When his house was built Beowulf had added the spa as a bit of an afterthought. Originally, it was his mother who had suggested it to him; that woman always emphasized cleanliness. Beowulf thought however, that he should go the extra mile and have a full luxurious spa complete with many amenities. A walk-in shower, a hot-tub, a large bath, a massage table, an open sauna, and a salon all had been requested by Beowulf to the architect. He had this house built after a gigantic prize match that he, and six other wrestlers took part in. Through hard work, determination, and guile had he clenched victory in his fist.

It was those same qualities that now had him on a gurney in a makeshift medical bay in the spa-though Nadia knew he didn't mind it one bit. Meeting Ileum, however, was a bit of a challenge. The catgirl herself had met Ileum many times before; Yu-Wan often saw her for dentistry. However, when Beowulf saw her for the first time he thought it was one of Lab 8's misfortunate creations. "Well… He isn't wrong, but she's making the most of it." Nadia had come up to the spa after dressing in more casual clothes. She wore a t-shirt that read "MATRIMELEE" in large curvy letters, a collar with a fishbone on it, embroidered jeans, and black slippers.

She originally didn't want to change, but Ileum had informed her that she didn't need to be operated on. The Life Gem had an endless supply of blood-all of what Eliza had drank had returned the moment she'd slammed her head down-and her external wounds would heal with rapid timing. According to the reports that Ileum had shown her, the Life Gem had bestowed Nadia the powers of rapid regeneration… "No wonder that woman wanted me so bad… With this stupid thing she could've been unstoppable! Well, now she's six feet under-good for me~" Nadia hummed while she climbed the stairs up to the spa, she found the door to it open. Poking her head inside, she saw Ileum tending to Cerebella.

At nearly seven feet tall, her hair was like a magpie's crest, a proper button-down nurse's outfit, a porcelain mask with a red cross on the forehead, scrub gloves, and skin that looked like it had gone through a meat grinder-Ileum looked more like a monster out of an urban legend than she did a registered nurse. Nadia, however, knew that she was indeed a nurse-she'd seen her license-and her supreme knowledge of both the human and beastkin body was unparalleled. She'd almost scared the hapless catgirl out of her skin when she went into extensive detail about beastkin growth development. Speaking of growing, the luminescent viridian glow of a heart monitor gently rose and descended as Ileum methodically worked on the young wrestler.

Brain Drain had referred to Ileum as 'absorbed' in her profession, but to Nadia that was only a half-truth. Ileum was dedicated to her profession, but like everyone else: she had a non-work side to her. The non-work side that Nadia had observed was akin to a relaxed and artsy mother; complete with her own opinions on how New Merridian should educate their youth to express themselves fully. Nadia could listen to the woman talk for hours if she felt like it, but words had all left the woman's lips when she began her work. Antibiotic gel was her paintbrush and her eisel was Cerebella's toned backside. "How is she, Ileum?" Nadia asked.

"Her vitals were abysmal when you brought her in." Ileum grabbed a sewing needle and surgical thread. "However, she's stabilizing as of right now."

"What did Eliza do to her?" Nadia looked at some of the open wounds and felt Cerebella's smooth skin with her right hand. "There's so many of these holes…"

"Eliza most likely used this poor girl as a blood tank; her entire existence must've been hellish if these x-rays are to be believed." Ileum pulled out what must've been the documents from a manilla file folder she kept nearby. She handed them to Nadia. "Take a look for yourself."

When Nadia saw the documents she almost threw up in her mouth. Eliza had rerouted Cerebella's entire… She didn't know what it was called, but it was how your blood flowed throughout your body. It had been rerouted from her heart to at least thirteen different holes on her back. The amount of work Ileum had to do according to her notes was nothing short of astounding. And here she stood like it was a regular occurence to her. Had it not been for her quick fingers, Cerebella would've bled to death. It both angered and saddened Nadia; she had the Life Gem to let her cling to life, but Cerebella? Cerebella had nothing but her body, and Eliza saw fit to use it for nothing but a repository for leftover blood. Ileum was right in saying that her existence would've been hell.

The catgirl imagined for a moment how Cerebella must've felt. Confused, alone, and in pain; trapped forever in a pool of blood. Barely conscious, unable to speak, and unsure of where she was-only knowing that Eliza had her. She couldn't move, she couldn't see, she definitely couldn't hear-if the ruckus Beowulf caused wasn't an indication-the only thing she could do was be somewhat conscious. Nadia counted her blessings that at least she was allowed most of her senses-save for movement-and could at least have hope of one day getting out. Knowing the Medicis, they most likely thought Cerebela was as good as dead; maybe not Vitale, but Lorenzo was a man who liked to cut his losses. Nadia had learnt that when she'd spied on him for one evening. He also apparently had a taste for tomato juice, surprisingly.

