Through Whatever Fate May Bring

by writingshark

She was different, but then again, so was he. While she surrounded herself with people, he remained alone. They were light and dark, two halves of a greater whole, even if they couldn't see it at first. Slight AU.

6. Chapter 6: One Who Knows the Past

The sun was warm against her face as Roo took in a deep breath of fresh air, feeling grass gently tickle her cheeks. She had been asleep, that much she knew, but it seemed like such a juxtaposition when she recalled how the last thing she saw was a blue flash of light and wasn't anywhere near grass before.

That's when she opened her eyes and gasped in horror as unfamiliar clouds and an open field came into her sight. "Oh god…" she whispered, the terror rising in her voice. "Where am I?"

What was her name? What did she last remember? Did she even remember? Where was she now and why couldn't she remember getting there? There was no way she had just walked out into an open field with no footprints around her of any kind, and if she had fallen out of the sky, why hadn't she died and who dropped her? She remembered she woke up in a field, found the Shepherds, but now that she was back in the field, had the Shepherds…had Gerome…been all a dream? Suddenly, a weight fell against her chest and Roo snatched at her pendant and felt the stone warm in her hands, a reassuring feeling, as if it were spreading her memories back into her.

It was proof everything had existed. It was proof he had existed. Gerome gave her this. Gerome the Wyvern Rider, Minerva, Morgan, Robin and Robbie. All of it flooded back to her memory and Roo let out a choking cry of relief as she remembered her name.

She remembered being thrown into the gate.

Getting up, Roo could now see the faint outline of a nearby town. Maybe Morgan and Robin tossed her out here as some sort of prank, she thought grimly. She would have words for them once she got back.

But she wasn't back. Now she was in an unfamiliar city, wandering a market that she didn't recognize. She had pulled up her hood so that her face couldn't be seen, but still the citizens would turn their gaze towards her, gasp in shock or horror, she couldn't be sure, and then quickly move out of her way and let her go about her business. "Excuse me," she had said to one of the vendors, "Can you tell me where I am?" But he had shrieked like a little girl and hid behind his counter and Roo thought it best not to speak anymore until she had more information.

"Make way, make way!" A new voice boomed above the crowd. "The King is passing through! Make way!"

Good, Roo thought to herself. A king would have an emblem and an emblem would mean a location. As with all the other commoners, Roo pushed herself to the side, trying to ignore the looks of confusion they were giving her.

The King's escort came, held up by six men on their shoulders, they hauled a litter than Roo could guess was solid gold, draped in red cloth and covered so the king was hidden from view. A sigh of irritation escaped Roo, but that's when she noticed that all the peasants were bowing their heads in respect, only hers above them and making her very obvious from the crowd.

"You there! Wench!" a knight stormed forward, riding from the litter's side, nearly running his horse into her, "You do not bow your head in respect for your ruler? Perhaps you would feel better if it was taken off!"

"Excuse me? WENCH? Go shove it!" Roo snapped. "What kind of person still uses, 'wench' these days? Don't tell me what to do, you bloated patsy!"

"You insolent…!"

Suddenly a rushed whisper ran over the crowd and the knight turned, his hand still on his blade to see a hand having emerged from the litter, held out to stop him. "The king has ordered a halt!" the knight boomed, turning his horse away to dash to his lord's side and bow, leaving Roo staring after him incredulously. "Sire! Allow me to become a rug to which you may step on to avoid spoiling your royal shoes!" And with that, the knight flung himself face first into the mud.

"Frederick, stand up and clean yourself off," a familiar voice said. "And get out of my way."

Roo's eyes widened as the king emerged, stepping over Frederick's body towards her. Blue eyes and hair screamed familiarity, although there was an addition of a blue beard and slight wrinkles suggesting he was almost twice the age she knew him to be. "Chrom…" Roo gasped as he stared at her, equally in awe. "Is it…are you…?"

His eyes went wide, as if he had seen a ghost. "It can't be…" he breathed. "Robin!" Roo froze and then blinked in confusion.

"No, I'm-…" but Roo was cut off as Chrom strode over and grabbed her arms, pulling her into a deep kiss. It was hard, forced, and Roo choked and gagged at the feeling of revulsion that hit her. "Ok!" Roo spat, breaking away and trying not to pull out her own tongue. "Stop! Everybody, stop! We need to figure some stuff out here."

"Robin, what are you talking about?" Chrom, maybe not Chrom asked, his brow furrowing with worry. "You're back…did you…forget again?"

Slowly, Roo nodded, a sense of dread growing inside her about this world she had found herself in. "Yeaaaah, let's go with that," she said. "I'm sorry, it seems like we know each other, but I don't remember. Are you…Chrom?"

"King Chrom!" Frederick corrected from the mud, bubbles rising from the area around his mouth.

Roo raised her eyebrows and Chrom beamed at her. "Welcome to New Ylisse," he said proudly.

"Well shit," Roo replied.

---

They took her back to the palace and Roo had to give it to Chrom – he knew how to pick architects. "The castle has been completely rebuilt from the ground up," Chrom said as he toured her through the new marble halls and purple drapes, Roo smacking away another servant as he tried to rub her shoulders from behind. For some reason, the entire staff of servants and maids were following them, or more specifically, her, trying to manicure her nails or feed her dark red grapes, or pamper her in some annoying way. "Only the finest artisans were used in the new construction. It is now five times as big as the last monstrosity we called a castle. Can you believe that? The last castle had only FOUR halls. Ha!"

"So I see," Roo mused, passing yet another white statue of Chrom, unintentionally humorously nude, holding up a giant globe of the planet on his shoulders. "I kind of miss the old one."

"You do?" Chrom gasped. Then suddenly, he snapped his fingers. "Get the architects! Have them killed and find me new ones! We will replace these walls with the old blueprints immediately!"

Nervously, Frederick coughed, still covered in mud. "Sire, you had those burned," he said.

"Wait! Wait, I mean just the old castle from MY world, you know, because it's what I'm used to!" Roo laughed nervously. "I think this one's great. Really great. Honestly. No need to kill anyone. I was just…overwhelmed by this new one's splendor."

Chrom's mood flipped again and he smiled at her once more. "Do you really think so?" he asked, taking her hands in his and squeezing so hard, Roo hoped her fingers didn't break. "I didn't know you would be back again so soon, so it might look a bit rushed. I wanted everything to be perfect for your homecoming."

"Did you not hear the part about MY other world?" Roo said, wiggling her fingers from his bone-crushing grip.

"Other world?" Chrom scoffed, as if he had never heard of such a thing before. "Dear, that's just a dream world you were in. A vacation. You always come home after a vacation."

"Don't call me 'dear.'"

"You're back where you belong now," Chrom continued, completely ignoring Roo's comment. "Here. With me, by my side." He reached out and put his hand on her cheek. "I love you."

"Whoa there, Blue," Roo said, backing out of his grip and holding up her hands. "Let's…take it slow, ok? I think I hit my head really hard back there."

Chrom frowned and Roo could see in his eyes hurt and sadness, but also something else. Something she wasn't used to seeing in men like the Chrom she knew, but before she could understand what she had seen, Frederick stepped forward, catching Chrom's attention. "My lord, the Queen does seem a bit delirious," he offered. "Perhaps a short rest is in order? It would give us time to talk of…other matters."

"Delirious?" Roo echoed flatly, but was once again ignored as Chrom exchanged worried glances with Frederick.

"Very well," Chrom said, authority back in his voice. "My Queen, you shall rest in our bedchambers. I shall join you shortly after I attend to some quick business."

"New thought!" Roo said as brightly as she could, the word, 'bedchamber' putting her into a panic she didn't think she was capable of. "I'm actually feeling fine, really great, thanks for asking. But you know what would REALLY help me relax? I'd love a look at the royal library."

Blank looks stared back at her. "Milady, those were burned down years ago," Frederick said.

"Files then. Any records of any kind?"

"There's the royal cookbook."

A heavy sigh escaped Roo. "Alright, how about this," she said loudly so every servant could hear her. "Who here knows about the history of this place the best? Raise your hand. Anyone? Don't be shy."

Immediately, Frederick flipped his arm up and Chrom simultaneously pointed to his right hand man, the other servants doing in kind. "Of course," Roo said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Some things never change."

---

"This masterful depiction is of when King Chrom defeated the warlord, Walhart, in the lesser barbaric country of Valm," Frederick announced, stiffly walking down a hall of paintings with Roo, each one depicting Chrom in some obnoxiously victorious way. "He fell the so called 'Conqueror' with but a single mighty swing of his silver blade."

"Uh huh," Roo droned, not paying attention as she had begun to four halls behind her, only thankful she had convinced Chrom to dismiss the servants that had hovered about her before, but hoping they weren't dead. "Fascinating. You don't say."

"Here is where he bested the Serpent of Secrets, using his silver blade to deliver a mighty blow to the beasts head," Frederick continued, undaunted by her tone, snapping his arm out to gesture to another artistic monstrosity.

It was too much and Roo gave a heavy sigh and stopped in her tracks. "Frederick?" she asked, meeting his steady gaze with a comically confused look.

"Yes, my Queen?"

Roo grimaced at the words, but continued. "Has Chrom really taken over all these places? This is pretty much…well, it's the planet, Frederick. You're saying that Chrom rules the planet."

"He does," Frederick said as a matter of fact. "All of us are under his great care. He is the father of our New Ylisse and he stands above all men."

Roo stared in stunned silence. "I see you have lost that memory," Frederick said casually. "Allow me to shed some enlightenment on the issue. King Chrom has stretched his hand far and wide, putting all of the subjects under his rule with his silver sword, mighty in nature, with your assistance."

"I helped, huh? I'm kind of starting to hate myself," Roo said. "Why did we decide to do that? I thought Chrom-er-King Chrom, would be content within Ylisse?"

"For a time," Frederick admitted. "However, in an effort to please you, King Chrom decided that all persons of the planet would only benefit under his care, to which I may say, is a wise and just decision that you wholeheartedly agreed to. It took many years, but we have finally conquered."

Her fist tightened and Roo wondered just what type of person she had been in this life. "Conquered, huh?" she hissed, Frederick not noting the undercurrent of anger. "Just…taking over? No thought to anyone else's feelings or backgrounds, no voice of reason or debate? No individual will of free men?"

Frederick frowned. "For the sake of your lost memory, I will confide that you shared your initial…concerns," he said, his voice low, if Chrom were right around the corner listening in on them. "However, they were quickly abandoned once you saw that King Chrom's path was the one true way." Suddenly, a wicked smile broke out onto Frederick's face, reliving the memory. "Some disgusting barbarians could not see the great light surrounding our Lord and tried to overthrow him, even joining to some filthy traitors within our borders. King Chrom naturally defeated them, with mighty strength too, but we suffered some…casualties."

"Who?" Roo demanded, fearing the worst.

"Some untold number of peasant soldiers, eager to give their lives for the cause. This includes many of the Shepherds. A flicker of humanity reappeared in Frederick's eyes. "Including…Miriel…" he said, his voice almost a whisper. Then, as suddenly as it came, it was gone, replaced again with cold, mechanical distance. "Continuing on…" Frederick said.

"Hey, here's a question," Roo interrupted as she looked around. "Why aren't Lissa or Emmeryn in any of these paintings?"

Immediately, Frederick stopped and slowly turned to Roo, giving her a stare that would have made smaller men die on the spot. "We do not speak of the Exiles," he spat, his voice low and dangerous.

Roo held up her hands in defeat and Frederick snapped back around again. "Ah, this masterpiece is Chrom overcoming the great dragon Grima. He used his silver sword, mightily, to strike him down."

"What happened to Falchion?" Roo asked, her tone slightly mocking.

Frederick whirled around again, this time, his face uncomfortably close to Roo's. "We do NOT speak of the Exiles!" he snarled and Roo quickly nodded in understanding as Frederick's eyes, opened wider than what must have been comfortable, stared into her for a second longer before he snapped back around again, leaving Roo feeling nervous and frightened.

"Here is the last piece of our glorious victory," Frederick said as he stopped in front of the biggest painting Roo had ever seen. "It depicts your parting, just after the Fell Dragon was defeated."

Standing in front of it, Roo internally groaned and rolled her eyes, not wanting another stare down from Frederick. Chrom was on his knees, his hands outstretched, his head raised to the sky as an angelic light surrounding just the outline of her face shone down upon him. Roo also noted the small depiction of Frederick himself in the background, swooning away from his Master's gesture. "So I died?" Roo said, somehow feeling like this Roo, or Robin as they called her, was better off. "Bummer."

"No, you did not," Frederick snapped sharply. "You simply went on a temporary…vacation. King Chrom always believed in your return through the bond you share with him and thus this painting is in preparation to burn so that we may forget this unpleasant history. I have just shown it to you to fully complete my duty to restore your mind." Turning to face her, Frederick stared into her, his mouth a thin hard line. "You love King Chrom," he said, almost as if trying to hypnotize her. "You have always only loved King Chrom. The proof is your very presence, having returned to his side. You will never leave for vacation again. He has decreed it so and you are eager to obey."

"…Sure," Roo said, giving Frederick the best smile she could muster as her internal self reeled with disgust. "That sounds…great. I've always hated the beach. Too hot and sandy, you know?"

"That is not the vacation I speak of," Frederick snapped.

Roo's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, but she did her best to keep her eyes from faltering. "Ok," she said slowly, as if speaking with a dangerous animal. "I won't leave for 'vacation.'"

This seemed to be enough for Frederick and they continued on down the halls, now moving to the statues, which were just as revolting as the paintings. Depiction after depiction of Chrom putting men under his heel rolled past and Roo didn't know how much more she could take before vomiting, so she sped her pace so that Frederick had to work to keep up while also explaining the various "histories," now thankfully condensed into one word descriptions.

Eventually, the statues passed and now she wasn't sure if she was following Frederick or if he was following her as Roo paced the royal halls, taking note how every ten feet another redundant statue or painting depicting Chrom conquering enemies, slaying dragons, or saving a grateful village cropped up, each framed in gold, never highlighting anyone of import other than Chrom. "Are you hungry, milady?" Frederick asked as Roo stopped in front of a painting of Chrom delivering food to hungry orphans, his depiction throwing bread on the ground for the children to gratefully scramble for.

"Yeah. I haven't really eaten anything for a while," Roo said. "Frederick, could you get me something from the kitchen? Maybe some soup?"

"You do not plan to go to the dining hall?" Frederick asked, a suspicious tone in his voice that Roo recognized her Frederick having the first time they met.

"Well, yeah, but I'm going to take a closer look at this painting before I do," she said, giving a side eye to the orphans who clawed for the bread in the painting. "It's…moving how Chrom loves the children."

"As he does you," Frederick noted, Roo hearing its sinister undertones. He stared at her one more time, a hard, long look, before he turned on his heel and clicked away down the hall and disappeared around the corner.

Roo immediately broke out into a run in the opposite direction, making her way to what she hoped was an exit, but the new renovations had made this an entirely new castle, and Roo found herself in the royal bedrooms.

"Fantastic," Roo muttered to herself. "Just the place I want to be with a psychopath that thinks we're married."

