Archer had felt so much once Rin had simply accepted his story. Telling it had been a pain that he was unaware of, drawing himself back to tears for the first time since he had left her grave so many years ago. He had expected something from her, but he wasn't sure what. He had never considered that he would be sitting here, telling her of the life that he had once led; memories that he had buried so deeply for so long. Archer had looked up, fearing that she was going to reprimand him for some course of action or something he had said. Instead, she quietly had walked toward him and comforted him, saying the words that he had spent his life chasing:

"I forgive you…"

His world crumbled. For a moment, there was no difference in her. He saw the somewhat taller and older version that he had spoken vows to standing before him, accepting everything that he had done for so long. So much had been done for her, and he had never known if she had acknowledged him—he didn't even know if she blamed him. Archer had always assumed blame laid with him. Now, those words felt like he had been cleaned of everything. Everything had been lifted, and he could finally see and feel the world as it was meant to be. As she collided with him, bringing her lips to his, he pulled her close. It was a desperate attempt to remind himself that she had feeling to him. The fabric of her clothes had feeling to him; her warmth had feeling; every sensation was vibrant and re-awakened.

There was no battle outside the doors. Instead, the battle had seemingly been between themselves and their past. It was a shadow that had mercilessly followed behind them, attempting to predict every step that they were going to make. It was a callous combatant in this game of chess. They had battled before, but they were woefully unprepared. In that attempt, it had ended with the worst of outcomes—a girl far too young and damaged had lost the first person she had allowed back into her heart. She had laid on the ground, holding one scrap of red fabric that had remained before it too faded into nothingness—the only evidence of the hero's time on this Earth remained chained to the young girl's heart.

This chain had anchored her to a devotion. A feeling that she had to have him back. Her hero had done so much in his life, and he had done so much for her. It had seemed unreal to believe that he disappeared into nothing—no reminder left behind to anyone other than herself. There had been so much held there, so much she had re-opened for the first time in her life. The thought that it abruptly ended there—a story without any closure—she couldn't bear. A devotion was turned into determination, and it had driven her until she was able to bring him back; able to feel his skin again and smell him. The ability to have him at her touch, to speak with him, to feel enveloped by every emotion that she had denied before, had awakened her to a new experience in life. Her outlook was different; the world was different.

He had felt the pain. The moment the final blow had landed, ending everything, he had felt a feeling that hadn't crossed him in forever. It had vexed him, and it had stained him as he lay there. It washed over him, but it left him with more sins than when he had entered this world. He had hoped to rid himself of regret; however, he only found himself laying there with more. The world had been geared towards one goal: preventing the pain of the future. Yet, he had looked the other way towards the thing he had tried to protect for so long. Her blood had stained his hands, and he had failed on an account he hadn't previously considered. She would be left alone. Again, he wouldn't be there for the end of this war…of this battle. She had to continue on fighting without him there to defend her. She had no defenses. Against a servant, she stood little to no chance.

The pain engulfed him before everything began to fade—himself included. He could see parts of his turning to ash and drifting away in the wind; a far more poetic death than he had deserved the first time. As he laid there, absorbing that he had never said more to her, he felt the guilt beginning to press him into the Earth. He had never done the things that he had spent so much time demanding the ability to say it one more time. Instead, he had focused on one thing—never realizing what he was actually able to do with this. All the things he had wanted to do after he death…the reason that taking that mission was easy—his inability to do the things that he had taken for granted.

To tell her that she was beautiful…

"Rin, you're beautiful."

To tell her that she is brilliant…

"Rin, you're brilliant."

To tell her I love her.

"Rin, I love you…more than anything."

Archer held her close. Rin had heard what he had said, but it had been in her sleep. For the first time in ages, she felt able to completely sleep, and he was able to tell. She was able to completely rest and relax now. He wasn't going anywhere. Her summoning was complete and done correctly—a mistake she wasn't willing to commit a second time in her life. His existence here was permanent as long as she was able to supply him with mana. He held her close, her face tucked into his chest, as she silently rested. Rin was able to finally find comfort and peace. For the first time in many years, she had dreams of her family, and they didn't pain her. Instead, she was able to enjoy them, remembering the bright, happiness of those days. The world felt different now. Everything had been shades of grey and white, tinged with red and black; however, they had a vibrancy to them now that she had never noticed.

Rin began to drift into a state between sleep and consciousness, stirred by the emotions Archer's words had brought to the front of her mind.

I never told him.

"Archer….I love you too."

She felt herself get pulled in tight; the words forming a bond that tied them together. The existed for eternity—slaves to the cycle. As they would continue in this circle, they would always come back to each other no matter what the world hurled at them. It was only a matter of time. After their days on Earth ended, it would only continue in the afterlife. There was no ending to the path that they would traverse to be back together. Rin had shown that; Archer had shown that. They had a devotion and belonging to each other. They were two parts of the same person, meant to be together. No amount of interference by the Earth or Death would interfere. The warmth from Archer against her skin slowed Rin's mind back down to a humming pace. It usually worked at a fast and furious pace; however, his presence had begun to calm everything; a relief she was not used to. Her body began to slow down, lulling back into sleep before she finally returned to her dreams. Ones where she had happiness again—a smile slowly forming across her lips.

Archer laid there, holding her as if she would break. It looked as if he shielded her from the world, but his reason was more simple—he didn't want to share her. Every breath, every moment, was his and his alone, letting her go would give the world a chance to experience it. He had lost so many years with her. Now, he had the chance to reclaim them, and he was greedy, hungry for the chance to have this all belong to him again. Archer felt something that hadn't crossed his body in many years—tiredness. The weight was gentle against his body; a reminder of the fact that he was able to experience these things again at her behest. Rin had wanted him here; she had begged for his return, and he had been able to oblige, assuaging the one feeling that he had held within for so long. The world would end for him when it ended for her, and he would be allowed to see the sun rise over her shoulders each morning. The temptation to be with her forever, living again, made him hungry for the next day begin. The adventures would be new and untainted by battle and bloodshed. Instead, they would continue their lives, existing as he had wanted to return to, and she had dreamed of. The world was ahead of them.

A second chance to do all that I had wanted for so long…