Title: What Was Once Lost

Genre/Rating: Family, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort. (T)

Setting: Morgan's Recruitment.

Characters: Lucina, Morgan, Skye, Chrom.

Summary: Years had passed since the last time Lucina had seen her little brother's face, and her heart ached every time she thought of the promise she had failed to keep to the trusting young boy who had once climbed into bed with her when the nightmares became too much for his tender heart. She missed the smiling, eager youth she had shared her short but happy childhood with, and every day she hated herself more and more for breaking the vow she had made to keep him safe, and to never leave his side.

Small feet padded silently across the sprawling bedroom, and with a quiet grunt of exertion, the owner of those feet pulled himself up and onto the spacious bed that rested opposite of his own. The bed's occupant slept on, oblivious to his presence, and as carefully as he possibly could, he shuffled over to her. He reached to gently touch her shoulder, his hands trembling with a mixture of apprehension and need, and his voice was quiet, almost a whimper as he called for his older sister, "Lucina...?"

A sleepy grumble answered his wish, and he watched silently as the bigger form of his sister twisted about underneath the sheets. For a heart-stopping moment, the young boy thought perhaps she wouldn't wake up at all, but his worries were unfounded as a pair of sea-blue eyes, so much his his father's, finally blinked open. Even in the dark he could see the discontent in his sister's face as she realized she had been woken up in the middle of the night, and her voice was sharp as she rubbed sleepily at her eyes and scolded him, "Morgan...? What are you doing up? It's too late to play."

Morgan said nothing, merely sitting up and putting his hands into his lap and looking down, and Lucina's grumpy tirade stopped before it could truly begin. The older sister blinked several more times, allowing her eyes to adjust to the darkness of their bedroom, and she gazed at her brother in concern as she noted the way he was slouching and breathing deeply. His eyes were shining, wide and frightened, and Lucina felt her ire melting away to be replaced with warmth as she understood. Lifting the sheet to welcome her brother underneath, she spoke quietly, softly, "Did you have a scary dream again?"

Without a word the young prince scuttled underneath the blankets, pressing himself firmly into Lucina's welcoming arms, and she hugged him close as she felt the wetness of his tears on her neck. His slim form was trembling with the force of his fright, and she tightened her hold obediently on him to reassure him that as long as he was with her, he was safe. Pressing a clumsy kiss to the top of his head as she had seen and felt her mother do so many times before when she was soothing their upset, Lucina held Morgan close as she murmured, "It's okay, Morgan... You're safe now. I've got you."

Tears flowed fast and free down Morgan's face as he clung desperately to her, and his body shook with broken sobs as the fright and grief of his dream threatened to break him apart. Lucina held him tight through it all, petting his hair comfortingly, and he was glad for her warmth that was always nearby. Ever since his earliest memory he had never had to look far to find her, and it was only in her arms that he found safety and comfort when their parents were away from the castle.

With the damp of his crying still staining his reddened face, Morgan pulled away to look intently at his sister's expression. He squinted through the night, reading the honest concern and love in the face only two years older then his, and though he knew she had never once told him a lie, he couldn't stop himself from asking for reassurance. His young voice was full of challenge and longing, both a signal of his fear and desire for comfort as he asked her, "Do you promise? Forever and ever?"

Lucina nodded at once, her protective instincts for the young one in her arms flaring up high and daring the world to ever try to harm her little brother. Her mother and father had always stressed her role as the older sibling, that it was her duty to look after the boy who had been born after her, and Lucina had never once considered doing otherwise. She spoke in her best solemn voice, mimicking the way her father spoke as best she could to better give Morgan comfort as she promised, "Forever and ever, Morgan. You'll always be safe with me."

For the first time since he had woken up in a cold sweat with his heart pounding out of control in his head, Morgan felt himself smiling. It was a tremulous and tearful expression, but the icy claw of terror that had been wrapping around his chest was being melted by the heat of his sister's arms, and her fierce devotion to him. She answered the smile at once, loving and tender and proud, and Morgan snuggled up close as he knew she wouldn't tell him to sleep in his own bed now that he had been comforted. Her arms loosened just enough to let him get comfortable and close, and he mumbled into her shoulder as he gave her a gentle squeeze, "Remember that you promised, Lucina..."

