Three weeks later…

Zidane ran his fingers through the long chestnut hair of his lover, their bodies entwined and moist with perspiration. Dagger's eyes were closed, her lips parted as she gently breathed in and out. Zidane treasured the site of her rising and falling chest, remembering to vividly when she had lain motionless in his arms.

"I love you" he whispered to her, watching her pink lips rise as she smiled.

"I think I defiantly made the right decision" she replied, "I was so afraid I would never see you again, let alone be able to touch you…"

Zidane pulled her closer to him, breathing in her scent and running his hand down her back. She tilted her head up to him and they began to kiss. Slowly at first, until the kiss became more passionate. Zidane rolled over so he was on top of her slender body, her hands on his arms, his back…

Suddenly she was gone, Zidane lay alone in his single bed and shivered at the memory of his dream. A dream he so wanted to make reality, to be able to hold Dagger and tell her how much he loved her. To show her he would never leave her again as he made love to her.

But it was not possible.

Dagger lay in the castle's medical bay recovering from her short demise. The doctors had begun to inform Zidane of her condition the day after they had returned. She had been refused food or water, left to freeze and tortured, the reasons why they did not yet know. Zorn and Thorn had used various spells to keep her docile and incapable of summoning.

Thankfully, Eiko had saved her life by casting 'Full-Life' just in time. She had remained unconscious for over a week but had finally woken feeling confused and exhausted. In the last few days she had become stronger and was able to sit up, speak and eat normally.

Zidane pulled himself out of his bed, he had spent the last three weeks sleeping in the spare room at Rubies Theatre. They had expanded to include accommodation for actors but since Rubies pregnancy had put a pause on her acting career it had become more of a home for the Tantalus Group.

He hadn't felt comfortable enough to stay at the castle, security had been raised to a maximum and even though he knew he had only been a suspect for kidnapping Dagger because of a spell, he still felt as though he didn't belong. He was no more then a lowly thief… one who didn't even belong to this world.

Dagger had all the protection she needed, all Zidane ever seemed to do was bring her more trouble. His emotions were constantly fighting each other, should he stay with her? Or should he leave? There hadn't been any trouble until he had turned up again. Would she still want him around?

"Yo, you've got a visitor!" Blank's voice carried down the hallway to Zidane room. He rubbed his eyes and dressed quickly in his usual white shirt and blue pants before leaving for the main room.

Sat on the furthest table was Freya, her hat pulled low over her eyes.

"Hey Freya, what's up?" Zidane's fake cheerful voice disgusted even himself.

"You weren't at Amarant's burial Zidane" She replied, her voice was low and she sat with an uncharacteristic slump.

"Not exactly a burial without a body is it…"

He was met with silence; Freya swallowed what was in the remainder of her cup before standing abruptly.

"You haven't even visited Dagger, it's been nearly a month…"

Zidane avoided her eyes which were examining him from under the red material of her hat, "Well… I thought she should have some time to recover… I wouldn't want to over excite her would I?"

"You have many annoying habits Zidane, cowardice and the ability to lie, even to yourself, were not ones I've seen before"

With that she pulled her coat tighter and left Zidane feeling even more ashamed, angry and confused.

Everybody seemed to think that he should be by Dagger's side. Couldn't they see that he just didn't fit in her cosy new world?

As he threw himself into Freya now empty chair, Ruby entered from behind the bar.

"You heard all that?" Zidane questioned.

"You bet I did, what's goin' on with you honey?"

She was being unusually patient, something that had been slowly disappearing as her pregnancy continued.

"You and Blank, how'd it feel when you realised you were going to be parents?"

She frowned and he could see her mulling her answer over in her mind, "Well, Blank wasn't around much when I found out. I was more worried about what he would say… after rousing him from his unconscious state when I first told him things just pulled together I guess. I can't wait to a mum now!" she smiled broadly, rubbing her large belly.

"See, this is the thing. Imagine me and Dagger having children… well first we'd have to get married, which makes me king…KING Ruby! Can you really see me with the cloak and crown and all that… then there's the fact that people might not like… well if they knew what I was…"

"And what are you?" she raised her eyebrows as she watched Zidane deflate before her.

"I don't know do I? I thought I did. I was just another boy down on his luck, going from day to day by stealing. The best career choice I had was to be a conman or something. Now, I'm not even from this planet… don't even have parents for Gaia's sake! I don't know if I can even have children"

"Zidane, are these things you think Dagger's gonna be thinking. Or are they your worries?"

"I don't have anything to offer her Rube"

Ruby placed her hand on Zidane's shoulder as she stood, giving him a gentle squeeze.

"Honey, she's not asking for anything"