Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own any of the characters in SSO.

Author's note: This is set after Sorcerous Stabber Orphen: Revenge. Although the central characters are strictly based off the Anime, references will be made to a character from the manga and novels. I know basics about the character but not many details so the ones I came up with may not match canon. Simply consider the events around that character as alternate universe.

I rated this fic M because there are some…um…light sexual situations and implications but nothing explicit. Let me reiterate and I hope I don't disappoint anyone too much, there is nothing explicit, only implied um…activities.

After the latest bit of silence, Cleo concluded she wasn't going to get an answer to her question and shuddered slightly. It almost seemed that her shudder reminded him to start rubbing again so she decided to speak up, "Thank you, I've got feeling back in my legs again. And I'm warmer now. You… you don't have to say anything or stay like this. I-I'll be fine, now." She started to move away from him again, only to once again find herself clasped to his chest.

"Stay put. We're sharing heat here, remember."

"But, if you don't w-want to be…"

"Stop it. Give me a minute to think of how to answer your first question."

"Huh…um okay." Cleo whispered, frantically trying to remember which question he was referring to.

"Winter and cold is not a big deal for me, even thought that is when Azalie first used the sword. You also know that is when we restored her. You've been to the Tower in winter, you know it's cold everywhere. Growing up there cold was a fact of life. However, storms, specifically blizzards are another matter. It takes away our sorcery."

Orphen paused, and leaned into her. To her surprise, he nuzzled into her neck a bit and she thought he might have kissed her, but figured she imagined it, even so she arched her neck to allow for easier access. Orphen lifted his head abruptly, like he was surprised by what he was doing. He shifted slightly and his hands moved to her upper arms and he started rubbing there.

"Don't… stop." She whispered, regretting it immediately when he tensed. "I-I, never mind. Would… would you continue, about the storms I mean?"

Those two words went straight to Orphen's groin…he'd started kissing her neck enjoying the feel of her and being able to freely touch her. And she welcomed the attention, she even moved to allow him easier access to continue, and he wanted to, so much. But a slight breeze fluttered past his neck reminding him of the cold and the simple fact that this wasn't the place to start that. 'What the hell's wrong with me, I'm not my brother. I don't think of sex every waking moment. But sex… no, making love with Cleo… That's never far from my thoughts. I have to focus, I have to keep her safe. This isn't the time or the place.'

He switched to rubbing her arms, to improve her circulation there. But then she said that, and he wanted to oblige her so badly he could taste it. Every muscle in his body stood at attention, especially below the belt. Almost immediately after that, he felt her sag and ask for him to continue the story. He realized they were reading each other at cross-purposes and although he shouldn't have done what he did, he wasn't going to regret it either. They would get there, soon. But a mine in the middle of a blizzard with her chilled to the bone wasn't the time or place.

Deciding his best course of action was to just continue talking, he continued the story, "Hartia, Komikron and I learned about the magical void of blizzards the hard way."

"Komikron? Who's he? You've never…"

"Let me tell this all the way without interruptions," Orphen interrupted gruffly. "Or I won't be able to get it out."

Cleo shifted slightly to look up at him and nodded, leaning her head back against his chest, attempting to offer what support she could in the position they were in.

He smiled into her hair, marveling again how his brat could always get him to feel better about even the worst of situations. "We were outside the Tower, specifically in Komikron's lab. He liked to experiment with all sorts of things, especially magic and electricity and combining them. It's how I first found out about Sun Lake, even before our first visit because my Master had been there before, gathering some research on electricity for Komikron. I didn't know my Master would become the hero of the whole damn town." Orphen paused realizing he was getting off track.

"Anyway, Komikron had asked Hartia and I to assist him with an experiment. This one had us powering part of a machine with our sorcery and he was using electricity for another part."

"Powering?" Cleo asked confused.

Orphen sighed but ignored her interruption even as he closed his eyes, remembering when it all went to hell, the light, sound, smells and shouts and above all, the storm. "The-the…" Orphen stammered slightly.

Realizing how difficult this apparently was for him, Cleo knew looking at him wouldn't help this time so she disentangled one of her hands from where she had it wrapped around her knees under his jacket. His hands that had been rubbing her arms had stopped, so she put her free hand on top of his and gave him a slight squeeze. His hands started moving again, quickly tucking her arm back under his jacket before he continued again, as if nothing happened.

