Having slept a long night, they woke up early, had a light breakfast and began a typical day at the Towers. Ayla ran off to check the mail, read a few news articles, and decided to spend a little time pursuing one of her pastimes: painting. Lane strode off to talk with Airen to help develop a plan for the downfall of the Varda Cartel, their mutual obsession.

The day was a little warmer than the last couple of days, so Ayla and Lane both had decided to stay in and just rest. Ayla opted to set up her easel on the balcony and paint landscapes. Lane spotted her in her smock as he crossed the main room, but decided not to disturb her. She seemed deeply engrossed in some detail of her work.

Glancing to his side, he noticed his newly-gifted computer Pad on the couch. Vaulting over the back, he sprawled on the couch, and taking up the little computer, lay back on a cushion and started scanning the latest data that Airen had provided. Rows of numbers and stale statistics, combined with the warm afternoon, made Lane feel drowsy and lazy. He laid the Pad on his chest and dozed off.

A touch to his sleeve woke him. He leaned up on his elbow and turned to find Airen at his side with hands clasped. "Master Lane, I regret that I disturb you."

"No prob. What do you need?"

"I have assembled a presentation with much more geographic, financial, and personnel information. I should like to show you, but it would require that you join me in the study... alone. I do not want to frighten Miss Ayla."

Lane glanced back at Ayla's figure still painting on the balcony. He advised, "Airen, I don't think I can do it now. Can it wait until after supper? I've already told Ayla that I plan to explore the upper rooms then. I told her that I wanted to see the music room, the library, and the Gallery Hall. She expects to try to catch the sunset, and said she'd catch up with me after nine."

"Very good, sir. I will be your resource until then."

"Great idea. Thank you."

Ayla was trying to catch the sky at sundown, when Lane appeared at the door with a supper tray. "Wilt thou sup with me, m'dame?" Placing the tray on the round cast-iron patio table, he took her elbow and held a chair for her until she had scooted up to sit by his side. He poured them both wine and served her a plate of delicacies.

"Lane, you don't have to make up for deserting me this evening." He appeared startled. "Too astute, this one!"

"I cannot tell a lie - well to you anyway." He smiled an affectionate smile and took her hand. "Airen wants to instruct me with lots of new Varda's info." She nodded. "I do still want a tour. Will you escort me tomorrow?"

"Of course."

There was a short silence, during which Lane glanced toward the room behind them. He raised his eyebrows and smiled his (...he hoped...) most seductive smile. Supper went uneaten as they walked, arms around each other, back to their big bed.

Lane met with Airen that evening and several times over the next couple days. The extensive research that Airen had compiled, helped him organize indispensable information about the cartels, especially Varda's. He knew he couldn't go back undercover here or in the South. Too many people knew him on sight now, and it would amount to suicide. He had even discovered some corruption in his own organization that he must expose. Knowing that information itself was dangerous for him. And going "home" (...He could no longer think of Washington as home...) wasn't as appealing as it had been just a few weeks ago.

He knew he must leave soon and get this up-to-date information back to his team. He already realized that the longer he stayed, the harder it was getting to actually go. No matter how bad he'd like to forget Varda and his ilk and stay here with Ayla, he knew he couldn't, that his own beliefs would force him to do the right thing. Going back to work is the right thing. (Damn!)

Days flew by, Lane doing what he could to help Ayla with her duties, Ayla doing what she could not to remember that he would really be leaving soon. They both spent much time thinking about each day's end when they could bundle into their big bed and love each other.

This particular day had been an especially long one for Lane, most of it spent working with Airen on the "Varda" project. He was more brain-tired than body-tired. Crawling into the giant bed he shared with Ayla, he sighed and relaxed into the soft mattress. His head sank into Ayla's pillow, where he inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. Seeing her lying all curled into a ball, he scooted over to place his full length in a "spoon" around her, pressing against her soft rounded bottom.

He slid his arms around her body, brushing his hands across her pretty breasts and feeling the instant response of her nipples hardening. Squirming around in his arms to face him, she gazed longingly into his eyes, and pushed her aching breasts into his chest. She pouted, "My breasts seem sore all of a sudden."