"I will never forget, Morgan."

The memory was not new to the young princess as she came back to reality with a flinch, and Lucina heaved a quiet sigh as she gazed at the strips of bandaging she had been busy tying around her forearm before she had been lost in her reverie. The sounds of her comrades, both from her own time and the past, filled the empty ruins that had been their location of battle that day, and Lucina shook her head a little as her heart throbbed with that all-too-familiar feeling of guilt and self-loathing for her acute failure to keep her promise.

It had been years since she had last glimpsed Morgan's face, long, long years ago when the only duty she had known was caring for the little brother she loved so much. Like their parents before him, he had simply vanished from the castle, and no guard, maid, or comrade could explain how he had disappeared. Theories had been tossed about wildly, and Lucina had led more then one fruitless search for her brother, but when the war reached their doorstep and friends and family began to fall on the battlefield, there had been no choice but to move forward.

Forcing herself to continue with her doctoring, Lucina gritted her teeth tightly as she reminded herself that even though she had failed in her own time, she could still succeed in keeping her unborn brother safe. If the future she had come from was diverted it would leave her family safe, and that alone was the only way she could make it up to the brother she had broken her promise to. The thought was a bittersweet one, but it was the only solace she had, and she had to take it lest the guilt crush her before she could succeed.

Her thoughts were interrupted by approaching footfall, and recognizing the crisp and even step of her mother, Lucina looked up at once. Her greeting was stillborn as she took in the intense, serious and troubled look on the brunette tactician's face, and automatically Lucina pushed herself to her feet as everything else was forgotten. It was rare that she saw her mother look such a way, not when Skye's true character was a smiling and somewhat mischievous woman, and Lucina felt a pulse of fear as she worried that perhaps something had gone wrong without her knowledge to one of their friends. "Mother? Has something happened? Is someone hurt?"

The immediate question softened the crease in Skye's brow for a moment, but that look of intensity didn't fade even as she shook her head slowly to relieve Lucina's fear. However, she didn't sit alongside her daughter, but instead remained standing, her arms folded about herself and her dark chocolate-brown eyes hard but troubled. She ran a hand tiredly through her tousled curls, showing a still-bleeding gash on her cheek that she hadn't bothered to treat, but Lucina failed to find it a concern as Skye shook her head again, inhaled deeply and then met her gaze. Her voice was low, questioning, and there was a hint of anger mixed with a longing desire to understand as she asked her daughter slowly, seriously, "Lucina... Why did you never tell us about your brother?"

Lucina staggered as the question struck her like a physical blow, and she was only numbly aware of Skye catching her by the shoulders and steadying her with a surprised exclamation. Gratefully leaning into her mother's hand, Lucina shook her head as her heart began racing out of control in her ears. Fear for her lies and the never-ending self-hatred made her body quiver despite her best efforts, and she swallowed convulsively as she asked her mother hoarsely, "How did you know about Morgan?"

Skye said nothing for a long moment, her hands gentle despite the frustration in her eyes, and she carefully eased her daughter back onto the broken column that she had been using as a seat a few moments beforehand. She knew her words had greatly shocked her child, but the reasoning why still eluded her, and she had already decided she would not answer any questions Lucina had until her own had been satisfied. Still, she couldn't remain angry when she saw the profound effect mentioning the boy had on her, and her voice softened greatly as she replied, "First tell me why you never said anything about him, Lucina. You had both your father and I believing you were an only child. Why?"

Knowing she owed her mother an answer, Lucina tried to breathe properly so that she could speak. Her body continued to shiver, and her mother wrapped an arm about her shoulders to keep her steady, and though she felt a traitor by accepting it, Lucina couldn't help but lean again into her side for comfort. She shook her head slowly, tears burning in her eyes as she remembered all of those times she had held her brother close and promised him that even though their parents were gone that he still had her, and she answered her mother brokenly as her head bowed and her voice cracked, "I... I failed him, Mother... He... He was gone, long before we decided to come back in time to prevent Grima's return. He just vanished when we were children. We looked everywhere for him, but the war... and the Risen... We couldn't... It was...!"