Suddenly, a voice was heard and Roo quickly dashed into the nearest room, carefully shutting the door behind her. "This is unacceptable," Chrom's voice was snarling through the door. "We have spent years. YEARS, Frederick and still you are unable to find him. It's only one man in ONE forest! I don't understand where this sudden incompetence has come from."

"Of course, forgive me, sire! I shall redouble my efforts!" Frederick could be heard saying, his voice a pitiful wail. "I cannot even bring soup to the Lady!"

A soft splash was heard and Chrom sighed. "Frederick, get your head out of the bowl," Chrom snapped. "There must be SOME way...if we had a trace of a scent left, we could easily hunt him down, but it's been too long. Then again...now that we do...where is Robin anyway?"

"In the painting hall," Frederick said. "I…must get her a new bowl."

"And clean up this mess and yourself. I won't have our reunion spoiled by your ugly face. I won't have it spoiled by ANY ugliness," Chrom spat, leaving Frederick before stomping away and slamming himself into what Roo guessed was his own chamber. She was alone for now, although not for long. Once Frederick discovered she went missing, an alarm would be raised for sure.

It was after Roo had turned and sank against the door that she looked at the room she had rushed into. It was so dusty, it was evident no one had been there in a long time, years, if she had to guess. Getting up, Roo could see the tatters of a bed awning hanging above what could be surmised as a feather filled mattress. A dresser carved of aged oak and delicate lace held expensive looking dresses and gowns, most likely real silk when Roo reached out to touch them, from all corners of the world. No doubt from the so-called conquest, Roo thought bitterly to herself as she flicked the dress away. She was surrounded by chests and drawers filled with expensive luxuries that would have made Severa drool – gold jewelry and gems glittering, even under the gray film that covered them, perfumes and curious trinkets and devices. However, it was a painting that sat on a nightstand, a small nondescript thing that looked like it could have been drawn by Libra, which caught her full attention.

It was her. No, not quite her. The lady in the picture had white hair instead of Roo's black, but the face, the eyes, were a mirror image of herself. She was thin, frail looking and dressed in the finest gown Roo had ever seen, but on her lap was a small white wyvern with a tiny wing on his right side.

"No way…" Roo whispered to herself. Further inspection in the painting showed the faint outlines of two other figures, one clearly Chrom, but the other a little girl, the face rubbed away, as if someone had stroked that part of the painting until there was nothing left.

More noises were heard and Roo quickly put the painting down and made for the window. Opening the shutters, Roo gasped as iron bars greeted her, sealing her inside. Panic began to seize her as thoughts of being trapped in this small cramped room and Roo tore at anything she could to throw against the bars in a mad attempt to escape. The jewels and fine wooden pieces turned to splinters as Roo clawed her way to freedom, the idea of being confined overriding her fear of being discovered. Finally, after a particularly frantic use of a silver scepter to bend the poles apart, Roo made a space large enough for her to squeeze through.

Looking down at the ground below her, it wasn't as far as she thought to drop, but far enough for her liking and she loathed thinking if she were stuck in this castle with a broken foot, especially since she couldn't control her fall as well with the bars hindering her. Rushing back to the bed, she tore at the sheets and ransacked the dressers for gowns, making a rope that she swung over the side.

It was enough to close the distance and Roo let go, dropping to the ground in a heap. Shouts declaring her disappearance were heard, including Chrom's roar that just sounded like pure rage instead of words, Frederick whimpers being drowned out. What she hoped weren't the sounds of a savage beating followed.

Even so, she didn't care and Roo quickly ran towards the stables, exploding from the doors on a horse moments later. She thought she could hear the sound of men and dogs behind her, but they soon faded away and Roo rode on, indiscriminately, as long as it was as far away as she could be from that terrible place.

---

There was nothing he could do.

Sitting silently on the bench that Roo would lay next to him by, Gerome stared at nothing on the ground, arguments swirling about him, Cherche trying to treat his broken lip. They had come back without her. They had to, there was no choice, and Frederick was the one who broke the news to Chrom and the prince's face turned from anxious confusion to a fury few had seen before. The Prince immediately stormed over and as soon as Gerome got down from Minerva, he threw a fist into Gerome's mouth, hence his new injury. Virion and Cherche had leapt to his defense, not knowing the situation other than the events that were presented to them, but once Chrom announced that Roo had vanished, lost in the infinite worlds of the Outrealm Gate, that it was Gerome's fault, that even though Walhart had lost men, he had gained a victory far greater, and the Shepherds grew silent and averted their gazes.

All except Robbie. He had waited until things were still and then he limped over to Gerome and cooed at him softly, his single word question stabbing through Gerome like a hot knife.

Gerome said nothing, unable to meet his sight.

Then Robbie had started to cry.

It was a wailing, heartbreaking sound that Gerome knew all too well and Virion had swept in, trying his best to comfort the grieving child, but to no avail. Robbie squirmed out of his grip and started sloppily running towards the open road until his older self swept in and stood in his path to stop him. Even though no sounds had been made, an understanding passed between them and Robin moved back to join Morgan while Robbie sat down and remained where he was.

And now they were all arguing again, the silence long forgotten. "We should retreat back to Ylisse," Stahl offered. "That way we're in our own borders. Walhart will have the disadvantage."

"Yes, but he'll gain all the ground we just fought for," Flavia countered. "Who knows how much more powerful he'll become if we just turn tail and run?"

"However, it is highly unwise to fight without a tactician," Panne said. "And facing a man like Walhart unprepared is certain death."

"We could figure something out on our own," Marth spoke up. "It may be dangerous, but the future is at stake here. Walhart cannot stand unopposed!"

Counters and countering counter arguments flew above him, but Gerome still said nothing. "Let's move away from this place," Cherche had offer, pulling on his arm, but Gerome stubbornly refused to budge, as if he were waiting for Roo to appear back to her usual spot by some sort of magic.

He was being watched by Sumia, who, with tears in her eyes, had observed that throughout the seemingly silly arguing, Morgan and Robin were still alone at the edge of the camp, heads bowed and together for support, Gerome looking for all the world as if he had simply died and Robbie, poor young Robbie, was still waiting in the middle of the path that lead out of the camp, the last place he had seen his mother disappear to, his back turned to everyone and facing the vast world. It was all of them, and her, who had lost a late-night schemer, a book companion, a training partner, and she realized as she looked at Chrom, one hell of a best friend and the dawning of that realization was too much as it came crashing around Sumia's head. "That's ENOUGH!" she suddenly shrieked and the camp came to a startled halt. "We can argue strategies and problems until the Pegasus come home, but that doesn't change the fact that Roo is still missing! We should be focusing on that, not some silly…silly…man! Didn't we all agree that no one would be left behind? Hasn't Roo proved that time and time again when she came back for each and every one of us before?"

Sully was the first to speak. "Sumia, she vanished before our eyes," she said sadly. "Who knows where she might be?"

"That still doesn't mean we can't DO something!" Sumia shot back. "We can look at the portal again! We can get that tactician that shoved her in there to begin with and MAKE him talk!" Tears began to well in her eyes as she slouched back, her body worn out. "Something…!" she said hoarsely. "We can do something…"

Silence once again settled over the crowd until Virion gave a small cough to clear his throat. "It may be risky," he said, "But perhaps we can just do what we did before. If Walhart knew zat we were left weakened, zere's little doubt he'd come charging for our heads, yet we remain alive. Perhaps zis, 'Excellus' is not as loyal as he appears to be. We can use zat to take a small force back to ze gate and see if we can't bring back Roo. And if we take zat a step further, a smaller force can attack Walhart's forces, specifically, Yen'fay. At least zis way, Walhart must focus on us and not ze Gate until Roo can return." A sigh escaped Virion and he frowned. "But we would be split apart. We may not all make it back."

It was risky and the Shepherds looked among themselves nervously. "No," Marth suddenly said, stepping forward. "I cannot allow this to be considered, for you see…in my world…we had a similar stall tactic, but..." turning to Basilio, Marth looked down sadly, "In my world, you died undertaking such an attempt."

Now all eyes were on Basilio who gaped like a fish at Marth's words. "Well, that sucks," Basilio finally said. "However, Virion may be right. We need to play things very carefully and without Roo's insight, there are going to be some losses. Might as well start with me!"

Flavia and Lon'qu immediately stepped up to his side, their faces full of concern, but Basilio waved them off. "I won't cower like a weakling in the face of the enemy," he spat. "I'm Basilio, West-Khan of Ferox! I'll face Walhart and give you the time you need!"

"Then it's decided," Chrom said, his words heavy in the air. "We'll take on Yen'fay."

"And the portal?" Cherche asked.

That was the hard question as the Shepherds looked at each other. None of them had any real judgment of strength and skills of their group – that had been Roo's job. Suddenly, a voice came up over the stillness. "I'll decide," Morgan said, he and Robin rejoining the group. "Laurent, Inigo and Gerome will go. We can decide who splits off to stall Walhart with Basilio if they don't come back in time."

At the sound of Morgan's voice, something in Gerome snapped him back to his mind and he looked up to see Morgan and Robin's faces, looking out at the Shepherds. Determination and resolve glittered in both their eyes, their bodies straight and unwavering, the same reflection of their mother in the face of impossible odds. Still, Morgan had said nothing about going to the Gate himself, which only meant he was going to be part of the assault on Yen'fay. "You can't," Gerome spoke, Morgan and Robin looking down at him with the same ferocity Roo had in her eyes when an important battle was about to begin. "You can't face Walhart and his men. You're…you're not ready."

"We have to," Morgan said calmly back, Robin growling softly in agreement. "Without you, the fliers will need support and we're the next strongest Rider team behind you. We have to go."

"You're not ready!" Gerome cried out, standing up and trying to tower over Morgan, but even though the young man was still slightly shorter than him, his expression did not waver. "Do you understand that you are marching to your death if you challenge Walhart alone? Do you understand what that means?" Gerome's gaze wavered as he looked down at the younger man. "Do you understand…what I would do…" he stammered bitterly, unable to convey the fear in his heart.

Morgan met his gaze, his eyes still and calm. "Do you understand that we are trusting you to bring back our mother?" he said quietly and Gerome drew back, defeated.

Morgan was shouting something or other about preparing for battle and the Shepherds were starting to scatter about, but Gerome couldn't hear any of it as he stared at the young man and the wyvern that had not shed a tear. He had lied before. Gerome had lied to Roo and himself when he said the children were ready to face a real war, but watching their strength and determination, even in the face of losing their mother they loved with all their hearts, Gerome wondered how he could have expected anything less. Morgan had done what he could not and Gerome felt a deep bitterness that he should have known to be a better man, a better father, than he had.

"Don't worry," Morgan said, the brightness in his voice causing Gerome to look up in shock. "Everything's going to be alright."

"How do you know?" Gerome asked, stupidly, childishly, suddenly feeling very small.

"Because," Morgan said, hopping up on Robin and preparing for flight, both of them meeting his gaze and giving him their hereditary grin. "We believe in you, dad."

And with that, they were gone. Off rising into the sky and above his head. Watching them as they took off into the sun, Gerome could feel a sense as if he were letting something very important to him go, yet at the same time, pride and joy at how much he realized his sons, yes, HIS sons, had become.

Suddenly a presence was felt beside him and Gerome looked up to see Chrom staring back at him, his expression hard, but a glint of hope in his eyes. "Whatever happened between us is in the past now," Chrom said quietly so that only Gerome could hear. "Just please…bring her back."

"I will," Gerome said and Chrom gave him a small nod and turned away back to his tent, leaving Gerome to take the opposite direction towards the Gate.

---

She had been running for however many hours after she had abandoned her horse. A horse of Chrom's could be easily tracked, while her, a stranger with no familiar scent for the dogs to gather, would be harder to catch. Night had fallen and Roo was tired and hungry and completely lost and when she broke through into a small clearing to catch her breath, she realized that all the way around her stood dead trees, looming above her and this small grassy sanctuary where the blades came up to her knees, making the world a much darker place than it seemed.

Panic welled up within her and Roo gritted her teeth and bent over, breathing quickly and hard, supporting herself on her knees, her hood falling over her head. She wanted to go home. She wanted to wake up from this nightmare, this world where Chrom had turned into some sort of tyrant and Frederick into even more of a crazed fanatic. A world where the Shepherds were dead, or at least more than she cared to know, and she herself was dead or gone or something. She hadn't even thought if Robin and Morgan were here or if they were included in the numbers that had been buried. She hadn't even thought if…

Suddenly, a rustle of grass caught her attention and Roo gasped and stood upright. A man, dressed in black with a red Killer Axe in his hand, glowered down at her from an equally dark horse. "Who are you?" he demanded, his eyes shimmering with anger. "How did you get here?"

"I…" Roo gasped, her voice caught in her throat as she unconsciously backed away, the man moving forward. "I didn't mean…I'm not…"

"Where did you get that?" the man hissed, gesturing towards Roo's coat or pendant, she couldn't be sure. "That does not belong to you!"

"It's mine!" Roo stupidly protested, but it clearly became the wrong answer as the man's face twisted into a furious snarl.

"LIAR!" the man roared and that's when Roo broke into a run, making a mad dash for the trees, the man's horse rearing up into a vicious screech before it tore after her, the axe glittering in the moonlight.

The woods were full of roots and pitfalls to trip her up, and even though she was smaller, Roo still stumbled in her escape, getting snagged by low branches or slipping on wet leaves. The man's horse seemed to have no such issue; he miraculously dodged every trap the forest had to offer and it wasn't long before Roo could feel the horse's breath on the back of her neck.

Suddenly, Roo stumbled and with a pained cry, fell to the ground. The man leapt down from his horse and in one swift movement, grabbed Roo's collar and swung her up against a tree, his blade resting against her throat.

"Say your peace with Naga," the man hissed and Roo let out a small whimper. "It is finished!"

But the end did not come and Roo suddenly found that she was looking into eyes that had grown wide with shock. His hands against her began to tremble and the blade fell to the ground. "It can't be…" he gasped, his voice low and filled with sadness. With his now free hand, the man reached up and gently, slowly pulled Roo's hood away from her face, exposing her to the moonlight.

In the blink of an eye, Roo found herself now in an embrace. Warm and gentle, with tenderness as if she were made of smoke, like a ghost that could vanish through his fingers at any moment. "Robin…" he breathed, his voice a whisper so that she could barely hear it.

It took a minute, but he eventually let go, returning to her view with a confused frown at her stiff body and bulging eyes. "Do…do you not remember me?" he asked sadly. "Do you remember who you are?"

It was too much.

"You know what?" Roo screeched, pushing him back as he stared, dumbfounded at her. "No, I don't! NO. I. DON'T. No, I don't know you and apparently no, I don't know who I am because everyone around here keeps calling me freaking Robin, when my name is freaking Roo and no one will freaking listen to me about it! ROO! Rooooooo! Like 'rue,' but two O's! So whoever 'Robin' is, tell her that she's got a terrible life, she's surrounded by crazy people and she can SHOVE! IT!"

The man seemed unfazed by her reaction. "You're definitely not Robin," he concluded, Roo throwing up her hands in the air and thanking whatever god was listening to her. "Forgive me. I…mistook you for someone else."

"Well, you can pay it back by doing me a favor," Roo snapped, folding her arms in irritation. "You obviously seem to have some sort of grasp on how things work here. Who is Robin and why is Chrom obsessed with her? And also, who are you, but that's a gimme."

