This has been a long time coming and thankfully the final chapter is also done so this has finally, FINALLY reached it's end. This chapter's song of inspiration and title grab is 'Shut Up and Dance' which is wonderful and great to write to.


Inigo had stared at a giant dragon.

It was like something out of his worst nightmares, the kinds where he would cry out for his mother in the dark. He had seen Grima leaving the castle years ago-he remembered the fear rolling off his companions in waves.

He had never been one to run towards a dragon. Never been one to decide that fighting said dragon would be in his cards. But that had been before he came back in time and fought. Now he was ready to head into the charge, sword drawn.

It had been a fraught few days since the battle at the Dragon's Table. Lucina's scream of horror as her mother struck her father down still echoes in his ears, as does the way she attempted to break free of Inigo's hold to run to Chrom's side. No matter the outcome of the battle, how clever Robin had been...Grima was back.

Inigo hadn't seen Lucina in the hours since the fight at Origin Peak. She had retreated away into the strategy tent with her family, and it seemed the whole of camp was holding its breath waiting for the next move. The tension could be cut with a knife, and Inigo was glad his parents were sticking close to him, keeping him company as he waited for Lucina to reemerge.

It was early morning when she did so. The dew was settled on the grass and the morning air was still wet. Her eyes spoke of little sleep, and her face was set in a grim line, but Inigo was enraptured nonetheless. She tilted her head towards the edge of camp and offered him a hand. He took it with a stutter in his heart and walked with her, silent the whole while.

When they finally reached the edge of camp, the sun was starting to peek more fully over the horizon. Lucina stared dead on ahead.

"My mother is considering killing herself in the final battle." It's stated almost as plainly as the weather and Inigo is about to interject when she continued, "She and Grima are linked by the same soul. There's no saying what will happen if she is the one to strike Grima down. Naga says she could live...Mother doesn't fancy her odds though."

Inigo squeezed her hand, "What do you think?"

Lucina frowned, casting her eyes down, "I really shouldn't have a say given how things have gone. But I agree with her. One life for millions? We were both willing to make that sacrifice earlier-it would be hypocritical of me to say 'no' now."

Inigo's mind flashes back to few weeks earlier, Lucina sobbing into his neck as she admitted to attempting matricide. The pain on her face, the forlorn timbre to her voice. He'd hated every bit of it. In her face now though, he sees hesitation.

"But…?" He pressed.

Lucina bit her lip, "I...I don't want to lose her again. I had given up-I thought that was the only way. Blinded to any other chance. When Father gave me hope for a new chance I...I started imagining a future with Mother in it. For Father, Morgan...myself." Her shoulders hunched over, "Is it selfish of me to want my mother over the world?"

Inigo pulled her into a hug, his heart going out to her at the small quality to her voice. "No. It's exactly how I would feel. Don't feel badly about it Lucina." Her arms come around his waist and she squeezed him tighter.

"Thank you. I'm glad you're here with me, Inigo."

"I would never leave your side, Lucina. I'm with you until the end and beyond that." Inigo promised, his voice low. He felt the ring in his belt pouch grow heavy. He'd purchased it in town after that night in the field-just in case. He was going to wait until the war was over-as a celebration of the triumph. A hope that maybe Lucina wouldn't mind staying with him for the rest of their lives.

"Inigo, things are going to change once the war ends." Lucina looked up at him now, her eyes grave, "Everything...our lives, the country. I'm not going to be a princess anymore. Not in the way I am now. It would be...unwise to butt into the affairs of myself in this timeline."

She paused, as if gathering her courage, and then locked eyes with him-hope in her eyes and a shyness in her smile he was not used to. "I would like to travel with you. Making people happy with your dancing and keeping them safe with my sword. That is-if you would have me there. As the sword at your side."

Her face was flushed when she finished speaking. Inigo's eyes widened and it takes a moment for it all to sink in before he begins the laugh, bringing his hands up to hide his face. Of course this is his luck. Always a step behind Lucina.

He dragged his hands down on his face as Lucina glares up at him. He held up one of his hands as he reached into his belt pouch.

"You've sort of beaten me to the punch here but…"

He got down on one knee and took Lucina's hand in his own. He watched as she took a step back, covering her mouth with her other hand. He sighed, a rueful grin covering his face. "Lucina-I've been in love with you since we were kids. I've just never been able to put it into words. I never thought I was good enough to be with you. You're a princess and I'm nothing but a dancing mercenary. But…"

Inigo pulled the ring out and held it up, watching it glint in the early morning light. Lucina's eyes widened and Inigo couldn't help but laugh again and the absurdity of it all. "So...Lucina...would you marry me? After this war is over, I'll gladly stay by your side forever. So...How about it?"

Lucina was quiet for a moment before dropping to her knees as well. Inigo felt fear start to well up in his chest, but then Lucina's hand curled around the one holding the ring and she squeezed it. Inigo's heart nearly leapt from his chest when she smiled at him and nodded.

"Yes? You're saying yes?"

"Yes!"

