A/N: Well I have a feeling that I should have been a little more specific and let everyone know that this is not, in fact, a one shot. That being said here is part two, and there are going to be one or two more parts to this story in the future, it all depends on how things pan out. This entry is a little shorter than the last one, but hopefully it's more short and sweet than cut off and insufficient. Either way I hope you all enjoy this part, and also if you haven't read KS Reynard's one shot In Loving Memory, part of Regret and Resolution go read it! It'll bring a tear to your eye but, hopefully, it'll make you appreciate this story just a bit more.

The Sands Resort

"Fox! Are you almost done packing? We need to go in a few minutes!"

Fox glanced at his bedroom door as the sound of Fara's voice floated up from downstairs. He had checked his bags, he had everything he would need, clothes, toothbrush, sunglasses, everything needed for a trip to a resort in the middle of Lylat's hottest desert. Except...

Sitting down at the edge of the bed he took the photo of Krystal in his hand. He was going to be on Titania for about a week, plus two days to get there and back on the passenger liner, that would be nine days sleeping in a bed other than the one he had slept in every night for more than a year. Fara had always slept at his house when they wanted to be intimate, it made him feel more comfortable to wake up and see the photograph he was holding.

"We should go away sometime, someplace with just the two of us..."

Those were the words Fara had used when suggesting they go on a vacation together. Fox knew that she would never begrudge him taking along the photo but something in him wondered if that would be against the spirit of her request. She wanted him to move on, but was he ready yet to move on completely? A familiar voice in his mind decided to give him an answer.

Ready or not you have to move on Fox, I don't have to be there every moment, let it be just the two of you, really just the two of you. It will make it special for both of you, and she'll appreciate it.

Fox smiled, he knew that wasn't really Krystal speaking to him, but he would never forget that voice, so clear and so subtle sometimes. He had known Krystal so well, so well that he knew exactly how she thought, and when he heard her voice it always seemed to have a mind of its own.

I don't want to cut you out of my life. He responded.

And you won't be, you'll be letting Fara into your life, completely. You love her now, and you love me still, let her be with you and you alone, don't always make her sit there with me in the background. Let her have you to herself, let her make love to you without me watching, let her have what she wants, and let yourself have what you need.

Fox smiled, Would it make you happy?

That isn't important, but yes.

Fox considered it for a moment before opening the drawer in his bedside stand and pulling out a small velvet box, it was time to move on, and it was time to really begin his new life. Quickly stowing it in his pocket he glanced one more time at the photo, Krystal would be thrilled with what he was planning.

"Fox?"

Fox looked over and saw Fara standing in the doorway, she was wearing a little white dress, one of her favorites now that he remembered. He could see she was looking at the photo in his hands. Smiling he set it back in its place and grabbed his suitcase. "I'm ready."

As he took her hand she asked, "Are you sure you have everything?"

Fox smiled and kissed her gently, "I have you, so yeah, everything."

Fara smiled back and hugged him tightly before saying, "Oh I love you Fox."

"Love you too." Fox answered as he hugged her back as well as he could with a suitcase in one hand. "Now come on, time to go to where the sand never ends."

"How do you stand it?"

Fara opened her eyes and looked up from where she was sunbathing in a small sand dune, wearing nothing but a rather skimpy bikini she regarded Fox as he sat next to her in a lawn chair. "You'll have to be more specific."

Fox drank from a cup full of iced tea and replied, "The heat, the sand, the sun. I'm roasting Fara."

Fara smiled, "All three of those things are a fennec fox's best friend. Besides, my ears help a lot."

Fox looked at her curiously, his ears perked and his eyebrows raised. "What do you mean?"

"They give me more than just an excellent sense of hearing. Put your hands over them."

Fox got up from his lawn chair and kneeled in the sand next to her, placing his hands near her ears his eyes widened and he quickly pulled them back, "Wow that's hot!"

Fara grinned, "They're currently venting excess heat from my body, remember my species evolved for deserts like this. In fact you'll notice the clientele of the resort." Fara motioned around at the rest of the people lazing about in small sand dunes, lawn chairs, and couches around the pool. Almost all of them were fennec foxes.

"Yeah I noticed I seem to be the only red here."

Fara's grin widened, "And I have him all to myself." Using her hands she pulled him into a kiss. She knew that at that moment, in front of all these people, the fact that Fox McCloud was being pulled into a kiss by a scantily clad vixen was probably raising his temperature beyond what was healthy for him. She didn't relent however, why should she? They were in love after all. When they finally stopped she just said, "You really are hot."

Fox smiled a bit sheepishly and replied, "From the sun definitely."

"Do you want to go inside?"

"No. I have a better idea."

Fara was about to ask him what it was when he lifted her up in his arms, ran the short distance to the pool, and then hopped in. Fara couldn't help but let out a little scream before she became overwhelmed with giggles. She had honestly not been expecting that. As she floated next to him in the water she smiled and said, "That was naughty not telling me what you were going to do."
Fox grinned, "What are you going to do about it?"

Fara pushed herself up on his shoulder to whisper in his ear, as she detailed his punishment she felt Fox's ambient temperature rise. Oh did she have this tod wrapped right around her little finger. She finished with a, "You'll be walking funny for a week when I'm done with you."

Fox just looked at her and said, "I don't think I've ever been with someone quite like you Fara."
"Except me at one point."

Fox nodded, "True I suppose, but you were a bit less...well creative in that aspect of things all those years ago."

Fara shrugged and floated on her back, "People change, and keep in mind we weren't anymore than teenagers fornicating without any idea what we were doing back then."

Fox floated next to her and said, "So I take it you've had a bit more experience since?"

Fara looked at him, "Well you weren't my only partner no, though I have the feeling you might end up being the last."
Fox smiled, "I'm glad to hear that."