The man sighed and turned his head away. "Chrom…" he said, the bitterness in his voice obvious. "You have encountered him?"

"You could say that."

"He didn't hurt you, did he?"

"No, but that doesn't really answer my questions," Roo irritably sighed. "If that's the way you want to play it, fine. Let's start out with an easy one. Hi. My name is Roo. What's yours?"

Looking back at her, the man frowned and met her gaze. "Gerome."

Roo's jaw practically fell off her face as she stared at the man. "Oh my god…" she whispered, her arms falling to her side. Even though he wasn't wearing a mask, his face showed some growing lines of age and a shock of blonde hair moved slowly in the wind instead of blue, she could still see it now. The same look in his eyes, the same strength and determination, even the same gentle warmth that had flowed from him when he embraced her was all the same. All just like him.

"Is something wrong?" Gerome asked. "You are flushed."

Slapping a hand to her face, Roo felt her stab of embarrassment just grow deeper. She had been blushing. "It's nothing," she quickly said. "Just…winded, you know?"

Gerome raised his eyebrows in surprise, but did not pursue the matter. "We are not safe here. Someone might have heard the commotion," he said, picking up his axe. "We should leave to avoid unwanted attention."

"Wait, 'we'?" Roo echoed and Gerome turned to face her.

"Yes, 'we,'" Gerome frowned. "Unless you would like to stay here or go back to the castle?"

It was either him or Chrom and Roo made an easy choice. "'We' it is," she said as Gerome pulled her up to sit with him and they rode out into the night.

---

They had arrived at a cottage, hidden by surrounding woods, but in the middle of a comfortably sized clearing. "This is my home," Gerome said as he helped Roo down from his horse. "We are not that far from Wyvern Valley, if you would like to know more particular coordinates."

"I thought Ylisse was some distance away from the Valley?" Roo asked and Gerome nodded.

"This is true, but you are speaking of Old Ylisse. New Ylisse's capital was moved to be closer to the Valley by you...Robin's…command."

No doubt having something to do with Robbie, Roo thought to herself as she looked over the small dwelling, Gerome busy tying up his steed for the night. It was very small, probably originally fit for one person had it not had an obvious extension sticking out of one side. It was very simple. Although there was a flowerbed, no flowers or unnecessary plants of any kind could be seen other than a small vegetable garden and lingering stains of vines snaked up the outside walls. Roo could assume that at one point, this cottage had been bursting with life and from the faded, chipped paint that clung stubbornly to the outside brick, probably very beautiful, although it seemed now all that was left was the bare shell. "I apologize for the inconvenience," Gerome said, opening the door to let her in first. "It has been…some time since I've had visitors."

The inside told a similar story as Roo looked around. She had stepped inside a simple kitchen and living space with only three doors: one to a master bedroom, one to a bath and the other to a smaller room that looked like a guest room, but might have once belonged to a child. A table and three chairs stood in the middle of a bare floor and the walls held no signs of life ever having been inside apart from a dresser that held an aged and battle worn suit of armor that Roo was used to seeing on her Gerome and a few favored axes and an old, rusting lance. "It's…quaint," Roo coughed, struggling to find the right word without offending.

Gerome smiled. "Thank you, and I understand," he said gently. "I enjoy living simply and have only needed to care for myself for a long time. Here." Stepping over to a small hand pump faucet, Gerome quickly gave it a few powerful strokes and filled a mug of water. "You can rest for now. No one knows the location of this place."

She tried not to look too greedy, but Roo practically snatched the water from Gerome and threw it down her throat. "Thanks," she gasped, Gerome grinning at her in amusement. "Got any bear meat?"

"Your favorite," Gerome noted, walking over to a cupboard and handing her some jerky.

"You are the best," Roo said, but just before she was about to take the offered food, she suddenly stopped, looking down at the meat in Gerome's hands and then back up at him, a suspicious look on her face.

His shoulders fell and Gerome let out a small sigh. "If you've met with Chrom and you're not from this world, I can understand," he said. "But I swear to you, I have no such intentions. You are safe in this house and will be treated as a guest, not a slave."

Cautiously, Roo let the meat drop in her hands and she forced herself to only nibble as Gerome offered her a seat at the table. "I guess now is a good time to tell me the other answers I need," Roo said, Gerome seating himself. "What is this place? What happened?"

Gerome frowned and looked away, a distant expression on his face. "Always curious," he mused. "But to answer, you are in New Ylisse, founded by Robin and Chrom as a kingdom they ruled together." A bitter look crossed his face. "Robin and Chrom were husband and wife."

"Yeah, I got that," Roo spat. "Hard to think my other self was so stupid that she got hitched to that idiot."

Gerome's expression softened into sadness and Roo frowned, ashamed by her tone. "She was happy when she did," he continued. "I remember the wedding. She was so happy. But as time went on, she…Chrom…" Trailing off, Gerome sighed. "He wasn't the same. He's gotten worse ever since Robin fell to Grima, sacrificing her life to save us all. 'What's one life in the shadow of millions?' That's what she said before…" Gerome shook his head. "I tried to help him, for I also knew the pain of loss. But he didn't want to see me. We…were…good friends."

"Sounds like you and 'I' were good friends," Roo teased, but then grew curious as Gerome's face flushed a light pink. "Or maybe…" she said slyly.

"Please, do not make that conclusion," Gerome interrupted quickly, but Roo could still hear a tremble in his words. It was too childishly adorable, even despite his age.

A mischievous smile spread over Roo's face as she tilted her head back and forth, singing her words, "You had a thing for Rooobin, you had a…oh." She stopped and winced, remembering Robin's current whereabouts. "Sorry."

Gerome shook his head, still pink and unable to meet her gaze. "It's alright," he said. "But…may I ask you if in your time…if I…?"

A dawning realization hit Roo and she sank into her chair. "Actually, I don't know," she admitted. "We've…never really spoken about it before. I mean, unless he's got a scar I don't know about or something, I've never even seen your…him…without the mask."

Emotions of shock, irritation and then grudging acceptance all moved across Gerome's face, each as clear as day and Roo could understand what her Gerome meant when he had once told her he wore his mask to "conceal." Interrupting his thoughts with a small cough, Roo offered, "If you do look like what he does, you're both very handsome."

It was a small consolation and Gerome gave her a pathetic frown. "Thank you, but I must admit, hearing about my other self and his…determination…to keep that damnable thing is…disheartening."

More like stubbornness, Roo corrected in her head as she watched Gerome get up and head towards his old armor. "Perhaps this will help put you at ease," he offered, turning his back to her and rummaging about. "Here."

He turned back around and Roo had to stop her heart from leaping out of her chest. Apart from the hair color, he was almost identical; the familiar black lacquer gleamed softly in the moonlight and when Gerome returned to the table, Roo could have sworn she had returned home. "Does it displease you?" Gerome asked and Roo had to shake her head to reorient herself.

"No. Far from it, really."

"Good. I am happy to hear it."

Roo frowned, trying to shake the ghost of her Gerome from her mind. "Look, I get it that this must be weird, especially since I…Robin…whoever apparently died with some pretty nasty business. Even so, I'm stuck here until I can figure out a way home and the only person that seems to have answers about that is Chrom. If he rules the planet, he knows something about it and that's why…" she groaned and put her head in her hand. "I have to go back tomorrow."

Immediately, Gerome frowned. "That is unwise," he said sternly, but gently. "I do not wish to dampen your spirits, but I believe you place too much faith in a peaceful outcome."

"I have to," Roo sighed. "If there's a chance I can get out of this nightmare, I'll take it. Besides, he'll be looking for me anyway and I get the feeling someone might get hurt if I don't make an appearance. He isn't smart enough to get me to stay, he's just a nutball. Please…understand?"

Gerome's head hung slightly. "Then allow me to go with you. Your assumption about Chrom's search for you is correct, although I am concerned in your confidence in being able to leave the castle when you desire. However…I wish to wear this mask when I go. Forgive me, but it's not a subject I wish to debate."

There was more to this story than he was letting on, but for now, she was too tired to question why. "Fair enough. Sounds like a plan," Roo said, giving him a grin and standing. "Um, if you don't mind…do you have a couch or something where I can crash?"

Gerome smiled. "You may have the master tonight," he said, holding up a hand at Roo's protests. "Please, I insist. I shall stay in…in the guest room. The mattress probably isn't what you're used to, but I hope it will be enough."

A teasing scoff came from Roo. "What do you think I sleep on? Fluffy clouds and rainbows?" she asked. "I usually sleep on an army cot, so it's fine, really."

"Army? You still march in your world?" Gerome echoed.

Roo nodded. "We're actually having a problem with Valm, if that helps put where I am in perspective" she said. "I figured time might be different here since…uh…you're all kinda old."

Gerome gave a small huff and Roo held up her hands in defense. "Still handsome, though!" she laughed and Gerome's expression melted into a smile.

"There will be plenty of time for questions later. Right now, you should rest," he offered. "We can leave for the castle in the morning."

He had gotten up and vanished inside the main bedroom for just a few minutes and at first, Roo thought Gerome was simply tidying up the space to be presentable, but he returned with a shimmering pale blue nightgown that clearly did not fit in with the rest of the house, stylistically or financially. "It's just something I had in storage," he explained, placing it in Roo's hands. "Nothing to worry about."

Day came and Roo awoke, almost falling into her fear of forgetting, but Gerome had appeared by her side and placed a reassuring hand on hers, alleviating the problem before it had even happened, as if he had done this many times before. Roo thanked him, but he said nothing else about it, and they ate their breakfast in a strangely comfortable silence before they mounted Gerome's horse and sped off. "What happened to Minerva?" Roo asked, holding onto Gerome from behind, seated on an old two-person saddle. "In my time, you're a Wyvern Rider."

"The same is true here," Gerome said. "However, I released Minerva deep into the Valley many years ago. I see her from time to time. She has a new mate and a healthy litter. They seem to keep her claws full."

"What about…Robbie?" Roo asked, unsure if Gerome would even know what she was talking about.

A long silence passed. "Gone," Gerome finally said, his voice so quiet, Roo wasn't even sure she could hear him. "Morgan as well. I don't know where they are."

Roo regretted that she asked.

---

"Robin!" Chrom had cried out as Roo entered the royal chambers, leaping from his golden throne and rushing to her. "You've come back! I was so worried!"

Noting Frederick's new black eye as she walked past him holding the entrance door for her, Roo tried to smile and be polite, her hood over her head. "I bet you did! How could I ever want to leave?" she said brightly, Chrom not catching the sarcasm as he grabbed her by the arms, more forcefully than when they had first met, to pull her into another dreaded kiss and Roo's knee was almost halfway off the ground towards his crotch before he froze, his eyes looking over her shoulder as Gerome stepped through the entrance.

"Hello, Chrom," Gerome said quietly, ignoring Frederick's equally horrified expression as he casually stepped past him as well. "It's been a while."

"Not long enough," Chrom spat, roughly pushing Roo aside to face Gerome, a vicious snarl on his face. Moving his head close, Chrom hissed, "The legends about you are true. You're bravery IS unparalleled if you dared to come back here. How nice of you to save me the trouble of sending out the raiding party today. You even brought along that old thing," gesturing to his mask. "Didn't think I'd ever see it again since you surely have no secrets to hide."

"Be careful, old friend," Gerome hissed back, his gaze unwavering, but his hand twitching towards his axe at his side. "We wouldn't want to displease the Queen with any…ugliness."

The side of Chrom's mouth twitched and he glowered at Gerome a second longer before turning back to Roo, a wide smile plastered over his face. "Darling, where did you find this unexpected surprise?" he strangled out. "If I had known you were bringing guests, I would have prepared a special greeting."

"Somehow, I doubt it'd be all I dreamed of," Roo said, her arms folded over her chest, ignoring his question. "Once the guards saw he was with me, there wasn't an argument."

Chrom's eyes snapped open and his façade fell, just for an instant. "Don't tell me…" he growled, unable to hide his rage, "You were on…vacation?"

Roo dramatically rolled her eyes. "No, I wasn't," she droned. "I don't even know what 'vacation' means." Suddenly, she remembered Frederick's last warning and she forced herself to give Chrom her best smile, feeling like she was selling her soul to the devil. "I'd never leave you…dear…darling…dear husband…dear."

The last few words seemed to alleviate Chrom and he strode back up to her to put his arm around her shoulders to yank her close, making sure Gerome could see, a triumphant smile on his face, but missing the revolted look on Roo's. Maybe because she was used to seeing and reading Gerome's emotions with his mask on, but Roo could see how his eyes slightly fell as Chrom silently gloated over him.

Watching the two men interact with each other put a sense of unease in Roo that she felt would get worse as more of their history was revealed. Chrom was a terrible actor and he didn't think that she saw his face twitch, his eyes practically glow red and his fists clench every time he looked at Gerome. The other night, Gerome had been firm that he would wear his old mask for today and now Roo could see why. He was keeping his emotions hidden from Chrom, thus his inner secrets safe, much to the king's frustration. Whatever friendship Gerome said they shared had clearly died a long time ago and Roo felt enormously guilty that he had put himself in this situation for her.

"Robin, I apologize profusely if your accommodations were not up to your standards the last time you were here," Chrom said, turning to face her and pretending Gerome wasn't in the room. "Allow me to make amends. Stay here with me."

"Thanks, but no," Roo said quickly. "I can find-…"

"YOU DID THIS!" Chrom screamed, and in a flash, he had whirled around and grabbed Gerome by the collar. "What did you do? Tell me! This is your fault, I know it!"

Gerome said nothing, seemingly calm and relaxed, but his fist was already around handle of his blade.

"Easy!" Roo said, leaping forward and throwing Chrom's hand off, putting herself between him and Gerome. "Gerome didn't do anything! I just come from a time of war and wanted to see what peace was like for myself! I'm just doing some light traveling, so don't get your royal panties in a twist!"

"Is this…a vacation?" Chrom asked, a horrified look on his face.

Roo shook her head violently. "No! It's just…a quick walk to see the citizens and their daily lives. You know how amusing peasants can be, right? Poor people! Pfft! Hahaha!"

Roo began to laugh, brightly, amusedly, as if reveling in the crushing poverty and misery of others couldn't be funnier and slowly, Chrom's mouth began to twitch and pull and then he was laughing, and of course, not to be left behind, Frederick began roaring with laughter too. They were all laughing, only Gerome being the exception, his mask hiding his sheer terror at the three others and now several guards, cackling around him.

Suddenly, Roo stopped laughing, as if the whole event had never happened. "I'm leaving now," she said casually heading for the door and the laughter around her died down. "Bye."

It was a lie of course, but Chrom didn't need to know that Gerome had offered for her to stay with him before they came to the castle and she had practically leapt into his arms. "I see," he spat. "Very well. If you have any requests, I'd be happy to oblige."

"Don't follow me," Roo snapped, not even bothering to face him and waving him off with her hand while walking out the door, Gerome following, giving Chrom the smallest of grins.

Chrom's face soured.