"The storm started blowing in while we were concentrating and interrupted our magic flow which caused an imbalance that quickly went out of control. Everything exploded, leaving Komikron pinned and all of us with no shelter since the explosion blew the roof off the lab. After a few attempts to move the debris, Hartia suggested one of us teleporting for help, that's when we realized neither of us alone had the strength. He and I both assumed it was because we'd been using our magic when the machine went crazy, we were so wrong."

"Komikron knew the magic loss was due to the storm but didn't say anything. He just had us combine our powers so one of us could 'port out to get help. After a bit of a fight, which I won, Hartia ported back to the Tower, with my assistance, just like I gave Majic earlier, only I wasn't as powerful or experienced then."

"Are you gonna be okay now?"

"As I said, I'm more experienced now…and know my limits. Now are you going to let me finish this?" He asked as he shifted his rubbing from her upper arms to her shoulders and neck.

Cleo leaned her head forward slightly, giving Orphen better access to her neck and to rest her chin on her crossed arms. Yawning slightly, Cleo whispered, "Sorry…just." She stopped as she shivered and yawned again, "Thanks, I'm feeling warmer and getting kind of sleepy. I-I still want to hear the rest."

Orphen froze at her words, thinking they sounded very familiar. He tensed, realizing that Komikron had said those same words just before they both passed out. 'Not this time! Not again! I won't... No can't loose you.' Orphen shook her. "No sleeping! Cleo stay awake you hear me, weren't you the one who said that sleeping now was not good." He paused momentarily, fumbling for an idea to capture her attention, thinking, 'Hmm…that's it. Although she did said something about… No…go with the obvious, her curiosity.'

He challenged her with, "Besides, if you fall asleep I will not finish the story. Don't you want to know who Kromikron was?"

"O-of course. But only… only if it's not too hard on you."

'You just had to say that that way didn't you Cleo.' He thought, examining the fire noticing it was in need of new fuel. When she shivered again, he decided he'd better check the blankets to see if they were dry. They were going to need them, soon in fact, since he was beginning to feel the cold, too. "Then I'll finish the story, but I need to check on a few things. Don't you have some summer stories you can tell to warm us up?"

"Warm…um," She shivered even more when Orphen shifted, and stood up. "C-can't think of any warm ones. Winter was always more fun then summer, summer was spent at school but winters were at home. Besides, I-I am the snowball c-champ in Totokonta. Or-or didn't you notice Majic getting ready to duck and cover when he saw I was holding a snowball."

Checking on the two blankets furthest from the entrance, Orphen was pleased to note that at least one was almost dry. The other was still to damp to be useful and the third, dry or not, was needed as a slight shield from the cold of the snow blocking the entrance. "Snowball champ, eh? I guess I can believe that with your aim. You nailed me in the face."

"I said I didn't mean too!"

"So, in a snowball fight a face shot is the hardest." He retorted as he was checking her clothes, which unfortunately were still quite damp. His gut clenched with guilt that she was so cold because of him.

"I-I…we… we learned," Cleo's voice dropped to a barely audible whisper, "the hard way, that…" She paused again, clearing her throat before continuing, "That there are certain areas that you don't hit with snowballs…" She paused, remembering that the actual lecture she and Majic received instructing them to keep the cores of their bodies dry and not to target the face, neck, or chest, ever because if the core of your body got cold, there could be dire consequences.

She suspected that Orphen felt guilty already and she was not going to rub that in. 'In fact,' she thought, 'I'd better to do a preemptive strike to stop that thinking. Wait, I know him, he's already started.' Her heart clenched at the next thought, 'Could…could that be the only reason he's been acting the way he's been? Probably, I knew better then to get my hopes…but still, I need to nip this in the butt. He has nothing to be guilty over. It's my fault. I started it.'

Choosing her next words carefully, she said, "And…one of those areas included the face and…um chest. And before you even think anything else, it was an accident. You had no way of knowing that at that exact moment my cloak would be open when you launched the branch. Had I stayed…"

"Stop it, Cleo." He said glaring at her, as he added some wood and coal to the fire.

"No…" She retorted, her anger rising. "Had I kept my cloak closed, it wouldn't have been an issue. It was freezing out, and to quote what you should have said if you weren't feeing guilty, 'What kind of ninny leaves their cloak open in the middle of nowhere with a storm rolling in?' And you'd be saying it if you weren't…" Cleo reared back looking up when Orphen suddenly appeared inches from her face.

"I said STOP IT!" Orphen growled, yanking her to her feet and flush against his body. "It's my fault!"

