After the ball... [Tag: John and Odette]

Marina narrowed her eyes again watching John leaving the room... She closed them for a moment and said softly to the couple, ''I shall leave you alone'', she said with a small smile and closed the door behind her.

She looked for John and met him at the living room, ''What was that?'' She said quietly...

Odette watched them leave and then sighed quietly before she smiled at Phoebus, "Well I just got stabbed in the arm...and then Joseph decided to stab me in the stomach. I should be fine though....it'll just take awhile to heal." She said quietly and then brushed the hair away from his face as she stared at him in worry. "I thought I wouldn't see you again." She said quietly.

"..I'm sorry, Odette. I should've been there for you.. I should had saved you from him" Phoebus said quietly and laid his face towards their hands to hide it a little. He didn't want her to see how red his eyes started to be... He had promised that he would be beside her, but when it really matter - he was never there.
"I thought I had lost you.. And when I didn't see you among the bodies, I thought the Korso's had taken you.."

John looked to Marina and started to say something. But, he couldn't find words. He sighed and sat onto the couch, his elbows on his knees and his hands holding his head.

"Odette...she needed him, and he wasn't there. I had to make sure she knew someone gave a damn enough to stay beside her and make sure she knew she was safe..." He said quietly, shaking his head. "Odette should be treated better than how he treats her. I don't give a damn what he says about love. I don't believe it," He muttered, rolling his eyes.

He then paused and looked to Marina. "...I'm sorry," He sighed, knowing why she had been so upset. "I'm protective..." He mumbled, frowning.

Odette frowned when she heard Phoebus's broken tone and his words, "Phoebus...I'm here now, with you and right now as long as we're together I'm happy. I love you so much Phoebus and I was afraid that I would lose you tonight. When I didn't see you...I thought, I thought you had been killed and that scared me." She said quietly as silent tears fell.

''John...'' Marina sighed, not liking seeing him that way. She sat by his side, and brushed his hair with her fingers as he talked.

''She's engaged with the Captain of the guards, John... With his position, I'm sure he was occupied with something big, perhaps that could make us safer, including her... Who knows if it wasn't for him that tragedy could be worse...'' She said quietly, and then turned away from his gaze.

''You should know by now that your chivalry to women can hurt me sometimes... why in God's heaven you had to take her to your room instead of mine, or Belle's...'' She said quietly, fighting back the tears.

"I love you too.."Phoebus smiled up sadly at her and felt how a tear ran down his cheek - but he quickly wiped it away. He leaned up towards her carefully so that he wouldn't hurt her and gave her a soft kiss. He could've said how close it was that Michael killed him, but that would only made her even more worried..
"Are you going to be alright?.. What did the doctor say?"

John looked to her, his green eyes tired and apologetic. "I'm sorry, Marina...It's in my blood," He admitted. "My...my father taught me when I was young that a gentleman's word is binding. To be a gentleman means to protect those who need your help, show chivalry no matter what, and always stay true to your word. It's what I've lived by since he and my mother died. I don't lie. And when I give my word to protect someone, I will never, ever go back on that word. It's a part of my honor, Marina," He said simply.

"I took her to my bedroom because I knew that was a place I know better in the house than anywhere else. I can make sure she doesn't hurt herself in there, and keep an eye on her more easily," He tried to explain. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

She kissed him back just as gently before she looked down, "I don't know...I was asleep when he was working on me. I only just woke up a few moments ago." She admitted quietly

"I guess I have to wait for John then so that he can tell me.." Phoebus said, and this time it didn't sound like he wanted to throw up when he said his name.
"So tell me.. Was it Jim?!" He asked carefully and held her hand a little harder to comfort her- he knew how close they were.

''I know John...'' She said quietly, looking up to the ceiling, ''I do admire your honor, John... That's the main thing that makes me fall for you'', she looked to him through her eyelashes. She didn't know what else to say to him. John was the only that made her feel so fragile and leave her spcheeless so often. She sobbed a little, and cleaned some tears, the evening stress was hitting her.


