A/N: Whoop! Reviewers! Whoo-hoo! Glad I still have some...Thank you guys for the lovely comments. And now, without further ado, I present thee chapter fourteen.

Oh, yes, I made a typo last chapter. It's been ONE year since I updated, not two. I cannot add...or read...or something. I had a 'duh' moment...hehe...Anyhoo, now on with the chapter!

Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia is not mine. I make no profit from this, I simply write because I enjoy it.

Chapter 14: Confrontation

xxxx

Presea froze. Though she was wrapped in Regal's embrace, she still felt her blood run cold. This wasn't happening. Duke wasn't standing behind her. She was imagining it all.

But she wasn't. It was real. She could confirm it in Regal's actions. He immediately tensed, and released her, pushing Presea to the side and moving to stand in front of her; moving to shield her.

"I knew it. I knew there was more than met the eye when it came to you two." Calabren didn't seem a bit timid. In fact he exuded arrogance- as if he had the right to be snooping around on private property.

"May I inquire as to why you are here? On my property? At such an atrocious hour?" Though he seemed quite calm, Presea heard the undetone in Regal's voice. The hidden anger. If Duke heard it, he paid it no heed.

"So, tell me, do you usually allow employee relationships, Regal? I know most firms frown upon them, seing as how the relationships can end and cause tension and stress in the work place." He walked around the pair, leaning against one of the many shade trees casually. "Though, I suppose this is more of an employee-employer type of thing, no? You could fire her and find a someone new, eh?"

"I do not believe you answered my question," Regal replied, ignoring Duke's question. He turned as well, following Duke's movements while keeping Presea behind him. "Why are you here?"

"Ah, I was in the neighborhood." He waved a hand in the air, turning his attention to to Presea. "I'm going to assume that you know what happened the other evening, giving your actions. Why do you think I'm here? I came to apologize."

Regal scoffed; Presea pressed herself closer to the man in front of her. She hated to act so weak, but Calabren unnerved her so! And the way he was looking at her...He came to aologize, yet he wasn't even looking her in the eye! He was looking everywhere else.

"So, I'm sorry."

There was a brief silence; then, "Is that it?"

Calabren shrugged. "It's an apology, isn't it?"

"After all you put this woman through, after what you tried, that is the best apology you can summon? Not that those mere words mean anything- actions speak much louder than words."

"I was drunk-"

"You cannot blame your actions on intoxication."

"Oh, like your one to talk about actions!" Duke pushed himself away from the tree, taking a step closer to Regal. "I know all about your past, Bryant. I looked into it."

Regal left Presea, his eyes a slate of blue steel. "I applaud you."

"I'm sure sarcasm went over real well in prison, no?" Duke scoffed, folding his arms over his tailored suit. "You murdered her sister, right?" He nodded in the direction of Presea. "There's good dating material."

"Don't speak of things that you do not undertsand," Presea muttered, finding that it was much easier to speak to the man when he was attacking someone else. Perhaps it was just because that someone was Regal. She wasn't really sure. "Alicia wasn't murdered, she was..."

"Yes?" Duke raised a drak brow, a smirk playing on his lips.

"She wanted to die. She wasn't even human anymore...She was..." Presea faltered. Martel, she couldn't think straight around Calabren. That cocky face...she wanted to smash it.

"Put out her misery?" Calabren offered, causing Presea to meet his gaze with a look of disbelief and hatered.

"Do not speak of Al-"

"I don't even know why I came here," Duke began, interrupting her and heaving a sigh.

Regal was trying his best to bite back his anger. He didn't want to act rashly, even though he had been draming of this moment for sometime. He didn't want to use his hands to injure the man, but as long as he didn't kill him, it wouldn't be a tool of destruction, would it?

"There's really no need to apologize, you didn't struggle very much."

He barely heard Presea's shard intake of breath. Regal was done contemplating. It was really quite easy to close he distance seperating Duke from himself. It was even easier to draw back his arm, form a fist, and make contact with Calabren's jaw.

