I'm Home-1

After the great battle with the Dark Genie, Max and Monica were finally freed of the great responsibility that had befallen them. Since Monica can't go back to the future without another Starglass, she doesn't have any place to stay. The story begins here….

''Umm…. Monica. Since you don't have a place to stay yet, if you're interested that is, you could stay at

our house.'' Max said as his voice was shaking. Monica replied, ''If you're sure your father won't mind,

okay.'' ''Nah he won't mind, in fact he would be very happy that we have company. Our home is a bit empty,

considering that only few people live in it.'' Max replied.

……At Dinner time

(Sorry, I forgot to add that this fanfic starts at dawn (day break) so it was already nighttime by the time they arrived)

''Max, welcome home! I'm sorry if I abandoned the house that you made for me back in Heim Rada. I

had this funny feeling that you would feel alone, being here all by yourself that is and I don't think the future

will be disrupted even if I leave it. After all, I'm only here for a vacation.'' Gerald explained while he cuts the

food that was in his plate. Then he noticed Monica entering the door,''Max you haven't introduced this young

lady to me properly yet, or I'll just have her introduce herself personally then.'' Monica bowed her head and

introduced herself, ''I'm Monica Raybrandt..'' Gerald nodded in agreement then gave Max a sign that tells

him to sit and have dinner. Max gave Monica a gesture to follow him to the table and eat dinner.

……Bed time

Max prepared the bed for him and Monica to share while Monica was still taking a bath.

Max POV

''Wow, I'm really glad that Monica is back! I've really been missing her… and our times together…. I

wish she never has to leave, it's enough for me that mother can't come back to our time…."

Max was so lost in thought that he didn't notice Monica was already in bed, snoring.

''She must've really been tired to snore THAT loud, still, this is the first time I'm sleeping with her. Even

if we were together on that gruelingly long adventure, I never slept with her. I was always the one found

sleeping on the job, mostly because I'm not used to wake up 3:00 AM in the morning, nor train myself up til'

midnight just to make myself stronger, still, that's Monica,. The strong one……."

But at the midst of his thoughts, he never expected it, but it happened… during her sleep… she was

…Crying…

She was mumbling something under her breath but it was too soft to hear so Max just ignored it. Max just

went to his side of the bed and held Monica in a warm embrace. Monica involuntarily returns the hug even in

her sleep.

……Next Morning

Max woke up late. He saw that Monica's side of the bed was already kept so he fixed his part as well

then he went straight to the dining room. He saw his father almost done eating when his father spoke,"

You're late! Don't you know it's not right to keep food waiting?" Max apologized, then sat and ate as well.

Silence covered the dining room for a while, until Gerald broke it, "By the way, I heard that the mayor is

going to hold a celebration commemorating you. Congratulations Max. You finally reached the top." Max

was a bit flattered, being praised by his father and all, so he just nodded and went back to eating. "The time

of the celebration will be from 12:00 in the afternoon until 9:00 in the evening. Don't be late ok, you are the

Guest of Honor after all… you still have a speech to prepare so hurry now."

…Meanwhile, at Monica's side of the story

Monica was out in Palm Brinks Park. She took her sword with her so she could practice with it. "Just

because the Dark Genie is gone doesn't mean that I will put down my sword. Nope, it doesn't end that way!"

……….7 HOURS OF SWORD PRACTICE LATER…….

Monica sat on a nearby bench to rest as she looked at her reflection, "I wonder how my will father react

on this kind of misbehavior. I'm sure he'll be pretty pissed that I broke one of the MAJOR laws of our

kingdom. Well sue me for being bored to death in that castle." As Monica was resting, she saw Max taking a

walk in the park… with Claire. Max saw her as well so he decided to sit with her. Claire walked up to Monica

and said, "You know Monica, Max is going to have a party tomorrow afternoon. I bet you didn't know that.

