Chapter 7

(Wow… Chapter 7 already. –le gaspe- I usually don't make it past Chapter 3. XD Anyways... Thanks for your reviews, everybodeh. I luff you all.)

Slowly, two hazel eyes opened to their surroundings. Slowly, the world came into focus once more. And slowly, Sheena realized where she was. 'I'm still in the forest... I probably haven't gone far, though I know I'm not where I was when that ass overpowered me.' She then noticed a soft green blanket that was draped over her form. 'This blanket... is Zelos's?' She lifted herself up to her elbows, fully intending to rise to her feet, but she only got upright enough for the blanket to slide down to her waist before pain stabbed at her side and with a gasp she collapsed once more.

The ninja tilted her head upward, noticing that she was lying at the base of a tree. Refusing to remain lying down, she struggled upright once more, her hands pushing her back until her back was pressed against the tree.'My wound...' She remembered that pain from just before she blacked out. He had attacked her from behind, and sent his blade deep into her side before she had even whirled to face him. That was when she screamed... The scream that, Sheena guessed, had brought Zelos to her aid. She had fought a minute or two after that initial wound, but it was a useless battle; Kage was merely toying with her, at that point. 'Kage...' Yes, that man had been Kage. Somehow, she knew it. He was everything she'd expected him to be... Though twice as powerful. Her hand made it's way to her side, but instead of feeling the familiar hot dampness of a blood-soaked robe, she felt the soft, dry feeling of expensive bandage. Glancing down, her eyes widened in surprise. Not only had she been asleep under Zelos's blanket, not only had her wounds been dressed in Zelos's expensive bandaging, but the bandage and her undergarments were all she had on!

Sheena quickly snatched the blankets and pulled them up over her chest, and a faint red hue washed over her cheeks. Sure, nothing truly inappropriate was revealed, but still…The ninja looked over to Zelos, who was sleeping against a tree nearby. Her face grew even redder. She looked around for her stuff, which to her relief was nearby. Hastily grabbing her spare robe, she struggled into it as best she could… But when she sat fully upright to tie her pink ribbon 'round her middle, a strange and painful dizziness came over her. Leaning back against the tree and closing her eyes, the ninja took a few deep and steady breaths. Though the cause of the headaches was unknown to her, it was merely the result of a mild bump on the head from when Kage had dropped her to face his newest opponent. To Sheena, it felt as if her head was slowly being squeezed between two boulders. When it faded and her last deep breath was drawn, she opened her eyes once more.

By now, Zelos had awoken. The first thing he had done upon awakening was look to the ninja, hoping she was doing better than she had the previous day. When he had fallen asleep that night, he wasn't even sure the ninja was going to survive... And the death of Sheena, as much as he hated to admit it, would hurt him more than even his own. When he looked to her that morning, however, a look of extreme and total relief had come over his face... She was alive, awake, and even upright. Though that had faded to concern a moment later, for she was leaning against the tree, eyes closed, and taking deep breaths as if in quite a lot of pain.

When Sheena looked to the redhead, it was that concerned look she caught before it faded to a joyous grin.

"Mornin', my voluptuous hunny." He teased, though the ninja didn't bother with the glare she usually offered when addressed with that particular nickname. She instead remained silent and continued to meet his gaze. Eventually, his teasing look turned to one of curiosity, as if wondering what was on her mind.

"Thanks…" She muttered, still slightly uncomfortable at having awoken in her underclothes. Zelos offered a half-smile in response, which was a good enough answer for the summoner. She turned her gaze up to the sun, suddenly wondering what time it was. "How long was I-…?"

"Nearly a day. With that wound on your side, it could have been much worse… Much, much worse." He looked away for a moment, his eyes nearly betraying how close to death she had been. The redhead didn't want to worry her, or himself for that matter. Though his gaze was drawn back to the fully-robed Sheena as she attempted once more to rise. 'Leave it to Sheena to be this stubborn.' Though as he saw how hard she struggled to get even somewhat upright, he couldn't just stay silent and watch. "Don't get up yet! You're too hurt. You have to rest a while!" he objected.