A glass of it sat next to Ileum as she worked, she'd sometimes stop working on Cerebella to take a swig. Nadia set down the notes for a moment and looked at Ileum's progress. Cerebella certainly looked less pale than she had at the mansion, color had returned to her skin, her mint hair had been undone from a bow, and most of the holes on her back had been sealed. Nadia's thoughts drifted to Beowulf, and she asked Ileum about him. "How's Beowulf, is he ok?"

"Oh! He's better than ok, he's lucky to have escaped with minor bruises and lacerations." Ileum finished applying another bandage.

"That's awesome!" Nadia wiped some sweat off of her brow and breathed a sigh of relief. "But will he have to…"

"Oh yes, he'll have to go under the knife." Ileum pulled out a notebook from under a folding table she used for her tools. "The stomach wound that Eliza inflicted upon Beowulf will have complications if not treated soon; septic shock in the like."

Nadia rowred. "I-Is it reversible?"

"It is, yes." Ileum clasped her hands together. "I'll get started on Beowulf as soon as I finish up with Cerebella here. Would you mind checking on Filia? There was nothing wrong with her new heart aside from some aortic blockage, but just to be sure, y'know?"

"I'll go check on her then. I'll be right back!" Nadia nodded and headed for the door. "Oh, and, thank you for doing this, Ileum. You have no idea how grateful I am to have you helping us…"

Ileum folded her hands together to signify genuinity. "It is a nurse's duty to go wherever she is needed and to render aid to those who need it. And…" She seemed to look away abashedly, rubbing her mask with one hand and holding the other with her free one. "I'm actually a huge fan of Beowulf's…"

"I'll be sure to tell him that." Nadia giggled. "Alright, I'll be right back, I'm going to go check on her real quick."

Nadia walked out of the spa and into the second floor of Beowulf's chateau. Unlike Eliza's mansion, Beowulf had tried hard to make everything less convoluted and easier to navigate. Near each room there was a nameplate, each hall was named, everywhere had a landmark of some sort, and Beowulf made sure that it didn't look tacky. Nadia appreciated him for doing this, because it made it easier to find the fridge-hence stealing his milk all those times prior. She went left from the spa and down a hallway that split off into two directions. There was a sign in a small alcove in the middle of the wall at the part where the path split. It denoted four seperate places, but the one Nadia was looking for read 'Guest House' in bold typeface. The sign pointed to the right and led down another hall that had a glass door at the end.

Nadia quickly made her way down the hall and opened the door to be greeted with something that looked more like a small apartment than a guest house. There were three rooms equidistant from her, a spiral staircase that lead to the lower floor, a firepit, comfy cloth chairs, and a small bar with a TV hung up on the wall. If she remembered correctly, Filia was staying in the room numbered 6. She found the door all the way to the right. Pressing her ear against the door she could hear low fidelity hip-hop playing smoothly. Nadia knocked twice and called Filia's name. She was instead answered by Samson, who told her to come in.

Nadia entered the sixth guest room and was greeted with a surprisingly wonderful sight. This room looked more like a suite than it did with a room. The low fidelity hip-hop was playing moderately; the smooth sound of a guitar and the careful drumming of a sampler seemed to accentuate the nighttime atmosphere perfectly. It had both the space and furniture to prove it. Four leather chairs around a coffee table, an in-house stereo system, a large TV, a bathroom with a mini-spa, a large fridge with a small kitchen area, and near a large window sat a plush king-sized bed with a dark-haired girl resting peacefully. Filia was sound asleep, her rosy cheeks seemed to glisten in the moonlight, her chest rose steadily, and atop her head was Samson; wide awake. He noticed Nadia come in and waved her further towards the bed with a tendril. "Out like a light, huh?" Asked Nadia, giggling to herself.

"If there's anything I really love about her, it's the way she sleeps." Samson glanced to the side sheepishly.

"Is she doing ok? Ileum wanted me to check on her." Nadia pulled up a leather chair next to the bed. "Wow, she seems like she's really gone…"

"Well, she's spent about a week in that coffin." Samson said plainly. "I wouldn't expect her to have a bunch of energy… Which has still got me thinking about what happened…"

"About what, Samson? You're not one to usually dwell on things." Nadia cocked her head to the side, her ears twitching to the beat.

