"You hurt,too?" When the female nodded, Marissa was stunned. Then a little relieved. "It wasn't all painful. I mean, what led up to it was ... is amazing. Butch makes me... he's just so... the way he touches me, I get... Oh, God, I can't believe I'm talking like this. And I can't explain what it's like with him."Beth chuckled. "That's all right. I know what you mean.""Really?""Oh, yeah." The queen's dark blue eyes glowed. "I know exactly what you mean."

"Butch, let me help you."He cursed. "What if-""What ifs don't cut it." She took a deep breath. "I won't lie. I'm scared. But I don't want to turn my back on you and you're a fool to try and make me."He shook his head, respect in his eyes. "You always been this courageous?""No. But it appears that for you, I guess I am. So are you going to let me in?""I want to. I feel like I need to."

"From out of nowhere, she had an image of some poor human in a FedEx Office branch getting an eyeful and a half of the mostly naked fallen angel.Without warning, she started to laugh so hard, tears came to her eyes. The good kind of tears, that was.And as she gave herself up to the angel's ridiculousness, Lass just say there on the couch, staring up at "Melrose Place", a sly, quiet smile on his beautiful, deranged face.What an angel he was, she thought to herself. A total angel."

"As she took a deep breath, all she smelled was him, the scent going in her nose and blooming all over her body.Bastard, she thought. Irresistible bastard"

"In the oh-my-God-this-has-to-be-Christmas silence that followed, he struggled to reorder the last six months, to catch up with this reality they'd somehow missed. He wanted her. She wanted him. Was it true?"

"Butch, I got sick and needed some time to regroup. But I wanted to see you. That's why I asked you to come calling when I ran into you back in December. When you said no, I thought... well, you'd lost interest."She'd wanted to see him? Had she said that?"Butch, I wanted to see you."Yeah, she had. Twice.Well, now... didn't that perk a guy up."

"So would you like to try on some clothes?" Beth nodded at what was in her arms. "I don't have many dresses but Fritz can get you some."You know what?" Marissa eyed the blue jeans the queen had on. "I've never worn a pair of pants before."I've got two pairs here if you want to try them out."Well, wasn't this a night for firsts. Sex. Arson. Pants."

"Don't think I was the only reason he healed. You're his light, Marissa. Don't ever forget that."

"Use me. You've done so much for us-" Marissa said."Not.....for you." V said. "He's alive because of you. So that's everything."V shook his head and turned away from the wrist. "Can't.""I need you. I'm sick from what I do. I need you." Butch whispered.Vishous fixated on Butch. "Only for...you... not me.""For both of us""All of us," Marissa interjtected.V took a deep breth and bit into the wrist."

"Darkness will never take me... because I have you. Light of my life, Marissa. That's what you are."-Butch and Marissa"