I felt inspired to write another mudshipping oneshot so here you are.

How to read dialogue in my stories:

- "Quote" marks means someone is speaking

- Italics indicate thoughts

Legal Stuff:

- I don't own Golden Sun or the affiliate characters

AWAKEN MY ANGEL

The world was too bright for Mia as she hesitantly opened her eyes. It was as if someone had placed a flashlight in front of her face, its blinding light preventing her from discerning what lay beyond. Her eyes fluttered shut again, blocking out the harsh reality around her, controlled by instincts that exist for the sole purpose of protecting her from her own senses.

Shutting myself off from the world won't let me escape from it, Mia knew. Eventually I'll have to face what's out there… She opened her eyes again and allowed the bright glare to bore into her eyes, making her head spin. Instinctively she began to recoil from its penetrating grasp, but willed herself to remain aware of the world while waiting for her eyes to adjust to this new daylight.

The world slowly dimmed to a visible state over a few agonizing seconds as Mia lay there, unmoving, her mind still in a state of chaos as it tried to process her new surroundings. I seem to be in a gray room of some kind, Mia thought as the shapes around her began to form objects and images her mind could comprehend.

"Mia."

She recognized the sound of her name but it felt as if it was coming to her over a long distance, distorted as if she was underwater.

"Mia."

The unknown person said again. This time it was louder and much clearer. She knew she recognized the voice and could feel the emotion behind it, but couldn't quite place who it belonged to. It was worried, yet calm. It was kind and caring, but also held traces of regret and sadness. All it had taken was a single audible word for her to determine all that as well as the fact the speaker was a friend.

The mystery solved itself as Issac's face came into view above her and said with an air of relief, "Good, you've opened your eyes." Mia tried to smile and must have succeeded somewhat because Issac returned her smile and said, "How do you feel?"

Something's not quite right about this picture…Mia thought as she pondered his question. "I-I'm all right…" Mia managed say in little more than a whisper.

She felt the gentle touch of Issac's hand on her shoulder as he held her delicately, afraid she could break at any moment. As Mia opened her mouth to ask what happened, Issac's finger silenced her as it touched her lips. "Shhh…." Issac said. "Not yet. Please stay here and recover your strength a bit more before you try to speak."

Mia obliged as Issac's finger left her skin and her thoughts returned to the nagging feeling something was missing. She looked at Issac above her with a curious expression. He has the same messy hair, the same caring smile, and the scarf he always wears is draped around his neck. Then it hit her. Isn't his scarf supposed to be yellow? Mia did a double take as color seemed to bleed into the gray fabric at the thought. She shifted her head slightly to look around. Why does everything look so gray? She looked back to Issac in confusion and met his eyes. His eyes are…The deep blue color she remembered them being begun to seep back into them and a confused Mia blinked rapidly a few times.

That was all it took. The world had changed from a monotone gray into a collage of vibrant colors representing every hue. It was like looking at a watercolor of her life slowly morphing into reality. Mia just lay there in disbelief as the world finally returned to normal, wondering what had just happened.

Issac was looking at her with a curious expression on his face, not knowing what she had just seen. "Mia, what just happened?" he asked with a look of wonder.

Mia just slowly shook her head and slowly said, "I don't know…" Plus would anyone believe me if I told them what I just saw? I'm having a hard time believe my own eyes…

Issac looked worried and placed a hand gently on her forehead to take her temperature. It seemed normal, so he withdrew his hand and sighed. "You just had such an…odd…expression," he explained.

Mia looked at him and tried to describe the experience. "Well…one moment I had noticed that everyone around me was just…gray. Then suddenly…all the color just came rushing back…like a torrent of water…" She let her voice trail off as Issac took in what she said.

Issac continued to look at her. "Are you feeling all right?" he asked Mia suddenly.

"I…I think I am," she replied with some hesitation. "I'm sorry for mentioning that. It was just so odd…but it's not very believable," Mia said, giving him a weak smile.

"No…I believe you," Issac said in a serious tone after a short pause. He frowned. "Mia, do you remember what happened?"

Mia cast her thoughts back into her memory, straining to remember what she was doing before this moment in time. Issac watched her struggle with it for a moment before reaching down and brushing a strand of cerulean hair out of her face. Mia looked back up at him and shook her head slowly to indicate she had no success in determining what happened to her.

Issac took a second to compose himself and said, "You collapsed." Issac shook his head slightly. "You were overworking yourself to the point of exhaustion Mia."

"I was?" came her hesitant response. She tried to recall what could have caused her to be that exhausted and drew a blank again.

Issac looked at her for a moment. "Mia…do you remember fighting the giant Storm Lizard?"

Mia looked thoughtful then gave a start as the memories rushed back to her in a flash.