''You promissed to protect her after she saved me first, didn't you?'' She asked quietly, ''You would never cheat on me, wouldn't you?'', she whispered, holding her sides tight at the mere thought of John cheating on her with someone else.

Odette looked down when he asked that question, "Yeah it was....he said he was doing it to protect us. Then Joseph showed up and he made things worse. I thought if I could stop him...maybe Jim would stop, so I used Flynn's knife. I stabbed him but then he just pulled it out and stabbed me." She said with a sigh.

"Yeah.. It seems like those guys can handle everything.." Phoebus said with a sigh and glanced down.
"But you tried at least.. You're so brave" He smiled softly at her and stroked her cheek.
"So.. Now I guess I have to invite John and Marina to our wedding since they saved you, eh?!" He joked

OOC: Marina has alerady been invited, babe...

John looked over at Marina with concerened eyes the second he heard the distress in her voice. He shook his head and pulled her into his arms, ignoring the pain in his shoulder. "Marina...I love you," He whispered, leaning back and cupping her cheeks. "I will always love you," He said gently, wiping away her tears. "Odette is beautiful, funny, smart, and yes, we do have much in common. But, you know what she doesn't have? Your heart, spirit, and soul. That's what I love, Marina," He whispered, kissing her forehead.

She looked down and blushed a little bit, "I may have already invited Marina earlier." She admitted with a small laugh. "Marina is nice and even though I know you and John don't get along....he's nice too." She said quietly.

"What?.. Owh, Odette" Phoebus laughed and smiled widely.
"I thought we would do the guestlist together..!?" He said with an eyebrow raised playfully. But it didn't matter what she did as long she wanted the wdding to be on. She could invite anyone she likes if it means that she would in the end be his wife...
"Even in the darkest of time you make me smile, Odette.. I love you so much-- and i'm sorry that I wasn't there for you today.."

Marina looked intently into his eyes, she felt so broken and fragile... She had never saw so much violence in only one night, not since she found her father at that morning... She refused to think about that, she only looked deeply into his eyes, smilling maidenly. ''I love you too, John.. I believe I'll never love someone like I love you'' She said quietly, and cuddled into his embrace. She sat comfortably at his lap, tossing away her heels as she leaned her head on his good shoulder, ''Perhaps you're the only one that can fix me...'' She whispered quietly, crying silently.

{aww, guys.. i have to go now =/ see you all tomorrow ]

Odette looked down as more tears came to her eyes, "Its all right Phoebus...I was just scared for you." She said quietly as she cupped his face with her good hand. "I wasn't sure what I would do if something had happened to you." She said quietly.

John held her in his arms, placing a kiss atop her head. "I only hope that you can stand to love me for as long as I would like," He sighed, knowing how easily things got off balance for the two of them when it came to whether she loved him or hated him. He rubbed her arm and then tilted her chin to place a soft kiss on her lips.

''And how long are you going to love me?'' She whispered with a small smile after kissing him back. Loving this good man was easy, warming, she felt like home being so closer to him like this.

John smiled a bit and kissed her ear. "Until the day I take my last breath, Marina," He whispered, smiling a bit.

''I won't forget it...'' She whispered fondly, and cupped his cheek bringing him down for another kiss. She then thought of what happened at the ball, she tried to remember waht happened around them. The boy all covered in blood, and the man who first tried to hurt John... ''John, Korso was there, at the ball...'' She shuddered slightly.

"Well, I'm here now.. And you should see Korso - I'm sure he's gonna get some scars now" Phoebus nodded with a proud smile. Sure, Michael had walked away like nothing had happen- but still.
"I had no idea what was going on in the ballroom. I got news that a someone was down in the tresureroom, and I thought it just was another bandit.. I guess he distracted me from helping you guys.."