Author Note: Drama, drama, and drama! And multiple POV'S! Actually more than I've ever used in a chapter. That's what this chapter is all about, so not a lot of plot progression, neither action sequences, just character development. Anyway I hope you enjoy as always.

The silence's foreplay

I got back home with a downwards and sad gaze on my face that could tell my defeat... I might have won the battle, but I was unable to finish Wolf off... It was just that I couldn't kill him, when our eyes met I just felt like I was about to destroy Matthew once and for all... why? His death might have been for the best; after all I tried to persuade him to join us. I knew that if I failed I had to do that, and I prepared myself for it, I told myself that if that happened I had to kill him… but I couldn't.

Melanie was waiting for me there; she was tired as well, but she wouldn't leave the couch until I appeared and told her everything.

"Not good, right?"

"He refused… I was about to kill him, but I couldn't."

"That's ok." She said wile she stood up "You are not a killer."

I didn't feel like having a heart to heart conversation, I just wanted to sleep and get over with all the daily crap. Melanie had two sleeping bags so we could spend the rest of the night together on the living room. We both got inside them and went to sleep.

It was kind of weird how fast I fell asleep.

It had been a while since I've had a dream, so I couldn't stop noticing that I was having one, especially for the content of it. I was around mist; I couldn't see a damn thing.

"It's almost August 23rd." A woman's voice said smiling "It's the beginning of the end."

"I don't want it to be end." I replied "There's a lot I have to accomplish…"

"Are you sad because you will not meet your son any longer? Or is it because that girl? Maybe both?"

The question made flinch. The shape of the woman was something I didn't expect and made my heart beat strong as I felt something alike stimulation; it was Maquiel's shape. Suddenly, all those feelings Matthew had for her beat with mighty strength on my heart as I blushed. I fell on my knees as my only eyes sought for her; I could remember when she hugged me on the graveyard, the maternal love she covered me around... but she was hugging Matthew, and yet I felt it like she was hugging me, and the same lust Matthew had was now on my system. My weak hands trembled with stress as I reached for her face. My eyes burnt as I tried to reach that beautiful innocent face. I tried to keep it inside, to avoid this pathetic feeling... but I couldn't, not as she stretched her hand towards mine and as they touched I just couldn't lock those feeling away.

"That day you'll lose one of us." That was Matthew's voice who also came out of the mist "Who are you ready to give in?"

"Neither." I replied weakly "I'm not giving up either."

When she touched my face I knew I couldn't hate her, Matthew's love and lust were mine as well, but why? Why now? We had encountered so many time, we battled time to time, so why now? If I knew before I could come up with something, but the date was so damn close...

I thought waking up would be the best part, but it was actually the worst. At the very moment I realized the feeling was still on my chest I punched the wall, breaking it and creating a hole. I was so frustrated, I breathed in and out fast trying to expulse it, but I couldn't. After so much time with him, it happened. Just as Lex's feelings for Matthew, now Matthew's feelings for Maquiel were imprinted on my heart and mind. But she couldn't love me the way I did; she already loved Matthew, not to mention I'm not exactly her species. I couldn't kill her back then, and I wouldn't be able to do it afterwards.

"I have to come up with something." I mumbled.

And so I lay on the bed; August 22nd was already greeting me with the morning sun.

I never forgot that dream; my dad telling me not to forget August 23rd and Gabriel telling me I had a role to play. I already knew the role I was supposed to play, I was meant to become Palutena's vessel, but what was with the date? I couldn't avoid thinking about it as it was one day away.

I woke up at 13:30. The house was already moving when I opened my eyes, Melanie and Sophie taking care of Salaric who just awoke, the smashers walking around and Matthew who remained sat on the couch.

"Why did you leave?" he asked "I didn't see you around the bed this morning."

"I went to the bathroom and then I didn't want to wake you up."

"I wouldn't have mind." He was so happy that he didn't even notice my lame lie "I never thought it would be that… intense."

"Did I fulfill your expectative?"

"You went so over it… wow, I can't find words to express it. It was just more than awesome."

"Yeah, I felt it like that too." I said smiling "You were a beast…"

"The details of your sex life are not of our business."

We both shut up at the moment and blushed on embarrassment. Just as always, Ash had no tact, but he was right, we shouldn't have been talking about it out loud. We laughed a little bit and then we changed the subject.

"So… what do you want to do?" Matthew asked.

I knew the next day something would happen, but there were no schedules for today. Even if we were attacked by Wolf's, Ike's, or in an unlikely scenario, Pit's party we couldn't do much, but wait until they do so or until Melanie or Sophie had a premonition, hence we had some free time for ourselves.

I gave it a deep thought; what would I have liked?

"What about a date?" I asked.

"On this situation?"

"Well, we can't do much about it, just wait till something happens, so why not? I'm not just one night stand, am I?"

"Ok then..." he said "Where would you like to go?"

"I have a few ideas."

Maquiel and Matthew went off the place and I could tell there were not returning soon. I didn't know what to do now, everyone had something to do but me. What was I doing here? Besides waiting for Kirby's orders I just leaned on the wall, waiting for something to happen, just as Snake who patiently waited for the moment he and Samus could have their reunion. Sophie and Salaric crossed across the living room and Sophie gave me a faint smile as she headed towards another room. Salaric walked towards me and I stared at him.

"So…" he said weakly "Sophie told me that you saved her life."

"That's right."

"Thank you."

"Don't you want to know why?

"Actually… yes I want, but there's no need to."

I didn't reply and we remained on silence for a while. The only sound around the air was our breathing. I sighed as Salaric spoke up again.

"Would you protect her again?"

"Yes."

