Secluded Area of the Lake

she shook her head, some of her long dark hair falling in front of her face, hiding it. "No clue. i don't know"

"What kind of sick person would do something like that?" He says to himself and he looks up at Penny. "Well, how do you feel about it?"

"I don't know Marcus. I-on one hand, it's a bit of a relief. on the other, it caused SO many problems. and I still don't know how i feel. I was sort of looking forward to having just that one person who would love me no matter what, not judge me." she kept her head down, face hidden by her hair

He scooted a little closer to her and wrapped her into a tight hug. "Don't worry Penny, I'll be that person for you."

she stiffened for a moment and then fell into his embrace, burying her face into his shoulder

Marcus pulled her closer. Closer than she has been in a while because of her baby bumb that was now gone.

Penny moved to climb into his lap. she felt extremely vulnerable though she didn't have to deal with the crazy hormones "Just hold me?" she whispered softly and curled up

He did exactly what she wanted him to do and held her tightly. "Anything for you."

she smiled slightly into his shoulder and sniffled a little. Marcus was so sweet to her always, even though she was pretty sure she didn't deserve it. she snuggled in close to him

He ran his hand through her hair and kept her in his arms wondering if she would push away like she seemed to do the last 48975897689 times.

she wrapped her arms around his torso and looked up at him "thank you"

He looked down at her and slightly smiled. "Like I said Penny." He brushed the hair out of her face. "Anything for you."

she kissed him lightly "I don't deserve someone like you in my life, and yet you're always here. i don't understand"

"Penny, if one of us doesn't deserve the other. Than I am the one that doesn't deserve you."

she pulled back a little and gave him a confused look "How do you figure?"

"Because your the better one Penny. You have a better heart. I know you do, you might think different but I know you are the better one."

she shook her head "I'm a whore Marcus. Don't try to tell me any differently. I see myself clearly now, after this whole pregnancy debocle"

"No Penny. You're not. You are not a whore, please stop telling yourself you are because you're not."

she shook her head and looked him directly in the eye "I am. I plan on changing that though. but i can't change the past no matter how hard i try"

"Penny, Please stop saying you're a whore. You may have made a few wrong decisions in your past but that doesn't make you a whore."

"fine, don't believe me. but it's still the truth" she hugged him again, silently relieved the baby bump wasn't in the way anymore

As much as he wanted to say 'No it's not' He didn't. He hadn't had a moment like this with her for a long time and he didn't want to spend it arguing whether she was a whore or not.

she sighed. things weren't about to get any easier, and right now she was content to be curled up in Marcus' arms

He hugged her tighter and ran his hand up and down her back in a sexual/friendly/comforting sort of way..... if that is possible.

"Marcus...as much as this is helping me calm down, I think we should go back to the castle. I think I should sleep" between Faye and losing the baby, Penny was rather exhausted