---

Despite the negative mood to their departure, Gerome and Roo rode out of the castle on Gerome's horse unscathed physically, but Roo's head was still reeling from what she realized was a very narrow escape. Stopping in a small tavern on the edge of the city, Roo still couldn't gather her thoughts, Gerome frowning at her obvious inner turmoil as he sat down, holding two mugs of mead. "I do not normally partake," Gerome said, pushing a mug towards her, "But after today, I believe not even Naga would judge us."

"This freaking sucks," Roo spat, grabbing the mug, taking a large gulp and then slamming it back down on the table. "Although this stuff is pretty good, this world still freaking sucks. What happened? Chrom, or at least the one I know, never dreams of taking over the world, imposing himself on others or becoming 'Lord Chrom, King of all of New Ylisse, ooh, look at me!' Frederick's some kind of zealot and this whole place…it's insane!"

Gerome gave her a sympathetic look and took a sip from his drink, looked inside and frowned.

"Wasn't there anyone?" Roo sighed, sinking back into her chair. "Didn't someone just stop and think? Chrom had to have time to do all this. Why didn't anyone use that time to say no?"

"It all happened faster than you believe," Gerome replied sadly, pushing his mug away. "We all trusted him, in the beginning. It was that trust that blinded us to the truth. It was too late when we finally began to see."

Roo leaned her head in her hand as she used a free finger to draw rings around the edge of her mug. "How is it that people can do this?" she asked redundantly. "How can someone just decide they're better than anyone else? That they can just decide what's best for them? We're all individuals, aren't we? What makes one voice so much better than the others?"

A light chuckle escaped Gerome and Roo turned to him. "What?" she asked.

"Forgive me," Gerome said, a smile on his face. "It's just…seeing you. You look the same, but you are not the same. You say the same things, but your words are different. However, despite all this, your spirits are identical." Gerome looked down at the table and even though he still wore his mask, Roo could tell his face was an expression of pain. "Despite all things, when I see you, it's hard not to also see her."

His words cut at her and Roo looked down in guilt, suddenly understanding how hard it must have been for her to suddenly come into his life, sit across from her and act as casual as he could. "It's ok," she said quietly. "I understand. If that's the case, maybe she wasn't as bad as I thought. I'm sorry for what I said. You must really miss her."

Gerome looked up at her and it was as if he wasn't wearing a mask at all and Roo could see the unspeakable pain in his eyes. "Every day," he whispered.

---

They were back in Gerome's cottage and Roo looked back at the path they had come from while Gerome settled his horse in his stable. Was this really peace, she thought to herself. A land with no wars, no conflict, everyone united under one. A land she and her Chrom had dreamed of, but it was just a bitter, empty lie, just like those paintings in the castle halls. "The old war was just replaced by a different one," Gerome said. "Maybe not the kind of war people are used to, but one far more dangerous. I prefer the classic version. At least then, my enemy is clear."

They spent the rest of the day trying to forget their morning with whatever distractions they could think of. Roo did her best to help with Gerome's daily chores, gathering firewood, cleaning out the stable and even scrubbing down the house so it didn't look so dreary. "You don't have to do that," he had said, but she insisted.

"It's for your help this morning and for now," she replied, her eyes staring into him, several colorful plants she had gathered waiting to be placed in the ground beside her. "Besides, this place definitely looks like a single guy is living here. You need some color in your life besides all that black. Do you like roses? I like roses." Gerome had smiled and gave no more argument.

Afterwards, they had explored some of the woods around the house, discovering a deep valley that Roo opened her arms out to, feeling the wind and open space. It wasn't exactly like riding her horse, but it still rejuvenated her as a strong updraft threw her hair and coat upwards towards the sky, as if it would lift her away. However, she was surprised when she turned back and saw a confused look on Gerome's face. "It feels like freedom," she explained and something flickered in Gerome's eyes, but he did not question further.

Further inspection of the Valley revealed a lake with a waterfall and Roo noted how Gerome's face fell as he looked out over the water. "There's a clearing behind the falls," Gerome explained, a deep blush rising throughout his face. "I would often take Robin here so that she could learn to swim. She and I…it was a special place for us."

Coming back for lunch, they played with an old chess set that hadn't seen daylight in many months, Gerome somehow winning every round. "How in the hell...?" Roo sighed as Gerome placed his knight down, taking another win.

A smile was on Gerome's face as Roo studied the board. "Some things never change," he mused as Roo pushed the pieces back around, replaying their match in her mind, wondering how Gerome had countered her every move.

Later, they chatted together on an outside table. "Why do you sit like that?" Gerome asked down to Roo who had resumed her unusual position of lying on the ground with her feet across the bench. "Or should I even call it sitting?"

"I dunno, just feels comfortable to me. Sometimes you have to see things a little upside down," Roo said, shrugging, her hands behind her head for support. "I take it Robin didn't do this."

"No, she sat upright," Gerome replied. "She was very proper most of the time."

"Are you saying I'm not proper?" Roo mocked, theatrically waving her hand in the air. "Insolence! I'll have you executed! Apparently, I'm the Queen, or whatever."

"Apologies, your majesty," Gerome grinned. "I am but your humble servant and blade."

All through the day, Roo fired questions at Gerome about the world, the true history and the people, all to which Gerome answered to his best ability, sometimes having to take long moments sitting by himself to remember or get facts in order. Most of the people were, as Roo suspected, terrified of their iron-fisted ruler and unlike what she had been told, several innocent people, not soldiers, had been sacrificed in order to make Chrom's dream of a unified nation come true. Once Chrom had turned towards the darkened path, his sisters had tried to stop him, but were exiled into far corners of the world. Emmeryn, the most outspoken of the two, was tossed from a cliff and suffered a severe head injury that despite her survival, left her unfit to rule. "There are rumors of others trying to bring Lissa into power," he said. "But these are only rumors. Honestly...I do not believe she would be fit to rule either. We need someone more...worldly." In addition, Falchion had been locked away, deep in storage, having rejected Chrom for his madness. "It is forbidden to speak of the Exiles," Gerome said sadly.

"And this 'vacation' thing?" Roo asked.

That was a subject that seemed to be off limits, as was any deeper information about what had happened between Chrom and Gerome and whatever involvement Robin might have had. "I am unsure it would be wise to say," Gerome said stubbornly, a sympathetic frown on his face. "Please…what else would you like to inquire about?"

Roo sighed. "Some things never change," she said, leaving Gerome confused, but silent.

Later that night, Roo stared up at the ceiling in Gerome's bedroom, sleep escaping her. The previous time she had slept here, she had been too tired to take notice of the details of Gerome's room, but now that she had recovered, she sat up and took a gaze at her surroundings.

It was pretty much bare, save for a basic dresser that held Gerome's clothes and a small nightstand. "Some things really never change," Roo sighed as she stood. Walking over to the dresser, Roo curiously pulled the doors open. Inside were some basic tunic shirts, some dirtier than others from years worn, but were sewn with immaculate craftsmanship that Roo figured was from Gerome himself. Some pants and socks and other nondescript items of clothing, but a large wooden box, painted with dark brown lacquer and smooth as glass caught Roo's attention and after checking over her shoulder, she slid it out from its place and onto the floor. The lid rose easily and Roo peered inside.

It was as if all the life and color from the house had been packed into this one box and Roo stared in amazement as she picked up two hand carved toy wyverns, one painted black and the other white with a smaller wing on one side, papers of drawings whose style rang of Libra's, a baby's dress, a pressed rose, maps and plans with handwriting, Roo noted, that reflected of her own and other odds and ends until she came to the last item on the bottom: a black ceremony tunic that must have cost a small fortune.

Taking the tunic out, Roo frowned sadly as she realized this sort of clothing had been put on the bottom of the pile for a reason. She couldn't imagine it. Did he sit with the others and show his emotions with them? Or, more likely, had he stayed by himself, watching from the shadows, only appearing when no one else was left? Roo's hand ran over the place where he hadn't bothered to wipe away the mud that had streaked the part where he had fallen to his knees in front of her for the last time.

Suddenly, something fell out of the pocket and clattered to the floor. A sharp intake of air drew itself into Roo as she scrambled to muffle the noise, but in turning her head, she saw that it was no use. "I heard you moving about," Gerome said sadly from the doorway as Roo sat on the ground, frozen, her hand still on whatever she had tried to catch. "Forgive me for intruding. I feared you were hurt."

"No, I…" Roo trailed off, shaking her head, but the rest of her body tense, as if she were waiting for an attack at any moment. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have been meddling…"

Gerome took a step forward, but froze as Roo shrank back. "It's alright," he said slowly and calmly, moving forward again. "I understand this world frightens you and you naturally wish to know more. Please believe me when I say you have nothing to fear from me."

This seemed to put her at ease enough for Gerome to come close and sit next to her, his eyes longingly looking over his old items. "I had thought to put these away forever," he whispered. "All of them hold my darkest memories."

"Is it really all?" Roo asked, looking up at him and Gerome paused, lost in thought before shaking his head.

"No. Not all," he finally admitted, reaching down and plucking a baby's dress from the pile. "My son's," he explained, his fingers running over the cloth. "He was born here, in this very room. He was so small, I made this for him. Anything we bought was too big." A sad smile crossed over Gerome's face. "I have faced death countless times, been burned, stabbed and trampled. But I have never been so afraid of anything in my life than when he was first placed in my arms."

Although she was curious, she didn't want to ask where his son was now and risk spoiling his good memories. "Your hand," Gerome said to her and Roo looked down in surprise, having completely forgotten she had been holding onto whatever had fallen to the ground moments before. Opening her fingers, a familiar red stone glittered back at her from the darkness. "It's from my father, made from the fires of wyverns," Gerome explained. "And most likely, as is the origin of yours."

Indeed, it was the same pendant that her Gerome had given her and Roo reached up and held hers against the new one to compare, even though they were identical. "I do not have to ask who gave it to you," Gerome said, "But I would like to know, did he tell you of its meaning?"

"He told me it was just something Minerva found," Roo said and Gerome shook his head.

"It's meant to be given to the woman you intend to marry," Gerome explained, Roo's eyes widening in shock.

There was no going back now and an uneasy question hung in the air and Roo found herself unable to meet Gerome's eyes. "Please," she whispered, her hands tightening around both pendants, bringing them close to her heart.

Gerome let out a soft sigh. "I was speaking the truth when I said Robin was happy when she and Chrom were wed. Back then, we…not just the Shepherds, but Chrom and I specifically, were brothers in arms. I knew he loved Robin and she him and I was happy for it. They were the healthiest couple I've ever seen, even when she chased him about camp with a rock in her hand, threatening to 'fix his eyesight.'

The capital was moved closer to Wyvern Valley, at Robin's request, so that she and Robbie could be near the other wyverns. It was her hope that he learned his heritage, but he never strayed far from castle grounds. I also moved to Wyvern Valley to take care of the wyverns and some unknown admiration or loyalty, Robbie always preferred to follow me around instead. It wasn't my intention to have him attach to me so strongly, but I ended up teaching him everything I knew about fighting, even though I tried to impart on him Naga's teachings of mercy. I guess he took more from his mother's teachings of defending his family at all costs. He's very adept to lances, even though my preference is axes.

It was natural that the three of us grew closer, due to our housing and past friendships. Chrom trusted me implicitly, and there were several times when he saved my back or taken an arrow that was meant for me. In return, I did all I could to serve him and his new family. A baby girl named Lucina came into the world." Gerome paused and frowned. "Do you know Lucina?" he asked.

Roo shook her head. "Maybe she hasn't come to our world yet?" she offered. "As far as I know, Chrom isn't married."

Gerome considered this and nodded in agreement. "I believe you two would get along," he smiled. "She looks more like Chrom, but she had her mother's sense of justice and strength."

Roo grinned and nodded in amusement, so Gerome continued. "Risen were still cropping up over the planet and Chrom was away frequently to strike them down, or dealing with some political matter that only the Exalt could solve. But Robin, having just come into motherhood and weakened by the pregnancy, had to remain home, unfit for such long travels. Chrom entrusted me to protect his family, and many times, I fought off the monsters that tried to assault the castle in his absence. However, I could not fight the monsters that plagued Robin's heart. Royal life didn't agree with her and she spent many long hours staring out the stone window, silent, with a look of mourning on her face at an open field. I asked her what she was yearning for. She told me, 'freedom.'

I did my best to raise her spirits, to be there for her as any friend would. With Minerva released, I took her out on my horse for long rides through the country. She spent more time and money than I was ever comfortable with in giving my home a 'woman's touch.' We spent hours of her teaching me about the various plans and machines she had made to help society flourish, even one to help Robbie take flight at last. While I often listened, I sometimes spoke with her about the wyverns in the Valley under my care." Suddenly, Gerome's voice faltered and he turned away from Roo, his eyes growing soft. "I was always content with my role as a loyal servant to my friends. I wished for a simple life and I genuinely celebrated their happiness, but…I soon discovered a dark secret within myself. I would see Chrom off whenever he left for battle, swearing him my fealty, but I relished in the time spent alone with his wife. With Robin. I tried to bury these feelings, to ignore them, to force them out. It was no use. Her smile, her spirit, everything that made her who she was pulled me back to her side. I became delirious and light-headed every time I was around her. It was that foolishness that caused me to flee from the castle grounds, believing they would be better off without my lingering ghost and sinful eyes shadowing her steps. The Risen took the opportunity and attacked. I could hear the cries from the castle and I came back just in time to leap in front of the blow that would have taken Robin and Lucina both, with no care for my life.

I was severely injured and fluttered between life and death for a week. When I finally did awake, I saw her, kneeling by my bedside, holding my hand in hers, as if she were transferring her life to my own. She hadn't left me the whole time. It was then we both realized…it was too late." Sadly, Gerome shrugged and he gave a small chuckle. "And all I did was brush a tear from her eyes. How amusing that something so simple could be the beginning to our destruction."

"Chrom found out?" Roo asked, but Gerome shook his head.

"Not right away," he said. "It still shames me to think how I…how we betrayed him. Again and again, even though every time after we agreed it was the last. We grew careless, Robin staying with me in my home or on our adventures in the country for longer and more frequent periods of time, saying she was away on 'vacation.' No one questioned that I would go with her. Ironically, Chrom had just made me head of her security and asked I be with her at all times." Gerome sighed heavily as Roo frowned in realization. "I shouldn't have been surprised when she told me she was with child once more. My child."

There was a hidden meaning in those words and Roo's eyes widened. "Gerome…" she whispered breathlessly, "What is your son's name?"

He turned to face her. "Morgan," he said quietly. "My son's name is Morgan."

Roo felt her heart drop into her stomach, but Gerome had started speaking again. "Robin was so frightened of Chrom discovering us," he continued. "But he was away so often, he never suspected. Even so, Robin didn't trust any of the royal doctors and so I brought her here and delivered our son myself. He stayed with me and we told everyone that Morgan's mother had left him in my care. Robin's motherly nature towards him was disguised as her taking the part of an innocent friend concerned for a child of her trusted servant. No one questioned. Who would bother with an old man who lived a bachelor's life? I built his room as an extension of this house and at Robin's request, Robbie moved in with us to protect his younger brother. It wasn't much and we were still separated from Robin and Lucina, but the three of us were happy together.