"The way Filia acted during that whole fight… She could've chosen to run at any point-I would've done that-and instead…" Samson closed his eyes, grumbling to himself. "She stood and fought; she knew full damn well the consequences if you guys didn't pull through."

"But we did make it through, Samson. Both of you were a big help." Nadia patted his head sincerely.

"Kid was the shot-caller that time, catgirl." Samson grumbled and then opened his eyes-looking away from Nadia. "W-What I'm trying to say is, I felt like I wasn't me that fight. If I was in my true form, I would've raised hell, kicked some major ass, and freed everyone…"

"Samson…" Nadia said caringly, brushing him.

"C'mon, how lame can I get? The first thing my mind defaulted to when we were in that situation was to run." Samson looked down dismissively. "All I have to do is look big and then I'm brave? What the hell does size matter anyway? Kid's about five times smaller than I am and she acted braver than I'll ever be…"

Nadia let out a small guffaw as Samson sighed quietly. "Just because you weren't brave at one point, doesn't mean you can't ever be brave." She smiled. "When I was growing up, there was nothing-a beastkin with no mom or dad; walking the streets of New Meridian looking for a bite to eat." Nadia made a mock fist and punched the air. "I taught myself how to fight by watching street brawlers. And, I got good at picking locks after spending an afternoon with a locksmith after he gave me some food. Using my talents I found the Fishbone Gang, and the rest is history from there." She looked down to the bedsheets solemnly; she remembered her final night with what was basically her family. "I only got the Life Gem by chance, and it was the same chance that had taken the people I cared about…" Nadia smiled, remembering that though they were gone; they were still rooting for her. To add to that, she had formed new bonds with others, gone on crazy hijinks, and had found a true love that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. "But by the same token, I would've been strong whether I had the gem or not. I built myself from the ground up-Beowulf did too, and look at where he is!" She stared directly at Samson, who had at this point opened his eyes. "Samson… Strength comes from within. It doesn't matter if you have muscles, are ten feet tall, or if you have mastery over anything… It's about the heart; the strength that you have in yourself."

"Fortune…" Samson looked at her, eyes bulging.

"I mean it." The catgirl nodded. "That's why Filia stood and fought; she believed in the strength that she had."

"Strength from inside, huh?" Samson closed his eyes. "It sounds like something a therapist would say but… It's kinda true, isn't it?"

"Course it is, you witnessed it tonight." Fortune extended a hand to Samson. "You did it yourself when Filia let you go ham like that!"

Samson chuckled. "That was the most liberating thing I've felt in a long ass time."

"I'll say, you would've tore right through to Sekhmet if you were given the chance." Nadia patted his head. "You have strength, Samson, you just need to find it in yourself." Nadia got up and headed for the door. "I have to go back to talk to Beowulf and tell Ileum everythings alright. You have a good night, Samson."

"Fortune, wait." Samson perked up.

"Yes, Samson?" Nadia stared back, ears perked up.

"Thank you. Thank you and Beowulf for everything." Samson nodded at her as a sign of respect.

Nadia smiled, waved gently, and shut the door behind her. She started back up towards the spa. Out the glass door, through the hallway, past the T intersection, and into the same embroidered wooden door she'd gone out of half an hour prior. When she came into the spa, she found Ileum putting the finishing touches on Cerebella's torso. The wrestler was rightside up now; the lower part of her abdomen was being sutured shut. Ileum noticed Nadia entered and finished her careful threading. "How is she?" Ileum asked. "Her vitals looked fine to me when I saw them, but what did you see?"

Nadia smiled. "She's sound asleep. Her breathing is normal too, however, Samson did have some regrets about the battle earlier."

Ileum nodded and applied some antibiotic gel to the suture. "What exactly did he regret?"

Nadia summarized the conversation that she and Samson had-making sure to emphasize belief in one's own capabilities regardless of size.

Ileum sighed. "I too have had those feelings sometimes. However, it's always important for a nurse to remember that she is forever needed; regardless of time or place."

"Ain't that the truth?" Nadia scoffed. "Oh that's right, where's Wulf?"

Ileum chuckled and pointed to a nearby room. "He's in the salon, please go get him ready while I make the necessary preparations."