He whispered, "I could do something about that for you." Sliding one arm around her shoulders, the other caressing her hip, he hugged her gently and held her to him. Sliding his hand up her torso from her hip, he brushed a thumb across her sensitive nipple.

She stuck out her lower lip in a more exaggerated pout. "That did not help at all."

They lay facing each other, their eyes adoring the wonderful face lying so closely. Eyes slowly closing, they drifted into sleep, a tangle of arms and legs, the way they preferred to do their loving and the way they usually spent their nights. In the early, early morning, or the late, late night she kissed him awake, breathing his precious name. Gazing sleepily at her beautiful face, he caught the longing in her eyes. Already wrapped in each other, they took their pleasure from each other again before sleeping until sunrise.

Just after sunrise, Ayla dragged a sleepy Lane downstairs for breakfast in the kitchen. He wanted to whine, but had dressed and followed her, feigning cheerfulness. (...Another hour or two of sleep might have partially made up for the long hours of "sleeping" with her...heh, heh...) She had promised him a tour of the house, and she was just as curious as he was. She had never been over the whole place herself, and wanted to ask Airen if he had any info that she did not.

Surprising even herself, she cooked a respectable meal on the antique stove. Lane was enjoying still another cup of coffee when Airen showed up with a sheaf of papers. He stacked them on the overlarge scarred wooden table. Lane, suddenly awake, was instantly intrigued. Carrying his precious cup of caffeine, he stepped over to Airen's side to inspect the documents.

Airen announced, "These are mostly old floor plans and blueprints. Many of them are for the same area of space. As years passed, and rooms were remodeled or rebuilt, the plans kind of overlay each other. I have collated them from newest to oldest. That way we can see what is there now and what might have been in the past. A lot of the older areas are much larger than what is presently in use."

"Thank you, Airen. I hope you have these up here as well as on paper." He tapped Airen's "head."

"Of course, sir. I just thought that you might like the paper copies for yourself."

Lane was inordinately pleased that Airen would consider his preferences. He lowered his eyes and smiled his gratitude. "I do like. Thank you, little buddy. Don't know how I got by without you all my years..." Ayla was so proud of Lane that she put her fingers to her lips to hide her smile. No one other than herself had ever treated Airen as a person, and it was obvious that Airen was so pleased.

Lane finally relinquished his cup and folded the whole sheaf in two, the better to read them as they explored, but he planned on letting Airen take the lead. When they reached a specific area, they could spread out the papers and examine the space as it is and was. "C'mon, Miss Eager-to-get-started, let's go!" With papers under his arm on the left, and Ayla's fingers in his hand on the right, he waited for Airen to take the lead. Ayla was elated to see Lane as excited as any little boy going exploring.

"Lane?"

"Ma'am?" He leaned his head down to her, a soft smile lighting his face.

"I love you..."

"Really?" He grinned.

"Really..." She wrapped her free hand around his bicep and leaned against his arm. He leaned his head further and brushed his lips over hers.

Airen had led them to an older wooden door with a lever door handle. Opening the door, he introduced them to a long-deserted study. One of the "Grand"s had used it for a private sitting room way back when. They found a large crate and spread out their papers to explore previous uses. This set the pattern for what turned into a very informative day. Discovering several spaces that could be re-worked for current use, they were all three pleased with the day's work. Airen gathered up the papers to organize them for Lane's further perusal.

Armed with this new knowledge of the Towers, Lane and Ayla retired to their own room and talked about days past and days to come. Ayla had talked about some family members (At the time, she was referring to three "cousins" that had to join her at the Towers for an "extended visit", soon coming to visit and probably staying on. As huge as this place is, she could easily house thirty or forty kinfolks without crowding each other. She was sort of looking forward to the company, certainly she was going to need the diversion.

Always in the back of their minds, Lane and Ayla couldn't shake the foreboding spectre of Lane's departure. Ayla put on a brave face, but was desolate every time that particular thought came to the fore. ("...How will I go on?") As if reading her mind, Lane hugged her close and just held her, his heart aching as well.