They were finally within sight of a village but still not having reached Caiyi town, they had decided to try and spend the night here before continuing on their journey. They had taken their time returning to Lotus Inn in Caiyi town, enjoying their new sense of togetherness. Wei Ying was busy chattering away and Lan Zhan just listening to the sound of the voice he loves so much. Upon approaching the inn they had noticed, their joy in each other was suddenly shattered.

They heard yelling and crying which stirred them forward quickly to investigate. What they saw angered Lan Zhan and made Wei Ying become frozen with fear. For ahead of them a small child lying in the street being beaten by a large man and several dogs snarling as if waiting their turn at the child.

The child is small, very thin and covered in bruises and cuts. He is trying to protect himself by folding his little body into a fetal position. The large man is kicking the child wherever he can do the most damage. The dogs sensing the end is near are getting closer and braver in trying to reach the boy. Before Lan Zhan could move towards the child he hears a strangled cry that comes from the very depth of Wei Ying's soul. His eyes are glazed over and he begins shaking and trembling in fear. Lan Zhan quickly realizes that his beloved is in the throes of a panic attack, having been witness to many of them in the past.

He wants to help the child but his Wei Ying comes first. Then Lan Zhan is beyond shock when Bichen, on its own accord, places himself between the boy and the angry man. Bichen had its point at the man's throat. Using this diversion Lan Zhan picks up his beloved who is weeping uncontrollably and clinging to Lan Zhan for dear life.

Lan Zhan growls at the man "Let the child go, Now!! as neither myself or my sword has any patience for the likes of you." The man steps back fearfully but he is angry he will lose face. Lan Zhan looks at the small boy "Can you walk?" The boy looks to the angry man and then to Lan Zhan. He nods his head, Lan Zhan then says "Follow me quickly." He really needs to leave now as Wei Ying is still a mess.

As they turn to leave, the man becomes bold and begins to yell at Lan Zhan "Who will compensate me for my loss?" Bichen moves in closer and draws blood on the man's neck. The man finally runs away and Bichen returns to Lan Zhan's side.

Upon reaching the Inn, Lan Zhan tells the innkeeper to care for the boy while he takes his husband upstairs. "See to the child's needs, I will handle the details tomorrow. The innkeeper nods to Lan Zhan and takes the child while Lan Zhan rushes upstairs. Once in the room, he sits on the floor gently rocking his trembling and crying husband.

He whispers over and over "Wei Ying beloved, you are safe, no harm will come to you. I promise, I will always protect you." He wants to wipe away Wei Ying's tears but Wei Ying won't allow it. So he continues rocking Wei Ying and stroking his hair and back until only sniffling and the occasional hiccup is left. Sofly Lan Zhan murmurs against Wei Ying's temple "Are you alright now my love?" Wei Ying's teary eyes look up at Lan Zhan as he whispers "Don't leave me, promise me." while clutching his husband's robes.

Lan Zhan kisses his Wei Ying, "Will you be alright if I arrange a bath and food for you. I will even have the food brought here to our room." Wei Ying nods slowly then grabs Lan Zhan's hand "Hurry please, I don't want to be alone." Lan Zhan hugs him tightly. "Promise my love, I will hurry." Wei Ying brings Lan Zhan's hand to his cheek and bravely tries to smile at him. While Lan Zhan makes arrangements, he also checks on the boy who is sleeping comfortably. He looked cute all cleaned up and again asked the innkeeper to keep an eye on the child. He rushes back to his beloved to keep his promise.

Wei Ying pouts "You took far too long my husband, am I not important enough to you?" Lan Zhan immediately places his beloved in his favorite spot, his lap and begins to gently rock his body with his baby in his arms. "I'm sorry Lan Zhan, that nasty insecurity took over my thoughts again. I thought I had gotten past this."

"Forgive me my baby, of course you are the most important thing in my life. I will ...

Wei Ying then lifts his face towards Lan Zhan and Lan Zhan understands his baby is in need of kisses, lots of them. Wei Ying sighs in contentment, then tears again gently roll down his cheeks. He feels ,,, He really doesn't know what he feels. Frightened, lonely, sad and a multitude of other feelings all in a jumble in his brain. The only constant right now is this man, his husband, whose arms comfort and shield him and his love which protects him. Without this man he would be lost and devastated. He feels he is always too slow to understand and realize these facts.

Wei Ying listens again to Lan Zhan's heartbeat. It is always sure and steady and beating only for him. "I love you Lan Zhan." "I love you Wei Ying." Several more moments pass and Lan Zhan quietly says "Wei Ying must bathe and eat, will you do this my love?" Wei Ying smiles and nods his head yes. Before the meal was over, Wei Ying was unable to keep his eyes open any longer. So Lan Zhan picked him up and tucked him into bed. As he slides in beside his beloved a part of him knows he should check on the child but he also knows if he leaves and Wei Ying wakes up, he very well might have another panic attack and he is not willing to risk that. So he snuggles deeper into the bed while taking Wei Ying with him. In what seems like seconds, both lovers are asleep holding tightly to each other.

