My humblest apologies for the huge delay for this chapter. I was caught up writing two ten page term papers and studying for a really evil final in Sociology, plus I went and wrote "The Promise" too and that sucked up what little free time I had. But that's all behind me now, so the fruits of my labors should come a little faster.

Oh, and for those of you who voiced concern about "The Promise" having anything to do with this fic or any of the others, I'll say on record that it doesn't. It was meant to be a completely stand-alone story. I must say I was quite surprised by some of the reactions I got. I knew it was sad in a way, but wasn't it also happy too?

*Little Words*

Jenna yawned when the early dawn light shined down in her eyes. She smiled when she realized she was still leaning against Garet and that one of his arms was still around her waist. For once he wasn't snoring, but the sunshine hadn't disturbed him at all. He has to be the heaviest sleeper I've ever met, she thought. When he's not snoring he almost seems dead.

"Hey, Garet," she said, shaking him lightly. "Wake up—it's morning." He didn't stir in the least. "Garet," she pressed, raising her voice and shaking him harder. Still no response. Jenna wrinkled her nose and smacked him in the head, which probably hurt her fist more than it hurt him.

"Ow!" he moaned, coming to. "I'm up, I'm up!"

Jenna massaged her knuckles. "About time. Sheesh, you sleep like you're dead."

"And a good morning to you too, Jenna," Garet grumbled lowly. So much for his hopes that she'd be nicer to him after what happened last night. Some things must be too difficult to change. He stretched and yawned, and then a loud growl resonated through the whole forest.

"What was that?" Jenna asked. "I hope it's not another Thunder Lizard!"

"Naw, that's just my stomach," he said.

She smacked him again. "Your stomach? It sounds like a whole horde of those creatures!"

"Give me a break—we haven't eaten anything since yesterday. Don't tell me you're not hungry!"

Jenna's own stomach growled quite loudly just then and she blushed slightly in embarrassment. "Well, no sense standing around here thinking about it. Let's go forage."

There was a stream not far from the cluster of trees where they'd slept, so they went to it in hopes of finding some fish to catch. Jenna inspected it more closely and could see a few fat trout wriggling in the water.

"That'll be enough to feed me for sure," said Garet. "What are you going to do, Jenna?"

The reply came in the form of her fist hitting his shoulder. "Don't be a pest. You can't gorge yourself today--not when we have to share scarce resources. Now figure out a way to catch them, or is that too much to ask of that dense brain of yours?"

Boy is she in a bad mood today, he thought as he set to work. Did I do something wrong last night? He fashioned a makeshift fishing pole out of a branch, a piece of string, and a busted magic ring that he bent to form a hook. Unfortunately, there was no bait to be had, so he hoped that the shininess of the ring would lure in the fish. He sat on a rock with his line dangling in the water and kept half an eye on Jenna as she made the fire, wondering what he'd done to upset her so much.

"Stop staring at me!" she scowled. "You're making me nervous."

"All right, sorry. Sheesh…"

"Just stay focused on catching our breakfast. If you stretch your concentration too many ways, you'll botch everything!"

He grimaced but figured making a retort wasn't worth the effort. I haven't seen her this mad since that time I forgot her birthday--and at least then I knew why she was upset! I swear I'll never be able to figure out women.

Eventually he caught three of the trout, and they ate while still trapped in an awkward silence. Jenna barely ate even though she'd been hungry. Why had she yelled at him? The kiss they'd shared last night had been so wonderful, so perfect, and she wasn't mad about it at all. The words were just slipping out that way for some reason--not in joking tone like they should have but in a rather harsh tone. This didn't make sense. Why was she lashing out at him this way?

"Jeez, Jenna--I go through all the trouble of catching those fish and you barely ate. I thought you were hungry."

"Shut up," she said, the words slipping out before she even realized it.

Garet was visibly perturbed now. He could take her usual joking, but not this anger that seemed so unwarranted. "That's it! I am not going to sit here and put up with this attitude of yours a moment longer." He kicked dirt on the fire to extinguish it. "What's the matter with you anyway, Jenna? One night we kiss and the next morning you're treating me like something you stepped in!" He stomped away in a huff, grumbling to himself.

"Wait!" Jenna called, running after him. "Garet, I'm sorry. Please don't walk away from me."