The massive storm lizard let out a roar and conjured bright purple waves of psynergenic light that raced at Issac with incredible speed. He never even had a chance to defend himself as the waves slammed into him, knocking him backward and into the ground. The creature wasted no time in following up the attack by jumping at the fallen boy and piercing his chest with a sharp talon, spraying blood a meter into the air. Mia began to run to his side and shouted out…

"No! Issac!"

Issac grabbed her hand which had instinctively reached out as she relived the experience, pulling the now shaken girl into his embrace. Issac held Mia tightly to himself as her body trembled from the sudden recollection.

"Mia…" he said in a calm and soothing voice. "I'm here for you. I'm fine Mia."

He let her sit there in his embrace as she let out a sob. Issac began to run his hand through her hair as she sat up against him with her head in his shoulder. After a short time Mia managed to compose herself. She leaned back from Issac so she could properly look at him and gave him a weak smile.

"But you aren't injured anymore, are you?" she asked with a knowing look.

Issac smiled back. "Not a scratch left thanks to you," he replied. "…Thanks by the way."

Mia gave him a genuine smile. "I remember. You're welcome," she said.

Issac paused for a second and scratched his head trying to figure out how to ask what was on his mind. "Hey Mia…" he said after a few moments.

"Hmm?" came her response.

"Why did you…why did you expend so much energy to heal me like that even if it meant you would end up like this?" Issac asked.

"I was worried about you…" Mia said in a soft voice.

"Worried enough to stay up by my side and not sleep for 2 days straight according to Ivan," Issac pointed out with a hint of mischief in his voice.

Mia's face turned a shade of pink at his statement and she searched frantically for something to say in response. "That's…That's not…" she stuttered. A second later she fell silent realizing it would make no sense to try and deny the allegation, causing her face become darker as she sat staring at her lap, wondering what to do.

"Not what?" Issac asked her, knowing what it was she was attempting to say.

Mia suddenly raided her head to look directly into Issac's eyes and in a loud voice quickly said, "I was scared okay? I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you!"

Issac saw the sincerity in her eyes as she made that statement before she broke eye contact by burying herself in Issac's embrace once more. Both of them could feel the atmosphere change between them in that moment, but neither had any idea what it had just changed to.

Issac pulled Mia back from him after a few minutes and with some hesitation said, "Hey…Mia…"

The cerulean haired girl searched his eyes to try and determine why he sounded different from usual.

"You may overdo it sometimes but you're easily the most caring person I've ever met," Issac said.

"Issac?" Mia asked in some confusion as she felt her blush returning slightly.

Issac placed a hand gently on her face and held it there for a moment to see how Mia would react. When she didn't do anything but keep staring into his eyes, Issac slowly leaned in and gently brushed his lips against hers. When he broke away he noticed Mia was just staring at him with an expression he had never seen on her before.

"I….Issac?" a wide-eyed Mia tried to ask, stuttering over the word as color rushed to her face.

Issac smiled at her. "I love you Mia," was the only explanation he offered.

Mia was sitting there at arm's length from Issac with both his hands on her shoulders as she digested what he had just said. Mia displayed a smile born of pure joy as a single tear fell from her eye and ran down her cheek. Issac tracked it with his gaze for a second before reaching up and wiping it away.

"Issac…" Mia said softly just before throwing herself at him and knocking him to the ground as she embraced him. She held them embrace for a moment and spoke while Issac couldn't see her madly blushing face. "I love you too Issac."

At her words, Issac gave her a light squeeze and rolled over so they were both lying on their sides looking at each other. Surprisingly, Mia no longer felt any embarrassment as she looked into Issac's deep blue eyes with a slightly nervous smile on her face. She quickly leaned forward and pecked Issac on the check before lying back as if it was the natural thing to do.

Issac's smiled widened and he rolled onto his back to match her as he stifled a yawn. Mia turned her head when she noticed the yawn and realized she had forgotten to ask an obvious question. "Hey Issac, how long was I out for?"

Issac turned to look at her and shrugged. "Most of a day," he answered nonchalantly.

Mia continued to look at the blonde boy and sighed. "I take it you stayed up all night watching over me too then didn't you?" she asked and Issac nodded in reply. Mia knew there was something stupid about staying up while exhausted to watch over someone that collapsed from exhaustion but decided not to point it out. It just proves how much he cares…she thought shaking her head slowly as a smile crept onto her face from the thought of Issac watching over her.

"You need your rest if that's the case," she finally said.

"So do you," Issac replied with a smile.

"Then we will both rest together," Mia decided, cuddling up to where Issac was lying on his bedroll. Issac wasted no time in wrapping his arms around Mia's slender frame as the two exhausted adepts drifted off to sleep with happy smiles on their faces.

As always, thanks to those of you who read my stories and I hope you enjoyed this one. Leave me a review and let me know what you thought =)