"No…" she answered automatically, even as she inwardly hissed when he pressed on some sore spots on her upper back. Pushing away, she looked him straight in the eye, "I knew better! I shouldn't have started a snowball fight and not expected you to retaliate. And then I hit you in the face, one of the areas we were told… told not to after Darius died! So stop blaming…"

"You know I hate apologizing. Maybe you shouldn't have but I one upped you. And…" Orphen's voice lowered to a near whisper as he more gently pulled her against him and continued into her hair. "I-I'm sorry."

"Me too." Cleo said looking up at him as she returned the hug.

Orphen enjoyed this hug until he registered something; she'd said a boy's name. A wave of possessiveness surged through him, 'She's mine!' Unconsciously, he tightened his hold on her until he felt her struggle a bit, before he was able to relax and squelch that train of thought by remembering his plan. Although, that might be a distraction to get her off blame and …Komikron, he prompted her, "Darius?"

"Oh…w-well," Cleo stopped shivering again, unsure whether it was from remembering Darius or that her temper had cooled and she started feeling the cold again. Either way, she could tell Orphen felt it.

"Hold that thought." Orphen said, letting her go and stepping away to grab the nearly dry blanket closest to the larger fire. He carefully wrapped it around her. "Now sit back down."

"But what about you…"

"I'll be fine. Remember I grew up in the mountains..."

"No. Either… um…either we," she gulped before continuing, "share or I'm g-going too…"

She started to struggle out of the blanket, even as Orphen was covering her back up. "Damn it… stop this Cleo. I'm dry…and not chilled. You need it more!"

"Share! Or get the other ones."

"No…one's blocking the snow and the other's too wet."

"But you're cold too!"

"I'll be fine, I'm used to it." He growled when she got the blanket loose and was almost immediately shivering again. 'Damn it girl, you never make things easy. You're just being yourself but damn it can't you just do as I tell you once in a while.' Knowing she wasn't going to give up and she was only making the cold worse for herself, he decided to give in, this time. "Fine, we'll share the damn thing, just stop fighting me!"

He grabbed the blanket from her, laid the blanket down and sat on part of it right next to the cart. Leaning back on the cart, he then beckoned her to sit between his legs again. She hesitated, but the promise of being warm overrode her trepidation at being that close to him. After all he was only doing it because she was cold and he felt guilty. Once she was sitting, he pulled her against him and brought the blanket around both of them, making absolutely certain she was completely covered by the blanket.

"Now…Darius?"

"Huh?... oh… um…okay but you still haven't finished telling me about Komikron."

"Oh… there's not much more to tell. Using up my power to get Hartia out like I did, I passed out. According to Master Childman, Hartia and I both did. It's a side effect of using too much magic during a storm void. When I woke up, Komikron…he…he was dead and I was being carried back to the tower in blankets still clutching a warming sphere."

"Passed out? Did that happen to Majic too? A-and a warming sphere? What's that?"

"Yeah." Orphen said his voice devoid of any emotion as he tried to repress the memories. "That's how it was my fault. After I passed out, Komikron must have been so worried about me that he used the last of his energy to activate the warming sphere, a magical globe of light and heat, to keep me warm…and alive."

Cleo sat quietly thinking about what happened to him, realizing that his situation wasn't that unlike hers. Only he apparently never got the message that it was an accident. 'How could they let him do that to himself? Bearing all that guilt for something that wasn't his fault. He was just a child and…and, I am so gonna give that Childman a piece of my…wait. I can't…but I've also met him, he wouldn't have just let Orphen believe it was his fault and Azalie, well, she had to have tried to pound some sense into him. No, Orphen took even Azalie's mistake on as his own, he apparently did the same with this Komikron. Even though he denies it, he always takes on the mistakes of those he cares about, apparently that even extends to me. He may seem selfish on the surface, but he thinks of others before himself. Why didn't I see it before? Now, how to help him?' She also wondered, 'Who the hell was Komikron anyway?'

"Um… how was it your fault Orphen? And…well, you never did say who Komikron was?"

"Komikron was my broth…" Orphen paused, grimacing, "He was another of Childman's apprentices like Hartia."

"Oh… You could have said it, Hartia's like a brother to you and so was Komikron. But Orphen," Cleo paused, reviewing the details of the story he'd told, "From what you've said, it doesn't sound like it was your fault."

"It was."

"Then tell me how?" She demanded, twisting in his arms to face him.

"I lived. He didn't." Orphen replied, turning her back to face front so he wouldn't have to face her.

