A/N: Hey guys! Well, I up-dated a little faster! Yay! I know, I need to go faster, I'm sorry. I just got Jak 3, so I've been playing it...And, I have a ton of idea's for upcoming stuff. Don't know if I'll ever get to them though... Well, thanks for the reviews! I'm really glad you guys like it! Here is chapter 12!

Discalimer: I don't own ToS. Nope, not I.

Chapter 12: Can't Sleep

xxxx

The sound of light snoring and even breathing filled the house. The sounds were peaceful, lulling each person in the structure. Everyone was sound asleep.

Everyone except Presea.

The pink-haired woman had tried to sleep- in fact, she'd been laying in her bed praying for sleep for over three hours- yet it eluded her. So now she was laying on her back, staring at the ceiling blankly. Her ankle was the cause of her discomfort; at least, that's where Presea decided to lay the blame. She knew there was more to it, but she didn't want to admit it.

Sitting up, the assistant swung her feet to the floor gingerly, tip-toeing out of the room, careful not to wake her sleeping roommates. When she could once again make it up the stairs without crying out in pain and sleep in a nice bed, she couldn't fall asleep. Just her luck.

Slowly, Presea made her way down the stairs, glad that Regal had no squeaky floor boards. At the bottom, she ambled into the kitchen, heated a cup of 7-hour-old coffee, and slipped out of the patio door. Instead of staying out by the pool, however, Presea moved to the front of the wrap-around porch, deciding that she'd rather have a roof over her head opposed to the open night sky.

It was really a lovely night, crisp and clear, with hundreds of stars dotting the black sky. Not a cloud could be seen, and a nearly-full moon lit up the area, illuminating the dark ground. Presea was thankful for that; darkness was dangerous. Shoving that depressing thought aside, she placed her rather bitter-tasting coffee on the railing and propped herself up beside the mug, moving onto happier thoughts.

Her night had been enjoyable. Even Katz Galore had been enjoyable. Horrible and disastrous- yet enjoyable, as well. Spending time with her friends had been lovely, even though the Professor and Genis had opted to stay home. It was probably for the best really, even Regal couldn't have hustled Genis into the casino.

The casino. For the most part, that had been fun, too. Zelos and Sheena had pocketed a small sum of cash, Lloyd and Colette had lost everything they had won, and Presea had won zilch. Regal had profited nothing, yet he had not invested anything, either. He knew how pointless gambling was- he owned the place, and saw how much money people wasted. Despite the fact the gambling wasn't the most intelligent way to spend money, Presea had still enjoyed herself. Spending time with friends could be pleasant not matter what the setting.

But, then again, the casino was also the major cause of her sleeping problem. True, her ankle was paining her, and all the walking around had caused it to really flare up, the main cause of her discomfort was seeing Duke. Which really quite stupid- she reminded herself- she had seen him from a far. He hadn't even noticed her. Yet, it had affected her a great deal, even though she did not want to admit it.

Calabren was someone that she never wanted see again. Near, far, in death- never. He disgusted her. And, as much as she denied it, he frightened her. He had been the one person that had nearly over-come her. He had nearly defeated her. Never, in such an important situation, had Presea been defeated. She triumphed; she didn't fail. But she had nearly failed, and that had been a very important battle. Had she failed, he would have...

"Stop thinking about!" She mumbled to herself harshly. "Don't let the experience haunt you- use it to better youself."

Better herself. That was exactly what she had to do. She had to train. No more putting the task off, she needed to get out and exercise. She had let her training go, three days a week diminishing to one day week; three hours a week to one hour a week. And then, nothing. She had completely given up on it. The new world was peaceful, why train? What threats lurked out in such a new, prosperous world?

Man, that's what. Man was just as bad as any beast Presea had ever encountered. And now, she had to prepare herself. Not at three in the morning, of course, but tomorrow. Or later that day. No, at the moment, she needed to sleep.

Yet she stayed, glued to her spot on the wooden porch, her arms folded, resting heavily on the railing, her legs crossed at the ankle, one leg bearing most of the weight. She stayed, clad in her black-and-white cotton bottoms and white t-shirt, pink hair sleep-tousled. She couldn't go to sleep. She felt no need for it. And now, her mind had already moved onto the next subject.

Regal.

Lately, he consumed most of her thoughts. He amazed her. Never had she met someone quite like him. He practically owned Altamara, yet he exuded nothing that even suggested that he was wealthy. He did have an air of sophistication about him, but nothing cocky, nothing that suggested that he was better than everyone else- something that seemed to follow the rich.

Something that Duke had flaunted happily.

No, she didn't want to think about him, she was thinking about Regal. Regal was nothing like Calabren.

