Okay finally onto the last chapter of this plotline, there will be a couple of weeks break after I write this so that I can get my notes together on how I can write in the second part of this effectively so bear with me, I thank all my readers so far and hope you have patience to wait for what I am brewing up.

The culmination of the last nine chapters is presented here, so enjoy and drop a review if you would all be so kind.

Chapter 10: Firestorm

Lloyd had just finished overseeing Raine prepare the last of Sheena's legendary curry and was helping her set it into plates when he was suddenly thrown into a conversation with his old teacher.

"Lloyd, what are your feelings for Sheena?" she inquired.

Lloyd scratched his head, "How do you mean?"

"Well would you die for her?" Raine pondered.

"Of course!" Lloyd answered without hesitation, "but then I'd die for any of my friends!" he added quickly.

Raine turned to her long-time student and observed him warily, "how about Presea Lloyd? How do you feel about her?" she asked reluctantly.

Lloyd seemed to visibly lighten up when he was asked as a pink hue adorned his cheeks before he spoke, "I don't know, I owe her my life, I know that much and I'm happy just being around her," Lloyd sighed.

The professor smiled upon hearing this, knowing what Lloyd had been feeling for his 'younger' counterpart to be the same as what she had discovered she felt for Zelos lately. "Lloyd you need to tell her how you feel." She relented knowing that Sheena was going to be unhappy at this development.

"What, now?" Lloyd asked in half surprise half alarm.

"Maybe not now, but soon, you need to make your intentions clear so you don't inadvertently hurt others around you." Raine responded.

"Hmmm okay, I don't really get it, but I got it," Lloyd laughed before picking up the first of the plates and taking them through to the dining table.

Raine merely sighed before picking up some plates and following him through.

"Bout time," Zelos moaned while grasping his growling stomach.

Genis gasped as he saw Raine returning from the kitchen holding food and there being no Sheena present, "Where's Sheena?" he gulped.

"She had something to do so she left me in charge of the kitchen." Raine cheerfully replied.

"By Martel we are all going to die!" the young half elf screamed.

"Surely she can't be that bad," Seles asked out of curiosity.

"Well try eating something cooked by someone who thought that a spicy type of ice cream would be a good idea." Genis quipped.

Seles seemed to turn visibly green at the prospect.

"Come on guys, she worked hard on it and besides Sheena was here during most of the preparation," Lloyd retorted.

Lloyd sat down at his place at the table and took a forkful of curry whilst everyone else watched him, his eyes suddenly started to water as he forced the morsel of 'food' down his throat. After which he grabbed desperately for a glass of water and drank the whole glass in a fit of desperation.

"Not bad eh?" Zelos sniggered.

"Are you okay Lloyd?" Presea asked with real concern underlying her voice as she placed an arm on Lloyd's back as he coughed.

Lloyd turned and caught Presea's concerned gaze, time seemed to stand still for him as he thought about the professor's words to him earlier.

"Presea…I…" Lloyd began but was cut off by Genis.

"See Lloyd, Raine is cursed in the kitchen," the mage began to laugh but was cut short by Raine giving a sound smack about the young half elf's head.

"But it's true," he moaned as he rubbed the knot forming on his head.

Lloyd and Presea hadn't broken their gazes in the time that Genis was in pain from his sister's strike, "Presea, do you want to go out and grab something to eat, it probably wouldn't be in our best interests to eat any more of Professor Raine's cooking." Lloyd stated briefly trying to avoid the fiery daggers he was getting from Raine for his comment.

Presea nodded with a smile, "I would like that," she announced as she broke her sight with Lloyd and picked up her axe from beside the door.

"You wont need that just for us to grab something to eat you dork," Lloyd jested with a genuine smile on his face as he stood up from his chair and placed his sword holsters next to Presea's axe. "We'll be back later guys," Lloyd declared to the rest of his companions.

Raine merely watched the pair leave. Good luck Lloyd, do what you think is right, she wished him a silent prayer and got back to trying to convince the others to try her cooking.

Later That Evening

Lloyd and Presea had been having quite the adventure hunting for a decent café or restaurant in Meltokio, both were content with each other's company and the hunt for food was sort of divided with conversations the pair had been having.

The pair now stood on one of the many balconies in front of Meltokio Castle looking out over the many flower beds of the Imperial city, This feels so natural to me now, I can't believe I never noticed before, Lloyd thought as he turned his head to steal a glance at Presea, the setting sun reflecting beautifully off of her sapphire blue eyes and lighting her pink hair making it look something like a warm passionate fire burning on her head.

"Truly beautiful here isn't it?" Presea said not really expecting an answer.

Lloyd stole another glance at his companion, "It sure is, I just didn't really realise until now," he murmured almost so quietly Presea didn't hear it.