The morning has come and Lan Zhan is patiently waiting for his husband to wake up, as usual. Slowly Wei Ying blinks his eyes open then reaches for Lan Zhan and not finding him next to him begins to panic. "Lan Zhan" he screams and begins to tremble. Swiftly Lan Zhan envelopes him in his arms "Shhh, I am here my love." Wei Ying grabs Lan Zhan's "I thought you left me." "Never" says Lan Zhan as he kisses his trembling spouse. He begins to hum softly until Wei Ying calms down.

Once Wei Ying's panic subsides he suddenly remembers a child being hurt and dogs snarling at the child. He looks up at Lan Zhan, panic showing again in his eyes "The boy, Lan Zhan, we must go back and save him. Hurry Lan Zhan, please let's go. I'm alright, really."

Lan Zhan smiles gently "My love, the child is safe. He is here with us. I brought him back here. He is downstairs being cared for as we speak." Wei Ying sits straight up in the bed "What!! What do you mean?"

Lan Zhan explained how Bichen acted on its own to help save the boy while he was trying to deal with Wei Ying's panic attack. Wei Ying looks over to Bichen and whispers "Thank you, beautiful Bichen. You have a brave heart just like your owner." Bichen glows a soft blue in answer. Again Lan Zhan is shocked. Three times his sword has acknowledged Wei Ying. "Can a spirit sword have two owners? Why not ? Both his sword and his husband are exceptional in his mind. So why can't it be?"

Wei Ying, noticing his husband in deep thought, begins to kiss him and stroke his cheek. Lan Zhan breaks his reverie and smiles at Wei Ying and deepens the kiss while stroking Wei Ying's soft hair, leaving him a sighing mess. Wei Ying grins and remembers why he wanted Lan Zhan in the first place, "Lan Zhan, the boy?" Lan Zhan pulls Wei Ying on his lap then says "The child has been tended to and I asked the innkeeper to send for a doctor for him this morning. Do you want to see him?"

Wei Ying's grin fades away "I - I honestly don't know if I can. I - I, Wei Ying looks down and silent tears begin to slide down his face. "My past - my past I saw in that child. I'm not sure I'm ready or strong enough to face this yet." He buries his face in Lan Zhan's chest and breathes in the sandalwood scent that always calms him. "Can I face this without breaking down? Will I always be this weak, what must Lan Zhan think of me right now?" Wei Ying thinks.

Lan Zhan holds his Wei Ying even tighter and whispers "What if I see the child first? If he seems fine, will you be able to see him ?" Wei Ying looks up at Lan Zhan, "Yes, I think so." He thinks to himself "I can be brave and Lan Zhan will stay with me. Yes, I can do this." Wei Ying smiles to show he can do this and Lan Zhan smiles back then asks "Will you come and wait outside the room or do you want to wait for me here in our room." Wei Ying grips Lan Zhan's hand tightly "I'm coming with you." Wei Ying leans closer to Lan Zhan and he understands Wei Ying needs and wants a kiss. Lan Zhan feels Wei Ying's lips trembling despite the brave front.

He knows Wei Ying needs reassurance and strength for the task ahead. So he further adjusts Wei Ying on his lap and looks deep into his eyes while kissing and sucking on Wei Ying's bottom lip causing him to moan loudly. Then while supporting his back Lan Zhan begins to pay attention to his husband's long neck and back to his lips. Leaving a trail of love marks along the way. Wei Ying is trembling but for a different reason now. Desire. Lan Zhan is pouring all his love and strength to his partner. Letting Wei Ying know in the way he knows best he is here for him.

Wei Ying understands what Lan Zhan is telling him with his kisses and breathlessly says against Lan Zhan's lips "Together my love, always together. I can do anything as long as you're by my side." Lan Zhan smiles and lifts Wei Ying off his lap and stands next to him. They hold hands and proceed down the stairs to meet the boy.

The boy is squeezed against the wall and crying. The doctor has been trying to examine the child with no success. Knowing this situation well. WeI Ying slowly approaches the boy with outstretched hands. He speaks softly and calmly "I promise no harm will come to you. I am Wei Ying and this is my husband Lan Zhan. He saved you last night, do you remember?" The child looks at Lan Zhan who is quiet while letting Wei Ying handle the situation.

The child slowly nods his head. "It is because of my husband you are here safe, we truly mean you no harm. We only want to help you. We will not allow anyone to harm you in any way. Do you believe me?" The child looks at both of them. He has been lied to before. His eyes have seen much, most of which he wants to forget. Something deep inside tells him to trust at least cautiously. Slowly he nods his head again. Wei Ying speaks again "If we stay to watch over you will you let the doctor examine you?"