Nadia nodded and proceeded into the salon. She was greeted by the gentle plucking of a guitar and the soft hum of medical machinery. Before going further in she adjusted her hair in the mirror and made sure everything was in order. She found her lover on another gurney, he was humming to the song while twiddling his fingers. He had an IV needle sticking out of his right forearm, bandages in several places, and only had his pants on. Beowulf smiled weakly when he saw Nadia, and sat up to greet her. The catgirl knew he shouldn't be doing this while he still has a gaping hole through his stomach and playfully pushed him back down. She still saw the blood in his bandages; her enhanced ears heard Beowulf grunt a little while laying back. Cooing, she kissed him on the cheek while he gathered his thoughts. Finally, he seemed to come to a realization. "Hey, Nadia." Beowulf said, hands off the rubix cube. "Do you think I should invest in an in-house medical bay? The spa's great and all; but, I think we should have a place dedicated to it."

"Spas are places to relax and restore. But, you do have a point." Nadia giggled, "It'd be good for when we have kids~"

Beowulf blushed and sheepishly looked off to the side. "Y-You know if I wasn't beaten this badly, I would spend some 'quality time' with you."

Nadia guffawed and stroked Beowulf's hair; it was still as soft as a pillow. "We'll have a bunch of time for that later, I promise~ For now, I want my big strong wolf to get the care he needs." She cradled his chin and looked at him with soft glow in her eyes. "I still can't get over how you went through hell and back to save me… If it weren't for you, Eliza probably would've ripped this gem out and fed me to those crocodiles she had." She nuzzled him affectionately.

"Don't make me think about that…" Beowulf grunted. His muscles seemed to instinctively contract in defense. "If my woman-my heart and soul's equal-was snatched from me; there'd be hell to pay. And, there was this evening." He rose off of the gurney and put his hand over his chest. "I'd stop at nothing, no mountain high enough, no chasm's too deep, and no countess is too sadistic to swade me. I love you, Nadia Fortune, and no one or no thing will stand in my way for your love."

Nadia felt her heart rise out of her chest and slam back down like a carnival strongman bellchime. She felt herself blushing, and temporarily lost composure. "Beowulf… No one's ever said anything like that to me…" She cradled his chin again and got incredibly close. "My heart's going into overdrive…" She became assertive, and yanked him closer. "I love you, damnit! Kiss me!"

Both of them locked lips again. Nadia felt reality around her melt, seconds had become minutes, minutes became hours-time lost in passion. Her heartbeat in the broken time was that of a sledgehammer; ferociously beating slow and heavy. Her tongue mixed with his, and in the haze she had a moment of clarity. Everything that had happened in her life; the abandonment, the come-up, the gang, the trap, Lab 8, the restaurant, and the dangerous life of a thief. Though she had friends, Nadia secretly thought that she was slowly on an inevitable course of self-destruction… Though she'd secured a nice place to live, had extravagant income, and had honed her abilities to virtuosic tiers; she still lacked something deep in her heart-something that gnawed away at her each day she lived.

Everyday in her life was an uphill battle. All these pent-up feelings of frustration, loneliness, self-doubt, and anxiety; she had to put on a mask. A mask that she wore each day of bravado, but underneath there lurked a sadness unlike any other… Survivor's guilt and the feeling of loneliness; she felt that it might take her soul and yank it down to the blackest pit. Nadia was certain that she'd never be able to confront these feelings; haunting her until the day she eventually passed on. But something grabbed her out of the undertow; it had reached out with acceptance, understanding, and unconditional support: his arm.

The man she'd come to know as Beowulf, stealing his milk, cuddling with him, sparring with him, going so far as to court him in front of Minette, and having him claw his way through Eliza just to save her… This was the first time in her life that she felt like she mattered to someone; that someone cared deeply not as a friend, but as a true companion. Beowulf was someone who lent her a shoulder to cry on, would listen to her no matter how long she talked, and would always go the extra mile to make sure that she was shown love. This was a man who had taken on two experienced bodyguards, a literal blood demon, and a gigantic god monster; all of it was done to save her. And for that, the heat within her body welled up.

She leaned into the kiss further and wrapped her arms around him; this prompted Beowulf to lean in further for the kiss. This was what she had been missing, pure, unconditional, passionate, and unbreakable love. She wished it could've gone on longer, but she quickly noticed that Beowulf's stomach began to bleed again. Realizing her mistake and hearing Beowulf grunt again, she stabilized him and patted the bandages down sheepishly. "Sorry, I lost control of myself there… Are you alright?" Nadia asked.

Beowulf grunted, and then laughed a little. "No, it's ok. I completely understand, I would do that too if you were in front of me. And don't worry about me, your love's healing me."