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't," he demanded. "You're always doing this to me--making me feel useful and important one moment and then brushing me off the next. I know I'm not a brain and that I'm not perfect, but I don't have to be your whipping boy all the time either. Why can't you cut me some slack?"

"Cut you slack?" she questioned. "I could say the same thing about you. All these mixed messages that you send to me. One minute you're flirting and the next you're all defensive and moody. Maybe I'm always picking on you because you're never telling me what I want to hear. Did that ever occur to you?"

"And what do you want to hear?"

"You can ask that after last night? Didn't you feel anything when you kissed me? Anything at all?"

There was an awkward pause as they both tried to recall the amazing sensation they'd felt. Embers of passion and desire that seemed too powerful to be true. But what did it mean? Was it just the result of their fiery natures mixing, or was it something else? Neither of them was sure, and therein was the problem. Each wondered if the other felt the same way or if the feelings in the kiss were some twisted mistake.

"I know what I felt," Garet said. "But I can't describe it. What would you say it was?"

Jenna hesitated, since she too was unsure of the right words. "Something warm," she finally said. "Something warm, wonderful, and…beautiful."

He nodded, sighing and running a hand through his hair. "That seems about right." He turned to her, meeting those lovely dark eyes. He wasn't good at this romantic stuff. Why hadn't he had the good sense to ask Isaac for tips when he'd had the chance?

"What is it, Garet?" she asked, sensing something in his gaze that she couldn't quite place. He looked different from normal somehow. Without warning, he suddenly pulled her into another long, fiery kiss, bringing the same sensation from last night back in full force.

"That's it then," he said when they separated. He had to take the chance now--there was no denying the glory of that kiss. So speaking in an unusually quiet voice, he uttered the four little words she'd wanted to hear. "I love you, Jenna."

Silence held, but it wasn't very awkward this time. It took her a moment to fully realize what he'd said, and then her whole face lit up in a broad smile and she threw her arms around him.

"Garet, you dork! Do you know how long I've wanted you to say that? How badly I've longed to hear those little words?"

Garet was stunned. "You mean…?"

"Yes. I love you too, Garet. I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, but the words just kept getting stuck."

"I know the feeling, believe me!" He chuckled slightly. "So now what? You know I'm not good at this stuff, Jenna."

Jenna giggled. "I think the kiss is a good starting place. Maybe if we're lucky we'll end up like Isaac and Mia."

"Oh Mars, anything but that!" he moaned. "Those two are pathetic! They're so wrapped up in each other that it would take a damn miracle to unravel them!"

"And you don't want that?" she inquired coyly, leaning on his shoulder and looking up at him with huge eyes.

Garet gulped audibly, feeling his stomach do a couple somersaults. "Er…well…that is…you see…"

"Oh you're really articulate aren't you?" Jenna giggled. "Don't worry, Garet. I won't wrap you around my finger too tightly."

"What makes you think I'll let you do it at all?"

She gave him a rough shove and he stumbled and fell into the stream with a splash. Wet, irritated, and amused, he rose from the shallow water and glared at her. "You wanna play, huh? I'll show you." He tried to splash her, but she skipped further from the edge of the stream to avoid the water. So instead he lunged for her, scooped her up, and threw her kicking and yelling into the stream. She stood up sopping wet and both growled and laughed.

"That was mean!" she said.

"But funny!" he chuckled. "That's a good look for you, Jenna if I do say so myself."

"Har har." She wrung out her hair, still grinning. "Some things never change, do they?"

"I wouldn't want it any other way. Come on--we still have to find the others."

"Right. Where's the trail?"

And then they realized that the footprints were nowhere in sight. They'd either strayed off the trail during the scuffle with the Thunder Lizard last night or the footprints had just vanished. What were they supposed to do now? They were all alone in unfamiliar territory and now their one hope of finding their friends was gone!

"What should we do, Garet?" Jenna asked nervously.

"Panic?" he suggested. She elbowed him.

"Don't go getting dumb on me now! We're still together--we can get through this if we stay cool."

Garet snickered. "Do you even realize how ridiculous that sounds? Two Mars Adepts keeping their cool?"

Jenna smiled, relaxed in part by his joke. "I guess that is an unrealistic expectation. But we still can't panic just yet. We'll get out of this mess somehow."