Duke's hand flew to his face as he let out a startled yelp. "You're going to regret that," he threatened, still rubbing his throbbing jaw.

"I highly doubt that."

"I have connections."

"As do I. I hope you have friends in the Altamara law force, because I'm sure you shall be recieving a visit from them soon."

Duke strode forward, his mannerism suggesting that he was going to show Regal what he was made off. The blue-haired president readied his fist, silently hoping that Duke would strike. Hitting him had been quite satifying, surely the second time was just as good as the first.

"Regal, stop!" Presea cried suddenly, moving to his side quickly.

Regal whipped his head around, staring at Presea with disbelief. "Presea...?"

She didn't say anything, merely took a step forward and gave Duke a hearty punch in the stomach. While the man doubled over in pain- and surprise- she brought her knee up and his head down, cracking him on the head.

"Filth," she said, surprisingly calm and steady. Imside she was nothing remotely calm or steady. She was a jumble of nerves, but her distaste for Calabren rang clear, and she had to act on it.

Duke slowly rose to his feet, one arm clutching his mid-section, one arm holding his forehead. "Martel!"

Regal wasn't sure if he should remain silent, or laugh at Duke's expense. Presea whacked the man good! He was staggering like a drunken idiot.

"You're slime. You say I didn't struggle? I plainly told you no. I even offered to keep the ordeal to myself! You're disgusting." Presea added another right hook to the previous injury. "You violated me!"

"I didn't even get the job done!" Duke cried, shielding his face with his hands. Unfortunately for him, he left his lower section open, and was rewared with a blow below the belt.

"It doesn't matter," Presae began, watching him slump to the ground, "You tried. But try it again. If you can."

Regal decided to step in, and pulled Presea back to his side. "Presea, my dear, I do belief he is hurting."

"Not enough," she murmured.

"I agree whole-heartedly, but the man still has to walk off of my property. I am not assisting him, nor am I going to allow him to sit on my lawn. Besides, the law will take care of the matter."

Presea reluctantly nodded and allowed Regal to steer her away from Duke. He stopped a few feet away from the dark-haired man, however, and called, "I suggest you get off of my property before I get back to my house. If you're still here, well, Ripper will take care of you."

"Ripper?" Duke eked out, struggling to his feet.

"My dog. He does not take well to strangers. I found him when he was a pup and nursed him myself. Everyone says he is rather wild, but Ripper's a good old boy. But, like I said, he doesn't necessarily like strangers, and I suppose he is rather wild."

"Like I said," Duke started, slowly ambling towards the Elemental Expressway, "you'll regret this."

"And I repeat myself: I doubt it."

They watched as Duke half-ran, half-limped away from 'Ripper'. When he was completely out of view, Regal expelled the laugher he had been holding.

"Presea, I am so proud of you! You kept control, yet you...well, you let him have it!"

Presea offered him a small smile. "If you weren't here, I don't believe I could have done it."

"Nonsense!" He wrapped his arm around her and steered her toward the Elemental Expressway, as well. "Now, however, I believe we should contact the authorities before Calabren beats us to it."

Presea allowed him to lead her, for her head was reeling so that she wasn't sure if she could make it to the Expressway without him. She had just punched Calabren. Martel, that had felt good. Though she would like to beat him black-and-blue, Regal was right- authorties would take care of it.

"Presea?"

The sound of her name caused Presea to turn her attention to the man at her side. "Yes?"

"Are you all right? I know-"

Presea held up a hand, moving to lean agaisnt his shoulder. "I am, Regal. This was...satisfying. But, I've been better for the past couple of days. Everybody's made sure of it...You made sure of it."

Regal smiled and pulled her closer, planting a small kiss on her forehead. "If you are sure you are fine..."

"I am," assured Presea. After a few moments of silence, the Elemental Expressway came into the sight, and Presea mumbled, "Ripper..."

"Pardon?"

She turned to meet his quizzical expression with a small smile. "Oh, I just can't believe that Duke fell for your 'Ripper' bit."

