Disclaimer remains the same, would be cool but it's not so.

Amanda: Yeah! If you owned it then maybe I would be in the game!

B.P.: Um…yeah (NOT) hehehe

When I first started this, I didn't think that I would be typing a chapter 6. This is great. It means that I'm actually doing something others like to read.

Just a quick note: I had already wrote some of this chapter (up to the second break) before I got any reviews on chapter 5. Though I think I may leave some of you scratching your head, I know some will be pleased.

I want to dedicate this fic to a certain 'type' of fan out there…just so I don't give anything away, see the dedication at the end (after reading the fic, of course!) :D

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Chapter 6

Nel returned his hug. She felt like her world had just disappeared. The hard floor under her didn't bother her. She could have been on a bed of nails and would have felt no pain.

"Albel…I really…" She was having a hard time saying the words she felt.

Keeping his arms around her, he leaned back to look at her. "No words needed. I know."

A tear left her eye. She was overcome with emotion. She never dreamed of this moment. Even as a young girl she had more interest in fighting technique then boys. Nel never saw herself in love. Not until now.

They leaned in to kiss again when they were interrupted.

"Ohhhhhhhhhh, that's so sweet!" a voice called from above.

Nel and Albel, still holding each other, looked up through the window overhead. Someone was looking down on them. It was a man, but the sun was to his back and his features weren't clear. Something about him, though, was familiar.

"Huh? What are you doing here?" A familiar female voice called from above. She was looking at the first newcomer.

He shrugged and pointed down at Nel and Albel.

The female kneeled and looked over the side of the window. "Well," her voice was calm with a hint of cheerful. "Looks like a reunion."

Albel couldn't place the guy at first, but after hearing the female, he knew exactly who they were. He stood, leaving Nel on the floor. He looked up and raised his claw fist.

"Come down here and say that, maggot." He directed his gaze to the man overhead. He didn't appreciate being called sweet…not by him least of all.

"Whoa, don't get your panties in a bunch," the guy replied. "Hey it's not like I was trying to peep in on ya or anything."

The female looked to the man at her side. "Oh, and we're suppose to believe you? I think you should go down there and say hello."

She gave him a hard slap on the shoulder and sent him through the window. He crashed hard on the floor, only a few feet from Nel and Albel.

Nel was in a half daze the whole time. She had just come to terms with the whole situation with Albel just to be interrupted. She was so out of it that she didn't even know who had interrupted them until he hit the floor.

She was mad. Here she was trying to confess her feelings and couldn't. Who did he think he was barging in like that on her moment? She stood quickly. Albel was slowly approaching him. She grabbed Albel's arm and jerked him back. THE INTRUDER WAS HERS'!

"What are you doing here!" She gritted her teeth as she spoke. She reached down and lifted him by the collar. He flinched as she waved her fist at him. "Answer me, Cliff!"

He lifted his hand to explore the back of his head. He was glad to be Klausian at that moment. If not for that, then the fall would have seriously hurt him.

"I'm not sure why I'm here. Hehe…it's hard to explain." Cliff wished she would put her hand down. She didn't look too happy right now.

Albel knelt beside Nel. "How long have you been watching us, worm?"

"Hey, I just got here a little while ago," Cliff said pointing to the overhead window. It was obvious he was telling the truth. Cliff never was good at lying. "I spent all night lost in the cave. I finally gave up on finding this place, so I left. Then I got the sudden urge to climb and found that hole. I looked in, saw you two, and now here I am. I swear."

Nel let go of his collar. He sat up, keeping a cautious eye on the pair.

"What do you mean, finding this place?" Albel asked. He could feel that more of the mystery was starting to unfold.

Nel nodded. She picked up on Albel's meaning. There was much more then just coincidence at work here.

"I…err…it's kinda hard to explain. You would think I'm crazy." He caught the glances the two gave him. "I mean, crazier then you already think I am."

Nel shook her head. "Let me guess. You saw this place in a dream and then felt a sudden tug to find it?"

Cliff's jaw dropped open. "How…um, yeah. Something like that."

Albel looked at him like a predator stalking its prey. "And who else, exactly, was in this dream of yours?" His claw twitched. If he said Nel then his blade would need to be burnt because the stains would never wash off. Not after what he would do to him.

"Whoa…um…what do you mean 'who else'?" Cliff inched away slowly across the floor.

He didn't get too far before Albel had a hold of him. With his right hand, Albel grabbed Cliff by the neck and stood; dragging Cliff up with him. His cold stare penetrated the blonde. He lifted his claw. "If you had dreams about Nel then I will kill you…slow and painfully."

Nel stood behind Albel. She was so stunned by his words that she couldn't give any protest to his threat. It was one thing to have him confess his feelings for her in private, but to let anyone else know was something that stunned her.

"NO! Not Nel. I swear! It was Mirage. Not Nel. Now, will ya let go?"

Mirage chuckled from above. "That's nothing new, Cliff. I've known you too long and you talk in your sleep. Only thing is, you never say anything when you're awake."

Nel turned to look at Mirage as Albel let go of Cliff. "So, Mirage, you too? Have you had dreams of this place as well?" Nel asked.

"Yeah." Mirage answered.

Nel looked from the two men and then to the blocked exit. "So, you two dream of each other in this place, we dream of each other in this place…it seems the answers are not far from revealed."

Cliff took a step back from Albel and looked at Nel. "So, your saying that you two had dreams also? And of each other?" He let out a small chuckle. He had always thought there was more to those two then either would admit. "Hey," he yelled up to Mirage. "Does this mean I'm the man of your dreams?"