Skye gritted her teeth together as she watched Lucina press her hand to her mouth as tears burned their way down her cheeks. Understanding made her entire body ache as her daughter succumbed to guilt that she had no right to feel, and wordlessly, Skye pulled her child close and kissed the top of her head. Hating herself for failing her children so completely, Skye swallowed back the painful lump in her throat that made her eyes sting with tears of her own. She held Lucina tightly, supporting her as she tried her best not to sob outright, and she spoke softly, soothingly into her daughter's navy-blue hair, "It's okay, Lucina... You didn't do anything wrong. You had too many duties on your shoulders, and you did what you felt you had to. That is nothing to be ashamed of..."

"I broke my promise to keep him safe. I swore that he'd always be all right as long as I lived and breathed... and I failed." Lucina shook her head slowly, denying her mother's comfort as much as she wished she could take it to soothe her hurt. Raising a hand, she brushed angrily at her eyes, hating herself for her weakness as she knew she deserved the pain she felt for her broken promises. Confusion returned to her as she looked up at her mother and wondered how she had known, and she asked tentatively, not sure if she wanted to know the answer, "But, Mother... How did you... know about Morgan?"

Skye bit on her lower lip, her dark eyes flickering with emotion, and she shook her head almost as if she didn't want to answer. Her daughter's honesty however would not allow her to be so selfish as to not explain, and she reached to gently wipe away a tear her daughter hadn't caught as she explained in a quiet voice, "Lucina... I want you to listen very carefully. In the ruins today, you were fighting in a different area than your father and I... and while we were combing the paths, we... came across someone. A young man. He didn't remember anything from the time he woke up, sprawled not too far from these ruins... Nothing... save me. He had your father's hair, and my eyes... and he called me 'mother'."

Lucina's eyes widened in alarm, and for a moment she was ready to leap to her feet and run, though she wasn't entirely sure where. Her body began to tremble with a mixture of fear, relief, joy and shock, and she stared, uncomprehending at her mother's pained frown. She didn't understand, and she found her stomach clenching tightly from the force of her emotion and confusion. Taking in several deep breaths to calm the sudden upset, Lucina forced herself to find a centre of calm so she could ask her mother tightly, "Y-You... found him here...? H-He's... all right...?"

"As far as I can tell, yes. He came out of the battle better than most of us did... He's pretty handy with that tome he was carrying." Skye reassured her gently, and seeing that the news was doing much more of a number on her daughter then it had on her or Chrom, the dark-haired tactician squeezed Lucina close to her side again. She fought back the urge to grind her teeth angrily at the injustice of it all, and she felt a surge of loathing for the Fell Dragon who had so effortlessly broken apart her family, and left her children helpless without her. Her hand was soothing as it ran down her daughter's hair, and she continued warmly as she sensed Lucina's conflicting emotions, "He's also a rather blithe spirit, despite everything... And he wants to see you."

Tensing even though the words shouldn't have surprised her, Lucina was aware of dual urges that made her freeze up without thinking. She wanted nothing more then to see with her own eyes that her brother was alive and well as her mother claimed he was, but another part of her was content to sit where she was and refuse to accept it. She had given him up for dead so long ago, had abandoned him to an unknown fate, and she was aware of a crippling horror as she wondered at his lack of memory, and his arrival in the past. 'Was it... my fault...? If I'd looked harder... would he... have been okay...? How can I face him after failing him so completely? He has every right to blame me for his current condition... How can I ever look at him again and not feel guilty?'

