Even if she honestly gave a damn at that moment, Veti couldn't have done a single thing to stem the rising tide of hell and death like some obscene afterbirth after Max was in her arms again. Her whole world had stopped, coalescing impossibly into a single pinpoint of blinding, hot light. He was here, her love, her beating heart, and she laughed with a joy so great it damn near broke her, painful and beautiful and perfect.

And he called her name and he leapt on top of her and knocked her off her feet, the very last thing she'd ever expected, ever [i]imagined[/i] to be unlocked from that vault. Veti couldn't have cared less, because he was warm and laughing and solid and so blessedly alive, her beautiful, infuriating man. No, he would have never returned to his world in any other way, would he.

Veti laughed, and then she wept, and laughed all over again as streams of tears rolled from the corners of her eyes, running down her cheeks and into her dampening hairline where she lay beneath him. Her shaking hands cradled the face she'd very nearly given up ever seeing again in this world. The man for whom she'd almost tossed aside breath and beating heart, just to find and join again - all too soon, of course. All too soon! She should have known, she should have believed and had faith in him, that between Max and the brilliant Thad, he'd survive even death, and find a way back...

"I love you baby," she managed to choke past the lump in her throat, sapphire blue eyes swimming with elated tears, smiling, laughing almost hysterically, peppering his face with kisses that finally ended in one long, warm embrace, lips and tongue and fingers and warm living flesh for long, precious seconds. [i]"I love you,"[/i] she whispered huskily as she pulled away, looking up into those dark eyes, smiling widely when she saw that flash there just [i]behind.[/i] The golden man she loved, with those pale blue eyes just behind Max's deep mahogany brown.

[i]"I see you,"[/i] she whispered, even through the tears. [i]"All of you, every last piece of you. I see you and I love you... Oh God how I've missed you... "[/i] And for once in all her life, perhaps for the very first time, Veti set aside all thought of responsibilities and need and danger, and let herself - just this once - savor the feeling of perfect happiness, fulfilled - simply, a woman in love.

No matter if that feeling couldn't have come at the worst possible moment, of course. Feelings are fickle things, after all.