Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from Legend of Dragoon......
Dedication: To....you, the reader....*grins*

(A/N** I need at least 5 to 10 more reviews so I can post the next chapter. I apologize for this, but I need reviews....I'd really appreciate it too, because I'd like to hear what you guys thought of my first attempt @ a D/S fic and also this is my very first LOD fic, so please be gentle...I can't stand people who critise me for what I do..Thanx a bunch)

~**~The Fallen Angel~**~


~**~Prologue~**~

~**~Dreams or just visions?~**~

He bolted up in the bed. Hie bare chest bathed in a light sweat, his short blonde hair matted to his head, bathed as well. The sheets were tangled around his long legs. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around, only to find his room the same as it was was left when he had drifted off into a deep sleep.

It was that dream again. The one where he would run after her, chasing her for some unknown reason. Then it would come. The clouds would open and the light would pounce down on her, engulfing her in it's light. He couldn't move. He was paralyzed to the ground. His sword was drawn, but he couldn't run to her and save her. She would be gone for good if he didn't do anything.

In the past, he had promised her. Promised her that he would protect her, be there for her when she was down or needed a friend. But it looked like he wasn't going to be there for her this time. He could hear her pleas of help and of pain as she was lifted up into the air. Tears would brim his dark, mysterious eyes as he stood there watching, helpless.

" Dart! You promised...why aren't you here? Dart!! ", she cried out to him in a scared voice. " Don't let them take me...not again, Dart! "

All he could do was close his eyes against the tears and against her pleas. The insides of his lids where a light violet as the light shone brightly. Then, it would disappear into the sky and he would sink to his knees, on the ground, sobbing like a child as he realized that she was gone.

He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the dream. He leaned over and placed his head in his hands.

" I....I wasn't able to help. She counted on me, and I let her down....I promised! ", he cried out suddenly as he clenched his hands into tight fists and slammed them down onto the bed.

" Believe in yourself....", a soft voice whispered as a light cool breeze floated into the room, causing the curtains to sway lightly." Believe and you will succeed. "

He shook his head and muttered, " I have nothing to believe...there's nothing there. "

" No...."

" What are you talking about? What do you want! ", he looked up, searching for whoever was there. He found no one.

" You know who I'm talking about, Dart. I want to help you succeed. "

He shook his head, " I...I don't understand. "

" You will in time...you will in time. ", the voice assured him gently.

" Who are we talking about? "

" Your angel, Dart..."

He lifted an eyebrow, fully awake now, " Angel? I have no angel..."

There was a light chuckle that filled the room with the sounds of thousands of twinkling silver bells, " You're wrong again. You have an angel. She loves you very dearly, Dart. Why can't you sense her love for you? "

He groaned, " I'm not capable of love. And I don't have an angel! ", he muttered stubbornly.

Another chuckle.

" What's so funny? I find nothing amusing about this. ", he said as he untangled his legs from the sheets and swung them over the side of the bed.

" There's nothing funny at all. Your dream will come true in time, my friend. If you want to save your...friend, then you must believe in yourself and in the others. "

He shook his head again, " I'll say it again. I have nothing to believe in. There's nothing inside of me that is worth believeing in. "

" There is one thing, Dart..."

" Oh? And that would be? "

A quiet chuckle.

" What now? ", he grounded out under his breath he stood up and walked to the window.

" You will know in time. You will feel -- "

" Feel what? ", he cut it off harshly.

" ....the love...", it replied quietly before it faded out.

Dart blinked and whirled around to look around the room, " Where the hell did you go? "

Silence.

He sighed lightly and turned back to look out the window. He shook his head as he spotted someone tall and feminine walking away from the shadows, ' Did they hear anything I said? What's going to happen? Feel what love....? ', he wondered to himself.

He didn't know what to do. He didn't understand. He would never be able to love....it didn't matter who OR what....he just wasn't capable.



~**~Chapter 1~**~

~**~Questions~**~

Rose frowned deeply as she sat there, watching Shana as she picked some daisies and put them together as a bouquet. Shana hummed a quiet lullybye to herself as she picked the last daisy. Tying a white ribbon around the stems, she lifted her head to find Rose watching her.