As if she could hear the thoughts running through Lucina's head, Skye gently but firmly placed her hand on her cheek and turned her face to hers. Her dark eyes glinted with anger, and her expression was stern as she leaned down to touch noses with her daughter. The pain in her child's face made her ache, but she refused to cede to her own emotions when she saw Lucina in so much distress. She kept her voice quiet but intense, knowing that it would force Lucina to listen to her when she began seriously, "Lucina, don't. You have more then enough on your shoulders right now, and the last thing you need is another imaginary burden to weigh you down. Do not blame yourself for what happened to your brother. We may never know what brought him here, and what happened since you were separated, but that is not a burden you have to bear. You did all that you could, long before any sort of duty should have been put on you, and no one is ever going to say that you should have done more. You were a child, Lucina. And no child should ever have had to suffer what you and your friends did."

"But, Mother-"

"No." Skye cut her off sharply, and she took Lucina's face in her hands before shaking her head firmly to emphasize her finality. After a beat of silence her expression softened, and she leaned forward, gently pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead before she pulled her close and into a firm embrace. Pressing her face against her hair and squeezing her to her chest, Skye spoke tenderly, allowing her love to win out over her temper as she murmured, "I won't stand for it, do you hear me? I left you alone in your future, and couldn't help you when you needed me the most... but now you're here, right in front of me, and I am not going to make the same mistake as the me in your time did. I love you, and I am not going to let you do this to yourself."

Though she wanted to protest, wanted to keep bearing the cross she believed was hers, Lucina felt the icy heartache in her chest melting against her mother's passion. Closing her eyes tightly, the navy-haired princess nuzzled as close as she could into Skye's arms and savoured the strength in the embrace. She felt safe in those tight arms, and her hurts seemed miles away as she inhaled her mother's scent, roses and parchment paper, and allowed herself to relax. She nodded slowly, swallowing her heartache and saving it somewhere secret and safe for another day, before she lifted her chin and murmured, "Very well, Mother... I understand. I may not agree completely, but I do understand. You win for today."

"That's better then nothing, I guess..." Skye sighed with a mixture of exasperation and frustration, but her voice was soft despite her words. She leaned down to press another kiss to the top of her daughter's hair, and then stood up before offering Lucina her hand. The young princess took it without hesitation, and Skye pulled her to her feet before they left the broken column and began to venture together through their former battlefield. Skye was aware of Lucina's hand tightening about hers, refusing to let go and asking for silent support, and the brunette tactician smiled, happy to give her anything she needed after all she had been through.

The hold abruptly became fierce and crushing as they rounded a corner that gave way to a small alcove, and Skye disguised her wince well as her daughter halted abruptly at her side. Lucina became numb to everything as she stared at the unfamiliar form seated beside her father, and she felt her breath catch as her eyes fell on the similar-looking cloak he wore that seemed like a mirror's design of her mother's. Her heart stopped as she heard her mother call out softly, her voice already full of a similar warmth that told Lucina that even though she had just met her son that she already loved him with every ounce of her being, "Morgan."

The young boy stiffened at the call, and both he and Chrom looked up at once at Skye's voice. A broad smile curled at the tactician-in-training's face at the sight of his mother, and he stood up immediately before halting in surprise. His dark brown eyes, so much like his mother's, blinked twice as he realized she wasn't alone, and he tilted his head to the side in a confused gesture as he looked uncertainly to Skye, and then over his shoulder to Chrom.

'He's grown... so big...' Lucina thought numbly as she gazed at her younger brother, and her heart gave a furious throb inside of her chest as she realized that he had became tall enough to reach her equally in height now. He wore a blade at his waist, and a quick look at its sheath and hilt told her that he was well-versed in wielding it. A fitted pouch about his belt also spoke of a tome he carried, and she remembered her mother's remark that he was skilled in magic. She ached imagining the brightly smiling boy she had grown up with being so capable on the battlefield, but words seemed to fail her as she took him in and saw the child she remembered well within the teenager's face.

She watched the confusion crease her younger brother's brow, and he looked again from Chrom to her as a frown spread across lips much more accustomed to smiling. His head remained tilted for a moment, his tense posture relaxed, and a hint of a smile curled at his mouth despite the lack of recognition in his expression. His voice was quiet, hesitant but still full of that same light warmth that made Lucina's heart throb with nostalgic pain when he called questioningly, slowly, "Lucina...?"

