Author's note: Thanks everyone for reviewing! And thanks Ryan for reading my other fics other than my Leon fic, "Wishing For Snow"! Wow, Thomas really brings in the reviews. Seems he's got an even bigger following than his brother.
Thomas: Wow! Do I?
Shelly: Yeah, take a look.
Thomas: *reading over reviews* AnimeQueen wants you to write a fic about me. Are you?
Shelly: *shrugging* Maybe. Depends on how nice you are to me.
Thomas: I haven't once bothered you, now have I? *looks back at screen* Hah! See I told you Van tripped me! I have witnesses!
Shelly: *arches eyebrow* Like who?
Thomas: Aries of Attitude, sara, and Biowolf...hey, what's she trying to say? I don't think she believes me.
Shelly: *hoping that Biowolf is female* You know what they say, a picture is better proof than words.
Thomas: *grumbling* At least someone out there believes me.
Dragonflame by Shelly
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Fiona stood nearby in the shadows, watching Van as he offered his support to Tania. She didn't mind as she knew they were good friends, but a very small part of her wished that he wasn't so generous with it sometimes, and she stopped the thought before it even began. Tania had a lot to think about since all this had been dumped on her, and she didn't fault the young woman for needing a little comforting since she knew how frightening it was to learn about your past. Just in Tania's case it was thousands of years ago in another lifetime.
Hearing the brush rustle nearby, she tensed in readiness only to relax when she saw Thomas appear. "Thomas!" she whispered.
His movements stilled as he looked around for her, and she waved her arm to show him where she was. "What are you doing out here, Fiona?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be getting some sleep?"
"It's all right," she answered. "I wondered what happened to Van and came looking for him when I saw you return with the Colonel."
"I know, that's why I came back," he agreed. "Where is he?"
Fiona pointed down to where he was, and she saw a muscle in his jaw tighten as he clenched his teeth. "How can you stand here and watch them and be so calm?" he asked.
She smiled. "There's nothing for me to be jealous about, Thomas, so why should I be angry?"
His anger faded when he looked into her eyes, as it always did whenever he was around her. "You have a very generous heart, Fiona," he said. "If I was in the same situation, I don't know that I'd be so forgiving."
She laid her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Thomas. When you find that special someone, you'll be amazed at how much you're willing to sacrifice for them. In Van's case, I've known him for so long that I know it's part of his personality. If I tried to change that, then he wouldn't be Van anymore."
His cheeks flushed pink from embarrassment. "I guess I've never thought of it that way. I guess you're right. How about we go down there and join them?"
Fiona nodded and they walked down to sit beside them, Fiona beside Van and Thomas near Tania. Fiona took Van's hand in her own and laid her head on his shoulder, a small smile appearing as she heard Tania whisper something to Thomas before they both rose and left, leaving them both alone.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.
Van sighed as he drew her closer to him by wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "It is," he agreed. "But not half as beautiful as you are, Fiona," he said, looking down at her.
Her eyes met his, and she released a happy sigh as she had never found a moment more perfect for them to be sharing with one another. "Van?" she asked.
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
Tania walked alongside Thomas in silence for a time, thinking back on what happened between her and Karl and hating that it had to happen. She was touched that he loved her enough to not want her to risk her life, but he had to understand that she could never live with herself if she at least didn't try to fight.
"I talked with Karl," Thomas finally said to break the silence between them.
"What did he say?" she asked, wondering if she wanted to hear the answer.
"Many things which I think are best heard from him," he replied. "I think you should talk to him again. You might find him more willing to listen this time."
"Why's that?"
"He regrets what he said to you and thinks you will not talk to him now."
She allowed herself a little laugh. "I'm not that mad at him." Then she stopped when she realized that they had gone further away from the village. "Thomas, why are we walking in this direction? The village is back that way."
He approached her until they were close enough for him to hold her hands. "I wanted to talk to you myself, Tania," he said, his voice serious. "After going through that crash, I had plenty of time to think about things before we arrived. Life is short and we never know when it's our time to go, and we are left with looking back on how we have lived our lives. When I look back on mine, I want to know that I have lived my life to the fullest and without regrets."
She looked up at him in wonder. "Thomas, what are you saying?"
He took a deep breath to gather his courage. "Tania, I only have one regret in my life, and I wanted to clear my conscience of this. I regret doubting you when we first met after seeing how much you loved Karl and saying the things I said to you."
A smile appeared on her face, touched at his sentiment. "It's okay, Thomas. It was only natural that you would do so."
"I know," he replied. "But I still wanted you to know since we have become closer since we met, and I think very highly of you. You have brought my brother much happiness and love into his life, things he deserves very much."
Touched, she freed one of her hands to touch his cheek with it. "One day, Thomas, you will find a love like the one I share with Karl. Once you do, grab onto it and never let go. Never let any doubts separate you, and always listen with your heart as sometimes the brain doesn't understand."