Shana frowned lightly, " What's wrong, Rose? ", she asked quietly.

Rose blinked and shook her head, " Nothing. Just watching you pick your flowers, that's all. "

Shana nodded and stood up, brushing the grass from her bare long legs. She bent back down and picked up the small basket only to place the bouquet into it. She turned around and walked up to Rose. She reached into her basket and plucked out a daisy.

Shana smiled gently and handed the flower to her, " Here you go, Rose. You should smile more often. You'd be a lot more beautiful if you wiped that grim look off your face and replaced it with a smile. "

Rose just cocked her head to the side and gently took the flower from Shana, " Thank you Shana. But I don't want to be beautiful. I'm not beautiful at all, so there'd be no point in me smiling. "

Shana bit her lip, " I... I'm sorry. "

Rose shook her head, " It's alright. You have no reason to be sorry. You're only trying to help..."

Shana smiled lighlty, nodded, and gently brushed past her to head back into the little village of Neet. Dart, Rose, Meru, and herself all helped to rebuild it and make it a little bit more comfortable to live in, with the help of King Albert. Shana spotted Dart bent over, trousling the light coloured hair of little Zidu. She smiled lightly as she walked up behind him slowly, holding her basket tightly in her hands.

" Dart..."

Dart stood up straight and whirled around to face her," Hello, Shana....."

Shana smiled, " How are you doing? "

Dart shrugged and looked at the ground, " Not bad. Just looking over the village, like I'm suppose too..."

Shana nodded, " I understand. ", she watched him as he began to kick at some pebbles on the grouned. " Dart? Something's bothering you... I can feel it. What's wrong? ", her soft voice full of concern.

Dart looked up at her and shook his head as he brought his hand up to scratch the back of his neck, " Nothing's wrong, Shana. Don't worry about me. I can take care of myself....", he reminded her.

Shana suddenly frowned deeply, " You're lying to me....", she pouted. " That unfair, Dart! "

Dart sighed and held his arms up, " I'm sorry, Shana. I really am, but.... I have to go now. I'm suppose to go and meet my grandfa..er, I mean Haschel..."

Shana lifted an eyebrow and blinked, " You aren't going to tell me, are you? "

" I'm sorry... I-I'll make it up to you later. Alright? "

Shana nodded and sighed, " Alright.... alright. "

Dart smiled, " Thanks Shana. You're the best..."

Shana smiled lightly and shrugged as she muttered under her breath, " I guess that's all I'll ever be to you... the best and a sister..."

Dart knitted his light brows together as he watched her expression of sadness, " What? Did I say something wrong? "

Shana looked up at him and shook her head, " No... I thought you had to go? "

Dart nodded, " I do... just making sure if you were talking to me or something...", he turned and waved over his shoulder as he began to jog towards the fields. " Later Shana! "

Shana waved back and then sighed heavily as he disappeared from sight. Her hand dropped to her side and she turned to head back to her house. Zidu watched her with confusion in his wide green eyes, " Where you go, Shanie? "

Shana stopped, " Home...", she replied softly.

" Oh. Something's wrong.... what is wrong? "

Shana shook her head and continued to walk, muttering under her breath, " I only wish to be loved and appreciated for who I really am..."

***

Haschel frowned and scratched his head, " Claire... what's wrong? You seem... distracted by something..."

Claire's head shot up and she looked at her father, " Oh nothing's wrong. I'm just a little tired at the moment..."

Haschel smiled lightly, " You don't have to finish your studies today. There's always tomorrow. ", he reminded her.

Claire shook her head and gazed at her father with light blue eyes, " But I have to. I can't let you down. And besides... Dart's suppose to be meeting you, remember? "

" It's alright if you're just going to lay down and rest. There's no need to overwork yourself....", he nodded. " Yeah.... I just still can't believe it.... "

Claire shrugged and nodded, " Huh?.... oh, I know... but we all have to learn to accept the truth, don't we? "

Haschel crossed his arms over his chest and watched her with deep, caring dark eyes, " He's my grandson and I didn't even know about it, until you told us...", he frowned deeply. "....don't you miss him? "

Claire sighed lightly and then looked down at the ground as she bit her lip, " Zieg? Yeah...I miss him. I'm just proud of him...for sacrifing himself for Dart... I mean, he wouldn't be here if Zieg hadn't done it.... "

Haschel smiled lightly and nodded as he walked up to her and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder, " I know, dear, I know. I miss him too. I'm sure we all do. But you have to realize that Dart isn't a little kid anymore. Not like he used to be...."

