"I-I need you Dias, without you I feel so alone". He sighed deeply. "I know you see it as a weakness, but truly, I need you in my life Dias. Of all the people in this world, the one I trust most is you. I've seen the way you look at Claude, but he's not a bad person. You should trust me when I say there's no need for you to hate him so."

"Claude has no place in this conversation Rena," he said in a deadly whisper. "I won't stop hating him any time soon and you just have to accept that fact."

"I just can't stand seeing you with such hatred in your eyes. You're such a kind and caring person-," Dias lowered Rena back onto the bed and sat with his head in his hands.

"I'm not Rena. You're mistaken". She sat up so she was level with him.

"You are Dias. Beneath your tough exterior there's still the boy who used to play with me in the forest and calm me down after I had a nightmare."

"He's been gone for a long time now, Rena." Her blue eyes began to fill with tears once more.

"Do you know what I used to dream about?" he lifted his head from his hands and looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face. He had wondered more than once about what had made her wake up screaming when they were younger. "I used to dream about the stars. I'd see their birth, and then watch as they began to form constellations. Slowly slowly the stars grew, some became planets and others grew larger still until eventually they collapsed under their own weight. To watch time pass by with no means of altering it, it-its like a slow torture. I watched the ages of this universe come to pass and yet I did not age a day." She wiped away a few tears from her small face. "I'm 300 million years old Dias. I'm older than Expel itself. My parents are dead. Every Nedian who knew of my existence is dead. I am more alone in this world than you could ever imagine. When I arrived in Arlia all I had was Westa you and Cecille. My mother and your sister are g-gone, and n-now I'm going to lose you too." He wrapped his arms around her, as she could no longer control her sobs.

"I had no idea, Rena," he whispered, stroking her hair. "I can't imagine what it must have been like for you, only 4 years old at the time…" she sniffed quietly.

"But, w-when I'm with you I forget all that. I smile just like any other 17 year old and no one would ever know that I h-hurt inside." He looked down into her bloodshot eyes and smiled weakly.

"I can't give you what you want, what you need Rena. I'm not a saviour or a knight in shining armour. I couldn't even protect my own family from a group of bandits. Claude is the one that can give you what you deserve, Rena. For my sake, let him look after you. I'm so sorry…but I just cant be who you want me to be." Her eyes widened in shock as he stood up and turned to leave.

"Dias! No." She stood up abruptly and ran to the door, slamming it and throwing her small arms out to either side. He lowered his face to hers and whispered

"Please Rena, let me leave. I've caused you enough pain in your life and the time has finally come for me to leave the picture. You and Claude will be happy together and able to build a future. You'll be better off without me here."

"No, STOP LYING TO ME DIAS! YOU'VE ALWAYS BEEN SO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT I NEED AND WHAT I WANT. YOU NEED TO STOP SILENCING YOURSELF.ISN'T IT ABOUT TIME YOU LISTEN TO WHAT YOU WANT? And if…" she lowered her head and let her sapphire hair fall over her face. "If you want to leave and never speak to me again I'll understand. But-but first I need to tell you one thing." She took a shuddering breath and held her face up, meeting his chestnut eyes that seemed glazed in a torrent of thought. "I love you." His face twitched ever so slightly and she somehow found the courage to continue. "I've loved you since the day we met and I'll love you till the day I die, even if I never see you again from this day. And now that you know," she stepped aside from the door. "You can leave". There was silence for a few minutes as Dias considered the impact of her words. He loved her, but he knew she deserved only the best and that he wasn't it. What would he do if he lost her? If they never spoke again? Could he live without his 'little sister' by his side? Her blue eyes were watching him with a longing he had never witnessed before. She loved him…

"You realise that if-if we were. Together… It would be difficult. It wouldn't be like in the fairytales" But her face gave an expression which clearly said 'I don't care'. He lowered his face to hers as she placed her hands against his chest. The kiss seemed to last for hours, or perhaps days? As their lips parted Dias fixed Rena with a warm smile. "I love you Rena, with all my heart...and no matter what we'll make this work" She pressed a finger lightly to his lips. "I know"

A/N: This won't be the last chapter, I still have the fun of writing what happens when they go down to breakfast and Claude finds out...oopsy. Anyway so pleaaaaase review if you like it or hate it !!!!!