"Lucina, Lucina! Come and play with me, Lucina!"

Lucina only felt her feet pulling her away from her mother's side, and her hand slid free of Skye's grip before she was aware of what she was doing. For a split instant she hoped that her body was taking her away from her brother, that she was fleeing for safety against the strangeness that was this past world, but her heart betrayed her mind and took her forward in an abrupt sprint she couldn't control. She didn't think, only acted, and before she could regain control she had thrown her arms tightly around the surprised boy and pulled him close with a soft, broken whisper, "Morgan!"

The boy stiffened in alarm at the sudden embrace, his arms reaching up automatically to return it before he froze in confusion. He looked helplessly over Lucina's head at his mother, but she didn't react to his silent plea for aid and left him to flounder on his own. After a moment, he allowed himself to relax, and slowly, hesitantly, he wound his arms as carefully as he possibly could about the slightly trembling princess. He spoke weakly, still reeling from the feeling of her embrace yet somehow knowing it was right for him to be on the receiving end of it, "I-I'm sorry... I don't... Y-You are Lucina, right...? Y-You're my... older sister...?"

"Yes." Lucina whispered hoarsely into his shoulder as her arms tightened fiercely about his waist to hold him more firmly to her. Though the words sunk through her momentary joy to be holding her brother again and reminded her that he was as painfully lost as she was, she still couldn't help but feel comfort in his solid warmth. He was there for her to embrace, to feel, which only confirmed that she was in no dream and that he was real. It felt strange to be confirming such a thing to him, after all of the times she had comforted him with that fact alone, but she took the fact as she knew she had to as she answered him in a weak murmur, "Yes, I am you're older sister..."

"I'm sorry..." Morgan's voice was shaky and apologetic as his arms suddenly squeezed tightly about her, and she heard the small, tremulous break deep within as she sensed his honest pain. The confusion was at war with that warm altruism she had always known her brother to have, and even as he was aching, he still repeated his apology in a hoarse voice, "I'm sorry... I don't... I don't remember you... I'm sorry..."

Shaking her head even though she was touched by his contrition, Lucina forced a smile to her face and pulled away from him so she could look clearly into his eyes. There were tears sparkling deep in the dark chocolate pools that he had inherited from Skye, and hidden beneath them, though it was difficult to see, Lucina could still glimpse that brand that was so much like hers in his opposite eye. He was her brother, she knew it beyond a shadow of a doubt, and nothing mattered in that instant but the fact that he was in front of her, in her arms, and okay. She shook her head again, allowing her smile to grow before she answered him softly, gently in reply to his contrition, "It doesn't matter, Morgan... I'm just... so happy that you're all right... that you're here..."

Morgan swallowed audibly, searching for something to say before the smallest hint of a hesitant but warm smile began to curl at his lips. Her words were earnest, and he could feel as much as he could see that she was beyond delighted to see him again even if he was without his memory of her, or their father. His eyes stung with tears, but he felt warmth, a strange sense of completeness that he knew his sister was sharing when he returned her nod. The lack of memory did nothing to stop the feelings of being home, being safe amongst strangers, and he replied with a hoarsely little chuckle he couldn't quite stop, "I-I'm happy I'm here, too..."

Laughing brokenly at the weak jab for humour that somehow made the rest of her pain bearable, Lucina again threw her arms about her brother and held him tightly. He returned the embrace for all he was worth, squeezing desperately and burying his face in her hair, and it was dear to her even as the breath left her at his force. His strength surprised her faintly, reminded her that her little brother had grown so much since she had last seen him, but as they clung together she found it to be of little consequence. The passage of time, the loss of his memories meant nothing against the fact that they were still family, that he still needed her to keep him grounded, and she could hear his shaky breathing as he fought back sobs, something that only confirmed that fact.