But we couldn't hide the truth forever and Robin was correct in not trusting the royal doctors who came to their own conclusion when Robin's health deteriorated more due to the second burden of childbirth and was further confined in castle walls. Nothing, no amount of royalties or jewels or silks could lift her spirits and I often feared she would throw herself from her window, just to feel the wind against her face again. Although it tore at my heart to know that I had a hand in doing such a terrible blow to her, I was more fearful of Chrom who had begun to hear the rumors and slowly, but surely, grew bitter and suspicious.

I begged that she leave many times. I swore I would defend her at all costs, but it was an empty oath. Even if we had eloped, Chrom had men all over the world by that time and there was nowhere we could hide. Lucina would have been abandoned by her mother. Robin needed doctors that I could not provide. But she was not concerned with her own deterioration. Her heart lay with her daughter and her people. She knew what good would be undone if they found out she had an affair with another man, more so with his supposed best friend, the protector of his Queen. She said, her fate was tied to Chrom in an unbreakable bond, and I knew she meant our cultures traditions. I hated it. I had no choice but to endure silently as Chrom grew increasingly spiteful and Robin grew increasingly weaker, unable to defend herself or their child from his wrath. We all began to live in fear in our own homes, the only relief when I stole Robin away in the night to see Morgan and we could pretend to be a family, if only for a few minutes."

"Did Chrom ever…?" Roo asked. Gerome closed his eyes, but Roo could see the anger that rippled through him.

"If he ever laid a hand on her, I never knew and Robin would never say," he admitted. "Perhaps she was frightened of what I would do if I learned he had. I no longer cared about my life, but I could not throw it away and leave my loved ones unprotected in this cruel world. Robin lived in fear, but could not escape to be happy, even though she reached just for the space outside her window. Chrom tried his best, but Robin's love for him was slipping through his fingers, despite his planetary empire. We were all trapped.

Morgan grew and it was actually he who confidently confirmed the truth," Gerome said, his smile returning. "He was always as observant as his mother. He never pressed the issue, but Robin and I both knew he understood the bond we shared. He became my apprentice guard, for I feared for the day when I would be unable to attend to Robin and Lucina because of Chrom's judgment. This only made things worse as it was a challenge for him to stay his hand whenever Chrom spoke harshly to Robin in front of us. He carried the same fire in his tongue as Robin…used…to have.

But Morgan wasn't Robin's only child and Lucina eventually found out as well. Even though she was just as bright, she wasn't as forgiving, for she loved her father, as Robin had taught her to do." Gerome frowned. "I do not blame her for telling Chrom about Robin and I. It must have hurt her just as badly, for once she told Chrom of our secret, she departed these lands and hasn't been seen since. It destroyed Robin. Even the rage that followed from Chrom, locking her in her own tower and forbidding her from any human contact, seemed like nothing to her in the face of her daughter's disappearance. I suffered his wrath when he forbade Morgan and I from ever seeing her again and expelled us from the castle grounds. Only Grima's resurrection, when he threatened to destroy everything Chrom had built, forced Chrom to unlock Robin's door and allow her to plan her strategies again, although now chained like an animal to his tent at all times. He tried to keep us from seeing each other, but it was a war and his eyes couldn't be everywhere at once." Gerome's voice suddenly grew quiet. "It was the last few times I saw her. So thin and delicate, I thought she might shatter before my eyes. I only desired for her to somehow regain her health, for her to be happy again. I was but her humble servant and blade, and she had to only say, to think, to dream a word and I would have gladly disappeared from her life forever.

But she didn't. She told me she was happiest when I held her. So I did. How could I refuse?

And when we were at the end, the final blow about to be dealt, Robin sacrificed herself and saved us all. Robin was a Grimleal before she met us, designed to be a shell for the Fell Dragon. By ending her life, Grima fell as well." Gerome paused and looked down at Roo, noting the fear in her eyes and the way she clutched at her right hand.

"Does…does that mean…?" Roo asked, unable to finish.

However, Gerome shook his head. "With our worlds being similar, yet different, I cannot say for certain," he said. "While I do not have to see the mark on your hand, I know it's there. Robin had hers on her left."

"How did she…kill herself?" Roo asked quietly and Gerome looked away, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"She gathered her last bit of strength and threw herself at the dragon," he said, a bitter sadness in his voice. "It consumed her and they both faded away into the darkness. I never got the chance…no, I was never brave enough to ever tell her how I loved her. But it was too late. Always too late."

His hands were trembling. "We tried to put the past behind us, but it was too much for Morgan. He took Robbie and left to seek a way to undo the events that had happened," Gerome sighed. "I told him it was foolish, but nothing could stop him from trying to prevent the unhappy life she had. Chrom's mind has become a shadow of what it once was and I became a coward and a hermit. This pendant…" he took his pendant from Roo's hands and gently ran his thumb over the stone. "This is all I have left of my family now."

"That's not true," Roo blurted out, unable to keep her questions inside any longer. "It can't be! Gerome, I…we…there's a Morgan in my time. He has your hair and came through a magic gate called the Outrealm Gate. It connects parallel times and worlds together and I'm sure Morgan found it, even in this world. Your son is alive!"

A flash of hope appeared on Gerome's face as he turned to her. "Does he ride a white wyvern?" he questioned quickly. "One with a small wing on one side?"

"Yes!"

"And when he flies…does he stand instead of remaining seated? It might appear as if one were to ride the ocean on a waveboard?"

"Yes!" But suddenly, Roo faltered. "But he doesn't remember who his father is. When they passed through the gate, their memories…"

Pain drew itself across Gerome's face, but soon melted into a grim understanding. "Please…don't explain any of what I've told you to him," he said bitterly. "These memories of such a sad life…I don't want him to remember any of it. I don't want him to remember me." Looking up at the shocked expression on her face, Gerome smiled sadly. "Do not forget that this is Robin's story, not yours," he said gently. "She is not you and you are not her. Do not fear if you are concerned you share the same fate."

"It's true," Roo admitted, Gerome handing her back the pendant. "Just like you're not him." A playful grin crossed her face as she looked at both stones. They were the same, yet not the same. They meant so much and yet nothing at all. A heavy sigh escaped Roo and she closed her eyes, shaking her head in amusement. "He's much more stubborn and proud than you are," Roo chuckled. "Also, my Gerome has blue hair. That's a bit strange isn't it?"

Gerome raised his eyebrow in surprise and nodded. "Pray tell me, who is his father?" he asked.

"Virion."

"I…feel as if I may have dodged some sort of arrow," Gerome admitted and Roo chuckled lightly. Then, a deep, bitter sigh escaped Gerome. "He gave you our father's pendant, yet told you it was some sort of nondescript trinket. Bah. He's also more foolish than I if that's true." Looking up at her, Gerome stared deep into her eyes, searching. "Roo, may I ask a favor of you?" he said quietly, fear in his voice if she should refuse.

"Of course," Roo replied.

"First, do you hold someone else in your heart?"

The question was entirely unexpected and Roo found herself coughing in embarrassment. "Um, if you're asking if I'm WITH someone, I guess the appropriate definition is no," she stammered. "I mean, Gerome and I hang out a lot, but I mean, we're not TOGETHER, together. I mean, I did kinda…sorta…kiss him on the cheek that one time, but…we haven't made anything official, ok?"

A light chuckle came from Gerome. "I'll take that as a no," he teased, Roo flushing red. "But since you do not seem to harbor feelings for anyone else, my favor is this." Gently, he reached out and took her hand in hers, looking straight into her eyes. "He loves you. I know he does," Gerome said firmly, but gently. "Please…wait until he knows how to say the words in his heart. Wait for him to do what I never did and tell you how he feels. Refuse him if you desire, but please…promise me you'll wait."

Roo could feel his hand trembling in hers, although she was pretty sure she was doing the same. "How do you know that?" she whispered. "You're not him."

"And yet, I AM," Gerome countered. Tenderly, he reached out and placed his other palm upon the side of her face, moving back her hair so they could see each other clearly. "I love you," he whispered. "No matter what befalls us, no matter where we are or what times it may be, these feelings will not change."

"Then…I promise," Roo said and in her eyes, Gerome could see she had meant those words to the bottom of her heart.

Suddenly, a horrifying screech ripped through the air and Gerome and Roo shot up. "Marvin!" Gerome hissed, dashing to the dresser and grabbing a black tunic from the shelves, knocking several other items over in his haste.

"What's going on?" Roo gasped, throwing off the nightgown and pulling on her clothes, but Gerome had already moved to the old set or armor in the other room and began strapping the metal plates to him.

She didn't have to wait long for an answer as something large crashed through the front window, landing with a sickening thud on the floor in the kitchen.

It was a horse's head.

"Gerome!" Chrom's voice boomed from outside. "Come out! I know you're in there and I've finally found your little hiding place!"

Inside, Gerome drew the curtains closed against the broken window. "They must have followed us from the castle," Gerome growled, grabbing a silver axe and peering out a small crack to the outside. "Chrom's been hunting me for years."

"Then why the hell did you WANT to go to the castle?" Roo spat, pulling on her coat and joining him. "Because of me, he was lead right to you!"

Gerome turned to face her, putting a reassuring hand on her face. "It was because of you that I went," he said. "I will never leave you unprotected. Not then, not now."

Roo took his hand in hers, but Gerome turned his attention back to Chrom. Roo took her own peek outside and felt fear seize her heart. They were surrounded, men fully armed with every type of weapon and torches and Chrom sitting on his royal horse a few paces from their door, a silver sword by his side and one of the dresses Roo had used to climb down from the tower in his hands. "Come on out, Roaming Gerome!" he taunted, a crazed smile on his face. "Isn't that what Inigo used to call you? How you hated it! It must have been satisfying when you learned he had his tongue cut out before he was chopped to bloody bits!"

"Begone!" Gerome spat back. "Get off my lands and leave in peace! No harm shall come to you!"

A barking laugh came from Chrom as he slapped his knee. "That's rich!" he cackled. "A threat? From you? Lions do not take orders from sheep, my old friend. And as for what I desire…" his face contorted into a vicious snarl. "Your little vacation time is over. You will give me back what is mine."

"Is it that much trouble to consider me a person and not a piece of property?" Roo sighed, but Gerome ignored her, reaching into a pocket of his armor and withdrawing a small silver whistle.

"Here," he said, placing it into her hands. "No one but Minerva can hear this. There's a hidden tunnel under the bedroom floorboards. Get out of here while you still can! I'll hold them off."

"Are you kidding me?" Roo hissed, grabbing his arm. "He's got at least thirty men out there! You'll die!"

Gerome gave her a long, hard look. "It is what I hope for," he said sternly.

"Gerome…" Roo gasped, her grip weakening. "Don't do this…!"

There was no time to argue and Gerome took her by the hand, pulling her into the bedroom. "No matter what you may hear, swear that you will not come after me," he whispered.

"Wait!" Roo tried to protest, but Gerome pulled her into the master bedroom, sadly looking into her eyes and placing his hand on her cheek.

"Goodbye," he said quietly. And with that, he pushed Roo further into the room, ignoring her protests, pushing a chair against the doorknob so she couldn't escape back to him.

"No! Gerome!" Roo cried, but she could hear him pushing the kitchen table and chairs to blockade her in further. "Damn it!"

From outside, Chrom smiled to himself as he listened to Roo's cries of protest. It was a gesture of infinite mercy that he was allowing his old friend to have a last word with Robin before he died. "It's been a while," Chrom sneered as Gerome calmly stepped out from his front door and into a puddle of blood, ignoring the headless body of his horse at his feet. "How old is that armor anyway? It makes you look so much younger than I know you to be."

Gerome said nothing, just glaring with an intense hatred that Chrom had seen in few men before. "Tell you what," Chrom said, holding out his hand. "It is true that I am a strong ruler, but let it never be said I am unkind. If you hand Robin over to me, I will let you live in my dungeons for the rest of your days. Not many men get this chance, so think it over wisely."

"She's not yours," Gerome hissed, readying his axe in his hands. "Not today."

A look of revulsion came over Chrom's face. "I should have done this years ago," Chrom spat, leaping down from his horse, his sword in hand.

Clashes of a fight could be heard and from inside, Roo pounded on the door helplessly. The window in the room was too small to crawl out of, but Gerome had said there was a hidden tunnel in the floorboards. Roo quickly tapped at the boards, stopping when one gave off a different sound. Pulling up the boards and jumping inside, she wondered how much time he might have had to spend making something so long and secretive, no doubt with help from her other self and her ingenuity of practical inventions and plans. It felt like she had been crawling for some time when her hand suddenly landed in something wet and Roo looked up to see Frederick's upside down face staring back up at her.

She almost couldn't stop the scream that rose out of surprise, but a second glance revealed he was dead, his throat slit from ear to ear and his armor stained red with blood. Behind him, several more bodies of castle servants and forest branches clogged the exit, making it impossible to get through and Roo tried to keep from gagging as she tore out of the tunnel and slammed the floorboards back into place. Now there really was no way out and Roo kicked at the last board with a frustrated growl. She realized in horror that the bodies stuffed in the tunnel had met their fate without protest or words of opposition, or else they would have been heard. They had lived and died for a single purpose and Roo clenched her fist in anger that such a terrible man was roaming the earth and that her other self had done nothing to stop it, even if they had been married, or in love, or whatever.

Or perhaps she did prepare something, but could never use it, Roo thought as her eye wandered into the open dresser once more and saw another hidden box behind some clothes that had fallen away when Gerome had hastily grabbed his tunic. Forgetting the tunnel, Roo reached in and tore the box from its hiding place and smiled as a familiar mechanism fell to the ground, shimmering in the moonlight. "Clever girl," she mused.

Outside, Chrom and Gerome clashed together again and Gerome struggled to keep his ground. "You have gotten soft!" Chrom sneered, breaking the standstill and striking again. "Passive! Defensive! Never taking the first move! Predictable as always!"

Another swing from Chrom's sword and Gerome cried out, a gash in his leg turning red and forcing him to the ground. "Don't worry," Chrom said, putting his blade to Gerome's throat as his men came forward and pulled him to his knees, holding his arms behind him. "I won't kill you right away. I want you to watch how I deal with traitors and spies."

"You won't lay another hand on her," Gerome spat, but Chrom snickered down at him.

"Oh, you mean your little escape route?" he sneered. "Don't worry. Despite his bumbling incompetence, Frederick found that little rat's hole with the dogs. I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of filling that in with a little surprise. I gotta hand it to you, quite ingenious really. Was it meant to be a last resort if I ever found you? Or did you use it to secretly bring my wife into your home? Her scent was all over it, after all. Too bad when our little Robin, alone and cold in that dark place suddenly realizes she's just trapped herself in her grave. Enjoy the fact that instead of a quick, merciful burning, you've sentenced her to roast in that tiny space or have the air choked out of her lungs from the smoke." Chrom snapped his fingers and Gerome's eyes grew wide with horror as the men with torches stepped forward, barricading the doors and windows with their other weapons.

"Stop, Chrom!" Gerome cried out as the men holding him dragged him away from the house and faced him so he could see. "You don't know what you're doing! This isn't the Robin you know, she's from another world! She's innocent!"

However, Chrom kept his back to him and Gerome let out a strangled cry as the men checked to make sure no one could escape from the prison they had just built. "Chrom, King Chrom, you're right," Gerome gasped. "I did it. Everything! It was my fault! Punish me! Take my life to do what you will! If you have any love left in your heart, please…I beg of you!"