He smiled as he covered her hand with his own. "I'll try and remember that. If I do find it, will you be there to help me? You know how I am. Always messing things up."
She chuckled. "I will, Thomas. And I envy the woman that steals your heart as she will have the best of men to love," she said, raising up to kiss his cheek.
Wide-eyed, he was speechless for a moment. "Thank you, Tania," he said once she pulled away. "And-and may I say that I love you as a future sister-in-law?"
"Of course you may," she answered with a laugh. "As long as I get to say the same thing to you as a future brother-in-law."
He laughed as he hugged her close. "Of course you may!" he exclaimed. "Now let's get you and Karl back together! Race you back!" he cried as he took off.
"Hey!" she called out as she ran after him.
Soon they were both back at the village, laughing breathlessly as they stood in front of a tent that sat on the right side of the path in front of the temple. "Man, am I out of shape," she wheezed. "I need to work on keeping my physical abilities up as well as my fighting skills."
Thomas breathed heavily beside her. "I know what you mean," he agreed, finally pulling himself together and pointing inside to let her know he was in there.
She nodded and watched as he left, touched that he thought to leave to give them some privacy. Stepping inside, she had to stop a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the difference in light as it was dark inside, but not dark enough for her not to find the lamps and light them. The flickering light revealed a figure lying on one of the pallets, and she walked over to kneel down beside it and reach out with her hand to run her fingers through his hair.
He rolled over onto his back, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw her, and she jumped on top of him to kiss him greedily before he could utter a single word. When she stopped long enough to catch her breath, he started to say something, but her finger on his lips quieted him, that and the feel of her hand which had begun to worm its way underneath his clothing. And it was then that she showed him without words how much she loved him and how much she needed him in her life.
**********************
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading and please review!
Thomas: Hey! We forgot one! What's a Gundam MS team?
Shelly: It's something that can really kick your a$$ that I can call on in case you get out of line.
Thomas: *wide-eyed* You wouldn't, would you?
Shelly: *melts inside at the puppy dog eyes he's making* No, Thomas, I won't.
Thomas: *jumps up and hugs me* Thank you, thank you! You're the best! By the way, what's the next chapter going to be about?
Shelly: Dragonflame finally makes an appearance! But who will be the one to fight Raven?
Thomas: I will! That way no one will lose anyone they love.
Shelly: But Thomas, you would be disappointing the readers if you sacrificed yourself like that. Then how would I write a fic about you?
Thomas: Oh, yeah! Good point! But I have faith in you! You'll find a way!
Shelly: *slaps hand to forehead* Oh, brother.
Thomas: Wow! Do I?
Shelly: Yeah, take a look.
Thomas: *reading over reviews* AnimeQueen wants you to write a fic about me. Are you?
Shelly: *shrugging* Maybe. Depends on how nice you are to me.
Thomas: I haven't once bothered you, now have I? *looks back at screen* Hah! See I told you Van tripped me! I have witnesses!
Shelly: *arches eyebrow* Like who?
Thomas: Aries of Attitude, sara, and Biowolf...hey, what's she trying to say? I don't think she believes me.
Shelly: *hoping that Biowolf is female* You know what they say, a picture is better proof than words.
Thomas: *grumbling* At least someone out there believes me.
Dragonflame by Shelly
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Fiona stood nearby in the shadows, watching Van as he offered his support to Tania. She didn't mind as she knew they were good friends, but a very small part of her wished that he wasn't so generous with it sometimes, and she stopped the thought before it even began. Tania had a lot to think about since all this had been dumped on her, and she didn't fault the young woman for needing a little comforting since she knew how frightening it was to learn about your past. Just in Tania's case it was thousands of years ago in another lifetime.
Hearing the brush rustle nearby, she tensed in readiness only to relax when she saw Thomas appear. "Thomas!" she whispered.
His movements stilled as he looked around for her, and she waved her arm to show him where she was. "What are you doing out here, Fiona?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be getting some sleep?"
"It's all right," she answered. "I wondered what happened to Van and came looking for him when I saw you return with the Colonel."
"I know, that's why I came back," he agreed. "Where is he?"
Fiona pointed down to where he was, and she saw a muscle in his jaw tighten as he clenched his teeth. "How can you stand here and watch them and be so calm?" he asked.
She smiled. "There's nothing for me to be jealous about, Thomas, so why should I be angry?"
His anger faded when he looked into her eyes, as it always did whenever he was around her. "You have a very generous heart, Fiona," he said. "If I was in the same situation, I don't know that I'd be so forgiving."
She laid her hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Thomas. When you find that special someone, you'll be amazed at how much you're willing to sacrifice for them. In Van's case, I've known him for so long that I know it's part of his personality. If I tried to change that, then he wouldn't be Van anymore."
His cheeks flushed pink from embarrassment. "I guess I've never thought of it that way. I guess you're right. How about we go down there and join them?"
