Disclaimer - Saver and all of the characters belong to Eun-Young Lee

Lena stared doubtfully into the trees as the morning sun began to peek over the tops. The others' enthusiasm over their conversation yesterday had been somewhat infectious, but now that she'd had a night to sleep on it, she was starting to feel anxious again. Lena had been hoping that they would show at least a little reluctance at leaving Scotland behind forever, as Lucien had. She couldn't understand how Sean and Sharis could immediately drop their chance at being with their families when she had been fighting so hard to get that chance for herself. She wasn't sure if her 'family' was even still there. If she was able to return, would Hyun-Min still be there, alive and waiting? He'd been in a coma, and for all Lena knew, he'd died a long time ago of his injuries. And if he were alive, there was still the massive complications of housing and money, neither of which Lena had. She had a bank account, but had no idea how she was supposed to access it with no bank card, no identification, and no idea what the account number was. And she was positive her apartment, and most likely all of her possessions, were no longer at her disposal. Lena wouldn't have been surprised if she returned to find that Hyun-Min's mother had used her power to wipe out all traces of Lena and her mother's existence.

All doubts aside, she still wanted to go back. She knew she couldn't return things to how they were before, and she didn't particularly want to, either, but she hoped that one piece of her life would still be there, waiting. A small smile stretched across her face as images of Hyun-Min popped into her mind. She sighed happily and ran her fingers over the necklace he'd given her as an excitement began to grow at the idea of finally getting to see him again after so long.

A clatter made her turn her head, and she looked up at Gideon as he leaned out the front door. She felt a pang of guilt as she looked at the tired lines around his eyes and the disheveled look of his long, silver hair which was usually tied back very neatly. They had stayed up very late last night, as the others had been too excited to go to sleep in a timely manner. It looked like sleep deprivation didn't agree with the old Leon. "Ley?"

"What?"

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah," she nodded and patted her bag that was draped across her lap. She stood up and adjusted her swords on her belt as Gideon's head disappeared back into the house. He stepped out again a moment later followed by Maria and the other six.

Sean gave a wide yawn and he blinked at Lena blearily as he stopped beside her and rubbed his blue eyes. Lena watched in mild surprise as Lucien and Nox stood off to one side, detached from her and the other four. Lucien was once again avoiding looking at her. She sighed inwardly at his evasive behavior. He always seemed to either follow her around almost as closely as Sean did, or spent his time pretending she didn't exist. It was going to take a while before things were normal between them again.

"Do you all have everything?" Gideon asked quietly. Sean jumped slightly at the sudden noise, as if he'd been falling asleep standing up. He gave a bewildered look around.

Lena elbowed the groggy prince and then nodded at Gideon. "I do."

"Yes."

"I do."

"Me, too."

"Y-e-e-s..." Sean covered his mouth as he yawned again and shook his head for a moment.

Everyone automatically turned toward Lucien and Nox when they didn't answer. Lucien glanced around guardedly, but stayed silent. Nox looked up at him with a small, knowing grin.

"And you?" Gideon smiled at him.

Lucien's eyes flickered briefly to Lena's face and he looked back at the prophet with a complicated expression. Gideon looked like he was very much enjoying putting Lucien on the spot. "Well, yes, we do. But-"

"Perfect," Gideon clapped his hands together and began herding them in the direction of the river. Lena smirked to herself at his energetic efforts to make them leave. Lucien stayed in one spot and watched as they walked off. Lena turned after a few steps and looked back at him expectantly.

"What are you doing?"

He hesitantly looked at her, and ran his fingers down the strap of his bag. "I... I do not think I should..." his voice dropped off and he glanced toward the river almost wistfully.

The others paused to watch as Lena quickly walked back toward him. She stopped directly in front of him and stared up in annoyance. "Do you want to come, or not?"

Lucien stood silently for a moment, staring into space. Lena watched patiently, already knowing how much conflict he was going through. After having given Lena lectures on how important his kingdom was to him, it wasn't as though he could immediately make the choice. He finally looked at her awkwardly and muttered, "I thought you did not want me to go with you."

Lena smirked up at him and slapped his arm as hard as she could. He looked down at his arm and back up at her in annoyance as he rubbed the place she'd hit him. She took a few steps backward, not missing the relief that passed across Lucien's eyes at her behavior toward him. "Going with us and what we talked about are two entirely different things. It's your choice to make whether you want to come or stay, Lucien. And yours, too, Nox."

Nox looked surprised that she'd included him in the offer. He looked up at Lucien eagerly. Lucien shot him an angry look and sighed. Several more long, silent moments passed. Michael gave an impatient noise, walked briskly past Lena, and grabbed Lucien's arm. Lucien stared at him in horror as a wide smile spread across his face when he turned away and headed back the way he'd come.