The boy looks at Lan Zhan and he sees the sword at his side that helped save him. Lan Zhan slightly nods his head to the boy and the boy decides he will do what they ask. After the boy is examined and the doctor has left, Wei Ying sits on the bed where the child is but not too close. Giving the child an option to move if he wished to. Wei Ying asks "What is your name?" The boy closes his eyes, he truly doesn't remember his name, only the last name given to him. Usually he was only called boy or nothing at all, just pushed or kicked to do whatever task was given to him. With a heavy sigh, he finally says "The only name I remember is Yuan."

Wei Ying's questions come fast not really giving the child a chance to answer them "Where are your parents, do you have siblings, where are you from?" How did you end up with that man that was beating you?

Lan Zhan puts his hand on Wei Ying's shoulder and says "Wei Ying" and very slightly shakes his head at him. Wei Ying looks at Lan Zhan and then the trembling child. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to overwhelm you." He gently holds Yuan's trembling hands "Are you alone?" Yuan lowers his head and whispers "Yes, I don't remember how long ago my parents left me, I was given to relatives to raise me, Instead I was sold over and over again. I don't know if Yuan is my real name. The man you saved me from (looking at Lan Zhan) was my latest owner. He always is. beating or kicking me. He always threatened to feed me to the dogs because I was worthless.

Wei Ying stops breathing, that word again, will it forever haunt him? Worthless!! Suddenly Wei Ying is openly weeping and he hides his face in his hands. He hears that word screaming in his head over and over again. Lan Zhan immediately picks up his husband with the intent to take him back to their room. He tells the boy he is safe, to not leave the inn and to seek the innkeeper if he needs anything. His Wei Ying is his priority and he turns to leave. Wei Ying is sobbing into Lan Zhan's chest.

Once in the room Lan Zhan places Wei Ying in his lap, embracing him deep in his arms. He is slowly rocking him and humming softly until Wei Ying falls into an uneasy sleep. Lan Zhan rises and places Wei Ying in bed and softly washes his face and removes his outer robes. He does the same and places Wei Ying safely in his arms. Wei Ying feeling his husband snuggles closer to Lan Zhan and drifts into a deeper sleep.

In the middle of the night Wei Ying is dreaming or is it a nightmare? He is running from a pack of wild dogs. He is sure they will rip him to shreds if they catch him. Just when he thought he had outrun them he falls and the dogs catch up and begin growling while tearing him apart. He is screaming and begging for help. The terror he feels almost makes his heart stop beating.

Lan Zhan can only hold and try to soothe his terrified husband. "I'm here, wake up love, nothing will harm you. "I'm here, please wake up Wei Ying." Without warning Bichen leaves it scabbard and begins to shine a soft blue light on Wei Ying. Together Bichen and Lan Zhan finally calm their beloved down. Wei Ying is limp in Lan Zhan arms but at least the terror seems lessened for now. Fresh tear marks are on his face, as much as Lan Zhan wants to wipe them away, Wei Ying has a death grip on him. So he stays put, keeping Wei Ying in his embrace. So daybreak finds Lan Zhan sitting up in bed while holding his beloved. Having never let go all night long.

"Lan Zhan, are you awake?" "Mn" answered Lan Zhan. "I - I - think (heavy sigh) I think I'm ready to talk now. My past is staring me in the face seeing Yuan going through some of the things I went through. "However, my story is so much worse," Lan Zhan tightens his grip on his beloved.

"I want to tell you, but I can't watch your face as I tell you or I will break down and I don't know if I can ever get this courage ever again." Lan Zhan doesn't want to agree but he knows he has to respect his beloved's wishes. "Alright," whispers Lan Zhan. "Please don't let me go." says Wei Ying. Lan Zhan kisses Wei Ying "Promise, my love."

He slowly turns Wei Ying on his lap so that Wei Ying's back is against Lan Zhan's chest and once he is sure Wei Ying is comfortable, he secures his husband inside his embrace to help him feel safe. As Wei Ying closes his eyes, he leans more against his husband and takes a deep breath. Where does one start, how does one start to tell secrets about the past that you hope never to revisit ever in life. He's so afraid, very afraid of reliving his punishments, his pains, his agony and his fears. The pure fear of loneliness, feeling unwanted and unworthy. The feeling of trying to survive or just letting go and die but he knows he must if he's ever to heal and be a true partner to the beautiful man that is holding and protecting him. He whispers once more "Remember, don't let me go."

Lan Zhan kisses the top of his head in answer and holds him more firmly in his embrace.

And now comes the times of secrets, will they both be strong enough to endure or will it be too much. Will it make them stronger or pull them apart?