"Perhaps I could be of help?" a voice said. The two whirled to see an all too familiar figure emerging from behind the trees.

"Felix!" they exclaimed together, though Jenna's tone was more surprised while Garet's was clearly angry.

"What are you doing here?" he growled.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again," said Jenna happily. "It's been so long since we met at the Jupiter Lighthouse."

"I didn't forget about you, Jenna," Felix said. "You must've known I'd come back eventually."

She nodded. "I'm so glad you're all right."

Garet chose that moment to seize Felix by his tunic and actually lift him up so that only his toes touched the ground. "You have some nerve showing your face around here after all the stunts you've pulled! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't tear you apart."

"Garet!" Jenna cried in shock. "Put him down this instant!"

"Are you forgetting what he's done, Jenna?" Garet demanded. "He was allied with Saturos and Menardi, lit the beacons, and traded Mia to the Fire Clan!"

"It's nice to see you again too, Garet," Felix said a bit smugly. "I see that not even a year on the road has done anything to curb your temper."

Garet threw him down, stepped on his chest, and pointed the tip of the Silver Blade at his neck. "Don't get cocky with me, Felix. I swear I'll slice you from nape to navel if I have to."

"Stop it!" Jenna ordered, getting more worked up. "You can't hurt him. I forbid it!"

"How can you say that?" Garet growled angrily. "He abandoned you for three whole years and set this whole thing in motion! Why are you defending him? How can you defend him after all of the crap he's pulled?"

"Because he's my brother!" Jenna shouted. "And if you don't put your sword away this instant I swear I'll make you." Her right hand started to glow red to drive her words home. He stared at her in shock. Brother or no, Felix had done some truly despicable things and yet she was choosing to defend him! It didn't make any sense at all. And to make it worse, only a few moments ago she'd confessed her love for him and now she was choosing Felix--his sworn enemy--over him! Garet's blood boiled as he felt torn between his love for Jenna and his oath to bring Felix to justice. He glowered down at the Venus Adept he had pinned to the ground and very slowly withdrew the Silver Blade and backed away. Jenna helped her brother to his feet.

"I must say that went more smoothly than I expected," he said as he dusted himself off. "Thank you, Jenna."

"You're welcome, but how did you find us, Felix? And not that I care, but where's Alex?"

"I know I owe you an explanation…" Felix began.

"…A damn good explanation," Garet interrupted crossly. "The secrecy, the deception, the betrayal--do I need to go on?"

Felix crossed his arms. "As I was trying to say, I'm here to bring you back to the rest of your little crew."

"I should've known!" Garet fumed. "What have you done with the others?! I swear if you've hurt them in any way I'll…I'll…!"

"Calm down, Garet," said Felix coolly. "They're perfectly safe. In fact, it was I who rescued them from Agatio and Karst. They'd be dead if I hadn't shown up."

"A likely story! Isaac wouldn't have let you walk away--not after what you did to Mia!"

"Can you shut that big trap of yours for even a moment?" Felix inquired, getting annoyed. "If you don't want my help, you're perfectly welcome to wander through the wilderness for the rest of your natural life. It's no concern of mine."

"Felix!" Jenna scowled. "Don't make things worse than they already are." She glared at him. "Don't think that because I defended you that you're also forgiven. I still remember everything you've put Garet and Isaac through. I'm not letting you wiggle out of that without a good explanation!" She turned to Garet and her tone softened considerably. "I know you're reluctant to trust him, but what choice do we have? He knows where Isaac is!"

Garet sighed reluctantly, but was inwardly relieved that she didn't seem blinded by her feelings after all. "OK, OK. Take us to the others, Felix, but I've got my eye on you. One false move and I'll nail you before Jenna has the chance to protect you again."

"Very well," said Felix, tilting an eyebrow. "This way."

Just as they were about to leave, the sound of dozens of flapping wings echoed from above. The three looked up to see a huge flock of Wild Gryphons dive-bombing right for them.

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I figured since I'm back in the groove of things I'm allowed to leave off at a cliffhanger again. ^_^ Stay tuned for Chapter 7!

On a completely unrelated note, at least three different people have "requested" that I write an Ivan/Sheba story. I think I may have an idea for one, but I want to know if there's a real demand for it before I devote the time and effort to fleshing it out. So just let me know what you think, OK?