The feeling in Inigo's chest was better than any dance he'd ever perfected. It was warmer than his mother's smile as she wished him sweet dreams. It was better than his father's hand ruffling his hair after a dance well done. Better than even the first time Lucina kissed him.

It was euphoria.

"I can't wear the ring during the battle to come-but may I still have it?" Lucina's fingers wrapped around the ring gingerly, "I don't want to lose it in the battle, but I promise the moment it's over," her eyes softened, "It will be on my finger."

"It's yours." Inigo didn't trust his voice for anything more, laughter bubbling up and spilling over. He fell back the short distance to the ground and swiped a hand at his eyes, feeling the tears start to spill over.

He watched as Lucina put the ring in her belt pouch and rested a hand over it as if she couldn't believe it was really there, before she turned back to face him again. She shook her head to hide the grin pulling at her face, and pressed the back of her hand to her mouth.

"I don't think I've ever felt so happy in my life. Is it right to feel so happy when things are so dire?"

Inigo opened his arms for Lucina to slot herself against his chest, and he shook his head, "I think it's the best time to be happy. We could all use some happiness right now."

Lucina laughed into his chest, wrapping her arms around Inigo's torso, latching onto the back of his shirt with her hands. She relaxed into his arms, her eyes sliding closed. "I suppose you're right about that. Gods. I can't even...This is wonderful, Inigo."

Inigo squeezed her against his chest, the grin on his face so wide it nearly hurt him. They sat there in the morning dew until the horns on camp began to ring for everyone to get ready for battle. Lucina pulled back from hug with grim look in her eyes.

"It's time. Are you ready?"

"No. Are you?"

Lucina huffed a light laugh as she stood, offering Inigo a hand. "Not at all. But we're needed. Don your armor. I'll see you on the pitch." When Inigo was standing she leaned up and pressed a light kiss to his lips. "I love you."

"I love you too." Inigo pressed a harder kiss to Lucina's lips before breaking off to lock eyes with the princess, "I'll stay safe. Will you?"

"I will." She squeezed his hand before letting it go to head towards camp, before stopping herself. "Walk with me to my tent?"

Inigo felt the blush rush to his face as he stammered for a moment before nodding and rushing to offer the princess an arm. They walked side by side through the entire camp before making it to Lucina's tent, where she gave Inigo another light kiss on the lips. She smiled at him before departing into the tent, leaving Inigo standing there with a goofy grin.

Battles were never easy.

Particularly those of the world ending variety. Inigo had never loved the idea of battling humans, but there was something even worse about fighting a giant dragon who may or may not be his future mother-in-law from their original timeline. It was worse somehow.

It also didn't help that he was stuck fighting every Plegian general from the last four hundred years' reanimated form as Chrom and Robin made the final push towards Grima.

He'd never been much for faith before Grima had destroyed his original home-but he could not deny the gods power with Naga's energy coursing through his veins and keeping him fighting.

Out of the corner of his eye he caught sight of Lucina's armor glinting in the swirling lights above them. He jammed his sword between the ribs of his latest foe and pushed the corpse off with his foot with a grunt.

"Owain! Cover me I'm going to make a push with Lucina!"

"Right! Have at you, fiends! You contend with Owain the Mighty!"

Inigo spared only a backwards glance to his childhood friend slashing through a man's arm before sprinting to join Lucina near the front. He caught up to her right as a general lumbered in front of her, planting his shield in the ground and thrusting forth with his spear.

Inigo was a second faster with his blade, countering the spear to the side as Lucina deftly swiped Falchion in the new space left by Inigo's block.

"Right on time, eh Lucina? What do you say to a dance?" Inigo spun his sword with a flourish, watching as Lucina dislodged her sword from the corpse before them. She gave him a tense smile and a nod before setting her eyes towards the head of the Fell Dragon.

"Let's end this."

The final charge was unlike anything Inigo had been through before, far more draining than the battle to the portal to the past that he had fought all those years ago. That felt far away and pointless compared to the fight before him. He wasn't losing this world. This one had become home.

It was where he finally learned the end of his mother's dance. Where he and Owain finally understood each other. Where he and Lucina had finally gotten their chance and taken it. He wasn't going to lose this world. Not ever.

It seemed like the enemies would never stop-but suddenly they all seemed to vanish in an instant. Inigo wheeled around, his eyes searching for the cause of the sudden change, before a ear splitting roar shook him where he stood.

"Inigo, look!" Lucina pointed with her sword arm towards where her parents stood, not twenty yards up. The doppelgänger had made the noise, doubled over in agony. The dragon they stood up began to tremble and it was all it took for Inigo to stay upright.

What happened next seemed to unfold in half time before Inigo's eyes. His blood began to pound in his ears as he watched his Queen stand and put a hand on Chrom's shoulder. She placed a light kiss on his cheek before pushing him down and rushing towards Grima. Inigo could feel his own feet scrabbling to try and stop her, and he heard Lucina cry out in shock-but he just couldn't seem to make his limbs move correctly-

The next instant everything snapped back into reality as Grima shrieked in pain-Robin's sword stabbed through the gut. Magic whipped around them as the doppelgänger pulsed energy.

