DISCAIMER: The following is a fan-based fiction. I do not own Legend of Dragoon nor its characters.

Dart held his breath, grimacing as he stood on the outskirts of the Evergreen Forest. Swallowing down the uneasy feeling in his throat, he quietly turned his head, giving one final look to the snow-buried remains of a town that was Neet. He let out his shaky breath, clearing his throat as his eyes became moist. A sharp wind blew along his face and he squeezed his stinging eyes shut. Once it had passed, he peered once more at the valley of burnt wood and collapsed stone.

"I'll come back," he whispered, unsure to whom exactly. "I'll... I'll stop him... and come back." His head facing forward once more, he stepped solemnly into the forest.

"You must have no regrets"

He repeated the words in his head. Defeating the evil spirit that had plagued Lavitz' soul, Dart had marveled as his friend used his last bits of life force to make a path for his companions. The Signet Sphere of Mayfil, their final hope in saving the Moon That Never Sets, was within their grasp at last! Without hesitation, Dart eagerly approached the shining beam. He didn't make it three steps before a firm hand grabbed his shoulder. Annoyed at whomever was trying to stop him, he shot a glare over his shoulder, one that soon dissolved as he saw who had disturbed him.

"Just wait, Dart," Rose muttered in her usual calm voice. For a moment, Dart was incredulous. She seemed so unaffected, as if the reappearance of their comrade, and his subsequent generosity, meant nothing more to her than a random act of kindness from a town dweller. Now she was to stop him, when there was possibly so little time before his father would appear to claim the signet for himself?

"What do you mean 'wait'?" he started, turning around to face her. "Lavitz has shown us the way. We can't waste time-"

"Once we go up this road of souls, there will be no return," she interrupted. A confused frown materialized on his face. Before he could question her, she continued. "Yes, the signet is up there. But that cannot be the only thing..." She glanced to the side, her eyes narrowed in thought. "... perhaps it is our destiny that awaits us-"

"We're wasting time, Rose!" The entire group froze, eyes glancing from a seething Dart to a visibly shocked Rose. He had never yelled at her before. "We can't let my father win this time!"

Closing her agape mouth, Rose blinked. "Even if he arrives before us, he will not destroy the signet." She narrowed her eyes once more, this time in condescension. "He prefers an audience, if you haven't realized it yet."

"I'm not going to take that chance," Dart shot back, clenching his fists. "I won't be tricked by him again."

"If you walk into this without being prepared, you will be tricked. Trust me, Dart."

Dart had always been grateful Rose had such amazing reflexes. Especially then, as he foolishly drew his sword. How bold she was to question him. They were saving the world dammit! They didn't have time to think when the fate of trillions rested on their actions! Enraged, his swung his blade, ignoring the shocked gasps and protests from his friends. "NO!" he growled his answer.

The sound of clashing metal pierced through the room, disturbing the spirits that swam about in the air.

Panting in anger, he stared into the dark eyes of the warrior who had provoked him. The same eyes that were always so cold and calculating. The same eyes that narrowed and taunted at the most dangerous monsters.

The same eyes he had so many times lovingly gazed into.

'What... the hell?' were his thoughts as Rose pushed him away, her rapier clenched in a shaking hand.

Albert had been the only one brave enough to intervene. Hours later, as they made their way out of the city and back to Zenebatos, he had quietly suggested to Dart that it was an evil spirit that made him lash out. Much like the spirit that controlled Lavitz, it was undoubtedly attracted to his anger and attempted to inhabit Dart. The king had beamed reassuringly at his deduction. Dart merely shivered.

Once aboard Coolon, Dart had requested the kindly winged creature to take each member wherever they wanted. They had one day to prepare: to say goodbyes, pray to the gods, make amends. Each member wholeheartedly agreed, save for Rose, who silently nodded and kept her attention on the horizon. She was the first to leave, asking to be dropped off in Ulara. As Coolon hovered above the entrance, she paused, glancing over her back at Dart. Just as it seemed their eyes would meet, she looked forward.

"You must have no regrets." Her mutter was barely audible, yet it echoed throughout the hallways of Dart's mind. He watched in sadness as she leaped off the side of Coolon's wing, cursing at himself for his silence.