Curling her fingers into the back of his cloak, Lucina let him squeeze her tight even as her lungs ached for breath. She needed the embrace as much as he did, as the navy-haired princess wasn't sure if his amnesia was her fault, and her mother's words that they may never know what brought him to them in such a state was no balm to her guilt-ridden heart. She knew she had failed him, and though the extent wasn't as terrible as it could have been if he was still there for her to comfort, she would never forget that fact. Still, her arms tightened about her brother, and a defiant sort of recklessness filled her from head to toe as she dared the world to ever try to make her repeat her past mistakes. His return to her, to their family, was a second chance unlooked for, and one she would clutch with both hands. She was a little girl no longer, and she had the strength she needed to ensure that this time, her family would survive the hell that had come at them in the form of a dragon with fangs bared and eyes blazing.

She glimpsed her mother coming to her father's side over Morgan's shoulder, and watched as Skye's hand slipped into Chrom's and delivered a squeeze. There was a look of pained pride shining on her face, a bittersweet happiness that made her dark eyes glint and her lips thin, but still she allowed her children to have their moment, knowing that they needed it much more then they would ever speak aloud. Grateful for their understanding, and allowing it to soothe just a little of her pain, Lucina pressed her face into Morgan's shoulder, speaking quietly but firmly and with every ounce of the conviction that made her strong as she repeated the promise she had failed to keep before but now would never fail again, "It's okay, Morgan... You're safe now. I've got you."

AN:

... Nope. Not much to say here, really. I just... couldn't do very much about this, for some weird reason. I tried really hard, but... Yeah. This fic just isn't up to my standard, and I do not know why. I guess I just gotta try harder. -frowns and absently kicks my laptop- I will figure it out in due time, I suppose. Sibling fics are HARD! -grumpy-

So, this came from a very long ago conversation I had with Michiru Shiroku (If you haven't read her work you need to close this fic immediately, search her name, and read her fics. Right. Now. What are you still doing reading this? OFF WITH YOU! -shoos with a broomstick-) about our favourite amnesiac son or daughter. So little is given to everybody about Morgan, so theories and guesses are everywhere... and this one happens to be mine. And it's not even that detailed of a theory. XD I really just wanted to write Morgan's appearance from Lucina's point-of-view, especially since her support with her brother doesn't touch on the fact that he has amnesia like the sibling supports Female Morgan has. And that has to be just as much of a painful thought for her to carry as it does for any of Female Morgan's potential siblings, so... Yup, I had to do this.

Plus, Lucina is a very... driven young woman, who carries a lot of burdens on her shoulders that she shouldn't. I cannot see her not blaming herself for her little brother's condition, and being both elated and terrified to see him this way. It really is a Lucina-centric fic at the end of things, which isn't really how I planned to do this, but... Well, I wanted to write it, and the Exalted family needed a bit more love after all the TikixCail stuff I've been doing.

Which by the way, I'm sorry for. -ducks incoming pillows- I know, I'm mean. And I should stop being mean. But I swear, if I'm not mean to one pairing, I'll end up being mean to another, and that's not exactly what I wanna do, you know? -laughs- But, I promised more focus on the Exalted family... I just warn you that said focus won't always be nice and fluffy like "Sun-kissed Mornings", you know? -ducks other incoming objects-

Anyway, so, after this, I believe... I am doing a Severa and Owain story, one that branches off of "By The Springs". I have been getting harassed to do this bridge, and have finally decided that I may as well give it a shot. -laughs- So, expect that from me sometime, though I'm not entirely sure when. Writing has kind of hit a wall for me lately, and it's not been easy to surmount. Still, I love my writing and I love my couples, so I will work on it.

PS: I just keep running into laptop troubles. I'm hoping to get a repair done soon, but I can't say much about when or how much it'll cost, or how long I won't have a computer for. Gods know if it's for more then a week that I probably will lose my head entirely. -sheepish laugh- This thing is my lifeline... and I can't ever go that long without writing, either... Still, if I don't get this blasted problem with the screen fixed, I may just snap and break the damn laptop, so... Better to grin and bear it then have nothing but paper to write on, you know? I shall keep you guys in the loop as things happen!

So, as always, please leave a review if you feel the need, and happy reading you guys! :3

Mood: Disappointed.

Listening To: "Centuries" - Fallout Boy

~ Sky