"Mother-No!"

Without a second thought he grabbed Lucina around the waist, holding her tightly lest she get torn by the blast. No one was holding Chrom, however. The Exalt stumbled to his feet and rushed to Robin-her name a prayer on his lips-but it was too late. Robin tore her sword free and fell to her knees, grunting with effort.

Grima disappeared into dust before them, growling on about vengeance, but Inigo paid it no mind. He let Lucina go at last and joined her as she rushed to her mother's side. Morgan seemed to appear from nowhere, and before Inigo knew it the whole royal family was kneeling with Robin.

Inigo had never seen something like this happen before. Robin seemed to be vanishing, her body becoming see through as Chrom desperately tried to hold her. On her part, Robin simply smiled, that tired smile she'd shown Inigo months ago.

"Take care of each other. I love you. I promise I'll see you soon. I'm sorry, Chrom, Lucina, Morgan…" The smile grew wider as tears streamed down Robin's face, "Thank you...for everything."

"Robin! No!" Chrom's voice cracked as he reached for Robin's hand, but as his fingers made contact with Robin's shimmering fingers, she seemed to explode into a thousand bits of stardust.

The screams of anguish from the Royal Family were unlike anything Inigo had ever heard in his life. All he could do was stand there as Chrom brought his two children tight to his chest and the three sobbed loudly.

Inigo didn't even notice Naga's intervention to get them to solid ground again-his attention was so caught on the small family before him.

"Are you okay?"

Inigo's voice was quiet as he came up beside Lucina, carrying a blanket with him. The hard-won victory celebration was behind them, and the memory of what it had cost still echoed throughout the camp. No one had seen Chrom come out of his tent since dinner. Lucina herself had only just emerged a little while ago.

Lucina shivered, and Inigo draped the blanket around her shoulders, his hands lingering around her arms. She glanced up at him, eyes still rimmed with red, and she shook her head. She had a weak smile on her face.

"This is becoming a distressing trend. You finding me after I've been crying."

Her fingers curled around the edge of the blanket and Inigo's heart leapt a little at the sight of his ring on her finger. He allowed her to lean against his chest and his arms circled her.

"Well, after years of you and everyone else finding me crying somewhere, consider it karma." Inigo mused, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, "I'm sorry again, for what it's worth." Inigo could still picture the horror on Lucina's face as he held her back as Robin rushed towards her doppelganger. He suppressed the shiver at the memory of Lucina's heart wrenching cry as her mother disappeared.

Lucina shook her head, "I know. But Mother made her choice. And...We'll find her. Father, Morgan and I." Her voice was resolute, despite a watery sniff near the end. She peered up at Inigo, her eyes hopeful, "And you too right? You would come too?"

Inigo smiled down at her, pressing their foreheads together, "To the ends of our world, Lucina."

The hard earned smile was worth the wait as Lucina nodded, "Good. I'm glad. I…" she blinked to clear the tears from her eyes, and Inigo only wished he could steal the tears away. She stepped out of Inigo's arms, fiddling with the blanket's edges in her hands.

Faintly, the sound of music filtered over from the camp, and Inigo tilted his head back. "Sounds like they've started the songs now." He could hear Brady's violin music twirling in the air, a light jaunt that he'd danced to many a time in the past. He brought his attention back to Lucina, who also turned her gaze back to camp.

Suddenly, a memory from years ago, buried deep in his head came tumbling forward. Lucina looking ever so small in a blanket-so much like her cape when she first donned it. The downcast eyes, her biting her lip. He could almost hear the forest.

"Dance with me?" He whispered, hope edging into his voice. His heart felt painfully full as Lucina looked up at him, eyes wide, as she too found herself years back. He reached out a hand, smiling.

She took it without a second thought, slowly being swept up in a slow swaying dance. It didn't match the music being played, but it matched the memory. It was like saying hello again after so long a war. It was where they had begun, and now it was where they were ending.

"I'm okay, Inigo," Lucina finally answered, looking up at him as they danced to their improvised waltz, "I'm here. I'm alive. And…" she smiled again, and the sweetness of it almost made Inigo cry, "I'm with you. It's more than I ever hoped for."

Inigo twirled Lucina out, a low laugh erupting from his chest, as he watched the blanket flutter away from Lucina's shoulders to the ground . As he brought her back in he leaned down and captured her lips against his own, drinking in her smile. Lucina's hand balled up the fabric of his shirt, and her hand squeezed his tightly.

This was what his mother had told him. All those years ago. Dancing is about love. And here he felt love more keenly than he ever had before.


Fun Fact! I forgot I had this chapter finished. I had written the last two chapters in bits and pieces and totally forgot that I had you know-finished the Inigo chapter while I was writing the final chapter in Lucina's 3rd person POV. Whoops. As it is that chapter is undergoing edits and then it will be done for good. thank god. haha. Thanks for sticking around guys. You're troopers.