Forever Friends

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Chapter 5 - Love

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Sitting on his bed, Isaac stared out into space. It worried him that Sheba had become so involved in his life, largely due to the fact that she didn't want compensation for helping him. It was his experiance that everyone had a price, no matter what they said.

He knew that money hadn't been her goal. After all, he wouldn't be able to pay her for years, especially with Robert to raise. She didn't want his property, as there was little to be had; the only furniture in the house were two beds, a chair, and a small table. So what was it she wanted?

The only other things that she could possibly want, he was unable to give her: his heart and sex - the only other things that people asked for in return.

He doubted he could even give her his heart due to the fact that they had a brother-sister bond. Along the trip in Mars Lighthouse, they had aided each other countless times, and they had agreed to share a sibling bond, since they had always looked out for each other.

No matter how much Sheba helped, he still couldn't shake his feelings for Jenna. She had been his life, his love, his will to live. Had it not been for Robert, he would've thrown himself into the river with a ton of bricks tied to his leg.

He brushed aside a bead of tears. He didn't want to dwell on his current train of thoughts, lest his mind enter dangerous territory. He wondered if Felix was going through the same thing.

Felix. Isaac hadn't visited his brother in law since the funeral. He wondered if he should now, now that Sheba had moved in to help with the housework. Knowing Felix, he'd probably kill them both and take Robert in to his house. Isaac let out a dry chuckle. He remembered Felix's threats years ago if Isaac ever cheated on Jenna. He had promised him that he would never do that.

So was he doing it now by letting Sheba help with the housekeeping? Surely not, right?

He sighed yet again. He knew that he would need to talk to Felix again, and was ready to do so, but the sound of a familiar door made his mind stop:

Sheba was home.

He shuddered at that notion. It made it sound like she lived here or was his new love or something. Should Felix catch wind of that though, he would shake out of his depression and hunt them down. So why did he let Sheba stay anyway? To simply help with the housework? He could just as easily stay in the inn. He could just as easily tell her that he would do it on his own.

So why did he accept her help? Was it because he knew that he couldn't take care of the house and Robert on his own? Was it because he didn't want to hurt her feelings? Was it because he...loved her? The latter didn't seem to make sense. He loved Jenna! He couldn't love another, despite her death.

But what other reason could it be...?

A light tap on the door brought him out of his train of thought to look at the source of his troubled mind. Sheba stared at him, a quizzical look on her face. Despite whatever he thought of her as far as a lover, she was attractiv-

*Damnit, Isaac! Don't dishonor Jenna this way!*

"The Innkeeper thought that I could use a day off. Sorry if I shocked you."

Isaac stared at her. She even sounded like Jenna. Was that because she had known Jenna for so long, or that she read his mind? Or maybe it was as he feared the most - she was being herself. THAT notion scared him, as it made him more comfortable around her.

"Did I come at a bad time?"

"No, I was just letting my mind wonder."

"What about?"

He stared into her eyes. No matter what else he thought, she did care about him. WHY was beyond him, but she did care.

"I was just thinking of why you were helping me."

*Fool, now you probably offended her.*

To his shock, she simply stared at him, a look of suprise on her face. "Isaac, I'm doing this as a friend. I know what it is like to loose those that are close to you. I don't like to see people in that kind of pain."

Was it him, or was there something odd about that phrase? "What about Felix? Why don't you help him?"

She sighed, and for the first time since she walked in, she looked depressed. "Felix is in a severe depression right now. I doubt he wants to see Mia right now, let alone me."

*Knowing Felix, that's probably true.*

"Why are you thinking about this, anyway?

He looked at her, a touch of fear behind his gaze. Should he tell her, and risk the chance of truly offending her?

Looking at her face, he didn't have much option - she wanted to know.

"I was worried that you were helping me with the house and with Robert to... make me....love you."

If he thought that she would be offended, he was slightly offended that she laughed at that comment. Was she joking at a time like this? Or was it that the notion was absurd?

"Isaac, that's absurd. I'm doing this because I worry about you. You don't have any money, you have a son that needs caring, you have a house in disrepair. You need some help, and I'm giving you my help."

He silently wondered if she was laughing to divert his mind from any real objective she might have. Though he did begin to have doubts that she had a secret objective.

"Thanks, Sheba. I just thought that people don't help others unelss there is something in it for them."

"Seeing you able to survive on your own and to see Robert grow up in a good household is good enough for me. Don't you remember that promise we made years ago in Prox? That we would always be there for each other?"

He let himself chuckle this time. "I had almost forgotten about that."

She moved to sit next to him, stroking his back. "I don't like to see people in pain, Isaac. Especially if there is something I can do about it." She gently kissed him on the cheek, then stood, moving to the door before turning to him. "I'll go get lunch ready."

As she walked out, he couldn't help but wonder if he DID harbor feelings for her? Would doing so be unfaithful to Jenna? Surely not! He loved Jenna, but he still had feelings for Sheba, only he didn't know the nature of them. Were they love, lust, trust, friendship, sibling care? He didn't know.

And that scared him.

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As Sheba walked into the kitchen, she reflected on her chat whith Isaac. He was worried that she was in it to steal his heart? Had they shared the same thoughts? It was odd for a Jupiter adept and a Venus adept to share common thoughts, especially when their mind energies were opposite. And yet, they seemed to share the same thoughts, feelings, and worries.

And that scared her.

Sheba didn't want to intrude on Isaac's mourning for Jenna, but his train of thoughts, despite what she might have thought, were viable reasonings. She had no real reason to help him, and she had to admit - doing it for his heart was a valid reason.

Which meant that it would be the first one that Felix saw.

As she put the pot on to boil, she thought of why she wanted to help Isaac. She wasn't in it for love, but she couldn't shake her thoughts on him. Was it because they thought alike? They both felt obligated to accept the others request? Was it because they were there when the other needed them? She did not know.

And that frightened her more than anything Felix might do.

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Weeell, yet another chapter out. Guess this will be the main story until I get out of my writers block for RoA (or until I get off my lazy butt and start thinking about it...).

Anywho, here's the review commentary:

Gay Witch - Yep, I seem to be good at angst. And that's why I finally changed the genre to Romance/Angst. There is too much angst to not lable it as such. Maybe I'll get more reviews... And compared to what I have planned for later, this is nowhere near as dark as I plan... =D

Jinn - Oh, stuff will happen. Belive me, stuff will happen. You can draw your own conclusions from that, because unlike Return of Anemos, I won't be dropping any more hints on this story for a while... XD

Forgotten Souls - Ya know, I was all ready to post this when I got your review... Anyway... And if you need to chat with me, and we'll get a time set for me to be on... I hope... Now to the review... And as far as common things that authors use, bear in mind that I was the one that didn't let Felix kill Alex for raping Jenna. THAT is reason to know that I am hightly unpredictable... At least when it doesn't relate to Sheba...XD Again, send an e-mail and I'll get back to you...

That's all? Dang... Oh well, seeing as how I hadn't updated this story in ages, the twenty some-odd reviewers then aren't able to review now. Or maybe school and work and life have something to do with it? XD Anyway, please review if you are reading this! I love reviews, and feel free to try and guess what will happen! I love to see how people interpret my works!

Sheba - HE DOES NOT OWN GOLDEN SUN! PLEASE REVIEW!!!