Author's note: Man, I haven't had a review on this one for a while. Has everyone deserted me? *looks around and hears nothing but crickets* I know Ryan has been reviewing my other zoids fics so I guess he likes those better. ^_~ Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I guess I'd better include it this time, but you all have read a thousand of them by now so you know the drill.
Wishing For Snow by Shelly
CHAPTER NINE
As soon as Leon spoke with his father, they gathered their things and left in the Blade Liger to travel to the Toros Base, where she would be meeting his family as well as his former teammates. She was becoming nervous just thinking about it, because if she did tell him about her past, which she would eventually have to do, there would be more casualties involved than just him. And she wondered how his family would react to her once she met them.
"You're awfully quiet back there," Leon commented from the front of the cockpit.
"Just enjoying the scenery," she replied.
He moved so that he was peering at her from around his seat. "You don't sound like you are," he pointed out, his eyes looking into hers.
She looked away from the directness of his gaze. "I guess I'm just nervous," she finally admitted, turning back to him when she felt his hand touch her face.
"You have nothing to worry about," he reassured her with a smile. "Just be your usual charming self, and I know they'll love you."
She smiled back and leaned forward to kiss him. "With you by my side, I know I'll be okay 'cause I love you so much."
He laughed softly, a sound that touched her heart deeply. "I love you, too." Then he turned back to the front, leaving her alone with her doubts once more.
They stopped over in a small town to grab something to ease their parched throats, Leon going inside and Morgan staying outside to stretch her legs and let the breeze play throughout her hair. She heard footsteps coming up behind her and assumed it was Leon, turning around with his name on her lips only to stare wide-eyed as she looked upon Stigma Stoeller instead.
The Backdraft warrior had never been so glad to see someone in all his life as he had been worrying about her ever since he had arrived at the cabin and had found her gone. Anger and relief warred inside him, and eventually relief won. "How are you doing, Morgan?" he asked.
She was having conflicting emotions to deal with herself as she wasn't sure if he was here to bring her back to the Backdraft or if he was here of his own accord. "Fine," she answered, keeping her voice neutral. "What are you doing here?"
"I came looking for you once I saw you were gone," he answered. "What do you think you're doing out here where they can find you?" he wondered, some of his earlier anger surfacing.
She became a little defensive after hearing the tone in his voice. "If you must know, we're going to visit someone."
"Why?" he asked.
"What, did you expect me to stay cooped up in that cabin forever?" she countered.
"If it means your safety, yes," he shot back just as heatedly. "Morgan, you know I promised your father I would look after you," he reminded her as he stepped closer to her and took her hands in his.
Her anger faded as she realized he only wanted what was best for her. "I know, but I can't just hide forever from them, Stigma. I have a life that I would like to enjoy as well, a life that I wish to share with someone special."
He raised an eyebrow. "And this someone would leave you by yourself knowing the danger you're in?"
She sighed. "He doesn't know everything about me just yet," she admitted.
He nodded his head. "And just when are you planning to tell him?"
She shook her head. "I don't know," she answered unhappily, bringing her eyes up to look into his. "I'm scared, Stigma."
His heart melted to hear the tremble in her voice, and he gathered her in his arms to offer her whatever she needed, hearing her sigh as her arms closed around him. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."
He smiled. "You know I would do anything for your father," he replied as he pulled away from her.
She didn't know why, but she giggled a little. Perhaps it was her way of getting through a difficult moment. "I know."
"Morgan?"
She jumped at hearing Leon's voice and turned to see him standing behind her holding a bag of groceries. "Is everything all right?" he asked, eying Stigma warily as he was wondering what she was doing in a stranger's arms.
"Leon, this is Stigma Stoeller, the friend of my father's I keep telling you about that has helped us out," she introduced him.
The younger man's eyes didn't change but he walked forward with an outstretched hand to offer a handshake, which Stigma accepted. "Thanks for all you have done for the both of us," he said, not entirely sure what was going on but not about to embarrass himself by flying off the handle at someone who had given them everything they ever needed without being asked.
"It was my pleasure," Stigma replied. "After all, her father and I were close friends, and he asked me to look after her in case he died." Then he turned towards Morgan. "I am happy to see you in the care of someone who cares about you just as much as I do. I will be able to rest at night knowing you are in good hands. Farewell to the both of you."
She watched as he walked away, wondering what Leon must be thinking and dreading to see his reaction, but was surprised to feel a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"He seems to be a good man," he said, sensing that he had just come upon the tail end of something very important that had just happened.