Presea turned to face Lloyd more to confirm what he had said than what she had expected from him, she hadn't expected Lloyd to be facing her with a light red adorning his face and a smile that could light the darkest of rooms. "Lloyd are you okay?" she asked.

"I've never been more okay," Lloyd cryptically replied. Out a seeming instinct, Lloyd threaded an arm around Presea and continued to look into her eyes. "I never really thanked you for saving my life before, thank you so much."

Presea practically beamed at the affection she was being shown and for the first time since the shooting star at her home, she allowed herself to hope. "Don't worry about it Lloyd, I would do it again if I had to," she said with a huge positive smile on her face.

Lloyd finally decided it was time to get his feelings out, "Uhm…Presea," he squeaked.

The young taciturn girl cocked her head to the side in that almost unbearably cute way, "yes Lloyd?"

"Ireallylikeyou," he rushed saying finishing his sentence with a light cough as he tried to hide his embarrassment.

Presea's heart felt as if it soared to heaven and back, "Lloyd, I really like you too," she interlaced her hand with his causing him to stare at it in disbelief, had he truly heard what he thought he had. He allowed the thought to mull over in his head for a few seconds before he looked back into Presea's eyes one more time. Slowly ever so slowly their heads drew together as they locked together in a tender kiss for the very first time. Time seemed to slip away as the pair felt what could only be described as intimate bliss passing between them and both were sure that nothing could ruin it.

However…

"Lloyd, how could you?" came a shrill female voice.

Lloyd and Presea whipped apart suddenly but still held each other loosely, "Sheena? What are you talking about?" the young swordsman demanded.

"How long were you going to keep me waiting you…you monster!" Sheena screamed with tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

"I don't understand what you mean," Lloyd retorted, Presea merely hid her head in Lloyd's chest and felt contentment at Lloyd subconsciously rubbing the back of her head soothingly.

"Don't you get it Lloyd, I love you!" Sheena wailed almost overcome with grief, "I cant believe you would string me along for two years just to run off with someone else."

"I never strung anyone along, I really value our friendship so please calm down." Lloyd replied with an air of sincerity in his voice.

"If you really did then why did you intentionally hurt me with this?" Sheena exclaimed balling her hands into fists and narrowing her eyes into a glare even though they stung like hell from the tears escaping from them.

"I would never hurt you, please you have to understand Sheena, I just don't feel that way for you," Lloyd attempted to explain.

"Save it!" Sheena roared, her eyes flashing a hint of red before a magical aura appeared around the summoner's feet.

"Sheena don't do this," Lloyd said in a voice stricken with panic, he freed Presea from his grasp and faced his travelling partner head on, "please!" he added desperately.

"It's too late for that, I have given up everything for you Lloyd and I will not be rejected like this, If I can't have you, then no-one can," she roared with a fury unmatched.

A blinding flash erupted from her as she quietly summoned Efreet, the spirit glared down at the pair of terrified Aselians and narrowed his furious orange eyes at them.

"By Martel are you insane?" Lloyd screamed at Sheena but she was too consumed by rage and emotion to really care what Lloyd did now.

"Destroy them Efreet!" Sheena roared at the spirit who nodded his head accordingly.

"EXPLOSION!" the mighty summon spirit of fire bellowed as a ball of fire formed in the air and fell straight for the pair of newly found lovers.

Lloyd had to act fast, he pushed Presea away from him as hard as he could as he sprinted in the opposite direction. Suddenly the ball of fire impacted on the ground and chased the pair as it expanded in a spherical motion.

The duo were both hit at the same time on opposite sides of the blast and were thrown across the courtyard, Lloyd bounced along the ground for about fifty meters before his head made contact with a solid stone wall rendering him unconscious. Presea attempted to block the majority of the blast as she too was thrown into the former church of Martel leaving an impact crater the size of her before she fell to the ground in excruciating pain. Why oh why did I leave my axe behind? She berated herself before passing out from the pain.

The summon spirit vanished as quickly as it appeared, Sheena walked over to Presea's motionless body and sneered at her, "Don't think you have won, Lloyd belongs to me, you already know it. I'll be back and next time I won't be so generous," she cackled almost in an insane manner before throwing a smoke bomb at her feet and disappearing.

End of Part One finally, Lloyd and Presea have kind of let each other know how they feel, however Sheena has let her jealousy take the better of her and has therefore let the darkness of her heart sort of manifest its self, can she be saved, what does this mean for the unconscious Lloyd and Presea? What does it mean for the other companions from the journey? You will have to wait for me to get my act together and set about writing the second part which should be in about two or three weeks.

I hope you can all be patient and I can assure you it will be worth the wait and a lot more action is guaranteed.

Thanks for all the wonderful support you have all given me to date and I hope you all stick by me in the future.

Til Next Time!