"No," she growled, resisting him his attempts to avoid her eyes. "That's not how it works…"

"Oh and of course you're so wise."

"I know I'm not," she said, looking down, "you remind me often enough, but Orphen, using the facts you gave me, I don't see where it was your fault."

"Drop it! You don't know anything, you little brat!"

"Yes, I do." Her head snapped up as she fired back, "I know it's one of the few things you willingly repeat often. Did you cause the storm? No! Did you intentionally blow up his experiment? No! Did you ask him to give you the heating sphere? No! So how in the hell do you figure it was your fault?"

"You don't understand…"

"Understand what?" she turned and as she got up on her knees to look down at the still seated Orphen the blanket slipped to the ground. She had to make him understand, it wasn't his fault. "That you didn't cause the storm, which in turn caused the experiment to blow up and that you didn't make your brother save you. You were just a child. Or is that the problem, someone else saved you?" Cleo opened her mouth to gloat more but stopped herself after looking at his shocked face, suddenly doubting herself, 'Did I just go to far?' She fell back on her calves closing her eyes as she attempted to reign in her temper when she noticed how still he'd gotten. 'Yeah, I went too far.'

"I-I'm sorry," shuddering in worry about his reaction even as she felt the cold assault her now that the blanket had fallen off. Worse at the same time, the snow near the entrance shifted, causing a gust of cold air to move the hanging blankets and chill their shelter more.

Orphen literally was frozen. He was absolutely stunned and overwhelmed by myriad of emotions he was feeling. He was furious with her for yelling at him but he knew it came from her unshakeable faith in him. He'd heard similar phrases from all of them, Childman, Azalie, Tish, Lai and even Hartia, but to hear it from her as well. He wanted to believe, if only because it came from her, he didn't ever want to disappoint her or do anything to shake her faith in him. 'No, I refuse to be…I can't accept it. It was my fault… I didn't save …him. But, I was… only thirteen. And…' Orphen closed his eyes remembering the scene with Komikron, he'd been trapped by debris. Searching his memory, Orphen remembered, there was blood on the snow, Komikron's blood. 'Was it really the cold that killed him? Did he, could he have hidden how injured he was?' Orphen thought. 'But how could she pick up on that with what little I told her?'

That still didn't change the fact that she was still the single most frustrating woman he'd ever encountered. And the situation was even more frustrating for him, partly because he felt utterly helpless due to the storm, again. However, no matter distracting she was and how much he wanted to find other ways too keep her warm, he wasn't going to put up with her shouting at him. He tensed and opened his mouth to shout back when he saw her shiver again and noticed the swaying of the hanging blankets indicating that the snow had shifted again.

"Damn it! I need to check the other blankets and stoke the fire up more." He said as he quickly stood, wrapped the blanket around her again and made her sit back down by the fire.

"I-I went to far…didn't I? I-I really am sorry, Orphen."

"Not now, Cleo." Orphen snapped, adding more coal to both fires, even though they were both nicely burning.

"I didn't mean to make you m-mad… I was just trying…"

"I said not now!" He turned away from her and moved to the blankets separating them from the snow filled entrance.

"No I will not. Y-you're going to listen to me."

"Cleo." He warned, glaring back at her.

"What?" she fired back defiantly. "I'm not afraid of you."

"You damn well better not be!" he snarled. "Arrgh! We aren't doing this now." He moved one of the blankets so he could see past it and noticed that the snow at the entrance had shifted creating a small opening, which was currently filling. He heard her shout behind him and some movement which he thought might be her getting up again so turned back to level his most intimidating glare at her.

"Why? So you can continue to avoid the issue?" Cleo stopped momentarily considering getting up out of her blanket cocoon he'd wrapped her in but upon seeing his glare, she decided against it. She didn't cower under it either and pushed forward with her point. "You growl and piss me off so I run away then you get to avoid a topic when you I'm close to a sensitive topic. Well… I can't exactly run right now…and you don't need to continue to carry a guilt, that Komikron wouldn't want you to!"

"Don't pretend you know him or what he'd want, little girl! I said we're through discussing this."

"No, I won't back down this time…and No, I didn't know him. You did, so you ask yourself what he would have wanted for you." She paused, reaching out to him with one hand, even as she knew better then to get out from under the blanket. He looked up at him, pleading with her eyes to get him to listen, "I know I'm pushing, and I'm sorry. But I'm not going to let you feel guilty about this, I'm fine and I'll be fine."