Nadia giggled and playfully punched Beowulf's left arm. "Ever the flatterer, aren't ya?"

"Only for you, babygirl." Beowulf smirked. "Is Ileum ready for me?" He asked.

"She sure is, I think she has to prep her equipment and put Cerebella to bed." Nadia scratched behind her head.

"Nadia…" Beowulf's face scrunched up in discomfort, she knew something was bothering him.

"What is it Wulf?" She stroked his hair. "You can tell me anything you need to."

"Can you be near me when she starts working on me?" He said, laying back down. "I've always had a fear of operations and needles…"

"Oh, Wulf… Of course I will." Nadia smiled. "Ileum is a professional, there's nothing to be fearful of with her, I promise."

"That other nurse… What was her name? She did NOT help with my fear of hospitals…" Beowulf grunted.

"Oh dear…" Nadia pinched her forehead. "Leave it to Valentine to make everyone scared of the doctor's office. D-Don't worry, we'll take it slow and I'll be right by you, ok?"

Beowulf nodded to her, and Nadia wheeled the gurney out of the Salon. Ileum was fiddling with her tools when the gurney had reached her. Approvingly, she clasped her hands together and bowed to Beowulf. She began to arrange the tools in a specific order and removed a small box from under the folding table. Ileum set it on top of the table and opened it up. From what Nadia could see, it had multiple shelves and a small mirror. Rows upon rows of bottles, cotton swabs, tongue depressors, plastic cups, beakers, and spare bandages to name a few things that lined the shelves. Ileum limbered up, and told Nadia to get Beowulf ready while she made the last few necessary adjustments. Nadia made sure that she was right beside Beowulf, and told him to hold onto her hand if he felt bad. She longed for moments like these, it was the rare sight of her lover being adorable that she loved the most. "Now, Beowulf I assure you that this process has a 98.67% success rate. But I want you to know that the process can sting a little bit." Ileum advised, adjusting her gloves.

"Sting… As in how much?" Beowulf furrowed a brow.

"Ileum, will you be using anesthesia?" Nadia asked, trying to look at more of what the nurse kept in her box.

"No, no." Ileum said professionally. "Anesthesia not only drags this process out unbearably longer than it needs to be; but it also can cause complications. Basic analgesia does not mesh well with my toxins-and should be administered after I drain the wound."

"Excuse me, did you just say toxins?" Beowulf yelped.

"Not toxins in the traditional sense, Beowulf my boy." Ileum shook her head. "Toxins in the acidic sense; they do not poison, they melt or control other aspects."

"W-What are you gonna do?" Beowulf stammered.

"I am going to cause your flesh to trigger an adverse reaction." Ileum stated. "The tissue and the organs will begin to expand rapidly-catabolic reactions will be sped up."

"Can we have that in english please, Ileum?" Nadia asked.

"Basically, I'm going to cause your body to repair itself at a faster rate it normally would." Ileum made a gesture to emphasize pulling something apart. "Your flesh will bubble, and you'll feel a burning sensation; but bear with me and I promise you you'll feel as good as new."

"Alright." Beowulf nodded. "I trust you, Ileum, start when you're ready."

Ileum nodded and removed her gloves to reveal her hands. She motioned for Nadia to remove Beowulf's bandages around his stomach. Nadia used her claws to undo the carefully wrapped bandages around Beowulf's stomach-she thanked herself for learning how to remove her gag reflex-it smelled like rotten meat. It looked like someone had made a plate of lasagna, but the tomato sauce had dried... "Nadia come on. Don't think of Lasagna, it's going to ruin it for you… Just.. Just think about Beowulf and everything'll be fine…" She rubbed Beowulf's hair while Ileum descended into position with her hands.

The moment they touched Beowulf's skin Nadia saw him wince. She cooed to him gently and held his palm while Ileum made the flesh around the wound bubble with her toxin. Nadia saw shades of Illeum's artistry once again as she masterfully weaved her fingers amidst the red soup. Her movements were never erratic and always stuck to patterns. She delved farther into the wound; Beowulf squeezed Nadia's palm while grunting. Nadia patted his head gently and reassured him that she was there. She'd never been put in charge of someone else before, but she was feeling like she was doing a damn good job of it. "Jeez… Ileum is making this look like a joke with how precise she's being…" The nurse's fingers were like a muse to a harp; they constantly changed position, but always made sure to never miss a detail. Nadia saw her weave a part of Beowulf's lower innards back together by simply touching it in specific areas.