Fiona nodded and they walked down to sit beside them, Fiona beside Van and Thomas near Tania. Fiona took Van's hand in her own and laid her head on his shoulder, a small smile appearing as she heard Tania whisper something to Thomas before they both rose and left, leaving them both alone.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.
Van sighed as he drew her closer to him by wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "It is," he agreed. "But not half as beautiful as you are, Fiona," he said, looking down at her.
Her eyes met his, and she released a happy sigh as she had never found a moment more perfect for them to be sharing with one another. "Van?" she asked.
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you, too."
Tania walked alongside Thomas in silence for a time, thinking back on what happened between her and Karl and hating that it had to happen. She was touched that he loved her enough to not want her to risk her life, but he had to understand that she could never live with herself if she at least didn't try to fight.
"I talked with Karl," Thomas finally said to break the silence between them.
"What did he say?" she asked, wondering if she wanted to hear the answer.
"Many things which I think are best heard from him," he replied. "I think you should talk to him again. You might find him more willing to listen this time."
"Why's that?"
"He regrets what he said to you and thinks you will not talk to him now."
She allowed herself a little laugh. "I'm not that mad at him." Then she stopped when she realized that they had gone further away from the village. "Thomas, why are we walking in this direction? The village is back that way."
He approached her until they were close enough for him to hold her hands. "I wanted to talk to you myself, Tania," he said, his voice serious. "After going through that crash, I had plenty of time to think about things before we arrived. Life is short and we never know when it's our time to go, and we are left with looking back on how we have lived our lives. When I look back on mine, I want to know that I have lived my life to the fullest and without regrets."
She looked up at him in wonder. "Thomas, what are you saying?"
He took a deep breath to gather his courage. "Tania, I only have one regret in my life, and I wanted to clear my conscience of this. I regret doubting you when we first met after seeing how much you loved Karl and saying the things I said to you."
A smile appeared on her face, touched at his sentiment. "It's okay, Thomas. It was only natural that you would do so."
"I know," he replied. "But I still wanted you to know since we have become closer since we met, and I think very highly of you. You have brought my brother much happiness and love into his life, things he deserves very much."
Touched, she freed one of her hands to touch his cheek with it. "One day, Thomas, you will find a love like the one I share with Karl. Once you do, grab onto it and never let go. Never let any doubts separate you, and always listen with your heart as sometimes the brain doesn't understand."
He smiled as he covered her hand with his own. "I'll try and remember that. If I do find it, will you be there to help me? You know how I am. Always messing things up."
She chuckled. "I will, Thomas. And I envy the woman that steals your heart as she will have the best of men to love," she said, raising up to kiss his cheek.
Wide-eyed, he was speechless for a moment. "Thank you, Tania," he said once she pulled away. "And-and may I say that I love you as a future sister-in-law?"
"Of course you may," she answered with a laugh. "As long as I get to say the same thing to you as a future brother-in-law."
He laughed as he hugged her close. "Of course you may!" he exclaimed. "Now let's get you and Karl back together! Race you back!" he cried as he took off.
"Hey!" she called out as she ran after him.
Soon they were both back at the village, laughing breathlessly as they stood in front of a tent that sat on the right side of the path in front of the temple. "Man, am I out of shape," she wheezed. "I need to work on keeping my physical abilities up as well as my fighting skills."
Thomas breathed heavily beside her. "I know what you mean," he agreed, finally pulling himself together and pointing inside to let her know he was in there.
She nodded and watched as he left, touched that he thought to leave to give them some privacy. Stepping inside, she had to stop a moment to allow her eyes to adjust to the difference in light as it was dark inside, but not dark enough for her not to find the lamps and light them. The flickering light revealed a figure lying on one of the pallets, and she walked over to kneel down beside it and reach out with her hand to run her fingers through his hair.
He rolled over onto his back, his eyes widening in surprise when he saw her, and she jumped on top of him to kiss him greedily before he could utter a single word. When she stopped long enough to catch her breath, he started to say something, but her finger on his lips quieted him, that and the feel of her hand which had begun to worm its way underneath his clothing. And it was then that she showed him without words how much she loved him and how much she needed him in her life.
**********************
Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Thanks for reading and please review!
Thomas: Hey! We forgot one! What's a Gundam MS team?
Shelly: It's something that can really kick your a$$ that I can call on in case you get out of line.
Thomas: *wide-eyed* You wouldn't, would you?
Shelly: *melts inside at the puppy dog eyes he's making* No, Thomas, I won't.
Thomas: *jumps up and hugs me* Thank you, thank you! You're the best! By the way, what's the next chapter going to be about?
Shelly: Dragonflame finally makes an appearance! But who will be the one to fight Raven?
Thomas: I will! That way no one will lose anyone they love.
Shelly: But Thomas, you would be disappointing the readers if you sacrificed yourself like that. Then how would I write a fic about you?
Thomas: Oh, yeah! Good point! But I have faith in you! You'll find a way!
Shelly: *slaps hand to forehead* Oh, brother.
