or something I can wear? My stuff is in Nate's room and I don't want to bother him."

"Of course." He opened his dresser, looking in the shirt drawer. "Um... you wanna pick? It doesn't really matter to me..."

Emiko grabbed one of his shirts and went into the bathroom to change. She came out and set her closed next to his bed. She sat down on the bed.

His eyes were wide as he looked at her. "Um... I'll... go. To the couch. And... not be here. Because.. you're here. I mean, in my bed... and... I'm not going to be yet... with you in my bed so... I'll... um..."

She patted the bed beside her. "You have a big bed. Why don't you sleep with me?"

Gregory blinked. "You don't want me there tonight."

"Why not?" Emiko asked confused.

"Emiko, I'm so very not thinking chaste, proper thoughts... all I can think about is the fact that you're wearing my shirt, little else, and are in my bed."

She smiled at him. "Then I'll sleep on the couch."

"No! I can... I don't want you to have to sleep on anything other than a bed..." Gregory licked his lips. Shit. He was hard. Did she have to be so sexy?!

Emiko shrugged. "Alright. Oh and by the way your shirt is the only thing I have on." She smiled to herself as she slid under the covers.

Gregory moved then, pinning her to the bed for all of half a second before rolling so she straddled him as he held her mouth to his, kissing her.

Emiko broke the kiss. "I thought you were sleeping on the couch. Unless you want me to sleep there now?"

"I don't want to sleep." He kissed her again.

She smiled. "I know." She ran her tongue over his bottom lip. "I...I know what it's like to be in the position your father put you in."

He froze, staring at her. "No..." His eyes stung as tears came. He didn't want her to have to have gone through that. He wanted her to be happy. "You don't deserve that..." He kissed her gently.

"No one deserves it, Gregory. That's why when Nate came to me I gave him every penny I had. Knowing that he got away was what got me through a lot of what happened." Emiko paused. "My father sold me to pedophiles. And when I got older he just started to hit me. I would spend days away from home just getting drunk and hoping I would die. I nearly died, twice. I would wake up with men whose names I couldn't remember or in an alley. Nicky...he got me into rehab and saved me. It took a long time to break my habit."

"Remind me to thank him." Gregory stroked her face softly. "I'm sorry."

She smiled. "I got passed all of that. I just thought you should know the whole story."

"Thank you." He kissed her softly. "We don't have to do anything..."

"I know. We'll take this as slow as you need."

"I'm just going to hold you... alright?" He smoothed a hand over her hair.

"Sure." She laid down next to him. "Anything you want."

Gregory laughed softly, smiling. "We'll work up to that."

Emiko buried her face in his shoulder.

"Tired?"

"Not at all."

"Why are you hiding your face then?" He furrowed his brow.

"Because you smell good." She blushed.

"I do?" He blinked, "I'm not even wearing cologne..."

"It's just your natural smell. I love it."

"Thanks..." Gregory kissed her softly, purring.

She ran a hand through his hair. "I'm happy you told me."

"I'm happy you didn't run away." He nuzzled her neck softly.

"Me too." Emiko relaxed in his arms.

"Emiko?"

"Yeah?"

Gregory spoke softly, "I'm glad you came here..."

"So am I." She stroked his face.

"Night." He kissed her temple, then closed his eyes.

Emiko laid her head on his shoulder. Her breath was hot on his neck.

He shivered slightly, stroking her hair.

She moaned softly as she snuggled up to his warmth.

"You alright?"

"I was cold, but you're really warm."

"It's because I'm a were." He held her close. "Why don't we get under the blankets?"

"That would probably help." She smiled.

"Probably." After a bit of maneuvering, they managed, and Gregory tucked her close to his side again.

Emiko was pressed against Gregory's side.

"Comfy?"

"Very."

"I'm glad." He smiled, kissing her temple.

She kissed him, a quick peck on the lips.

"Sleep, alright?"

"I can't. My mind is going like a million miles an hour right now."

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking about everything that's been happening." Emiko sighed. "I just hope Nicky and Nate will be ok."

"I'm sure they will be. Nathaniel's pretty tough." He kissed her temple.

"So is Nicky. He was worried about the whole gay thing and how Nate would take it." She closed her eyes.

"Well... Nathaniel doesn't really care. He's semi-bi. Ish...."

Gregory shrugged softly.

She pressed her chest against his arm as she got comfortable.

His breathing hitched a bit. "Um.... night."

"Night." She said somewhat huskily.