Regal chuckled. "Neither can I, Presea. Neither can I."

xxxx

Two days had passed since what Presea liked to refer to as the 'confrontation', and she was now rather glum. The only thing the 'authorities' had done was give Duke a few months of probation. Probation! For what he done! Or tried to do! It was preposterous! But, she knew as long as one had money, they could buy nearly anything.

"Well, I can't believe we'll be leaving in a couple of days."

And that was another thing- the main thing- that left Presea feeling glum. Her friends were going to be leaving in two days time. Tomorrow would be their last full day together. She had grown used to them being around again, it would hurt to see them leave.

"I know," Presea replied, pressing back her sadness and trying to put on a happy face. "It will be so different."

"It'll be quiet." Sheena lowered herself down onto the couch, moving closer to her friend.

"It will be depressing."

"Oh, don't be sad! We'll see each other again! And we won't take a whole year!" Sheena threw a friendly arm around the older woman. "Besides, we're not gone yet."

Presea nodded. "You're right." She put on a cheery smile. "What will we do tomorrow?"

Before Sheena could answer, Zelos came bounding into the room, followed closely by Lloyd and Genis.

"Bow down and kiss my feet!" Zelos annouced, grinning from ear-to-ear.

Presea arched her brows while Sheena scoffed. "And I should do that because...?"

"Because, my lovely Banshee, I have secured tickets to the funnest place ever!" He flopped down on the couch, snaking an arm around her shoulder. Though Sheena rolled her brown eyes, she leaned into his side.

"And where would that be?"

"The amusement park!" Genis cried, throwing his arms in the air. "This is gonna be great!"

"Yeah!" Lloyd agreed enthusiastically. "We'll have a blast!"

"What'll be a blast?" Colette queried, entering the family room, the Professor right behind her.

"Zelos got us all tickets for the amusement park tomorrow," Sheena answered, a small grin on her lips.

"Really? Wow!" the young angel squealed. She clasped her hands together. "That's great!"

Raine looked rather unphased, her expression mirroring Presea's. The half-elf gracefully lowered herself into an armchair, and the older women shared a small smile. The amusement park didn't hold a lot of grander for them, but the younger members of the group were so excited, it was hard not to share some of the feeling.

"What is all this yelling about?" Regal appeared, leaning casually against the doorframe, a dish towel flung over one shoulder and a smile on his lips.

"Zelos got us all some tickets to the amusement park!" Colette beamed happily. "It's for our last day tomorrow!" At this, the blond sobered. She walked over to Lloyd and placed her head on his shoulder.

"There is no need to be saddened, Colette," Regal began, walking towards the young woman. "It will not be the last time we see each other." He removed the dish towel from his shoulder and tossed it on the angel's head. "Now, come and eat your dinner."

Colette peeked out from around the corner of the towel, and small smile now gracing her features. "Yes, Regal." She tugged on Lloyd's hand, and started towards the kitchen. "Oh, here, you can have this back." She threw the material back at Regal, who easily caught it, and ran off with a giggle, shouting, "Come on, everybody! We have to plan out tomorrow!"

The group slowly assembled in the dining room, each on filling their plate and sitting around the large table. For the next two hours they laughed and joked, allowing their food to grow cold as the planned out their trip to the amusement park. No one spoke of the impending departure- no one wanted to dampen the mood.

By the end of the night, all were ready for an exciting next day. Though it would be their last full day together, they all decided not to ruin it by speaking of sadness- they would have a good time. They would deal with the departure when the day was before them. And although all seemed happy, Presea couldn't help but feel gloom creeping up on her. Soon her friends would be gone.

Soon this reunion would be over.

xxxx

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A/N: Well, another chapter done. There will probably only be two, maybe three of them left. Yep, I'm just about finished. I have another idea for an Pregal (haha) since there aren't many out there, though...Yes, anyhow, sorry for the wait. I've been busy. I also apologies for the long one year wait once more...There will be no more of those! Please let me me know what you thought of this here chapter! I shall be back with the next chapter soon!

Oh, and, Happy Turkey Day! Have a good time, eat good food, and God bless!