To think, this woman had been artificially engineered with a parasite to be an assassin. Nadia had heard Brain Drain himself go on for forty-five consecutive minutes about Ileum's potential to leave nothing behind-the 'uncatchable nightstalker' as he referred to her-and here she was acting in the complete opposite way he had intended. Ileum temporarily removed her hands and let the flesh simmer while she took a tool from the table. "The hell is that? Some sort of hose?" Ileum told Beowulf to hold still and brace himself. Nadia held onto him tightly and Beowulf took a deep breath in preparation. Ileum rubbed her hands together quickly. Nadia could see what appeared to be magenta-colored liquid emanating from Ileum's pores…

She went down on Beowulf again, this time using both hands to penetrate the abdomen. Beowulf yelped in pain and squeezed Nadia's palm harder while gritting his teeth. There was a noise that sounded like water running down a pipe… Nadia noticed that the hose Ileum was using was vibrating at a medium rate. She removed her right hand from the flesh to grab a pair of surgical scissors. With ludicrous speed, Ileum delved back into the flesh and began to snip everywhere with her right hand. Her left hand secreted more of the magenta liquid as she snipped. Beowulf told Nadia that he felt like something was tingling in his stomach… Ileum removed the surgical scissors and the hose.

Like grabbing another color from her palette, Ileum's pores secreted a green liquid this time. Nadia saw her movements become quicker still; the bubbling flesh of the wound sounded akin to Yu-Wan's spicy hotpot. Nadia averted her gaze from Beowulf to look at the wound. Ileum's movements caused blood and flesh to go in every direction; swirls, lines, spirals, gradients, all separate patterns within a raging sea of her creation. She removed her hands once again from Beowulf and then told them both that this would be the cauterization process. She made it a point that it would burn intensely, and told Beowulf directly to brace himself once again in a professional manner. Beowulf nodded while Nadia watched Ileum closely.

Ileum rubbed her hands together again; the spark still yet to be seen. She descended on the flesh once again and meticulously tapped her fingers across the lower parts of the abdomen. Wherever her fingers touched caused the bubbling there to slowly subside. Beowulf held in a scream of pain, but Nadia once again worked her magic to calm him. With a bit of artistic flourish Ileum pressed one more time against the abdomen. All at once, the bubbling subsided. The red that had once been was now replaced by the same-old peach colored skin. Ileum removed her hands and breathed a sigh of relief. "Well done, Beowulf, Nadia." She said happily. "The wound here should take about a week tops to heal naturally."

"Really? That's amazing!" Nadia exclaimed.

"Yes, really." Ileum nodded. "However, I'm prescribing Beowulf antibiotics, show this to the Delano Pharmacy, they should take care of the rest." She presented Nadia with a signed piece of paper.

"This is great!" Nadia smiled. "Are you ok, Wulf?" She put her arm over his shoulder.

"Aside from this queasy feeling inside my gut, I'm fine." Said Beowulf, face still scrunched up.

"That's normal. The feeling should subside within at least three hours." Ileum proclaimed with three fingers raised. "If it doesn't, call me immediately and I'll redress it."

"Thank you, Ileum for doing this." Nadia said, shaking Ileum's hand. "Is there anyway we can repay you?"

"It is my job as a nurse to go where I am needed, and I owed Ben a favor." Ileum looked to the side. "But… I did have something else to request."

"Name it!" Beowulf sat up and adjusted himself. "You've already done so much for us, whatever you want can't be that far out there."

Ileum seemed to become jubilant. "I've been looking for more permanent work, and I hear the NMO is in need of a nurse since the head of staff recently quit. If possible, could I perhaps get the position?"

Beowulf laughed. "Of course you can, are you kidding me? We've been looking for a nurse for ages!" He whispered to Ileum. "Plus, some of the trainees there are looking for some pointers on becoming more medically savvy."

"T-Thank you! I won't let any of you down-this is such a big opportunity!" Ileum held her fists up in excitement. "I did have one other request…"

"And that is?" Beowulf leaned in.

"Could I get an autograph for my record book? I'm actually a big fan." Ileum sheepishly presented a professional looking notebook and a pen to Beowulf.

"I always have time for fans, hell yes!" Beowulf quickly scrawled his signature.

Ileum expressed her gratitude profusely and slowly packed up everything she had brought along with her. Neatly, she placed everything within a large white bag. To Nadia's surprise, the large card table and tools seemed to fit within it as well. The trio made their way downstairs to the foyer where Ileum put on a jacket and hat. Nadia and Beowulf waved goodbye to her as she started for the door. "Oh! Ileum! That reminds me." Nadia stopped her for a moment.