"I have decided, you two are coming with us!" he announced over his shoulder, forcefully dragging the reluctant king along behind him. Nox trailed alongside Lucien and laughed behind one of his hands.

"That is not your decision to make!" Lucien yelled at him and tried to take his arm back.

"Oh?" Michael gleefully yanked him along faster. "You were taking so long answering, I thought perhaps you needed someone to intervene. So, I did."

Lena smiled with relief and followed after them as Lucien started yelling at Michael to let go of his arm. She was happy to see them all so spirited after everything that had happened. She slowly began to realize that their moods had the power to change her own, and she sighed as she ran over her conversation with Gideon from yesterday. Perhaps she needed them around after all. The thought of having them with her to face her new life seemed welcoming rather than irritating like she'd initially felt.

She turned to smile at Gideon and Maria when they stopped on the riverbank. "Thanks, for everything."

Gideon nodded briefly and smiled back. "You are welcome." His grin abruptly faded as Lena bent down to hug Maria and he watched jealously. Lena ignored him and patted the small girl on the back.

"Bye, Maria."

"Goodbye, Ley," Maria smiled as Lena straightened again.

Lena looked back to Gideon and he immediately looked out over the river, his face blank. She smirked at him and turned away. "Don't worry, I'm sure she'll hug you, too." Gideon looked at her in annoyance and crossed his arms as she walked into the river. She stared in confusion as she passed Lucien and Michael while she waded deeper. They were both completely soaked as if they'd gone underwater. "What happened to-"

"Nothing!" Lucien snapped and began wringing water out of his long, dark hair as he sent murderous glares in Michael's direction. His face flushed with embarrassment. The composed, mature, and kingly aura he'd had at the feast was long gone, and Lena was having a somewhat difficult time keeping her face blank as she watched his flustered actions. Traveling certainly had changed him in a very short time. Or perhaps it was Michael's obnoxiousness.

Lena glanced at Michael, but he was laughing too hard to ask anything of. She shook her head and continued deeper into the river, not really needing or wanting an explanation. It was easy to imagine what had happened while she wasn't looking. Lena stopped as the water lapped around her belt, and she lifted a coil of rope off her shoulder and began to unwind it.

"L-Ley," Sean sloshed up to her, his teeth chattering. "Are you s-sure you know what you are doing?"

"Of course," she frowned and gave him one of the ends of the rope, hoping she was telling him the truth. "Tie yourselves on, I don't want to lose any of you along the way."

As he shakily moved to obey, Lena watched as Sharis shoved her blue skirts under the water. "This is freezing!" she yelled in annoyance as her skirts continued to billow back up around her.

"You should have worn pants like the rest of us!" Sean looked at her with a superior expression, though it didn't look very impressive as he trembled with the cold, and handed the rope to Cid.

"Stupid prince!" Sharis yelled and threw a handful of water at him. "That would not have helped in the slightest!"

The water hit his face and he blinked in surprise. "What was that for?" he demanded indignantly, and shook the water out of his curly blond hair.

"Serves you right!" she said as she stuck out her chin triumphantly and took the rope from Cid.

"You were going to get soaked through in a moment, anyway," Cid pointed out.

Sean glanced past Cid to Michael who was laughing at him. His cheeks flushed and he flung water at Michael. Michael dodged at the last moment, and the water instead hit Lena. She blinked slowly as the water dripped off her bangs, into her eyes. Sean froze in horror for a moment and then hid behind Cid as she lifted a hand and wiped the drops off, willing herself to not murder Sean right then and there.

"Stop fighting, you morons," she snarled and glared at him as he peered cautiously at her over Cid's shoulder. "Hurry up and get tied on!" She watched huffily as they hurried to obey, and Lucien finally gave her the other end of the rope.

As Lena turned away, Sean let out a whoosh of breath and stepped out from behind Cid. "I thought she was going to stab me," he muttered.

Lena ignored him and waded out into the river, pulling the others along behind her in a line. She glanced back briefly and waved a hand toward the bank where Gideon and Maria still stood. Gideon smiled and bowed toward them as they continued. The morning sunlight was glinting off his hair and robes, giving him the unearthly glowing appearance that was common to those of the Leon Tribe. In contrast to his silvery sheen, Maria was completely golden. Lena smirked to herself, noticing for the first time how the father and daughter complimented each other nicely. With one last nod at the shiny pair, Lena turned away from the bank and concentrated on not slipping over the smooth stones on the riverbed.

"This should be deep enough," she called back as the water started lapping around her shoulders, and it was getting difficult for her to stay upright. She suppressed a shiver and looked over her shoulder. "Everyone ready?" At the not-very-ready-looking nods she received, she took a deep breath, ducked her head under the water, and allowed herself to be swept away by the strong current.