Chrom suddenly spun around and threw his fist into Gerome's face. "Admit you never loved her!" he screamed as his men shoved Gerome back to his knees. "Admit you just seduced her and never cared that we were friends! We were BROTHERS! You were just jealous of my success. Admit it!"

"Yes…" Gerome whispered, blood coming from his mouth. "It's true. All of it is true. I…I never loved her, Chrom. I never…"

Useless. All useless as Chrom waved his arm and the men threw their torches into the old wood and the house exploded into flames, Gerome crying out in despair.

"Love…?" Chrom whispered to himself, turning to look back at the fire, his face calm and emotionless. "What a useless thing. I don't even remember what love is anymore."

Brandishing his sword again, Chrom looked down at Gerome who was hanging his head in defeat. "I may not remember love," Chrom hissed, his men letting Gerome drop to his hands and Chrom placing the tip of his sword on Gerome's neck before raising it high. "But I will never forget everything you did to me!"

Suddenly a sharp pinging sound was heard and all eyes turned to see a body rocketing out of the roof through the flames. The sound of thunder magic crackled in the air, taking out the two men beside Gerome. "What?" Chrom snarled as the body swung in the sky again before a sparkle of magic lit in the sky and Chrom found himself and Gerome cut off from the other soldiers as they drew back from the flames that had erupted around their feet from the lightning meeting the dry grass. Chrom looked up just in time to see a flash of Roo, speeding towards him, crying out in rage before she flew into him, her fist smashing into his face.

He flew to the ground and Chrom shook his head to regain his senses, feeling blood beginning to pour from his nose. "You!" Chrom screeched as Roo stood over him, standing between him and Gerome, a used up thunder tome disappearing from her hands.

"I've got to hand it to Robin," Roo spat, her gear glittering from the flames. "She's a lot smarter than you give her credit for."

"Damn you!" Chrom roared, swinging his sword for her head, but Roo ducked back and shot one of her hooks into his leg, causing him to snarl in pain and fall to the ground once more. He barely had time to think about what was happening before Roo rocketed forward and caught his collar, sending her other fist into his face for another good measure and he stumbled back. To his horror, Chrom felt the body of the dead horse from behind his leg and with a piercing scream, fell backwards and into the flames of the house.

The fire wouldn't last long and Roo bent down to grab Gerome. "What…" he gasped, staring at Robin's invention, but Roo smiled and pulled him under her shoulder and to his feet.

"No time for that, we're getting out of here," she said, swinging the whistle he had given to her into her hands from her pocket and blew on it, hard.

The enemy troops were starting to regroup and Roo struggled as she hauled Gerome through the woods, coming up on a part of the valley that overlooked a drop several hundred feet down. "Do you remember when I pushed you off that cliff?" Roo asked, Gerome looking down at the forest far below them and unknowingly holding himself tighter to her.

"No?"

"Good enough," Roo said, ignoring the horrified look on Gerome's face. She held her breath and onto Gerome as soldier's outlines began to appear through the smoke, the sound of weapons brandishing. She sent out one of her hooks far into the rocks across from them and before Gerome could protest, she rocketed them up off the ground and into the sky. A familiar screech was heard from behind them and reaching down, Roo unhooked the gear from her side, sending it spinning into the rocks across from them and into a thousand pieces.

They were hanging in the air, one perfectly calm second together, their palms pressed against each other and their fingers entwined before they began to fall, but a black shadow pushed itself up from underneath them. "Good timing, Minerva!" Roo called as the old wyvern growled softly up at them, taking them far from Chrom's men and deep into the sky.

---

He had never considered himself a religious man, but as Gerome sat next to the portal, he wondered if he should have asked Libra to come with them to pray to speed things along. It had only taken a few hours, but they had arrived at the Gate and the three men stupidly looked between themselves about what to do. "You're the Sage, Laurent," Inigo said, giving his friend a nudge. "Do something."

"Apologies, Inigo," Laurent huffed, pushing his glasses up his nose. "But I dabble in magic's of the Anima, not of the supernatural."

"This could be, you know, animal," Inigo protested, holding his hands out to the Gate. "It's here, in real life, isn't it? I dunno, kick it or something."

Laurent had given him a dead stare. "We of science do not 'kick,'" he spat indignantly and Inigo waved his hands in defense.

And so they had made no progress.

Night had fallen and Gerome idly wondered how long he had been sitting there, leaning on his lance and trying to think of some idea of how to get Roo back, where she even might be and hoping she was still alive. Suddenly, the smell of food and the shadow of a person caught his eye and for one heart-wrenching second, Gerome thought to himself that Roo hadn't disappeared, that he was bringing him his meals as always and that he would have the chance to see her once more.

"Hey, I brought you some dinner," Inigo said, stepping out of the shadows and putting a plate down in front of him. "You need to keep up your strength, you know. What are you going to do if we get attacked by some Risen out here?"

He couldn't stop the growl of disappointment and Gerome sank back into his place against the Gate, turning his head away from the food. Seeing his reaction, Inigo frowned. "I'm sorry, buddy, I'm not trying to tease. You must really love her," he said quietly.

That caught Gerome's attention and he spun his head around to give Inigo a vicious glare. "Miss! You must really MISS her is what I said," Inigo grinned, holding up his hands defensively.

Slowly, Gerome's gaze softened and he turned his head down in shame. "Forgive me," he said quietly. "I should not turn my anger on you. You have done nothing wrong."

"Don't worry, friend," Inigo said, giving him a reassuring smile and bending down to pat his shoulder. "She'll come back. We're here. Morgan's here. Robin and Robbie are here. You're here, so she'll definitely come back. We all find a way to stick together, don't we? Even me and Lucina, even after she…our Lucina, anyway…" he trailed off and shook his head. "Well, we can't think negative thoughts. Besides, it's only been a few hours since she vanished."

"This is true," Laurent's voice suddenly rang out, his form stepping out from the shadows behind the Gate and Inigo choked in surprise. "We have seen many various improbabilities, even impossibilities, become realities in this world. We should hope that these events might also unfold into our desires."

"Were you standing there the whole time?" Inigo snapped.

Laurent nodded, running his hand up and down the Gate's stone. "Much as Gerome has been here, ready to defend the Gate at any cost, I have been diligently working to decode the writing I've discovered along the sides. Most ingenious craftsmanship, I must say." Putting his hand down, Laurent frowned and sighed, using the other hand to push his glasses up his nose. "I am deeply concerned about the future. About our future," he said. "Although I do not mean to discredit Morgan's abilities, with the upcoming battle against Walhart, we stand little chance without a seasoned tactician. I have tried every incantation, every spell I know, but nothing seemed to work. It…baffles me how someone described of Excellus's magic and caliber could open the portal where as I cannot."

"Why don't you just kick it?" Inigo mocked, sarcasm dripping from his words.

A scoff came from Laurent. "This is an ancient, widely unexplored piece of magical technology!" Laurent snapped. "Not some simplistic toy!"

A quiet silence settled over the three men and Laurent pursed his lips indignantly. Then, turning back to the gate, Laurent gave a heavy sigh, pushed his glasses up his nose and gave the smallest part of the Gate the tiniest tap of his toe.

Instantly, a blue light shot out from the center and Gerome leapt to his feet, Inigo and Laurent already staring in shock. "Told you so," Inigo snapped to Laurent who stared, slack-jawed at the magic rippling through the middle part of the Gate.

"Everything I have come to know has been a lie," Laurent moaned, his hands pulling his hat down over his head. "Bested by Inigo! I've failed as a man of science! Oh…I loathe to think of mother's opinion on this matter!"

"Don't worry, everyone has that reaction," Inigo snapped irritably as he and Gerome joined Laurent to the Gate's entrance. "Ok, so now that we've got it open, how do we find Roo? Are we supposed to ask it or something?"

Slowly, Gerome and Laurent turned to Inigo who nervously stared back at them. "Just wondering!" he whined.

A sigh escaped Gerome. Although he was a brilliant fighter, the man could be an idiot. Still, he had been correct about opening the Gate, so Gerome stepped forward, looking deep into its blue image. His voice was small, so small he wasn't even sure any sound had come out of his mouth at all. "Please…" he whispered.

The Gate's magic ripped in response and Inigo let out a triumphant yell. "That's two for two!" he cackled, Laurent giving a despairing moan. "In your FACE, four eyes!"

It was like seeing her past events in super fast forward as flashes of a field, a castle, a man with a blue beard and another with blonde hair sped through the Gate's magic and Gerome didn't have time to comprehend it all. It was only when it stopped, now moving in what seemed to be real time did Gerome see the blurry image of two people riding a black wyvern through the sky. One of the riders wore a familiar purple coat and Gerome's eyes widened in recognition. "I'm going in," he snapped, taking his lance firmly in his hands.

"Wait!" Laurent said, stopping Gerome with his hand. "Here! You will need a way to return and I think I may have the perfect solution." Jumping down, Laurent quickly rushed back to their supplies and grabbed a long, sturdy rope. Moving back up the Gate's steps, he quickly tied one end around Gerome's waist, being sure to check the knot. Now finished, Laurent looked up and met his gaze, giving him a determined nod. "Best of luck," he said to his friend before Gerome gave him a nod in return and stepped through the magic portal.

---

Roo and Gerome sailed through the sky, their minds at ease, but knowing it was a brief reprise. "I don't think we're being followed, at least not for now," Roo said as Minerva sped through the air. "Even if he was pulled out of that fire, he'll be out of commission for at least a month with those injuries."

"It's possible, although Frederick's bedside care is uncanny," Gerome said, glad she never went deeper into the tunnel to discover the truth, or at least hoping she didn't.

He was trying to lie for her and Roo pursed her lips together, not wanting to spoil what he hoped she was spared of. It was hard not to blame herself for every terrible thing that Gerome had gone through, even the parts that were more Robin's influence than hers. Because of them, his life, his children and now his home had been burned away and Roo silently promised herself that when she ever made it back home, or if she made it back home, she would do everything in her power to prevent a future like this one. "Where are we going?" Gerome asked her after the silence had gone on for too long.

"I'm actually not sure," Roo admitted. "I was just trying to get us away from that maniac to think farther than that. Isn't there a safe place around here?"

Gerome pursed his lips bitterly. "Not nearby. Not since Chrom took over."

"Well, then we're screwed," Roo snapped. "Unless some miracle happens!"

It was if the old adage, ask and you shall received came from the heavens and Roo and Gerome gasped in surprise when a bright blue pillar light opened up just some distance away. "What is it…?" Gerome murmured.

"It's what Morgan used to find me," Roo grinned as she turned Minerva towards the beam, "And it's our ticket out of here."

They settled in the small opening, Gerome finally able to give Minerva a grateful hug. However, Roo leapt down, facing the blue pool of magic, her face hard and concerned. How did she know once she walked through if she would end up in her time? Was she just doomed to travel from world to world, always searching for her own until her body withered away and died?

Or perhaps…

Turning back to Gerome, Roo stared into his face, her eyes filled with determination. "Come with me," she said firmly. "This place isn't safe anyway. You can escape from here and go make a new life wherever you want."

Sadly, Gerome smiled, giving Minerva one last look and a nuzzle before he stepped away to meet Roo. "I cannot," he said gently. "If Chrom is truly gone, this world will need help rebuilding. There is no one left here that knows our history better than I. I must stay…for the people."

"Don't make the same mistake she did," Roo countered, but Gerome shook his head and Roo knew her words were useless.

"There will be others who do not understand," Gerome said. "It is my fate to face what I have done and make peace with it. This world…it is my home. And one day, if my son should ever return, I want to make it a place where he can finally feel free from the past in the ways we never could."

A heavy sigh escaped Roo, but she put her hands on her hips and gave him a grin. "Some things never change," Roo said and Gerome shrugged with an amused smile.

Suddenly, the Gate's magic flashed once more and Roo and Gerome both turned to see a figure stepping out of the portal, his blue hair rustling from the wind. "Roo!" he cried out, seeing her and reaching his hand out.

"Gerome…!" Roo whispered, unconsciously taking a step towards her home. Suddenly, she stopped and slowly turned to face the older Gerome who gazed back at her with a heartbreaking expression. They stood together, the same, yet not the same. A love and yet strangers of each other. "This…all of this," Roo said, looking into his eyes and Gerome felt his heart pull at the familiarity of her gaze reaching down through him into his soul, "It's not your fault. Promise me you'll escape from this place. This was supposed to be a time of peace. That is what I…she…what we have wanted for everyone." A sad smile crossed her lips and Gerome could have sworn Robin stood before him, speaking out to him through her other self as she reached into her pocket and pulled out his pendant, pressing it into his hands, "I'll be fine and you deserve to be happy. Please…go."

She began to turn away, but Gerome reached out for her. "Wait…!" he cried and as she turned to face him, Gerome bent his head and gently touched his lips with hers, all the love he had in him pouring out into that one gesture.

They came apart and he touched her cheek one last time and Roo gave him one last look before she turned and took the hand his younger self extended to her, interlocking fingers. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her into the magic where she flashed and suddenly, she was gone. Only the two men remained and the younger one, his mask hiding whatever expression he held, turned his head to look at his older self.

Don't let her go. That was the silent message that was passed between them before the younger man disappeared into the light and the older was left alone in the darkness of the forest.

---

A few days had gone by, but Roo seemed to be different. Despite the cries of elation from her friends surrounding her with love and attention, she became distant and quiet. Even though hundreds of questions were asked of her, where she went, what happened and had she been hurt, a pained look crossed her face and she shook her head, keeping the answers to herself.

The only time she really laughed was when Robbie leapt into her arms and she held him tight as he cooed in happiness. But when Morgan and Robin came to hold her, she suddenly drew back and awkwardly embraced the both of them before bowing her head and moving quickly away, leaving them confused and hurt.

However, Chrom and Gerome were both ignored entirely. Even though right after she had stepped through the portal and back into her own world, Gerome had given her a tight hug, it was as if he were holding a complete stranger and Roo stiffened in his arms and pulled back. Back at camp, Chrom had dashed up to her, trying to take her into his arms, but a look of horror and fear came over her face and she ducked away.

Everyone was confused. Everyone was hurt, for Roo had been a constant in all their lives and now she was just absent, despite her physical form standing or sitting upright right next to them. Her hood was always up and she would sit staring out at nothing or on her horse, standing in the middle of the fields, no longer riding with the joy she once had.

Speculations naturally began to arise and Gerome couldn't help but groan as another wave of suspicions and hastily reached conclusions haunted Roo's footsteps once more. She still made appearances for war councils and important meetings, but never spoke, only moving pieces representing a unit or captain to a location across the map. Eventually, even Robbie stopped being with her and began to stay with Cherche, uncertain of how to act around his mother. Roo didn't seem to mind.

"Don't you see, we need you," Chrom frowned, finally cornering her in her tent one day. "We'll help you, no matter the cost or the time. Whatever happened out there, please, tell us!"

