Disclaimer:  You know the drill… I don't own anything from Esca but I do own the characters not mentioned in the series so ask before you use them!  Thanks!  AN:  Hehe, thought I would leave it at chapter 17?  HAH!  Well, thanks to mystry child for reviewing!  A new reviewer always brings a smile to my face!  And, as she thought, I do have another chapter.  =D  I'm so evil.  Oh wow, the LAST CHAPTER!!!  Ooh, I'm so proud of my story!  Now if people will review it **cough Atari cough**.  Read, read, read! Death Moon Rising

I would like to take this time to dedicate this story to someone special.  She's touched my writing and has encouraged me to go places where I never would've thought possible.  Like Crimson Fire, she helped me get to where I am today.  Kae Noel, this one is dedicated to you!

Chapter 18: After Math

The next day after Kat had visited him in his dream Dilandau came to the Medical Ward along with Chesta who had pulled him there in the wee hours of the morning.  Rubbing his head with his hand he walked into the extremely bright room, still wearing his black pants and white shirt.  "What was the emergency?"  He asked one of the doctors, a little annoyed.  Just that morning they had kicked him out of the ward and now as he was about to drift off to sleep, hopefully to see Kat again, they called him back.

"It's a miracle!  I've never seen anything like it!"  The doctor said, clearly flabbergast.  Curiosity tugging at him, Dilandau walked over to the roped off area, pulling back the white curtains that held the three beds.  What he saw amazed him.

Alex was fully awake, talking to Miguel as if nothing had happened.  Nicole was looking like she wanted more rest but was gently getting used to the prospect of being up.  Chesta walked over to her, a huge smile on his face.  That must mean, Dilandau thought as he turned to Kat.  There, leaning against a bunch of pillows piled behind her, Kat was sitting up in bed, looking incredibly tired.  "She's weak because she was able to erect a force field thing around Gaea," Alex had told everyone, apparently answering one of Miguel's questions.  "That means that Gaea is protected from anymore threatening things.  No more midnight visitors from Earth unless they have a purpose to fulfill here."

"Hey, quit talking like I'm not here!"  Kat protested, her voice very soft, as she turned her head a little and gave a half smile to the room.  "I'm over being dead and all."

Dilandau strode over to her and took her hand into his.  "Hey, guess what?"  She smiled.

"Hm?"

"I was dead.  So were those two.  It was fun." 

Alex and Nicole chuckled.  "Trust Kat to think that dying is fun," Nicole said, a little more loudly.

"Hey, we got to talk to Gaea's spirit didn't we?"  Kat replied.

Dilandau put a finger to her lips, silencing her.  "Hush, you need rest.  Dying or no dying, you scared the crap out of me.  So rest up because everyone wants you back," he said gently, stroking her face gently.

"Including you?" She joked as she started to drift off to sleep.

"Including me."

Once she was asleep, he ordered everyone out of the room and for Nicole and Alex to get rest.  Being the last one out, he started to close the curtain behind him when he heard Alex say something.  "You do realize that Gaea only spared our lives because Kat made a deal with her, right?"  She asked.

Dilandau nodded.  He thought it was something along the lines of that.  Last time he had seen them the doctors were ready to write them off. 

"The deal was that Gaea would let us live but only because Kat agreed to be her host whenever she wanted.  It's a deadly trade and Kat could die whenever Gaea takes her body but… Kat agreed because she wanted to see you again.  She does love you Dilandau, she's just not over the hurt of deception."

"I know," he whispered as he shut the curtain.

The next four weeks were hard for everyone.  Kat was feeling tons better and the doctors agreed that all she needed was some bed rest and food, while Alex and Nicole finished up the last of their tests.   Finally after many arguments, threats, and anger they were released from the Medical Ward and allowed to walk the Vione corridors on their own. 

The second they had gotten out they were ordered to spend a day in bed, which they all solved by demanding to stay in Kat's room while they rested.  Their wish granted they had all just lain in Kat's queen sized bed, laughing and talking like it was a normal sleep over.  After that they were allowed to walk around but not to participate in training and when they wanted to do something active in the Training Room they had to have someone watching them. 

