Well, this took six months and all you're going to get is a oneshot, and I'm really sorry. AP chemistry=busy, busy, busy. I watched the Angel's ACt to find my muse- god, Sora/Leon. Is it even subtext when it's so obvious? And what a beautiful episode.
I try to mention all the people in this oneshot and give a little focus to each. I leave your Sora/Leon goodness until the end so I can leave off with them, so don't think I forgot about them. So, oneshot time, here we go!
Five years later
"Ichijou, no!" Ken exclaimed, grabbing his son's hand before he ran out into the street. "Ichijou, that is the last time your mother and I let you stay with Sora and Leon. They give you bad habits."
"Leon scares me!" Ichijou whined. "I asked him if they had any chocolate cause Sora wasn't there, and he just…looked at me, and then he turned around, and…"
Ken laughed. "Well, that's Leon for you. Don't worry, he likes you, he just takes some time warm up to people."
May approached from across the street, pulling down her characteristic hood and taking off her sunglasses. "Hey, Ken. Hey, little guy." She leaned down and kissed her son's forehead, then nodded at Ken and smiled weakly. "Sorry I'm late. I'm still blaming this on Andy- he never told me that the paparazzi could be so ridiculously annoying."
"May, I would of thought that they'd be afraid of you by now. You scare all new people."
May rolled her eyes, reaching down to hold Ichijou's hand. The job as a backup singer May had taken five years ago was supposed to have been a temporary thing, just for her maternity leave. While she still occasionally performed at Sora's kid stage at Kaleido Stage for fun, she was now a professional singer. She worked at Andy's company as one of his top stars- Circus Festival champion to a professional singer was apparently a very good career choice.
Ken saw Sora approaching from down the street and said quickly, "Hey, May, can you go ahead and take Ichijou home? I forgot; I have a few errands to run."
May glanced down the street and saw Sora as well. "Oh, you want to have fun with your secret girlfriend, go ahead."
He chuckled as May pulled her hood up again and, taking her son's hand, started searching for the best route home that also avoided the media.
Ken leaned up against the apartment building, his hands stuck in his pockets, waiting for Sora to reach him.
"Ken!" Sora exclaimed when they were close enough to talk without yelling. "Hi! Here to pick up Ichijou?"
He nodded. "Just did. You coming back from physical therapy?"
"Uh huh," she said brightly. She shifted more of her weight onto the crutch by her side and continued, "I'm performing better now, too. My doctor's confident that I'll be help Rosetta with what she wants in a few months safely… well, as safely as possible."
Ken nodded and tried to be encouraging. "That's good, then."
"I know. To tell the truth, I'm a bit worried about how well the practice for it will go- I mean, I've been working on the trapeze a lot lately, but I'm still having a lot of trouble at the spins that move requires…" she trailed off doubtfully and Ken shrugged sympathetically.
In the car accident five years ago, Sora had come out with a few minor injuries and severe nerve damage in her right leg- too severe for her to be able to perform again. Leon, who felt even guiltier about this than he had about Sofie, had become distant and borderline depressed, making it even harder for Sora to accept the end to her performing. In fact, she hadn't. Kalos had been forced to terminate her contract because she couldn't work anymore, but Sora had still gone down to Kaleido Stage almost every day to try and practice. Leon hadn't had the heart to try and talk her out of it, so it ended up being Layla who tried to convince her to stop. Still, it had taken several accidents and hospital visits for Layla to get her to stop trying to perform. And just when Sora had finally begun to accept it, a new experimental treatment had been legalized in the U.S.- a treatment that could make it possible for her to perform again.
Sora had jumped at the chance to get back on the stage, though had been a little wary- after all, she'd just started to finally accept what had happened- and now she could perform again? It seemed too good to be true. Leon had simply said that whatever Sora wanted to do, he would support- that it was her choice and he had no right to dictate it. Layla, on the other hand, had not been very enthusiastic. She had warned Sora that it was only a small chance of a complete recovery and that it wouldn't be good for her to get her hopes up. She had said, quite plainly, that if Sora tried to treatment and it didn't work, she would be even worse off then before. False hopes were one thing, but the false chance of getting her life back…
Many of her friends had agreed with Layla, but Sora hadn't listened. She'd been optimistic and gone through with the treatment. The results had not caused the drastic change in her physical abilities that Sora had hoped for, but she was better than before. Good enough to begin trying to perform on the trapeze again.
Once again, it had been Layla to go with Sora and, in time, she had become Sora's personal coach- because she knew better than anyone had hard it was to perform with a disability. And as Sora had gotten better, so had Leon. While it had taken a fist fight with Yuri for him to finally wake up and help Sora himself instead of wallowing in guilt, it had been worth it. More than worth it.
It had taken four years of strenuous physical therapy for Sora to progress to the point where Kalos began talking with her about reinstating her contract. In her absence, Rosetta had become Kaleido Stage's top female star- without a constant partner. Leon occasionally worked with her, Layla, even less- Rosetta still harbored the hope of being Sora's partner and those wishing to partner with the famous Diabolo champion had came and went nearly constantly over the first one or two years.