"He is," she agreed. "He has looked after me ever since I was little. I think of him as an uncle more than anything since nobody can replace my father, although Stigma comes close."
"I wonder what he was doing here?" he asked.
She sighed. "I imagine he had come to the cabin to check on us, but once he found out we weren't there he came looking for us out of concern for me. But I think that now since he knows I'm in good hands, maybe he will stop worrying about me."
Looking into her eyes and seeing the love she felt for him, he decided to put aside his feelings of unease. "Maybe. Now how about we get going? It will be getting dark soon."
The sun had just disappeared behind the horizon when they arrived at the Toros Base, both of them glad to have an end to the trip as their stomachs were growling hungrily by now. They brought the Blade Liger inside and jumped to the ground to see that they had a welcoming party waiting for them, Leon leaving her side long enough to meet his sister, who had taken off at a run towards him, and he met her in an enthusiastic hug. Soon they were joined by his father, and Morgan could see where Leon had gotten his good looks from as she stood by the Liger with a nervous smile on her face.
Leon had never been more happy to see his family since he had missed them terribly these past few months. "Dad, Leena," he said after they separated. "There's someone I'd like you to meet." He led them over to his beloved, taking her hand in his own and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "This is Morgan. Morgan, this is my sister, Leena, and my dad."
Standing in front of them, she had never felt more like hiding in a hole somewhere than she did right now, but she put her brightest smile on her face as she greeted them in return. "Nice to meet you. Leon has told me a lot about you both, and the team as well." That sounded good enough.
"Happy to meet you, Morgan," Leon's father said. "You can call me Doc. Everyone else does. Now I know you both are starving so let's go get something to eat."
Leena darted off after Bit, exclaiming that he wasn't going to hog all the food tonight, and Doc rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Those two," he lamented. "If you would like, you can have your old room, Leon, to stay in. And I know you both just got here, but I've taken the liberty of planning on going to the beach for a vacation. Doesn't that sound like fun?"
Leon laughed. "That sounds great, Dad. I think you'd better go before Bit and Leena tear each other to pieces. We'll be along shortly."
The older man took the advice and left them alone. Leon turned towards Morgan, who took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
She smiled her agreement, but she could only hope it didn't get any worse.
********************
Hmm, a beach trip, huh? There's a lot of things that could happen there, I wonder.... Oh, well, thanks for reading and please, please review!
Disclaimer: I guess I'd better include it this time, but you all have read a thousand of them by now so you know the drill.
Wishing For Snow by Shelly
CHAPTER NINE
As soon as Leon spoke with his father, they gathered their things and left in the Blade Liger to travel to the Toros Base, where she would be meeting his family as well as his former teammates. She was becoming nervous just thinking about it, because if she did tell him about her past, which she would eventually have to do, there would be more casualties involved than just him. And she wondered how his family would react to her once she met them.
"You're awfully quiet back there," Leon commented from the front of the cockpit.
"Just enjoying the scenery," she replied.
He moved so that he was peering at her from around his seat. "You don't sound like you are," he pointed out, his eyes looking into hers.
She looked away from the directness of his gaze. "I guess I'm just nervous," she finally admitted, turning back to him when she felt his hand touch her face.
"You have nothing to worry about," he reassured her with a smile. "Just be your usual charming self, and I know they'll love you."
She smiled back and leaned forward to kiss him. "With you by my side, I know I'll be okay 'cause I love you so much."
He laughed softly, a sound that touched her heart deeply. "I love you, too." Then he turned back to the front, leaving her alone with her doubts once more.
They stopped over in a small town to grab something to ease their parched throats, Leon going inside and Morgan staying outside to stretch her legs and let the breeze play throughout her hair. She heard footsteps coming up behind her and assumed it was Leon, turning around with his name on her lips only to stare wide-eyed as she looked upon Stigma Stoeller instead.
The Backdraft warrior had never been so glad to see someone in all his life as he had been worrying about her ever since he had arrived at the cabin and had found her gone. Anger and relief warred inside him, and eventually relief won. "How are you doing, Morgan?" he asked.
She was having conflicting emotions to deal with herself as she wasn't sure if he was here to bring her back to the Backdraft or if he was here of his own accord. "Fine," she answered, keeping her voice neutral. "What are you doing here?"
"I came looking for you once I saw you were gone," he answered. "What do you think you're doing out here where they can find you?" he wondered, some of his earlier anger surfacing.
She became a little defensive after hearing the tone in his voice. "If you must know, we're going to visit someone."
"Why?" he asked.
"What, did you expect me to stay cooped up in that cabin forever?" she countered.