"No, he isn't. Regal is kind and considerate. He would never deliberately hurt somebody...well, we did 'hurt' people in the past...but nothing even remotely close to Calabren. No, Regal is completely opposite. He's caring, and sweet, and...he's really good-looking..."

Presea was so focused on voicing her thoughts aloud that she didn't hear the front door creak open, or hear it latch closed.

"I mean, look at him. He's built like a brick-"

"Presea?"

The word was spoken softly, and in a gentle manner, but that still didn't stop the pink-haired woman from jumping three-feet into the air, whirling around instantly.

"Regal!" She immediately felt her face flush with embarrassment. "Ho- how long have you been standing there?"

"I just arrived. Are you all right?"

Instead of answering, Presea found herself staring at Regal intently. He was clad in dark green pajama bottoms, and his semi-long hair was ruffled from sleep.

And that was it.

The man didn't have a shirt on. And that only gave Presea the opportunity to appreciate every chiseled mucle in his upper torso. Wash-board abs, strong chest, broad shoulders, solid biceps and triceps...

"Presea?"

Her flush deepened. "Oh, yes, I'm fine." She met his gaze. "I was just lookin- thinking." She quickly dropped her gaze and turned back to the railing. "Thinking. I was just thinking."

"Ah." Regal tried to hide his smirk as he made his way over to her, leaning against the railing. "What is it that you were 'thinking' about?"

If it was possible for her face to get any redder, then it did. "Things," Presea eked out, wanting to bury her head in shame.

Regal laughed, wrapping a strong arm around her shoulder. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"Why aren't you?" retorted Presea, moving into his arm a bit. She still felt like a complete idiot, but the feeling was quickly fading.

"I heard someone rummaging around on my porch. I came out prepared to fight," he answered, a slight teasing tone in his deep voice.

Presea couldn't help but scoff. "Shirtless? And without a weapon?"

"I thought that perhaps I could intimidate them."

"Arrogance." She moved fully into him, resting her head on his bare chest. Her unease was now non-existence. It was hard to feel anything but comfortable when the man was around.

Resting his head lightly on top of Presea's, Regal pulled the woman closer, one arm securely around her, the other resting on the railing before them. "Could you not sleep?" he queried, his voice soft.

Presea shook her head, saying nothing. She did not necessarily want to tell Regal that her ankle was throbbing or that seeing Duke had upset her. Regal had not been pleased with Mr. Calabren, either. He had even went back into the casino to have Duke thrown out- something that Lloyd and Zelos had have found extremely amusing. Sheena seemed to think that he should have been thrown out and abused, Colette thought that Regal had done a fine job without the abuse, and Presea had been rather flattered.

But, still, Regal had wanted to add the abuse to the mix, that Presea was sure of. There was no need for her to add fuel to the fire.

Sensing her hesitation, Regal stayed quiet. After a moment of silence, however, he pressed the issue, saying, "Is there a reason for that?"

"...not really. I'm just can't sleep." She shifted in his arms, nestling closer, praying that he wouldn't press anymore. She didn't want to lie, nor did she want to tell him the truth.

"Presea, you are a poor liar."

She sighed. "My ankle is paining me."

"Is it? Let me see."

"No, I'm fine, it's fine."

"If it hurts, then it is obviously not fine," Regal retorted, grabbing her arm and holding her in place.

"Regal, it is." She freed herself from his light grasp, turning in in his arms to face him. "Now please-"

Presea never got the finish her sentence. Regal completely ignored her words of protest and grabbed her about the waist, hoisting her up and sitting her a top the porch railing.

"Now, let me see."

"You do not listen to anything, you stubborn man." Presea begrudgingly held out her ankle, just a tad bit upset at being treated like a rag doll.

"And you are just as bad, you stubborn woman," Regal sighed, moving past her ankle and kissing her soundly on the lips. He ended the kiss just as quickly as he had intiated it, and stepped back to study her injured foot.

Presea sat next to her now-cold cup of coffee, silently allowing Regal to do as he wished. She shouldn't allow him to think that he could just have his way with her as long as he kissed her, but she could really think of nothing to say. Besides, the small amount of presure he was applying on her sore foot felt heavenly.

"Does that hurt?"

"Slightly."

"It's warm. It has fever."

"It's fine," she murmured, knowing good and well that it wasn't, but claiming that it was none-the-less.

Regal sighed, standing before her firmly. "Why do you keep insisting that you are fine?"

"Because I a-"

"No, you are not. Look at you!"

"I'm sorry my appearance is not to your liking."

"You know exactly what I am referring to, Presea. Look at what he has done to you." He raked a hand through his sleep-tousled hair. "You should have allowed me to speak with him."

"What would you have said?" Presea demanded gently, knowing that he would have most likely said nothing and merely pounced on the man.

