Disclaimer:

I do not own this story

Minho stared at the shut door for a disbelieving second before turning to Taemin completely stunned. Jerking a thumb at the door, "Does she really think that's going to keep us out?"

"She isn't stupid," Taemin replied calmly as he advanced on the door. "Luna," rattling the handle. Locked, of course. Sighing, he turned to look at his friend. "I don't want to blow it in case there are flying debris."

Rolling his eyes, "Then we do it the hard way," Minho shrugged and put his shoulder into the door. The flimsy wood gave on the third attempt, sending a stumbling Minho into the room. Luna shrieked as a hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle landed on her. Scrambling off of the tiny young woman, Minho has a momentary flash of panic.

"Luna!" Taemin, Key, and Jonghyun tried to get through the door at the exact same time and end up making a comic scene that came right out of an episode of Three Stooges.

"Oh for god sakes," Amber muttered as she pulled Jonghyun and Key back by their pant waists and marched through the door with Taemin following closely behind. "Luna, you all right?"

"I was," she made a face and sat up slowly. "What the hell was that?"

"You being stupid," Minho said disgruntled as he dusted himself off and glanced at the approaching Taemin.

Luna scouted all the way to the wall on her hands until she had nowhere left to go. Shaking her head at him, "Please Taemin... no."

He hesitated two feet from her. "You're still too weak to use your powers, aren't you? That's why you're still here. Can't get out of the room cause your body isn't up to blowing a hole in the wall, is it?"

She glared at him, hating the fact that he was speaking the truth. "I could if I have to."

"Survival instincts," Minho nodded his head in understanding. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

"But you're not in danger, are you Luna? And a part of you knows that already, don't you?" Taemin asked quietly, going to his knees in front of her. His hand still glowed iridescently. "How about we compromise since the idea of being linked to Minho so repulses you?"

Krystal's eyes went wide.

Minho frowned. "Thanks for the support, Taemin."

Jonghyun scratched his head. "What do you mean, 'linked'?"

Amber's breath caught in . A part of her, the part that she's always kept under lock and key, knew that it meant.

Luna eyed him cautiously. "What kind of a compromise are we talking about here? Cause if it's anything like Minho's..."

Taemin reached out to her face with his open hand; swallowing the twinge of hurt he felt when she flinched at his touch. *Easy, Taemin. One step at a time. It's like building a wall; you've got to start from the foundation. And light knows I've obliterated whatever trust she ever had in me.* "If you won't let Minho protect you, then let him protect our child."

Her hand closed instinctively over her belly, shielding the precious life within. Looking up, she searched Minho's calm unwavering gaze. Being linked to one meant being linked to the other, at least for the time being. But as time passed, "Minho...."

"Just say the world, Luna," Minho replied, his face too serious on his youthful face. He wasn't backing down from this. "You know I'm here."

She looked to Taemin once more, him patiently waiting her answer. Could she do this? Could she really force her child to endure this? Taemin may have worded it differently, making her hesitate, but essentially he left her with no choice at all. She won't put her baby through that, being linked to another. Knowing that every second of the day, the other was aware of you, whether you were safe or in distress. A constant watch... and protection. "No, not for the baby. He will have to make the decision on his own, I won't do it to him."

Leaning in closer, Taemin pressed his cheek against hers. "Then Minho will protect you, from now until our next life together," and pressed the warm glowing hand against her arm, imprinting the mark of the royals on her, forever linking her life to Minho's. For a moment there was silence. He turned his head slowly, pressing his lips against her temple, ignoring the stab of guilt he felt knowing that Sulli was there to watch.

Minho felt it, the instinct connection of the link. Her fears, her doubts, her desperation, it was almost more than he wanted to know.

Key rolled his eyes. Turning he motioned for the others to leave. "Okay, everybody out. Nothing more to see. Let the pregnant beached whale get her rest."

That snapped Luna out of her blissful trance. "Hey, I resent that!"

Turning to grin at her, Key shrugged his shoulder and pushed a reluctant Jonghyun out the door. "Too bad." Pointing to the alien king, "Taemin, make sure she sleeps."

"I will," Taemin reassured him as he waved them off, cradling Luna's body against his own. "I will make sure nothing ever happens to her again."
 

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Minho flexed his hand, feeling a slight tension there. It was strange, his knuckles felt tight as if he had been clutching them for a long time. His back felt sore too... as if from lack of movement for a very long time. Over all, he felt just a twinge of discomfort without actually feeling uncomfortable.

"You all right?" Krystal asked, her chocolate eyes deep with concern. Apprehension was on her face. In the time that she's known of their secrets, it was the first time she's been actually afraid of their powers. "Minho, what happened in there? What's with the glowing tattoos?"

His hand went to his shoulder, knowing that the evidence was no longer visible but somehow he still sensed its presence. "A responsibility."

"To Luna?" Minjong asked quietly, his eyes watching him steadily. He may not understand it all but he heard enough to know to suspect.

"Yes," he replied, soberly.

"Forever?" Key asked, going to kitchen to clean up. He knew that answer already but he wanted to hear it anyways. A part of him knew that he should feel relieved. Luna and the baby was safe now, no more lies and deception. Minho was going to make sure they're okay. But a part of him couldn't help but feel... jealous? Was that the right word for it? Jealous cause this meant that Luna no longer needed him?

"Yeah." For some reason, it didn't feel like a death sentence to him. In fact, it felt oddly comforting... like going home after a long trip. "It's like a marriage, until do us part."

Krystal stared at him, eyes wide with horror. "Excuse me?"

"Relax Krystal, it's just an analogy," Key replied cheekily as he poured dishwashing detergent on the sponge. "No need to get your in a bunch."

"Wait up here," Jonghyun held his hand up and shook his head. "I don't get it. What does the little glowy thingy do?"

Minho frowned, rubbing his shoulder with the palm of his hand. "It makes sure that I knew when Luna is in trouble." And lets him know when she needed him. Last time, it had been Zan he had been linked to... right up to the end when the king's death killed him as well.

Jonghyun's eyes narrowed slightly, watching the play of emotions cross Minho's face. "What aren't you telling us about this whole alien marriage thing?"

"It's not a marriage," Amber replied softly, her eyes unfocused and trying to remember something she wasn't sure she wanted to remember. Something terrible happened back on Antar, something related to this link. "It's a connection from the soul. 'Two hearts as one beating in time. Where one lives, the other follows.' It's an ancient tradition that hasn't been used since the last Great War."

Silence held its breath as Amber shook herself from the distance memory of something she doesn't quite remember but can't quite forget. She stared back at the stunned eyes that watched her disquietly.

Everything was changing now. Nothing was what it was once before. A week ago, they all knew where they stood in life... where they wanted to go. Now... all was but a puzzle of what the universe has in stored for them. Nothing is for certain except change.
 

- end -

NOTE:

The author ended the story this way.. she wanted the readers to make up their own ending... I would conclude that more and more obstacles would come their way especially once the baby is born. And as their past does not want to stay in the past they would have to face their destiny, the what and why they were made, they were made to restore their planet and help their people Taemin as their king. So I would say they would have to go back to their own planet and fight Kris and his army. From this I could say that Luna and Taemin has more chance becoming together than Minho and Amber. As for Key his loyalty would be with Luna always. And I think he'd insists on becoming the baby's godfather lol he deserves it though. 

I'd like to know what you want as well....

Would you want Amber to fall out of love with Key and be with Minho? The what happens to Krystal?

Post your endings!