"How in the hell do you know that?!?!"

"I'm with you."

Three simple words that completely summed up her faith in him, he knew she'd said that she was never afraid when she was with him before. But to say it again, even after he'd told her how he'd failed someone he cared about was just so… her. She had faith in him and wouldn't back down even when he doubted it. It reminded him again why he wanted to change things with her and never ever be parted from her again. He heard her continuing; babbling like she always did when she was insecure and he found himself smiling in spite of the memories they'd dredged up.

"Look what you've set up so far… fires, drying blankets and clothes plus water. It's cold yes, and if we slept too long, maybe it could be a problem… but with the fires and blanket, I think… no…I know we'll be fine. Besides, Majic will be coming after us as soon as possible. Oh…no!"

"What?" He couldn't suppress the grin on his face, she was about to change the subject all on her own.

"Majic… even if he slept for a while, as soon as he wakes up he'll try to find us. We have to…"

"Relax. Hartia was meeting us at the inn. He'll keep Majic safe inside until daylight." Orphen quickly checked both of the blankets near the snow. Although it was the one blocking the drafts from the entrance, one of the hanging blankets was dry.

"Oh…that's a relief, but… why?"

"Well… that was another reason for going to Sun Lake. Majic needs to spend some time at the Tower for focused concentration studies." He pulled down the dry blanket and draped it over his shoulder and moved the damp one so it would help resist the drafts coming from the entrance.

"Oh… so you were going to leave me alone in Sun Lake?"

"No." He answered shaking his head while he wrapped the blanket around his shoulders. "That's why Hartia was meeting us he's going to take Majic to the Tower." He sat down beside her and pulled her blanket-clad form against him once more before continuing in her ear. "We're staying together."

"Together?"

"Yeah." Orphen answered, unable to resist sinking his nose in her hair before remembering something she'd said earlier. 'Besides,' he thought, 'I'd rather not sleep until the storm is fading and my magic is returning. So more talking it is…but it's her turn.'

"So… you asked your questions…now for mine." He said before spitting out, "Darius?"

"Huh?" Cleo jumped slightly, as she'd been content just enjoying being close to him and finally starting to feel warm. Although how couldn't she, she was enveloped in one blanket, sitting by the fire and Orphen had just pulled her close adding part of his blanket to cover both of them. She was getting drowsy and knew for the first time since she'd entered the mine that it would be okay to rest. 'Still he had shared his story of Komikron with me I should return the favor but…why'd he say Darius' name like that. He almost sounded…no it couldn't be, but he almost sounded like he might be jealous.'

"Um… what's with the… venom?" Cleo teased, adding wistfully, "Careful Orphen or someone might think you were actually jealous."

For a moment, Orphen was speechless before he ground out, "You know better, when have I ever been jealous?" He dodged, knowing she was right and that the boy wasn't any threat except in memory, but that didn't change the questions he had about their relationship or the feelings that had surfaced unbidden. "Now am I going to have to drag the story out of you?"

"No…" she whispered, collecting her thoughts and pushing aside the hurt he always managed to invoke. 'Still he really sounded jealous but I must be mistaken… he-he doesn't care that way. Why do I let that hurt me, every time? Although, this whole debacle has shown me that he does care about me… in general, at least I know I'm not just the extra baggage that he always calls me.' In spite of the comfort and warmth, Cleo started to struggle to get up and move away from Orphen, but he refused to let her go.

"Let me go!"

"Never."

"Now you're sounding like you…" Cleo broke off knowing she really didn't want the answer to that question, assuming he'd actually acknowledge it if she finished. However, since that one word set her hopes soaring, she had to focus on viciously squelching it, reminding herself of the heartache she would experience if she didn't keep her guard up, rather then pay attention to him or the fact that he'd buried his nose in her hair again when he said never. She focused on keeping her guard up; to learn from the lessons she'd learned over the time she had traveled with Orphen. He was never jealous or possessive, at least not over her.

Orphen was waiting for her to finish her statement, ready to set her straight about a lot of things, even if it was not his original plan; they were alone, warming up and no one, not Majic or anyone else, would be interrupting them anytime soon. He was going to make this work, in spite everything that has happened and the fact that he probably should not do anything here. However, that issue seemed to be moot when he noticed that she tensed when she broke off.

'That's never a good sign.' He thought, 'so, what's it gonna be this time, Cleo, distraction or anger?' When she started looking around, he resisted sighing out loud, 'Distraction, it is.'