"I can't!" Roo shot back, her eyes dark and full of fear. "I just…just all of it! All fighting and war and death! I'm just so sick of it Chrom, even when everything goes the way it's supposed to, it all just gets ruined! He saved my life and said all those things and now, what am I supposed to do? If it means we're to be tied by fate or should I just let things be as they go, or will he never exist if I don't say something and you and I and him and everyone! And I…just…"

A heartbroken growl erupted from her throat and Roo threw her fist at the wooden post holding her tent up, but at the last second stopped and her hand landed softly. "I don't want to be a pawn of fate," she murmured to herself, placing her forehead against the post. "But…if I don't, then…he'll never be born…? Or will I just destroy us all just like she did?"

She trailed off and said no more, collapsing into her chair, her head in her hands. Chrom silently stood and left, not sure what she meant and not sure what to say.

Gerome had heard every word – it was difficult not to, even from his distance away – and frowned sadly to himself as he stood alone on the training grounds. Being rejected was a terrible burden to bear, but not knowing the reason why Roo was plagued with fear whenever she looked at him was worse. Bitterly, Gerome growled to himself and began to swing around his lance again, hoping to distract his thoughts for a few more minutes.

"You should go," Sumia's voice said beside him and Gerome turned to see her smiling sadly up at him. "You might have better luck than the Captain did."

A scoff came from Gerome's mouth. "I do not think it's a wise idea," he said. "Whatever happened out there, it was obviously very difficult. We should wait until she comes to us."

Sumia frowned. "Is that really the best?" she asked. "People sometimes don't think I understand others, but I do and Roo is my best friend. I can see the way she looks as you, Gerome. She's not afraid. She's sad."

However, Gerome turned his head and walked back over to take another lance from the weapons rack. "I will be patient," he said firmly, but gently. "Roo is a tactician. She will speak with me when she has a plan and knows exactly what to say. Ambushing her into an unwanted conversation will only make things worse."

He began practicing again and Sumia smiled gently in understanding. "Alright then," she said, turning to leave.

"Sumia?"

"Yes?"

A sad, slightly embarrassed frown came over Gerome's face. "If…if she chooses to speak with you first…if she for want of anything…" he trailed off, unsure of how to phrase the next words and Sumia blinked in surprise before her expression turned to an understanding smile.

"You'll be the first to know," Sumia promised and Gerome gave her a small thankful nod before he turned his attention back to his stabs and parries.

Coincidentally, Roo did choose to speak with Sumia first for that night, she awoke to the sound of Roo softly calling her name from outside her tent. "Are you alright?" Sumia asked when she opened her tent flap to allow Roo to step inside. "You look like you haven't slept yet at all."

Indeed, dark black circles were under Roo's eyes and her hood covered her straggly and messy hair. "We're going to march on Walhart soon and everyone is feeling more confident now that you're back," Sumia said brightly to keep the conversation light, offering Roo a chair and she sat on her cot opposite of her. "Ever since we took out Yen'fay, his Chosin forces seem to have abandoned Walhart. I guess you were right when you said they valued the worth of one man and not of the army. Say'ri is doing alright, although she is mourning for the loss of her brother. That Excellus is a disgusting creep, isn't he? Ha…you should have seen Morgan and Robin. They were so brave and excellent. You should be very proud."

Roo just sank into the chair as her eyes glazed over. "Morgan is Gerome's son," she said quietly.

Sumia's eyes nearly exploded from her head and her jaw practically hit the floor. "Are…are you sure?" she stammered.

"Extremely," Roo said. "There are some…complications, but it is true."

Now Sumia understood. "No wonder you've been avoiding Gerome," she tried to laugh nervously. "I take it he doesn't know?"

"No."

A deep silence settled over the two women and Sumia frowned sadly. "Roo, I don't know what happened to you out there," she said, trying to hope her voice sounded more courageous than she thought it was, "But I know what happened here. We all missed you. We all love you. Your pain is our pain and to see you like this tears at all our hearts." She gently placed her hand on top of Roo's. "You don't have to tell me anything else if you don't want to," she said gently, looking into Roo's eyes with a smile on her face. "I will still be here no matter what. We are sisters, even if not by birth."

Tears welled up in Roo's eyes, but she turned her head at the last minute, her hood hiding her face, but not her trembling hands as Sumia took them in her steady ones. "We've done so much together," Sumia continued. "We've fought and bickered, shared stories and happiness, pain and tears. I think I'm the only person to ever see you cry, and all because you accidentally killed a bug when you first came to Ylisse. And like I promised the first time, I haven't told a soul."

Irritably wiping at her hidden face, Roo gave a choking cough. "I'm sorry," she whispered as Sumia pulled her friend into a reassuring hug. "I didn't want any of this to happen. I don't want to remember!"

Sumia frowned and gently rested her head on the top of Roo's. "But sometimes…we have to," she said. "Sometimes we have to remember the bad things. It helps us to make better choices to happier ones." Pulling back as Roo looked up at her, Sumia smiled once more. "Do what makes you happy, but don't forget the past," Sumia offered. "It makes the future all the more brighter."

They stayed together for a few more minutes, but no more words were exchanged before Roo stood to leave. "Thank you, Sumia," Roo whispered before she left her tent. "I won't forget this."

They embraced one more time and Sumia gave her friend a small squeeze on her shoulder. "You know, he was in a real state when you were gone," she said, Roo understanding whom she spoke of. "He's waiting."

"I know," Roo said quietly, a small smile on her lips. "He really IS the stubborn one."

Sumia was confused, but Roo had already turned and begun walking down the path towards the forest, so she did not pursue the matter. Instead, she simply smiled to herself, not realizing she was smiling broader than she thought, and disappeared inside her tent.

---

He couldn't sleep.

Chrom sighed irritably and rolled over in his cot, his eyes refusing to close as the small sliver of opening in his tent sliced into his vision. Even though they had begun to gain more ground against Walhart, Chrom didn't feel like celebrating. Shame and guilt plagued him, for in the timeframe Roo had gone missing, he could suddenly see how he had been acting towards her. Pushy, demanding, always selfish in his desire to want her by his side, even though now, in hindsight, he could see how much she just wanted to be her own person. When he really thought about it, he couldn't even remember what her favorite color was or her the best meal she had ever made for the camp. Maybe it was a lingering and unexpected outcome of royal life, where everything was just handed to him without question. Not that he knowingly stepped upon those weaker than him; his privilege just blinded him to the fact that he had privilege at all. Gaius had been right, it was a completely different world for people like Roo. She had no title or house to speak of; she didn't even have a full name. Her clothing was Plegian and designed with the marks of Grimleal, yet she served under the prince of Ylisse. She had no family, no close relations of anyone outside the camp and until she started working for Chrom, no funds of her own. No reasonable villager or royal would marry their heirs to her, no one would have bothered to take her in. She had nowhere to go after the war was over. No home, no income and no friends readily available once the Shepherds scattered back over the globe, where as he would always have a castle and his sister and Frederick. Even when they first met, he asked if she could fight and her eyes had gone wide and she said no, but he took advantage of her blank mind and ordered her to strike men down anyway, all under the pretense that they wouldn't hesitate to kill her. In defiance, she delivered non-lethal blows, but the pain on her face was clear as she watched the men scream in agony from the wounds she had inflicted before Frederick finished them off.

He had treated her like a commodity than an equal, taking what he wanted from her and then leaving, never bothering to build a bond, a real, deep, inner bond between them. And yet, she still stayed with him, helping him through his darkest times and giving strategies and advice that had gotten him his far. It took a lot for Chrom not to grab Falchion and stab himself in the eyes right then and there, although if he had, he never would have been able to see her move past on the trail to the forest like a shadow through the small opening in his tent.

Quickly, he rose and grabbed his tunic, opening the tent flap just enough to see more clearly. She had her hood up, but was too tired to notice the more obvious sounds he made as he scrambled out after her to see where she was going.

It was as if her feet knew where to take her as Roo stepped quietly through the forest. The peace and stillness of the world around her conflicted with the inner turmoil she felt, but she knew the only way to bring balance back into her life was to face her worst fear: to expose herself fully and without shame to the one person who seemed the most closed off and distant from all of the Shepherds.

He was waiting for her, as if he knew she would be coming to him and he sat alone on a small rock in an open clearing. She stopped when she stood in front of him, their gaze meeting in a silent way of greeting the other.

"If you would rather I keep it short…" Roo said, but Gerome shook his head.

"Would you like to sit?" he asked her gently, but Roo shook her head.

"If I did, I might fall asleep," she admitted, a tired smile appearing on her face.

"Then I shall stand with you."

Now he looked down on her from his natural height and Roo sighed in relief as she leaned forward and placed her forehead on his chest, a silent apology for the past few days she had treated him.

The result was instantaneous and Gerome wrapped his arms around her and pulling her gently closer, resting his head upon hers. It was a warm, gentle embrace, telling her that all was forgiven, closing the gap that had opened between them when she had returned. "I missed you," Roo whispered, treasuring his familiar scent and touch.

He said nothing, but he didn't need to, his hand stroking the back of her head, despite her hood. They stayed like that for what seemed like hours, but they finally broke apart and Roo looked up at him and stared into his eyes. "There's a lot to say," she warned.

"I have time," he said, undaunted.

"You won't like it."

Gently, Gerome reached out and gave her hand a small squeeze. There was no going back now and Roo took a deep breath of air before letting it back out again. "I went to another world," she began. "Not just another time, as you traveled, but an entirely other world where Walhart and Grima were already defeated and everyone was united under one banner."

Gerome raised his eyebrow. "You seem unhappy about it," he noted.

"Yeah, well, it was a world of lies," Roo continued. "They really just lived under the biggest tyrant and megalomaniac I've ever seen. Gerome, he ruled the whole planet under his thumb. This guy…he was the Chrom of that world. You and him were enemies. He tried to kill you many times."

"I was there?" Gerome questioned and Roo nodded.

"Not you, but an older you," she corrected. "That man we saw before we came home…that was the you of that world."

A silent relief washed over Gerome as he let his gaze flicker to the side for an instant to be with his own thoughts. The future didn't seem so bad if that was how he might turn out to be. At least he had a full head of hair. However, a sudden realization hit Gerome like a brick and he turned his attention back to Roo, who shrank back like a nervous child under her hood, already knowing what was coming. "He kissed you," he said, almost too casually, as if he were describing the weather instead of something that stabbed at him like a knife.

Roo rubbed the back of her right hand nervously before continuing. "He did that because him and I, or I guess the other me…they were in love. Gerome, Morgan…the Morgan you and I know…that's their son."

The meaning behind her words hit Gerome like a ton of bricks and he stared down in shock at Roo who tried to hide her nervous and embarrassed face. "Then…that means…then, no wonder…" Gerome trailed, trying to get the pieces in his head to fit.

"He doesn't remember his father outright, but he knows in his heart," Roo said. "Him and Robin both."

A wave of relief and pride and happiness washed over Gerome as he considered Roo's words. It meant that the rumors lesser men had been flying about camp were wrong. It meant he felt pride in those two more than any other time. However, it did not mean one thing. "But, wait, where were you? The other you?" Gerome asked.

Roo's embarrassment gave way to sadness. "She died," she said quietly. "In his own way, Chrom killed her."

Now his happiness turned to anger and Gerome couldn't stop the worried growl that came from his mouth and the step forward for his hand to protectively take hers. "Why? How?" he hissed.

Roo took in a deep breath. "Chrom and Robin…that's her name…they were married before Morgan happened. Chrom found out and went insane, killing everyone and everything around him. Only you escaped. Only you survived."

Gerome had to give Roo credit. After hearing the story, he wasn't sure that if things were different and he had found out instead of her, he could bring himself to tell the truth. However, Roo shook her head sadly. "I don't want us to be a pawn of some scripted fate," she said hoarsely. "I don't want to be shoved into some destiny that is preordained!" She looked up at him and Gerome silently gasped at the tears in her eyes. "I don't want you to think that you are tied to me without your consent! It's bad enough people say terrible things about me and you're already in the crossfire. If anyone found out about this, you would only suffer more. You should be free to be your own person, with your own choices, with your own life! So that's why…" She rubbed at her eyes, but Gerome could see her hand came away wet. "If you want…you can go. I'm sorry," she whispered, her hand coming up again and staying to hide her eyes, the other still pressed into his, trembling.

A long silence passed and Roo squeezed her eyes tightly together, unable to face Gerome, but feeling a small brush of his thumb over her hand.

Finally, he spoke. "What do you desire?" he asked, his voice so quiet and soft, Roo barely heard it and in her surprise, she dropped her hand and looked up.

The mask was suddenly gone and Roo could feel the full force of his being looking down at her, letting her hand fall from his, unspeakable pain and sadness in his eyes. "When you were gone, I could think of nothing else but returning you to my side," he murmured sadly. "And when you did, but your heart was filled with darkness, I realized it was not what either of us wished for. You say you want me to have my own path, then, I would choose the path that makes you happy again. The path that makes you feel alive again, no matter what that may be. This is because…this is because I love you."

She stared at him with surprise and Gerome frowned bitterly for himself. "Forgive me, I'm…a blunt measure of a man," Gerome continued. "But Roo, I do love you. I do not know how else to say it. And it is for this reason that all you must do is say, to think, to dream a word and I shall do it for you. If you wish I should never lay eyes upon you again, if you say to lay my life down at your feet, or even you long to return to that other world where he is…I shall do so, without question or debate." He stared into her eyes, and the words rose from the bottom of his heart. "I love you. No matter what befalls us, no matter where we are or what times it may be, I love you. These feelings will not change."

The promise had been fulfilled and now Roo found herself faced with a choice, but looking up into Gerome and seeing him bare his soul for her, Roo's face turned to smile like her old self, a new, hopeful life appearing in her eyes.

"I don't want the world," Roo whispered. "I want to stay with you."

"Then we'll be together," Gerome said and closed the distance between their fingers and between themselves. "Through whatever fate may bring."

Fate seemed to have a strange way of giving and taking for a loud explosion was heard and Roo and Gerome broke away and looked up in shock to see a pillar of light appear in the sky. "The Outrealm Gate?" Roo frowned as Gerome tied his mask back on. "What…?"

Suddenly, she was interrupted by a familiar wyverns cry and Roo shot a panicked look at Gerome before they both tore back for the camp, the sounds of screams and the clashes of battle rising over the treetops.

Only when they were gone from view did Chrom step out of his hiding place from the shadows, a bitter, heartbroken smile on his face.

---

The camp was in a panic as men scrambled for their weapons to fight Risen warriors, even while still in their nightclothes, when Gerome and Roo arrived. "Get Minerva!" Roo called to Gerome. "Get in the air and see what's going on. I need information!"

Gerome gave her a nod and took off into the crowd. Roo wasted no time and immediately ran for Cherche's tent where Robbie was staying, but flung back the tent flap and found nothing.

It wasn't too surprising – they were probably fleeing to safety or fighting in this chaos and Roo turned to make her next move, but froze in horror as a scarred, half-melted, crazed looking man dressed in gold armor turned and met her gaze. "Hello Robin," the evil king sneered as he marched deliberately towards her. "It's been a while."

"Chrom…!" Roo hissed. "How did you get here?"

"Oh, Robin," Chrom sighed condescendingly. "I thought you were clever enough to remember that time is different for me and this world. I've had many months to think about how to make you see I am your one true only and I've come a long way to get what I want!"