And now that Sora was getting stronger, Rosetta had approached her about performing the legendary, great maneuver with her. Sora had at first not been certain about it, but both Layla and Leon had advised her to do it. It would make one hell of a comeback and , as well as convincing others of her capability, it would also help Sora believe she was really, truly ready to return to the stage.
But nothing had been planned out, as of yet. Sora may have been getting stronger, but she wasn't strong enough to even begin training to the Mystical Act yet. When she was ready, Layla had promised to accompany her and Rosetta to the Grand Canyon, as both Sora's training coach and to help her adjust to being the better prepared, more experienced partner. When Sora and Layla ha been partners, that had been Layla's role- now it would be Sora's.
"Well, thanks for watching Ichijou for us while May and I were out of town," Ken said. "I'll see you later, Sora."
"Bye, Ken."
"Rosetta!" Yuri called from where he stood by the door. "Get down here, I have to give you the scripts for the new production."
The younger redhead nodded and made her way down to ground level, accepting the scripts from Yuri. "Is Sora going to be in this one?" she asked while flipping through it, but Yuri shook his head.
"No, I asked her and Leon about it- she doesn't think she's ready yet. Sorry, Rosetta."
She smiled and shook her head. "It's okay, Yuri, I can wait a few more months. So who am I partnering with you? Leon? Layla? Or someone new?"
"Well, it would be Layla, but Kimi has chicken pox. Layla had it as a kid- I, however, did not. So she's staying home the next week or so to take care of Kimi while I've been exiled from the house. And Leon's busy with Sora this week- without Layla there, she needs a partner to help her practice. No one new because we couldn't find anybody on such short notice- looks like you'll be flying solo."
Rosetta grimaced, setting the script aside. "I can't wait until Sora's back. I want a permanent partner."
Yuri sighed. "Rosetta, you have to stop being so optimistic. You know that Sora won't ever be as good as before- she can perform, but it will always hurt her leg. And you seen her practicing, haven't you? She's still good, but not really rehearsing anything for five years took its toll."
Rosetta simply shook her head and started climbing back up to the trapeze. "I know, Yuri, I know. But she's still Sora and I still want to perform with her."
Giving up, Yuri turned towards the door. "Practice, Rosetta. I'll check on you later."
Yuri started walking back to his office, shaking his head. After Sora and Leon had pretty much been taken out of the picture five years ago, both he and Layla had begun performing at Kaleido Stage full time, to help Kalos out. They'd made they'd intentions clear from the beginning, though- neither one had wanted to stay as performers. At least, not full time- and certainly not as stars. So Kalos had had Rosetta work with Layla and Yuri, to the point where she could star by herself. Afterwards, Yuri had stopped performing entirely and taken up a management position as Kalos's partner, though he still sometimes helped the others performers while they were practicing.
Layla still worked as a performer, but only occasionally. It had been three years since she had given birth to her and Yuri's daughter, Kimi. While you couldn't compare her to a housewife, Layla now spent much more time at home with her daughter then she did when she wasn't with Kimi, Layla had devoted much of her time to helping Sora. She still helped Rosetta out by starring with her, but that was only once or twice a year. She had a different life now, and while it was more on the sidelines, Yuri thought his wife was even happier than before.
He pulled out his cell phone to call her, so he could check up on her and Kimi.
"No, Kimi, stop scratching!" Layla exclaimed, exasperated. "You can't scratch or they'll scar!"
"Mommy!" Kimi whined, trying in vain to pull her hands out of her mother's. "But they itch!"
She shrugged helplessly. "Sorry, Kimi."
"And where's Daddy? He's been gone for days!"
Layla sighed as she got up to answer the phone, shaking her head. "Kimi, I'm sorry, but Daddy can't be here while you're sick. Then he'll get sick too."
"Then how come you can stay?"
"Because I had chicken pox when I was a kid. That means I can't get it again. Your father never had it and if he gets it now, he's going to feel a lot worse than you do now. Now, let Mommy answer the phone for a second, and then I'll be- Kimi, stop scratching! …Hello?"
"Are you sick of my sick daughter yet?"
"Yuri! Hey," Layla said, holding the phone between her cheek and shoulder as she tried to stop Kimi from scratching. "And since when is she 'your' daughter? I'm the one taking care of her, she should be my daughter!"
Kimi started crying in frustration and Layla called, "Makkoli! Bring me some more of that cream; Kimi's hysterical. And sorry, Yuri. I have my hands full right now."
"Oh, stop complaining, Layla. At least you have a mansion to sleep in. I'm stuck in a hotel room."
"A five star hotel room, no doubt. And it's only for another week, two at the most… Kimi already misses you and it's only been three days."
"Only Kimi? Don't you miss me?" Yuri teased, and Layla smiled, shaking her head.
"Yes, Yuri, without you, my life is falling apart. Really, I don't think I can go on. Why don't you come down here and hug me so I'll feel better?"
"And get sick? I don't think so." They both laughed again, and Kimi's crying got softer after Makkoli hurried into the room and started rubbing cream on her tiny body, allowing Layla a second to focus on her conversation with Yuri.