"Is it just me or is the blanket moving?"

He looked at the blanket by the entrance and unfortunately she was right it was moving, more then it should be unless more snow had dislodged and reopened the cave entrance. He groaned, but he'd have to go check it out. Otherwise their shelter could quickly become just as dangerous as being outside. He slipped out of his blanket, wrapping the remains of it back around her. "I'll check it out. Don't move. I'll be right back."

Cleo used the time while he was behind the blanket to attempt to put her defenses back up, shaking her head in frustration at how quickly she always let her guard down and got her hopes up. Even when she'd resolved that she had to keep her distance from him, one glance, one phrase and she completely melted. 'What's wrong with me? Am a glutton for punishment?' She sighed, snuggling back in to the blankets, half wishing that when he came back, he would return to hold her and half hoping he would not. She wanted to be close to him so badly, but it hurt so much that he didn't … well, love her the way she loved him. 'It's not the first time I've admitted that to myself, and probably not the last. If only…' she trailed off in her thoughts when she noticed Orphen was busy doing something again. He had gone from the area beyond the blanket near the entrance across their sanctuary and further into the mine. He was gone a while and then came back carrying some odd shaped pieces of metal and wood. After two transits, she asked, "W-what are you doing?"

He stopped, holding a few more pieces of metal he'd found deeper in the mine. "The snow has shifted at the entrance again. If we don't want it melting and the water running deeper into the mine potentially dousing our fires, I figured I'd better create better way to keep the snow from encroaching any further then it already has."

"L-let me help…" She moved to get up when Orphen's voice stopped her.

"No… stay under the blankets, this won't take long. Or haven't you noticed you're starting to shiver again?"

'Now that he mentioned it, I am cold,' she thought realizing that she had not noticed that she was not only cold again, but shivering. 'Makes sense though, once cold more susceptible, like… Darius.' Ruefully she noticed that much of the cold was due to the fact she let his blanket slide off her shoulders exposing her back, which had previously been snuggled against his warm chest. With a sigh, she pulled the blankets close again and was getting comfortably warm when Orphen re-entered the shelter and her stomach let loose an audible rumble.

"Unless you count snow, there's not much to eat."

"I thought there was some jerky in an outside pocket of the pack." Cleo said again, trying to get out of her blankets to go help.

"You get up…so help me, I'll turn you over my knee and warm your ass. I did not spend all this time getting you warm to have you mess it up."

"Fine. I actually try to help and you don't want it. I stay put and you grouse that I don't pull my weight. Make up your mind!"

"Cleo that's different and…" Orphen stopped, realizing she was drawing him in to an argument. 'Distraction and Anger…' he thought, 'is it really that sensitive to you Cleo. I'd have thought you'd want to know that every time some guy comes near you I want to rip their head or balls off. That the idea of loosing you wakes me up at night in a cold sweat.' Realizing she was waiting for him to continue, he continued out-loud with, "No. We aren't doing this. We have other things to talk about."

"O-other things?"

"Darius?" Orphen answered, forcing himself to keep his tone neutral while rifling through the pack and grabbing the pieces of jerky she mentioned before settling himself back behind her with the blankets around them both.

"Oh…w-well," she blushed in reaction to his proximity, "he… um, Darius, well, he was the first guy I ever kissed… err, well, kissed me. Although, we were both at the very mature age of seven when it happened. We… Majic, Darius, me and well, all the kids in Totokonta learned the risks of hitting someone in the chest…or the core of the body. You see…um, well I guess I better explain that at eleven, Darius was a cocky little ass….um kid. And well, as you can understand, that didn't make him very popular at times." Cleo paused when she noticed Orphen holding something in front of her, realizing it was some jerky, she took it before continuing.

"He… um announced to everyone that he could beat us all in a snowball fight. You know that we… err, I couldn't back down from such a challenge and we, Majic, me and the other kids rallied against him. We coated him from head to toe in snow. After the dose of humiliation, we still kept playing for a few hours and he got cold…really cold. Then the adults came and we got the scolding of our lives. Plus we were all grounded for several days. When we were finally able to get out again… Darius didn't join us. In fact, although we didn't know it then, that would be the last time we played together. He got sick after he got so cold…it was just a cold, but it kept him inside. The illness left him weakened so when a nasty flu epidemic hit, he caught that too. And…and…didn't survive."