Haschel was the next to leave, returning to Rogue. Suprisingly, Kongol offered to follow, seemingly interested in the tropical island of fighters and reluctant to return to his bandit ravished homeland. Then Albert in Fletz, no doubt to spend his time with Princess Emille. Meru and Miranda returned to Deningrad. Of course, Miranda would spend time with Queen Theresa and the other Sacred Sisters and Meru with her family in the Forest of the Winglies; however, Dart was troubled as he rested with Coolon at the river that snaked through the Evergreen Forest. Rose's words swam through his head, much like the river.

"You must have no regrets," he muttered quietly. Right after Albert arrived in Fletz, Dart was to be the next on dropped off. Seles seemed like the obvious place for him to return to. He knew he would be welcome, even by Shana's parents, who had been kept from the truth of their daughter's disappearance. Yet as they continued on and debated who would be next, he kept silent as Meru's excitement at being reunited with her parents became evident.

Watching as Coolon drank from the cold river, Dart sighed, earning the attention of the beast. "You are having trouble deciding where to be taken, no?" he articulated in his low, rich voice.

Dart looked to the ground, crouching down near the bank of the river. "Not really," he tried to assure him. Looking at his reflection, he blinked wearily, aware of his tired, dejected tone.

Closing his eyes, the dragon-like creature flapped his wings gently, levitating just high enough to move under the shade of a nearby tree. "Your countenance betrays you," he grunted, mirroring Dart's thoughts. "Have you no home to return to?"

Dart quickly shook his head. "I do, actually."

"Then you are uneasy about returning?"

"... something like that." Slowly, Dart shifted onto his bottom, folding his arms and propping them on his knees. He closed his eyes and breathed in the sweet scents of the forest, trying his hardest to sort out his emotions without getting frustrated. An hour of silence went by as he pondered what he should do. 'It doesn't make sense', he told himself. 'Seles is my home. It's where I grew up. It's where my friends are.'

You must have no regrets.

Dart frowned, for the first time actually trying to forget Rose's words. How they haunted him. It was probably his punishment for losing control in Mayfil. He shuddered as he remembered the rage she had made him feel. Or was it the evil spirits? As desperate as he was to accept Albert's words, a frightening part of himself would not be contented with such an explanation.

'What if... I wanted to do that?' His thoughts immediately went back to their fight in the Death Frontier, just days after Rose was revealed to be the Black Monster.

When he really tried to kill her.

Even after he refused, stating that she was no longer the Black Monster, he wondered if he had done the right thing. The Black Monster was his enemy, he had told himself his whole life. It slaughtered his family and friends. It decimated his home.

And yet, it... she had traveled with him. Protected him when attacked by the dragon Feyrbrand. Held him after he drowned in the Illissa Bay. Kept quiet as he constantly called her alter ego a monster. Rolled her eyes whenever he inadvertently vowed to murder her. Cried as she wished for nothing more than to forget the horrible role assigned to her over eleven millenia ago. And he had forgiven her and comforted her. He had pitied her and apologized to her.

He had made love to her.

Slowly, Dart opened his eyes, patient as he waited for them to adjust. Looking in the sky, he calculated the time: no more than an hour past noon. Glancing over at Coolon, he was startled to see the creature's eyes upon him.

"Have you decided?" he said simply.

Dart nodded. "Yes. I'm going home."

"It is in the country Serdio, correct? I can fly there in less than three hours."

Standing up, Dart dusted off his pants. He knew he had to act fast before this sudden burst of resolve escaped him. "No," he muttered. "There's another place I call home."

Kasidy... what are you doing... KASIDY... STAHP IT!

... WHAT IS IT WITH ME AND THIS GAME! O.O;;

OKAY. This has to be last one. I've got two more chapters planned for this, as well as "A Dragon's Memory." Then I'm done with LoD. DONE. I need to find another "game with so much potential but has left out a lot of plot and character developement so it's easy to make fan fiction" game.

Also, if you didn't take note of the description, this is a sequel of sorts to "Let Me Love You", so I don't want anyone PMing me all surprised at the fact that Dart and Rose have made love =w=;; In fact, in all my stories, it is very obvious that I love DartxRose. So no being surprised by now if you've read previous ones! XD