"Yes?" Ileum turned around.

"We're also looking for a family doctor." Nadia grinned. "That is of course, if you'd be up for that too?"

"Why, yes!' Ileum put her bag down and clasped her hands together. "It's been so long since I made house calls. Consider it free of charge as well."

"Once again, thank you for everything you've done this evening-you were wonderful." Beowulf said.

"It was my pleasure." Ileum bowed. "I gave Nadia my cell, so please call me if you have any further questions." She turned to leave.

"Oh, tell Big Band we said 'thanks' too!" Nadia said, waving her on.

"I will. Have a good evening you two!" Ileum waved.

With that, Ileum went out the door and into the nightly air of New Meridian. Nadia closed the door and smiled with satisfaction. She heard Beowulf breathe a sigh of relief. She felt his arms around her, and he hugged her tightly. It was forceful, but the way he leaned into and used a bit of his strength made Nadia feel safe. She herself leaned back into it and began to purr-she loved moments like this. Playfully, she teased him. "You'll break my bones if you keep hugging me like that, y'know~?"

"You held me through all of that." Beowulf said. "I haven't gotten to hold you like this all night… It's the first time since we've come home, and I wanted to make up for lost time."

"Lost time, huh?" Nadia purred.

"Exactly." Beowulf held her closer. "I'm so glad you're here with me, that you're safe, that you're smiling, and that goddamn purr; it makes my heart throb…" He nuzzled against her, Nadia felt his hot breath upon her hair. "You mean the world to me. The kitten to my bulldog, the suplex to my german, the apple of-"

Nadia snickered. "You're such a dork... But I love that about you~" She pursed her lips.

Both leaned in for another kiss. They stood there, embracing one another for what felt like an hour. Nadia couldn't get enough of this feeling; it was like being on catnip permanently-the high was exhilarating. This kiss felt special; maybe it was the way Beowulf was holding onto her? Nadia felt everything come to her at once; the warm, fuzzy, and safe feeling rose within her. She felt hot enough that if she were to lay an egg on her stomach it'd fry! If Beowulf let her, she'd kiss him like this for the whole evening. But it seemed that Beowulf had other plans, she felt herself being hoisted off of the ground… Beowulf had put her into a bridal carry-it was the type of thing that she'd only read about in some of Minette's stories-the reality of the situation hit her like a truck. She felt her entire face flush up in red, and she impishly giggled. "What are you going to do with me now, Beowulf?" She teased.

"I think I'd like to cuddle together, and maybe pamper my catnipped kitty." Beowulf said with a cheeky smile. "And I think she deserves the bridal treatment."

"Oh, the great Beowulf, treating a woman like this~" Nadia teased.

"Only you, Nadia." He kissed her forehead. "I love you."

"I love you too, Beowulf…" Nadia purred.

Beowulf carried her up the stairs and through the halls. They made it to their bedroom within five minutes and both laid down on the bed together. As she lay there, Nadia rubbed up against Beowulf-showing of more of her feline side-and continued to purr until both of them fell asleep. Beowulf's arms still wrapped around Nadia, Nadia still wrapped around Beowulf. The moonlight outside illuminated them both as the lovebirds drifted off into the world of dreams…

---

Cerebella awoke with a yawn… She stretched out her arms and limbered up. "I haven't slept like that in ages! This is an awesome bed and…" She rubbed her eyes, and looked around. "Where am I?" Cerebella looked at herself, she was wearing a tanktop, jeans, and she was pretty sure she had bandages across her back. Still disoriented, she heard a small squeak come from the end of the bed. A tiny hat with a skull, and an orange pattern rocked side-to-side eagerly. "Ah!" She said aloud, "Vice-Versa! You're ok!" Cerebella grabbed the hat and hugged it tightly. She put it on her head and got out of the king-sized bed she was sleeping in.

The bedroom she was in looked more like an apartment than a bedroom, it had many furnishings, luxuries, and a small kitchen. Cerebella was still unsure of where she was, so she walked out of a nearby door. What she found was part of a mansion-a living area with chairs and a small bar-and became concerned. The last thing that she remembered was Eliza beating her to a bloody pulp and taking her away… Was she still in her mansion? Quietly, she tiptoed to a glass door and made her way into another hall. On the walls she saw various photos of old sights around New Meridian, historic events, and depictions of famous wrestlers… Where was she? Moving along still, she found a t-shaped intersection. There were many signs in an alcove at the center where it broke off into two other pathways.