Cleo paused again wondering if she could get away with this before she continued, "We all got sick, but if I hadn't gotten him so cold and wet, he'd have been able to throw it off like the rest of us did. So even though we were told…he got sick and then sicker, but we knew better. It was our fault…"

"How? Did you cause the flu?

"No, but we got him so cold that he was weakened so when he caught the flu…"

"That's crap, and you know it."

Cleo took a deep breath mentally bracing herself for the explosion she knew would come, "Just like it's crap that you caused Kromikron's death?"

"DAMN IT!" Orphen shouted, standing and dumping her out of his lap. He was about to step away from her when he saw her shiver again. He growled, before sitting back down and pulling her against him. "Don't pull that psychology shit on me?"

Cleo turned to face him. "Maybe I shouldn't, but that doesn't change the facts. The tragedies weren't our faults. And if we could have changed things we would have."

"Just shut up."

"Your typical response. When I'm right you tell me to shut up. You can't stand it when I'm right. You may be a sorcerer Orphen, but I've got news for you. You're not perfect. You can't save everyone."

"I know that damn it! Now drop it."

"Obviously you don't or you'd be able to accept that you can only do your best! I mean, look at what you've done here. You took what Majic started and made it comfortable in spite of blizzards and avalanches."

"I had to or you would have froze to death."

"Maybe. Maybe not. I'm not helpless. Besides, Majic's fire was going good. And… and I would have thought of making a second fire…" silently she finished the sentence with, 'eventually.'

"No you wouldn't have. And we're not having this argument. Eat." He concluded, pointing at the jerky still in her hand.

"What's wrong, we fight all the time, don't we. And even you have to admit, it warms the blood."

"Warms…" Orphen repeated, noticing again how close she was under the blankets, what she occasionally rubbed against and how close their faces were. 'To hell with waiting,' he thought bringing his arms up around her.

"I'll give you warmth." He said, pulling her tightly against him while moving his hand up from her behind her shoulder to the nape of her neck, positioning her head as he leaned his face in to claim her lips.

"Are you sure this is the mine, Majic?" Hartia asked as they were approaching the cliffs just outside of Sun Lake. "The cliffs all look the same to me."

They'd left town just after sunrise and breakfast, bringing extra provisions along for the 'stranded pair' as Majic dubbed them. Although Hartia tried to delay Majic further, breakfast was all Majic would stand for. He had wanted to leave the Inn as soon as the storm broke around two that morning. Not knowing what they'd find, Hartia insisted they walk. He knew that Orphen and Cleo would be fine. The reason to delay until full morning was simple survival, disturbing Orphen before his morning coffee was, in a word, dangerous. Doubly so if you disturbed him after a night alone with Cleo, which Hartia suspected was both heaven and hell for Orphen. Well, come to think of, the same could be said for Cleo, too.

"Yes. And not just because of the location. Look." Majic answered pointing at the blue Wolven pup comfortably curled up at the open entrance.

"I see… but that isn't all, is it Majic? What else? Can you sense anything?"

"Um…" Majic muttered as he tried to get a feel for what Hartia was asking, "Oh…sorcery…coming from the cave."

"So it looks like you were wrong Majic, Cleo didn't kill him."

"True…but she's smart too. She would have waited until he cast some warming spells beforehand…"

Laughing Hartia replied, "Well… I guess we should be good friends then and help her bury the body."

Majic laughed as they crossed the last few steps to get to the entrance. Majic stopped momentarily to pet Leki before he and Hartia continued into the mine. Leki moved to block Majic's entry growling slightly. Majic just picked up a struggling Leki as he and Hartia entered the opening.

Momentarily, they both came running out of the cave with a white energy bolt at their heels. Diving into the snow, they dodged the bolt. Sitting up breathing heavily, Majic looked back to see Leki resume his guarding position at the entrance of the cave. Majic growled back at Leki, "Why didn't you warn us?"

"He did." Hartia replied. "He doesn't usually growl at you, does he?"

"Well… no. But …he… and…

"Don't fret Majic. You know that was a long time coming. Not exactly what I would call the most romantic place for… well, you know."

"Um… I-I'm so not thinking about that." Majic said shuddering, "Anyway, do you think he was serious about getting the justice of the peace to the inn in an hour?"

"Absolutely. He's not one make a mistake about that. And for the other, why can't I make a mistake like that?""

"What mistake?"

"Getting trapped in a cave with a woman I've wanted for years, all alone, where she must snuggle with me for warmth and survival, with no chance of interruptions."