Claire chuckled lightly, wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him hard, " I know... he's an adult now and that's all that matters, right? I mean there is Shana.... or Rose..."

Haschel hugged her back gently and patted her on the back a couple of times, after laughing, " Claire, I don't think Dart would go for Rose. I wouldn't let him...."

Claier kissed him on the cheek, " Why not? ", she asked, slightly puzzled as she left the comfort of his arms. " What's wrong with her? "

Haschel shook his head, " Well... let's just say she's older then me..."

Claire lifted an eyebrow, " How? "

Haschel chuckled and scratched the back of his neck, " She's over ten thousand years old, Claire.... you think Dart would go out with someone THAT old? "

Claire blinked and her mouth fell open, " I...I don't think so. Not if she's THAT old...", she chuckled, trying to think about what was just said. " I'd better go off now. I think I'm going to go lay down now. If Dart stops by sometime later on, tell him I said hello... and that I love him. "

Hachel nodded and watched as she turned and left him to go to her room. He shook his head and mumbled under his breath as he frowned lightly, " Just like her mother... in so many ways too. Just like Dart...."

***

Meru pursed her lips together tightly and watched as Lloyd paced the floor. His head was bowed and his hands were clasped tightly behind his back. His short Platinum hair fell in front of his eyes as he blinked every now and then.

" Llyod? What's wrong? ", she asked gently.

He stopped pacing and looked up at her, slightly startled, " Uh, nothing. I'm....just thinking. That's all. "

She lifted a white brow, " Thinking? About who? Or what? "

He reached up and brushed aside some the hair from his eyes, " No one important..."

" That's a big help, Lloyd! ", she frowned.

" I'm sorry, Meru. I was thinking about Dart..."

" Dart?! ", she voiced her thoughts. " Why him? "

He shrugged, " I...that's the thing. I don't know...."

She crossed her arms over her chest, " Well, then why are you thinking about him? "

" I...don't...know! ", he repeated, more slowly this time.

She blinked and then shrugged, " Alright, fine! Be that way, Lloyd. Winglies shouldn't be keeping things from other fellow Winglies. " , she reminded him, mumbling.

" Again, I apologize, Meru..."

She nodded, " Forgiven, Lloyd....will you explain to me what really is bugging you? "

" Dart...", he stated simply.

" Dart? What did he do to you? "

" Nothing. I just...I had a dream last night. Something about Dart and...Shana...."

" Shana? Now it's Shana AND Dart? "

He shook his head, " No. It was mostly about Dart..."

She frowned, " You're confusing me now, Lloyd..."

He nodded, " That's why I didn't want to explain it to you, but you only insisted...as usual. "

She sighed, " whatever. I'm going for a walk. I'll leave you alone, so you can think and wonder about Dart..."

He shrugged lightly, " As you wish, Meru. As you wish..."

She nodded. She walked over to the door, picked up her hammer, placed it over her shoulder and stepped out into the bright sun. Lloyd watched her leave before he looked up at the ceiling, " Dart, my friend. If only you'd believe...", he muttered out loud.

****************************************************************************

Rose closed her eyes as she leaned back against the tree, trying to catch up on some missed rest. She frowned lightly as she felt something shake in her pouch. She sighed, opened an eye, and then reached down into the pouch to pull out her dark Dragoon Spirit. It shook and glowed brightly as she held it in her hand and then confused beyond belief.

She frowned deeply to find Dart walking down the path, awwy from her. She bit her lip, looked down at the glowing jewel and then back up at Dart's back, whispering lightly to it, " It's him, isn't it? He's the next victim isn't he? B-but why? "