"So, how are things at Kaleido Stage? Rosetta doing well?"
"She's fine. Looking forward to Sora's return more than anything- and the Mystical Act, of course. Kalos is working a little less in order to straighten things out with Sarah, paperwork-wise."
"Ah. That's good." Kalos, who had been married to Sarah for around four and a half years, had decided to establish a Kaleido Stage overseas, in Italy. And Sarah had offered to help manage it- after Sora and Leon had returned full time to the American Kaleido Stage, he would fly to Italy and help Sarah, leaving it in the hands of Yuri.
"Layla, can I talk to Kimi?"
"Of course." Layla walked over to her daughter and put the phone on speaker, saying, "Hey, Kimi. There's someone here who wants to talk to you."
Kimi took the phone in confusion and said hello, then gasped. "Daddy!" she squealed, her face lighting up.
"Hey, kitten. How-"
"Yuri!" Layla exclaimed sharply as her cheeks turned red with embarrassment. "Please, do you really think you should be calling Kimi kitten, when that's what you call me when we…" she trailed off, unable to finish the sentence with her young daughter in the room but Yuri obviously got the message.
"Sorry, Layla," he chuckled. "Or, should I say, sorry, kitten. Anyway, Kimi, how are you? Are you driving your mother crazy yet?"
"Uh huh!" Kimi exclaimed proudly.
"That's good, that's good. Well, Kimi, I'm sorry that I can't stay on the phone for too long; I've got a meeting to go to and I'm already late. You know why I can't be there right now, though, right?"
Kimi nodded again. "Yeah, Mommy told me. She said it's cause I'm sick, so if you'll here you'll get sicker. But Mommy won't get sick, 'cause she's special."
"Oh? That's the word she used? 'Special?' Well, Layla, now I see how it is. When you get better, Kimi, I'm going to have to have a talk with her. Using other words. Like naughty, and bad, and-"
"That's enough, Yuri! I'll be the one talking to you when Kimi's better. Now say bye to Daddy, Kimi, so he can get off to his meeting."
"Okay. Bye Daddy!"
"Good bye, Kimi. Love you."
After he and Layla also exchanged good byes, Yuri hung up and turned to go into his meeting.
Kalos looked up when he entered and shrugged. "It doesn't matter that you're late, Yuri. Meeting's canceled; Mia's across town and can't make it. There was a pile-up on the bridge and she's stuck on the wrong side of it."
"Well, that's nice. I don't see what the point of me rushing over here was. Why's Mia across town, anyway?"
Kalos shrugged again, still focusing on his laptop in front of him. "She told me she was having coffee with Anna Heart."
Anna had quit Kaleido Stage to follow in her father's footsteps as a comedian. She was quite successful, and whenever she was in town, she would catch up with all her old friends from Kaleido Stage, try and watch one of their performances. Mia, who was now the top director at Kaleido Stage, occasionally tried to work in a message, just for Anna, in whatever performances her friend could watch. It had ended up becoming an ongoing game between them for years now.
"Leon!" Sora called as she walked inside his penthouse, leaning on her crutch. There was no reply. "Leon?" she called again, looking around for any sign of her the man who had, only just last month, proposed to her. "Leon, I know you're here."
She finally found him standing over the mess Ichijou had created. "Hey, Leon," she said softer, making her way over to him and resting a hand on his shoulder. "What's going on?"
"I want one of those," he said vaguely, leaving Sora more confused than before.
"One of… what?"
"A kid. Like Ichijou. But ours."
Sora's eyes widened when she realized what he was saying. "You… want… a kid? A baby?" she stammered. "But why… why now? What made you want a baby now, and not…"
"When Ken picked up Ichijou… whenever I hear Layla or Yuri talk about Kimi… I want someone like that, too. I want someone who makes me… feel like they do."
"You want a baby?" she asked slowly, joyfully. "You want us to have a baby?
He finally looked right at her for the first time during their conversation, eyes wide and earnest. "Sora, you're finally getting back to what you love. But I don't love performing unless it's with you, and I know that Rosetta wants to perform the Mystical Act with you. I know that you're her partner now, at least in performing. I want something else with you. Something else that I love and never want to give up."
Sora fought hard to stop herself from just agreeing with him, because this was too important for her simply believe in it without knowing why. "Leon… is this because you just think that something's missing, or will be when I'm back at Kaleido Stage? Because if it is, then I-"
"No, Sora, it's not," he interrupted excitedly. "No, it's not. That's what got me thinking, originally, but I didn't know what, exactly, would be missing. But then I got to thinking about how much Ichijou and Kimi had changed their parent's lives, and I started thinking about much a kid to change our lives, and… then I realized, Sora. That's what I want."
Smiling in ecstasy and wrapping her arms around his neck, Sora kissed him softly and whispered, "Then that's what you'll get."
Well, that's all. I may or may not write oneshots for this series, either set during Sora's recovery that I skimmed over or in the future, with Sora and Leon's kid. But, as of now, that's it.
My wings are my dream, which take me to the sky!