"Oh…so her hitting him in the face with the snowball and dumping snow down his pants was the best mistake she ever made. Though, I guess them being stuck in the cave together did them some good since they worked out their differences."

"I swear Majic, you're just like them. Not a romantic bone in your body. I mean really, a rushed wedding at the Justice of the Peace after a wild night of debauchery. Now that's what I call romantic." Hartia gushed, while clasping his hands together over his heart.

Majic shook his head, muttering "Master Hartia, that'd be more effective if you were a fourteen year old girl, not singed and covered in snow. I still don't understand, it's not like they have to marry. It won't save her reputation, so she doesn't have to marry him…" Majic broke off, remembering something.

"That was a low blow Majic. After all, I wasn't even posing as my alter ego." Hartia teased, before turning more serious, "Besides weren't you the one who confirmed things for me. Have you so little confidence in them?"

Majic looked back at the entrance to the mine, noticing that there was a purple flash, indicating more magic was being used in the mine. He smiled slightly before nodding in reply to Hartia's question.

"Now consider, this wasn't exactly a spontaneous occurrence, I was meeting the three of you to take you to the tower with me for additional, and necessary, training. However that was also so they could talk. Truthfully, I was expecting to be called back in the middle of the lessons for either a wedding or funeral… but now…well, it looks like the next time you join them, they'll probably be announcing her pregnancy."

"Pre-pregnancy?" Majic's eyes widened, as he thought of something truly terrifying. "Pregnancy, her pregnant…and then a child…like her… with his sorcery. Um… Master Hartia, is-is it too late to go to the other tower…or continent?

"What abandoning them with no worries about his feelings or hers or if the relationship will work out? Where's your curiosity?"

"Oh. No. I-I know Cleo. She wouldn't have agreed to…well to anything, unless… well, unless they talked and he convinced her of how he felt.. err his feelings. If… well I guess he does since he's the one who ordered us to get the Justice of the Peace."

"Him convincing her…but what about Krylancelo? Doesn't he deserve to know…"

"Master Hartia, he knows how she feels. She wears her heart on her sleeve. And if he actually admitted how he felt…she'd quickly respond in kind."

"Would she?" Hartia cocked an eyebrow at Majic.

"Yeah…well, once she believed it."

"But…he's crazy about her."

"Well…she's crazy about him!" Majic exclaimed, adding with a shrug, "But even I didn't know how he felt."

"So I didn't know how she felt about him."

"Um… Master Hartia. What are we doing here debating this in the snow?" Majic asked looking towards the town.

"Delaying the inevitable." Hartia replied, looking back towards the mine.

"Huh?"

"Going back into the mine."

"No, I meant going to… why the mine again?"

"Unless I miss my guess, they teleported out a minute ago. Or didn't you notice the flash and magic surge."

"What!?! Why didn't you say something sooner. We'd better get back." Majic turned and started walking back to Sun Lake.

"No…" Hartia grasped Majic's arm stopping him before he continued, "now that they've left, we'll get the packs out of the cave and then go back."

"But…um… if we don't get the Justice of the Peace before…"

"And you're the one who says he knows Cleo so well…" Hartia said rolling his eyes, "Even I know this one, what is she going to want to do for a long time after being cold and dirty?"

"Oh yeah." Majic grinned, "I guess my days of peeping on her in the bath are over. Well since we have time…" He added while walking back to the mine entrance, "I'll get the packs. You can get the pup."

"No way. I'll get the packs, you get the pup."

Leki solved the discussion, walking past both of them although he paused and lifted his leg against a tree before kicking snow, yellow snow, on both of them.

"I guess he showed us." Hartia groused, wrinkling his nose as he wiped the snow off. "But he's right, we need to get the packs and get about doing our errand."

"Yes, plus we need to get the odds on whether their first kid will be a boy or a girl."

"Hmm… what about odds on twins?" Hartia said walking toward the mine, wincing as he realized he didn't want them to have twins, they had had too much trouble with the last set of sorcerer twins.

"We'll discuss that later." Majic said starting to whistle as he followed Hartia.

There's only a short humorous epilogue to come. Hope you all enjoyed it!

And a big thank you to everyone who read and reviewed, I do try to respond individually if you're signed in or include your E-mail address although I admit I've been really busy the last couple of weeks and haven't gotten to everyone, I will though. Anyway special thanks go out to those who took the time to review: Ayumi –Night Beauty-, Chairleg01, CLEAO girl, Irondevil, The Black Crow, and Wildefire's Flame.