Fara smiled back and put her arms around his shoulders, kissing his nose she replied, "And I'm happy to say it. Besides you're magnificent when I get you all riled up."

Fox blushed and folded his ears back, he had surprised even himself with the amount of abandon he and Fara had proceeded with since becoming intimate. Experimentation seemed to be the name of Fara's game these days, especially the past few days on Titania. "I hope we haven't been disturbing our neighbors here at the resort."

Fara grinned, "Oh I wouldn't worry, resorts like this tend to take into account the fact that people here are adults likely to be having a little wild fun. And since the clientele tends to be rather wealthy they also tend to be very discreet."
"You make me feel like I'm staying in a pretty scandalous place." Fox said, a twinkle in his eye.

Fara wagged her tail causing little currents to play through the water, "Well as you've no doubt found out I can be a rather scandalous vixen."

"Very true." Fox replied with a smile, "I think that's what I love most about you."

Fara smiled back, "Hmm, well then it's a good thing I can be imaginative with my scandal."

"Imaginative doesn't even begin to describe it Fara." Fox said with a tone of dramatic disbelief.

Fara just giggled at him, "I just enjoy having fun, after all you're only young once so it's best do it while you still can."

Fara noticed a shadow fall across Fox's face for a moment before he said, "Yeah, I'm realizing that now."

Putting a hand on his cheek ruff Fara asked, "You going to be all right?"

Fox smiled at her and said, "I will be, so long as I've got you."

Smiling back at him again Fara answered, "And you always will."

Fox and Fara sat on the balcony of their room at the Sands Resort gazing up at the stars. For a moment Fox's thoughts drifted to the times that he and Krystal had spent stargazing on the observation deck of the both of the Great Fox's. He could remember once remarking that the starlight looked beautiful in her eyes. Then he looked beside him and saw Fara, that beautiful fennec vixen with those big, almost goofy ears. And her fur, tan and sandy, perfect for the planet they were on. Perhaps she wasn't as exotic as Krystal had been but...

Fox, you should know better than to start comparing the two of us. It isn't fair, and besides, she's all you have now, stop brining me back into the equation.

Fox had to keep himself from jumping a bit at the unexpected sound of Krystal's voice. Sometimes he wondered at its capacity to jolt him back to reality, still though it had come in handy the past few months as he had built the relationship he had with Fara. It helped when the object of his grief refused to continue to let him mourn, Krystal, whether it was just his sub-conscious or not insisted that he continue to get on with his life. Too much time had been spent in grief and depression, he had a chance to be happy again now, and very few people got that chance twice like he had.

Reaching into his pocket he gripped the little black velvet box. Inside of it lay a diamond ring, a ring he had bought years ago with the intention of eventually giving it to Krystal. Back then though he had thought they had all the time in the world, he hadn't wanted to risk rushing things, and so he had never given it to her. Now though he realized that he couldn't afford to wait on things longer than necessary, Fara was here, they loved each other, and he didn't want to risk letting that slip away.

"Fara?"

Fara looked at him, "Hmm?"

Fox swallowed a bit nervously, he suddenly realized his mouth had gone dry. "I uh, I've been doing a lot of thinking the past few weeks."
Fara quirked an eyebrow, "You? Thinking?"

Fox rolled his eyes, "Haha. I do have a brain you know."

Fara smiled, "I know, I shouldn't tease. What were you thinking about?"
For a moment Fox considered lying, saying something else to avoid telling her what he wanted to say. It wasn't a rational desire, but Fox would be the first to admit that this sort of thing had never been his strong suit. It's ok Fox, you can do it, all you have to do is remember that it's what you want, and it's what you need. Have courage Fox, and courage is something I know you have, use it.

Buoyed by Krystal's encouragement Fox forged ahead. "Well I was thinking about the past." He noticed Fara's slightly concerned look, "Not in a bad way though, at least not in my opinion. But I realized that in my life I had a chance at being truly happy. The problem was I didn't act on it, and I lost that chance."

"Fox..."

Fara started to speak but Fox cut her off, "Listen Fara, I never thought I would get a second chance at that happiness, but life decided to be good to me, and I do have that chance again. The difference is now I know better than to let it escape." With that Fox got out of his chair and kneeled down in front of Fara, taking out the velvet box he opened it to reveal the diamond ring inside. "Fara Phoenix, will you marry me?"

Fox watched as Fara's expression went from worried, she had probably thought for a moment that he was going to break up with her, say that he wasn't really ready for this relationship after all, to a look of sheer joy as she nodded. "Yes Fox! Yes I will marry you."

Fox grinned and wagged his tail as he slipped the ring onto her finger. As soon as the ring was in place he pulled her out of her chair and into his arms. "Fara, thank you. I promise I'll do my best to make you happy."
Fara looked up at him and replied, "And I'll always do the same for you. We both got a second chance in a way, and I fully intend to make this one count. Now come on, I'm feeling scandalously happy."

"How scandalously?" Fox asked, his grin widening as she led him towards the suite's bedroom.

"Enough that I want you to order a somewhat unhealthy amount of champagne."

Fox smiled as he kicked the bedroom door shut behind him, "Actually..." He pointed towards the bedside table where a bottle of champagne sat in an ice bucket next to two glasses.

Fara glanced at him, a smile playing on her lips. "How did you know?"

You're welcome Fox. Smiling Fox said, "Let's just say my sense of intuition has improved a bit. That's not to say I wasn't afraid to ask, and afraid you would say no."

Fara walked over to the bottle, taking it out of the ice she took a moment to read the label before saying, "Good thing I said yes, because this is my favorite vintage. Come on, let's be scandalous."
Taking the bottle from her hand Fox kissed his new fiancée, life was almost perfect now.