"If it means your safety, yes," he shot back just as heatedly. "Morgan, you know I promised your father I would look after you," he reminded her as he stepped closer to her and took her hands in his.
Her anger faded as she realized he only wanted what was best for her. "I know, but I can't just hide forever from them, Stigma. I have a life that I would like to enjoy as well, a life that I wish to share with someone special."
He raised an eyebrow. "And this someone would leave you by yourself knowing the danger you're in?"
She sighed. "He doesn't know everything about me just yet," she admitted.
He nodded his head. "And just when are you planning to tell him?"
She shook her head. "I don't know," she answered unhappily, bringing her eyes up to look into his. "I'm scared, Stigma."
His heart melted to hear the tremble in her voice, and he gathered her in his arms to offer her whatever she needed, hearing her sigh as her arms closed around him. "Thank you," she whispered. "For everything."
He smiled. "You know I would do anything for your father," he replied as he pulled away from her.
She didn't know why, but she giggled a little. Perhaps it was her way of getting through a difficult moment. "I know."
"Morgan?"
She jumped at hearing Leon's voice and turned to see him standing behind her holding a bag of groceries. "Is everything all right?" he asked, eying Stigma warily as he was wondering what she was doing in a stranger's arms.
"Leon, this is Stigma Stoeller, the friend of my father's I keep telling you about that has helped us out," she introduced him.
The younger man's eyes didn't change but he walked forward with an outstretched hand to offer a handshake, which Stigma accepted. "Thanks for all you have done for the both of us," he said, not entirely sure what was going on but not about to embarrass himself by flying off the handle at someone who had given them everything they ever needed without being asked.
"It was my pleasure," Stigma replied. "After all, her father and I were close friends, and he asked me to look after her in case he died." Then he turned towards Morgan. "I am happy to see you in the care of someone who cares about you just as much as I do. I will be able to rest at night knowing you are in good hands. Farewell to the both of you."
She watched as he walked away, wondering what Leon must be thinking and dreading to see his reaction, but was surprised to feel a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"He seems to be a good man," he said, sensing that he had just come upon the tail end of something very important that had just happened.
"He is," she agreed. "He has looked after me ever since I was little. I think of him as an uncle more than anything since nobody can replace my father, although Stigma comes close."
"I wonder what he was doing here?" he asked.
She sighed. "I imagine he had come to the cabin to check on us, but once he found out we weren't there he came looking for us out of concern for me. But I think that now since he knows I'm in good hands, maybe he will stop worrying about me."
Looking into her eyes and seeing the love she felt for him, he decided to put aside his feelings of unease. "Maybe. Now how about we get going? It will be getting dark soon."
The sun had just disappeared behind the horizon when they arrived at the Toros Base, both of them glad to have an end to the trip as their stomachs were growling hungrily by now. They brought the Blade Liger inside and jumped to the ground to see that they had a welcoming party waiting for them, Leon leaving her side long enough to meet his sister, who had taken off at a run towards him, and he met her in an enthusiastic hug. Soon they were joined by his father, and Morgan could see where Leon had gotten his good looks from as she stood by the Liger with a nervous smile on her face.
Leon had never been more happy to see his family since he had missed them terribly these past few months. "Dad, Leena," he said after they separated. "There's someone I'd like you to meet." He led them over to his beloved, taking her hand in his own and giving it a reassuring squeeze. "This is Morgan. Morgan, this is my sister, Leena, and my dad."
Standing in front of them, she had never felt more like hiding in a hole somewhere than she did right now, but she put her brightest smile on her face as she greeted them in return. "Nice to meet you. Leon has told me a lot about you both, and the team as well." That sounded good enough.
"Happy to meet you, Morgan," Leon's father said. "You can call me Doc. Everyone else does. Now I know you both are starving so let's go get something to eat."
Leena darted off after Bit, exclaiming that he wasn't going to hog all the food tonight, and Doc rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Those two," he lamented. "If you would like, you can have your old room, Leon, to stay in. And I know you both just got here, but I've taken the liberty of planning on going to the beach for a vacation. Doesn't that sound like fun?"
Leon laughed. "That sounds great, Dad. I think you'd better go before Bit and Leena tear each other to pieces. We'll be along shortly."
The older man took the advice and left them alone. Leon turned towards Morgan, who took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Now, that wasn't so bad, was it?"
She smiled her agreement, but she could only hope it didn't get any worse.
********************
Hmm, a beach trip, huh? There's a lot of things that could happen there, I wonder.... Oh, well, thanks for reading and please, please review!