CHAPTER 10

Five days later, things had settled down at the palace. Az pushed open the infirmary doors, like she had the past four days, to check on Simon.

"They say I can leave today." DG had obviously beaten all sense of royal pomp and circumstance from him; there was no more eye-averting or "your highnesses" anymore. He was sitting upright, red hair a mess from being laid up for the better part of a week. "But if it means laying in bed all day and personal visits from the princesses, I may have to get shot more often."

"Yeah, yeah, I know you're milking this 'injured in the line of duty' thing, Vetch." Jeb quipped, entering behind her. "Trying to pick up cute nurses."

Simon rolled his eyes, then turned very red as a young blonde nurse walked by.

Trying to get the conversation back on track, Az spoke. "It's good to hear you're doing so well. It was because of you that we were alerted to the intruders. You gave us the few seconds needed to save me and my sister. We owe you our lives."

"That's very kind of you, Princess, but I was just doing my job."

"Well, it will be good to have you back on that job."

"Assuming I haven't been replaced." He grinned. "You've more than doubled our forces."

Jeb smirked. "Don't worry, you're our number one guy for roof duty when armed men are storming the castle."

Simon shot him a dirty look coupled with a poorly concealed smile.

The walkie-talkie crackled.

"The queen has arrived. Jeb, the princesses are to meet her in her office." Wyatt said.

"Copy that." He swept his arm toward the door. "After you."

"Thanks for the visits, Princess." The guard called.

She smiled back at him. "Thank you, Simon."

Az and DG arrived at the office door at the same time. Grinning, DG pushed it open.

"My girls!" They were met with hugs and kisses from both parents. "Sit down, sit down." The queen insisted. "So much has happened!"

Their father laughed. "I told your mother if you two can solve all the O.Z.'s problems in the week we were gone, we need to take more vacations."

Ignoring her husband, the queen cast her lavender eyes on her daughters. "I am so proud of both of you."

"It wasn't just us," Az said, glancing at the door. "A lot of people helped."

"So how was your trip?" DG inquired.

"Wonderful." Their mother replied. "It was so nice to be back in the city. The new police department is doing very well. We participated in the officers' official installation ceremony our second day there."

"It was very good for your mother to get out among the people again." Their father added. "I think it raised everyone's spirits."

"Oh, and I have decided to declare a holiday!" the queen added.

DG raised her eyebrows. "A holiday? Can you do that?"

The prince consort shrugged. "She's the queen."

"What kind of holiday?" Az asked.

"A full official holiday, to celebrate the restoration of the Outer Zone."

The family visited for several more minutes and adjourned with plans to meet for supper.

Jeb fell into step next to Azkadellia as she headed toward her quarters.

"So, how'd it go?"

"Oh, just the usual. Daddy's happy we fixed the country while they were out, and Mother's invented a new holiday." She replied.

"A new holiday? Excellent. I'll tell my father he gets a day off."

Grinning at the idea of Wyatt Cain taking a vacation, she stopped in front of her door.

"I'll be right here." Jeb assured her, taking up position next to the newly-repaired wall.

She nodded and turned the handle. Just like each of the three days before, Raw waited inside for her. Feeling more confident today, she stepped forward. "It's good to see you, Mr. Raw. I'm ready."

--

Jeb was glad Azkadellia had agreed to these sessions with the viewer. There was a lot she needed to get off her chest and maybe it was easier to telepathically share a memory than to come up with words for everything. Either way, she deserved to get out from under this baggage and start fresh.

He heard familiar raised voices down the hall, approaching.

"I told her I didn't need any more dresses. I need more pants."

"I know. And she told you that she doesn't make them."

"For girls she doesn't make them. She makes them for my father."

"That's still no excuse to rip the fabric from her hands and try to hijack the sewing machine."

"It she's not gonna make me pants, I'll make 'em myself!"

He heard a door close and one set of firm footsteps coming toward him. His father appeared around the corner, shaking his head.

"Never a dull moment." Wyatt stopped and stood beside his son. "Still wanna trade charges?"

"No, sir. I've definitely got the easier job."

His father nodded, all too knowingly. After a moment of silence he asked, "Jeb, do you like it here?"

Turning his head, Jeb looked at the elder Cain. Wyatt's eyes held a tinge of vulnerability foreign to his son.

"Yes, Father."

"I mean, I know you're used to more action-"

"Oh, there's plenty of action around here." Realizing what was really being asked, he continued. "I'm happy here, Father. I plan to stay."

Smiling, Wyatt put an arm around him. "That's good to hear, Son."

At that moment, Jeb realized something he hadn't known since he was a boy. He was home.

So ending this turned out to be way more difficult than anything else! I'm not super happy with this chapter but it's the best I could come up with. Ideas? ConCrit is welcome!

I'm thinking about a sequel, where Zero gets brought into the mix, probably rated T. What do you think?

Thanks to everyone who followed me through this. Your reviews were really great!