THIS FANFIC IS A FAN SEQUEL TO AS LONG AS YOUR HAPPY BY FATA MOON. The characters in this sequel don't belong to me, but the concept (well, most of it) is mine.

News spread all over Serdin and Kanavan... News about Ronan and Arme's happy wedding, to be specific. The article concerning the event went as far as the front page of the Bermesiahn Inquirer and Lass couldn't help but stare at the image of Arme's happy face as she emerged from the church in Ronan's arms. He blotted out his rival along with the rest of the background with blank ink, leaving nothing but Arme's lithe form in it's wake. The image brought a grin to Lass' face, but in an instant that grin was lost. He could never smile as well as he did when Arme was by his side. He was nothing but a bad guy to her now that the idiot named Ronan ruined their friendship. Scratch that. He himself ruined their friendship. If he hadn't gone all the way to threaten Ronan, would things have been different?

The thought hurt Lass as he walked away from Kanavan, crossing another gorge and sailing on a boat to Ellia. The journey took weeks... And once he set foot on the continent, he felt heavy by the number of knowing stares that had placed themselves upon him. Even in the suburbs of Silver Cross Town, the news about the happy wedding prowled from one citizen to another like wildfire. The Grand Chase had ripped him out of existence and no one spoke his name. He pulled himself to a small cottage hidden far enough to go unnoticed by the rest of the town. He was going to spend the rest of his life there... alone... He promised himself that he wouldn't look like a fool to the rest of the world again. He decided that things were better off this way...

Lass, like the memories of his childhood, should be forgotten...

Arme finished writing a letter to Silver Cross Town's assassin's guild. A letter of apology to Lass. She hadn't seen him in months and she was beginning to miss him. She wondered how he was doing and if he had found someone... Someone who'd treat him better than she did. She was thinking about him non-stop. She regretted not listening to him after Elesis spilled the beans about her past relationship with Ronan. She felt guilty. She had saved herself from the wedding at the last moment, filing a divorce immediately after finding out the truth. It pained her yes, but it hurt more knowing that Lass was right and she dismissed him in the harshest way possible.

She opened the letter once more, writing on the post script three little words that meant the world to her - "I love you."

Then she smiled, folding the piece of paper into an envelope which she rolled into a neat cylinder. She handed it over to her Sidtri and gave him strict orders to deliver it to Lass' guild. She hoped that the letter would cheer Lass up - if he didn't hate her for what she did to him, that is.

The next day, the guild (and not Lass) returned the letter, with a message implying that the supposed receiver was nowhere to be found.

Lass wasted his days in that cooped up old cottage. He had grown thinner. Thoughts of Arme fed him more often than food ever did. He went out every once in a while for fresh air and a good hunt so that his fighting skills wouldn't get rusty, but he never made contact with people. He once went to town with a cloak on and managed to pick up rumors about Arme and Ronan. Some were negative (to him), saying that they were having a baby soon, and the rest were positive, stating that Arme had broken away from the marriage.

However, what was positive to him didn't mean a thing to the world. If the negative rumors were true, then Lass couldn't do anything but congratulate them from afar. There was one problem though... That would be impossible...

Arme was welcomed warmly by the folks of Ellia upon her arrival on the harbor, but she wasn't there to be greeted. She was there to search for Lass, and even though it may seem a little too difficult for the petite mage, she had enough willpower to do so. She dropped her things off at an inn and began her search, inquiring strangers whether they had seen Lass. No one gave her an answer. And as she began to lose hope, she caught sight of a hooded figure from the distance, entering the forest. She couldn't help but be intrigued by what she saw.

Arme is in Ellia... Arme is in Ellia...

The words ran through Lass' mind. He hadn't actually seen her but he heard the townspeople talking about it. She had arrived exactly when he decided to sneak around town just to buy what he needed. He knew the rumors were true, considering that he could practically inhale the smell of roses and orchids - Arme's scent - and feel her presence close to him... Closer and closer. But Arme wasn't in Ellia for him, and knowing that she was close to him didn't do him any good. They couldn't cross-paths. He didn't want her life to be ruined by him anymore. He frowned heavily for a moment and blew out the candles before going to sleep.

Arme hid behind a tree and watched as the light from the small cottage flickered and faded.

"If you had just asked me, then I would have said yes. I love Ronan, but not as much as I love you."

She had confessed to him and rejected him all on the same day. She felt so stupid. And now she was actually seeing him – seeing that tousled silver hair of his as he put away the poor excuse of a cloak he was wearing – but she couldn't even call out his name. She didn't have the guts to do so...

"Lass..." She whispered, missing him so. A tear rolled down her cheek.

After what I did to him, he might not even want to see me. I should have sent the others for this instead.

She looked at the cottage again before collapsing on the grass, her strength wearing down. Then she slept.

Lass was greeted by an annoying ray of treacherous sunshine once he woke up. He sat up, feeling a strong urge to go outside for a breath of fresh air. He swung the door open, and walked with his feet bare on the grass. He was just about to march back inside when his eyes caught a familiar blaze of purple next to a tree about 10 meters away from him.

Arme...

Her hair had covered her face entirely, but he knew it was her. He grabbed his cloak which was hanging by the doorway, walked closer and knelt down next to her. He tucked the loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

Her skin was cold, and that wasn't a good sign. He wanted to carry her back to the cottage, but he feared what her reaction might be... Instead, he spread his cloak and wrapped it around her as he stood up. Then he left her there hesitantly. His eyes darted back to her while asking himself questions like, "What on earth was she doing there?". The coolness of her skin meant she might come up with a fever. He knew that all too well. But...

"But now I know what you really are. Nothing but a dirty rat. Nothing but a blackmailer. I hate you Lass.. I HATE YOU!"

Arme hates me.

If she was talking right now, she'd be telling him that it was better to be sick than to be nursed by him.

"Lass?"

The voice reached his ears just before he could touch the doorknob. He didn't turn around.

"Lass..."

He heard his name once again, this time sadder and more desperate. It was followed by a series of sobs. Then he felt someone's weight crashing on his back as a pair of hands wrapped themselves around his torso.

"I'm sorry Lass! I'm sorry!" He heard Arme say. "I'm an idiot Lass! I should have listened to you. I know you have reasons to be angry with me or to hate me, but I don't care . I just want you to know that you were right about Ronan. You were right all this time. I'm really really sorry Lass."

That's all she wanted to say. That she's sorry, Lass thought, smiling for a moment and frowning the next. He tried to pry her hands off of him but they stayed.

His back was getting wet from the tears.

I made her cry...

He turned so that he could crush her head to his chest. He had always wanted to do so. "It's okay," he reassured. "I forgive you Arme. I've forgiven you a long time ago. It's okay now."

"I'm sorry. I'm just too selfish. I'm so sorry," Arme said in-between sobs. "I love you, Lass. I really do."

"You can't say that, Arme. You're married," Lass reminded her.

"No I'm not," Arme corrected, staring up at him.

"But-" Lass started, but was cut off by Arme.

She kissed him, softly at first. Then Lass let his emotions take over. He returned the kiss fiercely... passionately. He held her by her waist as he explored her mouth with his tongue. She was so sweet... addictive. But he couldn't succumb to addiction, so he pulled away.

"I love you," Arme repeated, wrapping her arms around his neck, ignoring the fact that her head was aching badly due to the fact that she spent the night sleeping on the ground. "And there's no mistaking it when I say I'll always do."

"Arme," Lass said, kissing her forehead. "I love you too."

And this time, I'll make sure you'll stay happy, because as long as you've got a smile on your face, whether I'm an antagonist to you or not, I'll try to smile for you too...