"I wouldn't go that far, but in my dreams…yes you were there."

Cliff's chest swelled with pride. He didn't know exactly what was going on, but after seeing Nel and Albel hugging…then maybe… His mind filled with images. He smiled.

"Snap out of it, worm."

"Okayyy. What is going on here?" Cliff asked, looking from Albel to Nel.

Nel gave him a quick run down. She explained about her dreams corresponding to Albel's and eventually leading both to the same place. She left out the part about them fighting, kissing, and just about anything they had done together. She finished with the cave-in and them being trapped.

"So, first things first." Cliff hit one of his hands with his fist. "We find a way out and then go after whoever is behind this."

"That's what we were doing; fool, before you dropped in."

Cliff looked at the swordsman. Had he just attempted to make a joke? There was something different about him. After what he had said about Nel and killing him, Cliff knew that a lot had happened that Nel had not told in her story. A lot!

"Looked like you two were looking for something other then a way out, by what I saw." Cliff smiled. Then he mentally slapped himself. Sometimes he needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut. Albel was giving him an I'm-going-to-kill-you-and-enjoy-every-minute-of-it look.

"Um, anyway," Cliff said slowly backing away from Albel. "Hey, Mirage, think you can find a rope or something?"

"Roger." Mirage replied. She disappeared from her spot above them.

Nel looked at Albel. "Is there anything in your bag that might help?"

"No," Albel answered, looking at the bag. "There's nothing more then a few light provisions. I didn't anticipate getting trapped in a cave."

-

She was mad, he could tell. She hadn't said one word to him as they approached the mouth of the cave.

"If it makes any difference…I drank the stuff also."

She turned and looked at him. "A difference? What difference would it make? You're too concerned with pairing off others then you are with your own love life." She crossed her arms and shook her head. "Besides, I bet when you went looking for a love potion, you didn't even have Nel and Albel in mind."

He scratched his head. "Well…um no but, you see, I have an obligation to Nel."

He had carried it too far this time. She was use to dealing with him, but now he was meddling with others. "And what obligation is that exactly?"

-

The three stood in silence for a moment. Cliff made sure not to get too close to Albel. Albel kept his eyes planted on the Klausian, being sure he didn't get to close to Nel.

Cliff, not understanding Albel's intentions, moved closer to Nel. He simply wanted to chat and Albel wasn't the chatting kind. So, that left Nel.

He was only able to take a few steps before Albel blocked his passage. "Back off, maggot."

Cliff raised both hands and stepped back. "Um…a little touchy, huh?" He let out a nervous giggle.

Nel stepped between them. "Come on guys. We need to find a way out. Right now is not the time for a fight."

Cliff scratched his head and looked around. He focused on anything that would keep his attention off Albel…or Nel for that matter. It wasn't long before he noticed blood patterns on the floor. Along with Albel's abandoned katana and Nel's abandoned dagger, it didn't take long for Cliff to put it together.

"You two been fighting?"

Albel smirked at him. "What makes you say that?"

"Well, the blood patterns and aura residue on the floor kinda hint to a fight. Not to mention that spot over there." He pointed to the spot where Albel had nearly bled to death at.

Cliff walked to the center of the room to inspect the stain. He had just approached the spot when a voice called him from above.

"Got the rope," Mirage called down.

"Good," Cliff replied. "Just tie it off somewhere and send it down." He was looking straight up.

"Will do." She stood.

Before she had time to turn and find something to tie the rope to, a shadow appeared behind her.

Cliff saw the intruder one second too late. "MIRAGE!"

His warning wasn't fast enough. Something hit her from behind. She lost her balance and was sent down the hole.

Cliff saw the whole thing in slow motion. She was hit, and even though she was tough and wouldn't let out a cry, her face showed a slight pain. She fell…

He had no time to think it through. All he knew was that, even though she would survive the fall just as he had, he couldn't let her get hurt. He was overcome with the urge to protect her. Stretching his arms out, he caught her. Her back landed in one arm, her legs draped over his other.

He still held his breath as her blue eyes found his.

A shrill cry sounded overhead. Looking up, the four noticed a small flock of dragons at the overhead window. They looked down at them, but didn't seem too eager to jump down the hole. After a quick examination, the beasts left.

"You okay?"Cliff asked still holding her. He couldn't let her down until he knew she wasn't hurt.

She nodded and smiled. "I'll live." She winked at him.

He knew then that she was fine. She was the toughest Klausian he had ever known. He chuckled. "So, does this mean you've fallen for me?" He gave her his most charming smile.

She slapped him playfully on the cheek. "I fell for you a long time ago, Mr. Cliff Fitter."

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THIS CHAPTER IS DEDICATED TO ALL THE CLIFF/MIRAGE FANS OUT THERE! I LOVE THESE TWO!

Okay – hahaha – personal note to BlueTrillium: after reading your last review (since I had already typed up half of this before reading it), all I can say is sca-ree! We are on the same wavelength or something…either that or these two blondes were just meant to be! XD

Also, I always believed Cliff to be smarter then he lets on. He just seems like the type to fringe ignorance to his own benefit. Cliff was a good guess for Mr. Mystery, but he wasn't it – poor guy tried to be there for the full moon but got lost (hehehe). Good thing he got lost, I mean, Nel and Albel needed some time alone. It hit me right after I wrote the last chapter to include these two. Originally, they weren't part of this story, but I like their appearance. . (This is another of my most liked couples).