She found a sign that said 'MASTER BEDROOM' in a big font and decided to head that way. She saw more photos and wrestling memorabilia lining the walls… "Whoever lives here must be a huge Beowulf fan! I can't blame them, he's the best wrestler ever!" At the end of the hallway she found a large oak door. She couldn't make out any discernible features other than a large golden plaque at the top that read; "BEOWULF'S ROOM". She rubbed her eyes again, was she dreaming? Was she really in Beowulf's house? Had Eliza beaten her so hard that she died and went to heaven? She had to stop herself from squealing. In a fit of haste, she opened the door and opened her mouth only to be greeted with another jaw-dropping sight.

There was Beowulf, cuddling up next to Nadia Fortune in a large bed. Cerebella had to rub her eyes again and tap Vice-Versa to make sure what she was seeing was real… Like one of her favorite wrestler's used to say, "Oh it's real!" She didn't know Beowulf was in a relationship-much less a relationship with her target-and was still trying to grasp the situation. She could take Nadia back to the Medicis, have them get the Life Gem, and return to Vitale in one piece! This was her chance to make every dream she had come true..! But something in her heart tugged on her when she came to another realization…

Beowulf and Nadia had gone out of their way to rescue her from Eliza. Fortune knew that Cerebella was her enemy and still went against that woman. Beowulf, especially showed shades of this; his bandages were proof of it. She sighed heavily… They looked so… peaceful together. Beowulf had fallen asleep with a smile on his face, and Fortune was still purring in her sleep… Cerebella grunted in frustration, and a little bit of jealousy. "What should I do, Vice?" She whispered to her weapon, asking for advice.

Vice grew a giant fist out of the right part of its body and pointed towards the door. It grew another left fist to wave off Beowulf and Fortune. Cerebella grunted… She knew her weapon was right-these two definitely were in love with one another. She herself loved Vitale like a father, it wasn't right to tear them apart; especially after they had both just gone into Eliza's headquarters to save her… Smiling weakly, Cerebella said goodnight to both of them quietly and walked out the bedroom door. But not before at least rubbing one of Beowulf's biceps. She went downstairs to the kitchen, she grabbed a pen and a piece of paper. Thinking of what had happened tonight she wrote a letter.:

"Dear, Beowulf and Fortune… First of all, how long have you two been seeing each other? Secondly… I wanted to extend my personal gratitude toward the both of you for rescuing me. If you hadn't saved me I don't know what would've happened, I probably would've been in that place forever… I gotta hand it to Fortune, she's actually pretty good at this medical stuff-I feel like new! Though, my back still hurts quite a bit… I'll ask Ms. Dahlia to take care of it when I get back. This part of the letter is addressed to Fortune specifically; thank you. You knew I was after the Life Gem and yet you brought me back here-knowing full well your enemy was sleeping a couple rooms away from you-that takes guts!

I also wanted to say that I'm very happy for you. Not many women can say they've captured the heart of the great Beowulf… You'd better treat him well, you hear me!? Oh… And, forget about the Life Gem. In my report I'm going to say Eliza destroyed it… After seeing you and Wulf in bed together, and knowing that you two saved me I realized something. A measly gem shouldn't separate two people from loving each other… Nor should it be used to make somebody else respect you. Love's worth more than some stupid gem anyway… Well! I've said my piece, Fortune. From now on, we'll live and let live-two girls do their own work.

To Beowulf; I wish I would've seen the fight you had with Eliza! She probably did a number to you based on the amount of bandages you had… Please, write about it one day! I know Eliza would probably quash the publishing-but I want to hear all about someday! Oh… And good luck with Fortune… Watch your back! That girl's feisty as it gets!

I can't express my thanks enough-have a wonderful time together!

Sincerely, Cerebella"

With note finished, Cerebella put on one of the many jackets she found within the foyer closet. She took one last look at the inside of the mansion before heading out the door. She smiled as the cold air of the New Meridian night hit her. It was a long road back to Medici Towers, but she didn't mind. The nightlife was beautiful, and she needed to limber up after being held by Eliza for so long. With pep in her step, she jogged down the sidewalk; Vice-Versa flailed it's arms backward in the breeze.

The nightlife of New Meridian bustles, spring leaves blow in the nightly air, and the moon shines on. The wolf sleeps softly with his kitten while the lights of New Meridian fade in and out like a burnt-out neon sign..