Regal shrugged, lifting one broad shoulder higher than the other. He cast his gaze to the dark yard before him, looking past the woman sitting on the railing. "Something."

"Along the lines of...?"

"Your services are no longer wanted at my firm, and I..."

"Yes?"

Regal faltered. Had he been allowed to come face-to-face with Calabren, he probably would have said nothing but the word, "You", and then proceeded to show Duke just how he had ended the legacy of Mithos.

From her perch, Presea folded her arm's across her chest. "See? You would have said nothing. You would have been clouded by your...feelings, and done something that you would have regretted later."

"I assure you, Presea, I would have regretted nothing."

Sighing, Presea hung her head. "I appreciate the thought, Regal, I really do. But, can't we just...not discuss it?"

"Presea..." The word came out in long breath. He stepped forward, embracing her. Presea wrapped her own arm's around his neck, resting her head on his shoulder. "You must tell somebody."

"About what? Regal, I told you, and everyone else in the house. Who else is there to tell?" she mumbled into his neck.

"Authorities."

Presea inwardly cringed. Authorities. There were some thrustworthy people. Throwing innocent people in jail, cutting convicts breaks for favors, hunting people down, determined to kill them. Oh, yes, let's run to Meltokio.

Regal drew back, keeping his arm's around her, yet leaving enough space so that he could study her face. "I know you do not care a great deal for them-"

"That's an understatement. Thanks to Mr. Pope, over half of my life was spent in a state of delirium."

"I am very aware of that. But, you must realize that that form of government is gone."

"So they say. You know they all lie. Remember the deal the Pope cut you? Capture Colette and Vharley would pay?"

"I did not exactly keep my end of the bargain..."

"Yes, but the Pope was unaware of that at the time-"

"I highly doubt that."

"You're missing my point. The point is that they are all-"

"Liars. I comprehend what you are saying, Presea." Regal intertwined his fingers with Presea's, moving his other hand to idly finger a strand of her hair. "But you cannot allow him to believe that you merely intend to forget the...experience."

"But that's exactly what I want to do."

"Listen to me," Regal began, yearning to draw her to him and ease her pain, "You're strong. Though you may not feel so at the moment, you are. You overcame the man, you got away."

"I know." She hated the desperate tone in her voice.

"Tell me, Presea, how would you react if he tried it again?"

"What? I don't plan on going near-" Regal raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence.

"Not on you, on another woman. One uncapable of fending him off."

Presea sat in shocked silence. She had never considered that. Martel, Duke hadn't even accomplished his goal, yet she still felt violated- not to mention weary and cautious of most every man that came near her. What if Duke did try it again? What if the woman he assaulted couldn't get away.

"I-I never even considered that as a possibility. What if he did? What if that woman didn't have friends to console her? Or someone like y-" Presea paused, a blush once again finding its way to her cheeks. "you?"

Regal said nothing, merely closed the gap between them, claiming her lips with a passion. "You really should have allowed me speak with him this evening," he mumured, the two drawing back for a breath.

"You did enough," Presea assured, stroking his stubbly cheek, seeking his lips out once more.

"You will go to Meltokio?" Regal ended the brief kiss, his eyes searching her's for an answer. Even in the darkness, Presea could see the concern they held. Concern for her.

"Only if you'll come with me." She was becoming dependant, something she strived to rid herself of. Yet she coudn't help it. She didn't want to be alone. She didn't want to be without him.

"You could not leave without me."

I wouldn't want to, Presea mused, once again feeling the pressure of Regal's lips against her own. Because I think...I think I'm falling in love...

xxxx

Reply to my great reviewers...

Fallenharbinger: Glad you liked it! If I had to see a play like that, I'd laugh so hard I'd probably be kicked out! Heh!

WhitterZ: I know. Poor play actors. I'd be ashamed. Hehe! I think I'll have Regal teach Duke a lesson in the next chapter.

Kei-kun: A prune is a dried up plum. I think it's a plum. It's some kind of fruit. Heh! And, I don't think he's a prune either. Oh, didn't you say you were thinking of doing a Regal/Presea fic? If you do, let me know!

Sanosuke.Cigara: I got it right this time. Heh! I'm gonna have Regal teach him a lesson in the next chapter. At least, I think I will.

Crystaltears: Another new name? I like this one! Heh! No! Regal is not a dried up fruit! Haha! You love it, even though it has a prune(your word, not mine), which is good. Heh!

Mizu: That's a lot easier to write than that big long name! Glad you like it!

A/N: Done! Whatcha think? Did I go to fast? Should I re-write it? Let me know in a review! You know how pairings have lil' names? Like Sheelos, and Colloyd? Well, Regal and Presea need one of those. How about, Resea. Or Pregal? Haha! Anyways thanks for the reviews, and keep 'em coming! Next up-date should be soon!