Thank you much! I just thought skipping these pivotal scenes would seem so odd after such a build-up. I'm very pleased that you felt they read true. I did struggle with the canon ending, hence my questions and wibbling over at raythoo. But then I came to peace with it. And I'm totally with you about Pell's comment being tongue in cheek in regards to 'taking advantage' of Vaysh at that moment. Vaysh's eyes hold a challenge, according to canon, but I never had a sense it was of "I dare you to hurt me," but rather "I dare you not to ravage me senseless." So that's how I wrote it from Vaysh's POV. :)