Though the attention they got and all the fuss was annoying they had to agree it did settle everyone's nerves knowing that at least for the most part they were being watched.  Two more weeks past and they were finally allowed to wander the Vione unescorted. 

One night Kat was roaming the halls not really caring where her feet took her-she couldn't sleep with so many things on her mind.  She had seen less of Alex and more of Alex and Miguel; the two were spending a lot of time together.  Chesta and Nicole were less obvious, not holding hands as they walked down the corridors or making goggle eyes at one another, they just hung out more then usual. 

I wonder... will Gaea take us back home?  Or will we get to stay here with our loved ones?  She wondered as she remembered Miguel asking about proposing to Alex and Nicole and Chesta going on real "dates".  The date included eating dinner together and then doing something together afterwards-instead of short little talks and brief breakfasts.

If we did stay would we stay with Zaibach?  Do we know if they're still evil?  If they were, could we change them?  I mean the whole siding with the evil people didn't work last time and I don't want to pull Dilandau away, but… she couldn't stop all the questions that flooded her mind.  It was driving her crazy.  "Agh!  Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered as she bit her lip in annoyance.

She looked around and found that she was outside the Training room doors.  She shrugged and went in.  Her powers were slowly recovering from her session and she had troubles using them without getting a headache but it was worth the time just to go into the Training Room and meditate. 

Kat noticed that the Training room's lights were dimmed as she entered and that someone was practicing in the half lit room.  "Troubles sleeping?"  She asked the figure as she entered.

"I could ask the same of you," the voice replied.

"You could, but you don't want to because you know I'll ask you your reasons."

"True.  Tell me, are you… feeling better?"

"I.... don't know," she replied after a hesitation; she knew what he was asking.

"Do you want to go?"

"I.... I'm not sure.  I mean I have friends and family there but here I have you.  Plus I did say I wanted to give this relationship thing a go so…"

"So, you have not decided."

"No, I guess I haven't.  Is that why you're working out late at night?  Are you scared you're going to lose me again?"

"Could be.  Is that why you're out walking?"

"Could be, could be," Kat replied with a grin.  Suddenly the figure sheathed the sword and walked over to her.  Dilandau wrapped his arms around Kat's slim waist and pulled her closer to him.  Usually when he did that she would flinch a little, not really liking the intimate touching.  He had backed off but somehow it felt like he was supposed to do this. 

This time she didn't flinch.  Kat grinned inwardly as she could feel his lips barely a millimeter away from hers.  It had been a long time since he touched her in more then a hug or a hand on the shoulder.  At first she hadn't really let him near her but she warmed up and started letting him touch her as if they were casually dating.  Nothing more but a kiss on the cheek for him or her yet somehow this felt right…

"If you get called back, would you go?"  He asked, his breath mingling on her lips.

"Maybe, I'd have to think it over carefully," she replied teasingly.

"Sounds like you all ready know the answer."

"Well... yeah, I guess I do."

Silence.  "What is it?"

"I'd rather die here with you then go back to Earth."

Kat could feel Dilandau smiling at her as his lips captured hers.  "Then let's keep it that way," he muttered as he deepened the kiss.

After five months of dating Miguel proposed to Alex and she accepted.  Alex became a Dragon Slayer along with Nicole and Kat was allowed to have her position back.  Four months after Alex's proposal Chesta proposed to Nicole and she accepted.  Then after a year Dilandau proposed to Kat and she accepted without hesitation.  Kat became First in Command of the Dragon Slayers and Dilandau remained their Captain.

The End… Or is it?

AN:  Oh… the end of the story… or is it?  Who knows people, it could be and it couldn't.  Let's see, shall we?  Thanks to everyone who has been reading this and reviewing-its you guys who make authors like me blossom into something even better!  Thank you and watch for possibly a new story!

~The Shadow That Takes Form as a Kat~

~~ShadowKat~~