Author's Notes: Sorry for the lack of updates. I got side tracked by a few things, writing a few .hack//SIGN fics I submitted to Newtype USA, my Gundam fanfic, and school. I loved writing this story but sadly I am running dry on my creative juices at this moment. I'll have to say this is the last chapter (Epilogue excluded). I would like to offer thanks to everyone who reviewed and critiqued. Now I'll answer some reviews quickly...

I don't see Keiichi as an overly formal person, so I think he might have told Sentaro to call him Keiichi (I mean Sentaro calls Urd and Belldandy by their first names). And it's apparent from Skuld's accidental erasing of Sentaro's bike scratches that he does have a deeper understanding side and is not totally inept. And I don't think he would ever doubt Skuld or Sentaro's honor (besides Skuld's the one who goes around pegging him...)

All right happy reading and please review. Many thanks.

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Ah! My Goddess- Insecurity and Innocence (Chapter Eight: Vacation's End)

By Gredival

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Skuld pulled the young boy to the head of the bed and pulled the covers over him. She brushed some sand off of his face and put her hand to his forehead checking his temperature. She slowly stroked the side of his face and kissed him lightly on the forehead. She looked at his sleeping face and smiled.

"Please stay by me Sentaro," she whispered softly laying her hand gently onto his cheek stroking the boy's skin. "I don't want this to end."

She hugged him as softly as she could trying her hardest not to shatter the sleep he was in. Slowly pulling away, she moved to walk outside onto the balcony. The wind whipped across her body, her hair whipped back in response to the wind's force swaying in the morning breeze. She breathed deeply of the ocean's salty morning air. It seemed to invigorate her body and soul.

Almost as much as every moment she had the chance to spend with Sentaro.

***

"I saw Sentaro slipping back into his room all wet. And there was something in his hand," Belldandy explained. "It was Noble Scarlet's egg." She closed her eyes and lowered head smiling helplessly.

"So he really did go to get it?" Urd asked incredulously.

"He really cares for Skuld," Belldandy answered sincerely. "And he couldn't stand to see Skuld unhappy."

"Anything for the girl you love huh?" Urd chuckled a bit to herself as she flipped her white mane of hair back. She leaned back onto the wall of the hotel room tilting her head heavenward. Staring into the blank ceiling she remarked, "It can't be long until Skuld breaks through..."

The other woman nodded her agreement and smiled a bit. "I'm going to go check up on them," Belldandy said. Urd nodded as Belldandy made her way to the bathroom. Extending her slender fingers as she touched the cold surface of the mirror sending ripples through the glass' reflective surface. She ducked her head in and leaned disappearing through the melted sand.

***

Skuld sighed a bit as the sun peaked through the clouds. The bright rays of light cut through the dew of the morning bathing the scene in the bright colors of the morning dawn. She curled up a bit as she sat on the balcony railing looking at the site. She'd have loved to see this with Sentaro, but he needed his rest. She held her Angel's Egg close to her heart and smiled a bit curling a bit tighter.

"Thank you Sentaro..." she whispered to herself blinking away the moisture that was forming at her brown eyes. She shook her head and brushed away her black hair and returned her eyes back to the sunrise. "I... I hope we can stay like this."

Belldandy couldn't help but smile from the entrance way to the young couple's room. They'd be fine. She looked at Sentaro and couldn't help but be amazed. The boy had lived through a near death experience only to be shocked to have his image of the perfect girl shattered. And had risked life and limb trying to recover something he had no comprehension of so that same girl would be happy. She decided to leave them alone as she stepped back inside the bathroom. A flash of light that neither of the younger pair noticed, and the First Class Goddess was gone.

Skuld stepped back inside the room to escape the chilly morning air. Her breath became visible for the most fragile of seconds as it touched the frosty air, before it disappeared. She slid the door closed as she stepped through shivering a little bit as her skin adjusted to the temperature change. She took a seat next to Sentaro's bed. He slowly groaned his eyes opening. He blinked away the sleepiness as the seconds passed. The boy's vision cleared to reveal Skuld looking at him with a very concerned look.

"Hey there..." she said softly. "Are you alright?" Skuld asked tentatively as he sat up.

Sentaro nodded. The next moment he was knocked down on the bed by Skuld. She pinned him down. "Never do that again!" Skuld scolded. "You worried me to death!"

"You were worried about me then?" Sentaro asked, snickering. From his position he really had no position to, but the faint shade of red that appeared on Skuld's face was worth what he expected next.

"W-why you!" Skuld stuttered taking a pillow and hitting Sentaro with it. Sentaro shielded his face from Skuld's hits and got a mischievous grin on his face.

"Eh?" Skuld wondered as he suddenly jerked throwing Skuld off of him down to the bed. He pinned her down and threw her pillow away.

"That's not fair," Skuld protested. Sentaro grinned and shrugged. "Okay, I give." Skuld said exasperated.

Sentaro moved so she could sit up. The next moment he was pinned to the bed again by a giggling Goddess.

***

Sentaro folded up the shirt and slowly packed it away in the suitcase. He slammed the lid shut quickly locking the suitcase before it could open back up and taunt him with failure. "Cool finally!" Sentaro exclaimed.

"Never knew it took so little to amuse you," Skuld remarked giggling from her seat on the bed. Sentaro responded with a quick raspberry. "So you're ready?"

"Yeah, you?" Sentaro asked getting up stretching his legs from his previous cramped position. Skuld nodded a bit wistfully. Sentaro did not miss the edge of sadness in Skuld's actions. "What's wrong?"

"Nah I just had fun, that's all," she responded tilting her head to her right as she smiled at Sentaro. He couldn't help the smile that came to his face.

Just then they heard Keiichi call from the door. "Ready to go guys?"

"Yeah!" Skuld yelled back as she got up. She pulled on her pink sweater to cover her bare arms and hooked the sides together zipping it up just a little. She made her way to the door with her suitcase, Sentaro followed her out carrying his own luggage. The door clicked shut behind them as they departed.

"So did you have fun?" Belldandy asked cheerfully.

Before they could respond Urd leaned in. "Of course they did!" Urd said winking a bit at them snickering. Sentaro looked down kind of kicking at the ground, and Skuld turned bright red as she glared at her sister. Urd fought very hard against the waves of laughter. Belldandy, Megumi, and Keiichi chuckled a little at the expensive of the youngest two of the group.

"Alright, alright let's just go..." Skuld muttered. Belldandy put a hand on her younger sister's back and gave her a reassuring nod as they started off again. Sentaro moved forward next to Keiichi.

"Hey did you have fun?" Keiichi asked Sentaro patting him on the back.

"Yeah, thanks a lot for inviting me," Sentaro replied nodding his head.

"No problem. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

***

"The beach?! You didn't invite me?!" Chihiro wailed.

The black haired man shrugged helplessly. "Uhh sorry?" Keiichi offered innocently scratching the back of his head. He could swear he felt a sweatdrop trickle down the side of his head.

"Grrr get to work on that bike!" Chihiro Fujima growled disappointed. Keiichi nodded and hurried off. Belldandy chuckled as she continued sweeping.