She tried to run, but a hand shot out of the darkness and grabbed Roo from behind. Turning her head, Roo screamed in horror as Frederick's dead eyes, now glowing red, stared lifelessly back at her, the tear in his throat still visible. "I found that a little bit of dark magic goes a long way," Chrom laughed as Frederick hauled Roo to his master. "And you know I'm a quick study. I thought he had worn out his usefulness when I ordered for him to take his own life, but see that even in death, Frederick is my loyal man."

"You're a MONSTER!" Roo snarled, Frederick squeezing her painfully tight against his body. "At least now everyone can see it!"

Chrom bitterly touched his face where the fire had scarred him. "Yes, I am," he admitted. "Without my old face, I can see why you would fear me. So from today onwards, I shall take a new name! A name that would bring my new empire, my new planet to rule into the dawn! I shall be known as…Czar."

Around her, Roo could see the Shepherds being captured, one by one, for Czar and his band of Risen had moved in too fast for them to defend themselves. Virion, Cherche and Robbie, Inigo and Laurent, even Marth, were tied like animals and hurled at Czar's feet. "Who are you?" Marth snarled up at Czar who grinned and looked down. "How dare you-oof!"

He had put his foot in the young man's face to silence him, Czar chuckling as Marth's mask fell away and revealed him. "You look familiar, do I know you?" Czar asked as Marth spat at him.

"I would never associate with the likes of you!" Marth cried out, Czar laughing at the defiance.

"Well, I suppose it won't be long before your memories aren't attached to your body," Czar mused, moving on. "Besides, I've got to have a word with my darling wife over here."

"For the love of…I'm NOT your wife!" Roo screamed at him, but it was no use. Czar leaned in close and stared into her eyes with his own watery, red orbs.

"I have something special for you," he sneered, snapping his fingers and his men came out of the darkness holding a struggling Morgan, behind them, Robin held in chains, roaring furiously, helplessly watching his brother being presented to Czar.

Morgan's eyes met with Roo's and as soon as he saw Czar with his mother, Morgan railed against his captors, doubling his efforts to escape. "Mom!" he cried out, trying to reach for her, Czar's men pulling him back. "Don't you dare touch her!"

However, Czar smiled, unfazed by Morgan's threats as he casually walked over to him and grabbed Morgan's chin, giving it a playful shake. "Ah, now there's a face I remember," Czar said lightly. "Even after all this time, the sight of your hair makes my stomach heave. Good thing I lost most of my lower intestines in my last encounter with your mother."

"I don't know you!" Morgan snapped back, but Czar shook his head and gave him a condescending pat on the shoulder.

"Go ahead and try to explain your innocence, it won't matter. I know the truth," Czar mused. "Anyway, I have a surprise for you too, little child. At least now there's only one of your disgusting blood in this world." Reaching into his armor, Czar pulled out a black mask, broken over the left eye, pressing it into Morgan's struggling hand. "I'll admit he put up a brave fight, but in the end, he begged for his pathetic life, just like all the others," Czar smiled, Morgan's eyes growing wide with horror.

"You're LYING!" Morgan screamed, Robin echoing behind him, raging to get to Czar who threw back his head and laughed, but just paces away, Roo felt her heart sink. It wasn't a new mask that Czar had placed in Morgan's hands, it was an older one, not of this world, even if Morgan and Robin didn't quite realize or understand. Czar quickly lost interest in watching Morgan and his brother frantically try to grab for him and turned his attention to Roo, a knowing smile on his face as she looked up at him.

"It's amusing to see you like this, but all things must come to an end," Czar spat, his crazed smile broadening. "Now, as you stand here with your bastard whelp, I must ask you before I end your pathetic life…" Suddenly, his eyes flickered with sadness, the last remnant of his humanity. "Did you ever love me?"

Roo's eyes met his, her eyes gleaming red from the fires around them as she looked down into his very being. "No," she hissed, her word dripping with hate.

Suddenly, the Risen Frederick pushed her forward, but kept her hands behind her, allowing Czar to take out a blade and trace it over Roo's neck and down to her chest. Whatever was left of Czar that might have once been Chrom vanished and Czar's expression turned cold and heartless as he stared into Roo's terrified eyes. "I'm glad I never came to save you when you stood against Grima," he said calmly, his blade stopping just over her heart. "I'm glad you died."

He raised his knife over Roo's head, but a lance came down in its place, stabbing the Risen Frederick in the space between his neck and shoulder and going down, all the way through the body, until it landed with a heavy thud into the dirt below. Czar stumbled back in shock and cold, hard eyes met his, Risen remains disappearing around Gerome's lance as he and Minerva stood protectively over Roo, Minerva roaring in Czar's face. "Get away from my family!" Gerome half-snarled, half-roared, Minerva rearing up and displaying her wings.

It took a second, but recognition flew onto Czar's face and he dropped his arms to his side and began to laugh. Wild, screaming laughter rang over the roar of fires as Gerome took the moment to drop to Roo's side and take her into his arms. "So you're HIM from this world?" Czar cackled, looking down at them both. "Of course you are. You're younger than him, but just as foolish! You think you can take her from me? I'm CZAR! Ruler of the planet and worlds of men!" Throwing his knife away, Czar reached down and pulled a long, silver blade from his side. "I'll enjoy cutting you down AGAIN, boy."

Gerome thrust his lance forward, but Czar ducked and spun, sending a blast of dark energy at them. Minerva quickly stepped forward and shielded Gerome with her wings, but she took the full hit of the energy blast and screamed as she fell back towards Roo, her wings smoking.

"I've learned a few tricks or two!" Czar cackled as Gerome cried out in rage and continued on foot, slashing and stabbing with his lance, Czar parrying and counter attacking with ease. "And I have decades of combat experience over a whelp like you! It's only a matter of time before you fall!"

Suddenly, a cry was heard and Czar looked up to see Chrom flipping in the air towards him, and Czar just managing to leap out of the way before Falchion slashed down where he would have been just a second before. Flipping his sword around and bringing his other arm up for defense, Chrom glared into Czar's eyes. "Get back!" he demanded. "I am Chrom, Prince of Ylisse! I'll destroy anything and anyone who dares to hurt my friends!"

"You…" Czar stammered, his eyes wide. "You're…" However, darkness crept into Czar's eyes again as he gritted his teeth. "You are nothing anymore!" he cried out, dashing forward and slamming his blade into Chrom's as they struggled against each other, face to face.

With a cry, they broke apart in opposite directions, Czar on one side and Chrom landing next to Gerome on the other. "Sorry I'm late!" Chrom grinned. "I had some business to attend to first!"

"What?" Czar snapped before he turned his head and saw Chrom had freed his men behind his back and the Shepherds were now launching a counter attack against Czar's forces, cutting them down. "This is impossible!"

"With my friends at my side, ANYTHING is possible!" Chrom snapped. Suddenly, he stopped and turned to Gerome, a questioning look on his face.

Although Gerome sighed and rolled his eyes, he grinned back and nodded. No further words were needed and Gerome and Chrom shot forward together, slicing and stabbing at Czar who stumbled back from their advance. It wasn't long before Gerome slashed his lance again, a deep cut appearing on Czar's leg and Chrom stabbed, catching Czar in the shoulder, and Czar fell and cried out, unable to continue. "I am CZAR!" he spat, Chrom and Gerome leveling their weapons at him. "I cannot…I have never been defeated!"

"There's a first time for everything," Chrom said, glaring down. "And no one man stands above all others."

Rage built within Czar as he turned his gaze to Gerome. "I WON'T LOSE!" he screeched as he reached down and grabbed a hidden blade in his boot, lunging forward. "I WON'T LOSE AGAIN!"

"Gerome!" Chrom cried, reaching for his friend, but Czar suddenly stopped, his arm frozen in midair and the knife trembling from out of his hand.

Morgan stood behind Czar, the dagger Czar had thrown away still pressing into Czar's body from behind and blood running down his fingers. "Leave my father alone…!" he hissed as Czar began to choke on the blood that rose into his mouth. Then, with a last, strangling gasp, Czar fell forward into the mud, his eyes staring up from the ground.

Panting for air, Morgan stood and let the dagger fall from his hands. He didn't even notice Gerome quietly walking up to him until he felt his father's hand place itself gently on his shoulder. With a gasp, Morgan looked up at him and took in a deep breath of relief before flinging his arms around Gerome into a tight embrace, his father returning the gesture.

---

Czar's men fell away like a forgotten memory in most of the Shepherds minds, most of them believing the attack to be from a crazed general of Walhart's. Neither Roo, Gerome or Chrom, who by now had learned the truth, bothered to correct them. "So, that was me? I mean, me from another world," Chrom said quietly as he and Roo stood together in his tent a few days after the attack.

"I wouldn't associate you with him," Roo smiled gently, but Chrom still frowned, his gaze distant and creased with worry.

"It could have been," he said quietly. "It could be. Just like my father." He sighed and looked out into the view of the camp where the Shepherds moved about happily with their day. Chrom took in a deep breath and held it for a few seconds before breathing out again. "Roo…I have a favor to ask of you," he said, a sad tone in his voice.

"If you want Frederick to lay off of you, just order him to do so," Roo grinned back. "After he saw what happened to his other self, you would think he would have let up a bit, but he's just as crazy as ever."

Chrom shook his head. "It's not that," he said. "If…if I should ever become him, if I should ever even begin on the same path he did, I want you to make me a promise. Promise me that you'll cut me down. I will do anything to prevent becoming that monster I saw staring through the flames at me. I pray that I am wrong, that I can challenge my fate, but…"

Suddenly, Chrom stopped, feeling Roo's hand on his shoulder as she turned him to face her. She looked straight into his eyes, never wavering. "You don't have to be," she assured, her voice steady. "You make the choice. Not him. Not fate."

"Thank you," Chrom murmured as he placed his hand on top of Roo's for a brief moment and then let go. She gave him a nod and began to head out into the sun before he called out to her again. "I wish you both great happiness," he said, his voice clear and genuine. "My…friend…?"

She turned to look at him, a gentle smile on her face before her eyes flicked to the trail to his tent where Sumia was carefully trying not to trip, a pie in her hands. "Of course, friend," she said, Chrom smiling in relief. "As I to you." Confusion now came over Chrom's face, but Roo turned and walked away, giving Sumia a happy greeting as she passed.

"Captain!" Sumia said brightly as she arrived to Chrom's side, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt. "I uh…I heard you might be feeling a little…down. You know, since you turned evil- I mean, not YOU, but...oh, Pegasus poop! This is coming out all wrong!"

Chrom took pity as he smiled and gestured to a couple of chairs, offering her a seat. Happily, Sumia skipped over to one of them as Chrom sat in the other, pulling out two forks and some napkins. "It's rhubarb and fiddlestick this time!" she smiled. "I know you turned evil…been working so hard lately, so I wanted to show my appreciation! My mother used to say a stick of rhubarb will clear your bowels and get you right as rain in no time! I'm sure it will help you as well!"

At the word, "rhubarb," Chrom winced, but swallowed his words for Sumia's mother's sake. "T-thank you, Sumia," he smiled nervously as he slowly dug the smallest acceptable bit onto his fork and took a nibble.

"Well?" Sumia asked.

Chrom's eyes went wide and he quickly dug his fork back into the pie for another helping. "This is delicious!" he said between bites of pie. "Unbelievable! Normally, I hate rhubarb, but…Sumia, you're a real wizard in the kitchen!" A sudden realization came over Chrom as he looked down at the pie, one of many that had been his only nourishment, his only sense of comfort when he was alone. "Thank you."

Sumia beamed.

---

"So this wasn't father's mask after all…" Morgan said to Robin as they sat together, hidden in the forest near the camp. "Well, not our father here, it was our father's…back home…"

Robin growled softly, but pain reflected in his eyes. "He might have been lying. He could have survived," Morgan said quickly, Robin turning his head away. "That guy was crazy. We can't take his word on everything."

But Robin's uncertainty was clear and closed his eyes. "It's ok, brother," Morgan said, putting his hand on his side. "If dad is anything like the dad here, he would have found a way to live."

"Of course," a voice said behind them. "Those two are too stubborn to die."

Suddenly, both brothers looked up in surprise and met gazes with Roo who smiled sadly back at them. "I don't really know what to say," she said, nervously rubbing the back of her right hand. "I know you know I'm not telling you the whole story, but I promised. I'm sorry."

Roo didn't get to finish as Morgan stood and Robin bent his head down, pulling her into a deep and loving Double Hug Team. "It doesn't matter to us what story came from where," Morgan said in his mother's shoulder, Robin growling in agreement. "Father's alive here and that's what matters. You too. We're all together…at last."

They stayed like that for several minutes, just holding onto each other before Robin sniffed, embarrassed and lifted his head, prompting Morgan and Roo to break apart. "Way to kill the moment," Morgan snapped as Robin huffed indignantly. "Ass."

Roo let out a small laugh and soon, all three of them were smiling again. However, the smiles on Morgan and Robin faded and Roo looked at them sadly. "Hey Roo," Morgan said sadly, Roo feeling a pain stab her heart at his use of her full name. "We…we have a favor to ask."

"Oh. Um, of course," Roo said, trying to keep the smile on her face. She had known this would come, ever since the other Gerome had told her of Morgan's origin.

"We know you seemed kind of hesitant about it before," Morgan continued, smiling nervously, "But…can we keep pretending you're our mom? For a little while, anyway."

The small smile that spread over Roo's face was a pale demonstration of the joy she felt in her heart. "Sure," she said, her eyes sparkling with happiness. "You know what? You can do it for as long as you two like. I don't mind at all."

"Thank you…mother," Morgan said quietly, wrapping his arms around her once more, Robin placing his head on her shoulder.

---

A little while later, Gerome stepped out of his tent for his afternoon training routine and felt a stab of loneliness when he realized he was the only one on the field. He couldn't be surprised, not after what Roo had told him, and Gerome quickly picked up a lance and tried to put the subject out of his mind, despite the sinking feeling in his heart.

Suddenly, as he turned, the blow was blocked and Gerome's eyes widened to see Morgan standing before him with his training lance, a smile on his face. "Man, you started without us," Morgan teased, Robin sitting on the sidelines behind him. "Sorry we're late. We were meeting with mom."

Gerome frowned and slowly stood upright. Confusion of what to do or say ran through him and he realized that he was just standing there, stupidly and frozen as Morgan smiled at him, patiently waiting for him to adjust himself. "I didn't think you wanted to come," Gerome finally admitted. "In light of recent past events, it may be better for you to rest today."

Morgan gave a small sigh and shook his head. "Come on, dad. That's not like you to give me a day off," he teased. "Where're the hundred laps? The five hundred sit-ups? I'm totally ready to get started, so just say the word and we can start on crunches and squats! Or would you rather do footwork this time?"

"Dad?" Gerome echoed, and Morgan winced.

"Sorry," Morgan said nervously. Then, with more confidence and strength in his voice, he looked at Gerome right in the eyes and smiled. "Father," he corrected.

A silent understanding passed between the two of them and slowly, Gerome returned Morgan's smile with one of his own. "Very well," he said. "You may stay for as long as you wish. We will begin warming up with a hundred laps around the camp. We'll see the son can surpass the father this time!"

"Alright!" Morgan smiled. "So do you want to start on the right or the left this time, dad?"

"Make it two hundred."

"AW!"