Dias was still puzzled an hour after Rena had stormed out.

"She always seemed happy with Claude, so why did she get so angry when I mentioned him?" sighing, and shrugging his shoulders, Dias pulled his cloak off the coat rack and set out for a walk in the Shingo forest to air his head.

Rena, on the other hand, was on her way through Salva. The industrious town looked so strange covered in glistening snow, which gave a stark contrast to its usual sooty appearance. She banged on the door of number 29, and within a few seconds Ashton Anchors stood beaming in the doorway, both Gyro and Ururun hissing excitedly at the site of their old companion.

"Rena!" he exclaimed, pulling her into a brotherly hug. "I was just about to call for you to see if you wanted to come with me to Herlie to see Eleanor. I think this is the first time she's ever been outside to play in the snow!"

"Of course I'll come! I can't wait to see her happy face." Rena smiled, pushing the past days events to the back of her mind.

"Oh and Ashton, congratulations! You and Precis are going to be so happy together"

Ashton seemed a little sheepish as her last words fell.

"I know…I simply couldn't believe it when she said yes".

They both laughed.

It took them 5 minutes of whistling into the frozen air before a pink bunny appeared.

"I much preferred travelling by Synard" Ashton said as they raced towards Herlie. He had turned a light shade of green by the time they passed Mars village.

"Yes, but could you imagine the looks on everyone's faces if we turned up flying on one!" she sighed, reminiscing about her home planet.

"Rena, look!"

She turned her gaze towards Herlie, which was fast approaching.

"The sea is frozen!" she breathed. All around the port sailors were smashing the ice with metal pipes, in the hopes of breaking through the top layer. The captain looked furious, as he would have to cancel all departures to Lacour for at least a week.

"It's beautiful" she muttered. Rena and Ashton jumped off the bunny, and fed it some treats which Rena always kept in her pocket. They walked up, and through the town until they reached Eleanor's house.

Her mother, Isabelle answered the door.

"I thought I'd be seeing you today! Oh, Ellie's going to be so pleased her big brother and sister have come. Ellie, come down, you have visitors" she shouted. A little girl dressed in a red coat with black boots, gloves and a scarf walked onto the landing.

"Big brother Ashton and big sister Rena!" she squealed, jumping down the stairs and giving them both a hug. "Are we going to play in the snow? Can we make a snowman? Pleeeeeeease" she whined, tugging on Rena's sleeve.

"Of course we can Ellie. Race you outside" the three of them ran outside, as Isabelle shouted

"Don't forget to come back inside when you're cold!"

As the sun was beginning to set, there was a very handsome snowman sitting outside of Eleanor's house. He had black eyes, a carrot nose, twig arms, and was wearing Rena's blue scarf.

"I want to name him Steve!" Eleanor giggled excitedly.

"Then Steve it is" grinned Ashton.

"Thank you for today big brother and big sister. I wish it didn't have to end."

"You don't need to thank us Ellie, we had a great day too!" Rena smiled.

"Promise you'll come back and see me soon!"

"We promise," they said in unison.

As Rena and Ashton left Herlie, waving to Eleanor who was at her window, their conversation took a turn for the worse.

"So how is Dias?"

"Oh…so Precis did tell you. Well he's fine, stubborn as ever" she forced a grin.

"Ah so he hasn't changed a bit. I'd like to see him again, it seems a lifetime ago since we were all in battle together." Rena was deep in thought, and didn't seem to hear Ashton.

"Are you alright?" he questioned.

"Oh- yes I'm fine, sorry I was miles away just then."

"Has everything that's been happening lately confused you a bit?" he asked, concerned.

"Just a bit" she sighed.

They walked in silence for a moment.

"…You still love him don't you?" Ashton was the only one she had ever confided in, and she was regretting it at that very moment.

"Come on Rena, you know you can tell me anything. Anything in the world." Her eyes glazed over with tears, and she felt his arms circle her. She sobbed into Ashton's shirt, letting all her worries and anxieties spill from her eyes.

"I love him. B-but he doesn't love me. He never will. I'm s-still with Claude and I shouldn't be…Dias s-still looks at me as if I was a child. J-just a stupid, idiot child. He c-could leave any day and not come back a-ag-again. I don't know w-who I am any more Ash, I don't even know what I'm d-doing." He continued rubbing her back, trying to calm her down.

"Shh. Everything will work out in the end, I promise. You're just going through a tough time right now. I admit I don't know Dias as well as you do Rena, but I'd bet a lot that he does love you…You'll have to face Claude sometime, and tell him this, but we'll all be behind you. Celene, Precis and me. We'll always be there for you." Ururun sneezed, which made Rena laugh feebly.

"Thank you" she whispered.

It was pitch black by the time Rena returned to Arlia, and the village was silent except for the noise of her treading through the snow. No one was in the living room, so she decided she would go straight to bed. Her stomach twisted horribly as she walked up the stairs, wondering if Dias had left already. If he had, she probably wouldn't see him ever again. She opened the guest bedroom door ever so slightly, and to her joy saw his long silvery hair draped across the pillow. She changed into her pink pyjamas, and crept silently into the bedroom. As she lifted the covers, his chestnut eyes opened slightly. She lay with her back against his chest, and he slid his arm round her waist to pull her close.

"Goodnight" he whispered. Rena was asleep in minutes, and wore the same happy, content smile as she had when they were younger. But Dias lay there for hours, wide-awake, and more terrified than he had ever been in his life.


Woooow chapter 3 that took so long to write! I'm glad I'm continuing with it, though. Thanks to all 2 reviewers (-.-) And a message to Milena, I checked out your fan art and it was amazing! You're very talented! Please review everyone!