Anyway, I guess you have to come though, after all, everyone's invited. So even if it is people that we don't

know, he/she's still invited, even people from the ''future''. Don't you dare lay a finger on him ok!" After that,

Claire quietly went away, but not after giving Monica the "I'm watching you" look. Max looked at Monica and

said, "Umm… Monica? Don't mind her okay, she's always like that. She's just a bit insecure." "What did I do

to make her so insecure? I don't care what she calls me, I'm just curious on how her choice of words came

to be that?" Max blushed for a moment after what Monica said, "Don't you get it? Well, actually, that's how

she asks the "Do You Love Max?" question. She notices that we spend too much time together." Monica

gave Max a confused look, "What does she think we're doing, having sex while fighting monsters! She

must be nuts to think that way. After all, I have no time for making out."

.Nighttime….

Monica just finished taking a bath when Max called her, "Umm Monica. I'm just curious, you were

crying in your sleep last night. What were you dreaming about?" Monica was silent, then she replied," I just

miss my father, that's all. You don't need to worry about that." Max paused for a while then, he asked again,

"Monica, what do you do in your time? After all, you're a princess right? Does that mean that you have lots

of responsibilities? Monica replied, "Well, come to think of it, yeah, I had a lot, a lot of paperwork to take care

of that is. I got so bored of it." Max, once again, asked another question, "Monica, I heard from Galen Agaris

that, you're father was killed by Gaspard. I just wanna ask who takes care of you now that your father's

gone." "Well, I can take care of myself. So I really didn't put much thought that. Why do you ask" Max

replied, "Well what about your mother, surely she can take of you right, where is she then?"

"Max… she was killed; she sacrificed herself to save me. During those days, Gaspard's battleship attacked

our kingdom. I was just newly born back then; I didn't know what was happening. Mother was in my room as

well, because even if she was one of the best mages she can't fight because she had just recovered from

pregnancy, but Gaspard found a way inside the castle. Through MY room! Mother took me away from my

crib while Gaspard sent more minions inside the room."

(Flashback)

"What do you want!" Gaspard smirked, and then he said, "Ah but nothing my dear. Your kingdom's cooperation, that's all." "Never! You won't get even a single soldier from us." "Are you sure? The king will surely be disappointed when she discovers nothing but the dust of his beautiful wife. Prepare for battle! Griffon soldiers, attack!"

(End Flashback)

Mother fought with all she had, but she was outnumbered. When she defeated Griffon's soldiers, Gaspard

stabbed her in the heart. But before she died, she said something to Gaspard that made him angry, I can't

hear what she said but it made Gaspard retreat. By the time my father and the others reached the room,

mother was already dead, but she still held me ever so tightly in her arms.

"Five years after her death, I asked father the same question you asked me. He gave me this

answer. Ever since that, I realized that if I'm too weak to protect myself, I will only harm others and I too

cannot save others. Mother became my inspiration. I wanted to be as strong as her. I asked my father to let

me join the Resistance and fight alongside him against Griffon and his henchmen."

Max noticed a tear fall down from Monica's eyes, "Monica, are you all right? I'll stop asking now. I'm sorry if I

made tell such a story." "No, it's all right. You were just curious, I can understand that." She gave Max a

reassuring smile, and then she faced away from Max…

"You know Monica; there are times when it's hard to smile when everything is taken away from you.

Sometimes it's good to cry. It takes away all the pain you hide inside." Max replied as though Monica was

still listening. Max gave Monica a soft embrace before he closed his eyes and went to sleep.

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Author's Mini note,

My very first fic, hope you liked it. Please read and review. I'm still pretty new to this so it might take me a while to finish the next chapter but if you guys liked it, I'll pretty much make Chapter 2 as fast as I can. I don't know Monica's mother so I'll stick to pronouns when I mention her, but if anyone has any information regarding Monica's mother or simply anything about Monica, please tell me and I'll update soon.

P.S. I Don't Own Dark Cloud 2 or Monica