He remained silent again, he was probably wondering why, but he wasn't going to ask. He tried to pretend he didn't care about it, but he sucked at it, I could easily tell that he was worried about my true intentions, but even if I told him the truth, how would he believe me? Even I had a hard time accepting my feelings towards his wife… the word was harmful for me, just thinking that more and more barriers were created among us, not to mention the million reasons I already knew of why we couldn't be together. I'd be embarrassed if Salaric saw beneath my mask.

"You…"

"Ok Salaric, spit it out." I finally said "I'll answer honestly."

"Would you… become a shape shifter?"

I frowned; I didn't see that request coming.

"I think you already know, but I used to be Sonic's shape shifter."

"I was aware."

"I hate fighting, but there is no other way around. As her husband I have to protect Sophie, but I'm powerless, so I thought… maybe if you saved her, you'd like to do it again."

"I love her. " I whispered.

Salaric heard and both his mouth and eyes opened wide. He seemed quite shocked by my statement, even more when he noticed I didn't take it back. I didn't care if he knew; after all I already had nothing to lose.

"For real?"

I nodded.

"Then, is that a yes?"

"Doesn't it bother you?" I asked a bit upset "You'll be sharing your body with someone who loves the same person as you and in the same way, is that what you want?"

"I shared my body for four years with a grieving soul that made my daily life a living hell. I think I can take on a little jealousy."

I laughed; he was so naïve thinking that it was just "a little jealousy".

"The only thing I really care about is being able to protect Sophie. If we join forces then it might get easier, we both want to protect her, don't we?"

"Yes we do." I smiled, he was so naïve and a bit stupid, but he seemed rather a nice guy "I think we got a deal".

"Great!" Salaric said "Should we do it now?"

"No." I said "The best thing to do right now is preparing a strategy."

"But we never have done so."

"How has that been working for ya?"

He didn't reply.

"That's what I thought." I said firmly "Gather everyone, we'll make a plan to counter attack Pit, we can become shape shifters later."

"It could be worse." I said sighing "You could have shot me."

Although it started as a good date next to the river on the "Parque Intercomunal de la Reina" his attitude was killing the mode, not to mention his last question. We lay on the grass as the scent of barbecue expanded around the park; we stared at the river as Matthew held my hand.

"I'm sorry Maquiel, but you know I need to do this."

"Why? I could…"

"… You couldn't."

I frowned and then I stared at him, as my mouth opened wide and he rubbed my cheeks softly.

"You knew where I went."

"And what you did." He added as he kept rubbing "And I understand, you tried and then when you saw no point… you fought, but you couldn't kill him, just as he couldn't fight for real."

"What do you mean?"

"I share this connection with Wolf," he explained "even though we're not in the same body, I can still see through his eye at times, just as he can see through mines."

"So… you watched the whole thing."

I felt embarrassed as I embraced my legs on my arms and I looked aside, staring the calm flow of the river.

"Over our time together, somehow, he got attached to my feeling towards you and…"

"He fell in love with me." I ended "I could see that through his only eye, he had the same look you had…"

"Hence you couldn't kill him."

Matthew embraced me around his arms as I sighed and I lay my head on his chest, hopping that time could be halted, waiting for things to finally come to peace, and to live a daily life like this, around Matthew's arms, surrounded by the sun shine and the steak scented air we were breathing.

"Since the beginning, it was supposed to end this way."

"Don't say it like its destiny." I asked as I embraced him "Fate is a bitch."

"I know, but you can't deny that I might be the only one who can stop him."

"I don't want you to fall in his hands again."

"And I won't… while I was on the graveyard, my soul was in a deep grief, the rain stomped on me with mighty fear. Wolf is the closet thing to a father I had since mine died, but I need to show him that he doesn't need to protect me."

"What does Mario think about it?"

"He was the one who told me I must do it… and it's harder than what you could ever imagine."

I stared at his eyes, trying to tell wherever he was lying or not, but I was not such a good reader expressions as he was, and I knew that it was a 50-50 chance, and even if Matthew was telling the truth there was no way to assure he would win, Wolf was still strong, but I knew I couldn't do it, not while staring at Wolf's only eye with that hurt puppy look on his face, the same look Matthew used to make while being hurt. I gulped and then I took my chances as my heart beat fast in terror.

"I have one condition."

"What?"

"We won't use protection this time while making love."

Matthew's face was astonished.

"I want you to have a reason to come back."

"You are my reason to come back." He replied "Maquiel we are not ready to be parents, I'd make the same mistakes my dad made and… I don't want a child born in middle of the war, not to mention we don't have jobs, we don't know a thing about babies, and we're not mentally prepared. I rather marry you first."

I frowned as he broke our hug and he got in his knee. He grabbed my hands

"Would you marry me Maquiel?"

I was speechless, astonished, shocked, but my head nodded and he kissed me as a lone tear came by my head. As I felt our tongues together I could tell how the burning love was around me. We didn't want to get separated… then I knew he was for real, but it might not be enough. I feared that even if he loved me as much as I did it wouldn't be enough resolve for him to come back, but this may be the only way.

"We are engaged." I said with broken voice as the tears fell quickly around my cheeks. "When did you come up with this?"

"When I left." he said blushing a bit "I always thought about us being together and I always wanted the chance to... propose." he laughed a little bit "With so much anticipation, I could at least got you a proposal ring."

"It's ok." I replied.

I stared at him shocked. Over this entire time he also wanted to be back with me; I understood that everything was nothing but a matter of perspective, there was no good or evil intentions; Matthew and I loved each other and we only acted as we did due to the circumstances. If that were the case, then I may believe that he really belonged with me and that he wouldn't betray us, yet…

"You'll be a great fiancée and wife."

His words made the scene smoother, but I couldn't stop thinking about everything. The threads that attached us to tragedy were so complex that I feared I couldn't break them all.