Though the ninja heard his protest, and the ones to follow, she ignored them. A hand on the tree for balance, she slowly and shakily rose to her feet. The pain in her side was agony, yet she braced against it, blocking as much of it out as she could. Her jaw was set in determination; Sheena intended to stand, or pass out trying. The latter of which seemed fully possible, right about then. She heard Zelos rise to his feet nearby, just in case she tried to do just that... But still she rose, inch by inch. At last, the ninja was vertical, though the majority of her weight was depending on the tree for stability. At that point, she looked up to Zelos once more. His face was once more covered with a look of concern.

"Zelos, I'm okay." She attempted to reassure him, offering the closest she'd come to a true smile in a long time. He relaxed slightly, though he didn't sit back down. "I'm fine. See?" To prove further that she was okay, she slowly pushed her weight from the tree and onto her own two feet. One step, then two, though her jaw was clenched in pain the whole time. After the second step, her steps were a bit less careful... And thus was the demise of her short-lived victory. On the third step, she took a slightly bigger step. As you probably know, the human body is connected all over. One muscle connects to another, which connects to another, which connects to another still. To Sheena, she'd merely increased her step a few inches, but that increased the tension in her hip muscles, and in turn her stomach muscles, and the muscles on her side. In a final stab of pain, far worse than the others, the ninja found herself falling once more. She closed her eyes, and braced herself, expecting to hit the ground hard and painfully, but she did not. Instead, she felt a pair of strong arms catch her, ease her far more gently to the ground. Just as they had when the drakes had attacked.

"See, I told you you weren't okay." Zelos complained. Sheena gazed up at the Chosen, wondering honestly why he cared so much. 'He probably does it so other hunnies like him better.' The ninja scoffed, though then the question became, what would hunnies be doing out in the middle of the forest? 'It's ZELOS. He'll find some somehow.'

"Okay or not, I have to go. The longer I sit here, the farther ahead they get. Let me up." Her gaze was fierce, though his, through some miracle, was fiercer.

"No, you-"

"Let me up, Zelos." Her tone matched with her fierce gaze made her point clear. 'That's not a suggestion. It's an order.' The Chosen sighed, knowing that nothing short of the destruction of Tethe'alla would convince her otherwise.

"Fine. If you want to leave now, we can leave. But you're not walking." He warned, and the ninja knew at once what he meant. So she had to weigh the options placed before her. Sit there and rot while Kage and his goons got away, or ride on Zelos's back until she healed. The ninja cringed inwardly; neither one was too appealing. But at last, to both of their great surprise, she chose the latter.

"Fine. Let's go." She looked around her a moment, locating the nearest tree and half dragging, half pulling herself over to its trunk. Once more she rose with the tree's aid, though this time was much less shaky. Once fully upright, she turned so her back was pressed to the bark. "I'm ready."

The redhead nodded, stepping the couple of steps to where Sheena stood. He turned his back to the ninja and crouched down. She eyed the back of his head warily a moment, wondering if this was the right choice, before slowly easing her weight onto his back. Once she was situated, he stood once more, taking Sheena with him. And they were off.

At first, the summoner was somewhat uncomfortable; she had never before ridden on another's back like this, for even as a child she preferred her own two feet. Besides that, being pressed so close to the redhead wasn't something she'd had on today's agenda. Yet, after a while, she managed to relax. Both she and Zelos felt this, and a soft smile flickered across his lips.

"Hey Sheena?" He started.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you." His voice was soft, and the ninja cocked her head slightly in confusion.

"For what?" She questioned, attempting to figure out what she had done to deserve thanking.

"For trusting me." After a moment of wide-eyed surprise, the ninja smiled for the second time that day. There was no more spoken the rest of the day; both ninja and Chosen were pondering the events of that afternoon. Yet if any passersby or travelers saw them as the sun fell past the horizon and night enfolded the land, they'd see a redheaded man in pink and black with a ninja on his back, her head resting on his shoulder as she slept soundly for the first time since the journey had begun.

(Awwwww... –clings to fluffy ending- Hehehe. Revieeew. Mooore. C'moooon. Hehe. )